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Your Ship Has Come In: Extending Cruise Vacations in Greater Fort Lauderdale

Stow Away in This Beach Chic Destination Either Before or After Cruise Vacations

GREATER FORT LAUDERDALE, FL. – October 31, 2007 – As the world’s third busiest cruise port, Port Everglades serves over three million cruise travelers every year.  Embarking and disembarking cruisers are encouraged to extend their trip in Greater Fort Lauderdale by taking advantage of the destination’s many leisure pursuits.  Top-notch shopping, delectable cuisine, spas of serenity and sports above and below the sea are perfect diversions for both pre-cruise preparation and post-cruise relaxation.

Before You Say Bon Voyage!

For travelers looking to ensure they look their best, can handle endless food and are ready to partake in any on-board activity or shore excursion, Greater Fort Lauderdale welcomes vacationers to the destination for pre-cruise preparation:

Cruise Couture – Greater Fort Lauderdale invites shop-a-holics and the style conscious to visit one of the destination’s malls or fashionable boutiques for new cruise wear.  Head to Sawgrass Mills, (www.sawgrassmillsmall.com) Florida’s largest retail and entertainment center with over 350 name-brand stores and outlets where you can find the perfect sailing outfit at great prices.  For those looking to stay closer to Port Everglades, take your charge card to the Galleria Mall (www.galleriamall-fl.com), home to department stores like Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue, or the trendy boutiques along Fort Lauderdale’s famed Las Olas Boulevard.

Delicious Dining – Sure you will eat endless amounts of food while aboard your cruise, but practice makes perfect. Sample the destination’s local Floribbean cuisine at popular restaurants like Cero (www.cerorestaurant.com), Mark’s Las Olas (www.chefmark.com/lasolas) and Johnny V (www.johnnyvlasolas.com).  Dine waterside with brunch at the River House (www.ftlauderdaleriverhouse.com), a tasty burger for lunch at Le Tub (www.theletub.com) or dinner at Blue Moon Fish Company (www.bluemoonfishco.com).

Learn How To…. – Part of the enjoyment of cruising is partaking in on-board activities and shore excursions.  But what if you can’t salsa or are not scuba certified?  Greater Fort Lauderdale has you covered on both counts.  For one-day, or one-night, take your two left feet to Latin dance classes at Gold Coast Ballroom (www.goldcoastballroom.com).  And for those looking to go under the sea, take an open-water scuba certification course at Pro Dive USA (www.prodiveusa.com) conveniently close to Port Everglades.

Return Home Looking and Feeling Better Than Ever

Taking a vacation can leave travelers feeling like they need another getaway to recover from the first.  Greater Fort Lauderdale helps post-cruise travelers get back into the swing of things with a variety of relaxing activities and pursuits.

Sun and Sand – Feeling like you are still at sea and cannot get your bearings?  Try a relaxing day on the beach.  Greater Fort Lauderdale has 23 miles of Blue Wave certified beaches (this recognizes the quality of the beach’s cleanliness) and travelers can enjoy a variety of experiences whether it’s the lively beachfront of Fort Lauderdale Beach, the family atmosphere and Broadwalk of Hollywood Beach or the calm quiet tranquility of Deerfield and Pompano Beaches.

Head “Fore” the Links – Home to over 60 championship golf courses, Greater Fort Lauderdale is a golfer’s haven and a perfect destination for cruisers looking for steady ground once again.  Top courses include Diplomat Country Club which is the only 5-Star Rated Golf Course in South Florida (www.diplomatresort.com/golf.php), Bonaventure Country Club (www.golfbonaventure.com), Deer Creek Country Club (www.deercreekflorida.com), The Club at Emerald Hills (www.theclubatemeraldhills.com), Heron Bay Golf Club (www.heronbaygolfclub.net) and Palm Aire Country Club (www.palmairegolf.com).

Ante up and double down – With three casino cruise operators, a recently renovated state-of-the-art horse racing venue and three Seminole Indian casinos, including the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Greater Fort Lauderdale has become one of the top tropical destinations for gamers. Visitors can enjoy Gulfstream Park Horse Racing & Casino (www.gulfstreampark.com); Isle of Capri Racino (www.pompanopark.com); Mardi Gras Racetrack and Gaming Center (www.playmardigras.com); SeaEscape® Cruises (www.seaescape.com); The Seminole Casino Coconut Creek (www.seminolecoconutcreekcasino.com) and The Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Hollywood (www.seminolehardrockhollywood.com).

Spas of Serenity – One of the best ways to relax after a cruise is with an extra day of pampering at a spa.  Chamomile scrubs, Thai yoga and chocolate body treatments are just some of the treatments offered at these top Greater Fort Lauderdale spas: Elizabeth Arden Red Door Lifestyle Spa at the Hyatt Regency Bonaventure (http://bonaventure.hyatt.com); The St. Regis Spa (www.stregis.com/fortlauderdale); The Spa at Harbor Beach Marriott (www.marriottharborbeach.com); Spa Atlantic at The Atlantic Resort and Spa (www.theatlantichotelfortlauderdale.com); The Contour Day Spa at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino (www.contourdayspa.com); and The Spa at The Diplomat (www.diplomatresort.com).

For further information about Greater Fort Lauderdale’s pre and post cruise stays, visit www.sunny.org.

***Editors Note: Nicki Grossman President of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Conventions and Visitors Bureau is available for interviews***

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Media Contact:
M. Silver Associates
Christopher Dale/Shawn Warmstein
Tel: (212) 754-6500
E-mail: christopher@msilver-pr.com / shawn@msilver-pr.com

Greater Fort Lauderdale
Convention & Visitors Bureau
Francine Mason/Jessica Taylor
Tel: (954) 765-4466
E-mail: fmason@broward.org / jtaylor@broward.org

About Greater Fort Lauderdale

The new Greater Fort Lauderdale is a vibrant, year-round destination offering more than 33,000 hotel rooms at a variety of hotels, resorts and Superior Small Lodgings, including several new five-star luxury resorts opening soon. More than ten million annual visitors enjoy Greater Fort Lauderdale’s 23 miles of Blue Wave Beaches, 300+ miles of inland waterways that run from the Intracoastal to the Everglades, 4,000 restaurants, top shopping, thriving arts and culture scene and a world-class airport, cruise port and Convention Center.  For information about Greater Fort Lauderdale, contact the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau at (800) 356-1662 or visit www.sunny.org.