Queen Elizabeth: 26-Night Panama Canal from Los Angeles

Los Angeles cruise port is in San Pedro, a harbor neighborhood at the southern tip of the city, about 25 miles from downtown LA and 18 miles from LAX. The port is called the World Cruise Center, and it's the main departure point for Mexican Riviera, Hawaii, and Pacific Coast itineraries.

Cabo San Lucas sits at the very tip of Mexico's Baja California Peninsula, where the Pacific Ocean meets the Sea of Cortez. This is a tender port: ships anchor in Cabo San Lucas Bay and passengers ride small boats to the marina.

Aruba's capital sits just 15 miles off the Venezuelan coast, and it's one of the southern Caribbean's most popular cruise stops for good reason. Five berths across three air-conditioned terminals handle up to five ships at once, with water depths of 32 to 36 feet.

Miami cruise port, officially called PortMiami, is the busiest cruise port in the world by passenger volume. Millions of people pass through here every year, and nearly every major cruise line uses it as a home port.

Orlando's cruise port is Port Canaveral, located on Florida's Space Coast about 45 miles east of the city. It's one of the busiest cruise ports in the world, and almost entirely an embarkation port.