Florida's cruise ports can be packed. Try boarding here instead.

Norwegian Cruise Line relaunched sailings from Philadelphia, adding the city back into the mix of U.S. cruise departure points for the first time in 15 years.

While Florida is home to the world’s busiest ports and cities like New York and Seattle may seem like obvious choices to begin a voyage, there are other cruise ports around the United States that may be more convenient – and less crowded.

“These are all great ports for people who hate to fly, or don't want to spend the money to fly,” said Edward Cicinato, a travel advisor and Dream Vacations franchise owner. He helped USA TODAY round up five alternative – and often underrated – ports across the country.

Galveston, Texas

Frequent cruisers and Texas residents likely know of the island city, which is expected to account for 4.1% of embarkation and debarkation among Americans this year, according to a recent forecast from AAA.

However, newcomers may not be as familiar with Galveston, which has seen significant growth in recent years. MSC Cruises became the latest brand to base a ship there in November. “First of all, it doesn't have the problem that some of the other smaller ports have, where they have bridges that the ships have to go under, and some of the bigger ships can't get under bridges,” said Cicinato.

That means some of the newest and largest vessels like Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas – which will homeport there beginning in 2027 – can sail from there.

Ships currently operating from Galveston include MSC Seascape and Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Jubilee.

However, Cicinato noted that many itineraries from the city visit the Western Caribbean, so repeat guests may not find much variety in destinations, and the closest major airport is nearly an hour away by car.

New Orleans

The Big Easy’s cruise terminals are centrally located, around 10 minutes by car from the historic French Quarter. 

The port is not only easy to reach but also allows cruise guests to enjoy the popular tourist destination before or after their sailing. “Who doesn't want to spend a couple of extra nights in New Orleans?” said Cicinato.

Ocean ships currently sailing from the city include Norwegian Escape and Carnival Liberty, as well as river vessels from American Cruise Lines and Viking.

Ocean itineraries primarily feature the Western Caribbean and some Bahamas stops, according to Cicinato, while river ships sail along the Mississippi River.

Baltimore

Bridge-related height limitations mean smaller, older ships tend to sail from Baltimore. “For some people, that's a con,” Cicinato said. “If you've never cruised before, it's not a big deal because you haven't cruised anywhere yet, so a smaller ship is actually preferable to going to the larger ports and getting on the really mammoth ships where you get lost right away.”

He noted that the port is easily accessible, and hotels offer packages that include transportation there. Carnival Pride, Royal Caribbean’s Vision of the Seas and American Cruise Lines’ American Independence currently sail from Baltimore.

Itineraries beginning in the city typically feature Bermuda and the Eastern Caribbean, per Cicinato (though American Independence offered Chesapeake Bay cruises through May, according to CruiseMapper). 

Baltimore is a good alternative to New York, Cicinato said, since the proximity to popular warm-weather destinations means one less sea day. “You can get to the Bahamas, or any of the islands that they're porting at, a lot quicker than you can if you're (sailing) out of New York,” he said.

Philadelphia

Norwegian Jewel began sailing from Philadelphia in mid-April. The ship will offer Bermuda itineraries through late August, followed by Canada and New England cruises (with embarkation options in both Philadelphia and Quebec City). The ship will be replaced by Norwegian Pearl later in the year, according to a news release.

“The location is great because (the port) is located right near the airport,” Cicinato said. “So if you do have to fly in, you're right there.” Center City is roughly 15 minutes away by car.

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, the line’s parent company, is building a new cruise terminal in collaboration with Tinicum Township and PhilaPort, slated to open this season. Guests will temporarily check in at the Clarion Hotel Philadelphia Airport before boarding the ship.

American Cruise Lines will also begin sailing to and from Philadelphia in June.

Mobile, Alabama

Options from Mobile are more limited than in some other U.S. cities, but its small size makes it easy to find the port, Cicinato said. The hospitality is also “outstanding,” and its location makes it a convenient choice from a number of other states.

“I mean, if you live in Northwest Florida or Alabama or Arkansas, it's very easy to get to, or even (eastern) Mississippi,” he said. 

Carnival Spirit operates from Mobile, though it departed earlier in April to begin the Alaska season and is scheduled to return in October, according to CruiseMapper.

This story was updated to add new information and refresh headlines.

Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at [email protected].