If you plan to stay overnight in a Tampa hotel before going to your cruise ship, you do not need a car in Tampa. Book a Tampa hotel that includes a free airport shuttle service and a cruise port shuttle. That way your transport between the airport, hotel and cruise port is all taken care of without the need for a rental car. However, if you are planning to spend a few days in Tampa Bay before or after your cruise, you will need a rental car to get around. If you don’t want to drive a car in Tampa, another option is to make use of the TECO Line Streetcar which operates on a 2.4-mile route around the downtown area. It connects downtown hotels with historic Ybor City, Riverwalk attractions, restaurants, shops and the cruise port. As well as being very convenient, the TECO Streetcar is free.