SteerageJoe

No car needed!

You are surrounded by few but pretty good restaurants - Thai Thai, Preacher Bar, Zachary’s, Zarella’s,  etc. 

walking is safe and flat. You can even walk to the restaurants at the Port from there if you want.

you can easily travel further south to Publix, Cocoa Beach Pier, etc. by hopping on the trolley ($1.50) at the stop across the road at the Residence Inn. Return by trolley too. 
 

5 minutes ago, michelle028 said:

Hi again,

 

But when I go to Route 9...which stop is it? It doesn't show the cruise terminal. Is it a specific street?

 

And also which stop do you recommend I get off at?

Your goal is to get to the ship as early as possible. I suggest to avoid shuttles and use Uber /Lyft from the hotel.

GoPort uses a large bus. It takes time to load 40 plus folks and there is no telling how long it will take regardless of the start point.

2 hours ago, michelle028 said:

Thanks so much for the detailed info!!

 

I like the trolley bus idea!! Do you know how much the bus fare is per adult? How often does it run? Also do they take you back to the ship as well?

good choice! I use the trolley #9 often because beach parking is an issue at times.

It runs a loop circuit all day long so it is very easy to return to the Terminal 1 stop.

info here - https://321transit.com/transit/general-information/

$1.50 per ride. #9 bus. Exact change needed or use your phone to pay. Token Transit app.

42 minutes ago, HaveDogWillTravel said:

Thank you for this great description of how to get to Metro Rail. We are arriving from SFO. I would guess there is signage for Miami Mover in the domestic arrivals as well. Do you know if you need to use an elevator (hopefully there’s an escalator) to change floors to get to the Miami Mover from a domestic arrival?
 

We are staying at Hampton Inn Brickell downtown and I see it’s a short 3 min walk from the metro rail station. Do you know if the metro rail from MIA to Brickell is clean and safe? Or will we be riding with sketchy characters?We are coming in on American around 4:45 pm on a Saturday if that matters.   I’ve used  a lot of public transportation in NYC and SF and I know some lines are better than others. 

Thank you in advance for any help you can provide. 

After you exit the MIAMover, Buy your Metrorail ticket from a machine opposite the car rental area. Then you must go down. There are elevators but most folks take the escalator down to the Metrorail.

the train is perfectly fine IMO and you will be accompanied by many other travelers. Perfectly safe. 15 minutes to Brickell or thereabouts. 
 

not sure about the walk from the Brickell station to the hotel though. I like that area and always feel safe but someone else may want to offer an opinion.  There is an escalator down from the platform to the street and I am sure an elevator too.

Terminal 1 most probably. Then simply walk outside and there will be plenty of folks directing you. 

My tip - walk to the right and meet your Uber outside Grills restaurant right next to the terminal. 

or walk out of the parking garage and hop on the cheap Trolley bus right there on the corner down to Cocoa Beach (it depends on exactly where you are going)

Seems to me only two hotels are not in the direct path of the course towards the Port.

Holiday Inn and YVE

Or stay way north of Miami and ride Brightline to downtown after noon when things have calmed down. Uber from the station.

You can sightsee around Cape Canaveral and Cocoa Beach on foot, or grab a rental bike/scooter or take the excellent trolley. No need for a car but Uber / Lyft are both available and recommended.

Trolley is #9 - https://321transit.com/route-stops/route9/14/map/0/weekday

taxis and shuttles are plenty. Cocoa Beach Shuttle, Space Port, Happy Hour, Always Around, Road Runner, etc.  A few locals also offer ride services such as Vicky Ee (just call her at 479-883-9443)

I’ve done the auto train, Tampa and once to Miami, but not Ft Lauderdale. I love trains so my opinion is biased! Loved it!
 

The return schedule is the most important! Will it work after the cruise or do you have to spend another night? Silver Star is your best bet.
 

7 miles to Port Everglades from Amtrak – At least a 20-minute drive

• UberX – about $14
• UberXL – about $26

Silver Star from Tampa and Orlando and Jacksonville arrives at 5:57 pm daily – Too late unless you spend the night near the Port and cruise the next day.

Silver Star to Tampa, Orlando, and Jacksonville departs at 12:18 pm daily – You can easily book this train!

Silver Meteor to West Palm Beach, Orlando, and Jacksonville departs at 8:50 am daily – This is a very early departure. With early disembark arrangements it is doable because city traffic is less at this time. But my nerves will kill me!

Silver Meteor from Orlando and Jacksonville arrives at 6:06 pm daily – Too late unless you spend the night near the Port and cruise the next day.

Amtrak Silver Star from Tampa arrives in Miami at 6:35 pm daily. Then overnight in a hotel near the Port? 

The return train departs at 11:40 am which is doable from the Port if you disembark early.

And the Brightline train from Orlando Airport may be available too in June I believe but not sure..

Here is a map of the nearest parking options at Port Tampa Bay:

Terminals 2 and 3 - Port Parking Garage across the road

Terminal 6 - Surface Lot next to the terminal 

If you book online (highly recommended), the system will book you into the appropriate space. So if you are sailing from Terminal 6, then you get the surface parking. If you want the garage, just show up on cruise day, drop your luggage and passengers, and drive to the garage a short distance away. Then walk back. 

If you want to pay less for parking then you can try the following surface lots:

Parkway Parking at 1063, or their Port lot,

Park4cruise, 

241 Parking.

All are very close to Terminal 6. An even cheaper option is Parkway Parking on 26th St next to Ikea some distance away with shuttles in nice vans

Other cheaper options are also available such as MyParkconnect, etc. These folks contract with parking garages within a block of the Port. Not shown on the map because the locations vary. Sometimes they even offer the Port Garage at a discounted rate!

Here is a map of the nearest parking options at Port Tampa Bay:

Terminals 2 and 3 - Port Parking Garage across the road

Terminal 6 - Surface Lot next to the terminal 

If you book online (highly recommended), the system will book you into the appropriate space. So if you are sailing from Terminal 6, then you get the surface parking. If you want the garage, just show up on cruise day, drop your luggage and passengers, and drive to the garage a short distance away. Then walk back. 

If you want to pay less for parking then you can try the following surface lots:

Parkway Parking at 1063,

Park4cruise, or

241 Parking. All are very close to Terminal 6.

An even cheaper option is Parkway Parking on 26th St next to Ikea some distance away with shuttles in nice vans

Other cheaper options are also available such as MyParkconnect, etc. These folks contract with parking garages within a block of the Port. Not shown on the map because the locations vary. Sometimes they even offer the Port Garage at a discounted rate!

Yes, I second the recommendation above to use 1850 Eller Drive. It will put you on the correct highways to the Port entrance nearest to Terminal 18. Once at the Customs Entrance, ignore the GPS and follow the road signs.

Another option is to use a hotel as your destination - the Crowne Plaza Ft. Lauderdale Airport/Cruise - will place you close to the 84th St Port Entrance from where you will follow the road signs to Terminal 18.

8 minutes ago, Safe77 said:

SteerageJoe: No, my Divina cruise departs from Terminal E, according to the ticket. We've always sailed her from Terminal C in the past. That's why I was seeking other options to the deck across from C.

Ok, thanks! Have a great cruise!

2 hours ago, Safe77 said:

Thanks to all of you who responded. I greatly appreciate your help and your advice. In one week and three hours, wife and I will be boarding the MSC Divina, our favorite ship!! I'm beginning to don my cruise attitude!

I recently saw the Divina at Terminal C which has a parking garage. So I think you were asking where to go in case Garage C is full, correct?

It should not be full, but yes, Garage D and lot E are backup options!

Yes, the surface lot E is for cruise parking. For example, it is the recommended lot for MSC Seashore and Carnival Conquest out of Terminal E. 
 

Yes, you have to drive from terminal 1 garage to terminal 5 garage.

Yes, you keep to the left to enter the tunnel when driving from the city. Here is a link to a video showing the drive

https://youtu.be/iYxy1s1rbwY

Grayline Hop on Hop off

I found my dash cam recording of our sail in late Aug and took a snapshot of me exiting terminal d to park! Technology is amazing!

as you can see there are right turn only markers and while it appears one can sneak directly across to the garage, I was directed by a friendly traffic guy to turn right and drive around to park in the garage. It was easy enough and just took a few minutes.

Here are the companies to pick from. All offer shuttles and have their fans depending on loyalty programs etc.

Budget often has the best rates but can be busiest too.

if returning straight to MCO after cruise for an early flight, renting a car is not my first choice. Use Uber or shuttles like Cortrans, etc.

if your flight is late, then a rental car is OK because you can explore and have a place for your luggage!

Before COVID there were several hotels (mostly near Orlando Airport) with shuttle options to the Port but I have not seen any recently.

You can look into shared shuttles with Cortrans, Port Canaveral Connection, Orlando Express, Cruise Control, GoPort, etc. These shuttles pick up at various hotels around Orlando. 

Yes, very few choices with Port shuttles in Miami. Those are shown on the map. Just be prepared for a busy drop-off and long lines for the shared shuttles should you arrive in the busy window.

I assume you arrive and stay at a hotel that night? Where? Do you really need a rental car? 

It depends! where you dock, on the weather, the heat, your fitness, etc.

it is convenient to Terminals D-V and J. From elsewhere it it a walk that gets more inconvenient the further away you are.

Riding TO the port from Bayside is easy. But going FROM the port to Bayside is less conveniet because the first stops are way on the other side of busy Biscayne Blvd - meaning you have another decent walk.

The schedule is easy but depends on day of the week - just search for the live Trolley Tracker online!

Should be G and parking in the G garage across the road. But to be sure, install the official PortMiami app on your phone. It will have terminal and garage directions for you.