ownercarry

sorry i've gone through all 11 pages but i'm still not certain.

can you walk just old town if you want to, or you must pay the walk the walls to get into old town and then you can do both. i think the equivalent of $30usd is quite a bit. for a couple that's 60 and the hour taxi tour with the trip to the top would get equally impressive views for less money. would like the walk inside the walls though.

the link for the cable car company is saying it's closed. contractual problems between the city and the cable operator. can this be confirmed?

http://www.dubrovnikcablecar.com/

it sounds like Dubrovnik is one of the places you really don't need an organized tour. basically get yourself to the gate of the walled city, explore it and the walls and then can cable car or taxi or even bus back? we're only there 8 to 5 so i don't think time for much more.

and if you did get a taxi, how would you pay? do you need to go to an atm asap? this is the only place (and maybe kotor) that won't take the euro. how much should you take out so you're not left holding a bunch or souvenir money?

just returned from oceania riviera cruise. we used them in sorrento, monte carlo and Marseille. i think for the france tours it wasn't italy tours, but they know who to use.

every tour was excellent!

our first stop in sorrento was changed with less than 24 hours notice to naples, but they made the switch effortlessly. then we wake that morning to find we're going to be 3 hours late getting to port. still made the tour work. we had to cut the final destination of amalfi out, but 2 on the fly adjustments and then a great tour?!

monaco was a fantastic tour. our guide was excellent. kept everyone happy and showed us so many things. nice was part of the tour and where he lives and you could tell, he really liked what he was doing.

last stop, Marseille, also excellent. Arles, Les Baux , St Remy & Avignon tour and instead of the kinda cramped holds 8 bus, we got a dodge caravan with room for us big americans. that part was great and the tour just as good.

our other 2 stops we did with people in roll call using drivers or limos in.... type companies and while that was nice too as their vans had water bottles and wifi, but they were literally just drivers. only offering advice or history when asked. italy tours people were fantastic guides full of info and could answer any question.

the only reason we didn't do all 5 was because of this system where it takes at least 6 people to make a tour "go". it's nothing on italy tours either, they all do it. the limo people have a flat price and then folks on roll call try to fill up the van. at the time, those 2 tours were basically same price and definitely going so we went that route. if the minimum thing wasn't there, we would have certainly done all 5 tours with italy tours.

sorry, searched first 8 pages but the IND schedule in SJ same for long time and no posts. in at 4 and out at 11. seems like complete waste of time, BUT maybe there's things to do.

we've been 3x, but new for our boys (9&11). we'll walk to forts and have fun with that but going to be dusk at 630 no doubt october 13. what to do after the forts? just go back?

that is a really good find.

it's hard to find both sides of the transportation problem. breakfast is always an english style breakfast at these places typically so that's not huge (IMO).

but they are fairly expensive and you do give up some really convenient shopping right next door.

sure wish we'd hear back from the original poster.

hey all,

i think we're off point now.

original post was

free ride from airport

free ride to port

this is REALLY rare. i know only the hotel i posted to do this. it's also exceptional in that it's walking distance from great shopping.

SO - because their rate has going from 80 to 120 in a year, let's stick to any other hotels that have both, even if cost is not object and it appears our original poster is not with us any longer.

it'll certainly help me as we have october cruise coming and maybe others.

looks like if you zoom all the way in google doesn't tell you all the shop names.

kmart is the big one. we get all our soda and water for the trip there. there's old navy and ross if you forgot clothes and a big lots for anything in between. if you want booze, the BJs is like costco and requires a membership but not for booze. prices are only ok though. and if you have time grandpa's bakery featured on diners drive ins and dives is only a mile's walk away to the east at the end of sterling. it's quiet yummy.

i have no idea what the shopping area is called. i included the address so people could be certain they got the right hotel.

i see google maps in your future....

Quality Inn & Suites Airport/Cruise Port South

2520 Stirling Rd

Hollywood, FL 33020

does all 3 you want. we've stayed there 4 times now. all the shopping right next door is great. we actually pack lighter and get stuff there to bring on the ship. not super nice hotel, but all you need. yes you will get crammed into a bus for your free trip to the pier but they go often enough it's not really a big deal. plus it saves $20 for taxi (with tip and waiting time).

i looked and

Comfort Suites Fort Lauderdale Airport South and Cruise does NOT show free pier shuttle on their site, Quality does.

i'm currently searching for same thing however as their rates have gone up a LOT for when we're going (mid Oct). used to get a room there for 80 now cheapest i'm seeing 120 for a 2 beds room. that's a huge increase in just one year (we stayed last october).

i also know from experience i can rent a car on priceline for 20+10 taxes +10 gas and then get hotel further for about 70. that gives lots of freedom. and half the agencies have shuttles from the airport to the peir. so kind of a pita to head back to airport sunday morning and then take their bus to the peir but it's not full and the driver is board so they're happy to leave when you ask. (we did this in miami and worked great).

post up what you find.

did opposite today, oct 20, and it was 12.50 on the meter. but sign in window did say $3 surcharge for all fares starting at the airport, $16 sounds right on.

but beware, when you get there, they might tell you different rate, especially if you're in a larger vehicle (we were 4 in a Tahoe because no way car would work). he said bigger car and 4 bags so $20. i told him meter says 12.50 and it's meter only, said it right at the peir on big sign. he kept insisting so i told him to pound sand and took away his tip and paid meter only.

rate daisyloo said for april still good. exactly 12.50 for our party of four on october 20, 2014. exactly 12.50 plus tip. we got off allure and straight to FLL.

BUT BEWARE!

at port they'll put 1-3 people in the cars and then 4+ in the vans or bigger vehicles. when we got out, meter was 12.50 but the guy said $20! he says bigger vehicle and more bags is extra. i told him meter was 12.50 and right at the pier it clearly states meter rate, no flat rates (there is a big sign).

he kept insisting this is how it is for the bigger vehicles. i told him again, meter says 12.50. after about a minute of this, i took my $15 i had ready, and gave him exactly $12.50 and walked away. told him he gives florida a black eye.

watch out for this, it's meter rate and meter rate no matter what the vehicle's size. don't fall for it or be guilted into it. this company had 954-999-9999 on the side of the tahoe.

also, we stayed at quality inn on sterling because they pick up from airport and will take you to the pier for free and they were hard selling pickup at ship and take to airport for $10 a person. told them why when cab is 12.50, maybe 15 if lots of traffic, for all 4 of us?? it was 'yah, good luck getting that rate' and 'lmk if you really do that because i don't think so'.

don't think i'll actually take time to tell them it is the case because they know better, just trying to get you to pay $10 each. company they use btw is KSA.

cabs are simple and easy and it's also no trouble to get bigger vehicle like we did. only thing we saw was that there is a $3 surcharge if your taxi originates at FLL airport, so FLL to pier would be $3 more than back.

so many new responses i love it.

the allure is there 8-5 so i don't know if pinal is in the cards and the cost of taxi, then ferry, then whatever we need there, and make sure back in time, i don't know. the video sure looked good though.

simpson bay lagoon might be kinda fun though. could motor all around in there, even right by the airport. any idea what that costs?

thanks again y'all

oh man, did you see the rain we got in phx today?! wow.

anyhow, let's not switch this post to that please.

we're family of 4, boys 8/10 and looking for something for all of us. they'll only want the beach for so long, hate shopping and def. didn't appreciate it when i got us all lost last time in the rental car.

wasn't looking to spend a fortune either. maybe best is to stay on the ship, just didn't think so as we have 3 sea days.

thanks for suggestions!

ok, not 10 but 6.

lots of trips to french side for their marketplace and lunch, orient beach, had a 747 land on our heads, rented a car and got totally lost (FR side mostly) and the usual downtown marketplace stuff.

are we doomed to just chill at a beach?

veterans, please - lmk.

great, so now we know we can do at least alamo!

looks like alamo is part of national and enterprise too. so i should at least be able to choose between national and alamo for best price.

now i need to find a coupon code!

why is this thread so seemingly dead?

arriving fll port from cruise on feb 23 and would like to get rental car shuttle back to fll to rent car and explore for a bit before 5pm flight.

we did this in miami and was super easy. 4 rental companies had bus between port and airport.

i think i'm seeing alamo to do this and that's it.

experts/locals, please chime in.

if you're actually in nassau (you mentioned 3 places), the cruise ship pier shops have it and so does mcdonalds (not too far of a walk).

in grand turk, try jack's shack. off the ship and on the beach to the left, 100 yards up (out of the "cruise" area). nice bar, small restaurant and free beach chairs.

thanks VERY much to everyone.

there's now so much good info in here, it should almost be a sticky!

cackles, thanks SO much.

did NOT realize there was free shuttle if you drop off at mia airport. if that was more clear (or perhaps if it was in earlier posts and i would read better!) i would not have spent so much time on this.

so now it's really simple. i'll keep trying with priceline (name your price) because you're 100% correct, closer it gets, the better my chances for that rate.

i'm going to call a couple of those mia airport offices to be certain they can do the shuttle on sunday, but this sounds 100% way to go.

again, thanks a lot. and beerman, you too.

LOVE the camaraderie here!

ok, did that myself and get 42-44 depending on car size and then used priceline to get an idea of the taxes and fees. 22 bucks!! and there's no one way thing in there either, just the usual way overpriced airport fees. so overall, this option is a tiny bit more than SAS and getting picked up when we want and dropped right at POM.

something else! you are spot on for their downtown address. that took a bit of doing to find. everything wants to default you to miami beach that i don't think would have a free shuttle to POM. but the problem is, the downtown office closes at 1pm on the 14th (day of our cruise) because it's a sunday. many cruise on saturday too so i'd say call that location for hours and when the last shuttle is.

still hunting for that $25 all-in rental :-)

we're arriving oct 13 for 14th cruise.

cackles, i think you've got this down. but prices even with web page you gave are nowhere near 25 or even 35. hertz, the only one that shows downtown location when i do a generic search (priceline, expedia) are 105 for a tiny car that will fit the 4 of us, but the bags would need to be tied to the roof like a circus clown car ;-)

but i get it to wait. our plan now is to do hotel we like that has airport shuttle and then take shuttle back to airport where we can take the train to the miami airport and then either taxi from there ($24) or the metrorail to within 1m of the peir.

but i'm a bit lost on one of your comments.

You can all take the free shuttle from MIA to POM.

is MIA the mia as in miami airport or just maimi in general, like the downtown hertz terminal. because i can't find a free shuttle from the MIA airport to the pier (POM). if that exists, then i know we're taking the train from fll airport to MIA airport.

Algebralovr - i've found the hertz downtown location and it's close. i can see how they'd take your from there to peir no charge, but all others appear to be on miami beach and that's not really convenient to POM. are there other rental agencies downtown and they're just not coming up in my searches?

thanks to all, you've been super help!

wow! you are 100% correct on the freedom part.

we are family of 4 so even more savings.

but somethings still don't compute.

SAS is company highly recommended on the boards. they're 15pp each way, 13 if you can get 6 or more. and that's point to point.

but if we do a rental car, say, fll to miami pier, then car has to get back and there's place at the pier. i've read hertz has a shuttle from pier to a downtown agency and maybe others. but that's drop off 3, drive to downtown (not far i know) and then catch their shuttle back to pier. do it reverse for trip back to fll airport.

the kicker here is the $25. that seems just amazing. airport taxes and fees can easily be $25 alone and then it's a one way rental (usually a premium). and we can't just take the smallest car either as there's 4 of us and each will have a large suitcase.

i've checked rentals on expedia and priceline and it's nowhere near $25 for airport one-way.

i'd really like to go this route as the 'be in charge of your schedule' thing works for me.

for the folks that have done this...

is it really worth it?

aren't there agencies that take you fll to pom and then back for about $20pp

even with family of 4, i can see 2 car rentals being more than $40 each time especially if you're going one way.

can someone break it down for me please??

THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH

once again, i misunderstood english chap's original post.

now i get it. you can mini bus to west end and then if you want to go to west bay, THAT'S the water taxi.

i misunderstood in that he was giving 2 ways to over to the west side. but he was speaking of just taking the mini bus there, with the water taxi taking you a bit further south to west bay if you wanted to go there from west end.

again, thank you all a LOT. i can picture myself leaving not enough time to get back to coxen hole because i would have been thinking i could get back with a fast water taxi.

but now i get it. i'm sure we'll mini bus it over there, figure out what to do when there and if we want to go south and then likely negotiate a taxi rate back or go with another couple back to share the cost (again, after we've negotiated a rate!).

our cruise starts 9/12, i'll report back then :)