Disembarking questions

Our ship will be arriving into MIA at 0700 this December. There will also be 5 other ships arriving at much the same time, one at 0730 and four more at 0800.

We want to make a reservation for taxi/private car/bus?? pickup to take us to the MIA airport for a transborder flight at 15:15 What time should we tell the car company to pick us up? I don't want him waiting for a long time while we all go through the customs formalities. Nor do I want to wait on him for an endless time.

Are we better off to take our time, delay disembarking as long as we can, and not get caught up in the "rush"?? If we were all ready to go, carrying our own suitcase, would O. allow us to sit in one of the dining rooms and have a leisurely breakfast till perhaps 10:00 am and disembark then?? Or should we be in the "dash-off" at 0730 before the others ships arrive??

Anyone have any experience or comments on this? Thanks in advance.

If all goes according to plan you will be off the ship by 9am

Breakfast closes at 8am & you need to be out of your cabin by 8:30 as I recall

You will be lucky if the ship is even cleared by 8am

You could arrange for the car company to take you on a tour

If your flight is that late in the day you have several hrs to kill

Lyn

Our ship will be arriving into MIA at 0700 this December. There will also be 5 other ships arriving at much the same time, one at 0730 and four more at 0800.

 

We want to make a reservation for taxi/private car/bus?? pickup to take us to the MIA airport for a transborder flight at 15:15 What time should we tell the car company to pick us up? I don't want him waiting for a long time while we all go through the customs formalities. Nor do I want to wait on him for an endless time.

 

Are we better off to take our time, delay disembarking as long as we can, and not get caught up in the "rush"?? If we were all ready to go, carrying our own suitcase, would O. allow us to sit in one of the dining rooms and have a leisurely breakfast till perhaps 10:00 am and disembark then?? Or should we be in the "dash-off" at 0730 before the others ships arrive??

 

Anyone have any experience or comments on this? Thanks in advance.

Terminal J, which Oceania uses in Miami, is on the opposite side of Dodge Island from the Mass Market Line Terminals, so it is going to appear to you, at least initially, that you have the entire Port to yourselves.

Because the ship is probably leaving on her next Cruise on the afternoon of the same day that you will be arriving in Miami, everyone must be off by 9AM at the latest, therefore you should not have any trouble at all in making a 3:15PM flight. There will be a line at the Taxi Stand, but given your relaxed schedule, I'd be inclined to wait on it rather than trying to coordinate a private car.

Taxi fare to the Miami airport was a fixed price of $24 as of last year. Even with tip, that should be considerably less than a hire car. Even with the other ships in port, there should be enough cabs -- the taxi lines at the other ports will be horrendously long, and many taxi drivers will opt for Terminal J, which should go faster.

As others have said, you will have to be out of your cabin by 8:00 am to 8:30, but you can have breakfast at your leisure until 9:00. However, the last time we disembarked in Miami, a little over a month ago, we opted to walk off with our luggage as early as possible, and beat the rest of the folks waiting for their color and number to be called. Our son was picking us up, so we enjoyed a few minutes sitting on a bench near the taxi rank, and watched as few others disembarked at that time. Based on that, I think I would try to get off as early as possible and get a taxi. I'd rather sit in the airport than sit or stand outside at the Miami port.

I had the worst ever experience disembarking Marina in Miami.

Chaos. Taxi lines took hours. People were worried about missing flights.

We have hired a transport service to pick us up (it's a shared van) and take us to the airport -- $10 pp.

No waiting.

I would not do it any other way in Miami.

Send me an email if you want the name of the company I am using but here are many companies that are authorized to do the pick ups. You can just Google.

I would not gamble on a taxi.

to make a 12:30 noon flight. Do you have a number? Also, what time do you ask to be picked up?

to make a 12:30 noon flight. Do you have a number? Also, what time do you ask to be picked up?

http://www.miamiportshuttle.net/Contact-Us.html

I ask for 8:30

You call for the shuttle once you have your bags

They are in a waiting area and come right away

However, the last time we disembarked in Miami, a little over a month ago, we opted to walk off with our luggage as early as possible, and beat the rest of the folks waiting for their color and number to be called.

Is there any specific procedure for disembarking with your luggage? I know disembarkation usually happens in set groups, so do you need to inform someone on the ship prior to docking, or do you just get in line early?

Is there any specific procedure for disembarking with your luggage? I know disembarkation usually happens in set groups, so do you need to inform someone on the ship prior to docking, or do you just get in line early?

The "big" luggage is collected from the hallway outside the Cabin on the evening of the last night, so most people only have hand luggage as they leave the ship.

Passengers are divided into groups for disembarkation, the order is dependent on their post cruise travel plans.

Porters may be engaged dockside, in the secure area where the luggage is claimed prior to going through Customs.

Is there any specific procedure for disembarking with your luggage? I know disembarkation usually happens in set groups, so do you need to inform someone on the ship prior to docking, or do you just get in line early?

You will get a form a few days prior to the end of the cruise where you put the information for disembarkation

If you are using O transfers

if you are flying giving them your flight times

If you are independent you can put down a time

you will get coloured luggage tags & after the ship is cleared they will start calling the tags by colour/number then you head to the gangway

I will call them. This isn't a shared ride?

I will call them. This isn't a shared ride?

I think there are 6 or 8 in a van MAX

Works very well

All from the same ship

They come on time and you have a reservation.

If you took an O shared transfer it would be $200 pp LOL

We just disembarked from Riviera in Miami today. It went very smoothly. We were just taking a cab to the Avis downtown office, with a pickup at 9:30. We in fact disembarked not long after 8, very smooth. Zipped through customs, picked up our luggage quickly, and then lined up for a cab--it took less than 10 minutes and were off. Got to the Avis office almost an hour early. The whole thing was done very well, I must say.

The disembarkation priority is done by number and colour, pre-assigned based on your needs and wishes. When we "lined up" to get off, it took no more than 5 minutes to be off the ship.

I agree that a flight at 15:15 will involve a wait--if you booked a private car, perhaps they could take you on a tour?

Wendy

Waiting to hear your thoughts on your first o cruise

Wendy

 

Waiting to hear your thoughts on your first o cruise

Yes, will do. David has thoughts too.

Yes, will do. David has thoughts too.

OK -- we'll hear what David has to say too LOLOL

I am still worrying about this 12:30 (noon) flight, but if I can get off at 8, I won't have a problem. Joe is so big, we can't take shared.

I am still worrying about this 12:30 (noon) flight, but if I can get off at 8, I won't have a problem. Joe is so big, we can't take shared.

No. It wa a TA. Of course as a "foreigner", Immigration had cleared us before getting off the ship.

I am still worrying about this 12:30 (noon) flight, but if I can get off at 8, I won't have a problem. Joe is so big, we can't take shared.

Just book a private transfer you will be fine

We had a 12:20 flight & even with a snafu at the port we made it

Prior, I have used Jim/Stan's plan from Miami...but I had time to spare.

We just disembarked from Riviera in Miami today. It went very smoothly. We were just taking a cab to the Avis downtown office, with a pickup at 9:30. We in fact disembarked not long after 8, very smooth. Zipped through customs, picked up our luggage quickly, and then lined up for a cab--it took less than 10 minutes and were off. Got to the Avis office almost an hour early. The whole thing was done very well, I must say.

Still waiting to hear if the Art Deco tour company we hope to walk around South Beach with can find a place for us to store our bags after we disembark our cruise in Miami and before our 4:50 PM flight home.

Other option is renting a car for the day but my interest is South Beach and a car would be a hindrance/waste there, I think. (Spouse still has read "zip" about Miami.) Would it be best to get it at the airport because we are returning it there later in the day? Trying to figure out which of the major companies' rental locations are closest to the port because there are so many Miami locations.

Thanks in advance to all you Oceania forum regulars (and anyone else!) for any insights.

Still waiting to hear if the Art Deco tour company we hope to walk around South Beach with can find a place for us to store our bags after we disembark our cruise in Miami and before our 4:50 PM flight home.

 

Other option is renting a car for the day but my interest is South Beach and a car would be a hindrance/waste there, I think. (Spouse still has read "zip" about Miami.) Would it be best to get it at the airport because we are returning it there later in the day? Trying to figure out which of the major companies' rental locations are closest to the port because there are so many Miami locations.

 

Thanks in advance to all you Oceania forum regulars (and anyone else!) for any insights.

Yes a car would be a hindrance in South Beach,although if you have to do it, not impossible. We chose AVIS because it was convenient at this end, i.e., pickup in Clearwater--they have a location Miami downtown, fairly close to the port, although not next door as I had thought--it was about a $12 cab ride. As for the walking tour, I presume they'd have to comment on baggage storage. It's also possible that one of the larger hotels might take your bags for you, for a small consideration. Just an idea.

Yes a car would be a hindrance in South Beach,although if you have to do it, not impossible. We chose AVIS because it was convenient at this end, i.e., pickup in Clearwater--they have a location Miami downtown, fairly close to the port, although not next door as I had thought--it was about a $12 cab ride. As for the walking tour, I presume they'd have to comment on baggage storage. It's also possible that one of the larger hotels might take your bags for you, for a small consideration. Just an idea.

Thanks so much for your response, Wendy. The tour company is checking with some of the hotels which permit their tour visits to see if we can use this option. I really would prefer not to use a car but simply park our bags somewhere for a few hours.