Carnival Cruise - Miami, FL - Transportation/Accomodations

[musclehead]

Hello everyone,

 

I'm sailing for the first time out of Miami on Carnival Victory on 2/27/05. I'm arriving in Ft. Lauderdale on the 26th and looking for ideas and/or suggestions on transportation and accomodations in the Miami area for the night of the 26th. The cheaper the better, of course! Thanks in advance!

[K.T.B.]

Easiest thing to do is to rent a car. I used Thrifty for a reason last time. Very inexpensive and when you return the car, which is by the Miami airport, they have a free shuttle to the port. :)

 

As for a hotel, if you're renting a car, just Priceline one for downtown Miami. We were fortunate to get the Biscayne Marriott at about $60 with taxes and fees. And it cost about $20, with a tip for the valet, to park the car over night.

 

Overall, even with renting a car and having to pay to park it over night in the hotel, I still ended up saving nearly $100 from what it would have cost to fly into Miami. But that free shuttle is the best. ;) We returned the car around 9:30 and were at the port by 10:15.

[glin930]

I am having the same concern. I am crusing on 4/23 at Miami and will arrive at Fort Lauderdale FLL one day before. I booked a downtown Miami hotel 3* thru priceline for $55 per night (total with tax about $69). I am interested to know how should we commute from FLL to Miami hotel and hotel to Miami port. I hope the taxi fare is not too expensive.

[Flip2cruise]

I am having the same concern. I am crusing on 4/23 at Miami and will arrive at Fort Lauderdale FLL one day before. I booked a downtown Miami hotel 3* thru priceline for $55 per night (total with tax about $69). I am interested to know how should we commute from FLL to Miami hotel and hotel to Miami port. I hope the taxi fare is not too expensive.

 

Renting a car is the cheapest option. A cab would be $60-$70(metered)

from FLL to Miami.

[musclehead]

Thanks for all the quick response! I found this web site (http://www.broward.org/airport/avi01003.htm) which includes basic fare information for taxis and shuttles from Ft. Lauderdale Aiport to Miami (where I'm hoping to book a hotel for ease of transportation to the Port on 2/27). I don't know how accurate these prices are but I'm looking for the easiest and cheapest (if possible) way to get from Ft. Lauderdal Airport on the 26th to Miami, and then from our hotel in Miami to the Port on SUnday, 2/27.

 

I also tracked down a Florida limo service (http://www.floridalimo.com) which has some other pricing and availability options...not sure where to turn!

[K.T.B.]

With a limo, at best, you're looking at about $80 before tip. A cab is about the same. I know there's a rail system (Tri-Rail) that goes from FLL to MIA, but not sure if the pricing or the schedule fits for you. Just check out http://www.tri-rail.com/. You can cab it from MIA to your hotel then.

[memabumpee]

It sounds to me that the thing to do is to rent a car at Fort Lauderdale and then drive to Miami Airport and drop off the car then you should have booked a Maimi Hotel that has shuttle to and from the airport and then a free shuttle in the morning to the port Is this right or am I missing something because I will be doing the same thing. Thanks for all your help

[palmtre2]

Why doesn't anyone suggest taxis??? If your hotel is near the port, why not taxi over the next morning????

[Mask]

We recently stayed at the Best Western in South Beach Miami. It was great staying in South Beach. There is so much to do and see. The Best Western is a littled worn, but it's clean and that's all the mattered to us -- just a clean place to sleep. It's 3 miles from the port and a quick taxi ride.

 

We also flew into Ft Lauderdale and used tri-county. They were great -- worked out to $15 pp for four people.