New to cruising, so confused!

[GrammaJo128]

We are flying into FLL and our cruise is out of The Port of Miami. I have spent hours and hours trying to figure out where to stay! We want to stay for 3 nights precruise at a decent hotel with a nice pool and beach access. I first booked in Ft. Lauderdale, but it was pretty far north, and I started to read too many bad reviews. We then booked in South Beach, but started to read it was a dangerous area, and as is usually the case, the reviews were one extreme to the other! How does one know who to believe? I have combed these boards, but I just get more and more confused! We don't want to go over $170 a night if we can help it. I thought about Hollywood beach but it seems most hotels in the beach area are tiny little places without pools. We have never traveled but want to start, but this is all proving to be overwhelming to me. Any suggestions would be awesome! (The Marriott in Hollywood beach is full and the Westin is too costly for us.)

[cruiseycrazy]

If you would be willing to go back to your original plan of staying in Ft. Lauderdale, I would suggest Alhambra Beach Resort. We stayed there last November for 2 nights, very highly recommended on Tripadvisor. They are a small quaint hotel right across from the beach, and honestly we wont be staying anywhere else when we visit Fll. Oh and they are very affordable as well. Our only problem was the taxi we took from the airport had no idea where it was... it's on the A1A just south of the Westin. I hope this helps.

[RainbowsMist]

We are flying into FLL and our cruise is out of The Port of Miami. I have spent hours and hours trying to figure out where to stay! We want to stay for 3 nights precruise at a decent hotel with a nice pool and beach access. I first booked in Ft. Lauderdale, but it was pretty far north, and I started to read too many bad reviews. We then booked in South Beach, but started to read it was a dangerous area, and as is usually the case, the reviews were one extreme to the other! How does one know who to believe? I have combed these boards, but I just get more and more confused! We don't want to go over $170 a night if we can help it. I thought about Hollywood beach but it seems most hotels in the beach area are tiny little places without pools. We have never traveled but want to start, but this is all proving to be overwhelming to me. Any suggestions would be awesome! (The Marriott in Hollywood beach is full and the Westin is too costly for us.)

 

I could have written this post!! In fact, I think I just did above! haha

I have found looking for a pre-cruise hotel more confusing and overwhelming than planning our entire vacation!

 

Best of luck :)

[cbMcruiser]

We are flying into FLL and our cruise is out of The Port of Miami. I have spent hours and hours trying to figure out where to stay! We want to stay for 3 nights precruise at a decent hotel with a nice pool and beach access. I first booked in Ft. Lauderdale, but it was pretty far north, and I started to read too many bad reviews. We then booked in South Beach, but started to read it was a dangerous area, and as is usually the case, the reviews were one extreme to the other! How does one know who to believe? I have combed these boards, but I just get more and more confused! We don't want to go over $170 a night if we can help it. I thought about Hollywood beach but it seems most hotels in the beach area are tiny little places without pools. We have never traveled but want to start, but this is all proving to be overwhelming to me. Any suggestions would be awesome! (The Marriott in Hollywood beach is full and the Westin is too costly for us.)

 

Change the title of your inquiry to Fort Lauderdale info. There is a poster named "royalcruz" who will be MOST helpful.

[GrammaJo128]

Change the title of your inquiry to Fort Lauderdale info. There is a poster named "royalcruz" who will be MOST helpful.

 

Awesome! That is a great idea. Thank you so much.

 

Rainbowsmist, I'm so relieved to hear I'm not the only one! I just never imagined anything could be so time consuming and frustrating. I'm starting to feel completely inept! The problem, at least for me, lies in the fact that you can't know who really wrote reviews. Competition pays others to post bad reviews, hotels pay others (or their employees) to write raving reviews! Yet the reviews is the only real source to at least try and make an educated guess about.

[miamiyogi]

We then booked in South Beach, but started to read it was a dangerous area, and as is usually the case, the reviews were one extreme to the other!

 

Where did you book in South Beach? South Beach is considered the lower 25 blocks of Miami Beach. Its not a dangerous area at all, most people get around on foot at all hours of the night.

[GrammaJo128]

If you would be willing to go back to your original plan of staying in Ft. Lauderdale, I would suggest Alhambra Beach Resort. We stayed there last November for 2 nights, very highly recommended on Tripadvisor. They are a small quaint hotel right across from the beach, and honestly we wont be staying anywhere else when we visit Fll. Oh and they are very affordable as well. Our only problem was the taxi we took from the airport had no idea where it was... it's on the A1A just south of the Westin. I hope this helps.

 

I will definitely look into this place. Sounds very nice! Do you remember how much transportation cost to and from FLL airport to the hotel? and more importantly, how much was transportation to the Port of Miami? I know you may not remember exactly but a ball park figure might help. Thanks for any additional information!

[GrammaJo128]

Where did you book in South Beach? South Beach is considered the lower 25 blocks of Miami Beach. Its not a dangerous area at all, most people get around on foot at all hours of the night.

 

We booked at The Richmond Hotel on Collins avenue. For every great review, there seemed to a really bad review. It's like, how can there be that much difference in opinion or fact? Then we read it's dangerous to walk on the beach at night, so it prompted us to try and research the area in general, and again found mixed opinions about the area. Although truthfully, I'm so mind boggled that I'm not sure if it's Miami Beach area of South Beach area that we were seeing was dangerous. Thanks for any knowledge or info you might have!

[cruiseycrazy]

If I am not mistaken, it was $25 including the tip, to the hotel. Last year we cruised out of Ft. Lauderdale, however we have flown into Ft.Lauderdale and cruised out of Miami before, and the best transportation I have found for the trip to Miami is SAS Transport Service, $15.00 bucks a person. They were prompt and professional,and I would use them again in a heartbeat.

The last time we stayed in Miami, we stayed at Marriott Courtyard Miami Beach Oceanfront on Collins Ave,we thought it was a nice place to stay and never felt unsafe,but we rarely venture out after dark either. Good luck in your search.

[royalcruz]

Were you planning on walking on the beach at night? I think that would be dangerous on any beach!

 

I don't know anything about the Richmond Hotel, but I looked it up and it is close to Lincoln Rd which is a good place to be at night. I don't know the South Beach hotels well enough to recommend any.

 

If you want to stay in Fort Lauderdale Beach, Alhambra, Bahia Mar, Best Western Oceanside, Sheraton, Westin, and Courtyard are usually the best priced hotels at the beach, and they get pretty good reviews. They are all on the beach, across the street, or a half block away.

[GrammaJo128]

If I am not mistaken, it was $25 including the tip, to the hotel. Last year we cruised out of Ft. Lauderdale, however we have flown into Ft.Lauderdale and cruised out of Miami before, and the best transportation I have found for the trip to Miami is SAS Transport Service, $15.00 bucks a person. They were prompt and professional,and I would use them again in a heartbeat.

The last time we stayed in Miami, we stayed at Marriott Courtyard Miami Beach Oceanfront on Collins Ave,we thought it was a nice place to stay and never felt unsafe,but we rarely venture out after dark either. Good luck in your search.

 

$15.00 a person sounds very reasonable. Don't laugh if this is a stupid question, but let's say we end up keeping our current reservation at The Richmond Hotel, will this SAS transport take us from the airport to our hotel? or is there a central drop off place and then you hail a taxi from there? I will also check out the Marriott Courtyard. Thank you!

[GrammaJo128]

Were you planning on walking on the beach at night? I think that would be dangerous on any beach!

 

I don't know anything about the Richmond Hotel, but I looked it up and it is close to Lincoln Rd which is a good place to be at night. I don't know the South Beach hotels well enough to recommend any.

 

If you want to stay in Fort Lauderdale Beach, Alhambra, Bahia Mar, Best Western Oceanside, Sheraton, Westin, and Courtyard are usually the best priced hotels at the beach, and they get pretty good reviews. They are all on the beach, across the street, or a half block away.

 

Good question! I have only been to the ocean twice in my lifetime. Both times the people we were with (like say 3 or 4 of us) found it very peaceful and beautiful on the beach at night! One was Myrtle Beach and the other was Virginia Beach. We were much younger and maybe stupid, but I have to say we just found it to be such a cool experience. There was always lights from the hotels lining the beach so it wasn't pitch black. I guess, in hindsight, maybe it was a stupid thing to do. :eek: Thank you also for the Ft. Lauderdale places that may be good to stay in. Everyone's help is invaluable and I feel a lot less anxious. At least it gives me some peace to know that at least others recommend or have some knowledge of places that have been suggested! I can't thank all of you enough!

[royalcruz]

$15.00 a person sounds very reasonable. Don't laugh if this is a stupid question, but let's say we end up keeping our current reservation at The Richmond Hotel, will this SAS transport take us from the airport to our hotel? or is there a central drop off place and then you hail a taxi from there? I will also check out the Marriott Courtyard. Thank you!

I know that SAS picks up from FLL and drops off at Port of Miami. They do pick up from and drop off at hotels but they often change what areas they go to, so be sure to check with Steve at SAS to find out if they go to S Beach. Also check to see if they will pick up from the beach hotels in Fort Lauderdale. They told someone that they only go to the airport hotels, but that may have just been a certain time of year.

[royalcruz]

Good question! I have only been to the ocean twice in my lifetime. Both times the people we were with (like say 3 or 4 of us) found it very peaceful and beautiful on the beach at night! One was Myrtle Beach and the other was Virginia Beach. We were much younger and maybe stupid, but I have to say we just found it to be such a cool experience. There was always lights from the hotels lining the beach so it wasn't pitch black. I guess, in hindsight, maybe it was a stupid thing to do. :eek: Thank you also for the Ft. Lauderdale places that may be good to stay in. Everyone's help is invaluable and I feel a lot less anxious. At least it gives me some peace to know that at least others recommend or have some knowledge of places that have been suggested! I can't thank all of you enough!

In South FL we are trying to protect the endangered sea turtles. They nest on our beaches, and when they hatch they need to go out to the ocean...light disorients them, so light is not allowed on the beach. At least that is the rule in Fort Lauderdale, maybe the same in Miami. South beach is a very wide beach, so the street lights and hotel lights don't go very far anyway. Crime on the beach is probably a lot lower than street crimes, but it tends to make the news.

[girlscruise2011]

I've stayed in South Beach precruise twice, The first time was 4 ladies and we stayed at the Marriott South Beach and the 2nd time we were 2 couples and we stayed at the Albion. I love precruise in South Beach. Walked around at night on the beach. Lots of shopping, restaurants and people watching. We never felt unsafe. For 3 nights I would want to stay somewhere with lots to do. In November I am staying in Hollywood only because I need 2 rooms (we are 7 people this time) and hotels in South Beach are just to expensive that time of year.

 

I would definately reconsider South Beach. it is an experience :)

[cruiseycrazy]

Yes, sas transportation picked us up at the Ft Lauderdale airport and drove us to the Marriott on Miami beach, right to the front door. I do not remember what we paid a night at this hotel ..it may have been more than the 170.00 you wanted to pay...:(

[VillaHappy]

Once you narrow down where you want to stay, it's a good idea to look into Priceline. Our travel dollar goes much farther when we bid on 3* to 4* rooms. There are some dedicated websites to teach you some strategies on how to bid successfully - just use google to find them.

[miamiyogi]

Let me be clear. Walking on the "Beach" the sand and water part is considered by some to be dangerous, there is no lighting as RoyalCruz mentions because it is not allowed to protect the turtles. Lights from the city really don't bleed out onto the sand. Vagrants also tend to sleep on the sand at night. It is safe come sunup.

 

Miami Beach "SoBe" the city/sidewalks/people part. Is considered to be very safe. Its our main tourist attraction; so it is very protected by the local police.

 

I have been out on the sand at night for walks, and I felt fine, but I do not recommend it to the casual traveler.

[miamiyogi]

I forgot to comment. The Richmond Hotel is in a fantastic location. The reason the reviews vary is probably due to the fact that this is an older property built in 1941. So she may show her age here and there, you can expect things like bathroom tiles that look like they belong in the 50s, a bit of rust here and there and so forth.

[GrammaJo128]

Thanks everyone. I totally understand about the turtles! I'm sure if there is no lighting then it would be prudent not to go out there at night. Glad to hear the area in general is safe and a neat place to go! Thanks for the info on SAS also. I will call and get information on them taking us from airport to our hotel. I love some of the suggestions and I am feeling so much better about our choice of hotel. That is a relief and you all were such a tremendous help to me. I can't wait for the day that I can be the voice of experience and 'pay it forward'! :D