Shuttle for solo cruiser FROM Port of Miami BACK to hotel near MIA?

[BrentD]

Cruising solo for my third cruise, but first from POM. My other cruises I've driven to the port and parked or used a park and cruise package (Tampa) where it included return shuttle service. So the fact that no hotels in Miami seem to include return shuttle service is new to me. I'll be driving down and parking at my hotel (Element Miami Airport), so I'll need a way to get back to it.

 

What's the most efficient and affordable balance of a way to get back to my hotel from the port when I get back on shore since I will be solo? No one on my roll call who is using the same hotel will be going back to the hotel (they're all flying), so sharing with them is not an option really. I've seen plenty of posts on taking groups, but solo seems to throw a wrench in most of those as far as prices go. My hotel contracts out to Sunshine Transfer & Tours to take the cruise package guests to the port, and I plan on checking with them. Do most of the shuttles that hotels contract out to tend to make a sales pitch for a return trip from the port when they take you there maybe? I can always find something when I get back, but would rather get it settled before I leave.

[JohninDC]

Can you share a cab ride with someone to the MIA airport (from POM to MIA is a flat rate fare of $24+tip for the cab, not per person)? From there you can catch your hotel shuttle or another short cab to your hotel.

[BrentD]

Can you share a cab ride with someone to the MIA airport (from POM to MIA is a flat rate fare of $24+tip for the cab, not per person)? From there you can catch your hotel shuttle or another short cab to your hotel.

Unfortunately that wouldn't work. Cruise package with the hotel doesn't include any sort of shuttle from the airport if you are parking there for the duration of your cruise. It's either airport shuttle + port shuttle, OR parking + port shuttle. But either way there is no shuttle back to the hotel from the airport or the port. Might be different if they had their own shuttle, but they use a third party.

[JohninDC]

Okay - but paying $5 to share a van cab with others to the airport and then a $10 cab ride from MIA is still cheaper than a solo $25-30 cab ride from POM to your hotel.

 

Public transport from downtown Miami (you'll need a $10-12 cab ride to get there from the port) will still only take you to the MIA airport.

 

I do not understand the hotel restrictions - you may be confusing pick up at MIA (lots of hotels do this) with pick up at POM (almost no hotel offers this). Does the hotel shuttle driver picking up at MIA check to see if you parked at the hotel? :confused: Woud he refuse to transport you or charge you for the ride? :confused:

[BrentD]

Okay - but paying $5 to share a van cab with others to the airport and then a $10 cab ride from MIA is still cheaper than a solo $25-30 cab ride from POM to your hotel.

 

Public transport from downtown Miami (you'll need a $10-12 cab ride to get there from the port) will still only take you to the MIA airport.

 

I do not understand the hotel restrictions - you may be confusing pick up at MIA (lots of hotels do this) with pick up at POM (almost no hotel offers this). Does the hotel shuttle driver picking up at MIA check to see if you parked at the hotel? :confused: Woud he refuse to transport you or charge you for the ride? :confused:

You're absolutely right about pricing for going to the airport and then a cab back to the hotel, I'm just trying to avoid the hassle of switching vehicles. I'll likely just take a cab since no shuttle company I've spoken with can either accommodate just one passenger from POM to my hotel or can't do a Miami to Miami route.

 

As for the hotel... The cruise package they offer gives you EITHER a shuttle from MIA to hotel *and* a shuttle from hotel to POM...OR parking for 7 days at the hotel *and* shuttle from hotel to POM. The hotel does not operate the shuttle. It is contracted out to Sunshine Tours or something like that to take hotel guests to the POM. I contacted the shuttle company and they will not take a paying solo passenger back to the hotel when the cruise returns.

 

Anyway, may possibly be a non-issue now as two others in my roll call in the same hotel have decided to drive down instead of fly, so we may be able to share a shuttle.

[JohninDC]

I can guarantee that 3 in cab in Miami will beat a shuttle on price every day of the week; cab fare, on the meter so somewhat dependent upon traffic, to MIA area hotels from POM should run between $25-30. $10 each sounds like a deal! :cool: