What ports do you prefer (or avoid) when flying in?

[me-shel]

We have a group planning a cruise for NEXT summer, and we want to commit to our plans THIS summer. My first trip was out of Galveston and I learned one lesson the hard way: pay attention to the ground transportation options if you're flying in! I didn't start researching that piece until after we booked. I'll just say that the ship/itinerary/price would have to be perfect for us to choose Galveston again.

 

The core group is 9 people / 4 cabins (probably adding more), so the expense and convenience of moving people on the ground is a big deal. We're coming from the Northwest, so easy overnight pre-cruise lodging is also important.

 

So where do you prefer? Miami? Fort Lauderdale? Orlando? Any jumping off point that will get us sailing to the Caribbean with the least amount of pre-trip stress...

[BlueHerons]

I would imagine Fort Lauderdale would be the easiest logistically because the airport and port are so close together.

 

Also, it is such a huge, busy port your choice of cruises is much larger than somewhere like Charleston, Baltimore, or Jacksonville.

 

Good luck!

[DaveOKC]

We have a group planning a cruise for NEXT summer, and we want to commit to our plans THIS summer. My first trip was out of Galveston and I learned one lesson the hard way: pay attention to the ground transportation options if you're flying in! I didn't start researching that piece until after we booked. I'll just say that the ship/itinerary/price would have to be perfect for us to choose Galveston again.

 

The core group is 9 people / 4 cabins (probably adding more), so the expense and convenience of moving people on the ground is a big deal. We're coming from the Northwest, so easy overnight pre-cruise lodging is also important.

 

So where do you prefer? Miami? Fort Lauderdale? Orlando? Any jumping off point that will get us sailing to the Caribbean with the least amount of pre-trip stress...

 

Fort Lauderdale is fairly close to the piers (about a $15-20 taxi ride). Plenty of taxis both ways. Takes about 5 minutes.

Edited June 10, 2016 by DaveOKC

[Roz]

I prefer embarkation port cities that SW flies into. Therefore, I cruise out of Ft. Lauderdale, for instance, instead of Miami. Since you're on the west coast, have you thought about San Diego? A VERY easy city to sail out of.

 

Roz

Edited June 10, 2016 by Roz

[JohninDC]

Tampa is easy if you fly into TPA.

 

PE is easy if you fly into FLL.

 

POM is easy if you fly into MIA, and not difficult if you fly into FLL (1000s do this every week).

 

Port Canaveral is not bad - we now prefer to stay in Orlando and drive over the morning of the cruise in a rental.

 

Pay attention to your flight times for the day you return - you do not want to spend your cruise worried about making y our flight home.

[OCruisers]

The Ft. Lauderdale airport is very convenient to the cruise port. :)

[capriccio]

The Ft. Lauderdale airport is very convenient to the cruise port. :)

 

So convenient that the ships are very visible from the airport and some of the 17th Street area hotels. We were on board the Ruby Princess waiting to depart when my DB and DSIL called from the airport and said they could see our ship and 'where are you?' They would have needed a set of extremely high powered binoculars to make us out on the bow of the ship (if even possible) but we all got a good laugh out of it.

 

Check out googlemaps or the map at http://www.porteverglades.net to see the locations (the industrial part of the port almost touches the edges of the airport property being separated only by a highway).

[skrufy]

The closest would be Fort Lauderdale, 10 minutes by cab. Miami is a 20 minute cab ride. Port Canaveral is the furthest, , a 45-50 minute trip. Would use rentals or limo/ shuttle. Tampa is a 20 minute cab ride also. Returning home from all of these ports I would not book a flight before 12-1pm. Rather sit an extra hour in the airport than miss my flight. You can find a ship at all the ports that sail almost the same itinerary except Tampa. Tampa sailings go to the western Caribbeanas a rule.

[me-shel]

FLL is sounding pretty ideal... and Port Canaveral may be more than we want to deal with. Which is great to know, because it was actually on the short list! When I'm the one planning the trips (which I love to do) I end up being the shepherd of the group (which isn't as fun), so short & sweet is what I'm after.

 

Pay attention to your flight times for the day you return - you do not want to spend your cruise worried about making y our flight home.

 

Returning home from all of these ports I would not book a flight before 12-1pm. Rather sit an extra hour in the airport than miss my flight.

 

We actually went through FLL/Port Everglades 3 years ago. I just looked at our old files and we had a 12:45pm flight home. There were issues with customs being incredibly understaffed (responsibility of the port, not the cruise line) and we ended up with our entire family RUNNING through the airport as they were calling for us, and closed the doors behind us as we got on the plane. Don't want to relive that again! ;)

[me-shel]

I prefer embarkation port cities that SW flies into. Therefore, I cruise out of Ft. Lauderdale, for instance, instead of Miami. Since you're on the west coast, have you thought about San Diego? A VERY easy city to sail out of.

 

Roz

 

I'd actually been looking at LA/Long Beach as a backup plan, but hadn't looked at San Diego yet. Being on the Left Coast we already visit Mexico fairly regularly - and we'll actually be there for a week next March. Because this is a milestone birthday trip we're hoping to get a little more "exotic" and the geography out here doesn't lend itself to much variety. I'll definitely add San Diego to my backup plan, though, don't know why I'd been ignoring it!

[thinfool]

In support of Ft Lauderdale I would add that flying to FLL gives you easy access to both Port Everglades (very close) and the Port of Miami (reasonable shuttles are plentiful--30-40 min ride).

[Roz]

Me-shel,

 

I've done cruises to Mexico, Hawaii, and Vancouver from San Diego.

 

Roz

[BlueHerons]

In support of Ft Lauderdale I would add that flying to FLL gives you easy access to both Port Everglades (very close) and the Port of Miami (reasonable shuttles are plentiful--30-40 min ride).

 

Plan on an hour between Fort Lauderdale and Miami. It hasn't taken 30 for anyone in years unless they were on a helicopter.

 

I make this trip several times a week at all times of day and it hasn't taken me less than an hour in several years.

[VideoTech]

We have a group planning a cruise for NEXT summer, and we want to commit to our plans THIS summer. My first trip was out of Galveston and I learned one lesson the hard way: pay attention to the ground transportation options if you're flying in! I didn't start researching that piece until after we booked. I'll just say that the ship/itinerary/price would have to be perfect for us to choose Galveston again.

 

The core group is 9 people / 4 cabins (probably adding more), so the expense and convenience of moving people on the ground is a big deal. We're coming from the Northwest, so easy overnight pre-cruise lodging is also important.

 

So where do you prefer? Miami? Fort Lauderdale? Orlando? Any jumping off point that will get us sailing to the Caribbean with the least amount of pre-trip stress...

 

We have cruised out of all three of the ports you mentioned, and from the standpoint of the port itself, there's not much difference. You're still going to be dealing with the same thing: two to three thousand other people trying to board your ship with you. The ports all have the routine down cold and get it done several times a week with few problems.

 

From the standpoint of your arrival and overnight stay, I would rank those 3 ports in this order of descending preference:

1. Fort Lauderdale

2. Miami

3. Orlando

 

Fort Lauderdale is the smallest airport, closest to the cruise port. Plenty of hotel and dining options for your overnight.

 

Miami, while large and overcrowded, offers plenty of transportation, entertainment, and hotel options in all price ranges. The cruise port is easy to access from almost anywhere in Miami.

 

Orlando is a special consideration, because you're not really anywhere near your cruise port. The port itself is 53 miles from the airport, so you have to arrange transportation to Port Canaveral and an overnight stay there, or stay overnight in the Orlando area and get to Port Canaveral the next day.

 

You might also take into account the flight home after the cruise - but again, for me, the ranking stays the same. In addition to the travel back to the Orlando airport, security lines at Miami and Orlando can be long and unpredictable.

 

That's my 2 cents!