Shuttles to Miami Port?

[mandikaye]

Are there any good hotels in Miami that provide shuttle service to the port, either free or paid? I'm having a hard time finding this information.

 

I'm taking my mom and Granny on vacation (Granny's first cruise!) and I'm trying to book everything in the least complicated way possible.

[JohninDC]

Flying into MIA or FLL? :confused:

 

Only a few budget places near the MIA airport offer "free" POM shuttles - La Quinta East is the most often suggested. Better hotels in a better area near MIA, that offer shuttle service for a fee, are found in the Blue Lagoon neighborhood (Hampton Inn, Homewood Suites, etc.).

 

Cabs and Uber are cheap in Miami and the distances are not far - don't focus only on shuttles. Unless you are flying into MIA late and just want a room I would avoid airport area hotels and look for something downtown, close to POM. Consider hotels in the Mary Brickell area (Hampton Inn, etc.), the Hyatt, Intercontinental, Doubletree and a couple of Marriott options - all are popular with cruisers and just a $25+ taxi from the MIA airport; a $12+ taxi will get you to your ship the next day.

 

Alternatively, Coconut Grove offers lots of hotels, dining, shopping in a fun area of Miami but a little farther from the port.

 

Give the board a few more details, especially budget and dates, and the suggestions will be closer to your target. :)

[mandikaye]

Give the board a few more details, especially budget and dates, and the suggestions will be closer to your target. :)

 

Thanks for your input! :)

 

I haven't bought the plane tickets yet, but the plan is to fly into Miami.

 

We sail on the Norwegian Escape on May 20th. The Intercontinental is a bit too expensive for my tastes (I'd like to keep the hotel under $200, and under $150 if possible - though I don't think that is).

 

Hampton Inn and Four Points Sheraton are both on my list of considerations.

 

I've never ordered an Uber before, so it's a bit of an unknown for me.

 

ETA: This is the first vacation the three of us have ever taken together (at least since I was old enough to remember), so I'm trying to make every part of it nice and special. So I definitely wouldn't want a Motel 8 or anything like that.

[JohninDC]

Prices for your date should be reasonable -- book something now that you can live with, and then keep shopping.

 

Lots of Miami cruisers choose to fly into FLL for the fare savings; general advice is to stay in the FLL area, where hotels are usually cheaper than comparable properties in Miami and the area is more family friendly, and then use a shared shuttle (about $15 per person) or Uber to get to POM the day of your cruise.

 

http://www.sunny.org has lots of FLL area hotel and tourist info.

 

Good luck!

[GeneD]

The Miami Marriott Biscayne Bay seems to have good reviews and is recommended by Royal Caribbean. Overlooking the water and the ships in the cruise terminal.

[Queen Yellow]

My family and I are planning on flying to FLL, staying the night and then going to the POM the next day. Are there any inexpensive hotels/motels you would recommend?

[JohninDC]

My family and I are planning on flying to FLL, staying the night and then going to the POM the next day. Are there any inexpensive hotels/motels you would recommend?

 

http://www.sunny.org has lots of FLL area hotel and tourist info - start your search there! ;)

 

When do you cruise and what is your budget? Your "inexpensive" might be my splurge? The $300+ room in Feb can go for under $100 in August. Give us some more info and the board suggestions will be closer to your target.

[Queen Yellow]

Hi, We fly in on 2/17 and cruise on 2/18. I would like to keep it $150 or less. Ideally the hotel would have an airport shuttle. We could then catch the shared ride or uber to the POM on 2/18.

[Harrylinden]

Hubby and I are going on the Celebrity Equinox in May.Staying at Embassy Suites the night before( 119.00 + tax) .I,ve stayed at Embassy before and it's a good hotel.Free shuttle from MIA to the hotel and free made to order breakfast that is very good.We, re just going to take a taxi to the POM the next morning because we have experenced delays in the shuttles and drop off to other ships before getting to ours. We want to go early to avoid the masses of people boarding at the same time.We usually go at 10 or 10:30 and have had luck going straight through! Hope that helps and Happy cruising! :)

[traveler2100]

Anyone ever stay at the Holiday Inn by the port in Miami?

If so is it halfway decent and do they provide shuttle service from the airport or to the Ships?

[JohninDC]

Hi, We fly in on 2/17 and cruise on 2/18. I would like to keep it $150 or less. Ideally the hotel would have an airport shuttle. We could then catch the shared ride or uber to the POM on 2/18.

 

$150 in Feb will get you a cheap motel near the MIA airport - check La Quinta East, Springhill Suites Medical Center and Comfort Suites North.

[JohninDC]

Anyone ever stay at the Holiday Inn by the port in Miami?

If so is it halfway decent and do they provide shuttle service from the airport or to the Ships?

 

Welcome to the boards! :)

 

Holiday Inn is very popular with cruisers and across the street from Bayside Market -- lots of chain dining options plus a few local spots. No airport or port shuttles - taxi from MIA will run about $25+ and another $10-12 cab will get you to your ship the next morning. Uber will be about $15 and under $10 by comparison.

[Marie51]

check lastminute travel.com. They usually have decent rates for hotels in Miami and Fort Lauderdale.

[Flymia]

You should probably book your flights first and see the time you get into South Florida and which airport will make a big difference.

 

That being said, if you are flying into MIA check out the Downtown Miami area. Yve Hotel, Holiday Inn Port Miami, Hampton Inn Brickell are all good options. There you will be able to head to something nice for dinner and a drink. Tons of options in Downtown Miami area and getting around is very easy using an Uber or the free Metromover.

 

I suggest looking into Uber. First, if you never used it you can get some free credit. Second, its by far the best way to get around Miami without a rental car. Its very simple to use, and much cheaper than a taxi. Usually a cab is double the price.