Port of Miami

[Bratbrey]

How much time should be leave for parking (we will be leaving a vehicle at the port) and for checking in?

[BNBR]

I'm not sure I understand the question.  Are you asking what time you should get to PortMiami?  Parking usually takes about 10 - 15 minutes and check in varies.  If it's busy, could take awhile or you could breeze through.  Could you elaborate a little more on your question?

[Bratbrey]

15 hours ago, BNBR said:

I'm not sure I understand the question.  Are you asking what time you should get to PortMiami?  Parking usually takes about 10 - 15 minutes and check in varies.  If it's busy, could take awhile or you could breeze through.  Could you elaborate a little more on your question?

We are Floridians, driving from the West Palm Beach area and leaving our car at the port for our weekend cruise.  We have a 12:00 check in time, just wondering how difficult the parking is at the port to try to figure out our departure time with enough cushion for parking and registration.  We have four teens going on their very first cruise and they want to get on the ship as soon as humanly possible.

[BNBR]

I'd try and get to the port around 11:30 - 11:45.  Figure 15 - 20 minutes to park and walk up, and you'll be right around your check in time.

 

What cruise line?  Some don't enforce check in times.

Edited April 17, 2019 by BNBR

[Bratbrey]

2 hours ago, BNBR said:

I'd try and get to the port around 11:30 - 11:45.  Figure 15 - 20 minutes to park and walk up, and you'll be right around your check in time.

 

What cruise line?  Some don't enforce check in times.

Royal Caribbean 

[BNBR]

5 minutes ago, Bratbrey said:

Royal Caribbean 

 

Royal Caribbean doesn't enforce check in times.  I would show up at the port at 10AM.  We are in South Florida as well and we do that for every Royal cruise.  We have boarded as early as 10:20 and more often around 10:45 - 11AM.

 

When you show up at 10AM, there is no crowd for check in.  You walk in, check in, and if not boarding yet, hang out in the nice seating.  It's a pleasant way to do it.  

 

So yeah, I would plan to arrive to the port/parking at 10AM, you'll get through checkin and what not by 10:30 and either board or hang out for a short while before boarding starts.

 

If you show up at noon, there will probably be long lines and craziness.

Edited April 17, 2019 by BNBR

[Corby114]

The terminal opens up for arriving passengers around 10:00AM as soon as the ship gets down to a zero passenger count from the previous sailing. Arrive after 10:00AM and the wait to check in shouldn’t be very long. Normally passengers begin to actually set foot on the ship after 11:00AM and you should be settled in and getting ready for your embarkation lunch by 12 Noon. Rooms are normally ready for occupancy after 1:30PM so you normally have to hold on to your carry on luggage until the rooms are ready.

[btyko]

What is the daily cost at POM?

[Corby114]

Parking at the Port Of Miami is twenty two dollars per day.

[Knot@Work]

Does anybody have off-site parking recommendations?  $22/day is a tough pill to swallow when just off the port island you can park for $6-8 per day.  I did this years ago but just don't remember where I parked.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Capt_BJ]

$8/day ... in MIAMI?  I've been sailing from Miami for a LONG time (since 80's) and tried off site a couple of times (since 2007) ... don't ever remember a price THAT low.

 

BUT ... here's the thing ..... POM is essentially in the middle of the main downtown business district of Miami (from a parking perspective).  Parking is at a PREMIUM for folks working downtown ..... (I stared in the Federal building in 1982 and parking was an issue THEN)   My most recent off site experiences were disasters and I'll NOT try again ..... the 'discount offsites' I tried were empty lots from torn down buildings where a guy with a lawn chair pointed to your place to park ......  VERY DIFFERENT that operations like Park n Cruise in Canaveral.

 

personally I figure the cost of parking at the port into the cost of a cruise since I can easily drive to Miami, Everglades, Canaveral or Tampa . . . in Miami I assume the cost is what the port charges . . .

[JohninDC]

13 hours ago, Knot@Work said:

Does anybody have off-site parking recommendations?  $22/day is a tough pill to swallow when just off the port island you can park for $6-8 per day.  I did this years ago but just don't remember where I parked.

Thanks in advance.

 

If the search functions worked properly you could find Manny threads about off site parking in Miami. For every post saying it worked fine and they saved $$ there would be 2-3+ with horror stories of lost reservations and deposits, no security, no show shuttles, vandalized cars, etc.  Most of the locals who post on this board will suggest parking at the port. Not sure where you are coming from but you might look at 2 one way rentals, so no parking fees and no miles on your car.  If you have a long cruise, 10-14+ nights, you could use one of the off-site parking lots near Port Everglades and then UBER to/from POM.

[Corby114]

I have read too many sad stories since I joined Cruise Critic in March 2002 about parking in Miami. Not worth the hassle of returning from your cruise to find your vehicle damaged, broken into, etc. If your cruising from Port Everglades, Port Canaveral, Tampa, or Jacksonville there are plenty of safe,secure off site parking locations where you can save money. There are no locations like that in the Miami area. As JohninDC always says “ Do you feel lucky”

[Knot@Work]

Thanks to everyone for your responses.  As I said above, I have parked offsite in Miami once before but couldn't remember where it was and it was also a bit less than desirable, it was a bit as Capt_BJ described, but it worked.  

 

I scanned through the Port Of Miami threads and couldn't really find much info.  Google led me to a cruise oriented blog that had a couple of recommendations.  I ended up booking Premier Cruise Parking at 250 SE 3rd Ave. Miami, FL, 33131.   It's a multilevel secured garage and only cost $58.41 for the 7 days (which works out to $8.34/day).

 

If this turns out unfavorably,  I will definitely spring for the official port parking on the island next time.

 

 

[JohninDC]

2 hours ago, Knot@Work said:

Thanks to everyone for your responses.  As I said above, I have parked offsite in Miami once before but couldn't remember where it was and it was also a bit less than desirable, it was a bit as Capt_BJ described, but it worked.  

 

I scanned through the Port Of Miami threads and couldn't really find much info.  Google led me to a cruise oriented blog that had a couple of recommendations.  I ended up booking Premier Cruise Parking at 250 SE 3rd Ave. Miami, FL, 33131.   It's a multilevel secured garage and only cost $58.41 for the 7 days (which works out to $8.34/day).

 

If this turns out unfavorably,  I will definitely spring for the official port parking on the island next time.

 

 

Good luck and please report back post cruise with a review of your parking experience. Have a great cruise! 😎