Taking Amtrak to Fort Lauderdale cruise

[Wayfairers]

I’m sure someone has taken the train to board a cruise ship at Port Everglades. I’m just starting to check into this possibility and would love to hear from those that have done it.  We’ve taken Amtrak from Memphis to New Orleans, but that the day after OJ Simpson did the slow motion run from the cops in his white SUV so it has been a while!

 

How did you get to the cruise port from the train terminal?   How was the experience?  Any suggestions?

[SteerageJoe]

I’ve done the auto train, Tampa and once to Miami, but not Ft Lauderdale. I love trains so my opinion is biased! Loved it!
 

The return schedule is the most important! Will it work after the cruise or do you have to spend another night? Silver Star is your best bet.
 

7 miles to Port Everglades from Amtrak – At least a 20-minute drive

• UberX – about $14
• UberXL – about $26

 

Silver Star from Tampa and Orlando and Jacksonville arrives at 5:57 pm daily – Too late unless you spend the night near the Port and cruise the next day.

 

Silver Star to Tampa, Orlando, and Jacksonville departs at 12:18 pm daily – You can easily book this train!

 

Silver Meteor to West Palm Beach, Orlando, and Jacksonville departs at 8:50 am daily – This is a very early departure. With early disembark arrangements it is doable because city traffic is less at this time. But my nerves will kill me!

 

Silver Meteor from Orlando and Jacksonville arrives at 6:06 pm daily – Too late unless you spend the night near the Port and cruise the next day.

 

Edited February 27, 2023 by SteerageJoe

[Wayfairers]

Thank you.  That is exactly the information I was looking for.  We live in the FL Panhandle so looking at the Jacksonville to Fort Lauderdale route.  
 

thinking we will need a hotel both ends going both ways.  

[FOPMan]

The Hollywood Amtrak station is actually closer to the port by travel time, if not distance and may have closer hotels.

[Wayfairers]

54 minutes ago, FOPMan said:

The Hollywood Amtrak station is actually closer to the port by travel time, if not distance and may have closer hotels.

Thanks!   I’ll check it out 

[Nilbog]

We just did the Amtrak to Miami for a cruise last November.  Hopped on in Jax about 9:00am, spent that night in Miami, then boarded the cruise the next morning.  Coming back we spent another night in a hotel then boarded the train the day after the cruise ended.  We used Uber to go from train to hotel, then again to the port, and the same going the other direction.  From PC it'll take about 4.5 hours to get to Jax so you'll probably want to come over the night before.  So, for a Saturday cruise you'd best plan on leaving PC on Thursday.

[Wayfairers]

57 minutes ago, Nilbog said:

We just did the Amtrak to Miami for a cruise last November.  Hopped on in Jax about 9:00am, spent that night in Miami, then boarded the cruise the next morning.  Coming back we spent another night in a hotel then boarded the train the day after the cruise ended.  We used Uber to go from train to hotel, then again to the port, and the same going the other direction.  From PC it'll take about 4.5 hours to get to Jax so you'll probably want to come over the night before.  So, for a Saturday cruise you'd best plan on leaving PC on Thursday.

Thanks for the information!   

[FlaMariner]

We disembarked from Port Everglades yesterday and took Amtrak from Fort Lauderdale to Orlando.......We easily made the 8:50am northbound Amtrak Silver Meteor.

 

We did early dis-embarkation (7am) and were at the Fort Lauderdale Amtrak station with plenty of spare time. 

 

Arrived in Orlando ontime after lunch.  Easy peezy but looking forward to Brightline. 

[Wayfairers]

16 hours ago, FlaMariner said:

We disembarked from Port Everglades yesterday and took Amtrak from Fort Lauderdale to Orlando.......We easily made the 8:50am northbound Amtrak Silver Meteor.

 

We did early dis-embarkation (7am) and were at the Fort Lauderdale Amtrak station with plenty of spare time. 

 

Arrived in Orlando ontime after lunch.  Easy peezy but looking forward to Brightline. 

Good to know you were able to easily make the 8:50am after disembarking.   Did you Uber to the train station?