Suggestions to kill time between flight arrival and embarkation at MIA?

[SCS2024]

Hi Everyone,

 

I have a very early flight (only one available that was a direct flight). Flight arrives in MIA at 7:35 am.  My Carnival Conquest boarding pass shows an "Arrive at Terminal" time of 10:00 AM to 10:30 AM.  Not sure if its relevant, but we also purchased "Faster to the Fun".

 

Originally, we were planning on grabbing our bags and taking an Uber or taxi straight to the port and waiting for 10am to roll around for boarding.  However today I received a "Know Before You Go" email from Carnival that says " Guests who arrive early will be asked to return at their assigned time".

 

Is there some place near the ship to wait or should I wait at the airport?   Does Carnival have a lounge area at the MIA airport?  Any other suggestions or better ideas to kill a couple of hours considering we will be lugging around bags?

 

Thank you!

Edited July 16 by SCS2024

[mz-s]

Just wait at the airport. Grab breakfast or something. Carnival doesn't have a lounge at MIA, there is a desk there but they are only there to arrange airport transfers to/from the airport and the cruise port.

 

There really isn't anywhere to wait on Dodge Island. Yes, you will either be turned away or be stuck waiting outside with little/no shade if you arrive that early. At least at the airport you can grab a donut and have a chair to sit in.

[carol louise]

I agree with mz-s. Wait at the airport. The taxi ride is about a half hour.  Add in the time to retrieve your luggage and later make your way to the taxi stand. With the remainder of the time you can enjoy a leisurely breakfast.

[Haljo1935]

1 hour ago, mz-s said:

Just wait at the airport. Grab breakfast or something. Carnival doesn't have a lounge at MIA, there is a desk there but they are only there to arrange airport transfers to/from the airport and the cruise port.

 

There really isn't anywhere to wait on Dodge Island. Yes, you will either be turned away or be stuck waiting outside with little/no shade if you arrive that early. At least at the airport you can grab a donut and have a chair to sit in.

+1

[SCS2024]

Thanks everyone for the advice and comments.  Please forgive my ignorance but are there restaurants at MIA available to me *after* I pick up my bags or are the only places to grab breakfast at MIA on the other side of TSA security. 

[KarmaCruisers]

56 minutes ago, SCS2024 said:

Thanks everyone for the advice and comments.  Please forgive my ignorance but are there restaurants at MIA available to me *after* I pick up my bags or are the only places to grab breakfast at MIA on the other side of TSA security. 

Having just spent many hours at MIA for the same type of reasons…you’re going to have to let your baggage get picked up by the baggage agents and then go claim it at Unclaimed Baggage..as there’s no restaurants or even any place to hang out, OUTSIDE of TSA. (I deal with this every time as I fly into MIA from California always on a red eye and I have to sit at MIA for a couple hours before heading over to the port)

[Ranyw]

If you don’t mind paying multiple taxis /ubers.  You could get down to bayside marketplace, it’s about 20 mins from the airport .  I remember they had a spot to grab breakfast.  It’s also about a 30 min walk to the port or a 5-10 min car ride. You could grab a bite or a coffee there, but you’ll have the headache of lugging your bags around.

 

I’m unfamiliar with the port there, but our home port of Long Beach will allow you to drop bags at the porters early but discourage early check in.

[SCS2024]

32 minutes ago, KarmaCruisers said:

Having just spent many hours at MIA for the same type of reasons…you’re going to have to let your baggage get picked up by the baggage agents and then go claim it at Unclaimed Baggage..as there’s no restaurants or even any place to hang out, OUTSIDE of TSA. (I deal with this every time as I fly into MIA from California always on a red eye and I have to sit at MIA for a couple hours before heading over to the port)

After my last post, I found this listing that shows dining options available pre-security. Notice the "Show Pre-Security only" toggle near the top of the page.   Are you saying this listing is not valid?

 

https://www.shopmiamiairport.com/retailer-category/dine/?directory

[KarmaCruisers]

13 minutes ago, SCS2024 said:

After my last post, I found this listing that shows dining options available pre-security. Notice the "Show Pre-Security only" toggle near the top of the page.   Are you saying this listing is not valid?

 

https://www.shopmiamiairport.com/retailer-category/dine/?directory

I wouldn’t trust it..I was looking at one of those things and it said there was a BofA inside the airport..I had 8 hours to kill inside MIA last trip (coming home ) so I went looking..didn’t exist.

[FionaMG]

When I flew out of Miami in February, there were quite a few places pre-security but they were in departures, near where folks were checking in for their flights, which makes sense because that's where you'd potentially have time to kill. The only thing is, I was there early afternoon so I don’t know if they'd be open that early.

[mz-s]

6 hours ago, SCS2024 said:

Thanks everyone for the advice and comments.  Please forgive my ignorance but are there restaurants at MIA available to me *after* I pick up my bags or are the only places to grab breakfast at MIA on the other side of TSA security. 

 

There are both!

[9tee2Sea]

13 hours ago, SCS2024 said:

Hi Everyone,

 

I have a very early flight (only one available that was a direct flight). Flight arrives in MIA at 7:35 am.  My Carnival Conquest boarding pass shows an "Arrive at Terminal" time of 10:00 AM to 10:30 AM.  Not sure if its relevant, but we also purchased "Faster to the Fun".

 

Originally, we were planning on grabbing our bags and taking an Uber or taxi straight to the port and waiting for 10am to roll around for boarding.  However today I received a "Know Before You Go" email from Carnival that says " Guests who arrive early will be asked to return at their assigned time".

 

Is there some place near the ship to wait or should I wait at the airport?   Does Carnival have a lounge area at the MIA airport?  Any other suggestions or better ideas to kill a couple of hours considering we will be lugging around bags?

 

Thank you!

do have any airline credit cards ( or any credit card) that will give you access to a First Class Lounge? Some airline lounges allow you to pay for day pass, even if you are not flying first class.  Nice way to kill a few hours, relaxing, snacking,  and DRINKING

[SCS2024]

4 hours ago, mz-s said:

 

There are both!

That takes a load off my mind. Thanks! 

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

On 7/15/2024 at 8:30 PM, SCS2024 said:

Not sure if its relevant, but we also purchased "Faster to the Fun".

What does "Faster to the Fun" get you? Is your 10AM time slot because you purchased that?

 

Personally, I'd just head to the port (unless you want to eat something at the airport first). By the time you get off the plane, walk to Baggage Claim and await your bags, you've killed about an hour. Then 30 minutes to the Port. So yeah, you might have to wait a bit for your 10AM time slot but that's got to be the first slot so you'll be among the first in line when they open the terminal.

[cemebro]

On 7/16/2024 at 10:33 AM, SCS2024 said:

That takes a load off my mind. Thanks! 

Did you find a place to hang after you picked up your bags?  We are in the same boat our next cruise.

[SCS2024]

@cemebro

Yes, those who said there was nothing there were incorrect.  After picking up your checked baggage, head towards the ground transportation.  Just past where you will see taxis in line for pick up, there will be a ton of seating (similar to seating before boarding plane) and a little walk-up convenience style store.  There are restrooms and a small walk-up coffee shop (Starbucks?)  and other shops on past that.  Then there's an escalator to a floor above where you have at least a couple of sit-down restaurants.  We just spent the extra time in the seating area near the taxi line after grabbing something to eat before catching a taxi to the cruise port.  The drop-off at the cruise port is so chaotic, it is not a good idea to try to hang out there for very long. Have fun!

Edited September 13 by SCS2024

[cemebro]

Sounds good! Thank you!

[Elaine5715]

Another option, depending on size of your group, is to use Carnival shuttle from the airport to POM.  The buses go right through the chaos.  The terminal may open as early as 9 am and your FTTF (and arriving on Carnival shuttle) will allow you to enter the terminal on arrival.