RCCL Everglades tour out of Miami but bussed to FLL

[kpgclark]

If you've been on the Everglades tour which is for the port of Miami on the last day of your cruise but then returns you to Fort Lauderdale airport, I'd really like to know how you enjoyed your tour. Additionally I'd like to know what time you were expected to board the bus that takes you on the tour. The RCCL web site shows that the excursion departs at 7am but I find that highly unlikely.

[seamama1]

If you've been on the Everglades tour which is for the port of Miami on the last day of your cruise but then returns you to Fort Lauderdale airport, I'd really like to know how you enjoyed your tour. Additionally I'd like to know what time you were expected to board the bus that takes you on the tour. The RCCL web site shows that the excursion departs at 7am but I find that highly unlikely.

 

My grandson and I just came of Carnival's Fasciation earlier this month and we took the Everglades tour as our flight left Fort Lauderdale at 7:00PM (it actually didn't leave until 1030PM - but that's another story:( ). The tour was from the Port and ended at Miami airport. They didn't offer drop off in Fort Lauderdale. We had just planned to wing it by taxi or whatever.

 

However, the very nice, very informative tour director made "side arrangements" with another coach operator who was dropping folks off in Miami and Fort Lauderdale from another tour to pick us up outside the arrivals terminal at Miami airport. There were 4 of us...When we connected with the driver, we gave him 25.00 apiece...he was happy and so were we.

 

RCCL's tour may include transfer to Fort Lauderdale - I don't know but you should check it out very carefully so you can make alternate plans. I am assuming the ships all use the same tour operators and would suspect they would be the same.

 

As for the tour itself.....it was great!!!! The air boat ride was breathtaking! There is a nice little restaurant (air conditioned - which we really appreciated) that serves the usual burgers/fries n-stuff and had deep fried alligator on the menu. (We didn't try it). Clean restrooms and a very nice demo which included several alligators and crocs. There is a short walk-through where you can see gaters and crocs from all over the world. The ride to the Everglades was very nice once you left the traffic behind....right through the Micosuccee Indian reservation.... You will enjoy it fer sure. Just double check on that transfer thingie.....

[marymjahnke]

My Husband and I did the tour last year, but ours ended at Miami. I am almost positive that it is the same tour, but just ends at a different airport. We were the first ones off of the ship and it was about 7:30 ish (after we pulled an allnighter enjoying our last night aboard the ship!!). It was entertaining and we learned quite a bit. I held a baby alligator. We took the excursion as a means to pass the time before our flight left and as transportation back to the airport. I felt that we got our money's worth and saw somethings that we wouldn't normally get to see on our own. Would I do it again for the same reasons?? Yes, I would. Hope this helps you out.

[LauraS]

We signed up for this tour before our flight home (Miami) as well. I take it luggage is all taken care of by the cruise line -- picked up night before outside stateroom door and delivered to........airports? On the bus to tour with us?

 

Laura

[kpgclark]

Mary, did you HAVE to be off at 7:30? What time did the bus actually leave the cruise terminal?

[ILoveScotland]

Kpgclark, you're asking my own questions so I'm hoping someone who's come into the Port of Miami, taken the Everglades tour and then been dropped off at FLL will eventually give more details, especially about luggage, what time have to be off the ship, whether a post cruise tour was a let down and anything else someone would have to say.

[seamama1]

We signed up for this tour before our flight home (Miami) as well. I take it luggage is all taken care of by the cruise line -- picked up night before outside stateroom door and delivered to........airports? On the bus to tour with us?

 

Laura

 

We reported to a designated room at 7:30AM WITH our luggage. The luggage stayed with us....at about 7:45-8:00, we were "guided" down by elevator and out of the terminal. The coach was clearly marked and all of the luggage was put in the bay underneath the coach. I would risk assuming that the same sort of routine would be followed by RCCL.

 

Of course, no luggage outside the door the night before...guess I said that already, huh?:o

 

I just loved the airboat! What a rush! We also saw 'gators in the swamps as well as tiny turtles and some of the lovliest birds..one of which was a bright purple with a white head and a red dot on it's forhead. The name escapes me at the moment but the guide said it was indiginous to the Everglades and only found there. One thing about the airboat......it is very, very loud. They gave out tissues so we could sort of plug our ears.....wasn't perfect but was better than nothing.:p

[VaCruzers]

We did this previously. Our luggage was placed outside the last night & we were given a special color tags ( might have been white, don't recall ), but it was the first color called. It was rather early, but we had finished breakfast so it wasn't like you had to be ready earlier than they tell you to be out of your cabin. We claimed our luggage & then boarded a bus. I think we were on the bus by about 8:30. We did not meet at a designated location on the ship to debark together or anything like that. On our day, and I don't know if this was an exception or the usual procedure, it didn't matter which airport you were to be dropped at, you got on the same bus at the beginning. Later, after the airboat ride, if you were to be dropped at Ft. Lauderdale, they switched your luggage to a different bus & you boarded that one. This all took place at the airboat ride facility. There were only 4 people on our bus who had to switch. I don't know if this is the usual. The people who were on the bus we switched to had started at the port of Ft. Lauderdale. Maybe it was because there were so few who started in Miami who wanted to end at FLL airport that the switch took place....??? Maybe there weren't enough who started in Miami ending in FLL to warrant a separate bus??? Anyway, it was a relaxing way to end the trip. Our luggage was taken care of, we didn't have to spend all day waiting at the airport & we got to do something we had never done before. I probably don't need to visit the Everglades again, but I am glad to have done it once. We arrived at the airport by about 3:00 PM & had plenty of time before our 6:40 PM flight for a sit down meal at Chili's at the airport. Hope this is helpful.

[mattie920]

We did this tour in March. We packed all of our luggage and were going to place it outside our cabin by midnight. We went back to our cabin and found a note that told us we had to carry off our own luggage at 6:30 AM as the tour was leaving early. That was horrible. We had 10 pieces of luggage and had to wait in a very long line to get off the ship at 6:30 AM!!! We went through customs and a bus was waiting for us right outside the door. We had a mini tour of Miami on the way to the everglades. When we got there they told us to order "lunch" as it was all cooked to order. We had "lunch" at 9:30 am. Quite pricey I might add. The tour consisted of the everglades tour and a small side show where you could pay money to hold a baby alligator. We were dropped off at the Fort Lauderdale airport by 11:30 AM for a 4:00 flight. That was not good. You couldn't get to the gate area until 2 hours prior to your flight. It was not un trying to find a place to hang out for such a long period of time. All in all it was okay - would not do it again though. I would rent a car and do some sightseeing or something else if you have a later flight.

[marymjahnke]

We received white luggage tags and put our bags out the night before. We were the first color called at 7:30 in the morning. We had to go pick up our bags and go thru customs. Then we went outside and caught the bus. The bus left at about 8:15 once everyone was there. They didn't waste anything getting us out of there. We did the excursion and our bags were stored on the bus. The drive then took us to the airport and dropped us off in order of airline and we took our bags from the driver then.

 

Someone said that lunch was expensive and that is correct. We did not eat lunch with the group. The food looked okay at best. Instead, we went off on our own and explored the area and took another look at the animals. We then rejoined our group after lunch. When we got dropped off at the airport (Miami), we ate there - Panera I think. It was actually cheaper for us to eat at the airport and I am thinking that it was probably a little tastier.

 

Hope this helps you.