Red-eye lands at 7am - Boarding at 1pm - What to do at the Maimi Airport?

[smoosh21]

Just keep in mind that you will not be able to go to your stateroom until 1 p.m. even if you board at 11ish, but you'll sure enjoy sitting on the ship vs sitting at the airport. :p

 

I don't know how nice the cruise terminal is, but I was not impressed with Miami airport. I had to change plans there about 16 months ago on way to Curacao, and was stuck for 3 hours. There really wasn't a lot in the terminal I was in, in the way of stores or restaurants.

 

Also, typical for Florida, they keep the air-conditioning set on frigid. I actually went to one of the open-air smoking lounges to warm up, and I can't stand smoke

[Langley Cruisers]

As previously stated, you certainly won't be at the airport for 7 hours. I highly doubt you'll be waiting there for more than 3.

 

I suggest you collect the luggage, freshen up, maybe have a coffee and a little breakfast if you feel like it, and make your way over to the pier as suggested, as early as 10:30 am. Much better to wait at the pier - trust me, it'll be just as crowded as the airport. :p

 

The Bayside Marketplace is great, but depending on what day of the week you arrive (you didn't say), it may not be open yet. On Sundays, things open there around 11 am.

 

Have a great cruise!

[CaesarsNcruisin4me]

The Bayside Marketplace is great, but depending on what day of the week you arrive (you didn't say), it may not be open yet. On Sundays, things open there around 11 am.

 

Have a great cruise!

 

I was at the Bayside Marketplace on a Sunday just last month when I went on the Freedom and the stores all opened between 9 and 9:30am. The restaurant with the buffet was also open early. The hard rock restaurant didn't open till 11am but everything else was open.

 

Sandie

[sandypail]

I had a seven hour wait in Miami after leaving after a cruise. There is a hotel connected to the airport. I can't remember the name, but we got a room with a day rate of about $80.00. Not bad if your splitting it with a few other people. We had a place to nap and a clean private bathroom. They even have a pool. We had already checked our luggage in with our airline, so we left the hotel about an hour before our flight. That left us enough time for security, and the walk to the gate.

[logan1_2000]

Have you ever been in MIA airport. That is what I am referring to. All the people. It is a show.

 

Excellent opportunity to practice your spanish while at MIA. very multicultural. feels like you are already in another country.

 

also--the worst set-up for getting a cab at any major airport I've experienced.

 

I agree it is a show. Not a show we liked. So after the red-eye, DO get your bags and get out of the airport. We stayed across the street from Bayside and did not find any restaurants there open for breakfast prior to 10 am, this was January 2006, so perhaps things have changed, but good luck on finding an early breakfast there.

[bjksgk]

Here is an very honest answer to the OP from someone who works at MIA.

 

No the airport is not a great place to hang out for a few hours. People watching is fun for a few minutes and then it gets really old really fast. I agree with the others who have recommended that you try to go have a bite to eat and relax before you catch a cab and get out of here.

 

My suggestion to you is a little known restaurant in Concourse E of the Terminal, located on the 7th floor of in the Miami International Airport Hotel. The hotel is built on top of the main terminal building, and is independent, not a La Quinta. You can get a room if needed for a few hours to shower and freshen up, or have breakfast in their restaurant up on the 7th floor (elevators are located right at the hotel desk at concourse E). The food is very good but not cheap, but then most airport food is overpriced. There are big windows all over and you have a nice view of the planes taking off and landing, and it is alot more quiet and relaxing than anywhere else in the airport. La Carreta has very good food and would be a nice introduction to the Cuban cuisine Miami is famous for, but it is VERY crowded there all the time as lots of employees eat there, and you will have luggage to carry around too...not ideal.

 

After you have breakfast you can take a cab to the port, and hopefully by 11:30ish you will be able to start boarding. As other posters have said, you can't have room access till 1 but you usually get on board much earlier and can walk around the ship, and the winjammer is open for lunch.

 

Good luck and have a great cruise.

[warrenidaho]

Thanks to everyone for all the great information.

 

A follow-on question: I can get a towncar for the 4 of us for around $77 including gratuity. How much does a taxi to the port of Miami cost from MIA for a family of 4? I see were the base price is around $25, but I can't tell if that is per person.

 

The attached hotel resturant sounds very interesting. We may have the check this one out!

 

Thanks again