KINGBOBOFTHENORTH

That's what I thought so I was confused by the OP's question. I know there were a lot of recent renovations at Ocean Cay this year but never any mention of expanding the dock to support two ships at the same time.

More than one ship can dock at Ocean Cay at the same time?

Do what I do: go to hotels.com (other other similar sites) and enter Miami airport and then wait for the map to popup. It will then show each available hotel on the map and when you put your cursor on the hotel dot, it will show you the price for that night. Pick out a few contenders. I don't usually book on that website but instead go to the hotel chain website for each of them and get their price taking into account AAA or other discounts that might be offered. The chain website will also indicate if there is free airport transportation if you need that.

If you're traveling to PortMiami from Fort Lauderdale, make sure you leave early enough so that you're at the port before 11AM. Trying to get through Miami any later will result in traffic chaos as so many will be headed that way for Ultra. In any event, use the tunnel to get to the port, not downtown local streets.

In 2022 we sailed on MSC Seaview in the Baltic (summer). That ship had a DJ party nearly every night at the pool at 20:00 or 20:30. The ship's main club opened at 22:30. In 2023 we sailed on MSC Euribia in the North Sea (winter). Too cold for outdoor parties but this ship had one of those promenades (galleria) where they did the 70's Night and the White Night. Those were at 21:00 and 23:15 respectively. My Blog pics: https://www.orlandoentertainmentnews.com/?p=25466 The Attic Club was small and never got very crowded, with more people hanging-out in the far-larger Euribia Lounge which had a DJ too some nights. I describe this on my Blog: https://www.orlandoentertainmentnews.com/?p=25502

Is there a bus from Orlando Amtrak to Punta Gorda? From what I see on that date, you would take an Amtrak train to Tampa Amtrak and then a bus from Tampa Amtrak to where you live. But that train departs Orlando Amtrak at 10:47am. I did not see a direct Orlando-Punta Gorda bus.

Yes, there are 2 toll plazas between Port Canaveral and Orlando International Airport. If you're paying with a transponder (E-PASS, E-ZPass, SunPass), you remain in the two through lanes and continue under the toll gantry at highway speeds. If you want to pay cash, there is an "exit" to the right side before the toll plaza. You get off the main highway and stop at the toll booth; then continue forward and merge back onto the main highway. While you're supposed to report the rental car tag number to your E-ZPass account, you really don't have to. Just bring the transponder with you and hold it up to the windshield below the mirror as you pass under the toll gantry. After the second toll plaza, put the E-ZPass unit in your backpack (or whatever) so you don't leave it in the rental car. Most rental car companies are in the garage at OIA and it's dark in there and easy to leave a transponder or cell phone behind.

Sam Feldt is a House & EDM DJ/Producer from the Netherlands. His largest hit to date may be a song called "Post Malone". Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TewoJFN61mI I've gone ahead and booked it as it's the cheapest I've seen a Virgin cruise and have been wanting to try it. Looks like Rockstars get a private concert with him and a meet & greet while the rest of us just get a pool party show. I'm curious too about the lack of a stop at a foreign port. They either got special permission or they pull up to the dock in Bimini for 5 minutes and then move on. I don't think the law has any length of stay requirement for the foreign port.

While I don't go to Ultra itself, I do attend many Miami Music Week events that weekend. Ultra is of course in downtown Miami but there are DJ events all over downtown, Miami Beach and Wynwood. My recommendation would be to stay anywhere around the airport and then taxi/rideshare to the port on Sunday morning. Ultra's Day 3 is on Sunday but it doesn't start until around 1PM so traffic to the port that morning will not be impacted by Ultra.

It's possible the so-called "port charges" at either of the ports went down so MSC refunded those reduced charges back to you.

I've read elsewhere on here that Margaritaville at Sea Islander uses the smallest cruise terminal at Port Tampa Bay (T6) and that building does not have sufficient room to hold everyone waiting to board. With the Express Pass, you get inside regardless of how long the queues are.

Have you looked lately to see how much it would cost to move your flight to something earlier in the day?

If you select "Cruise Control (Beta) from the top of the MAS website and log-in to your reservation, you can scroll down and look for the words "Express Pass" to confirm you have this as an included benefit.

Since no one has responded, might just be best to simply call them and ask. Let us know what they tell you, please.

Getting to Sanford International (SFB) will be expensive.

Not. Kiel Ostuferhafen terminal is a LONG walk to Kiel Hauptbanhof. It's a quick taxi ride around the bottom of the harbor but walking with baggage is more than an hour. Just take a taxi; they will be awaiting passengers getting off the ship and you'll be at the station in 10 minutes.

All Florida toll roads will carry the SunPass, E-PASS or LeeWay logo on them. LeeWay is only on Fort Myers area toll bridges while E-PASS is a product of the Central Florida Expressway Authority and thus only appear on Orlando area toll booths. SunPass is the statewide system appearing on toll roads and bridges from Pensacola to south of Miami. Regardless of how the toll facilities are labeled, they are all interoperable with each other and with E-ZPass from the northeast and midwest. So even though you won't see E-ZPass on the signs, E-ZPass works fine.

Try one of the nearby rental car companies and book a van for the day. That would definitely be your cheapest option for 6 passengers. Only extra expense would be parking at KSC and putting in a couple gallons of gas before returning it. Verify rental car office hours.

I said "you might be one too". I didn't say you were.

I recall someone posting that the other garages at Port Miami charge quite a bit less than Royal Caribbean's garage.

Just because you can bid on it, doesn't mean it's available. But it could become available if someone there upgrades to something even better. Also, keep in mind that CruiseCritic is heavy on the wealthy people who must be in Yacht Club at any cost or they won't sail. You might be one too but most of us average Joe's not needing that. IMO, you already have a beautiful balcony cabin; enjoy it and spend the extra money in the ports.

I forgot last time too and could not find a way to obtain it. I expected it in my door on the final morning but it wasn't there and by then I just wanted off the ship.

We took a National Express bus from Southampton to London Heathrow last December. Very cheap and reliable. They also have buses from Southampton to central London. Not sure which of those two would be closest to your hotel near Waterloo station. Luggage was easy. You give it to the driver before boarding and it goes on the bottom of the bus. The National Express terminal was a 5 minute ride from the cruise terminal and the taxi cost £10.

The Brightline station at MCO is adjacent Terminal C.

Recommend you book something you can live with now. Book a refundable rate which you can then rebook if the rates go down but have locked-in if rates go up.....which they will.