Long wait between disembarking and flight home from FLL.. what to do ?

We just had this scenario in June. There was 6 of us, we booked a day room at the Hampton Inn Fort Lauderdale. It was ver nice and clean. One person opted for a nap and the rest of us took hotel provided transportation to the beach, had lunch at beach, walked around a bit and back to hotel which then had free shuttle to airport. It was only 70.00+tax. Would definitely do it again and was happy we missed the cruise crowds at the airport

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We just had this scenario in June. There was 6 of us, we booked a day room at the Hampton Inn Fort Lauderdale. It was ver nice and clean. One person opted for a nap and the rest of us took hotel provided transportation to the beach, had lunch at beach, walked around a bit and back to hotel which then had free shuttle to airport. It was only 70.00+tax. Would definitely do it again and was happy we missed the cruise crowds at the airport

 

 

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This is excellent news. Which Hampton Inn was it? Downtown/Las Olas or Airport/Cruise Port? Did they allow you to make reservations in advance?

We did EZ check with Princess for our United airlines flights and then did the water taxi to Hollywood Florida. Enjoyed the beaches, had a late breakfast out there and eventually went to lunch and too an uber to the airport

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This is excellent news. Which Hampton Inn was it? Downtown/Las Olas or Airport/Cruise Port? Did they allow you to make reservations in advance?

Downtown/Las Olas and yes you can make reservations in advance thru dayuse dot com. They take no deposit, not even a credit card. About 2 weeks before I called hotel to confirm they had my reservation. Absolutely no problems. I wish I could remember the gentlemens name that check us in because he was a hoot and very helpful. It might have been Sly but not sure. I hope if you try this you enjoy it as much as we did. In fact we decided whenever going out of Port Everglades we would always book a late flight from now on.

The Rodeway Inn is a total dump. I had a day room there last week waiting for a flight for non-cruise related travel. Total cost was $72.59.

I'm not sure how to even describe the place. Filthy, smells horrible, things are broken, etc. The negative reviews on TripAdvisor are absolutely correct, and whoever posts responses (Izzy?) for the hotel is an absolute lunatic. The over-the-top positive reviews must be fake.

I would consider another option.

In looking over the TripAdvisor reviews of this hotel, it would appear that quite a few people got a different impression. I'm hoping they are right, since we have reservations there for New Years Eve.

Complicating our situation is that we have a group of 10 family members with different late flight times. We get in from our cruise at 7, will go on the 4 1/2 hour Everglades excursion and get delivered to the airport, where we will probably have lunch together. Our kids and grandkids will probably have to hang around the airport. My wife and I will stay overnight (and save $300 on our airfare) at the Rodeway. We might have all booked another tour, but none of the tour outfits operate on New Years Eve day afternoon. And renting a vehicle for 10 is a bit tough.

Our flight the next morning will be at 7:30, so we won't be sleeping late on New Years Day. For the money, we figured we could deal with a less than luxury hotel. We also are Choice Hotels members and have usually had good luck with there economy lodgings. We'll find out.

You CAN make a 10 AM flight; but I'm not sure about "easily". FLL can get clogged - how many people will be debarking from your ship? How many from others coming in the same day? Will it be at the end of a vacation period when there might be many land vacationers flying home? Could the ship be delayed?

 

If you are CERTAIN that you will be off the ship BEFORE 9:00 AM, there is a reasonable CHANCE you can get to the airport, check your bags, clear security and get to the gate before they close the doors at 9:45 --- but no one in his right mind would bet on it without a good, affordable Plan B in mind.

we didn't make a 10 am flight twice....

Last November Caribbean Princess didn't let people off the ship as scheduled due to immigration/customs hold up. We didn't get off the ship till noon. Then it took an hour to drop off luggage at Spirit Airlines (that was very unusual) and they lost my husband's driver's license at that moment. Thankfully, we had his passport. So, by the time we actually made it to the gate was about 2 pm. We made it to the 5 pm flight.

I went on dayuse.com and got a room at a Holiday Inn express.. $90 total . we will have to get a ride there but they have a shuttle to take us to the airport from there.. not a bad deal

I would rent a car and spend time touring around Ft Lauderdale -- take the Everglades boat ride.

we did the Everglades boat ride last Friay (8/25) but we still had a 5 1/2 hour wait at the airport. We ate, shopped, returned phone calls, and checked Facebook. The shopping and eating choices at FLL are few I must say. But we were so tired from our 4 hours of sleep each night that the down time was ok!

To the poster commenting on the Rodeway Inn. Hopefully, you don't believe all reviews posted on TripAdvisor. The place is simply awful. I did laugh at your "less luxury" remark.Where are you all going to eat together at the airport if you all don't go through security?

Anyway, suggest you Uber to the hotel. I waited almost two hours for their shuttle (not kidding). The hotel shuttles, IME, at FLL are really slow, but this was a new low.

Come back and post how it was after your stay.

Where did you eat at FLL? There will be 10 of us, all hungry after the Everglades excursion. From my online checking, it seems that any decent restaurants at the airport are post-security and that won't work for us, since we'll be going from lunch to our nearby hotel for the night and the others are leaving from two different terminals, with the earliest a 5:30 p.m. flight. I guess they could check their luggage and we could all taxi or Uber to some restaurant nearby...but what a hassle and extra expense that would be.

Where did you eat at FLL? There will be 10 of us, all hungry after the Everglades excursion. From my online checking, it seems that any decent restaurants at the airport are post-security and that won't work for us, since we'll be going from lunch to our nearby hotel for the night and the others are leaving from two different terminals, with the earliest a 5:30 p.m. flight. I guess they could check their luggage and we could all taxi or Uber to some restaurant nearby...but what a hassle and extra expense that would be.

I did plan to uber to the hotel after lunch (wherever that will be). A greater concern will be how best to get to the airport for our 7:30 a.m. New Year's Day flight home. Hotel shuttle, taxi, Uber again? And do we have to get to the airport by 5 a.m.?

About the quality of the hotel....my wife and I have traveled widely over the years, including when we had little money and little choice about the "luxuriousness" of accommodations. And we've camped under some pretty awful conditions. I think we can handle one short night in a less than optimal hotel. Especially knowing our comfortable bed awaits us at home.

Somehow or other, I've messed up the above postings and who each was responding to. Hopefully, it all makes some sort of sense to everyone.

Has anyone used the day pass at Royal Beach Palace? It looks really nice and relaxing.

Thank you,

Sandi

I would rent a room for about 100$ at a hotel with free shuttles. They will pick you up at the cruise port and take you to your hotel. You can spend the day at the pool and the n take the free airport shuttle.

I am in a similar situation. But my plane leaves Monday morning at 5am. I don't want to spend the money on a hotel room so I'm planning on taking a taxi to Seminole Hollywood Casino. There will be better food options than pre security at FLL, I will feel safer than at FLL (I am a female traveling solo) and I am sure I'll be able to get a taxi to get to FLL. Just a thought...

You can get Day rates at some hotels. We always do that.

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We got a day room at the Rodeway Inn

It is a dumpy blue motel. We were the only white people there. Every employee is black & people checking in too. Everyone was pleasant. They gave us a room near the office which was a handicap room & newly remodeled. It looked very clean to me. My husband wanted to nap a few hrs before our 7:30 pm flight. The king bed was comfortable & looked new. Nice big screen TV & good air. They do have a shuttle to the airport (free). It was about $70 for the room. Wouldn’t want to stay there overnight but it served its purpose.

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Rent a car and tour the area.

It's hard to tell whether the comments above reflect an objective evaluation of the Rodeway Inn or the racial bigotry of the poster(s). Also, it's easy to recommend renting a car for the afternoon, but that doesn't work too well for 10 people.

Also, suggestions about getting earlier or later flights appear to come from posters who never flew on New Years Eve or Day; and for whom cost is no issue.

Quite frankly , I'm learning more about some posters than from their "helpful" advice.

It's hard to tell whether the comments above reflect an objective evaluation of the Rodeway Inn or the racial bigotry of the poster(s). Also, it's easy to recommend renting a car for the afternoon, but that doesn't work too well for 10 people.

Also, suggestions about getting earlier or later flights appear to come from posters who never flew on New Years Eve or Day; and for whom cost is no issue.

Quite frankly , I'm learning more about some posters than from their "helpful" advice.

My comment above about renting a car was directed to the poster who started this thread, not to you and your specific situation.

We took the excursion to botanical gardens and then a gator place with an airboat ride. So worth it. Our bags were in the bus with us and we were dropped off at the airport. Easy!

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We got a day room at the Rodeway Inn

It is a dumpy blue motel. We were the only white people there. Every employee is black & people checking in too. Everyone was pleasant. They gave us a room near the office which was a handicap room & newly remodeled. It looked very clean to me. My husband wanted to nap a few hrs before our 7:30 pm flight. The king bed was comfortable & looked new. Nice big screen TV & good air. They do have a shuttle to the airport (free). It was about $70 for the room. Wouldn’t want to stay there overnight but it served its purpose.

 

 

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It's appalling enough that you mention the race of the other guests and the staff as if that has any importance, but to then follow with the comment that 'everyone was pleasant' with the implication that you were surprised, is even worse.