What to do in Fort Lauderdale until flight leaves?

[mlredman2]

Hi everyone. We don't fly out until 5PM so we'll have until 2 or 3PM to explore Fort Lauderdale until we need to be at the airport. What should we do? Is there a good mall close by? Thanks! :)

[dougp26364]

I've heard a lot of people like Sawgrass Mills. We took an airboat ride tour of the everglades and had a good time. It was a ship excursion and it ended at the airport by 1:30 PM. that still left us far to much time at the airport to sit around. FLL wasn't allowing us to check in for our flight until 2 hours before departure. There's really not adaquate seating at the airport and many people were sitting on the floor everywhere waiting to check in.

 

If we ever do a late flight again, I believe I'll look into a rental car for the day. Then we'll turn it back in a couple of hours before our flight, check in and go straight to the gate. The tour was very nice but, sitting around the airport was very inconvenient.

[alphakitty]

One a previous cruise we had a 5PM flight out of Fort Lauderdale. We rented a car for cheap with Thrifty and enjoyed some time at the beach, then a nice lunch at the riverwalk on Los Olas. It was a great way to spend some time.

 

I've always wanted to do the Everglades tour, sounds like a nice way to kill time too...maybe next time.

[pcl_cruiser]

I am also intersted in the Everglades excusion but I have two questions. Is there a weight limit on the boats? Also, what do we do with our luggage after getting off the ship? DO they really take you to the airport? Lastly, how much was it? Sorry that was more than two questions, I got carried away!

[bad973]

I was on the Crown Princess in December & had a late flight...Princess offered an excursion to the Everglades on an airboat and also a nice tour of a botanical garden.

Cost was about $50 and got to the airport

around 2:00....If you book a cruiseline post cruise excursion like this, your luggage is on the bus with you and unloaded with you at the airport. All very convenient and not really that expensive.

The airboat ride was really fun and saw a lot of birds and alligators! Botanical garden was also very nice and relaxing.

Barbara

[cruiserbryce]

there are some ship offered excursions...but as mentioned above Sawgrass is a good mall to spend some time...what day of the week is it?

[Boston lab girl]

I just took the excursion from the ship to the everglades in Jan. You put yoUr bags on the bus and then they take you to the everglades for the boat ride. I really enjoyed it. They then took you back to Fll and then continued on to Miami airport.

 

We got to the airport around 1:30 and our flight was at 4:00 so by the time we checked in it wasn't too bad.

[pcl_cruiser]

Are there are any weight restriction for people on the airboat? Also, I have read something about a land and sea thing in Ft Lauderdale, does anyone know anything about this?

[alphakitty]

Are there are any weight restriction for people on the airboat? Also, I have read something about a land and sea thing in Ft Lauderdale, does anyone know anything about this?

 

I've looked at many of these airboat ride websites and have not seen anything about weight restrictions, so I don't believe so.

 

On the Excursions list from our recent Oasis cruise, there is a listing for Ft. Lauderdale Land and Sea. 4 Hours Ends at MIA airport. $48 adult $38 Child

 

"Enjoy a narrated drive through Port Everglades and a 90 minute cruise where your guide will provide the history of the settlement landmarks and famous beach. This tour is avaialbe to guests with domestic flights departing MIA after 2:30PM, and international flights departing after 4:00 PM. A minimum number of participants is required for this tour to operate."

[foflocruiser]

water taxi

 

http://www.sunny.org/visitors/suggested-itineraries/

[toras]

The big airboats seat at least 50 people, it wasn't half full when we did our tour, so there shouldn't be any weight restrictions.

 

Last time our flight out was something like 8pm, we took the suggestion from the guide (from the everglades tour) to take a cab to the Dolphin Mall in Miami, after checking the luggage at the airport.

[jay16]

water taxi

Agree!

[jay16]

water taxi

 

Agree!!

[shellyconch]

I just took the excursion from the ship to the everglades in Jan. You put yoUr bags on the bus and then they take you to the everglades for the boat ride. I really enjoyed it. They then took you back to Fll and then continued on to Miami airport.

 

We got to the airport around 1:30 and our flight was at 4:00 so by the time we checked in it wasn't too bad.

 

Considering the tour for our May 2010 sailing. You said that you arrived at the airport at 1:30 and that your flight was at 4:00. Which airport did you you get to at 1:30? I'm guessing that it was probably FLL.

[AlBell509]

We rented a car went and ate breakfast then went to the beach but b.c it was dreery and chilly we got back in the car drove around for a while and saw some of the sights had lunch and went to the movies, where i fell asleep b.c we only got 2 (if that) hours of sleep on our last night on the ship, then we went to the airport. We had like a 7 oclock flight back to NY

[ddonalds]

I would definitely take the option to have your luggage checked straight onto your flight that the ship offers you (because you can't check your luggage more than a couple hours before your flight yourself), I would then get off the boat at the latest time possible (probably around 9:00), and I would take a cab to Las Olas Blvd and just wander around there. You could start with a nice cup of coffee somewhere - but definitely have lunch at Johnny V's. I love that place!!! I can't imagine after shopping in the Caribbean that going to a Mall would be something that would be fun - and I'm a shopaholic... But, I love Las Olas Blvd - charming street, charming shops, and a good walking street.

[Boo's Mom]

I would definitely take the option to have your luggage checked straight onto your flight that the ship offers you (because you can't check your luggage more than a couple hours before your flight yourself), I would then get off the boat at the latest time possible (probably around 9:00), and I would take a cab to Las Olas Blvd and just wander around there. You could start with a nice cup of coffee somewhere - but definitely have lunch at Johnny V's. I love that place!!! I can't imagine after shopping in the Caribbean that going to a Mall would be something that would be fun - and I'm a shopaholic... But, I love Las Olas Blvd - charming street, charming shops, and a good walking street.

 

How far from the Oasis is Las Olas Blvd?

And how far is it from Las Olas to FLL?

 

Thanks !!

[JeffersonSea]

How far from the Oasis is Las Olas Blvd?

And how far is it from Las Olas to FLL?

 

Thanks !!

 

Pretty close....no more than 10 - 20 minutes max by car from Oasis to Las Olas, and about the same to the airport, depending on traffic.

[Moo_Cruiser]

Hi all

 

I have a similar question, except our flight back to LA is leaving FFL at 11.45am.

 

Just wondering, if we were off the ship the earliest we could be and had pre checked our luggage through the cruiseline, would we have enough time to go to Las Olas Blvd or Sawgrass Mills for a short time, or would it not be worth it?? Or is there anything close to the airport worth looking at?

 

What time should we check in by for a domestic flight?

 

Thanks for all this great info, it's so helpful!

 

Cheers

 

Amanda

[Kugel]

I live here in the Ft. Lauderdale area. Las Olas is a favorite spot for a Saturday night. However, Sawgrass Mills is fun too. It is the largest outlet mall in the country. So large they bring tour buses in. If anyone is planning on shopping at the Coach store on the ship...don't! There is a Coach outlet at Sawgrass. So if you want air conditioning and want to walk some of the mall and get something to eat (some great restaurants for lunch) go there. If you want outside then go to Las Olas. All the restaurants are good. Mango's is a popular place and La Bonne Crepe is very good. In Sawgrass you have Cheesecake Factory at one end and the other side has PF Changs and Gran Lux Cafe (which is Cheesecake's other restaurant). Also food courts but blah! Go for a nice lunch wherever you go. Cheesecake is also at Riverwalk at the end of Las Olas.

[Moo_Cruiser]

Thanks Kugel, the outlet shopping sounds tempting!!

 

How far is it in a taxi from the port to Sawgrass Mills, then how far from here to airport?

 

What time do you think we need to check in for a domestic flight at 11.45am....is one hour before enough time?

 

I don't know the area and am trying to work out if it's worth trying to do anything before or just get off the ship late and go straight to the airport.

 

Thanks guys..any suggestions would be welcome!

 

Cheers

 

 

Amanda

[Kugel]

Thanks Kugel, the outlet shopping sounds tempting!!

 

How far is it in a taxi from the port to Sawgrass Mills, then how far from here to airport?

 

What time do you think we need to check in for a domestic flight at 11.45am....is one hour before enough time?

 

I don't know the area and am trying to work out if it's worth trying to do anything before or just get off the ship late and go straight to the airport.

 

Thanks guys..any suggestions would be welcome!

 

Cheers

 

 

Amanda

 

Amanda,

With no traffic and since the Oasis comes in Saturday am there really is none, it is about a 12-15 minute ride. However it opens at 10 am. If you have a flight in the am, yes an hour is usually enough unless all the ships are arriving together and people are flying out at the same time. I would go to the airport if you have an 11:45 flight. Grab a cup of coffee and relax. When you come again make time for Sawgrass. Every possible store is there except Dooney & Bourke. I sell that and Coach items on ebay so I could use one of those stores locally instead of 4 hours away.

I think the airport could be crowded on Saturday am because of all the ships in. Stay as long as you can on the ship.

 

Joyce

[Moo_Cruiser]

Thanks Janet.

 

Yes, heading straight to the airport is the sensible thing to do...it's sure hard to resist the lure of a huge outlet center when I am so close to it; how frustrating!!:rolleyes:

 

As you say, next time I will allow more time for it. We actually want to get back to LA ASAP as we are cruising the following day.

 

Thanks for your help with this.

 

Cheers

 

Amanda

[tezbear]

We too will have time to kill since our flight isn't until 5pm on a Saturday. Would it be easy to just take a taxi to Sawgrass Mill and then to airport at around 2pmish? How far is the airport from Sawgrass Mill? I know we will all be tired too so also thinking of something to do that doesn't require having energy...lol! The beach is another option but need a back up plan if weather is bad. Any other ideas of something for just relaxing and hangin out? Are there plenty of places to just sit at this mall?..haha

 

Thanks!

[toras]

I've found that "15 mins away" isn't too helpful. I asked the check in guy of Westjet and he recommended Aventura Mall, "just 15 mins away". Yeah and a $35 cab fare. Later when I looked at a map, it's about 3 times as far as Las Olas, I don't think the cab fare to downtown won't be that much. Wish someone had posted about Las Olas before our cruise!

 

We arrived at about 10am at the airport and our check-in time was 1 pm. So we left our bags at the luggage storage at $6 a piece. It was just one guy and he had to photocopy your boarding pass etc. so it's quite slow, and it was quite a long line as many were passengers who got off a cruise ship. At least 30 minutes there. There was no line when we picked them up however.