Jump to content
Cruise Critic Community

Would you drive?

big aft

By big aft,
in Florida Departures

Recommended Posts

big aft

big aft

Posted
Posted

My wife and I just moved to Ft.Myers and we are taking a Dec cruise out

of FT. Lauderdale.........since (according to Mapquest) its a 2 1/2 hr drive,

should we drive in the morning or leave a day earlier and spend the night?

 

Any suggestions?

 

Thanks!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
ncovert Great Review Rare

ncovert

Posted
Posted

I would drive in the morning. I live about 5 hours from San Diego and have done it both ways (night before and morning ) and personally found it better with making that drive in the morning. I guess complications could have been bad news so... really which ever one you are most comfortable with.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Music City

Music City

Posted
Posted
My wife and I just moved to Ft.Myers and we are taking a Dec cruise out

of FT. Lauderdale.........since (according to Mapquest) its a 2 1/2 hr drive,

should we drive in the morning or leave a day earlier and spend the night?

 

Any suggestions?

 

Thanks!

 

It's an easy drive across "Aligator Alley" so I would drive the morning of the cruise unless you just wanted to spend a day enjoying Ft Lauderale.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
RuthlessBunny

RuthlessBunny

Posted
Posted

Drive in the morning of. The other thing you might do is if you're coming in from 75 to 595, get off at FL-84 E via EXIT 9 toward MARINA MILE BOULEVARD.

 

http://www.lestersonline.com/

 

I love this place. Crappy coffee but everything else is just great! Enjoy breakfast before you get to the port. It's right off 595, easy on and off.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
big aft

big aft

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Thanks for all the ideas!................driving it is! Great suggestions for breakfast!

 

Being from Michigan and TN, flying was our only option and always came in the day before.

 

Just may have to get use to saving airfare and time!!!

 

As we only moved this past weekend, and not yet driven to many other areas, wanted to confirm

 

THANKS TO ALL!:)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
thinfool

thinfool

Posted
Posted
Thanks for all the ideas!................driving it is!

 

Drive!!

 

But consider this....add up the cost of parking for the time that you are gone. You may want to explore a rental car each way.

 

Seems a little silly, but a 10 day cruise could cost you $200. in parking fees.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Santaa

Santaa

Posted
Posted

I would drive the day before because two many times we have been held up on the roads from fires and crashes. Also when your looking for a hotel check for cruise packages that let you leave your car until you return and if they have a shuttle to the port. Have a great time on your cruise and welcome to Florida;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Keith1010 "Live from...." Rare

Keith1010

Posted
Posted

I realize that I am in the minority on this but I highly recommend driving in the day before. You just never know and it would be ashame if you had some kind of car breakdown by driving in the day of the cruise which causes you to miss the ship.

 

I would arrive the day before and just take your time driving there.

 

Keith

Link to comment
Share on other sites
BlueHerons

BlueHerons

Posted
Posted
My wife and I just moved to Ft.Myers and we are taking a Dec cruise out

of FT. Lauderdale.........since (according to Mapquest) its a 2 1/2 hr drive,

should we drive in the morning or leave a day earlier and spend the night?

 

Any suggestions?

 

Thanks!

 

I just love Sanibel Island!

 

It is a quick drive on Timiami Trail.

 

I'd probably go the night before just because I'm a scardy cat.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Music City

Music City

Posted
Posted

Dude...I think you should leave two days ahead of time and camp out the night before at the port. You never know when a fiery 27 car pile-up on 17th Street will prevent you from getting to the port! Or maybe the drawbridge might get stuck in the up position!

 

It's a two hours drive and you have until 4:00 or 5:00 to get there in a worse case scenario.

 

The poster that suggested a rental car really had the best idea. We've rented from Hertz in Tampa and Ft Meyers dropping at FLL before and there is no drop charge.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Music City

Music City

Posted
Posted
I have driven between these two locations and I know it's around 140 miles and that it will take around 2 and 1/2 hours.

 

In the end, the OP will figure out what makes best.

 

We prefer to arrive the day before just so if some problem comes up we can minimize the impact to our plans.

 

Again, each person can figure out what works for them.

 

Keith, where do you live?

 

Arriving the day before is a good idea...If you live in Buffalo, New York.

 

Ft Meyers is local and there is no need to spend $100 for a hotel unless he is going to get free parking for the week. That would be the only realistic reason for him to get there a day ahead of time.

 

That being said...The Hyatt Summerfield Suites-FLL South offers free 7 day parking, but they don't have a shuttle to the port.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Keith1010 "Live from...." Rare

Keith1010

Posted
Posted
Keith, where do you live?

 

Arriving the day before is a good idea...If you live in Buffalo, New York.

 

Ft Meyers is local and there is no need to spend $100 for a hotel unless he is going to get free parking for the week. That would be the only realistic reason for him to get there a day ahead of time.

 

That being said...The Hyatt Summerfield Suites-FLL South offers free 7 day parking, but they don't have a shuttle to the port.

 

We don't live in Florida but we do live a few hours from a cruise port in another state and even though the drive is two to two and one half hours for us it would be peace of mind to arrive the day before.

 

Again, the OP can figure this out.

 

Keith

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Music City

Music City

Posted
Posted
We don't live in Florida but we do live a few hours from a cruise port in another state and even though the drive is two to two and one half hours for us it would be peace of mind to arrive the day before.

 

Again, the OP can figure this out.

 

Keith

 

"Alligator Alley" is NOT New York City or Los Angeles.

 

The OP asked specifically about that drive and I gave him specific advice. What applies elsewhere does not necessarily apply to Florida.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing
  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • Hurricane Zone 2024
      • Cruise Insurance Q&A w/ Steve Dasseos of Tripinsurancestore.com June 2024
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Cruise Critic News & Features
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...