What to do inbetween cruises in Fort Lauderdale for a day?

[wood07]

We are getting off one ship and onto another on the same day next week. Has anyone got any suggestions as to what to do for the few hours that we will be between ships? Where can we leave our luggage and we have a 5 year old with us to keep entertained. I was thinking of an everglades trip.

[1025cruise]

If it were me, I'd get off one ship, get a taxi to take me to the other ship, and just get on board.

[cb at sea]

That's what I'd do, too. I'd try to be "last off" of the first ship, and just head to the 2nd ship, and board!

[jeph]

The Everglades boat tour might be a bit difficult to get to and back from in the available time, unless you get off the ship early and head straight to a rental car agency...there's also the fact that there's no guarantee of seeing even one gator, and the tremendous noise the airboat makes, which might scare a small child, even with the ear covers they provide.

 

You might want to look at Riverfront Cruises, which gives 90-minute tours of the Fort Lauderdale canals and intracoastal waterway. Leaving from the Las Olas waterfront, it's a bit like a local version of a Hollywood "Tour of the Homes of the Stars", complete with close views of all sorts of mansions and megayachts. The running gag of the narration is that seemingly half the stuff pointed out by the narrator is owned by the same guy-- local big shot and bazillionaire Wayne Huizenga.

[Liz54]

The Everglades boat tour might be a bit difficult to get to and back from in the available time, unless you get off the ship early and head straight to a rental car agency...there's also the fact that there's no guarantee of seeing even one gator, and the tremendous noise the airboat makes, which might scare a small child, even with the ear covers they provide.

 

You might want to look at Riverfront Cruises, which gives 90-minute tours of the Fort Lauderdale canals and intracoastal waterway. Leaving from the Las Olas waterfront, it's a bit like a local version of a Hollywood "Tour of the Homes of the Stars", complete with close views of all sorts of mansions and megayachts. The running gag of the narration is that seemingly half the stuff pointed out by the narrator is owned by the same guy-- local big shot and bazillionaire Wayne Huizenga.

 

We have done this! Its cheap and fun and easy, Just board and pay at any stop. If you do the entire loop it is 3 hours. You would want to drop your luggage first - if cruise # 2 would take it that early...

[FTLcruisers]

Whatever you decide to do, make sure you are back to ship #2 on time - lots of people go wandering before their cruise and then get denied boarding because they don't make it back to Port Everglades early enough. If you rent a car, give yourself LOTS of time to return the vehicle and get the shuttle back to Port Everglades.

[jeph]

I think Liz 54 is referring to something else-- maybe a water taxi that docks right nearby. The one I was thinking of didn't make stops to let people on and off; it was just the humorously narrated tour, and about 90 mins altogether.

[Putterdude]

That's a good question, we don't have any children (they have all grown up) but things that you may want to try may include the Water Taxi, the Jungle Queen and the Sun Trolley. For the number of cruisers that pass thru FLL every year there is not a ton to do.

[Icruzthere4Iam]

I would hop in a taxi and find a laundromat so I would have clean clothes for the second cruise:D.

[jagoffee]

We are getting off one ship and onto another on the same day next week. Has anyone got any suggestions as to what to do for the few hours that we will be between ships? Where can we leave our luggage and we have a 5 year old with us to keep entertained. I was thinking of an everglades trip.

 

Since you have your luggage, I would think that you might only have two good options. (assuming that you do not want to just check in at the new ship and leave the second ship for a walk and to perhaps pick up some supplies) One would be to leave the ship as late as possible and then immediately go to the second ship and drop off your luggage. Once you drop off your luggage you could do one of the other suggestions listed.

 

The second option would be to get of the ship ASAP and rent a car for part of the day. You would then have a place to store you luggage as you explored. You could do the water taxi, go to the beach, take a boat tour of Fort Lauderdale, or potentially drive to a spot to take a shorter tour of the Everglades. Of course it would be best if your luggage could fit in the trunk of your rental.

 

Enjoy your two cruises.

[SuiteTraveler]

There is no baggage storage at Port Everglades, so your only option outside of the trunk of a rental car, hired limo or taxi would be to store the luggage at the Ft. Lauderdale airport. Which would be more hassle than it is worth, IMO.

 

This website shows pretty much everything that is available in the Ft. Lauderdale area:

http://www.notjustfortlauderdale.com/index.htm

 

My other thought was perhaps it would be fun to take a taxi and go have lunch at the Oasis Cafe - which is in big canopy covered glider booths by the beach. It's a casual spot and I think your child would love the idea of eating sitting in a glider by the beach and having lunch:

 

600 Seabreeze Boulevard

Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33316

954-463-3130

http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/MJLSOQ9raaFCgAtKnjGicw?select=Kc037FG_MyNTYiz3YWCeFg

 

Understand, this restaurant serves BEACH FOOD, it is NOT a gourmet/fine dining experience, but it is very much the quintessential Ft. Lauderdale day at the beach experience. Stick with something simple like salad, sandwiches and wraps or even just have dessert and drinks and enjoy the view and the experience. It's fun and I don't know of anywhere else in the world where you can sit in a glider booth by the beach.

 

Better picture of the restaurant here:

http://www.insidefortlauderdale.com/?p=4442-Oasis-Cafe-Fort-Lauderdale

 

It is easy to get taxis in this area, so you can just keep your luggage with you.

[euro cruiser]

I would hop in a taxi and find a laundromat so I would have clean clothes for the second cruise:D.

Brilliant! Clean clothes and a nice lunch, then onto the next ship.