Question about Miami Cruise Port

[gyanhumara]

Where would be a good place to meet a small party of passengers disembarking the Millennium in Miami?

[AnnaMiami]

Where would be a good place to meet a small party of passengers disembarking the Millennium in Miami?

 

Do you mean meet them within the port, or a local spot near the port?

If you're picking them up inside the port, there is a cell phone waiting lot available. If you want to park, there is paid public parking, and upon entry into the port there are signs indicating which terminals which ships are docking at. The whole setup is very much like an airport. You cannot sit in the car and wait for them unless you're in the cell phone waiting lot.

 

If you want to meet them close to the seaport, I would suggest Bayside Marketplace - it's an outdoor dining/shopping/entertainment complex right outside of the seaport.

[gyanhumara]

Do you mean meet them within the port, or a local spot near the port?

 

I'm not sure how we're going to work this, yet, so all of your information is helpful, thanks!

 

Do you (or anyone reading this!) also happen to know where would be a good place to see people off who are boarding the Constellation in Ft Lauderdale?

 

Thanks again,

Kim

[Lois R]

I'm not sure how we're going to work this, yet, so all of your information is helpful, thanks!

 

Do you (or anyone reading this!) also happen to know where would be a good place to see people off who are boarding the Constellation in Ft Lauderdale?

 

Thanks again,

Kim

 

Hi Kim, see people off? You mean you are taking them to the ship?

If so, you will have to pull up within the area for dropping off

passengers and then be on your way. Port Everglades is massive

and each ship has its own terminal. Security at the entrance will

need ID (especially from those cruising).

[gyanhumara]

Hi Kim, see people off? You mean you are taking them to the ship?

 

No, actually it's one of those coming-and-going things. My grown son (sailing with us) will already be in Miami and might want to meet up with his aunt & uncle (my husband's brother & sister-in-law), who are disembarking the Millennium in Miami the same day we are leaving from Ft Lauderdale on the Constellation. Of course we'll need to meet up with our son in Ft Lauderdale so we can all board (and I'll be able to stop being a nervous wreck ;^). And my husband's brother & sister-in-law say they want to buzz up to Ft Lauderdale to see us off. Don't know if this will work -- we're flying in to FLL from North Carolina (arriving at noon) -- but we don't get to see them often because they now live in Florida (and probably will have parked at the Miami cruise port).

 

Now how sorry are you that you asked??? :D

[AnnaMiami]

No, actually it's one of those coming-and-going things. My grown son (sailing with us) will already be in Miami and might want to meet up with his aunt & uncle (my husband's brother & sister-in-law), who are disembarking the Millennium in Miami the same day we are leaving from Ft Lauderdale on the Constellation. Of course we'll need to meet up with our son in Ft Lauderdale so we can all board (and I'll be able to stop being a nervous wreck ;^). And my husband's brother & sister-in-law say they want to buzz up to Ft Lauderdale to see us off. Don't know if this will work -- we're flying in to FLL from North Carolina (arriving at noon) -- but we don't get to see them often because they now live in Florida (and probably will have parked at the Miami cruise port).

 

Now how sorry are you that you asked??? :D

 

If your son is already going to be in Miami, the simplest thing would be for him to meet his aunt and uncle in Bayside, which will take them a 5 minute cab ride to get to once they disembark (of course, having their car parked there would make it simpler). I would say 9:30 or 10 AM would be a safe bet time wise. They would easily have an hour or two to catch up, giving your son plenty of time to cab it over to Ft Lauderdale and be there well before 1 PM, which is a safe boarding time (boarding will have started, but 2 hours before the all-aboard). I've only sailed out of Ft Lauderdale once, and although I live in North Miami Beach, I can't think of anything close to that port at the top of my head for all of you to meet up.

 

Alternatively, if you want to be able to see your relatives, you could always have them (and your son) pick you up from FLL at noon, Google a local Starbucks and catch up for an hour before they drop you at the port.

 

I'm happy to answer more Miami-related questions, as I'm more familiar with that port, and my husband works there.

[garycarla]

This all sounds so very complicated. Hope something works out.

 

Signed,

 

Headache happening.

 

(do not forget to add in delayed disembarking due to customs, lines, etc. Or delayed arrival due to flights. Or traffic. Or Aunt Milly going to the potty, etc etc etc etc)

[Lsimon]

...my husband's brother & sister-in-law say they want to buzz up to Ft Lauderdale to see us off. Don't know if this will work -- we're flying in to FLL from North Carolina (arriving at noon)...

 

If you're landing at Noon the same day you're sailing on the Constellation they you really won't have lots of time. By the time you pick up your luggage and are ready to leave the airport it could be close to 1, and that is assuming your flight is on time and things go quickly at the airport. On weekends the FLL airport is very crowded and busy with some 15,000+ cruise passengers embarking and disembarking at the nearby port most weekend days and many of them arriving or departing the same day they embark or disembark.

 

The Constellation usually is scheduled to sail away around 4:30 and you need to be all checked in something like 90 minuites before that, possibly earlier (check your cruise docs or with Celebrity for the firm deadline time). Personally, I wouldn't want to be cutting it that close - we always like being on board as early as possible to increase the chances we can get our luggage and have things unpacked before dinner so we can enjoy our first evening on board. Trying to fit in an hour or two of conversation might make things difficult and make you feel rushed.

 

I'd suggest that if a visit is important you either arrive a day early (always a good idea in any event) or meet them after the cruise if your flight is late in the day.

[MattInFLL]

I agree with Lsimon that your noon arrival is probably the most problematic part of all of this. You just won't have that much free time. But that certainly should not preclude your son from seeing his aunt and uncle. If they park at the port of Miami and don't mind buzzing up to Fort Lauderdale, why not have them pick up your son wherever he is staying in Miami, and then all drive up to Fort Lauderdale? If he's really far from the port then Bayside Market could be a convenient meeting place outside port of Miami. In Fort Lauderdale I'd recommend finding a coffee place along the 17th Street causeway, which has an entrance to Port Everglades off it as well. Then you can cab it from the airport to wherever they and either they can drive you into the port or grab a cab from there.

[gyanhumara]

Headache happening...

 

Yeah, I get that feeling too. Don't know what my son's specific plans are, yet, and probably neither will he till the 1st of December (we have a 12/17 sailing). I think I'll just remind everyone of the KISS Principle: Keep It Simple, Stupid! :D

 

Thanks for all the advice!!