Off the ship at 9a.m. plane leaves at 5 p.m in Ft. Lauderdale

[stipmom]

What should we do till then?

[sunluva7]

Most of the cruiselines have post-cruise excursions which give you a choice of different excursions, and then take you to the airport. The advantage is that your luggage goes with you and is safe for the day. The disadvantage is that it can be expensive depending on the number of people in your party. We are in the same situation and because there are 6 of us, we have rented a car for the day.

[bostoncruisegal]

I did that once in Miami. We just tried to fly stand-by. We didn't get on a new flight, but we actually had a fun time together all day exploring the airport.

[TrentS]

Either do an excursion or rent a car and do some exploring on your own.

 

Port Everglades and FLL are adjacent so it's quick and easy to do a car rental. All of the rental cars are in the new "Car Rental Center", which is a large parking garage in the middle of the airport terminals.

 

The cruise lines offer excursions that drop you at the airport early to mid-afternoon, you may also want to check into that.

[JGR01]

The FLL airport is BORING and the food there is crap.

 

Take either the post-cruise deal .. or rent a car .. or try and go standby. If you have any tier priority on an airline . they try and get you on. I was on a FLL arriving ship and had followed instructions to get a noon or later flight. I was off and had luggage at like 9am. Got into the Executive Plat (First Class) line at AA .. can I stand by .. and YES I was confirmed (and upgraded) all the way home. They apparently were overbooked on my noon flight anyhow!

 

Never CAN tell what time to depart .. so following instructions is the best option.

 

BUT a 6pm depature .. hope it is a short trip home! Enjoy the day in FLL (trying to think what the mall is called .. Sunrise?).

[aclay]

We will arrive FLL at 7am, probably disembark by 9am then fly out of Miami at 3.45pm. Would you recommend anything to do with that time? Would Princess offer post-cruise trips ending at MIA?

thanks for your help

[JGR01]

I think the cruise lines offer post-cruise 'transfer/tours' like what you are asking .. I found the following on the Princess web site:

 

----------------------------------------------

Fort Lauderdale By Land & Sea (Mia)A tour of city sights includes a cruise onboard a paddle-wheeled boat along the Intracoastal Waterway.

 

Board your air-conditioned transportation for a guided drive that includes a drive along Fort Lauderdale beach to trendy Las Olas Boulevard. Board the paddle-wheeled Carrie B., or the Lady Lucille for a cruise along the Intracoastal Waterway. Your captain points out the many yachts in the harbor, as well as the mansions of the rich and famous. Your vessel features both open and enclosed decks for your comfort, as well as a snack bar. Upon the conclusion of the waterway cruise, your city tour continues to the airport. Note: Due to operational reasons this tour is not available for voyages B541-B545 and B618.

 

SPECIAL NOTES

This tour is for passengers with flights leaving Miami International Airport after 4:00 pm. This tour cannot be pre-reserved; it may only be booked onboard.

=========================================

 

It says 4pm and your flight leaves at 3:45... hmmm .. 15 minutes .. should you chance it?? Not sure my reaction since MIA is such a crazy busy airport. I'd ask onboard.

 

For the original poster with a 6pm flight this tour/transfer would be great .. http://www.princess.com/planner/shorex/shorexdisplay.jsp

 

Upon FURTHER searching .. WOOHOO!... I found a transfer/tour that says 2:30pm departure.. tho the tour sounds a bit different. Try that one or keep looking for other options ..

 

==========================

Everglades Airboat Ride (Mia)Experience Everglades National Park on an airboat ride through this thrilling “River of Grass.”

 

The Everglades support a unique combination of plant and marine life —and an airboat ride is the most thrilling way to encounter its wonders. After a short transfer in air-conditioned transportation, board your airboat and set off. Throughout the 30-minute ride, your experienced captain keeps his trained eye out for indigenous wildlife including water birds and American alligators. After your ride, board your transportation for the transfer to the airport.

 

SPECIAL NOTES

This tour is for passengers with flights leaving Miami International Airport after 2:30 pm. This tour cannot be pre-reserved; it may only be booked onboard. Wildlife sightings are not guaranteed

[aclay]

Thank you so much JGR01- a great tip. We've done the Airboat before and yes it was fun, I'd rather do that than just hang around in the Princess Platinum Disembarkation Lounge until they kick us out..;-((

Pre-cruise we actually arrive at mia at 6.50am on the red-eye from Seattle, then will be taking the Princess transfer to FLL and then just hanging around waiting to check-in from 1pm until the 5pm departure. Any tips on what to do then- would be nice just to relax on a beach with our luggage safe somewhere- are there any nice beaches within walk or short-taxi from FLL port? Would they have somewhere to leave luggage do you know?

Thanks for all your help

[JGR01]

This is a quandry! Me .. I know the first things I want when I get off a red-eye is a shower and coffee!

 

If you are a member of an airline club .. this might work for a short period.

 

Since you are on a Princess Transfer .. you will have someone in baggage claim waiting for you (in theory that early). They will take your bags and get them to a bus/truck and get you on a bus to the pier. Thats the simple part!

 

Now .. 7am arrival .. 8:30ish lets say you are on a bus to the pier .. and its about an hour drive as I recall. That gets you there at 9:30ish. I think checkin starts about 11:30 .. so not too bad. But yea formally they say 1pm to board.

 

There are some options .. but not good (nor cheap) ones. Get a day room at a hotel someplace. There is a hotel IN the MIA airport (the hotel is POOOOOR in my opinion having tried it twice .. but they have a roof-top pool) http://www.miahotel.com/frates.htm and they list day rates but from 10am forward. They USED to have an option to pay for only the health club for a one day pass . .cannot find it on their web page any more tho. Other hotels in the area would be a shuttle bus away. And again with the arrival and going to FLL it really would not be worth that much $$ and hastle.

 

I am trying to recall the FLL pier (they run together after several cruises). I THINK there is an island across where was a park .. not sure how much a cab would be to get you around and over there. Once you take the transfer to the pier that is.

 

I really don't have a good suggestion. Renting a car for a few hours would not be worth the costs ... same with a hotel room for 5 hours.

 

Princess probably is very used to these red-eye flights .. you may want to get your luggage and check in with them . and ask THEM what to do in the mean time. They may suggest someplace in the airport for breakfast (there is a good Cuban restaurant near the security for the E concourse) .. but that will kill only another hour. Then the bus to the pier .. and hoping to be first onboard.

 

Pack a carryon with your 'arrival day' clothes and shorts. I think the best option is to get to the pier and checkin when you can and board soonest. Have your swimming suit in the carry on and immediately hit a deck (balcony?) and relax. Even if I have to wait a few hours before boarding . you are THERE and ready to go. Get onboard and enjoy the quiet time!

[aclay]

excellent- thanks again for taking the time to make recommendations..

Perhaps we will just put ourselves in recovery mode and take it easy pre-cruise.

Cheers again

Alex

[JoyAnn]

We have gone on the intercoastal cruise, eaten at our favorite place, the Oasis Cafe, twice, and visited Butterfly world, twice (but you need to rent a car for that since it is about a half hour from FLD.

[sweet angel]

We'll be on the Navigator of the Seas in November and our flight home is from FLL at 6:55 p.m. We're doing the South Beach/Island Queen excursion that RCI offers. It will be 5 hours and drop us off at FLL. We'll still have a bunch of time to kill, but I guess you live and learn. The earlier flight was 12:30 and I was afraid time would be too tight.

[aclay]

I think the cruise lines offer post-cruise 'transfer/tours' like what you are asking .. I found the following on the Princess web site:

 

----------------------------------------------

Fort Lauderdale By Land & Sea (Mia)A tour of city sights includes a cruise onboard a paddle-wheeled boat along the Intracoastal Waterway.

 

Board your air-conditioned transportation for a guided drive that includes a drive along Fort Lauderdale beach to trendy Las Olas Boulevard. Board the paddle-wheeled Carrie B., or the Lady Lucille for a cruise along the Intracoastal Waterway. Your captain points out the many yachts in the harbor, as well as the mansions of the rich and famous. Your vessel features both open and enclosed decks for your comfort, as well as a snack bar. Upon the conclusion of the waterway cruise, your city tour continues to the airport. Note: Due to operational reasons this tour is not available for voyages B541-B545 and B618.

 

SPECIAL NOTES

This tour is for passengers with flights leaving Miami International Airport after 4:00 pm. This tour cannot be pre-reserved; it may only be booked onboard.

=========================================

 

It says 4pm and your flight leaves at 3:45... hmmm .. 15 minutes .. should you chance it?? Not sure my reaction since MIA is such a crazy busy airport. I'd ask onboard.

woohoo, our flight time has been changed and we are now flying out of MIA at 4.15pm ;-))))))) That means we can take either of the later excursions!!

Thanks again JGR01 for this tip off- we will definitely see onboard whether we can do it. We have done an everglades airboat ride before, don't mind doing another one, but not if it means missing out on something else we haven't done yet- any advice? Cheers

Alex