5:45am arrival @ FLL. What 2 do b4 boarding??

[kribar]

We'll obviously have our luggage... Any ideas before boarding the beautiful Oasis?

[At Sea 4Ever]

We'll obviously have our luggage... Any ideas before boarding the beautiful Oasis?

 

 

Will you be taking the transfer from the ship or a taxi to the pier?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

[kribar]

Will you be taking the transfer from the ship or a taxi to the pier?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

 

Taxi. ;-)

[asylum575]

Find a hotel with free airport shuttle, hopefully with free breakfast.

Go relax until about 11am(check out time) and then take a cab to the ship.

If you can get the room for under $100, it beats just hanging around a terminal.

Put your swimsuits on under your clothes before leaving the room, this way you're ready for the pool upon boarding.

[melbur]

We'll obviously have our luggage... Any ideas before boarding the beautiful Oasis?

 

If you can find an inexpensive car rental, we've done that too. Throw your luggage in there and go to the beach or shopping or to a nice restaurant for breakfast/brunch.

[dz9yvr]

We'll obviously have our luggage... Any ideas before boarding the beautiful Oasis?

 

If you are waiting to board the Oasis, you missed her by about 12 hours. Hopefully you are going on the Allure:confused:

[A&L_Ont]

I was thinking, get some sleep or a nap. I can never sleep on a red eye flight.

[Merion_Mom]

If you are waiting to board the Oasis, you missed her by about 12 hours. Hopefully you are going on the Allure:confused:

 

kribar said NOTHING to imply that she was talking about TODAY.

 

In fact, her cruise is on May 3.

 

Like a good little cruiser, she is planning now for a cruise in eight weeks.

 

:p

[cruisehabits]

We'll obviously have our luggage... Any ideas before boarding the beautiful Oasis?

 

Hello Kribar!

 

First of all....enjoy your cruise on the Oasis! :)....a truly beautiful ship!

 

In answer to your question....after you land in FLL, deplane and claim your luggage, it will likely be close to 6:30am. There is a very nice 50's style diner on State Road 84 by the name of "Lester's Diner". Great reviews on trip advisor and VERY close to Port Everglades. It is just north of the FLL airport...no more than 1.5 or 2 miles. Even though you will have your luggage, it is not likely to be packed that early in the morning and the rear of the diner is quite spacious. If you have concerns regarding going in with luggage, you could always call them ahead of time to see if they could accommodate you.

 

We always get to the ship early and we live in Miami. I generally arrive at the port by 9:45am. After checking luggage, it's just a short wait until being processed through security and then on to check-in for your SeaPass card. I have boarded the Oasis as early as 10:45am. Boarding has never started any later than 11am on the other occasions I have sailed on her.

 

Have a fantastic trip!

 

Safe travels to all! :)

Edited March 9, 2014 by cruisehabits

[Starry Eyes]

I'd check rental car prices. See if you can get a decent deal. If you are really lucky, you might be able to pick one up at the airport and return it at a city location that provides a shuttle to the pier.

 

with a rental car you can stow your luggage, find a breakfast spot, go to the beach or shopping or recline the seats for a cat nap. You could also stop at a store to pick up beverage to take aboard (two bottles of wine and perhaps some soft drinks).

[At Sea 4Ever]

I'm sure most won't agree with me but me and my DH like hanging around the airport! Have a little breakfast at the airport walk around some of the gift shops and people watch for a bit. If you land at 5:45 by the time you get off the plane and go claim your luggage it will be close to 7 anyway. Head to the pier a little earlier. Myself personally would not go off just to kill 3 hours. This is all just my opinion!

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[ksawyercruiser]

Good tips above!

 

Another option is the Floridian on Las Olas. It's a landmark in Fort Lauderdale ... been there for decades. And it's open 24/7.

 

Have an omelet, (amazing) home fries and maybe a mimosa. Then catch a cab to the port when you're ready. Ask the cab driver to take you along the beach. It will be a pretty drive and a nice way to kick off your cruise.

 

The Floridian is about a 10-15 minute ride from the airport.

[kribar]

kribar said NOTHING to imply that she was talking about TODAY.

 

In fact, her cruise is on May 3.

 

Like a good little cruiser, she is planning now for a cruise in eight weeks.

 

:p

 

Thanks Merion.Mom for coming to my defense! Lol. Exactly- I'm just trying to be proactive.

[kribar]

Thank you all for your great advice! I'll see what "the boss" thinks sounds best. 😉

[Mystaken]

A great place for breakfast in Fort Lauderdale is Bahia Cabana! Call them and ask if they will store your luggage while you eat breakfast if you come by cab. Great food, and you can sit outside at the Bahia Mar marina. The water taxi comes in there, starting around 9 or 10, and paddle boat leaves from right there. You can cross over to the beach from there if you want.

[labeachcomber]

I agree with the rental car option. Just go for the cheapest economy option and it should be quite affordable. If memory serves correctly, Thrifty and Dollar have a drop off right outside the port gates, and then you can take their free shuttle to get dropped off at the ship.

 

If you get in at 545 am, you'll probably have your luggage by 630 am and in the meantime you can arrange pickup of the car. Then you'll have a good four hours to drive around, get breakfast, and pick up the last minute essentials (for me it would be a case of water and some wine). Much easier than trying to do it all in a taxi.

 

Or if you don't really care, then just head to the port and sit and wait! Nothing really wrong with just hanging out for four hours or so and taking a quick nap.

[wassup4565]

Nah, I wouldn't do any scouting around for a rental car or a restaurant away from the airport. By the time you get your luggage (assuming no plane delays) just try to get some breakfast in the airport, and linger over it.

 

Then get a taxi to the pier and be prepared to sit around awhile before you get on board.

 

There is nothing near the airport you want to see. There is nothing near the cruise terminal you want to see. They are wastelands. Unless you want to spend $50 - $60 or more to amuse yourselves for a couple hours, just accept that you're going to waste some time.

[cello56]

Personally I would hang out at the airport over hanging out OUTSIDE the terminal at the port. Get your luggage, then find a place to eat breakfast, then find some comfy seats and read or play games for a few hours. At least you will know that you will be indoors in air conditioning, and have easy access to restrooms.

 

I am honestly not sure that they will even allow you inside the port building prior to 9:30am or so. And if they do, there are no chairs in the lobby area that is before the actual check in counters.

[mo&fran]

A lot of good suggestions here. But whatever activity you plan, be sure you have the option of finding a place out of the weather. You can never tell when a heavy rain may show up, and you could get soaked.

Although the tmperature may not be too bad in the morning , the humidity could be brutal.

[KGSB11]

If you are not checking any bags, please disregard the post below :):

 

I can't remember 100% how the terminal at FLL is laid out (so using Chicago O'Hare as a reference); but a word of caution that if you plan on checking bags, most likely if you retrieve your bags first, you will be outside of security with no way to get back into the part of the terminal where the food and shops are :eek: -- so depending on how much time passes, you may have to add some time in your schedule to pick your bags up from the "lost baggage" area.

[SharkCruiser24]

There is nothing much in Fort Lauderdale Airport. It's going through a huge renovation right now though so maybe in the future there will be sit down dining and shops but that's non existent now. I would recommend renting a car or taking a taxi to Las Olas, there is enough to do and see there to keep to you occupied for a few hours. It's kind of south florida's version of quaint old school with lots of great restaurants and shops. It's quite close to the beach as well so you kind of get two for one! On your way to the ship stop at the Walgreens near the port and buy a bottle or two of wine. The port is only ten minutes from the airport and Las Olas only twenty for the airport, ten from the port. No matter what you choose, it's vacation have a great time!!

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app