Miami Accomodations-Transfers

[newhampshiregirl]

We are sailing on the Voyager on 2/25/06 and plan to fly from Boston on Fri. evening 2/24. Any suggestions on where to stay that night and transfer to port on Sat am? Should we stay near the port or near the airport. Any good recommendations for hotels? Also, anyone know the cost of taxi from Miami airport to port?

 

Thanks

newhampshiregirl;)

[grvdggr71]

Now, I know in posting this it is going to get immediately shot down by some other posters, which is ok. Many people are going to tell you that any hotel that offers free transfers to/from the airport and to the port do so because they are not up to standards with the better hotels in Miami.

 

With that all said, if you are looking for a CHEAP, OK place to rest your head for the night, you might want to investigate the Holiday Inn Miami International Airport. They have an airport shuttle and a shuttle to the port, a pool, a restaurant/bar, and a fitness room. I have stayed there before, and it is an OK stay. It's not in a particularly attractive area of Miami, and there is not much to do nearby the hotel. There is a Burger King, a Pollo Tropical, and a Bennigan's nearby. The hotel is nice, but without many frills. However, what sold it for me was that for our next cruise out of Miami on Radiance, I was able to get this hotel for $38 a night on Hotwire. I have heard of people getting it for as low as $34 a night through Priceline. Again, it's not on the same level as the Courtyard, Intercontinental, Sheraton, or even the Holiday Inn Downtown. But, at $38 a night with the free transfers (and because I am a traveler on a tight budget, and I only need a place to sleep), it works just fine for me.

 

Also, taxi from airport to the port, last I knew, was $21.

[CL-JW]

Back in May 05 we stayed at the Embassy Suites (Hilton Property) near the airport. They have a package that offers transfers from the Hotel to the Pier. They also have a shuttle from the airport. The Hotel is nice, with free breakfast and evening reception. There is also a restaurant in the Hotel and with in walking distance.

 

I think we paid around 100-120 for the night. You have to make sure you book the cruise package in order to get the transfer to the pier. It was a private van and we jsut had to make one other stop at another hotel.

 

There were two times that the van did the pick up (11am and 1 pm but do not quote me on the exact times). It was about a 20 minute ride to the pier including the stop at the other hotel.

 

The hotel was very nice and you get two rooms (bedroom and living room area).

 

Hope this helps

[racephoto]

I stayed at an airport hotel with transfers to the port a long time ago....it might have been the HI mentioned above. It was basic and there was absolutely nothing around it to do or see. But it was kinda like your situation, we arrived around 6pm or 7 pm and left early for the port. So it was fine for that. The only complaint we had was the shuttle didn't leave when they said it would as they were waiting to fill some more seats. We got kinda irritated at having to sit around the lobby for an extra hour. Since I am getting there in the AM this time I went with a downtown hotel. Might try to get a sightseeing cruise or hit a museum or something. I got the Hyatt downtown for $66 on Priceline.

 

Gail

 

PS: If you post this on the Pre/Post Hotel board, there are a lot of folks who can tell you more about various hotels. Just be aware it seems like a lot of folks will only do the 4 star hotel scene.

[lfeather]

We have sailed out of Miami a few times we have stayed at the Radisson, the Courtyard and the Biltmore (in Coral Gables). Both the Radisson and the Courtyard are near the port. I liked the Courtyard because it was in walking distance to Bayside Marketplace. So you have something to do. I have seen on these boards that if you use priceline and pick downtown, three stars (these are hotels like hyatt, sheraton, etc.) you can get a decent hotel for $100-$150. There Holiday Inn is right by the Bayside and usually there rooms are about $100. I haven't stayed there though. If you want something nice priceline and pick 4 stars for downtown and that usually come up as the Intercontinental. I have always wanted to stay there it is supposed to be very nice. I can't remember if we paid for shuttle service to the ports. If we did I am sure it was only about $5 a person. You are so close.

 

We don't typically stay out at the airport because we don't care for the area, but some don't mind it. All person choice of course.