Port of Miami Question

[reenieking]

HI!

 

We are 6 adults, traveling from the Ft. Lauderdale Airport to Miami, where we will be staying overnight and boarding a ship in the morning, we are looking for advice on either getting from Ft.Lauderdale to Miami cheaply or renting a car.

The problem is we haven't been able to find a rental company that will either let us drop off the car at the pier or drive us to the pier after dropping the car.

 

any advice or suggestions would be greatly appreachiated!

 

-Reenieking

[stormy1]

Try Alamo. We rented a car in FLL at the end of this month and we plan on driving it to Miami . After the cruise, Alamo will pick us up from the pier in Miami and then we will return the car in FLL. From what I understand they have shuttles going back and forth b/t the MIA (pickup/drop off location) and the pier.

 

Good Luck!

[Bequia]

Thrifty, Avis and Hertz runs shuttles to Port of Miami as well. ;)

[Bonnie J.]

We never park our car at the port and have found some car rental places that allow us to leave our car for $5 a night. However, last year our ship left Miami and came back to Lt. Lauderdale. So we left our car in Ft. Lauderdale and for $25 rented a car and drove it to their place in Miami. In Miami you now have to get a cab to port - $20. In Ft. Lauderdale its free to the port or airport. We went through Airport Park & Go - AirportParkNGo.com. Also try QualityCarandVanRental.com and autorent.com (This is also Florida Auto Rental). Any of these should pick you up at the airport for free then check about dropping it off in Miami. Might also check ship's shuttle. They probably have passengers coming in to Ft. Lauderdale. Most hotels have free shuttle to airport and you could go back on cruise day and get ship's bus. Good Luck!

[TrentS]

No rental car company has a drop off AT the port of Miami, you return the car to their MIA airport locations and some will shuttle you to the port, otherwise the cab fare from MIA to the Port of Miami is a fixed/flat rate of $21 per cab.

 

If you didn't want to mess with a rental car you can also get an inexpensive shuttle from FLL to downtown Miami through Tri-County/Airport Express... http://www.floridalimo.com/

 

Don't mess with cruise line shuttles, they're almost always more expensive and definitely more hassle.

[Luckyroot]

the cab fare from MIA to the Port of Miami is a fixed/flat rate of $21 per cab.

 

TrentS, I so hate to correct you because you've been nothing but helpful to me and everyone on these boards, but apparently they've upped the cabfare.

 

I just took the cab last week and the flat rate is now $24 between the airport and the Port of Miami.

[TrentS]

TrentS, I so hate to correct you because you've been nothing but helpful to me and everyone on these boards, but apparently they've upped the cabfare.

 

I just took the cab last week and the flat rate is now $24 between the airport and the Port of Miami.

Hmmm... Well they must have JUST changed that then. It's still listed as $21 on the taxi companies, and airport's webpages.

[Bequia]

Trents, that one got by both of us...here's the link announcing the new cab fares http://www.miamidade.gov/csd/News_Releases/05-10-17-taxicab_rates.asp

 

Airport to Seaport/Seaport to Airport = $24 (Previous rate = $21.00)

 

Thanks Luckyroot for the heads up.

[wdbgirl]

We are flying into Fort Lauderdale one day before our cruise. I rented a mini-van from Dollar w/tax for $49.00. I just checked the rates today, and they are the same. My husband will drop us off at the port and then return the car to the MIA location, which is not actually at the airport, but off-site. I found directions from the port to their company on Dollar website. They told me they have a complimentary shuttle back to the Port that runs every half hour.

 

Radiance of the Seas 12.-04/2005

 

Countdown is on!!!!

[Iowaflatlander]

My wife and I are planning on cruising out of the Port of Miami in Nov. of 2006. What hotels are near the port? Are they within walking distance, do they have a shuttle to the port? If not walking distance or a shuttle to the port what is the approxiamate cab fare to the port?

[TrentS]

These are the downtown Miami hotels, closest to the Port of Miami and Bayside Marketplace... http://www.baysidemarketplace.com/

 

You can not walk to the port (it's not set up for walking), and none of the downtown hotels have free shuttles, but they're all 5 minutes or less by taxi.

 

JW Marriott... http://marriott.com/property/propertypage/miajw

 

Hyatt Regency... http://miamiregency.hyatt.com/property/index.jhtml

 

Intercontinental... http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/ic/1/en/hd/miaha?irs=null

 

Biscayne Bay Marriott... http://marriott.com/property/propertypage/miabb

 

Conrad International... http://conradhotels.hilton.com/en/ch/hotels/index.jhtml?ctyhocn=MIACICI

 

Four Seasons... http://www.fourseasons.com/miami/index.html

 

Mandarin Oriental... http://www.mandarinoriental.com/hotel/526000001.asp

 

Marriott Courtyard (budget priced)... http://www.miamicourtyard.com/

 

Holiday Inn Bayside/Port of Miami (only for the budget minded)... http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/hi/1/en/hd/miabb

[Iowaflatlander]

trentS thank you for the hotel listings. LW says, "why are you looking at hotel rooms so far in advance?" I say why not. lol..So we are at the mercy of the taxis of Miami to get to the port. Sure wish they would provide shuttle service like they do to the airport.

[TrentS]

Oh the taxis are no problem, they're VERY plentiful, quick and easy. Much MUCH faster and a whole lot easier to grab a taxi than a shuttle! :eek:

 

From the airport to downtown Miami it's about $25 per taxi, from the downtown Miami hotels to the port it's less than $10.

[CARNIVALFRIENDS \]

Best Place To Stay: Holiday Inn On Biscayne Blvd, Across From "bayside" Took A Cab To The Ship In The Morning For $ 12.00 For 4

People.

Bayside: Restaurants, Shops And Live Music On Weekends, A Tourist Place. Stay Away From The Fast Food Spots Upstairs.

Recommended: The Knife Restaurant: Great Argentian Beef.

[Suzanne74]

I rented a town car from FLL to Port of Miami for $55. It is worth it to not worry about waiting in car rental lines and dealing with their shuttles. The towncar picks me up at the airport and takes me right to the port.

[angelboysmom]

Suzanne,

 

That sounds like a good idea to me! What town car service did you use?

[Barrel Racer]

Help!!

 

I need to get my daughter and her husband from the port of Miami to the Ft. Lauderdale Airport without costing an arm and a leg. Got any suggestions?

[TrentS]

Help!!

 

I need to get my daughter and her husband from the port of Miami to the Ft. Lauderdale Airport without costing an arm and a leg. Got any suggestions?

 

Many on here love SAS... http://www.ridesas.com/

[kdg51]

TrentS-Looking to stay near port in Miami night before cruise. I've been looking at Holiday Inn/Bayside. Is there any reason why you listed it "only for the budget minded"? Just need a clean place to sleep before cruise. I am also tempted to apply for their Reward type credit card. Sounds like the bonus points would take care of next pre cruise hotel and $50 off would be nice too. Has anyone else tried this deal?

 

If this is not a good option, does anyone have any suggestions?

[TrentS]

TrentS-Looking to stay near port in Miami night before cruise. I've been looking at Holiday Inn/Bayside. Is there any reason why you listed it "only for the budget minded"?

 

It's old, it's tired, it's just not a place I care for. Honestly I can't see the appeal of it but for some reason a lot of people like it. There are just so many nicer places to stay in Miami, and if you use Priceline or Hotwire you can usually get a much better hotel for less than people pay for that old place.