Hotel and rental car near Miami cruise port?

[Sun Lover]

We will be on Empress of the Seas leaving from Miami and I'd like to find a car rental that has a shuttle to the cruise port and also a hotel close by.  Any suggestions?

[CruiserBruce]

Have you looked down the board? Many discussions on the topic...

[emdia43]

We always stay at the Holiday Inn, Port of Miami which is overlooking the port, basically at the other end of a long bridge. We have also stayed at the Intercontinental on Chopin st which has car rental  desk on site there.

It is much pricier than the Holiday Inn. H.Inn is opposite the BaysideMarketplace.com which is a very nice place to spend a pre cruise evening- shopping/restaurants/bars set around a marina. . Intercontinental is just a five  minutes walk along a park path to Bayside.  How long pre cruise will you be there?

[JohninDC]

Not sure you need or want a rental car in downtown Miami - Uber and taxis are easy, with no parking charges or hassles.  Avis, Hertz and Budget all have downtown locations close to the port and usually offer shuttles.

[SteerageJoe]

Fortunately you have many excellent hotel choices. Not knowing your budget it is tough to make suggestions.

 

I've stayed at the Holiday Inn Downtown for about $100 in late Dec and loved it. Rates depend on date of travel.

 

You also have the Brickell area and the Arts area for many more great hotels.

 

[Sun Lover]

I love the picture of your dog! So cute!  When you say we might not need a car in Miami, that's exactly what I'm trying to figure out.  We will be flying into Ft. Lauderdale a few days before and renting a car from the airport.  We're thinking of leaving there on Oct. 16,  to drive to Miami, which is the day before our cruise departs.  Do you think we'd be better off dropping the car off on the 16th in Miami and just being without a car that day and the next day and catch an Uber to the port and wherever else we'd want to go?  I haven't been to Miami so I didn't know if we'd be okay without a car.  

[Sun Lover]

4 hours ago, SteerageJoe said:

Fortunately you have many excellent hotel choices. Not knowing your budget it is tough to make suggestions.

 

I've stayed at the Holiday Inn Downtown for about $100 in late Dec and loved it. Rates depend on date of travel.

 

You also have the Brickell area and the Arts area for many more great hotels.

 

I figured we'd probably have to spend around $200 to get a hotel right on the water near the port.

[JohninDC]

Most downtown hotels charge $25-30+ for parking.  Drop you bags at the hotel and then return the car - walk or shuttle back to the hotel.  Use Uber, Lyft or taxis if you need to get around the evening before your cruise.  Uber from downtown Hotels (Holiday Inn, Intercontinental, Doubletree, etc.) to POM will be under $10

[JohninDC]

2 hours ago, Sun Lover said:

I love the picture of your dog! So cute!  

That's from about a year ago right after we got her from the shelter.  Now she is 50+ pounds but still convinced that she is a lap dog! 

[Sun Lover]

Thanks so much for your help.  I hadn't even thought about the cost of parking at the hotel.  I know what you mean, our son's American Bulldog weighs 75 lbs. and is a big baby and a lap dog!

[ken_nyc]

Just booked one night pre cruise at the Holiday Inn Port of Miami for our July 22nd Navigator Cruise.

[Sun Lover]

Have you stayed there before?

[Sun Lover]

On 3/9/2019 at 9:24 PM, emdia43 said:

We always stay at the Holiday Inn, Port of Miami which is overlooking the port, basically at the other end of a long bridge. We have also stayed at the Intercontinental on Chopin st which has car rental  desk on site there.

It is much pricier than the Holiday Inn. H.Inn is opposite the BaysideMarketplace.com which is a very nice place to spend a pre cruise evening- shopping/restaurants/bars set around a marina. . Intercontinental is just a five  minutes walk along a park path to Bayside.  How long pre cruise will you be there?

Which do you think would be better to be close to - Bayside Marketplace or Brickell?  How do they compare and are there things to do at night near the Holiday Inn that would either be walking distance or a short Uber ride?

[Sun Lover]

We will be there one full day precruise and then just the next morning until we leave to board the ship.

[JohninDC]

50 minutes ago, Sun Lover said:

Which do you think would be better to be close to - Bayside Marketplace or Brickell?  How do they compare and are there things to do at night near the Holiday Inn that would either be walking distance or a short Uber ride?

Holiday Inn is across the street from Bayside Market, with lots of chain dining options (Bubba Gump, etc.). Mary Brickell will offer more local dining , shopping and nightlife options.

[emdia43]

 

[Ralphinsc]

19 hours ago, Sun Lover said:

Which do you think would be better to be close to - Bayside Marketplace or Brickell?  How do they compare and are there things to do at night near the Holiday Inn that would either be walking distance or a short Uber ride?

The good thing about the Bayside/Brickell area is that the metromover is there and it is a free public transport that can get you to within a block of just about anywhere in these two neighborhoods. The Bayside station is less than a block away from the Holiday Inn. That means tons of dining and entertainment options are very accessible. 

[Sun Lover]

The Holiday Inn looks like a good location.  emdia43, thanks for the link to that video.  It's great.

[ken_nyc]

On 3/11/2019 at 4:49 PM, Sun Lover said:

Have you stayed there before?

No I haven't, I saw some good reviews so we are taking a chance.
Has anyone used transportation from the airport in Miami to a hotel precruise?

[JohninDC]

3 hours ago, ken_nyc said:

No I haven't, I saw some good reviews so we are taking a chance.
Has anyone used transportation from the airport in Miami to a hotel precruise?

Taxi will be $25-30 on the meter. UberX will be $15-18