PortMiami Terminal - Traffic Snarled

[eroller]

Today I picked up two friends from SYMPHONY OF THE SEAS at 9:30am.  What a cluster %$#&!!   I took the tunnel into the port and when I emerged it took 40 minutes stuck in traffic just to get into terminal and wind my around to to pick them up (Zone 9).  The terminal is beautiful but the traffic pattern is flawed.  It's worst traffic I've seen at any cruise terminal, with a horrible pick-up/drop-off schematic.  The Oasis Class terminal at Port Everglades is much better designed, at least as far as traffic patterns go.  Honestly this would prevent me from leaving from this terminal.   On the plus side the terminal itself is beautiful and my friends loved their cruise, but it was a horrible way for them to end a great vacation.  The new NCL terminal is being built right next door, and that is not helping with traffic.  I think I would avoid the area.  The new NCL terminal looks VERY impressive.  

[eroller]

[Merion_Mom]

Please come visit us at Cape Liberty in Bayonne, NJ.  😉 😄🤣🤣🤣

[Ourusualbeach]

We’ve driven to the Miami terminal twice in the past year and agree that the lower drop off and pick up area is crazy however if you are cruising you don’t need to go to the lower level.  Simply drive up the ramp and park in the garage.  There are porters in the upper level, it’s very easy and we found the rest of the drive in the port very easy with little traffic. 

[eroller]

25 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

We’ve driven to the Miami terminal twice in the past year and agree that the lower drop off and pick up area is crazy however if you are cruising you don’t need to go to the lower level.  Simply drive up the ramp and park in the garage.  There are porters in the upper level, it’s very easy and we found the rest of the drive in the port very easy with little traffic. 

Good to know thanks.  I wasn’t impressed, especially for a brand new terminal catering to the largest cruise ship in the world.  

[jbethel11]

2 hours ago, Merion_Mom said:

Please come visit us at Cape Liberty in Bayonne, NJ.  😉 😄🤣🤣🤣

You beat me to it! New Yorkers love traffic! 🙄

[Cruise a holic]

My DH and I had a horrible experience last year disembarking from the Edge in Ft. Lauderdale.  Reportedly an accident on the highway prevented cabs from entering the terminal.  Instead of a line up a cabs, an unbelievable line up of passengers.  We had to wait almost an hour on line to get a cab to the airport.  

 

I do not understand how people expect to take an early morning flight out of the airport and make it on time.  Sometimes, you also get delayed disembarking as customs dosen't clear your ship quickly also.  

 

People need to plan their flights as "unexpected" problems might occur.

Edited September 22, 2019 by Cruise a holic

[Biker19]

8 hours ago, eroller said:

Today I picked up two friends from SYMPHONY OF THE SEAS at 9:30am.

There's your issue - next time ask your friends to be ready at 7 AM.

[eroller]

42 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

There's your issue - next time ask your friends to be ready at 7 AM.

They could easily be ready.  Me not so much.  I’m not a morning person.  I should have done 10:30am.  

[eroller]

2 hours ago, Cruise a holic said:

My DH and I had a horrible experience last year disembarking from the Edge in Ft. Lauderdale.  Reportedly an accident on the highway prevented cabs from entering the terminal.  Instead of a line up a cabs, an unbelievable line up of passengers.  We had to wait almost an hour on line to get a cab to the airport.  

 

I do not understand how people expect to take an early morning flight out of the airport and make it on time.  Sometimes, you also get delayed disembarking as customs dosen't clear your ship quickly also.  

 

People need to plan their flights as "unexpected" problems might occur.

 

Yes I would highly recommend leaving extra time, especially for the Royal terminal.  Honestly if I were an Uber driver I would avoid it completely.  I would focus on other terminals where it doesn’t take 40 minutes to get through it.  Same with taxis. 

[mugtech]

Same thing happened to us in Singapore in 2018 when Mariner and Princess Saphire were loading at the same time right next to each other.  Took 40 minutes for our taxi to go the last two miles.  This year in Hong Kong we got off the NCL Jewel the same time a Celebrity ship was unloading.  There were hundreds of people in front of us at 9AM, the line moved steadily and 45 minutes later we had a taxi.  It all seemed very efficient, but would expect such a situation every time.  Don't know what it was like earlier, but we were in no hurry to get to our hotel for noon checkin.

[gatour]

When we did Symphony earlier this year, we drove, we really didn't have any issues but I was well prepared.  I.E figuring out what lanes to be in when beforehand.  I haven't done a cruise out of Miami for at least 20 years if not a bit longer

 

My thought as we approached the garage was that it would not take much to muck up the works.

 

 

[John&LaLa]

14 minutes ago, mugtech said:

Same thing happened to us in Singapore in 2018 when Mariner and Princess Saphire were loading at the same time right next to each other.  Took 40 minutes for our taxi to go the last two miles.  This year in Hong Kong we got off the NCL Jewel the same time a Celebrity ship was unloading.  There were hundreds of people in front of us at 9AM, the line moved steadily and 45 minutes later we had a taxi.  It all seemed very efficient, but would expect such a situation every time.  Don't know what it was like earlier, but we were in no hurry to get to our hotel for noon checkin.

 

I thought Ovation was next to us

[eroller]

20 minutes ago, gatour said:

When we did Symphony earlier this year, we drove, we really didn't have any issues but I was well prepared.  I.E figuring out what lanes to be in when beforehand.  I haven't done a cruise out of Miami for at least 20 years if not a bit longer

 

My thought as we approached the garage was that it would not take much to muck up the works.

 

 

 

Apparently entering and exiting the garage is the way to go.  Much quicker.  It’s picking up and dropping off pax at the main ground level drop off points where the traffic is really snarled and backed up.  

[mugtech]

31 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

 

I thought Ovation was next to us

It was in February, 2018, we were boarding our only Princess cruise at the time.  Later we flew to Dubai to board Mariner.

[John&LaLa]

50 minutes ago, mugtech said:

It was in February, 2018, we were boarding our only Princess cruise at the time.  Later we flew to Dubai to board Mariner.

 

Gotcha, I didnt realize you didnt join until Dubai.  Singapore boarding was a little hectic, but not as bad as you saw in February 

Edited September 22, 2019 by John&LaLa

[Cruzingal#9]

16 hours ago, Ourusualbeach said:

We’ve driven to the Miami terminal twice in the past year and agree that the lower drop off and pick up area is crazy however if you are cruising you don’t need to go to the lower level.  Simply drive up the ramp and park in the garage.  There are porters in the upper level, it’s very easy and we found the rest of the drive in the port very easy with little traffic. 

Can you have your taxi driver go through the garage to drop you off, or is it only for private vehicles?

[renza]

The worst for pick up and drop off but cruising and parking in the garage is awesome. We drove right into the garage at 11 am and gave our luggage to porters. Parked and walked on ship in less than 15 minutes. No kidding. Through security and all. Same getting off the ship. Carried our luggage off at 8:30 and was in our car driving home in 15 min. Easiest ever 

[Ourusualbeach]

7 minutes ago, Cruzingal#9 said:

Can you have your taxi driver go through the garage to drop you off, or is it only for private vehicles?

Only if you are parking for the  week. 

[karl_nj]

21 hours ago, Merion_Mom said:

Please come visit us at Cape Liberty in Bayonne, NJ.  😉 😄🤣🤣🤣

 

I found the traffic to Terminal A in Miami was pretty bad, it actually made the traffic down to the Bayonne port look light!  I was shocked.

 

The condition of some of the roads near the port in Miami also reminded me of the Bayonne terminal...

[Oakman]

13 hours ago, renza said:

The worst for pick up and drop off but cruising and parking in the garage is awesome. We drove right into the garage at 11 am and gave our luggage to porters. Parked and walked on ship in less than 15 minutes. No kidding. Through security and all. Same getting off the ship. Carried our luggage off at 8:30 and was in our car driving home in 15 min. Easiest ever 

Great to hear!!! Will be leaving on the Symphony Sept, 28, driving over from Sarasota. Question: do you pick up a ticket for parking when you enter the garage? Or do you park and obtain it from a vending type machine like at several other terminal parking garages? 

[Ourusualbeach]

11 minutes ago, Oakman said:

Great to hear!!! Will be leaving on the Symphony Sept, 28, driving over from Sarasota. Question: do you pick up a ticket for parking when you enter the garage? Or do you park and obtain it from a vending type machine like at several other terminal parking garages? 

You get a ticket when you enter.

[Oakman]

1 hour ago, Ourusualbeach said:

You get a ticket when you enter.

Thanks for the information!! Appreciate it!!!

[CruiszBug]

15 hours ago, Cruzingal#9 said:

Can you have your taxi driver go through the garage to drop you off, or is it only for private vehicles?

 

Since you have to pay to exit (I believe it is $8), that might be problematic for taxi/Uber/Lyft driver. However if you are driving your own car and dropping off luggage then exiting to park somewhere else, it sounds doable.

[clyyz]

What time would you guys suggest arriving at PortMiami on embarkation day to avoid traffic (as much as possible)?

 

We will be sailing Symphony with a party of 8 (4 adults, 4 kids) and have 2 rental cars. The original plan was to have 2 drivers drop-off 6 passengers plus luggage at the port, return rentals and take the shuttle back. 

 

Now I’m worried about getting stuck in that traffic TWICE. Should we all plan to take the car rental shuttle instead (kids, luggage and all)? Open to any suggestions. Thanks!

Edited September 23, 2019 by clyyz