Tour post cruise Fort Laud. Ending in Miami

[lawgirl]

Hey all.  We cruise into Fort Lauderdale (with luggage) and have a flight out of Miami mid-afternoon. So we have several hours to kill, preferably not sitting in the airport.   Celebrity is NOT offering any tours post-cruise, per my reservation cruise planning page. So I guess I need to find an independent company.  
 

Does anyone know of an independent tour out of Fort Lauderdale to fill a few hours, keep our luggage safe and drop us off in Miami?  We would be open to about anything from a City tour, Everglades tour, boat tour of the nice houses/scenery,  etc.  We could even do the tour and get an Uber after to Miami (although that’s a hassle).... my main issue is luggage... and cruise luggage valet only takes it to FLL, not the Miami airport. 
 

thanks! 

[crewsweeper]

look up viator tours.  They have several from FLL and Miami.  See reviews of  Big Bus Miami has hop on hop off.  And the great culinary tour of Little Havana.

 

https://www.viator.com/Miami/d662-ttd

 

https://www.tripadvisor.com/AttractionProductReview-g34439-d11450629-Big_Bus_Miami_Open_Top_Hop_On_Hop_Off_Tour-Miami_Beach_Florida.html

 

https://www.tripadvisor.com/AttractionProductReview-g34438-d11470104-Little_Havana_Food_and_Walking_Tour_in_Miami-Miami_Florida.html

 

As to getting there,  I would suggest Uber or Lift to MIA, have the driver wait while you check baggage then head to meet up spot.  Taxi back to MIA after you are done.   Or just rent a car at FLL and drive around. No one way charges in FL.

[lawgirl]

4 minutes ago, crewsweeper said:

look up viator tours.  They have several from FLL and Miami.  See reviews of  Big Bus Miami has hop on hop off.  And the great culinary tour of Little Havana.

 

https://www.viator.com/Miami/d662-ttd

 

https://www.tripadvisor.com/AttractionProductReview-g34439-d11450629-Big_Bus_Miami_Open_Top_Hop_On_Hop_Off_Tour-Miami_Beach_Florida.html

 

https://www.tripadvisor.com/AttractionProductReview-g34438-d11470104-Little_Havana_Food_and_Walking_Tour_in_Miami-Miami_Florida.html

 

As to getting there,  I would suggest Uber or Lift to MIA, have the driver wait while you check baggage then head to meet up spot.  Taxi back to MIA after you are done.   Or just rent a car at FLL and drive around. No one way charges in FL.

Thank you.... I saw all those but I do not know what to do with all our luggage.   In the past, airlines have refused to check bags more than several hours before the flights.  Not sure if that changed.   A culinary tour would be awesome.  I book private tours for all our cruises, but wasn’t sure about luggage.  Will check airport rules. Thanks! 

[mikkelhansen]

When are you sailing? We were on Edge in December 2019, and we were on the Everglades Airboat tour with MIA drop-off. It worked very well, but be aware that they only guarantee your flight connection for domestic flights leaving from 3pm and later (and 4.30pm for international flights).

We are going on Apex in April 2021, and the post-cruise tours haven't been loaded yet (I guess Celebrity has lots of other stuff to take care of in these times....), but I'm almost certain the Everglades tour will be available for us at some point - and for you as well.

I say that, because if you go and "sneak peek" on a sailing in December 2020 or January 2021, most excursions in all ports have been loaded - far more excursions than what is available to book for us for our April sailing.

I can strongly recommend the Everglades tour, I think standard price is 59$pp, but there may be occasional sales in your Cruise Planner ranging from 5-30% discount, which we were able to use for our last sailing, ending out on ~44$pp for the airboat tour - you can barely even get an airport transfer/Uber from Port Everglades to MIA for 88$, and here you even get to try the airboats as well! Another bonus is the expedited debarkation when you have a post-cruise tour booked directly with Celebrity, and your lugage is kept safely in the bus during the tour.

Compare this Edge December 13 sailing: https://www.celebritycruises.com/excursion-brochure/celebrity/excursions.php?ship=EG&date=2020-12-13&currency=USD#December-20

(many different post-cruise tours and lots of port excursions - and currently varying discount on many excursions)

to this Edge April 4 sailing: https://www.celebritycruises.com/excursion-brochure/celebrity/excursions.php?ship=EG&date=2021-04-04&currency=USD#April-11

(no post-cruise tours, and not as many excursions in the other ports either, eg. none at all in Key West)

Edited May 13, 2020 by mikkelhansen

[JohninDC]

Uber to South Beach, about $35+, and pay to store your bags at the Luggage Lounge. Then you are free to explore SB - boozy brunch, art deco architecture, people watching, beach, etc. Then either Uber/Lyft or ride the Airport Flyer bus to the airport (about $3 each! 🙂).

 

Or check resortpass.com for resorts and hotels offering day passes to their pool, beach and spa facilities. Tip them to store your bags.

[lawgirl]

2 hours ago, mikkelhansen said:

When are you sailing? We were on Edge in December 2019, and we were on the Everglades Airboat tour with MIA drop-off. It worked very well, but be aware that they only guarantee your flight connection for domestic flights leaving from 3pm and later (and 4.30pm for international flights).

We are going on Apex in April 2021, and the post-cruise tours haven't been loaded yet (I guess Celebrity has lots of other stuff to take care of in these times....), but I'm almost certain the Everglades tour will be available for us at some point - and for you as well.

I say that, because if you go and "sneak peek" on a sailing in December 2020 or January 2021, most excursions in all ports have been loaded - far more excursions than what is available to book for us for our April sailing.

I can strongly recommend the Everglades tour, I think standard price is 59$pp, but there may be occasional sales in your Cruise Planner ranging from 5-30% discount, which we were able to use for our last sailing, ending out on ~44$pp for the airboat tour - you can barely even get an airport transfer/Uber from Port Everglades to MIA for 88$, and here you even get to try the airboats as well! Another bonus is the expedited debarkation when you have a post-cruise tour booked directly with Celebrity, and your lugage is kept safely in the bus during the tour.

Compare this Edge December 13 sailing: https://www.celebritycruises.com/excursion-brochure/celebrity/excursions.php?ship=EG&date=2020-12-13&currency=USD#December-20

(many different post-cruise tours and lots of port excursions - and currently varying discount on many excursions)

to this Edge April 4 sailing: https://www.celebritycruises.com/excursion-brochure/celebrity/excursions.php?ship=EG&date=2021-04-04&currency=USD#April-11

(no post-cruise tours, and not as many excursions in the other ports either, eg. none at all in Key West)

Thank you! Our cruise isn’t until Feb ... I just booked it and was curious about excursions,  and looked.  I saw this tour you mentioned on X website under excursions in general and didn’t know why it wasn’t an option our our cruise so thanks for explaining! 

[lawgirl]

53 minutes ago, JohninDC said:

Uber to South Beach, about $35+, and pay to store your bags at the Luggage Lounge. Then you are free to explore SB - boozy brunch, art deco architecture, people watching, beach, etc. Then either Uber/Lyft or ride the Airport Flyer bus to the airport (about $3 each! 🙂).

 

Or check resortpass.com for resorts and hotels offering day passes to their pool, beach and spa facilities. Tip them to store your bags.

Good idea! Thank you! 

[crewsweeper]

One place to definitely check out is the Vizcaya Gardens and Museum. Not sure if on any tours, but if driving, it's a great stop. Just south of Brickell.  Then lunch at Versailles or La Carreta or one of the El Palacio de los Jugos. Or for a more off the beaten path treat Exquisitos.  John's suggestion of Luggage Lounge is good but it's in Miami Beach.  So If you're not heading to SoBe, it's out of your way.  There's a kiosk in Bayside marketplace near the GUESS store that has reasonable priced storage.  You lock in in a storage bin . Might be a closer alternative.

 

 

[JohninDC]

Crewsweeper has good suggestions.  If you want to visit Vizcaya Gardens I would look at a one-way rental car with a drop at MIA. Alamo and a few other in town offices have shuttles from PE, or for about $10-15 you can Uber/Lyft to FLL and get the car there.