Miami cruise parking: Instapark--CAUTION!

[CeleBrat]

We always park off-site, and have never had a bad experience...until this past week.  Our normal go-to garage wasn't offering parking (gone out of business due to Covid???) so we opted to use "Instapark", since it offered parking in a garage.  Great!

 

Once we got there, we were frustrated to find out there was no shuttle to the port.  So we were on the hook to taxi/Uber there for an additional fee. I called from the garage, once we realized there was an issue, and got disconnected from them twice, once I started asking about the shuttle.  Then on the 3rd time, when I explained that I had talked to the garage attendant, and that there was no shuttle, they seemed "shocked", and suggested we take a taxi, and then offered to reimburse us.  I asked them to send me an email confirming the conversation and commitment to reimburse me and amazingly they refunded the entire parking fee!

 

When we returned to the garage after the cruise, we encountered another couple who was also frustrated, so we shared encouraged them to call the number on their email to see if they could get a refund too.

 

Instapark seems to be some sort of conglomerate that sources your booking out to various garages in the area, and offers parking across the country.  And the call center seems to be located overseas.

 

Do not recommend, as they just don't know very much about the specific garages they are using.

 

*Although the garage itself (900 2nd Ave) was very nice.

 

 

[JohninDC]

The common advice here's is park at POM. Too many stories of no show shuttles, lost reservations and damaged cars to risk off site parking in Miami.

 

Hope your cruise went better than your parking experience.

Edited December 18, 2022 by JohninDC

[Noxequifans]

8 hours ago, JohninDC said:

The common advice here's is park at POM. Too many stories of no show shuttles, lost reservations and damaged cars to risk off site parking in Miami.

 

Hope your cruise went better than your parking experience.

Agree ... In Miami, it is park at the port when cruising. 

[Diver2014]

I worked in downtown Miami for 13 years, on Biscayne Blvd.  I wouldn't leave my car in ANY off site parking facility around the port unless you drive an old beater than no one would want.  So many cars get broken into in those lots and the security they claim watches the lots is virtually nonexistent.  Park at the port!  All the parking garages are right there.  You drop your luggage, go park and walk back to the ship.  No hassle and worth every penny.