Miami Help-Where to stay? Transfers?

[vesw01]

We (and I mean finally just my husband and I are going on vacation) on the Valor 9/24. He would like to fly in the night before (I haven't decided yet). I know some people fly into Fort Lauderdale and others to Miami... any suggestions on airport and/or hotel? If we fly into FLL can we pay for Carnival transfers or is that only if you fly with them? The last cruise we sailed out of NYC and that is where my family lives, so they just dropped us off ... any and all suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!

[geauxgirl]

I think the best thing for you to do is to keep reading these boards. I've learned sooo much from other people sharing their information. I'm cruising out of Miami in May, and I decided to fly in the day before. After reading info, especially on Roll Call I decided to stay at Holiday Inn in the Port of Miami. Its located within walking distance of a popular area with restuarants and stores. Hard Rock Cafe is right across the street. From what I understand, this is close to the cruise termanal and will not cost a arm and a leg with taxi fare. Now all of this info is what I was told by other people, I can give you a better answer after our cruise in May. Also, my travel agent told me that you can still get on the transfer bus from the airport to the cruise terminal without flying with the cruiseship plan. I think she told me it would cost 20-30 $ per person for roundtrip fare. I hope this helps some, but you have alot of time to get more responses from more people. I hope you have a BLAST!

 

Monica R.

[pardoni]

If you come in the night before, on your own, Carnival will not have transfers to pick you up, unless you stay at an airport hotel and return to the airport the next day. You would have much more fun if you stayed near downtown/port, or South Beach and take a cab or limo the next day after enjoying some of the sites. We have a group of 5, flying into FFL, night before, being picked up by Larry's Limo and taken into downtown Miami (Doubletree Hotel), the next day we are going to play around for a few hours, then LL will pick us up at 1:30 to take us to the pier.

Our airfare was so much less flying into FLL, that the transfers were more than covered.

Have fun planning your trip. It is almost as much fun as going!

[Lady Hop]

Pardino if you dont mind my asking what are you paying for the Limo service? And will they be able to accomodate all of your luggage? Were a group of five also.

[MamaParrotHead]

Hotels downtown go from $150 per night (for the el-cheapo 2 stars and below) and upwards of $250-$300/night for nicer places. OR you can go Priceline, bid for your room and get a DEAL. We got the Marriott Courtyard Downtown Miami for $60 last spring (when looking to go on our next cruise in 4/07, discovered they charge $269/night :eek: ...needless to say we're going Priceline again). Cabs from any downtown hotel to the port are cheap, like $5 pp (plus tip). Cabs from the airport downtown are also reasonable. If you are flying into FLL, try http://www.floridalimo.com, they have really reasonable rates.

[KruznKel]

We just returned and stayed at the Holiday Inn Port of Miami.. great location right across from Bayside.. was clean.. cost from MIA to the hotel was 26 incl tip. Cost from the hotel to port is anywhere from 10-15 depending on traffic.. For the time you are looking to stay the rates are not too bad.. $110 per night..

[BlueHerons]

If you are sailing out of Miami, fly into and stay in Miami.

 

If you are sailing out of FLL, fly into and stay in FLL.

 

The price in airline ticket savings would have to be in excess of $300 for me to fly into one and stay in another because of the cost of transportation.

 

Personally, I'd stay anywhere in Miami but Bayside or the airport unless you are arriving late. Bayside is a big touristy outdoor mall filled with chain restaurants and stores that was built primarily for the cruise business.

[runner15km]

We tried to book Holiday Inn Port of Miami but they were full. We stayed at Baymont Inn and Suites on LaJuene Rd. about 2 miles from the airport. They provided a shuttle from the airport and to the port of Miami for free.

They also had a very good hot breakfast buffet for free.. For dinner we walked across the parking lot to Bennigen's. If you drive here the manager told me they will let you leave your car for up to 1 month for free. The room was clean and the front desk were helpful. We paided $130 for the night.

[MamaParrotHead]

We tried to book Holiday Inn Port of Miami but they were full. We stayed at Baymont Inn and Suites on LaJuene Rd. about 2 miles from the airport. They provided a shuttle from the airport and to the port of Miami for free.

They also had a very good hot breakfast buffet for free.. For dinner we walked across the parking lot to Bennigen's. If you drive here the manager told me they will let you leave your car for up to 1 month for free. The room was clean and the front desk were helpful. We paided $130 for the night.

 

just what I'm looking for, but I'm having a hard time getting a direct number to the hotel (all the online places want you to book direct through them). do you happen to have that number? I need to ask what time the shuttles run until at night...we'd be flying in at 11:00 p.m. I'd really appreciate it!

[runner15km]

just what I'm looking for, but I'm having a hard time getting a direct number to the hotel (all the online places want you to book direct through them). do you happen to have that number? I need to ask what time the shuttles run until at night...we'd be flying in at 11:00 p.m. I'd really appreciate it!

 

MamaParrotHead, local # 305-871-1777

[spanpris]

Flights into Miami were so expensive, esp if we left the same day we got back, that we decided to fly into and out of FLL and then stay overnight somewhere. The difference in airline tickets was about $600pp.( I had also made the decision to stay the night before so we could get to the port as early as possible.) Here's what I ended up with:

 

-Originally I booked a hotel for the night before in Ft Lauderdale area. I used Hotwire to book a cheap room. I did not read the fine print and did not realize that once I booked it was paid for and that's that. I planned for us to take the cruiseline shuttle from FLL to the port at $20pp. THEN I found out how much it was going to cost to get us to and from FLL. Well the hotels that Hotwire picks, considered to be in the airport vicinity, aren't necessarily all that close.

 

-So I cancelled the cruise line shuttle and decided we would just go right from FLL that night to a hotel by the port. When I called Hotwire I found out my mistake. They agreed as a one time courtesy to transfer my resv to a hotel in Miami. We are now spending the night before at what I have read to be THE worst hotel close to the port, Riande Continental. Oh well, hopefully we'll live.

 

-For the night after we will be at the Holiday Inn at the port thanks to this website. I have not decided between taking shuttles or private car to and from FLL and Miami. All in all, after the shuttles and hotels we will be saving a little money but not nearly as much as I had originally thought.

 

So if I had to do it all over again I would have booked my flight right when I booked the cruise but not through the cruiseline, so that maybe I could have gotten a decent price and wide range of time choices. I would have flown right in to Miami on the earliest flight possible and flew back out the same way.

 

But I can't do it all over again. So I figure what the heck, we'll have an adventure and get to see a little of Miami before we go home. We'll have fun telling our horror stories of the Riande Continental to folks and I'll have something interesting to post here when I get back!

[auntiecruiser]

I just sailed out of Miami on the Valor. We flew in the night before, and we stayed at the Red Roof Inn-Airport. We paid $99 for the night. It offered a free shuttle from the airport, and a free shuttle to the port. There was a restaurant right across the parking lot (can't remember the name), and a small continental breakfast was served for free in the lobby. We would stay there again if we sail out of Miami.

[KruznKel]

We are now spending the night before at what I have read to be THE worst hotel close to the port, Riande Continental. Oh well, hopefully we'll live.

 

-For the night after we will be at the Holiday Inn at the port thanks to this website. We'll have fun telling our horror stories of the Riande Continental to folks and I'll have something interesting to post here when I get back!

 

The Riande is one block from the HIPOM.. I passed by it a few times on my trek to the liqour store behind the hotel.. From the outside it doesn't really look that bad to me.. I didn't go into the lobby..

 

It is a highrise alot more floors than the HIPOM.. if you can ask for a bayside view room.. atleast you will be able to see the ships in port and bayside lit up at night.. I did notice that the windows are small.. but they do open.. from the few I saw open anyways..

 

HIPOM.. is clean.. we stayed there a total of 5 days pre/post.. Bayside does have a few chain restaurants.. Bubba Gumps, Hooters and Hard Rock.. but they also have alot of nice cafe style restaurants along the bay.. you can eat outside.. great food..

 

I hope you enjoy!!

[pardoni]

Pardino if you dont mind my asking what are you paying for the Limo service? And will they be able to accomodate all of your luggage? Were a group of five also.

LadyHop,

Sorry I didn't respond sooner. I think it is $120 for all 5 of us from FLL to downtown Miami. They will send an appropriate size vehicle for your 5 people and luggage.

[pardoni]

If you are sailing out of Miami, fly into and stay in Miami.

 

If you are sailing out of FLL, fly into and stay in FLL.

 

The price in airline ticket savings would have to be in excess of $300 for me to fly into one and stay in another because of the cost of transportation.

 

Personally, I'd stay anywhere in Miami but Bayside or the airport unless you are arriving late. Bayside is a big touristy outdoor mall filled with chain restaurants and stores that was built primarily for the cruise business.

In our case it is 5 X $150 savings flying into FLL. I'm happy to pay the $120 for the ride from FLL to Miami.

And the problem with Bayside being a tourist attraction catering to the cruise business is what???

[labtech]

Sanpris...when are you sailing?

 

My friend and I are staying at the Riande also......I have read mixed reviews about it too....and yes...my room has already been charged to my visa too!!! bur as long as the elevator works and its not tooo hot I guess we will live too!!! We are siling on the Imagination 4/15/06

[cruiselife4me]

We're staying at the Miami Hyatt. You could see the ships from our balcony last year AND I have a complimentary suite upgrade so why not!

[Urban Chic]

I believe you can purchase bus transfers if you didn't book your air through Carnival, but if your ship is departing from Miami, I would fly in & stay there.

 

There are MANY hotels available at reasonable rates if you do some homework.

 

You'll find great restaurants & shopping all within walking distance of most hotels in MIA. I stayed at a very nice French hotel in South Beach last winter for only $99/night, so ended up flying down FOUR days before my sail date to experience South Beach.GREAT shopping & restaurants, like I said earlier all within walking distance. Loved it!

 

And when you're ready to go to your ship, the taxi fare was only around $20 to the Port of Miami.

 

The next time I sail from Miami, I will definitely stay in South Beach again the night (or 2) before.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Chic

[Debs224]

We are sailing out of Miami April 30th. We are driving to Buffalo (from Toronto) which is saving us over $600. We are flying into FLL on Saturday and then will arrange for limo or cab to our hotel in Miami (Dorset International, 5 minutes from the port - pricy but it looks really nice). On departure we are booked out of FLL at 5:45 on the same day, and are looking into booking the cruise line's Miami tour & airport transfers excursion.

[mnsawyer]

In researching Miami hotels for next year, they are very expensive in my opinion. Even the Holiday Inn Port of Miami is becoming extremely expensive ($199 per night is the lowest I have seen for 2007 that is refundable). We love the Bayside marketplace and love staying right there. I've read on this board that some hotels offer a shuttle to Bayside. Does anyone know? We stayed the Hyatt three years ago and got the room through Priceline for $35! It was fine but we took a cab from Bayside back to the hotel since it was several blocks.

 

What was the name of the hotel on South Beach that you got for $99?? Winterhaven? That seems to be the "new" hotspot since it is reasonable and most SB hotels are not reasonable in price!

[Pierre2]

Last November I got the Intercontinental (Bayside) for $99.00 on priceline. I too, flew into FLL and used Larry's Limo - Great service and well worth the $$. At the Intercontinental, I paid and extra $25.00 for port view and it was worth every cent - All of us (Mom & kids) were glued to the window. Bayside maybe a bit geared for Cruise traveling and that may not sit well with the locals, but I was a cruise traveler and I thought it was great. It let us start our cruise experience off to a great start. We sat at an outdoor bar and had a refreshing beverage and watched the ships leave port. I don't know how it could have been any better.