shuttle vans from airport to ship in miami

[dlicari2004]

I've heard some talk about hiring a shuttle van to get from the airport to the ship in Miami. Does anyone know how that works or if there is a websight for the service? There are too many of us for one taxi (or maybe they have a taxi van) and we don't want to take the carnival transfer bus. Any Idea about the cost?

[kstrickman]

This past spring break we had 14 people arriving at Miami. While getting our luggage we were approached by a driver that could transport us in a van with trailer(for Luggage). We made arrangements to have this same service pick us up at the port when the ship returned. It worked great but maybe we were lucky. I don't have a name but I'm sure they'll be drivers waiting......sorry I can't remember what we payed. I think it was between $8-10 a person.

[parmus]

Have you tried the FAQs on the Carnival website?

[IrishEyes3]

Try this company. I got it from a reservation specialist at the Amerisuites Hotel. We have a reservation with her for a 40 passenger bus and she was very helpful and inexpensive.

M.G. Transportation (Martha)

305-345-5078

 

Hope this helps.:)

[serene56]

You didnt say how many people but taxis do come is as vans also-which will be located outside your airport door.

[lindar2540]

We just got back from Miami there was 8 of us. There was a taxi/shuttle stand outside the airport where we picked up our baggage we just told her we needed a shuttle big enough for our group it was 55.00 for 8 of us. They took us to a hotel on south beach. When we disembarked from the ship a porter took us and our baggage out to the shuttles and taxis where we got a van for 4 of us and a taxi for the other 4 they were 21.00 a piece we had a ton of luggage and everything fit nicely into these vans.

[GOTTA CRUISE NOW]

There were 8 of us. They used a 15 passenger van. Plenty of room. Picked us up from the airport, and were waiting at the cruise terminal on the return trip. Highly recommend them. (I forget the price, but I know we were pleased with them.)

[dlicari2004]

Sounds like a taxi van for 4 of us would be perfect. And the price of 21.00 for the trip each way is better than the carnival bus. Thanks

[dlicari2004]

I called 1800bookalimo. Their price was $129.35 one way to port or $258.70 round trip for 4. But, MG Transporation was $16.00 per person round trip booked and scheduled a week or so before. That's only $64.00 total for 4 people. Carnival was about $26.00(?) round trip per person ($104.00 for 4) but then there's also that long hot wait. If the taxi van is only $42.00 total this sounds like the best bet. Any other input?

[taszmom]

Go to the Miami Airport or the Port of Miami's websites. They will have listing of transportation services.

 

http://www.miamidade.gov/portofmiami/

http://www.miami-airport.com/

[CruiseFever]

The Supershuttle is a great way that can be quite cost efficient, depending on where you're going. What I like is (as noted above) all the prices to everywhere they go are posted right at curbside at the airport.

 

On our last cruise out of Miami, on arrival with our luggage at curbside my first stop was to a transportation authority officer, one of many positioned at curbside and that was the last stop I would have to make for the information I needed.

 

I told the officer that I had 4 people and 14 pieces of luggage and inquired as to what the best way would be to get from the airport to the Sheraton Biscayne Bay, downtown.

 

They've got it all figured out, posted for everyone to see and he was happy to relay the information to me and explain my options.

 

It seems I had two viable choices.

 

First would be to take two cabs as all our luggage and us would not fit in one. That would cost approximately $25 per cab (+gratuity) and we could take the next two of many cabs lined up and ready to go. We had discussed this possibility before landing and I made sure Lisa had enough cash to cover what I thought the cab fare would be in case we went this way. Lisa wasn't wild about this idea as I usually handle all this but it beat putting the two kids in one cab and she and I in another so she was backed into a corner on this option and would have to do it.

 

The second option would be to take the Supershuttle.

 

I was told that between our luggage and the four of use we could do an "exclusive" rental, taking the whole fifteen passenger van for ourselves for $55. This sounded much more like what we would like to do, keeping all of us together and Lisa doesn?t have to mess with it.

 

This was a good decision and our rental was given top priority because it was exclusive. At any one given time there are 60 of these vans on the road between the airport and various points around town so they are readily available.

 

To hire one we went to one of the many Supershuttle stands located along the curb, told them where we wanted to go and the we wanted an exclusive rental. On each of these stands there is a fare grid which clearly shows how much it costs to go to the different areas of town.

 

I had always considered a private limousine the best point to point ground transportation and have frequently used this method. Of all of the service providers I have been happiest with Limos of Miami and the level of service is indeed better.

 

Once you get in the car.

 

Here, to me, is the big difference.

 

The Supershuttle operates much like a cab and is able to pick you and your luggage up at curbside. Limousines are required to stay a lane or two away from the curb. Using a limo you have two basic choices, have a driver come in and move your luggage from the airline carousel (meet and greet service) , across two lines of traffic to the awaiting limo or do it yourself.

 

Regardless of how you do it, if you have more than a couple pieces of luggage you will have to do some "staging" where one person stays with the luggage pile that has been pulled off the carousel while the other moves it to curbside or across the lanes to where the limo waits.

 

I think the best, most efficient, and most economical way is a combination of these methods.

 

First, retrieve your luggage from the carousel. Then hire a porter with a big cart to transport it to curbside, by a Supershuttle pickup point. Hire the supershuttle exclusively for $55 and let them load it in the van. Sit back and enjoy the ride to the hotel.

 

It's not a limousine quality ride but there's nothing wrong with it and you probably saved some money to

 

 

Here's more on all that:

 

http://www.lifeiscruising.com/ground_transportation