Plane gets to Miami at 8:30AM. What to do until?

[barrymere]

Our plane gets into Miami at 8:30AM on a Sunday morning and NCL says boarding begins at 3PM. What can we do with our luggage? Can you store it at the Miami NCL Pier and explore South Beach?

Has this happened to anyone else?

[TrinaLC]

Most NCL ships say boarding is at 1:00, but they actually begin boarding before 11:00 a.m.

 

Are you sure it is 3:00? What time is sail away?

 

If it were a 1:00 sailing, I'd say head straight to the port. By the time you get your bags, cab, etc., you'll probably arrive at the port after 10:00, and be onboard within an hour.

 

If it really is 3:00, you might consider trying to get a hotel/motel room for the day - one with a pool. Call around and ask if they have a day rate available - stress that you'd be checking in around 10:30 a.m. I don't no how else you'd be able to get your bags looked after.

[Jana]

Actually, if you leave the airport at 9-ish and get to the port at 9:20-9:30, you'd be met with the mess of people disembarking from the 9-day, depending on when the ship actually arrives (supposed to be noon but has been getting in much earlier). It's probably best to avoid that chaos.

 

There are, however, secure areas at MIA to leave your bags... at a charge of about $5 per bag, if I recall correctly.

 

Embarkation for the 5-day seems to be starting at around 1 p.m. If you get to the port at noon, you should be in good shape.

 

Here's what I do when I have a really long layover in MIA: I take my bags and get on the free shuttle to the airport Hilton. Especially on a Sunday! They have a really nice restaurant with Sunday brunch. It isn't cheap, but it's really good. You can drop your bags with the bellman for a few dollars' tip, have a nice breakfast/brunch, relax, take the free shuttle back to the airport and then cab over to the port or --if you've paid for transfers-- find the NCL rep and get on the bus.

 

Good luck!

 

Jana

 

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