Airport to cruise port

[jerseygirl3]

We're doing an "all girls" cruise on the Imagination this summer. Five of us are flying in the day before the cruise and staying in Miami. Two of the girls are flying in the day of the cruise. Their flight arrives in FLL at 9:15 a.m. They don't want to spend $80 for a taxi to Miami. What is their alternative. Will any of the shuttle services start service to the cruiseport that early? And will any of the shuttle services take them over to our hotel so we can all meet up there and go over to the ship together (we're staying at Intercontinental Miami, which is practically right next door to the cruise port). Just trying to figure out the least expensive, least complicated way of doing this.

[irishgirl]

The least expensive is Go Airport Shuttle, they have a kiosk on the sidewalk outside of baggage claim.

 

http://www.floridalimo.com/Pages/sharedr.html

 

Judy

[funship freddy]

Outside the baggage claim area in Fort Lauderdale is a shared van service that serves Miami and the Port of Miami. I have been on board when they did make stops at hotels to drop off passengers and then continued to the port. The cost is $18.00/pp It is possible that your friends could take the shared van and "pick you up" at the hotel. I would google Fort Lauderdale airport transportation and maybe you will find info there.

[jerseygirl3]

We really don't need for them to pick us up, as we're just "steps" away from the cruiseport (not that we'll be walking), but I'd hate to have them make a stop, and besides, not sure if they'd have room for 5 more or how they would charge us to go half a mile.

 

I guess my biggest concern is will the shuttle start taking people over that early? Are they better off dealing with a Carnival shuttle? If so, will that take them over to the ship that early as well?

 

Jo-Ann

[elaineb]

Jerseygirl - I'd recommend for the 5 of you that you book a private van to bring you to the ship. There are many discussions on this on the Florida Departure board: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=495

You cannot use a Carnival transfer if flying in the day before unless you booked the hotel and air through Carnival. We are using sunandmoonexpress for our transportation from FLL to Miami. The 2 girls arriving the same day can either use the share ride from Florida limo as a previous poster said, or book a transfer through Carnival for the same price. If they are new to this, they might feel safer with the Carnival transfer. The Carnial agents are right there are the baggage claim in their blue and white outfits - hard to miss!

As for transport from the hotel to the pier, we are just going to get into the taxi line the morning of the cruise. Believe me, you won't be able to walk into the port with all your luggage in the hot sun, even if it is just "steps away". It will probably cost about $6pp. It is just part of the cost of your trip that you have to suck up. As for the transportation back to the airport, Carnival does a transfer 1 way for about $18pp. But since you're a group, I'd recommend that you make arrangements with the same company who brings you to Miami to pick you up at the port. When you take a transfer, you have to wait until the bus is full before it leaves. We just missed one bus and had to wait quite a while before the next bus filled up. We barely made our plane that time. Lesson learned.

Hope this helps.

[jerseygirl3]

Elaine, believe me, I have no intention of walking to the ship! I go to the gym just about every day to get my exercise...I don't need to schlepp my luggage across the bridge to board the ship!

 

I've already arranged transportation for the 5 of us going down the day before. We're going all out and having a stretch limo pick us up at FLL and take us to Intercontinental Hotel in Miami. I figured I'd probably just have the concierge at the hotel arrange a van to take the 5 of us over to the ship the next day. We've done this in the past (with my family) and it's usually very economical since the hotel is so close.

 

As far our return, when we disembark the ship, that same stretch limo will take us to FLL (7 of us this time) for our flight home.

 

Our only issue is with the two girls coming in the day of. They are flying into FLL and need to get to Miami. I wasn't sure if they purchased the shuttle at the airport or got the transfer through Carnival if they would take them to the port that early (their flight gets into FLL at 9:15). If they are going to make them wait around for an hour, we'll come up with different plans. I just thought if they did a shuttle (not Carnival's), and they got in that early, would the shuttle (for $18) drop them off at Intercontinental or would they take them straight to the ship. Either way is fine, we just want to know if we should wait for them at the hotel or go ahead and meet them at the cruise terminal.

 

I'm an experienced cruiser, but the others aren't. I just want to make sure the two that are arriving the day of have it as simple as possible.

 

Thanks for your input.

 

Jo-Ann

[elaineb]

The airport shuttle will take the 2 girls whever they want to go. They can be dropped off at either the hotel or the port. If they take the Carnival transfer, they usually will have to wait until they fill a bus. So it would depend how many people are coming in on early flights that day using the Carnival transfer. They can book the Carnival transfer right at the airport. They just take your room number down and you will see the charge on your ship's account. They have a list of who is coming and flight numbers, so your friends can ask how long it will be before departure and decide then if they want to book the Carnival transfer or go to the airport shuttle area.

[Plant]

Hi jerseygirl3,

 

If you click on the link that irishgirl posted above you'll find the info about the shared shuttle service from FLL to Miami. Click on FAQ on the left side of the page and you'll find all the answers :) .

 

It looks like the shuttles run anytime there's any flight into FLL!

 

If your friends choose this shuttle, by the time they get their luggage, get on the shuttle and get to Miami they'll probably be able to board the ship.

 

Have a wonderful "girl friend's" cruise!

[jerseygirl3]

Thanks for everyone's help. I appreciate it. This is exactly the info I needed.

 

Jo-Ann