Fort Lauderdale Experts - Embassy Suites and Pier

[ChevyCruiser]

If we fly to Fort Lauderdale and stay at the Embassy Suites a few days before the cruise:

 

1) Do we need a rental car or is there enough to do nearby that we can walk to?

 

2) Is the pier within walking distance of the hotel with rollable bags?

 

Any other recommendations?

 

Thanks in advance

[Hypo]

There is a pretty good strip mall about a block behind the hotel. grocery store, liquor, restaurants. There are numerous restaurants, all within a block or two walking distance. You can walk a few blocks towards the ocean along 17th street to the water taxi, and then take an interesting cruise along the inland waterway for several miles.

 

You can always catch a taxi from the hotel. I would not get a rental car unless there for 3 or 4 days. The hotel charges 10.00 per night for parking. We always walk or use taxis.

 

Hypo

[ChevyCruiser]

Thanks, hypo. Good information.:)

[ell52]

While the cruiseport is very close to the hotel (mileage-wise), you will need a taxi. The port has both cruise ships as well as container ships with lots of truck traffic, etc. (picture a semi-industrial area) and would be very dangerous to walk.

 

You don't really need a rental car. As the previous poster mentioned, you can easily walk to the water taxi to get to Las Olas Blvd and the beaches. Meanwhile, there are also lots of restaurants and shops within walking distance of Embassy Suites.

[nat9511]

Does the Embassy Suites in Ft. L have a shuttle to and from the airport?

[TifTif]

Does the Embassy Suites in Ft. L have a shuttle to and from the airport?

No shuttle, they will call for a ride for you.

 

If you pick up a rental at the airport,I believe it is Alamo, you can drop it off on 17th street right up the street from Embassy. Very convenient to pick up & drop off in a seperate location.

[Buffettfan 225]

You'll love the pool area. Quite relaxing- we had a late return flight and hotel allowed us to come back after cruise and sit by pool until late afternoon (I just kept our room key showing we had recently checked out.) While there is a hotel shuttle (not free) we arranged for own transportation through the concierge near front desk.

It is a quick trip to pier -just a few miles.

If possible ask if you can get a room facing the port area- that would be towards the previously mentioned food store (while it is a distance, we could see ships that morning of embarkation). We found it easy to walk to store, get some snacks, beverages and use microwave in room. Also bought some cases of soda- wrapped tape around them, put cruise tag on it and no problem getting delivered to cabin.

The breakfast is also nice, and don't forget managers reception!

We personally noted towards main road it seemed a bit may I call it "seedier" and not a comfortable area to walk at night.

[megr1125]

you do not need a car....the area is not seedy at all...i was alone, and walked all over at night.......

 

you can also hop the sun trolley to get around, and to the beach as well.

 

www.suntrolley.com

 

17th street is a commercial area with strip malls, hotels and places to eat. I would consider the area on US 1/Federal Highway a more questionable area....but i felt perfectly safe in the area by the embassy suites, etc.

 

as in any area, you need to keep your wits about you, but the area is certainly not seedy (although i guess it depends on where you are from, what you are used to and your definiion of seedy! mine is dumpy motels, homeless people, boarded up buildings in disrepair, 'dive bars', etc. i must say, however, that i have spent more than my share of nights in so called dive bars-i have fiends that are musicians...-and there's a certain dive bar i love that is occasionally visited by mr. springsteen!:D )

[ell52]

you do not need a car....the area is not seedy at all...i was alone, and walked all over at night.......

 

you can also hop the sun trolley to get around, and to the beach as well.

 

www.suntrolley.com

 

17th street is a commercial area with strip malls, hotels and places to eat. I would consider the area on US 1/Federal Highway a more questionable area....but i felt perfectly safe in the area by the embassy suites, etc.

 

as in any area, you need to keep your wits about you, but the area is certainly not seedy (although i guess it depends on where you are from, what you are used to and your definiion of seedy! mine is dumpy motels, homeless people, boarded up buildings in disrepair, 'dive bars', etc. i must say, however, that i have spent more than my share of nights in so called dive bars-i have fiends that are musicians...-and there's a certain dive bar i love that is occasionally visited by mr. springsteen!:D )

Agreed. I didn't find it seedy either and think a person's perception is relative to what they're accustomed to. Bottom line. I feel the area is reasonably safe at night.

[Buffettfan 225]

I want to rephrase my definition of "seedy" I would say area around hotel is indeed safe, given you are aware as always. What I meant I think was the main road poster mentioned- we just had a few encounters after dark at a few fast food areas with loiterers hanging around the rental car and not feeling comfortable.

During afternoon we walked the stripmall area, got a haircut etc. and no uneasiness.

[Dave4120]

Does the Embassy Suites in Ft. L have a shuttle to and from the airport?

 

YES....The Embassy Suites does provide a shuttle to the cruise port! They just recently started this for I believe a $7.95 fee from the hotel. They also have a room with shuttle to cruise port package that can be booked.

 

We are staying at The Embassy Suites in just a few weeks before we cruise and we were told they do shuttle hotel guests.

 

This might make choosing the Embassy Suites easier. They have also just completed major renovations to the rooms over the past several months and just finished renovating their in house restaurant.

 

Dave

[royalcruz]

It is true that there are homeless people "living" in this area, mostly just west of the hotel, but they are pretty harmless. It is not a high crime area, and the homeless people want a safe area to hang out too! I used to have an office 2 blocks from there and felt comfortable walking to my car at night alone.

 

As far as hotels go, this is really a great centralized location.

[emmysmommy]

YES....The Embassy Suites does provide a shuttle to the cruise port! They just recently started this for I believe a $7.95 fee from the hotel. They also have a room with shuttle to cruise port package that can be booked.

 

We are staying at The Embassy Suites in just a few weeks before we cruise and we were told they do shuttle hotel guests.

 

This might make choosing the Embassy Suites easier. They have also just completed major renovations to the rooms over the past several months and just finished renovating their in house restaurant.

 

Dave

 

I thought that maybe they discontinuted the shuttle service after we stayed there but it sounds like perhaps not. We used the hotel shuttle last year for our Liberty cruise - we signed up after we arrived at the hotel - it was great!

 

We stayed 4 nights pre-cruise without a rental car with no problem. Lots of restaurants within walking distance. We didn't care for the in-hotel restaurant but maybe it is better now that they have renovated.

[Sheepdog]

TifTif.....I know there is a Budget car rental, in the Quay Plaza on 17th St...near the Rennaissance.I cannot confirm Alamo.

Sharon