Ft. Lauderdale Q&A/FAQ

[royalcruz]

How is the Hyatt pier 66? Is it non smoking? Heard good and bad. Help please.

 

Pier 66 is a really nice resort property. I've been there for meals and events many times but I've never been in the rooms. The pool area looks really nice too.

[jrayph47]

Thanks. We will prob book it for our upcoming cruise in May

[Brandonclan]

Question:

We will be in Ft. Lauderdale for two days prior to our sailing. We will have a rental car to travel. We want to find a certain type of wine to take with us on our cruise. What liquor stores are around for us to try and find this certain wine? I see a few on google maps but I'm asking where people go that has the best selection so I don't have to make 20 phone calls to find this wine.

Any suggested names of places to ask first??

 

Thanks

[IMSAILING]

Does anyone know how much for a Taxi from the aArport to Embassy Suites on 17th ?

[capriccio]

Question:

We will be in Ft. Lauderdale for two days prior to our sailing. We will have a rental car to travel. We want to find a certain type of wine to take with us on our cruise. What liquor stores are around for us to try and find this certain wine? I see a few on google maps but I'm asking where people go that has the best selection so I don't have to make 20 phone calls to find this wine.

Any suggested names of places to ask first??

 

Thanks

 

Total Wine has the most extensive selection. They also have a website (http://www.totalwine.com) where you can designate the Fort Lauderdale shop to check for availability (just click on 'my selection' on the home page and enter the requested info: pick up/browse, Florida, Fort Lauderdale).

Edited March 22, 2014 by capriccio

[Brandonclan]

Total Wine has the most extensive selection. They also have a website (http://www.totalwine.com) where you can designate the Fort Lauderdale shop to check for availability (just click on 'my selection' on the home page and enter the requested info: pick up/browse, Florida, Fort Lauderdale).

 

Thanks!!

[royalcruz]

Question:

We will be in Ft. Lauderdale for two days prior to our sailing. We will have a rental car to travel. We want to find a certain type of wine to take with us on our cruise. What liquor stores are around for us to try and find this certain wine? I see a few on google maps but I'm asking where people go that has the best selection so I don't have to make 20 phone calls to find this wine.

Any suggested names of places to ask first??

 

Thanks

 

The 2 biggest wine stores are Total Wine and ABC Wine & Spirits. One of them should have what you need.

[Mary521]

Hi, we are cruising on Allure in May. Our flight home isn't until 2:30pm on Sunday. We will have our 6 mo son with us. Trying to find something to do to kill some time so we don't spend 5+ hrs at the airport. Any suggestions? I looked up some malls, but they didn't open until 11 or 12, and we prob want to get to the airport by 12:30-ish. Thanks!!

 

 

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[royalcruz]

Hi, we are cruising on Allure in May. Our flight home isn't until 2:30pm on Sunday. We will have our 6 mo son with us. Trying to find something to do to kill some time so we don't spend 5+ hrs at the airport. Any suggestions? I looked up some malls, but they didn't open until 11 or 12, and we prob want to get to the airport by 12:30-ish. Thanks!!

 

 

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Nothing will be open on Sunday morning in Fort Lauderdale other than restaurants. Maybe you can have the cruiseline send your luggage to the airport while you relax on the beach and then enjoy a late breakfast across from the beach at H2O.

[Mary521]

Nothing will be open on Sunday morning in Fort Lauderdale other than restaurants. Maybe you can have the cruiseline send your luggage to the airport while you relax on the beach and then enjoy a late breakfast across from the beach at H2O.

 

 

Thank you for your help! Wish more was open, but at least I know I'm not missing anything

 

 

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[workinmom3]

We also have a flight home around 2 pm. Wondering if it would be worth it to rent a car for a few hours to get around. From what I can tell RCCL's luggage valet is $20pp. Since there are 4 of us I'm wondering if the car rental would be a cheaper option for a few hours of driving around. Or is it just a huge hassle to pick up/drop off the car? Do we have to pick up from FLL or is here a pick up at the port?



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[royalcruz]

[quote name='workinmom3']We also have a flight home around 2 pm. Wondering if it would be worth it to rent a car for a few hours to get around. From what I can tell RCCL's luggage valet is $20pp. Since there are 4 of us I'm wondering if the car rental would be a cheaper option for a few hours of driving around. Or is it just a huge hassle to pick up/drop off the car? Do we have to pick up from FLL or is here a pick up at the port?



Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app[/QUOTE]

There are no car rentals at the port but there are some just outside the port. I can't comment on how much of a hassle it might be, but you'd want to get the car back by around noon to allow time to check it in and to get from there to the airport check-in. You will probably be able to be off the ship around 8 AM if you do self-disembarkation, but if it runs late and you don't get off until closer to 10 you'll have a really short time with the car.

[aftica]

Sharon I have been reading through a lot of these pages for something specific about transportation from Port everglade to FTL Amtrak station to travel to Tampa.
We have our train ticket for Oct. 27,2014 but last time we tried this,it it seemed expensive for a taxi to take us from the ship. Is it in an awkward location ,is there public transportation to the station or do I just take a taxi?
Thanks for any help from anyone out there.

[workinmom3]

[quote name='royalcruz']There are no car rentals at the port but there are some just outside the port. I can't comment on how much of a hassle it might be, but you'd want to get the car back by around noon to allow time to check it in and to get from there to the airport check-in. You will probably be able to be off the ship around 8 AM if you do self-disembarkation, but if it runs late and you don't get off until closer to 10 you'll have a really short time with the car.[/QUOTE]


Thanks, Royalcruz. I think we will just try to not rush off the ship & then we won't have as long a wait at FLL.


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[royalcruz]

[quote name='aftica']Sharon I have been reading through a lot of these pages for something specific about transportation from Port everglade to FTL Amtrak station to travel to Tampa.
We have our train ticket for Oct. 27,2014 but last time we tried this,it it seemed expensive for a taxi to take us from the ship. Is it in an awkward location ,is there public transportation to the station or do I just take a taxi?
Thanks for any help from anyone out there.[/QUOTE]

The Ft Lauderdale Amtrak station is 6-7 miles from the port terminals. That ride should cost about $35. There is no public transportation in the port.

[aftica]

Too bad. We are paying less for the train across the state..$32.00 each seniors. Maybe There maybe someone else taking the train and we can connect on the roll call..I will try that.
Thanks again.

[btwoncruiser]

So this may be a dumb question, so I apologize in advance. We are flying in to FLL a day before our cruise out of Miami. We don't get in until around 7 pm. Any shuttle service I've seen charges for 4 people to go to a Miami hotel (and there are just 2 of us- on our honeymoon).

So, we decided we'll stay in Fort Lauderdale, then take a shuttle in the morning. Looked at the hotels that SAS says they will pick up from....either wicked expensive or a crappy run down motel. So got to thinking....found a great price on a Marriott that isn't on SAS list. It includes a free airport shuttle. Could we take the shuttle from the airport to the hotel, and then in the morning go back to the airport to meet up with SAS? Or are you not allowed to do that with all the Homeland Security stuff, etc.?

Thanks in advance!

[royalcruz]

[quote name='btwoncruiser']So this may be a dumb question, so I apologize in advance. We are flying in to FLL a day before our cruise out of Miami. We don't get in until around 7 pm. Any shuttle service I've seen charges for 4 people to go to a Miami hotel (and there are just 2 of us- on our honeymoon).

So, we decided we'll stay in Fort Lauderdale, then take a shuttle in the morning. Looked at the hotels that SAS says they will pick up from....either wicked expensive or a crappy run down motel. So got to thinking....found a great price on a Marriott that isn't on SAS list. It includes a free airport shuttle. Could we take the shuttle from the airport to the hotel, and then in the morning go back to the airport to meet up with SAS? Or are you not allowed to do that with all the Homeland Security stuff, etc.?

Thanks in advance![/QUOTE]

btwon, Yes, people do this. It's a good plan.

[Lois R]

[quote name='btwoncruiser']So this may be a dumb question, so I apologize in advance. We are flying in to FLL a day before our cruise out of Miami. We don't get in until around 7 pm. Any shuttle service I've seen charges for 4 people to go to a Miami hotel (and there are just 2 of us- on our honeymoon).

So, we decided we'll stay in Fort Lauderdale, then take a shuttle in the morning. Looked at the hotels that SAS says they will pick up from....either wicked expensive or a crappy run down motel. So got to thinking....found a great price on a Marriott that isn't on SAS list. It includes a free airport shuttle. Could we take the shuttle from the airport to the hotel, and then in the morning go back to the airport to meet up with SAS? Or are you not allowed to do that with all the Homeland Security stuff, etc.?

Thanks in advance![/quote]

Hi, sounds like a plan to me:)......just make sure when you go back
to the airport you are taken to "arriving flights";).....

[royalcruz]

[quote name='Lois R']Hi, sounds like a plan to me:)......just make sure when you go back
to the airport you are taken to "arriving flights";).....[/QUOTE]

It doesn't really matter where they get dropped off as long as they go to the right place. They can just go inside and go down the escalator to the arrivals (baggage claim) level and then go outside. (Just in case the hotel shuttle driver is too busy with departing riders on the same shuttle).

[CruisinCouple2010]

Hi:

We will be cruising on the Ruby Princess on April 07 and plan on arriving in Fort Lauderdale early Sunday morning as we would like to do a boat tour of the canals and expensive homes of Fort Lauderdale. Can anyone recommend a particular boat tour that we could take to do this?

Also we will be staying at the Hyatt Convention Center hotel on 10th Street can anyone tell me what the taxi fare would be from the hotel to the pier the day our ship would depart?

Any information is appreciated.
Thank you

[royalcruz]

[quote name='CruisinCouple2010']Hi:

We will be cruising on the Ruby Princess on April 07 and plan on arriving in Fort Lauderdale early Sunday morning as we would like to do a boat tour of the canals and expensive homes of Fort Lauderdale. Can anyone recommend a particular boat tour that we could take to do this?

Also we will be staying at the Hyatt Convention Center hotel on 10th Street can anyone tell me what the taxi fare would be from the hotel to the pier the day our ship would depart?

Any information is appreciated.
Thank you[/QUOTE]

You are staying at Hyatt Place. The easiest boat tour to get to from that location would be to go a mile east on 17th St to the water taxi stop at the Hilton Marina. Most of the big houses are on the New River and it will go there. There is usually a talking guide on the boat. You could walk at least one way. Adults are $22 for an all day pass and you can hop on and off and buy tickets on board. This is a convenient way to tour because it goes all day. The round trip can take a few hours. [url]http://www.watertaxi.com/watertaxi/fort-lauderdale/[/url]

Another recommended tour is on Carrie B. You have to go downtown to get on board. [url]http://www.carriebcruises.com/[/url]

Taxi to Port Everglades from Hyatt Place will be $10-15, metered, per taxi.

[CruisinCouple2010]

[quote name='royalcruz']You are staying at Hyatt Place. The easiest boat tour to get to from that location would be to go a mile east on 17th St to the water taxi stop at the Hilton Marina. Most of the big houses are on the New River and it will go there. There is usually a talking guide on the boat. You could walk at least one way. Adults are $22 for an all day pass and you can hop on and off and buy tickets on board. This is a convenient way to tour because it goes all day. The round trip can take a few hours. [url]http://www.watertaxi.com/watertaxi/fort-lauderdale/[/url]

Another recommended tour is on Carrie B. You have to go downtown to get on board. [url]http://www.carriebcruises.com/[/url]

Taxi to Port Everglades from Hyatt Place will be $10-15, metered, per taxi.[/QUOTE]

Thank you so much for that fast reply. I really appreciate the information. The water taxi is the best idea. We will do the cab to the port from the hotel, but will ask for the meter the last time we took a cab from the terminal back to the hotel the taxi did not run the meter because of the short ride and I feel I was over charged.

[royalcruz]

[quote name='CruisinCouple2010']Thank you so much for that fast reply. I really appreciate the information. The water taxi is the best idea. We will do the cab to the port from the hotel, but will ask for the meter the last time we took a cab from the terminal back to the hotel the taxi did not run the meter because of the short ride and I feel I was over charged.[/QUOTE]

Usually Ruby sails from the terminal just inside the port entrance, so the meter might even be under $10, but I think there may be some $10 minimum regarding the port. Or that could be Cruise Critic urban legend. :D

[girlscruise2011]

[quote name='btwoncruiser']So this may be a dumb question, so I apologize in advance. We are flying in to FLL a day before our cruise out of Miami. We don't get in until around 7 pm. Any shuttle service I've seen charges for 4 people to go to a Miami hotel (and there are just 2 of us- on our honeymoon).

So, we decided we'll stay in Fort Lauderdale, then take a shuttle in the morning. Looked at the hotels that SAS says they will pick up from....either wicked expensive or a crappy run down motel. So got to thinking....found a great price on a Marriott that isn't on SAS list. It includes a free airport shuttle. Could we take the shuttle from the airport to the hotel, and then in the morning go back to the airport to meet up with SAS? Or are you not allowed to do that with all the Homeland Security stuff, etc.?

Thanks in advance![/QUOTE]

btwoncruiser, why don't you check out QLS (Quality Limo Service)? I used them in November 2012 and have good reviews on the boards also. I think they service a larger area then SAS and their shuttles even start earlier. They are priced about the same. Hate to see you go through all that trouble going back & forth if you don't have to.

Congrats on the marriage and happy honeymoon :D