Driving to Miami, parking at peir?

 

Do you think you live in the only area in this country with bad traffic and bad drivers? Hate to break it to you, but you're little neck of the woods isn't that special. The fact of the matter is, your little "one in five" uninsured vehicle statistic and your so-called "guarantee" that cars older than 10 years are definitely uninsured according to you...those things amount to nothing more than conjecture.

 

My insurance company (USAA) sure thinks it is bad. The impact of uninsured and unlicensed drivers in south Florida is reflected in our car insurance rates. When we moved to Broward County (Fort Lauderdale is the county seat) from Northern Virginia our car insurance skyrocketed even though we now have a secured parking garage (in Virginia we parked on the street). The customer service rep commiserated (she lived in south Florida too) and said it was due to the high number of stolen cars and drivers on the road without insurance or even licenses.

 

Having lived in metro DC, where rush hour is all day long, plus Rome and Athens, where driving is a competitive sport, I have to say that the stretch of I95 south of 595 thru Miami is among the most nerve wracking ever experienced. We had never seen anything like cars routinely cutting between the toll lanes and the rest of the highway by intentionally running over the rubber barrier poles (they fold) - and we've seen that every time we drive to/from Miami!

Well - I tried off site parking in Miami - never again. Enough said.

 

 

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Thanks for the information. Glad we decided to park at the port now instead. We've also decided we are going to take I-75 in and avoid I-95 due to comments about I-95. We have decided to go down through Atlanta, but we'll be hitting it fairly late at night so it should work out fine. We got our SunPass in the mail the other day and I have that all set up for use on I-75.

Thanks for the information. Glad we decided to park at the port now instead. We've also decided we are going to take I-75 in and avoid I-95 due to comments about I-95. We have decided to go down through Atlanta, but we'll be hitting it fairly late at night so it should work out fine. We got our SunPass in the mail the other day and I have that all set up for use on I-75.

My wife & I debated parking all weekend and we still haven't come to a good decision LOL. We refuse to use a facility that keeps keys. Just don't trust that. I can't figure out Premier. Reviews on their website from last month mentioned they now kept your keys, a new policy. But fatpaul said that they didn't. And more recent reviews on their site don't mention them keeping keys either. So maybe they changed it back, I don't know. The biggest complaint about them is shuttle wait time. Some get lucky and get a quick shuttle to & from the port. Several said they waited 40 min. to an hour to get TO the port. When the cruise is over, I think I can tolerate a long wait for the shuttle back to the garage. It won't be pleasant, but I'd rather it happen at the end than the beginning. I surely don't want to wait an extra hour just to get from the garage to the terminal. I want to get the check-in process started asap. So it seems like Premier is a craps shoot when it comes to shuttle reliability. Other than that, from what I've read, they aren't that bad.

 

I've mentioned before that we'll be a group of 8 and more than likely traveling in a large passenger van belonging to the other family. Part of our debate this weekend was parking at the port. But anything over 20 ft. in length is an additional $20/day. We definitely won't be paying that. I still have to find out how long their van is.

My wife & I debated parking all weekend and we still haven't come to a good decision LOL. We refuse to use a facility that keeps keys. Just don't trust that. I can't figure out Premier. Reviews on their website from last month mentioned they now kept your keys, a new policy. But fatpaul said that they didn't. And more recent reviews on their site don't mention them keeping keys either. So maybe they changed it back, I don't know. The biggest complaint about them is shuttle wait time. Some get lucky and get a quick shuttle to & from the port. Several said they waited 40 min. to an hour to get TO the port. When the cruise is over, I think I can tolerate a long wait for the shuttle back to the garage. It won't be pleasant, but I'd rather it happen at the end than the beginning. I surely don't want to wait an extra hour just to get from the garage to the terminal. I want to get the check-in process started asap. So it seems like Premier is a craps shoot when it comes to shuttle reliability. Other than that, from what I've read, they aren't that bad.

 

I've mentioned before that we'll be a group of 8 and more than likely traveling in a large passenger van belonging to the other family. Part of our debate this weekend was parking at the port. But anything over 20 ft. in length is an additional $20/day. We definitely won't be paying that. I still have to find out how long their van is.

 

 

There is more than one company with similar names; some have bad reputations and they prey on the confusion.

 

If you are a group of 8 (multiple family) just split the cost of parking at the pier. The savings on offsite parking will soon be forgotten if you have to split shuttles to get back to the van at the end of your trip. Just sounds like a mess. I've read some people waiting 2-3 HOURS for a shuttle, and saying screw it and taking a cab, negating all savings. The port really is easy.

There is more than one company with similar names; some have bad reputations and they prey on the confusion.

 

If you are a group of 8 (multiple family) just split the cost of parking at the pier. The savings on offsite parking will soon be forgotten if you have to split shuttles to get back to the van at the end of your trip. Just sounds like a mess. I've read some people waiting 2-3 HOURS for a shuttle, and saying screw it and taking a cab, negating all savings. The port really is easy.

Yeah, I asked fatpaul the address to make sure I was thinking of the same company. It's a self-park garage that didn't keep your keys. Then someone in their reviews said they did. Now fatpaul says they don't. Oy! :rolleyes: I wish they'd be more forthcoming with their policies. I've also noticed that one company will own more than one location, but they don't make it well known that they own both. There's one company that keeps your keys and jams everyone's cars into a small lot like sardines. I would never use them. I was checking out another location that had a different website and, come to find out, it was that same company.

 

I think we'll either park at the port, which definitely sounds great, or find a hotel with long-term cruiser parking and their own shuttle (because we're staying the night before). The problem with that is, getting back to the hotel. One of us would probably take a taxi/uber back while the others waited outside the terminal.

Thanks for the information. Glad we decided to park at the port now instead. We've also decided we are going to take I-75 in and avoid I-95 due to comments about I-95. We have decided to go down through Atlanta, but we'll be hitting it fairly late at night so it should work out fine. We got our SunPass in the mail the other day and I have that all set up for use on I-75.

 

 

I just returned from cruise out of Miami, driving to and from Miami from Tallahassee area using 75, turnpike, and 95 - both days being Saturdays. Traffic was what I considered normal big city traffic for a Saturday The only congested traffic we ran across was right before the cruise port. Maybe we slowed to 50.

 

 

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My insurance company (USAA) sure thinks it is bad. The impact of uninsured and unlicensed drivers in south Florida is reflected in our car insurance rates. When we moved to Broward County (Fort Lauderdale is the county seat) from Northern Virginia our car insurance skyrocketed even though we now have a secured parking garage (in Virginia we parked on the street). The customer service rep commiserated (she lived in south Florida too) and said it was due to the high number of stolen cars and drivers on the road without insurance or even licenses.

 

Having lived in metro DC, where rush hour is all day long, plus Rome and Athens, where driving is a competitive sport, I have to say that the stretch of I95 south of 595 thru Miami is among the most nerve wracking ever experienced. We had never seen anything like cars routinely cutting between the toll lanes and the rest of the highway by intentionally running over the rubber barrier poles (they fold) - and we've seen that every time we drive to/from Miami!

 

My situation is identical to yours. Moved from No. VA to Jacksonville. I also insure with USAA. Insurance cost jumped tremendously- even though we have the cars garaged and live in a gated, secure community. I also added the uninsured motorist coverage on the advice of USAA.

 

I recently drove RT from Jacksonville to Fort Lauderdale, down on a Saturday and back on a Sunday. Sunday AM return was easy. Saturday afternoon from West Palm to our hotel on 17th street was a nightmare. I am used to the Type A, me first drivers in the D.C. area. Just let them cut in front and you will be fine. Driving in S. Florida is far worse- no one uses a turn signal- with one hand on the wheel (maybe) and the other hand holding their cell phone, how could they. Tailgating is awful- literally on your bumper. Speed limits mean absolutely nothing. I have to agree that it is the worse driving experience I have ever had. I have a Sunpass and WILL take the Turnpike to avoid I-95 in Broward and Dade.

We used JetPort Park and Ride Center in January. It went well. They kept our keys in a lockup cabinet. When we returned they scanned our return ticket so by the time we got back to the parking lot our car was waiting for us. My vehicle went in without a scratch and came back out without a scratch. We will be using them again in October. http://miamiportparking.com/

But here's the thing...for those of us coming from out of state, we're talking about more than just the traffic between Ft. Lauderdale and Miami. It'd cost me $20 in tolls to take the Turnpike from its beginning to Miami. Taking I-95 from Jacksonville to Ft. Lauderdale only costs a few dollars more in gas. And that portion of 95 isn't really that bad. So for me, the Turnpike isn't worth it. With that said, I could then jump on the Turnpike north of Ft. Lauderdale, pay a lot less in tolls, and take advantage of avoiding some of the mess in the south.

 

We used JetPort Park and Ride Center in January. It went well. They kept our keys in a lockup cabinet. When we returned they scanned our return ticket so by the time we got back to the parking lot our car was waiting for us. My vehicle went in without a scratch and came back out without a scratch. We will be using them again in October. http://miamiportparking.com/

 

Here's what scares me about them...

 

Thanks for the information. Glad we decided to park at the port now instead. We've also decided we are going to take I-75 in and avoid I-95 due to comments about I-95. We have decided to go down through Atlanta, but we'll be hitting it fairly late at night so it should work out fine. We got our SunPass in the mail the other day and I have that all set up for use on I-75.

 

I-75 is not a toll road unless you go across Alligator Alley which you won't. The Turnpike is tolls all the way. If you use the express lanes on I-95 there is a toll, the rate fluctuates depending on how much traffic there is.

 

I have lived here for over 20 years and while I think I-95 is pretty bad, OK really bad you all make it sound like you fear for your lives every time you are out there. It's bad, but not that bad. . . And on a weekend it is nowhere near as bad as weekdays, although you need to be aware of delays due to construction. I concur on the insurance issues though. There have been plenty of studies that confirm that Miami has the highest rate of uninsured drivers in the country. I just look at it as part of the price of living in paradise, especially in late February when the rest of the country is blanketed in snow. . .

We just returned from the port 2 days ago. We drove 14hrs and parked at the pier. We kept our keys. It was $120 for 6 days. No one rode or drove in our car and we parked right at our terminal.

 

 

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I can't say people won't have problems just saying I didn't. I am picky about my car and have seen cars get dinged in parking lots. Mine didn't get dinged in their lot. Remember the only ones around the cars are their employees and they have their system down pretty good. My next cruise is 10 nights and my savings are almost $100. The one time I parked at the port our ship came in 2 terminals away and that was a pain.

 

 

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My insurance company (USAA) sure thinks it is bad. The impact of uninsured and unlicensed drivers in south Florida is reflected in our car insurance rates. When we moved to Broward County (Fort Lauderdale is the county seat) from Northern Virginia our car insurance skyrocketed even though we now have a secured parking garage (in Virginia we parked on the street). The customer service rep commiserated (she lived in south Florida too) and said it was due to the high number of stolen cars and drivers on the road without insurance or even licenses.

 

Having lived in metro DC, where rush hour is all day long, plus Rome and Athens, where driving is a competitive sport, I have to say that the stretch of I95 south of 595 thru Miami is among the most nerve wracking ever experienced. We had never seen anything like cars routinely cutting between the toll lanes and the rest of the highway by intentionally running over the rubber barrier poles (they fold) - and we've seen that every time we drive to/from Miami!

I agree with you. We moved from LI to West Palm Beach in 2015 and my insurance almost doubled. We too park in a secure garage in WPB and on our driveway on LI.

 

We snowbird between LI and WPB so we do that drive 2x a year. We avoid 95 when we are in the Miami area. I have driven through NYC, LA, Honolulu, DC, and Boston. Driving through Miami is far worse than any of them.

 

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We live in Florida and always drive to the port. I have used off site parking for Tampa, Port Canaveral, and Port Everglades with no hesitation....but when we cruise out of Miami, we always spend the extra money to park at the Port of Miami. To me, it's not worth the hassle and stress. Miami is stressful enough.;p

 

 

I agree with this as well, when we sail out of Miami we alway park at the Port of Miami!

Edited May 3, 2017 by lubyshell
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Thanks for the information. Glad we decided to park at the port now instead. We've also decided we are going to take I-75 in and avoid I-95 due to comments about I-95. We have decided to go down through Atlanta, but we'll be hitting it fairly late at night so it should work out fine. We got our SunPass in the mail the other day and I have that all set up for use on I-75.

 

 

We driving in From Kansas City. We are taking the same route but leaving Thursday Afternoon. We should hit Atlanta before The morning Rush Friday morning.(its hell driving through there) and taking 75 down to Miami. See you on the ship!

We driving in From Kansas City. We are taking the same route but leaving Thursday Afternoon. We should hit Atlanta before The morning Rush Friday morning.(its hell driving through there) and taking 75 down to Miami. See you on the ship!

 

Safe travels! I'd love to leave on Thursday, but my wife has to work so that's not going to happen unfortunately. So the first day is going to be, "This sucks, just keep driving, get as far as you can and as close to the Florida/Georgia line as possible!" lol

Glad I found this thread and will be subscribing to it for future info!;) I read all of the preceding pages and understand that there are no pre-paid reservations and we should just show up at the port to park. However, my one question I have now is does anyone know which garage would be closest to RCCL Navigator of the Seas, so I won't have too long of a walk to the ship?:confused: Old lady here!:o Thanks in advance to all of you for providing such great info!

Glad I found this thread and will be subscribing to it for future info!;) I read all of the preceding pages and understand that there are no pre-paid reservations and we should just show up at the port to park. However, my one question I have now is does anyone know which garage would be closest to RCCL Navigator of the Seas, so I won't have too long of a walk to the ship?:confused: Old lady here!:o Thanks in advance to all of you for providing such great info!

 

Navigator is usually docked at Terminal F, and the parking garage is directly across from the terminal, just steps away.

Glad I found this thread and will be subscribing to it for future info!;) I read all of the preceding pages and understand that there are no pre-paid reservations and we should just show up at the port to park. However, my one question I have now is does anyone know which garage would be closest to RCCL Navigator of the Seas, so I won't have too long of a walk to the ship?:confused: Old lady here!:o Thanks in advance to all of you for providing such great info!

You're right, no pre-paid reservations for port parking. If you happen to choose one of the off-site lots/garages, check they're website. Most of those do offer reservations.

If the Navigator docks at the RC terminal, there is a large surface lot and parking garage J right next to that terminal.

We just drove to Miami from Omaha, NE for our cruise that departed on 3/11/17. Even with the parking cost and hotels, we spent 1/4 of what airfare would have cost. We parked at the same place and it was great. Very easy to find, reasonably priced and when we got off the ship on 3/18 and the shuttle brought us back, our car was waiting for us.

 

For the drive down, going through Atlanta was horrible so if you can find an alternate route, you won't regret it. It took us over 2 hours just to get through. I never want to drive through there again.

 

Good luck and happy travels.

 

Julie

 

What hotel did you stay at that brought to the port and brought you back to the hotel for your car? I am having a bit if difficulty finding a hotel that says they will pick up when you return. I only see that they will drop you off one-way. Thank you in advance for you help!

Navigator is usually docked at Terminal F, and the parking garage is directly across from the terminal, just steps away.

 

Yay, exactly the info I was hoping to find! Thanks so much and have a blessed day!:halo:

 

Organized Chaos - Thanks for the info but I will NOT be parking off-site since, even though there are a few good reviews, there are many more bad ones:eek: and we won't be taking that chance to be among them! Our vehicle will remain safe and sound, and immediately ready for us when we return!:*

What hotel did you stay at that brought to the port and brought you back to the hotel for your car? I am having a bit if difficulty finding a hotel that says they will pick up when you return. I only see that they will drop you off one-way. Thank you in advance for you help!

I'm pretty sure they're replying to the OP and referring to the JetPort Park & Ride. From what I can tell, through my own research and this forum, there aren't any hotels in Miami that offer a shuttle back to the hotel.

 

If you're looking for a hotel that offers long-term cruiser parking, I suggest calling those hotels directly to inquire. We're Wyndham rewards members, so we like to stay at one that belongs to the Wyndham family. We called the general Wyndham customer service and they were clueless about Miami hotels that offered cruise parking. We saw that the Ramada might offer it, so we called the general Ramada customer service and they, too, had no idea. They were going to call the Miami Ramada to ask, but we said forget it, we'll do it. So save yourself some time and call hotels directly.

Organized Chaos - Thanks for the info but I will NOT be parking off-site since, even though there are a few good reviews, there are many more bad ones and we won't be taking that chance to be among them! Our vehicle will remain safe and sound, and immediately ready for us when we return!

Yeah, we were all set to use one of the off-site lots to save money, but after researching them, we've decided to avoid them. We'll either park at the port or find a hotel with cruise parking.

Do the Doubletree Grand, you usually get upgraded to a condo. You leave your car secure. They take you to the ship. On return, it is a very short taxi ride across the bridge and you are right there. Very excellent and reasonably priced.

 

 

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We will be driving from Orlando down to Miami on the morning of July 9th to go on celebrity Equinox.

2 Questions-

Is there a parking lot at the pier that Celebrity uses,

And should there be a lot of traffic early on a Sunday morning between Orlando and Miami?

THANKS!!

 

 

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