What to do for a few hours in FLL?

We're arriving at FLL at 5:55 am for a cruise that day for Celebrity Silhouette. As I understand, the best way to get from the airport to the port is via taxi.

I was wondering since we have a few hours to kill, any suggestions on what to do? Anything to do around the port?

Thanks

There is luggage storage inside the FLL airport if you want ot explore; better yet you can grab the free shuttel to one of the nicer airport hotels (Hilton? :confused:), tip them to watch your bags, and then enjoy a long breakfast and a few mimosas! :D When you are finished collect your bags and cab to the port. Good luck ! :)

Exact same thing happen with some people we met on our roll call. They came in from SFO 6am and arranged to drop their bags in the room of the hotel where another couple from the roll call were staying - went for leisurely breakfast and some last minute shopping. By then it was 10:30 and time to go to the port.

Those are some excellent ideas. Bob:)

I'm in the same situation, arriving too early. Anyone else have any specific recomendations for a hotel to have a leisurely breakfast?

We're arriving at FLL at 5:55 am for a cruise that day for Celebrity Silhouette. As I understand, the best way to get from the airport to the port is via taxi.

 

I was wondering since we have a few hours to kill, any suggestions on what to do? Anything to do around the port?

 

Thanks

What is your arrival date?

How many are you?

If your arrival is not coming up soon during peak hotel season, you might find a hotel close to the airport that has a shuttle and breakfast that would let you have a room for a few hours at a cut rate price. Again, it would have to be in a month the hotel has vacant rooms daily.

Catch the hotel airport shuttle, have breakfast, ask for a late check-out (Avoid the crowds at the port and not arrive until 2:00 PM), relax, nap, lay out by the pool, shower, change clothes or run to K-Mart (Oakwood Plaza Mall area hotels) to pick up water, sodas, wine, etc.

Breakfast at a restaurant would cost at least $10 per person and your taxi or shuttle cost to the port from the hotel would pretty much be a wash unless you could get a port shuttle included in the cost of the room.

To do this you will need to call the hotel directly and talk to a manager that can make an executive decision on this outside the norm room rental.

thanks Florisouri,

we are departing on Sat, April 6 (just a few weeks)

probably don't want a day room, but just a nice quiet breakfast for a few hours then taxi to stop by and pick up a few things then on to the port. So something fairly close by, and a shuttle from airport to hotel would be a plus. I understand Princess is never boarding until 12 or 12:30 the past several months, so 4 hours waiting in the terminal doesn't sound like a good way to start a vacation.

thanks Florisouri,

we are departing on Sat, April 6 (just a few weeks)

probably don't want a day room, but just a nice quiet breakfast for a few hours then taxi to stop by and pick up a few things then on to the port. So something fairly close by, and a shuttle from airport to hotel would be a plus. I understand Princess is never boarding until 12 or 12:30 the past several months, so 4 hours waiting in the terminal doesn't sound like a good way to start a vacation.

Ouch...That's a week after Easter so it's not all that bad timing. You still might be able to get a cut-rate deal at the last minute when the hotel manager can see they aren't going to fill up.

A taxi from FLL to the restaurant is going to cost you $15-$20 and then if you stop somewhere with a taxi to get supplies then you're looking at at least $20-$25 plus tip. You might as well rent a car. You could have the taxi drop you at Moonlite Diner in Oakwood Plaza Mall then you could walk to K-Mart after breakfast to get your supplies, wander around Home Depot or Ross' clothes shopping with the wife (now that could get really expensive!), but what are you going to do with your luggage, drag it around? If you pay for storage at FLL then again, you might as well rent a car.

After a red-eye flight the last thing I would want to do is stand in line after line for hours (even though you would be at the front of the line). As a matter of fact, I hate standing in line after traveling 20 minutes from home. When I cruise from Miami I don't leave the house until 1:00 PM.

The reality is there is only so much time you can "camp out" in a restaurant before you start getting annoyed looks from servers and managers. They need to turn those tables to make more money and tips. If you arrive at FLL at about 6:00 AM you'll deplane, get your bags, catch a taxi and be at the restaurant at around 7:00 AM. A leisurely breakfast would be about an hour so that gets you to 8:00 AM. Now what?

Your other option would be to rent a car and that would give you immediate bag storage, transportation to the restaurant and K-Mart or wherever afterwards. Then you have the freedom and flexibility to waste time in a mall.

Thanks everyone for the info. We're arriving actually March 31, Sunday Easter Morning. Sounds like a good idea to hit the shuttle Hilton, have an Easter brunch and then slowly make our way to the port.

Celebrity wants us to board at the earliest at 12 - it seems because of budget cut, takes more time to disembark people or something like that.

Just to update -- in case people are in the same situation.

We arrived early at terminal 1 at 6 am. Debating whether to go to a hotel but since it's Easter Sunday -- really didn't want to be in the hotel during the rush for the Easter brunch.

We were told that Chili's in terminal 3 was open and a lot of us (seems passengers also going to the cruise) went there. From terminal 1 it was very walkable, even with our luggage. (Exiting from baggage claim, just turn right.)

TERMINAL 3: In addition to Chili's, there is a small food court in the area and plenty of comfortable chairs (typically airport chairs) for people to seat. Note, a lot of people went to Chili's with their luggage. Seems not to be a problem.

While waiting, I noted that there is a baggage storage area open I believe from 9 am to 5:30. It's near Dunkin Donut. So that is an option, if you want to wait and drop off your luggage and go somewhere else. But you do need to wait for it to open.

One thing you may want to consider -- which I'll do if this happens again is to see if the cruise has a pre-cruise tour. We saw passengers being picked up early. Cruise also has a post-cruise tour so that you can do something and that tour will bring you to the airport once done. I think this is a better option next time.

Taxi to the cruise port was around $15.00. Easy to get a taxi from the airport.

Hope this helps.

Can rent a car, to go get supplies. Buy some booze, soda, other stuff. Avis $32 to rent from FLL and return at the location (QF1) near the cruise port, then they shuttle you to the cruise.

That Avis location is

Port Everglades Shuttle for Cruise Ships, Ft Lauderdale, QF1

2301 Southeast 17th Street, Ft Lauderdale, QF1 FL US

(33316 ) (1) 954-713-1500

Sun 8:00 AM - 2:00 PM

Mon - Fri 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM

Sat 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM