Hotel Upgrade

We've been told that we've been upgrade to JW Marriott in Miami for 2/22/08 Panama Canal Cruise on Brilliance. We were booked at Wyndham Grand Bay. Any thoughts on this upgrade? We did buy transfers. What time will they pick us up from the hotel and take us to the pier? We like to get there early. Is JW Marriott closer to the pier? Where is there to shop around the hotel? Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Here is a link to several reviews of this hotel:

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g34438-d223040-Reviews-JW_Marriott_Miami-Miami_Florida.html#REVIEWS

In general it is in the Business District, it is close to the pier, and is a 5 star hotel.

We stayed at the JW Marriott in Miami last April the night before our cruise. We booked it after researching tripadvisor. I was very pleased with the hotel. Our room had a flat screen tv and very nice fluffy duvet on the beds. Very clean, furniture, carpet, paint all in excellent condition. We had arranged our own transportation to the pier, so can't comment on that.

I would rec that you get reid of the ship's transfers and do it by cab. It will save you a lot of money and time just sitting on a bus waiting for others to check out and join you. You could even end up stopping at another hotel or two. Just get the credit for the transfers and cab it. You can leave whenever YOU feel like it.