What's going on in FLL the 3rd week in Feb?

I was actually pricing hotels for our February 2017 cruise but rates aren't posted yet so I used February 2016 to search. Hotel prices are REALLY high across major brands. $250/night for Sleep Inn. I've stayed at that hotel before for less than $100/night.

Does anyone know if there is some kind of annual event going on that weekend or another reason the rates would be so high?

Thanks!

February school vacation would be my guess.

Valentines day. Same high rates for us for valentines day cruise 2016

Yeah, I didn't think about seasonally high hotel rates when I booked my really great cruise fare 😕.

Still, I don't trust Ohio weather or the airlines enough to fly in the day of the cruise. Guess I'll just keep my eye out for a good deal and snag it up when I see it.

I was actually pricing hotels for our February 2017 cruise but rates aren't posted yet so I used February 2016 to search. Hotel prices are REALLY high across major brands. $250/night for Sleep Inn. I've stayed at that hotel before for less than $100/night.

 

Does anyone know if there is some kind of annual event going on that weekend or another reason the rates would be so high?

 

Thanks!

Sleep Inn might be less than $100 in the low (i.e., hot, humid and hurricane) season but no decent hotel will cost that in the high season (December holidays thru April) in Fort Lauderdale. They charge what the market will bear.

In 2016 Presidents Day is Monday February 15th. That's a 3 day weekend for many Florida public schools that also includes Valentine's Day (the 14th) and the Fort Lauderdale marathon (also the 14th). In addition, as others have noted, it is a school vacation week for many in the northeast and other states. It is probably the busiest week in February. In March every week is busy due to the varying dates of spring breaks throughout the country.

And just to add to that high demand, there are 5 or 6 cruises departing on that Monday.

I was actually pricing hotels for our February 2017 cruise but rates aren't posted yet so I used February 2016 to search. Hotel prices are REALLY high across major brands. $250/night for Sleep Inn. I've stayed at that hotel before for less than $100/night.

 

Does anyone know if there is some kind of annual event going on that weekend or another reason the rates would be so high?

 

Thanks!

High season; Northern cities school breaks; Presidents weekend, Valentines Day etc.

Check hotels through Value trips, Last Minute Travel or LMT club - often these hotel offers will include breakfast, airport and/or cruise port shuttles. If you get something for $200 or less, book it.

Yeah, I didn't think about seasonally high hotel rates when I booked my really great cruise fare .

 

Still, I don't trust Ohio weather or the airlines enough to fly in the day of the cruise. Guess I'll just keep my eye out for a good deal and snag it up when I see it.

Here's a tip, don't wait. Book what you can live with.

I can promise you baring a national disaster, rates will NOT come down and will only go higher.

The above post is excellent advice and very true.

My family cruised the week after Easter.

We booked our FLL hotel in June....10 months in advance. We needed 2 rooms and snagged them for under $100 each with a AAA discount. We stayed at The Sleep Inn & Suites FLL. As the months progressed, the rate of this hotel continued to go up until it finally sold out. Some others on our roll-call paid $259 per night. A lot of the other hotels were either sold out or $$$, so do book early....you can always cancel, if you find a better deal. Better to be locked-in with a rate you can live with than try to wait and see if a deal will come your way later....

As a Floridian, I can tell you that Feb is prime season and President's Day a weekend for a hotel Will not be cheap....book it now.

👍👍👍👍👍

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The above post is excellent advice and very true.

 

My family cruised the week after Easter.

We booked our FLL hotel in June....10 months in advance. We needed 2 rooms and snagged them for under $100 each with a AAA discount. We stayed at The Sleep Inn & Suites FLL. As the months progressed, the rate of this hotel continued to go up until it finally sold out. Some others on our roll-call paid $259 per night. A lot of the other hotels were either sold out or $$$, so do book early....you can always cancel, if you find a better deal. Better to be locked-in with a rate you can live with than try to wait and see if a deal will come your way later....

 

As a Floridian, I can tell you that Feb is prime season and President's Day a weekend for a hotel Will not be cheap....book it now.

 

 

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Wait, didn't you live somewhere else that isn't in Florida?

If so welcome to Florida!

I lived outside is Indianapolis for a few years....moved back to Fla last year.

Tampa Bay is is my hometown area. I'm so very glad to be back home again........PLUS 5 Fla ports to sail from....👍👍👍

.

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I lived outside is Indianapolis for a few years....moved back to Fla last year.

 

Tampa Bay is is my hometown area. I'm so very glad to be back home again........PLUS 5 Fla ports to sail from....

 

.

 

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Welcome home! Tampa is a beautiful area! I'm sure it was tough being land locked!

Just like the OP, we will most likely also being looking for accommodations some time in February 2017. Anyone know when these events might occur the following year? Might be helpful to know in advance, so that we can make the best cruise combination as well.

Just like the OP, we will most likely also being looking for accommodations some time in February 2017. Anyone know when these events might occur the following year? Might be helpful to know in advance, so that we can make the best cruise combination as well.

Presidents Day is a national holiday. In 2017 it will be Monday, February 20th.

Valentines Day in 2017 will be Tuesday, February 14th.

I presume the Fort Lauderdale Marathon will be Sunday, February 19th. I couldn't find a date for it but it has traditionally been held on the Sunday of the President's Day 3 day weekend.

My advice to anyone coming into Fort Lauderdale that weekend - or really any weekend in the high season - is make your non-binding reservations early (even as soon as they open about a year in advance) and then watch prices.