Flymia

Don't over think it. In reality FLL is pretty close to Miami. Choosing between FLL or MIA is like choosing between JFK or LGA. At the end it is all the same, just one is a bit closer of a drive. For flights, prices and schedule should be the decision maker, not airport. You can easily drive to Miami from FLL either the day you arrive or the day you leave on the ship. It is a 30-45 min drive.

Don't use transit. Use a shuttle service like SLS or Larry's Limo. Or you can just grab two ubers and make your way down. With 5-7 people the price difference won't be much between two ubers or a shuttle. Flying in day of the cruise is HIGHLY discouraged.

Catch an uber/lyft to the airport/car rental center and book from there.

Southeast Florida never closed, the airports never even closed. We were lucky to get very little effects from the Hurricane. All cruise ports are open.

Don't look into airport shuttles/port shuttles. Miami is a rather small city in size, just uber/lyft. Intercontinental by far has the best port views.

February is an expensive month for Miami. Don't worry about shuttles, there are not many, but Miami is not that big taxi/rideshare won't be too bad. I usually map it out on hotels.com and see what I can find. Not sure what your exact price range is, but right now JW Marriot in Brickell is showing rooms a $368, which is not horrible.

$10.00 per person is expensive. You can get an Uber for $10 + tip.

Order shuttle or just do two Uber XL for each ride. Very simple.

Hampton Inn Miami Wynwood is not really in Wynwood, that area is more known as Midtown/Edgewater. Anyway, it is not a dangerous area, but not a walkable area you would find in Downtown/Brickell. I highly suggest Hampton Inn Brickell. Great area, very walkable. Wynwood and Midtown both have great dining, but you'll want to drive/rideshare to places and then walk around there. Everglades you will need a car or tour. Little Havana you can do rideshare or use one of the hop-on-hop-off bus tours. Bayside is nice to walk around, but I there are much better places to enjoy a meal.

When would you drive? The storm is expected to be moving between the west coast of Florida through Jacksonville from Thursday night to Friday night. Meaning lots of rain and storms in the way of your drive Thursday and Friday. You might be best flying. Miami will be fine by Thursday afternoon, and Friday looks like a normal sunny day. Charlotte shows rain on Friday, but more later in the day and nothing that should slow things down significantly. The planes easily route around hurricanes/tropical storms. Just adds some time to your flight but planes fly around them all the time. Driving seems like a terrible idea.

NOAA has TS winds getting there Tuesday at 8pm. But NHC also has the storm moving very slow from Wed-Fri, being right in the Tampa area Thursday Morning. Honestly, I don't see how a Thursday sailing is going to happen nor do I see something like a one-day delay. Not sure what Carnival will do, but given the ships route I don't even think they will take it back to Tampa either stay at sea for extra days and wait until what looks like would need to be late Friday or Saturday or divert to SE Florida.

A rideshare is going to be so much cheaper. I would not hassle with a shuttle for such a short drive. Talking about a 5-10 min drive. You could even just use a taxi, they are usually lined up there. Zero need for a per-person shuttle.

I would be shocked if worst case you could go to Bayside and places there should be open as well. No doubt something will be open. Really for the majority of people in Miami that celebrate Christmas, Christmas Eve is the bigger event. Even then, December is busy with tourist, places will be open.

Your flight leaves the same day you arrive? Or you have a full day in Miami? Renting a car for a few hours and especially going to Sawgrass seems a bit much unless you have a late night flight. I would go with an airport car rental and just take an uber to the Airport car rental center. So then you drop it off at the airport.

There are so many easily located hotels, even one inside the airport. You want to sit on chair for 8-hours? The airport is a 20-min drive to the port. You can easily do a rideshare that morning at whatever time you like.

There is a sign that says where each ship is when entering the port.

You won't find any locals suggesting anything at Bayside. I had to check the link to see what is listed. I would go with Black Market Miami if Bayside is a must. Given the group it is a coinvent choice. If you want something more Miami, Ceviche 105 is even closer. Make a reservation.

This is a hard one. First because flying in the day of is something I just won't do. I always give myself at least 24-hours for any cruise or at least 12-14 hours for a "big trip" connection. For example I went to Hawaii this year, connected in LA and took an overnight connecting giving me time for long delays or even a cancellation. Did not want to risk missing just one day. My flight to LAX was delayed almost 2-hours too. So on this one I want to lean MCO. DCA is not a hub for Southwest, given your arrival time that plane is likely arriving into DCA the night before and resting overnight in DCA. Meaning there is more time to get a delay either noticed or resolved with re-booking. And Southwest has a hub in BWI that could maybe work for you. For MLB It being a morning flight gives you a better chance of less issues, though it is not early enough that it would likely not be the first flight of the day for that airplane. The plane is likely coming in from an outstation into DCA and then over to MLB. AA might not allow a re-booking to MCO as well. I don't think Southwest has agreements with other airlines to put customers on other flights. But Orlando is a big station for them. Ultimately a delay on either is going to hurt, because with MCO has a 45-min drive, and MLB is a later arrival time. Really not sure which airline might seem the most reliable. The AA flight is a regional partner so keep that in mind. Given that is would be less reliable. Especially on December 24th as the regional airlines have an even bigger pilot shortage issue. If you must fly in the day of, even though MCO has the drive, I like my chances with a morning flight out of DCA to a large station with a plane that is likely scheduled to arrive in DCA the night before on a mainline carrier.

Cab would be very expensive. Not sure how much Larry Limo is, but rideshare is very easy in MIA.

Port Miami is in the middle of the central business district/financial district. There are endless choices, and adding the airport hundreds of hotels. The most popular hotel and one I would recommend the most with decent price but great location is Hampton Inn Brickell.

30 mins if no traffic. 45-60 with traffic and over 75mins in evening rush. Regardless rideshare is the way to go. Should be under $50.00 for a regular car.

The main difference is MIA is a little bit further, but still an easy drive. While MIA is a bigger airport, FLL is a very busy airport as well, especially on Saturday and Sunday mornings. I would do Noon. 10:15 you need everything to go perfect, including customs clearing the ship on time.

As a local I can give input on location. It is decent location, not exactly what I would suggest for someone to stay, but nothing wrong with it. It is right near Merrick Park which is a very nice area for dinner one evening. You'll need to Uber or walk over to the Metrorail to do anything else. Metrorail to Downtown/Brickell and Uber to Miami Beach or just about anywhere else. Other than Merrick Park it is not a walkable area.

There are not many and not worth looking at only those options. Pick either an airport hotel that is close to the airport for an easy ride from the airport, or a hotel in Downtown Miami or Brickell or an easy ride to the Port. Whichever, is more important. Uber/Lyft is the way to go IMO.

Just park at the port. $22.00 a day to park in Miami is not a bad deal. It is so much easier than dealing with unreliable bus or vans before and after your cruise to save $5-$12 a day. Look at the savings not the expense. It is not much.