JohninDC

Post cruise you can rent a car and be at Universal well before noon - should give you enough time to ride lots of rides, stand in lots of lines and spend lots of money.

Call the hotel with your questions about shuttles. Brickell area is very different from an airport hotel location - know what you want before comparing apples to oranges.

Chase Suites and others in the Rocky Point area of Tampa used to offer cruise parking packages that included transportation to/from the port. Check stay123 dot come and parksleepfly dot com for other hotels offering parking/shuttles.

The garages empty as the previous guests depart. Plenty of parking should be available whenever you arrive.

With 4 plus bags you will need UberXL or a taxi van.

Airport hotels are fine if you are arriving late and do not want to see/experience Miami. If all you want is a bed and maybe dinner it will be fine. Hampton Inn Blue lagoon and the nearby Homewood Suites get better reviews and offer nearby dining and shopping options. Have a great cruise!

Welcome to the boards! Orlando, where you will likely fly into, is about a 1-hour drive from Port Canaveral. If you fly in late in the day your best bet is to stay in Orlando near the airport and then shuttle/Uber to the port in the morning. If you fly in early enough, you can use a one-way car rental or shuttles/Uber to get to your Port Canaveral hotel. In the PC area we like the Homewood Suites, but there are dozens of hotels to choose from - info on your budget and who's travelling will help the suggestions to be closer to your target.

From reviews. When we cruise from Miami, or when I used to go there on business, we stay at the Doubletree on Biscayne Blvd - some rooms offer a port view, big rooms, nearby dining options, great pool area, close to the port, etc. It is a quieter area of downtown. If any of this helps you owe me a pint - whatever bitter your local pours will be fine! 😎

That Holiday Inn has a wonderful location, but the hotel itself is dreadful.

If there is no fog then 11:15 is doable - TPA is only about a 15+ minute cab ride (under $30 on the meter) from the port.

Hmmm? Landing at noon, if your flight is not delayed/cancelled, for a cruise leaving that afternoon. 😬 FLL to POM will take about 45-60 minutes - depending upon traffic and day of the week. If you land at noon (hopefully your flight is not delayed) it will be about 1:00 by the time you are off the plane and reunited with your bags - WHAT TIME DO YOU NEED TO BE ON THE SHIP? IF it is 3:00 or 3:30, and IF your flight is on time, and IF there is not a big traffic issue you should make it. My advice is to skip any shared shuttle, grab the first cab in line and ask the driver to HURRY. I would also invest in travel insurance ASAP. Good luck! 😎

Look at Hampton Inn and others in the Mary Brickell area - lots of nearby dining and shopping options, close to the port and close to public transportation.

Avis and Budget have a location near the port on 2nd and will usually shuttle you to POM after returning the car.

Luggage Lounge in South Beach is an option.

www.resortpass.com will connect you to hotels/resorts offering day passes to their pool/spa/beach facilities. Tip them to store your bags while you swim, get pampered, relax and grab lunch/drinks.

You can see the port from some rooms at the Doubletree - I do not belie there are any port views from the Hilton. Doubletree also offers a great pool area. Your call!

Tri-Rail is an economical option as long as you are not in a hurry.

Cash is your best option at PB or anywhere else on Coz. We usually tip 15-20% of our final bill - just like you would in the US.

Popular suggestion on this board is the Hampton Inn Blue Lagoon. There is a strip mall across the street with dining & fast-food options, as well as grocery, drug and liquor stores for your cruise supplies!

Thank! 😎

Parking at POM is covered, convenient (garages are about 100 yards from check-in) and secure. Also expensive ($25-28/night depending upon how long your ship is gone). Parking anywhere else in Miami is not suggested by any of the locals. You might look at two one-way car rentals, leave your car at home, and avoid any parking fees.

We have done Orlando to Miami the morning of a cruise without issues. Going the day before will be less stress, but also more expensive. Your call!

Correct - you will need to take a cab or Uber from the port to pick up your rental. If you drop off downtown the Avis/Budget location may offer a shuttle to the port.

Downtown location off of 2nd St? About a 5-10 minute ride. MIA airport rental car center? About a 20+ minute ride.

Should not be an issue getting an XL and only a short wait - or grab a van cab from the taxi line. Meter fare between MIA and the port is about $30+ but the van cabs charge a premium (about 30%).