Early arrival in Miami

This will be our first cruise from Miami, we will be on Celebrity departing from Miami at 3:30. Our flight arrives to FLL around 6 am on the day of the cruise. If everything goes according to plan we will be in Miami port before 8 am, which gives us good 3 hours before the boarding starts. What options do we have there? Can we drop our bags somewhere and go for a walk around?

Also, when we board there will be a couple of hours before our cabin is ready, are there any quiet areas for a nap? It will be much needed after a red eye flight. Will sky lounge be open?

Many thanks!

There is nothing to do at the Port Of Miami.

One option is assuming you are on time with the flight is to go someplace for breakfast before arriving to the port. There are many hotels in downtown Miami where you could have them hold your luggage while you have breakfast. Then head over to the port and check in your luggage while you wait to board.

For questions as to where you can go once on the ship I would be asking those on the Celebrity Board.

Keith

Better yet, shuttle/taxi to one of the nicer hotels near FLL (think Marriott or Hilton), tip them to hold your bags, and pay for a nice breakfast (and maybe a mimosa or two ;) ) then head to the port about 10-10:30.

Your other option is to reserve a cheap room for the night of your flight near FLL - let the hotel know that you will not check in until about 6:30-7:00. Ask for a late check out - then grab a nap, shower, maybe a dip in the pool, and head to the port about 12:00-1:00

I'm curious...how far is it from FLL to the port in Miami? We are taking a cruise from Miami September 2019 and we aren't sure if we should fly or drive from NJ.

I'm curious...how far is it from FLL to the port in Miami? We are taking a cruise from Miami September 2019 and we aren't sure if we should fly or drive from NJ.

About 30 miles and, best case, 45 minutes barring heavy traffic and/or accidents. It also depends on time of day and day of the week.

Distance is not as important as time -which depends, as mentioned above, varies with the traffic & day of the week. Lots of shared shuttles will take you between FLL and POM for about $15 per person - or you can use UberX or standard Lyft for about $35+ for the car.

Thank you all for ideas. I was hoping there is something in the port itself.

I found a luggage storage place on Miami beach about 15 min from the port. It opens at 9, which is a bit later than I'd like, but seems like a good option. Has anyone used it?

I'm curious...how far is it from FLL to the port in Miami? We are taking a cruise from Miami September 2019 and we aren't sure if we should fly or drive from NJ.

Google maps have an option to set departure time of your trip and it estimates drive time pretty well. I find it very useful when I am looking for drive time in a new area.

The last thing I would do is drop my luggage off at Miami Beach.

When you land, hop in an Uber and head to Miami immediately. Go to a hotel downtown, drop your luggage off at the bell stand, and go have a nice breakfast. By the time you are done it will be 11ish.

It will take you an hour to get from FLL to Miami. We give distances in times not miles. Here 15 miles can easily take an hour certain times of day.

The last thing I would do is drop my luggage off at Miami Beach.

 

When you land, hop in an Uber and head to Miami immediately. Go to a hotel downtown, drop your luggage off at the bell stand, and go have a nice breakfast. By the time you are done it will be 11ish.

 

It will take you an hour to get from FLL to Miami. We give distances in times not miles. Here 15 miles can easily take an hour certain times of day.

Why wouldn't you drop luggage at Miami beach? Is it not reliable?

We don't eat big breakfasts, going to a hotel for a cup of coffee and a banana seems a bit weird. Our first preference would be taking a nap somewhere. If not possible then going for a long walk along a beach.

Why wouldn't you drop luggage at Miami beach? Is it not reliable?

We don't eat big breakfasts, going to a hotel for a cup of coffee and a banana seems a bit weird. Our first preference would be taking a nap somewhere. If not possible then going for a long walk along a beach.

The beach is out of the way. There will be nowhere in South Beach to nap and it is inconvenient.

You don't have as much time as you think.

Luggage Lounge is often suggested on this board, but what do you plan to do while your bags are stored? :confused:

Luggage Lounge is often suggested on this board, but what do you plan to do while your bags are stored? :confused:

Get a cup of coffee and walk on the beach for a couple of hours. What else is there to do? Spending two hours in a hotel eating doesn't sound appealing.

Then Luggage Lounge is a good option for you. Double check on their hours of operation to make sure they will be open when you need them. UberX from FLL to South Beach will be about $35+; you'll need another short UberX ride to get from SB to POM after coffee and your walk.

Have a great cruise! :D

This will be our first cruise from Miami, we will be on Celebrity departing from Miami at 3:30. Our flight arrives to FLL around 6 am on the day of the cruise. If everything goes according to plan we will be in Miami port before 8 am, which gives us good 3 hours before the boarding starts. What options do we have there? Can we drop our bags somewhere and go for a walk around?

Also, when we board there will be a couple of hours before our cabin is ready, are there any quiet areas for a nap? It will be much needed after a red eye flight. Will sky lounge be open?

Many thanks!

I like the suggestion that was made about getting a hotel room near the airport. Kind of assuming you'll be coming in from overseas and will be jet-lagged. Get a room, grab a nap, get some lunch, and start your cruise a lot more refreshed!

Luggage lounge is not open until 9AM. That's not an option.

My suggestion? Do nothing. Yup, do nothing. I would get your bags at FLL, then find a quiet place to hang out for a couple of hours. Maybe nap on some chairs or a corner you can find. At 9AM - 9:15AM, get an Uber and head to the port. You can get there around 10AM or so without issue.

There is nothing to do at PortMiami. You can't drop your bags and go for a walk, I'm not sure they will even take bags that early. You are MUCH better off hanging out at the airport than PortMiami that early.

Another option would be to just take your bags with you to a Denny's or Lesters. Grab breakfast, kill a little time before heading down - they won't care if you have luggage with you.

As VideoTech mentioned, you could also rent a room at a hotel and not plan to be at the port for the first boarding. Maybe relax at the hotel and head to the port around 1PM or so. I wouldn't like doing that since I like to get on the ship early, but some people don't mind.

And as BlueHerons suggested, you could also just Uber to one of the larger hotels, go to the bell desk and drop off your luggage, then go walk somewhere for breakfast. They don't ask if you are staying there or anything. Tip the bellman $5 or so when you give them the bags.

As for napping on the ship when you board... it's loaded with places to nap. Find a nice lounger in the shade and relax.

The idea to book a hotel just for a few hours didn't occur to me before, but sounds like a great option. I searched for day use offers and most hotels offer them starting at 9 or 10 am, but I did find one hotel that has 7am - 2 pm offer. It's not as close to the port as I would like, but still looks like a very good option.

7:00 - 2:00 works for you - grab a nap, shower, maybe a dip in the pool, some lunch and head to the port about 1:00-2:00 (check your boarding documents to see when you need to be at the pier - usually 90+ minutes prior to scheduled sailing).

Have a great cruise! :)

The idea to book a hotel just for a few hours didn't occur to me before, but sounds like a great option. I searched for day use offers and most hotels offer them starting at 9 or 10 am, but I did find one hotel that has 7am - 2 pm offer. It's not as close to the port as I would like, but still looks like a very good option.

You don't necessarily need to find a "day use" rate option. Just get a normal hotel rate, but make sure the hotel knows you will not be checking in until early morning the next day. Explain about your flight. Check out time may be 11 am or noon, but you could also ask about a "late check out" at say 1pm, when you want to head to the port.

 

Your other option is to reserve a cheap room for the night of your flight near FLL - let the hotel know that you will not check in until about 6:30-7:00. Ask for a late check out - then grab a nap, shower, maybe a dip in the pool, and head to the port about 12:00-1:00

As I suggested earlier in post #3 -- room for the night before with late arrival or day rate, whatever works for your situation. Have a great cruise! ;)

Any particular reason you are not flying in a day or two before the cruise?

Is the flight direct, non-stop?

What time of year?

Any particular reason you are not flying in a day or two before the cruise?

 

Is the flight direct, non-stop?

 

What time of year?

Well, of course we have a reason, wouldn't do it if we had better options :)

As I suggested earlier in post #3 -- room for the night before with late arrival or day rate, whatever works for your situation. Have a great cruise! ;)

Got it, thanks everyone for all the ideas!

As for late checkout, years of travel taught me that it's never ever guaranteed, even if they tell you that on the phone. Don't want to arrive at 8 am and find out we have to leave at 11, kinda defeats the purpose. So day use it is.

Good luck - please come back post cruise and let us know how it all worked out, where you stayed, etc.

Reporting back. The hotel on Miami beach that had 7-2 daystay offer was sold out. After a bit of searching we found a hotel near FLL with noon checkout instead of usual 11am and we booked the previous night. Our flight landed on time and we were in the hotel 40 min after touchdown. Our room was waiting for us, we even got late checkout which we didn't use in the end. Got good 4 hours of sleep, left a bit after noon, took uber to the port, got there by 1pm and were on the ship by 1:30. Worked perfectly.

On a side note. This was our first time in the port of Miami and we were surprised there were only signs for terminal letters, not cruise lines. We looked in our passes but it wasn't mentioned there. We had to google it quickly while our driver was driving around! Is there some kind of trick? How were we supposed to know which terminal to go to??