Suggestions Port of Miami Parking!

[Caymans16]

Hello!

 

We sail in September and are trying to look at off site parking at the port of Miami. Any suggestions for a safe and low cost parking?

 

Thanks!

[roger001]

I never found any that we felt comfortable. Although port parking is (was) $20 a day, it is right at the ship terminal, easy access, secure, and was worth the difference to us. No time spent waiting for a shuttle. I'd use it again for 7 day cruise. Longer cruises, probably not.

[drvalo]

We use Global Airport Parking. Do a Google search and you will find them. They have a garage just a few blocks from the entrance to the port. We've used it every time in recent years and, it seems, do many others. We have always gotten a covered spot, but the garage has uncovered places on the roof that later-comers have been directed to park in. We have never had a problem. There is a van that drops you off and picks you up. Last cruise, that van was a bit slow picking us up, but that is the first time that has happened. The cost is less than half of using the port garages and well worth that little bit of delay for us, especially for longer cruises. It's close to the port and, honestly, doesn't seem any less safe than parking at the port.

Edited June 22, 2015 by drvalo

[4774Papa]

If you are driving to Miami, I recommend the Holiday Inn, Miami International Airport The hotel was near the airport and offers a good rate that includes parking for our car. We were gone 34 days and saved a lot on parking fees. The hotel was newly renovated, as was our hotel room, which was spacious and nice for $122.

[coldflame]

If you are driving to Miami, I recommend the Holiday Inn, Miami International Airport The hotel was near the airport and offers a good rate that includes parking for our car. We were gone 34 days and saved a lot on parking fees. The hotel was newly renovated, as was our hotel room, which was spacious and nice for $122.

 

Do they provide transport to and from Port Miami?

[adam_s_allen]

Try googling parksleepfly we used that last year when we drove to Miami.

[coldflame]

We're on a 12-nighter, so parking on port that's $240-260 (depending how they count the days) + hotel stay the night before since the all-aboard time for that cruise is 2pm (sailing at 4pm) and we live about 7 hours away.

 

So the question is, for us, stay at a hotel and then park at one of those $6/day off-site or one of those park and sail hotels, but then have to pay transportation to/from hotel to port (which is about $27 each way) + $5/day over 7.

 

I think cheap offsite-parking and separate hotel will have to do.

[4774Papa]

Do they provide transport to and from Port Miami?

They don't provide transport to the port, but a taxi from the port to hotel was $27.

 

They do provide a shuttle from the airport.

We did a TA flew to Copenhagen and then took the ship back.

 

Coldflame,

 

Save your money and use a hotel that includes free parking. Sure, you have to pay for a taxi, but that is a lot less than paying over $200 for parking.

[missdixie]

We use the Port of Miami parking. For us it is easier when departing. The car is right there. We get a porter to help since we always leave the ship with more than we started with. :rolleyes:

[bruadhin]

I would recommend a pre-cruise hotel. We stayed at the La Quinta near the airport. They offered a free shuttle to the port and we took a taxi back. I don't recall the cost for the taxi. The Embassy Suites near the airport and right next to the La Quinta does as well, but I believe the Embassy Suites charges for parking.

 

On our most recent cruise, we just parked at the port as we drove in overnight. I saw too many horror stories on here about parking issues to justify the risk. The saving weren't enough to justify worrying about our car being broken into or damaged.

Edited June 22, 2015 by bruadhin

[4774Papa]

I would recommend a pre-cruise hotel. We stayed at the La Quinta near the airport. They offered a free shuttle to the port and we took a taxi back. I don't recall the cost for the taxi. The Embassy Suites near the airport and right next to the La Quinta does as well, but I believe the Embassy Suites charges for parking.

 

On our most recent cruise, we just parked at the port as we drove in overnight. I saw too many horror stories on here about parking issues to justify the risk. The saving weren't enough to justify worrying about our car being broken into or damaged.

I understand your concern, but the Holiday Inn, Miami International Airport has a well lit parking area with 24 hour security, When I did my research, I did not come across one complaint about the car being damaged or stolen.

 

We did two 14 day back to back cruises and some precruise, so with 34 days away from our car, it all worked out. It would have cost us a fortune to use the port parking.

[bruadhin]

I understand your concern, but the Holiday Inn, Miami International Airport has a well lit parking area with 24 hour security, When I did my research, I did not come across one complaint about the car being damaged or stolen.

 

We did two 14 day back to back cruises and some precruise, so with 34 days away from our car, it all worked out. It would have cost us a fortune to use the port parking.

 

I apologize, I wasn't clearer.

 

My concern wasn't with hotel parking, after all we left our car at the La Quinta near the airport on our first cruise from Miami. It is with off-site parking near the port. There are a lot of horror stories about those lots, and not much savings.

 

If we hadn't driven overnight, we would have gotten a room and left our car there during the cruise. We are probably going to do that next year. The cruise leaves Sunday versus Saturday, so we'll check in as early as they will let us on Saturday, enjoy the day and then leave the car at the hotel starting Sunday.

[aibanez]

As a resident of South Florida, i recall seeing several times on the news stories of cars broken into in offsite (from the Port of Miami) parking lots.

 

Note that the area is not exactly an upscale area, and there are plenty of homeless living in this area.

[Tinyturtle22]

Do they provide transport to and from Port Miami?

 

 

There is a shuttle to the port for $10. I always stay there because their Govt rate is $99 including breakfast, and Wifi. Plus free airport pick up.

 

"Features

As the best among Miami Airport hotels with complimentary 24 hour shuttle service from and to Miami International Airport, subject to availability. We also make it easy to travel to the Port of Miami with scheduled shuttle service available from the hotel to the Port of Miami for $10 per person, local destinations and simulator training facilities."

Edited June 22, 2015 by Tinyturtle22
...

[4774Papa]

I apologize, I wasn't clearer.

 

My concern wasn't with hotel parking, after all we left our car at the La Quinta near the airport on our first cruise from Miami. It is with off-site parking near the port. There are a lot of horror stories about those lots, and not much savings.

 

If we hadn't driven overnight, we would have gotten a room and left our car there during the cruise. We are probably going to do that next year. The cruise leaves Sunday versus Saturday, so we'll check in as early as they will let us on Saturday, enjoy the day and then leave the car at the hotel starting Sunday.

No need to apologize.

[thepoint]

I posted on another thread, but have not had my questions answered, so I am trying here.

 

If you park at the port -- we will be on Celebrity so should we use Garage J? Can you access the embarkation area by just walking across the street or is there a shuttle, do you need a taxi? What is the likelyhood that you will not get a parking space? What is the best time to arrive?

 

We have taken numerous cruises, but have never driven down from CT to Miami, so we are nervous about what do we do with the car!!

 

Thank you for your help.

[fshagan]

I posted on another thread, but have not had my questions answered, so I am trying here.

 

If you park at the port -- we will be on Celebrity so should we use Garage J? Can you access the embarkation area by just walking across the street or is there a shuttle, do you need a taxi? What is the likelyhood that you will not get a parking space? What is the best time to arrive?

 

We have taken numerous cruises, but have never driven down from CT to Miami, so we are nervous about what do we do with the car!!

 

Thank you for your help.

 

Parking at the port of Miami is really easy. The parking garages are right across the street from the terminals, so just pick the parking garage near your terminal. Here's a map of the port ... the parking garages have a large P on them: https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/viewer?mid=zjKawu9-U2GQ.kYT4--X94Q6k&hl=en

[coldflame]

As a resident of South Florida, i recall seeing several times on the news stories of cars broken into in offsite (from the Port of Miami) parking lots.

 

Note that the area is not exactly an upscale area, and there are plenty of homeless living in this area.

 

I used to live in Miami over a decade ago and have been back a few times since, downtown area is not a good area in terms of crime. That's why I'm so indecisive about spending $20/day for 13 days, which adds quite the substantial cost to our trip. Port Miami has to be one of the most expensive port parking lots, at least in the south.

[drvalo]

I posted on another thread, but have not had my questions answered, so I am trying here.

 

If you park at the port -- we will be on Celebrity so should we use Garage J? Can you access the embarkation area by just walking across the street or is there a shuttle, do you need a taxi? What is the likelyhood that you will not get a parking space? What is the best time to arrive?

 

We have taken numerous cruises, but have never driven down from CT to Miami, so we are nervous about what do we do with the car!!

 

Thank you for your help.

 

There are garages directly across from the terminal entrances. I don't know about the Celebrity garage, however. You should probably ask in the Celebrity forum. But, I will say this. The only time we parked at the terminal, the NCL Parking garage was full and we had to park at the furthest possible garage and take a shuttle to the terminal. Since then we have used the garage about 4 blocks from the port entrance run by Global Airport parking. It is less than half the price of the port parking. Never had a problem. And the shuttle ride is about comparable and it drops you off pretty much at your car not at the curb in front of the garage like the port shuttle did.

Edited June 29, 2015 by drvalo

[DimSum]

We were just on the NCL Sky 3 weeks ago, we parked at Garage C which was across the street from the terminal.

 

We arrived around 1:30pm in the afternoon and there was plenty of parking. Parking charge was $20/night and it's gated and secured. It was super easy. Park, drop off luggage to curbside porters and walked into the building.

 

http://www.miamidade.gov/portmiami/parking-transportation.asp

[aibanez]

There are garages directly across from the terminal entrances. I don't know about the Celebrity garage, however. You should probably ask in the Celebrity forum. But, I will say this. The only time we parked at the terminal, the NCL Parking garage was full and we had to park at the furthest possible garage and take a shuttle to the terminal. Since then we have used the garage about 4 blocks from the port entrance run by Global Airport parking. It is less than half the price of the port parking. Never had a problem. And the shuttle ride is about comparable and it drops you off pretty much at your car not at the curb in front of the garage like the port shuttle did.

There is signage indicating where you should park based on the cruise line you are in. Typically the parking lot is right in front of the ship...wouldn't expect you to walk for more than 200-300 yards. You can also drop off your luggage first and than park the car. Like everthing else, the bird gets the worm...

[drvalo]

There is signage indicating where you should park based on the cruise line you are in. Typically the parking lot is right in front of the ship...wouldn't expect you to walk for more than 200-300 yards. You can also drop off your luggage first and than park the car. Like everthing else, the bird gets the worm...

 

As for our experience, we arrived at the port around 11 and had to park at the away garage. We could not park at the NCL garage because it was full. The porters let us know when we dropped the bags.There are signs for the NCL garage directly across from the terminal. I am sure it is the same for Celebrity, but I have not parked there. So, not sure how early or late one would need to be at the terminal. But we did drop off our bags and the parents and road the shuttle back to the NCL terminal.

 

Even when we park at the off the port garage, we drop off our bags first then drive to the garage. Makes life much easier.