Superbowl Causing High Priced Flights in Fort Lauerdale!!!

[Charles48]

We are cruising out of Fort Lauderdale on Feb. 2nd on the Regal which is the same day as the Superbowl in Miami!!  Needless to say, flights are sky high in price, and so are the few hotels that you can find. We are looking at possibly flying into Fort Myers (a day early) and renting a car(s) over to Fort Lauderdale.  There will be 8-10 of us. We're hoping that some rental car companies would allow us to leave the car at FLL, then of course we'll need to rent two again to get back to Fort Myers. We are open to ideas re: other airports to fly into and rental car ideas. We have considered changing the date of our cruise, but right now those prices are about $300+ more than we have it for.  Thanks for any help!!!

[fishywood]

Plugging Feb 1 pickup at RSW into the various rental car booking engines shows very limited availability as you might have already imagined. Full size sedans are long gone; a seven passenger small SUV (you would need two factoring in luggage for 8 to 10 persons) would be about $120 each with the one way drop fees to Ft Lauderdale.

 

Its all a trade off: there are pretty good cruise fares to be found for late Jan/early Feb considering plenty of people will be avoiding the area that weekend (and the whole week before). But everything else--flights, hotels, rental cars--will be premium priced, and at just over seven months prior your choices already are going to be limited. 

[tip]

We are snowbirds and stay from January to March each year just less than fifteen minutes from the stadium.  I made sure that we booked our condo over a year in advance for 2020 as supply and demand (and price gouging) is certainly going to kick-in.

 

If Southwest Airlines serves your home area, be aware that they have only released their flights through early January.  I would check their website often to see when they will be releasing flights near your sail date and then jump on the booking as early as possible.

[josumello]

Have u checked out West Palm Beach airport?? 

[fishywood]

Flights to PBI will be just as in demand and accordingly priced as FLL and MIA. Plenty of bigwigs (and hangers-on) will be staying at Palm Beach area hotels. The distance to Hard Rock Stadium is only marginally greater than from Miami Beach.

[geoherb]

We made the mistake of not looking at events going on in Florida the weekend we were heading down for a cruise. In our case, it was the Daytona 500, baseball spring training, and a PGA golf tournament. We were driving from North Carolina, so I wasn't worried about the price of flights. But little did we realize that hotels would all be booked up. We lucked up on being able to book a room that did not have a functioning electronic lock. The desk clerk had to use a physical pass key to let us in. 

[Coral]

Yep - not surprised.

[pedirn]

Try the Melbourne airport.  On the east coast.   A lot less crowded than Orlando/FLL/MIA.  The port is a straight shot down I95 and will take about 2-1/2 to 3 hours.   

[SteelMagnolia9]

9 hours ago, Charles48 said:

We are cruising out of Fort Lauderdale on Feb. 2nd on the Regal which is the same day as the Superbowl in Miami!!  Needless to say, flights are sky high in price, and so are the few hotels that you can find. We are looking at possibly flying into Fort Myers (a day early) and renting a car(s) over to Fort Lauderdale.  There will be 8-10 of us. We're hoping that some rental car companies would allow us to leave the car at FLL, then of course we'll need to rent two again to get back to Fort Myers. We are open to ideas re: other airports to fly into and rental car ideas. We have considered changing the date of our cruise, but right now those prices are about $300+ more than we have it for.  Thanks for any help!!!

Hi! I live in Fort Myers and if you decide to fly into RSW and stay the night, there is a bus service that goes directly to the port. You will be dropped off directly in front of your terminal. I’ve used the service to go to FLL and Miami. Very efficient and comfortable ride. I’ve included the link:

 

http://www.cruiseconnection.travel/

[SteelMagnolia9]

Charles48 - Another option from Fort Myers is Florida Red Line Shuttle which also goes to the cruise ports. They also provide private shuttles for groups. I’ve taken their shuttles to the Miami Airport and once or twice to the cruise ports. They are usually mini-vans, not super comfortable, but convenient. They pull your luggage in a trailer. Here is the link:

 

http://www.floridaredlineshuttle.com/

[skynight]

May sound way out there, but how about flying into Orlando, MCO and home from FLL. EZ Air offered these flights. Fly in Saturday, rent a car, drive part way to Ft Pierce a few hours away. Stay overnight. The next morning drive the rest of the way to FLL. Drop the car and go to the pier. I think some car rental companies provide shuttle service to the port. One way car rentals are available. We are doing something similar, but since we have time we are spending a week pre-cruise at Disney.

[camper49]

10 hours ago, Charles48 said:

We are cruising out of Fort Lauderdale on Feb. 2nd on the Regal which is the same day as the Superbowl in Miami!!  Needless to say, flights are sky high in price, and so are the few hotels that you can find. We are looking at possibly flying into Fort Myers (a day early) and renting a car(s) over to Fort Lauderdale.  There will be 8-10 of us. We're hoping that some rental car companies would allow us to leave the car at FLL, then of course we'll need to rent two again to get back to Fort Myers. We are open to ideas re: other airports to fly into and rental car ideas. We have considered changing the date of our cruise, but right now those prices are about $300+ more than we have it for.  Thanks for any help!!!

We are on the same cruise! We r driving..staying in Kissimmee for 10 days prior. The plan was to get a motel near the port and leave our car for the week. Nothing available & I checked 3 months ago!! Booked in Stuart pre cruise..will park at the port!

[skynight]

Other thoughts. If you fly for example to Ft. Myers you can return from FLL. EZ Air does have flights to Ft. Meyers and other FL airports.

[voljeep]

a couple of threads in the "Florida Departures" forum about the hotel situation ...

[1Gizmo]

We lived in the Fort Myers area for years. We would rent and drive to FLL or MIA. Alamo and National, there are no drop off fees. In FLL at the rental car facility they have buses that go to the cruise port. Also keep in mind that the Fort Myers area also gets every expensive at that time of year. There are many tournaments in the area with people coming in from all over again the country.

 

 

Edited June 16, 2019 by 1Gizmo

[gerelmx]

When I found out about the Super Bowl in Miami, on April 4, I booked Hotel (FLL) and Air(MIA), the prices were not yet skyrocket, also some cruise after the superbowl the prices are near the double

Edited June 16, 2019 by gerelmx

[pms4104]

If I were the OP ... I would take a pencil to this and compare the full loaded cost of the booked sailing and the one or two following it.  Include air, hotel, tranfers or rental car(s), etc.  

 

Time is money too, and drive time from wherever  to Port Everglades would be a consideration.

 

Unless there is something specifically meaningful about that Feb 2 sailing, I'd change the cruise.

 

While those after the booked cruise may be $300 more (for 8 to 10), consider total trip costs and go from there

Edited June 16, 2019 by pms4104

[Bubbs33]

We had booked Feb 2nd cruise about a year ago. Changed to a layer date this winter when we realised it coincided with Superbowl.

[Coral]

35 minutes ago, pms4104 said:

If I were the OP ... I would take a pencil to this and compare the full loaded cost of the booked sailing and the one or two following it.  Include air, hotel, tranfers or rental car(s), etc.  

 

Time is money too, and drive time from wherever  to Port Everglades would be a consideration.

 

Unless there is something specifically meaningful about that Feb 2 sailing, I'd change the cruise.

 

While those after the booked cruise may be $300 more (for 8 to 10), consider total trip costs and go from there

I completely agree!

[kywildcatfanone]

You have to know when major events like that are taking place and plan accordingly.  Maybe try to check Orlando or Jacksonville and drive from there.

[pris993]

You would think Princess would be more on top of this in the first place???  

[voljeep]

1 minute ago, pris993 said:

You would think Princess would be more on top of this in the first place???  

to do what ... not schedule any cruises out of PE/FLL that week ? .... sure ........

[pris993]

14 minutes ago, voljeep said:

to do what ... not schedule any cruises out of PE/FLL that week ? .... sure ........

That would be an option.... really,  at the very least altering possible traveler to book air early would be another... other wise they might find they have many cancellations and have to reduce fares a lot to pick locals only....

[pms4104]

And future Super Bowls ... Feb 7, 2021 Tampa and Feb 6, 2022 Los Angeles

[jovisoul]

6 hours ago, skynight said:

May sound way out there, but how about flying into Orlando, MCO and home from FLL. EZ Air offered these flights. Fly in Saturday, rent a car, drive part way to Ft Pierce a few hours away. Stay overnight. The next morning drive the rest of the way to FLL. Drop the car and go to the pier. I think some car rental companies provide shuttle service to the port. One way car rentals are available. We are doing something similar, but since we have time we are spending a week pre-cruise at Disney.

That's what we are doing for our Feb 1st cruise. Flying into Orlando the day before and driving to FLL the day of. Then flying home from FLL after the cruise. Used EZ air for the flights.