Pre-Cruise Hotel Needed?

[rivieramayalover]

We will be flying from LAX to Fort Lauderdale for our March cruise. I'm looking at a late night flight that arrives at 6am the morning of the cruise, rather than flying in the day before.

 

Will we go crazy waiting for embarkation? Is there anywhere to wonder around at Port Everglades?

 

Thanks for any thoughts or advice!

 

 

 

[helen haywood]

No.  There is nothing at Port Everglades except the commercial and cruise docks.  And it has much tighter security than Miami does (I guess all those fuel tanks.)  There is no real place to go but the terminal.

 

You’d be better off to get an Uber and go have breakfast or something...

[tallnthensome]

Florida Departures forum. 

[WestLakeGirl]

You should consider flying in a day before.  So much risk in flying the day of the cruise

[Denny01]

Agree with WestLakeGirl. Fly in the day prior, not overnight.  Realize the OP is looking at a Red-eye flight, but that’s as risky as any flight the day of the cruise. If the OP flys in the day prior, gets a hotel near the port, enjoy the area a bit and shuttles over later the next morning. Its much more relaxing especially than a Red-eye, which there is a reason its called that. Just picture yourself a few days prior, watching the weather, checking flights and worried all the way until getting airborne. 

 

But just realized the OP asked about a hotel when flying a Red-eye in.Why not fly in much earlier and actually us a hotel? If you do the red eye and get in at 6am and get a hotel, you’ll leave it at 11am or 12pm to check in. taxi there; check in. Get to room. Lay down for a few hrs max; get up; taxi to terminal. I’d strongly suggest you fly in much earlier and at least enjoy the hotel. 

 

But if the OP insists on the red-eye, theres little they can do prior to going to the terminal, and nothing to do at the terminal until time to board, so agree and use Uber to go have a nice long breakfast prior. 

 

Den

Edited June 18, 2019 by Denny01

[knittertwitter]

I've stayed at the Pier Sixty-Six hotel whenever I've traveled to Fort Lauderdale for a cruise.  It's a lovely hotel, and they offer a sip n' sale package where you get a free drink, breakfast, and transportation to Port Everglades.  The hotel has beautiful grounds so we tend to have breakfast and then lounge by the pool until it's time to head to the port.  If you do stay at the Pier Sixty-Six, definitely try to get a pool-view room.  You can sit on your patio with a coffee and enjoy the sunshine!

[Denny01]

17 minutes ago, Denny01 said:

 

Please remember, the OP is asking about a hotel after arriving in the early morning of the departure day. So if you recommend a hotel, make sure you understand they’d use it for a few hrs. So please consider that option when recommending your hotel you've stayed in.

 

A few I’ve stayed in allowed us to stay an hr or so afterwards free, or pay a few bucks for a room for another few hrs, but not a 4-5hrs stay in the morning only - they will have to pay the full fare unless you know of a hourly hotel.......and I don’t want any jokes about what an hourly hotel is!!!

 

Den 

[cruiserchuck]

2 hours ago, rivieramayalover said:

We will be flying from LAX to Fort Lauderdale for our March cruise. I'm looking at a late night flight that arrives at 6am the morning of the cruise, rather than flying in the day before.

 

Will we go crazy waiting for embarkation? Is there anywhere to wonder around at Port Everglades?

 

Thanks for any thoughts or advice!

 

 

 

 

When we took the redeye many years ago, we just sat at the airport and ate breakfast, prior to heading to the embarkation location.  

[fleckle]

3 hours ago, rivieramayalover said:

We will be flying from LAX to Fort Lauderdale for our March cruise. I'm looking at a late night flight that arrives at 6am the morning of the cruise, rather than flying in the day before.

 

Will we go crazy waiting for embarkation? Is there anywhere to wonder around at Port Everglades?

 

Thanks for any thoughts or advice!

 

As others will tell you, it would be much better to fly in a day or two earlier. 

But if you really can't........

 

What we do in such situations is try to book a day room at a hotel.

This is typically a room that was either vacant the night before, or had a customer with a very early checkout time, so they can offer it at a good reduced price because they can sell it again to someone else for the following night, after you leave.

 

Arriving at 6 am,  if you have checked luggage to claim you probably won't get to the hotel until close to 7.

You can have breakfast there, shower, and sleep for several hours.  Ask for a wake-up call for about 1 or 2 pm.

(We also set an alarm of our own as backup.)

 

That way you can awake relaxed and refreshed, get dressed, head to the pier and walk right on the ship, avoiding the lines and crowds, ready to enjoy your cruise 

(instead of arriving there at the crack of dawn, jet-lagged and bleary eyed, spending hours waiting around a crowded cruise terminal).

 

However...... if you do that , it is very important for peace of mind to have good backup plans, just in case you should miss the ship.   There is no way to predict when flights may be cancelled, or delayed, or diverted, or an airport may be shut down.

 

Be sure that you know when and where you can catch up with the ship, and how you will get there, and have a good idea of how much it will cost (or whether you have insurance that will cover the costs).

Don't just assume that you will be allowed to board the ship at the next port because that is not always possible.

   

 

Edited June 18, 2019 by fleckle

[smalltimecruiser100]

On "Resorts for a Day" website, check out the Atlantic Hotel Ft Lauderdale under destinations. Does not say exact hours, just available on embarkation or disembarkment days  so you would have to confirm with Resorts(not hotel) as to the applicable hours.

[swigso]

3 hours ago, knittertwitter said:

I've stayed at the Pier Sixty-Six hotel whenever I've traveled to Fort Lauderdale for a cruise.  It's a lovely hotel, and they offer a sip n' sale package where you get a free drink, breakfast, and transportation to Port Everglades.  The hotel has beautiful grounds so we tend to have breakfast and then lounge by the pool until it's time to head to the port.  If you do stay at the Pier Sixty-Six, definitely try to get a pool-view room.  You can sit on your patio with a coffee and enjoy the sunshine!

When did you last stay here? We booked this hotel based on reviews like this on cruise critic. The hotel is Tired in fact very very Tired, the rooms are dated more like a

Travelodge. While the staff are friendly the pool area is not 4* or even 3* standard. The sun beds are old, rusted and need replacing. 

I cannot understand why people rave over this hotel there are far better choices in and around the port.

We arrived very late, the shower fitting was coming away from the wall we changed rooms and that was not much better we checked out and moved hotel, the manager was very kind and agreed that the hotel needs a major refurbishment. Perhaps this will happen when Wyndham sell all the rooms in the Tower block which is being converted into condos. However there was no evidence of any work being done on the tower. 

I would not recommend this hotel it was called the Hyatt Regency Pier 66 but is no longer a Hyatt, I think that tells a story in itself.

 

[Fabius]

1 hour ago, swigso said:

When did you last stay here? We booked this hotel based on reviews like this on cruise critic. The hotel is Tired in fact very very Tired, the rooms are dated more like a

Travelodge. While the staff are friendly the pool area is not 4* or even 3* standard. The sun beds are old, rusted and need replacing. 

I cannot understand why people rave over this hotel there are far better choices in and around the port.

We arrived very late, the shower fitting was coming away from the wall we changed rooms and that was not much better we checked out and moved hotel, the manager was very kind and agreed that the hotel needs a major refurbishment. Perhaps this will happen when Wyndham sell all the rooms in the Tower block which is being converted into condos. However there was no evidence of any work being done on the tower. 

I would not recommend this hotel it was called the Hyatt Regency Pier 66 but is no longer a Hyatt, I think that tells a story in itself.

 

I totally agree! We have been there before our last trip on the EDGE in March. I was so disappointed about the hotel. The rooms were really wrecked  and dirty. The are around the hotel is very beautiful but not in really good condition. Maybe there are better rooms in the new tower?!

 

Before our cruise in December we have been to an AC near the Aventura Mall. That was much better.

[jshli]

It appears that the Pier 66 Hotel is closed (with the exception of the marina and a few restaurants) for a complete renovation until 2022.

[mek]

I guess I would rent a car so I wouldn't have to worry about bags and then go have breakfast along the beach .  If you drop off your bags at the ship around 11am and then return the car, that should take up most of the extra time.

Edited June 18, 2019 by mek

[Husky61]

Interesting, all the OP asked was will we go crazy waiting for embarkation? Is there anywhere to wonder around at Port Everglades?

 

Instead the OP got all kinds of advice that was not asked for.

[Rusty10]

We had flown in FLL at 6am in February. Our transfer was scheduled to arrive at 10am. Before exiting the secured area, we had breakfast at one of the restaurants.  We still had 2 hours to wait. I found it painful waiting but at least we were inside the airport where it was cool. My husband slept through it.  Would I do it again?  For a nonstop flight - yes.  

[Roz]

11 hours ago, Rusty10 said:

We had flown in FLL at 6am in February. Our transfer was scheduled to arrive at 10am. Before exiting the secured area, we had breakfast at one of the restaurants.  We still had 2 hours to wait. I found it painful waiting but at least we were inside the airport where it was cool. My husband slept through it.  Would I do it again?  For a nonstop flight - yes.  

 

Did you have checked luggage?  If so, what happened to it if you weren't at the carousel to retrieve it?

 

Roz

[Rusty10]

12 hours ago, Roz said:

 

Did you have checked luggage?  If so, what happened to it if you weren't at the carousel to retrieve it?

Our checked luggage was put to the side. 

[HodgeNNicole]

I agree with one of the other posters hang out at the airport grab some breakfast and head to the port.

Or grab a cab over to the area near the Embassy Suites on 17th (I think) that is the area that we normally stay in and there are places to grab breakfast, a market to get water/soda and some other shopping.  Should not have an issue finding a hotel to store your bags for a couple of hours and plenty of stuff to kill the time then head over to the cruise port.  I think the taxi to the hotel was about $20 and then from the hotel to the port was less than that.  Uber might be cheaper than that.

[slidergirl]

If you really, really want that hotel room for a little nap and shower:  book it for the day before.  Say you are arriving at 6am on Saturday - book the room for Friday night.  CALL the hotel.  Tell them you will actually be there Saturday morning; then will virtually check you in before night audit starts (so you aren't marked as a No Show) and your room will be waiting for you when you get there.  See if you can negotiate right then on the phone if you can have a late checkout.  Sometimes, if I have a guest in that situation, I'll do my best to be sure I don't block a guest into that room so I'd have to deny the late checkout.  If nothing else, they may offer an extra hour if it's blocked for another guest.  If they can't extend, they will at least hold your bags for you at the Bell Desk and you can go sit in the sun and wake up.  

Now, it's up to you to decide if the price point of a hotel room is worth it...

[rivieramayalover]

Thank you all!

 

I think we will take your advice and have a very leisurely breakfast after we arrive at the airport and slowly head to the port. 

Can anyone tell me what restaurants serve breakfast at 7am at the airport?

 

Now, on our return to Los Angeles Friday our flight isn't until 5:15. Here we go again, ha!

I don't think I'll look for a day pass, but rather just take our time getting off the ship and then try to "busy" ourselves at the airport...maybe start a new book!

 

Again, any thoughts are very much appreciated, and thanks so much for all your replies!

 

 

 

[JohninDC]

You will be off the ship by about 9-9:30 at the latest. I would Uber to the airport, or to store your bags, and then head out for a boozy brunch, ride the water taxi, etc. until you head back to FLL about 3:00

[Gallivanting Souls]

On 6/22/2019 at 12:17 PM, rivieramayalover said:

Thank you all!

 

I think we will take your advice and have a very leisurely breakfast after we arrive at the airport and slowly head to the port. 

Can anyone tell me what restaurants serve breakfast at 7am at the airport?

 

Now, on our return to Los Angeles Friday our flight isn't until 5:15. Here we go again, ha!

I don't think I'll look for a day pass, but rather just take our time getting off the ship and then try to "busy" ourselves at the airport...maybe start a new book!

 

Again, any thoughts are very much appreciated, and thanks so much for all your replies!

 

 

 

For your trip going home, look into getting a club pass at the airport. Ask any family friends if they didn't use their free pass from their credit card or look on Ebay for one. I have used the United Club twice and it has been a life saver. Even if you have to pay to use the club for a few hours it is so much nicer than sitting in the regular seats at the airport. I took a nap at the one in DEN and also used the one in FLL. They have free food and comfy seats and windows to look out, and it's much quieter and the bathroom is right there!  Look into it! You cold potentially even do this on arrival as well.  Good luck!