Brightline

[CruisingLover]

Good morning.

 

For the past 3 years, hubby and I take our NYE cruise and then stay in Orlando for 3 months to escape Michigan weather 🙃

 

Wondering if anyone has ever taken the Brightline from Orlando to Fort Lauderdale. I thought maybe we would leave our car in Orlando, take Brightline to Fort Lauderdale and then Uber to our Airbnb for the night before the cruise. After the cruise, Uber to Brightline from cruise then get our car in Orlando and be on our way.

 

Does it sound easier then it actually may end up being?

[firefly333]

If you buy a premium seat. Food in a lounge before you get on is included and a meal served onboard. I hear drinks with alcohol included though dont know about drinks myself. Big leather seats and you can prebook your seat. I hear the rest rooms are roomy unlike planes. I like the food option myself. Wifi onboard. What else?

 

90 minutes before your time you get a $10 uber credit toward getting to the station, I dont know about parking much. I'm doing miami to orlando $109 and I'm solo. Lots of close in deals for 2 for 1 and such. It does sell out if there are issues like cancelled flights and the parking lot for $10 a day does fill up so I'd prepay and lock in parking and I locked in the very front seat lol. I knew I'd be hungry so wanted the premium. I'll be using the $10 uber credit to the station in miami. 

 

No middle seats like a plane. Ooops didnt realize it had my real name next to the seat I picked. Edited.

 

 

Edited August 10 by firefly333

[twangster]

It's that easy.  

 

The Brightline station is at the MCO airport.  Parking at the Orlando airport is costly like most airports.  Off site parking may be cheaper but requires a shuttle bus to the airport.  The Brightline station is near terminal three at MCO.  

 

Note check in times for checked luggage on the train.  There is a cut off time if checking luggage.

 

Pick your return times wisely.  Brightline often increases fares close in or on the day of travel so if you want to change trains it can be costly to leave an hour earlier.  

 

 

[reallyitsmema]

20 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

If you buy a premium seat. Food in a lounge before you get on is included and a meal served onboard. I hear drinks with alcohol included though dont know about drinks myself. Big leather seats and you can prebook your seat. I hear the rest rooms are roomy unlike planes. I like the food option myself. Wifi onboard. What else?

 

90 minutes before your time you get a $10 uber credit toward getting to the station, I dont know about parking much. I'm doing miami to orlando $109 and I'm solo. Lots of close in deals for 2 for 1 and such. It does sell out if there are issues like cancelled flights and the parking lot for $10 a day does fill up so I'd prepay and lock in parking and I locked in the very front seat lol. I knew I'd be hungry so wanted the premium. I'll be using the $10 uber credit to the station in miami. 

 

No middle seats like a plane. Ooops didnt realize it had my real name next to the seat I picked. Edited.

 

 

 

Is that the actual seat you picked for your trip?  It is facing the back of the train, so you will be traveling backwards the whole trip and facing someone you don't know.  I have sat in seats like that with my DH and have no issues sharing the foot space but I wouldn't want to deal with a stranger the whole trip.  Given the option, I would want a forward facing seat that doesn't share foot space with someone else.  I would move to row 14 if it was available.

[orville99]

35 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

No middle seats like a plane. Ooops didnt realize it had my real name next to the seat I picked.

We have done the Miami-Orlando run on Brightline, and it looks like you will be facing towards the rear of the train. We did that on our first trip up to Orlando, and decided not to sit that way again. Stiff necks from trying to watch what we were passing🙁

 

Unless you want to nap for the whole trip, I'd suggest changing your seat.😇

[firefly333]

30 minutes ago, reallyitsmema said:

 

Is that the actual seat you picked for your trip?  It is facing the back of the train, so you will be traveling backwards the whole trip and facing someone you don't know.  I have sat in seats like that with my DH and have no issues sharing the foot space but I wouldn't want to deal with a stranger the whole trip.  Given the option, I would want a forward facing seat that doesn't share foot space with someone else.  I would move to row 14 if it was available.

I dont think I'm facing anyone. Well I could still change my seat. I thought it would be better to face the direction the train is travelling. ? I only see a bathroom in front of me. But you say it's in back of my seat. Ok. I'll go look.

 

Ok I changed to seat 1 which looks to me like it faces the opposite direction all the other seats face. So I'm facing the direction of the train as it goes backwards. Is seat 2 better? I'd think I'd rather face the direction the train travels. 

 

Changed to seat 1 now .. should I take seat 2 instead and be backwards from the train direction?

Edited August 10 by firefly333

[reallyitsmema]

5 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

I dont think I'm facing anyone. Well I could still change my seat. I thought it would be better to face the direction the train is travelling. ? I only see a bathroom in front of me. But you say it's in back of my seat. Ok. I'll go look.

 

At the top of your screenshot, it shows direction of travel and you are traveling facing the back of the train.  Some have motion sickness issues traveling that way.  You are facing someone as shown by the shading between the seats and the shape of the seats.  They show armrests and the back of the seat and then the open front of the seat.

Edited August 10 by reallyitsmema

[firefly333]

22 minutes ago, reallyitsmema said:

 

At the top of your screenshot, it shows direction of travel and you are traveling facing the back of the train.  Some have motion sickness issues traveling that way.  You are facing someone as shown by the shading between the seats and the shape of the seats.  They show armrests and the back of the seat and then the open front of the seat.

I can book any seat in the train. Its wide open. Next year. Only me booked so every seat is open. Changed to seat 1, but it faces the direction of the train now the opposite of the seat it faces.

[reallyitsmema]

3 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

I can book any seat in the train. Its wide open. Next year. Only me booked so every seat is open. Changed to seat 1, but it faces the direction of the train now the opposite of the seat it faces.

 

That is definitely forward facing but still has a seat facing you but if that doesn't bother you, then great.  I personally would prefer a seat looking at the back of another seat, not looking at a person I didn't know for a long train ride.  I commuted by train to work for years and didn't like the seats facing each other because you could run into someone who claimed all the foot space.  Not as big of an issue when it is two trying to find foot space and not four.  Do what works best for you. 🙂 

[twangster]

Perhaps try another coach?

I’m southbound forward facing in coach 1.  That’s probably rear facing northbound.  
 

 

[orville99]

41 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

I can book any seat in the train. Its wide open. Next year. Only me booked so every seat is open. Changed to seat 1, but it faces the direction of the train now the opposite of the seat it faces.

 

22 minutes ago, twangster said:

Perhaps try another coach?

I’m southbound forward facing in coach 1.  That’s probably rear facing northbound.  
 

 

All cars are configured the same way. With the exception of rows 1&7 and rows 2&8 (which have a card table between them), rows 2-6 face southbound and rows 9-13 face northbound.

Edited August 10 by orville99

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

9 hours ago, twangster said:

The Brightline station is near terminal three at MCO. 

The Brightline station at MCO is adjacent Terminal C.

[Elaine5715]

12 hours ago, firefly333 said:

If you buy a premium seat. Food in a lounge before you get on is included and a meal served onboard. I hear drinks with alcohol included though dont know about drinks myself. Big leather seats and you can prebook your seat. I hear the rest rooms are roomy unlike planes. I like the food option myself. Wifi onboard. What else?

 

90 minutes before your time you get a $10 uber credit toward getting to the station, I dont know about parking much. I'm doing miami to orlando $109 and I'm solo. Lots of close in deals for 2 for 1 and such. It does sell out if there are issues like cancelled flights and the parking lot for $10 a day does fill up so I'd prepay and lock in parking and I locked in the very front seat lol. I knew I'd be hungry so wanted the premium. I'll be using the $10 uber credit to the station in miami. 

 

No middle seats like a plane. Ooops didnt realize it had my real name next to the seat I picked. Edited.

 

 

I am planning the same Miami to Orlando next year.  What time departure did you chose?  

[Cienfuegos]

The BrightLine premium lounge in Miami station is quite nice. There are sandwiches, salads, beer, wine, etc available for guests. 

 

I believe BrightLine has plans to introduce a "cafe car" to its trains in late 2024. This additional rail car will provide hot food and cold beverages to all customers, for a fee.

[Rhea98]

On 8/10/2024 at 8:26 AM, twangster said:

It's that easy.  

 

The Brightline station is at the MCO airport.  Parking at the Orlando airport is costly like most airports.  Off site parking may be cheaper but requires a shuttle bus to the airport.  The Brightline station is near terminal three at MCO.  

 

Note check in times for checked luggage on the train.  There is a cut off time if checking luggage.

 

Pick your return times wisely.  Brightline often increases fares close in or on the day of travel so if you want to change trains it can be costly to leave an hour earlier.  

 

 

For anyone interested, WallyPark, Orlando offers a discount to Brightline passengers (cost was $10/day a year ago). They have a shuttle service to/from the Brightline station at Term. C. 

[Itchy&Scratchy]

On 8/10/2024 at 8:08 AM, CruisingLover said:

I thought maybe we would leave our car in Orlando, take Brightline to Fort Lauderdale and then Uber to our Airbnb for the night before the cruise. After the cruise, Uber to Brightline from cruise then get our car in Orlando and be on our way.

it sounds easier to drive, but that's just me.

[Cienfuegos]

Individuals will have their own preferences, but driving on I-95 and Florida's Turnpike may not be for the faint of heart in Broward and Miami-Dade counties. It's not Mad Max bad, but it can be white knuckling as people pass you on both sides doing 100+ mph.

 

I usually take the I-95 express lanes where things are a little more disciplined.

[Elaine5715]

6 hours ago, Cienfuegos said:

Individuals will have their own preferences, but driving on I-95 and Florida's Turnpike may not be for the faint of heart in Broward and Miami-Dade counties. It's not Mad Max bad, but it can be white knuckling as people pass you on both sides doing 100+ mph.

 

I usually take the I-95 express lanes where things are a little more disciplined.

And on their cell phones...It is scary what you see when riding in a bus

[Rhea98]

On 8/20/2024 at 3:57 PM, Cienfuegos said:

 

I usually take the I-95 express lanes where things are a little more disciplined.

As evidenced by all the busted lane barriers 😬, but, yes, more disciplined than those on the 6 or 7 southbound lanes of I-95 after the Turnpike.

[bigo]

I've seen on both the Brightline and Princess websites that you can check you bags and they will deliver to the ship.  I have called both Brightline and Princess and no one seems to know about this. Does anyone know if this is possible?

[hrhdhd]

1 hour ago, bigo said:

I've seen on both the Brightline and Princess websites that you can check you bags and they will deliver to the ship.  I have called both Brightline and Princess and no one seems to know about this. Does anyone know if this is possible?

The Brightline train I took to Port Everglades in May for a TA on the Caribbean Princess was wrapped in the Princess logo, and the bag check area had a sign referring to the luggage program. I didn't try it because I wanted to ensure my bag made it on the ship (for a non-TA, I might have tried it). So it exists, but I don't know more. Sorry.

[Cienfuegos]

Here's BrightLine's link to the Princess "arrangement".  It's a little ambiguous.  The copy says to present your luggage at the  originating BrightLine baggage facility. Your luggage must be marked with a Princess baggage tag for a Port Everglades / Fort Lauderdale cruise departure for a specific train departure. 

 

It doesn't explicitly say they will deliver it to your room on the ship, but they certainly imply it. I would call BrightLine and seek written clarification from "BrightLine Offers" staff.

 

(The comparable deal with Virgin Cruises in Miami had the cruise luggage delivered by courier from the train to the ship, and on to your cabin. That operation ceased when the Virgin deal ceased.)

 

https://www.gobrightline.com/offers/princess-cruises