What to do with time in Fort Lauderdale?

[clandt]

I am not sure what time we will be of the boat on our July 10th cruise...... Our flight doesn't leave until 3pm.

 

What can we do with the extra time we have? There are 4 of us and all of our luggage!

 

Christy

[Shelli]

We had this problem last year so we ended up renting a car for the day. The rental agency (I think it was Budget) picked us up at the pier and took us to the office, which was in a strip shopping center about 5 minutes away. We got a small car for about $30-- there are certainly larger ones available, though, that would be big enough for the 4 of you. We drove down to the beach area, which took no more than 10 minutes. There we wandered about (wanted to ride on the water taxi, but our timing ended up being all wrong), shopped at Beach Place (a shopping mall), and ate lunch at a cute outdoor place there that overlooked the beach. We walked around on the beach a bit afterwards and just enjoyed the lovely day and ocean. Then we drove to the airport car return rental place, where we dropped off the car and took their shuttle to the airport.

[Perky1]

That was the way our flight was last March. We got a cab to the airport and checked all of our bags and got our boarding passes all before 10:30. We asked and someone told us to go stand at the Public Transit stop at the end of the airport and get the bus going to the shopping mall. It is about a 40 min bus ride to the mall but we shopped and ate and before long it was time to head back to the stop to return to the airport. Cost around $2 pp for the bus each way. We were on the Riveira Deck of the ship so we were one of the first bunches off. You may not have as much time if you are not early getting off.

[TexEm]

Clandt--same problem as you, except our plane doesn't leave until 7 p.m or so back to Texas. Hope you get some other ideas posted here. Our teens are sure to love the long wait if we don't find something to do, other than more eating, shopping or beaching.

 

(See you at the aft pool after muster, look for Larry (greyhaired, greybearded guy in the Princess Cay shirt from our rollcall--"wcflats")

[sue d. miller]

I have a couple of ideas. One is a princess excursion,that a bus is waiting at the ship that loads your luggage and gives you a tour of Ft. Lauderdale, and then takes you to the airport, And the other is call a hotel, like the Marriott Marina, and ask if there is a day room that you can get for a cheap price, to store your luggage.Grab a cab from the pier to the hotel, and get rid of the luggage.. There is a water taxi,right outside the Marriott, that will take you to lots of stops. It costs $5pp for the day. You can get off, do something, get back on, and go somewhere else. Do that as many times as you have time for. Then about 3 hrs. before flight, go back to the Marriott, get a cab, maybe the hotel has a free shuttle, to the airport. Voila!! Day filled up having fun, not hanging around for hours. :)

[cruznliz]

We are left coasters (essentially first time to Florida), so we did the ship excursion to the Everglades and a botanical garden. We enjoyed both stops and got to the airport in plenty of time for the flight. They dropped off at the Fort Lauderdale airport first then took the rest of the bus to Miami. Check with the shore excursion desk about mid cruise to see what they are offering. On our cruise they only did the one excursion because there weren't enough interested passengers to warrant a choice in tours. ;)

[twocats]

How about this: Imax Theater

401 SW 2nd Street

Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312

(954) 463-4629

Teens should like some of the choices, there are three currently playing, all less than an hour.

[NitaBcruising]

I agree, the Everglades tour is great! The airboat ride is really fun!

A car rental is a good idea, also. Go to the beach, shopping, and a nice lunch. I don't know what ages you are taking, kids or adults, but I loved Butterfly World!!! It was the last attraction we saw, in several trips to Ft. Lauderdale, but turned out to be great! The butterflies are so colorful, I really enjoyed it! I had a new digital camera and got the best pics!

Flamingo Gardens are nice, too. And so is Bonnet House, gardens and museum.

[WendyG]

rent a car, head to the Sawgrass Mall, something for everyone there.

My daughter practically LIVES there!

Nice outlet mall, huge place, good way to kill a few hours (about 20 minutes from the FLL airport) and they have a Cheesecake Factory you can have lunch at (like you'll still be wanting to eat!) ;)

[Garon&Arlene1539128128]

We have the same problem. Our flight doen't leave until 6;00pm. We are thinking of

renting a car also and seeing some sights. Also princess has some tours you can book

after the cruise.

 

See you on board!!!!

 

Arlene & Garon

[lynwar]

I argree if you can find a place to stash your luggage, take the water taxi or water bus over to the Las Olas Shops area.There is a Riverwalk over there by Downtown Ft. L with all kinds of shops and restaurants and Las Olas shops in general are great to look through. Kind of like the Rodeo Drive of Ft. Lauderdale. Or, you can rent your car and go up to Lauderdale by the Sea--north to Commercial Blvd. Nice beach area, restaurants and shops.Beach Place on the Ft. Lauderdale Beach strip is a 3 story shopping complex that has stores and restaurants ranging from a cheeseburger joint, to Hooters, to Sloppy Joe's,Howl at the Moon. My son, in his mid-30's, goes there everytime he comes to visit with us.We make the drive down there to Ft. Lauderdale as one of our main stops. Lynne

[TexEm]

Thanks for all the great suggestions--the water taxi sounds kind of interesting, but then so do the Butterfly World, the IMAX, the shops...maybe we can just stash the teens somewhere (in that cheap room in the Marriott, Sue!) and DH and I can go out on the town! My brother lives in Florida, so we've done the Everglades thing before, so are looking for alternatives to the ship's excursions.

 

Garon&Arlene and clandt--let's talk on board about what there is to do.

[Snorkelcat]

Ditto to Butterfly World! :) It is an experience you will not soon forget! Don't forget the camera!!

Try www.breezenet.com for an inexpensive rental car.

[NitaBcruising]

How could I have forgotten Sawgrass Mills outlet mall? It's huge! We go there every time we go to FLL! Great shopping, and a Hard Rock Cafe for the kids!

[Burt]

If you have the time, there is a paddle-wheel two decker boat that cruises the Intercoastal Canal. It is a two hour cruise that shows the best homes in the Ft. Lauderdale area. It is a do-not-miss cruise. The "Carrie-B" leaves from a dock in the Las Olas area of Ft. Lauderdale, about 10 mins. from Port Everglades. The boat has a bar and restrooms, covered seating too.