Driving from Sanford FL or Tampa ???

[starketcher]

I usually book cruises that I can possibly drive to. Miami and Ft Lauderdale are too far to drive. But, a new airline has come in locally where I can avoid ATL & it is also cheap. It flies to Orlando/Sanford and Tampa/St Pete.

 

I am figuring I can fly there and rent a car and drive onto Miami. So, my question is: Is driving to Miami or Ft. Lauderdale a hassle? Hard to find? Any help appreciated....I am planning this cruise for next Feb-April timeframe and need soem input before I book.

[lindasuej]

I live in Palm Harbor, which is the Tampa Bay area. I have never been to the Miami Port but I have cruised from Fort Lauderdale several times. I love the drive there. You just go over the Sunshine skyway bridge, hop on 75 and take that down to Alligator Alley (and yes there might be alligators on the side of the road - it is perfectly safe). After you cross Alligator Alley it isn't far to the port. It takes us about 4 hours.

 

Have fun,

 

Linda

[hereforthefun]

Hi, why don't you cruise out of that port? It is only 40 min. or so away from the airport.

[starketcher]

PC is the back-up plan. Miaim ports just give me more options. I've done the western on Glory before and I like PC--that may be where we wind up. I am just weighing options right now. That is one of the reasons that I wanted to know the driving specs to Miami. If it is too much hassle, then I do the Glory Eastern.

[jessemon]

I usually book cruises that I can possibly drive to. Miami and Ft Lauderdale are too far to drive. But, a new airline has come in locally where I can avoid ATL & it is also cheap. It flies to Orlando/Sanford and Tampa/St Pete.

 

I am figuring I can fly there and rent a car and drive onto Miami. So, my question is: Is driving to Miami or Ft. Lauderdale a hassle? Hard to find? Any help appreciated....I am planning this cruise for next Feb-April timeframe and need soem input before I book.

OK...just a question or two......

Where do you live ?

Will you have any layovers on the flight you book ?

Do you know that this time frame in FLa. many times highways get shutdown due to brush fires ?

Are you leaving the day before the cruise ?

What is the price of the flight ?

What will you pay for a rental car in both directions...including gas ?

If you leave on the day of the cruise what time do you land at airport ?

Do you know it is a minimum 4 hr. drive ?

Did you also consider it will take at least an hour to get the rental once you land ? Then you need to drop it off and be transported to dock...

Unless you want to park at the docks and that is minimum $12.00 a day.

Is the price really that much lower to make it worth it ??????;)

[vacruizer]

Not sure where you are at but we have those same runs on Allegiant Air to Sanford and St. Pete from here. Had a great experience with them a while back flying into Sanford and driving to Sarasota and $49 each way fares. (The days for St. Pete didn't work for a weekend trip.) The problem is they only fly a few days a week from here and it never seems to match up with cruise dates I'm looking at. Don't know about the drive, but even with rental car it may be cheaper to fly and then drive. Have looked at doing the same myself but the days didn't work out.

[starketcher]

OK...just a question or two......

Where do you live ?

Will you have any layovers on the flight you book ?

Do you know that this time frame in FLa. many times highways get shutdown due to brush fires ?

Are you leaving the day before the cruise ?

What is the price of the flight ?

What will you pay for a rental car in both directions...including gas ?

If you leave on the day of the cruise what time do you land at airport ?

Do you know it is a minimum 4 hr. drive ?

Did you also consider it will take at least an hour to get the rental once you land ? Then you need to drop it off and be transported to dock...

Unless you want to park at the docks and that is minimum $12.00 a day.

 

Is the price really that much lower to make it worth it ??????;)

 

I live in SC, no layovers--direct flight from local airport. We usually go down the day prior to the cruise & usually rent a car (around $60), so car rental is a moot point. Allegiant Air is the new airline and right now their flights are $39 each way!

 

My reasons for going to Miami, possibly, are not solely monetary. There are more options port-wise with the cruises leaving from the Miami ports. I like the Honduras stop that one of the crcuises from Miami has, another has the easter carib with Grand Turks...so those are 2 new wports that are options from Miami. Price is a consideration, but not the sole consideration.

[jessemon]

I live in SC, no layovers--direct flight from local airport. We usually go down the day prior to the cruise & usually rent a car (around $60), so car rental is a moot point. Allegiant Air is the new airline and right now their flights are $39 each way!

 

My reasons for going to Miami, possibly, are not solely monetary. There are more options port-wise with the cruises leaving from the Miami ports. I like the Honduras stop that one of the crcuises from Miami has, another has the easter carib with Grand Turks...so those are 2 new wports that are options from Miami. Price is a consideration, but not the sole consideration.

Cool...have a safe trip.......;)

[sicsinohio]

I flew Allegiant from Toledo to Sanford a couple years ago and then rented a car to drive to West Palm Beach. There is a lot of traffic the further south you go. Plan on about a 5 hour drive to Miami, unless there's a quicker route than the one I took. Allegiant does have great prices, and with the price of gas, it's cheaper than driving.

[wraithe]

Flew Allegiant Air in March from Youngstown, OH to Sanford, rented a car from Budget and drove to Port Everglades. The turnpike was a disaster for me, horrible construction traffic, but most CC'ers in the know say they'd still use the turnpike. Allegiant was great in both cities, and security from the smaller airports was a breeze. The MD-80 is a decent aircraft, no first class/business class. Be aware that to choose your seats is a $15/seat surcharge if you want to choose before you get to the ticket counter, and get priority boarding as well. They didn't charge us in either location for checking bags, but there is supposedly a $4/bag charge to check luggage. Snacks and sodas are available in flight for a charge as well. The only thing you get with the ticket is a flight, just wanted you to know up front. You aren't guaranteed to sit together unless you pay for priority boarding, although my wife and I did sit together on both flights. I would strongly recommend you get to the airport at least two hours early, as they say on the website. Hope this helps.

 

Budget office near Sanford is SFB and the office closest to Port Everglades is Quay Shopping Center (EV3), both had good shuttles to the airport or pier.

[cusyl]

I live in SC, no layovers--direct flight from local airport. We usually go down the day prior to the cruise & usually rent a car (around $60), so car rental is a moot point. Allegiant Air is the new airline and right now their flights are $39 each way!

 

Where in SC do you live? I checked their website and unless I overlooked it, didn't see one leaving from SC.

My SIL lives in Columbia SC and needs to fly to TPA to join us for a cruise.

[starketcher]

Where in SC do you live? I checked their website and unless I overlooked it, didn't see one leaving from SC.

My SIL lives in Columbia SC and needs to fly to TPA to join us for a cruise.

 

 

I live near Greenville. It flies out of GSP just on certain days, but with the price now ($39!) it is worth planning those days into the schedule.

[cusyl]

Okay, see it now...thanks. They don't have December fares available yet.