Miami or Fort Lauderdale for Miami cruise?

[Michael Kays]

We are taking a cruise in January out of miami. FLA. airfare for 4 from Sacramento CA to Miami is around $450 pp, with baggage fees $100 r/t pp ($20 Ist luggage, $30 2nd each way!!), making the cost of airfare $550 pp or $2,200 for the r/t!

 

If I fly into Fort Lauderdale, I can fly Southwest (they don't fly into Miami), cost is $400 pp with no baggage fees for Ist or 2nd bag, making the cost $400 pp or $1600 r/t. That saves me $600. Transportation r/t FLL to Miami $150 for all four of us. I think it is around 60 miles one way between cities. Maybe a 2 hour commute. Total savings is $450.

 

Cost for Hotel room in either place is high season and pretty much a wash, so wasn't included in this

 

Am I missing something or would flying into FLL be a better choice moneywise?

[Keith1010]

The drive between the two cities is a good deal shorter than 2 hours. It should be around 45 minutes each way. I would take advantage of the savings and fly to Fort Lauderdale.

 

Keith

[manmtnmike]

We are taking a cruise in January out of miami. FLA. airfare for 4 from Sacramento CA to Miami is around $450 pp, with baggage fees $100 r/t pp ($20 Ist luggage, $30 2nd each way!!), making the cost of airfare $550 pp or $2,200 for the r/t!

 

If I fly into Fort Lauderdale, I can fly Southwest (they don't fly into Miami), cost is $400 pp with no baggage fees for Ist or 2nd bag, making the cost $400 pp or $1600 r/t. That saves me $600. Transportation r/t FLL to Miami $150 for all four of us. I think it is around 60 miles one way between cities. Maybe a 2 hour commute. Total savings is $450.

 

Cost for Hotel room in either place is high season and pretty much a wash, so wasn't included in this

 

Am I missing something or would flying into FLL be a better choice moneywise?

 

We always fly into FLL when we sail from Port of Miami, use SAS Transportation for $15 each way... http://www.ridesas.com/

 

Mike

[TrentS]

I think it is around 60 miles one way between cities. Maybe a 2 hour commute.

:confused:

 

It's about 20 miles - 30-45 minutes from FLL to Port of Miami in normal traffic.

[merees17]

Hi all, we are looking to take the kids on a cruise departing from Miami. I've heard several people on other cruises talk about the drive to the cruise port. They have mentioned they don't like departing Miami due to the ride through some "rough" areas. They also said that is why some lines have or are pulling out of Miami. Any comments? I hate not to go to a port based on a few peoples comments if they aren't true.

[Almost Packed]

we are flying on southwest to FLL...our cruise leaves out of Miami.

 

I found a rental car from Miami airport cheaper (by a considerable amount)

 

There is a train that will take you from FLL airport to Miami airport for just a few bucks a person. Then you can take a cheap cab to the pier. We will be missing all the headaches of dealing with the traffic from Ft. Lauderdale to Miami as well. It just worked out better for us this way.

[Almost Packed]

Hi all, we are looking to take the kids on a cruise departing from Miami. I've heard several people on other cruises talk about the drive to the cruise port. They have mentioned they don't like departing Miami due to the ride through some "rough" areas. They also said that is why some lines have or are pulling out of Miami. Any comments? I hate not to go to a port based on a few peoples comments if they aren't true.

 

Gee, i have no idea where these are coming from.....but the port of Miami is off by itself. You go downtown...well, right by downtown...and it was all very nice....I suppose it depends on where they are driving from...maybe it was their own town they were driving through that they had complaints about lol...but like with any major city, there are suburbs and urban areas. But getting to the port of Miami...no problems at all. We walked around all day/evening at bayside.

 

Go have fun...but like any city, anywhere in the world, just be alert and aware. crime can happen anywhere-to anyone-by anyone...

[royalcruz]

Hi all, we are looking to take the kids on a cruise departing from Miami. I've heard several people on other cruises talk about the drive to the cruise port. They have mentioned they don't like departing Miami due to the ride through some "rough" areas. They also said that is why some lines have or are pulling out of Miami. Any comments? I hate not to go to a port based on a few peoples comments if they aren't true.

 

The port is practically right off a highway, and there is hardly any driving through city traffic required, so I find this puzzling. Maybe someone got lost???

[royalcruz]

we are flying on southwest to FLL...our cruise leaves out of Miami.

 

I found a rental car from Miami airport cheaper (by a considerable amount)

 

There is a train that will take you from FLL airport to Miami airport for just a few bucks a person. Then you can take a cheap cab to the pier. We will be missing all the headaches of dealing with the traffic from Ft. Lauderdale to Miami as well. It just worked out better for us this way.

 

I'm not sure about MIA, but I can tell you that there is no train at FLL. You will have to get transportation from FLL to the train station.

[TrentS]

There is a train that will take you from FLL airport to Miami airport for just a few bucks a person. Then you can take a cheap cab to the pier. We will be missing all the headaches of dealing with the traffic from Ft. Lauderdale to Miami as well. It just worked out better for us this way.

 

Um, NO, there is not... I assume you mean Tri-Rail but that is not at or even all that close to FLL, you'll still need a cab to get there. It also does not go into MIA, again, another cab ride, or bus, to get to the terminal. And another poster was worried about going through some "rough areas"... You will on that train! :eek:

 

That rental car must be practically free to deal with all that. I would NEVER EVER recommend any tourists take Tri-Rail, they're not set up to deal with luggage either.

 

Trust me, what you propose is a much bigger headache than the traffic between FLL and MIA. :eek:

[TrentS]

Hi all, we are looking to take the kids on a cruise departing from Miami. I've heard several people on other cruises talk about the drive to the cruise port. They have mentioned they don't like departing Miami due to the ride through some "rough" areas. They also said that is why some lines have or are pulling out of Miami. Any comments? I hate not to go to a port based on a few peoples comments if they aren't true.

 

That's bull... You go through some "rough" areas on an elevated freeway! If they drove through "rough" areas then they didn't know where they were going, or a cabbie took them on a ride to run the fare up! Many don't know there's a flat rate between MIA and many areas, don't let them use the meter... http://www.miami-airport.com/html/taxi_and_shuttle_service.html

 

Downtown Miami is not a rough area if you stay in the recommended area, or even better South Beach is wonderful and very safe.

 

And no lines are pulling out because of any such thing. Some people simply don't know what they're talking about and assume. :rolleyes:

[Kitt Grey]

Last January I flew in to FLL and there was a van service to Miami at the airport. I think it was around 20-30 per person. The service I used the next morning was just 15 person to go from fll hotel to my ship in Miami.

[merees17]

Thanks for all the info! I thought something didn't sound quite right. Glad I checked.

[melligene]

We always fly into FLL when we sail from Port of Miami, use SAS Transportation for $15 each way... http://www.ridesas.com/

 

Mike

Ya kinda missed the per person part. $15 each way for 4 people is a heck of a deal. LOL:D