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In the same neighborhood as the Hampton Inn, you'll find the upscale, full-service JW Marriott Miami. Nights start at 35,000 points, so you can use a Marriott 35k free night certificate on some dates of the year. Depending on your elite status tier with Marriott Bonvoy, you might be eligible for free breakfast at this hotel. If you'd prefer to be on the beach, Hyatt has some solid options that won't break the bank, including Dream South Beach and Hyatt Centric South Beach Miami (both from 17,000 points per night). Ride-hailing services such as Uber and Lyft are also an option. Taxi stands are on the arrival (ground) level of the airport (outside baggage claim).
Public Transit from Miami International Airport
Port Canaveral loses title of world's busiest cruise port after one year to Miami - Florida Today
Port Canaveral loses title of world's busiest cruise port after one year to Miami.
Posted: Tue, 12 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT [source]
On this day each month, a street party is held in Little Havana called Viernes Cultural that features an array of music performers, dancers, Cuban cuisine, and theater performances. If you’re a beach lover, head to Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park. It’s located on Key Biscayne and has some of America’s most beautiful beaches, along with hiking trails that lead to views of Miami’s downtown skyline.
Central & South America
You pay a fee/ night to leave your car at the hotel or book a parking package which includes a night stay, shuttle service and cruise parking. Don’t just show up to the port at any time or you may be in for a long wait. When you have paid your final deposits for your cruise, you will be either assigned or get to choose a boarding time. It is best to arrive at the port around 30 minutes prior to your time. This will give you ample opportunity to find a parking spot (if driving), check any luggage, and then go through security and health screenings. All passengers typically need to be on board the ship one hour prior to the scheduled departure time, so don’t arrive too late.
Best Miami “Park and Cruise” Hotels (Free/Discount Parking)
These shuttles can also be booked for getting you to/from a hotel to the terminal and airport. It’s a stress-free way to travel in comfort as driver will be waiting for you and will drop you off at your destination. The Dodge Island home of PortMiami is perfectly designed for cruise ships.
It’s literally across the street from Garage G, making it extremely easy to park and get to your ship in just a couple of minutes. The terminal currently sees use from Royal Caribbean on weekend trips when the cruise line has multiple ships in port. Select hotels near both MIA and PortMiami offer shuttle service to the port. For an idea of the transfer cost, the Hampton Inn & Suites by Hilton Miami Brickell Downtown offers a shuttle to PortMiami for $8 per person. Airports near Miami cruise port include Miami International Airport (MIA) and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL), and there are plenty of points hotels for a pre- or post-cruise stay.
Hotels near Miami cruise port
Check out the Cafe at Books & Books, Meat Market Miami Beach, and MILA Restaurant. Just north of downtown is Edgewater and the Miami Design District. These funky, artsy neighborhoods have a nice variety of hotels which are slightly cheaper than in downtown and still have the convenience of restaurants and bars.
Useful Information About Miami for Cruise Passengers
In Miami is also headquartered CMI-Cruise Management International and its subsidiary CMI Leisure (smaller-sized and expedition cruise ship management company). Since 2022, CMI is owned by Anglo-Eastern (1974-founded company that manages 600+ vessels/crew recruitment and management, technical services). PortMiami (locode URMIA) is currently ranked the world's second-largest cruise port (after Port Canaveral).
Major Differences Between Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL)
Downtown Miami is home to the city’s major attractions and is the commercial hub of the city. From theaters and shops to government officers and corporate headquarters, the district is a bustling part of the city with plenty of hotels and things to do. If you are driving a recreational vehicle or have a trailer, there are spots for oversized vehicles at Lot 2 close to Terminal E. All parking facilities are patrolled by security. Virgin Trains USA (formerly operating as Brightline) connect Miami with Ft. Comfortable express trains depart from and arrive at Virgin MiamiCentral in Downtown Miami. There is no longer a flat rate of $27 from the airport to the port, this was removed after the covid period.
Besides the Beach (on South Beach), the Seaquarium, the typical Everglades experience or Little Havana there is much more to enjoy on a overnight stay in Miami. If you have a look at the map above, it is clear that the Port of Miami (on Dodge Island) is connected by a bridge to Downtown on the West mainland. Some cruisers presume, wrongly, that the access to the port is easy. In this review, you will find quite a few helpful insider tips about the port of Miami, regardless of whether you are a savvy cruiser or have a cruise scheduled from Miami for the first time. Port Miami has many major ongoing construction and improvement projects listed above.
Whatever transportation you choose, its best to allow at least 45 to 60 minutes for you journey from the airport to your Miami hotel or cruise terminal. As flight delays can always happend due to bad weather or cancelations we can recommend to book a stay at a hotel at least for one day ahead of your cruise. The cruise traveler will find Yellow taxis right outside the exit doors of the airport and, generally speaking, even on rush hours you may not have to wait more than a few minutes in line. Uber and Lift cost between $16 and $30 (depending on traffic and if using premium services). Both Uber and Lift apps are very well designed and you will be able to indicated precisely your waiting location.
The new terminal sits on the west end of Dodge Island, serving the adults-only cruise line. If you're into contemporary art, explore NW Second Avenue and its side streets. This is basically an outdoor museum with a variety of colorful wall murals. As you walk and discover the neighborhood's art, you can stop at craft breweries, art galleries and trendy restaurants and cafes. Miami is packed with all sorts of hotels that don't participate in a traditional loyalty program. If you have kids or additional time, the JW Marriott Turnberry Resort & Spa (starting at 40,000 points per night), farther out in Aventura, is a terrific bet since it has its own water park and lazy river.
Tri-Rail, Metro Rail, and Brightline have services that will get you to Downtown Miami, but you will still need additional transportation for the last mile or so to the port. Once you arrive at the airport, you will have several transportation methods. Some of these options will depend on whether you fly in the day before or the day of your cruise. While several major airlines do fly to Miami, carriers such as Jet Blue and Southwest have hubs in Fort Lauderdale. Luckily, the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) is also located under 30 miles away. With traffic, this trip should take between 45 minutes to an hour.
Freedom TowerThe Freedom Tower is perhaps Miami’s most famous building. Originally built in the 1920s, the tower looks small and a bit out of place next to the towering modern skyscrapers nearby. Still, there is a lot of history here as it served as a processing center for Cuban refugees following the Communist revolution. Today it houses an art museum and is a gem in the history of Miami. As we said, downtown is near the port, meaning there are a number of interesting things to do and see right nearby. Families will want to make the 10-minute drive from the port to visit the Frost Museum of Science (1101 Biscayne Boulevard).
The hotel has several on-site restaurants and is near plenty of others; it also has a shuttle to the port for about $10 per passenger. The chain's free breakfast is a great way to start the day; it'll hold you over until you get on the ship and can enjoy a leisurely lunch before sailaway. Terminal F is PortMiami's 3rd cruise terminal dedicated to Carnival ships as well as currently the largest in North America. On May 4, 2018, from Barcelona were delivered two large passenger boarding bridges. Tailor-made for "Terminal F’", each bridge is 2-ton and 4-sectioned (telescopic), with length 32 m (105 ft). Miami-Dade funded the USD 38 million reconstruction project, which increased the terminal's capacity up to 6000 passengers.
PortMiami is in close proximity to many desirable neighborhoods so there's no lack of opportunity to find both destination dining and good local eats. Your choice will also depend on how long you're staying, what you'd like to see while you're in town and how many hotel points you have to spend. Royal Caribbean's Terminal A Garage charges a higher rate of $35 per day. By the agreement, NCLH received preferential berthing rights at the new Terminal B. This means priority docking of vessels from the fleets of NCL, Oceania and RSSC-Regent. The required minimum number of ship calls (per fiscal year) is 45, which is 15 more than the previous agreement. Royal Caribbean is leasing the land for an initial 20-year period (until 2048) at base rent US$9,5 million per year (annual increase 1,5%).
Cruisers can also arrive at the Port of Miami from the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL), which is about 25 miles away. As is the case with MIA, you have the option to arrange a shuttle with your cruise line. Rideshare apps, such as Uber and Lyft, are great options as well.
