Miami cruise port help ! Please

[JessBlu]

So we have 2 weeks Disney AKl followed by a 7 night NCL cruise.

We are driving down from Orlando to Miami dropping off the car at the airport and catching the shuttle to the port.
Our cruise all onboard is 15.00 ish.

Now my concern is we will get stuck in traffic and miss our departure if we intend to do this on the day of departure (Sunday 28th Oct).

We have driven to Miami before so know the drive but you can’t account for the unexpected.

So we are considering driving down the night before and getting a cheap hotel ?

Any tips for cheap hotels the night before at either the airport or the port ?

We might leave Disney one night early and head that way, then just drop off the car on the morning.

Any tips regarding the logistics of this would be great.

Our past sailings have been from Port Canarval.

[wilma-bride]

Another consideration might be to drive down the I-95 and stop somewhere just north of Miami, to keep the costs down. otherwise, a cheap airport hotel would be your best bet - the rental car places all have shuttles from the airport drop off to port (we used Dollar last time).

ETA: There are No really cheap hotels in Miami (not that I would stay at anyway), which is why I said airport is the best bet. Even some of those are pretty pricey considering how ropey they are.

[JessBlu]

Great thanks, yes gettting much further down that way is a good idea.

[truffles]

we drove down the night before and stayed in the doubletree Biscayne bay. It wasn't badly priced and the hotel is lovely and we were upgraded to a 2 bed condo on arrival. Like you I worried about traffic and timings and was so glad we stayed the night before.

truffles xx

[JessBlu]

Thanks I will take a look.

[babycanaansmum]

Hi ! We are doing the journey a week Sunday from Disney to Miami to get on our cruise, we plan on leaving Disney at 6:30am to allow plenty of time to travel to the port and return car etc. I think even allowing for the unexpected this should be plenty of time. I think that leaving early on the Sunday morning then the roads should be quiet. My SIL and I are being dropped at the port with the bags and kids and my hubby and BIL are returning the car to the airport and catching the shuttle to the port.

[Scotty]

Originally Posted by truffles

we drove down the night before and stayed in the doubletree Biscayne bay. It wasn't badly priced and the hotel is lovely and we were upgraded to a 2 bed condo on arrival. Like you I worried about traffic and timings and was so glad we stayed the night before.

truffles xx

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We stayed here as well, it took ages to get back to the I95 in the morning though.
Last time we left Orlando at 6:30/7ish and were at the port in good time.

Who is your car hire with? We made the mistake of booking Avis (with our BA flight) and they don't offer the shuttle bus.

[JessBlu]

Originally Posted by babycanaansmum

Hi ! We are doing the journey a week Sunday from Disney to Miami to get on our cruise, we plan on leaving Disney at 6:30am to allow plenty of time to travel to the port and return car etc. I think even allowing for the unexpected this should be plenty of time. I think that leaving early on the Sunday morning then the roads should be quiet. My SIL and I are being dropped at the port with the bags and kids and my hubby and BIL are returning the car to the airport and catching the shuttle to the port.

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Have a fab holiday!
Would love to learn of your journey when you get back. I don’t want to pay for a hotel if I don’t need it as we have the room at Disney but I also don’t want to miss the cruise!

Thanks

[JessBlu]

Originally Posted by Scotty

We stayed here as well, it took ages to get back to the I95 in the morning though.
Last time we left Orlando at 6:30/7ish and were at the port in good time.

Who is your car hire with? We made the mistake of booking Avis (with our BA flight) and they don't offer the shuttle bus.

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Alamo I think they have a free shuttle.

[Cinderellas]

Originally Posted by JessBlu

Alamo I think they have a free shuttle.

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Alamo definately have a shuttle which was very convenient. We used it in January and had no wait times either way. We are doing this again next January