Cruising through Ft Lauderdale help, please.

[dwg]

We just booked the Dream for late 2024 out of Ft Lauderdale which will be DCL's second home port in Florida. I know that Disney is starting to cruise out of Ft Lauderdale in November so maybe others on the disboards can help. I like to plan as much as possible in advance and know what to expect when we arrive. I was trying to figure out where to stay the night before when flying into Ft Lauderdale and how shuttling to the hotel and cruse terminal will work. DCL mentioned that they will be partnering with the Hilton Marina and B Ocean hotels for transportation and will have transportation originating from the airport and from the terminal to the airport but no real information available yet. I tried reaching out to Hilton Marina but you can only text them. They said they do not have any shuttles of their own and use third party shuttles. No mention in their reply regarding partnering with Disney or what that meant. Are all of the hotels in the area using third party companies to shuttle from/to the airport and cruise terminal? Do they all have to be booked in advance?

Regarding Disney transportation from the airport it is my understanding that there is no hotel at the airport like the Hyatt in Orlando so if not flying into Ft Lauderdale the day of the cruise are there any hotels surrounding the airport that are within walking distance so that if you are using Disney transportation from the airport you will not need to shuttle from the hotel to the airport?

Is it best to not even worry about Disney transportation getting to the cruise terminal and just use what is available from the hotels and only worry about using Disney transportation for getting from the cruise terminal to the airport?

 

[OtherFigment]

Have not cruised dcl out of fort lauderdale but have sailed on celebrity. Lyft/Uber is super easy around town. We have stayed at airport hotels, marina hotels and oceanfront. All depends on how far in advance we arrive and what time of day. If we fly in a couple days early, we'll get a hotel on the beach. If it's the day before, probably marina. As far as I know, there are no hotels right at FLL, but really ride share options are plentiful. If we fly in late at night, ill book a car service, but that's just so I don't have to wait.
It may be worth pricing flights in and out of miami as well. Miami to ft lauderdale cruise port and /or hotels is a pretty quick jaunt. I think only about $50 for Uber last time we did that and given we saved a couple hundred on flights it was well worth it.

 

[ironz]

If I may piggyback on your post, I am interested in the answers you get.
Also, would love to know if people have ideas for any family suites in the FLL/Cruiseport area that are not crazy expensive.
I am figuring we will likely use airport shuttle to wherever we stay and a paid shuttle or Uber/Lyft to the ship-- but will be traveling with little kids, at least 2 of whom will need carseat depending on what sort of transport we get? DH and I are usually the only travelers, so accommodating 4 generations is making our planning a little more complex.

 

[Dug720]

Pretty sure there are none in walking distance of the airport. But most of them offer free airport shuttle. Honestly I'd just plan on a taxi or Lyft/Uber. It'll be a lot less hassle.

 

[Calantha]

A lot of hotels use a third-party service. When we do the Homewood Suites in Port Canaveral, it’s a third party shuttle. We called the Marriott residence inn in Fort Lauderdale for next year and they use a third-party also.

The Hilton Homewood suites in Fort Lauderdale does seem to have some sort of two bedroom-suite. I don’t see it on the regular website so you might have to call and ask about it, I saw through American Express.

 

[ScooterScott44]

With DCL just starting to do a regular rotation at Port Everglades, it will be interesting to see what they organize as a company. We have done a few cruises out of there and I have been to the area a number of times for work.

The Hilton Marina is probably pretty close, if not done, with a remodel. It is a nice place, and I would stay there again for a few different reasons even if is not quite the same as in the past. The view of the port turning basin is nice if you get that side and the marina is not bad either. A few decent places to dine around there. It is a short cab or taxi, even if DCL does not set up a shuttle specific to them. There are plenty of other hotels around including some that will give beach access but a slightly longer transit to the port.

The airport is an easy trip over to/from the port. It is one of my least favorite of the 125+ airports I have been in, but YMMV. There is really not an option at the airport or port that will not require a shuttle or uber/taxi. You will not need a rental car, unless you want one for a few days of beach/site seeing.

 

[SteveMouse]

Fort Lauderdale's airport and Port Everglades are adjacent to each other, unlike MCO and Port Canaveral. Depending on traffic and route, it is about 14 minutes from the airport terminal to the Disney terminal in the port.

If you cut through the port at Eller Drive there is no retail but you will be in traffic with trucks entering the port. If you go the "other" way to 17th Street, you will pass lots of retail establishments, a number of hotels, and many restaurant. The closest retail to the Disney terminal is a Walgreen's, just outside the port on the southwest corner of Eisenhower Drive and 17th Street. It's walkable from the ship, if necessary.

I'm happy to answer question about the area.

 

[unrequited23]

Fort Lauderdale's airport and Port Everglades are adjacent to each other, unlike MCO and Port Canaveral. Depending on traffic and route, it is about 14 minutes from the airport terminal to the Disney terminal in the port.

I just wanted to thank you for your insights on the area in this (and other) threads. You've really put my mind at ease and made this port seem very appealing for a family that flies and is fine with uber/lyft.

 

[anneeb]

I was going to ask about Ft. Lauderdale as well. My main question right now is about making our flight after the cruise. Our flight got moved earlier and now departs at 11:30 am from the Ft. Lauderdale airport. We will have a car. If we do the Concierge walk off and don't need to pick up bags, can we make it to the airport in time? We will have to check 1 bag (usually we do all carry on luggage but can't manage that for cruises). Because they changed the flight time we can change to a later time for no fee. The next flight is 2 pm but has a much longer layover and gets us into our home airport 9 pm and kids have school the next day. Is that 11:30 flight risky?

 

[SteveMouse]

Assuming the ship does not dock late and it is NOT the first cruise in/out of Fort Lauderdale, it shouldn't be a problem making your flight if you go ashore by 8:45 or so. It is 15 minutes, at most, to the airport- less than 10 stoplights, and no highway. And there are easy alternate routes that are about a minute or two longer.

Honestly, unless you are fidgeting with car seats, it would be faster just to take a taxi or rideshare and cheaper as well, especially if you were planning to garage the vehicle for the cruise. There will be plenty of vehicles available.

 

[SteveMouse]

If you are in Fort Lauderdale between Thanksgiving and Christmas , a good thing to do in the evening is to cruise on the Water Taxi. You'll get a treat of homes and a few businesses on the water, decorated with lights.

There are a number of places to board and disembark. An easy one for people staying at the Hilton Marina or the Renaissance on 17th Street is under the 17th Street bridge.

Another fun thing to do, especially with kids, is to feed the tarpon at 15th Street Fisheries.

 

[princesscinderella]

Dania pointe is a great place to stay if you come in the day before it’s connected to a nice outdoor shopping/entertainment complex. There are 3 or 4 hotel in the complex too. A nice brand new Marriott, Hyatt place and I can’t remember the others. There’s a bunch of restaurants, bowling, movie theater, grocery store, clothing etc if you forget something. It’s close to both the airport and port and out of the traffic of 17th street port area and would only be a 10-15 minute ride from the port and airport too. If you want a beach experience Marriott Harbor Beach is a nice hotel close to the port and on the beach. It’s a very popular hotel and has lots of events there and can be overrun by teens during homecoming and prom season. Here’s a map that shows how close everything is, the port is very large and it’s an easy drive to get between the port and airport.

 

[lklgoodman]

Dania pointe is a great place to stay if you come in the day before it’s connected to a nice outdoor shopping/entertainment complex. There are 3 or 4 hotel in the complex too. A nice brand new Marriott, Hyatt place and I can’t remember the others. There’s a bunch of restaurants, bowling, movie theater, grocery store, clothing etc if you forget something. It’s close to both the airport and port and out of the traffic of 17th street port area and would only be a 10-15 minute ride from the port and airport too. If you want a beach experience Marriott Harbor Beach is a nice hotel close to the port and on the beach. It’s a very popular hotel and has lots of events there and can be overrun by teens during homecoming and prom season. Here’s a map that shows how close everything is, the port is very large and it’s an easy drive to get between the port and airport.

View attachment 797364

Thanks for the info about the Dania area. I have just started to look at hotels for our July cruise. We like to stay at Marriott's and I had looked at both the Dania one and the harbor beach one. They both look like great options.

 

[Kwami]

With the airport and cruise port being so close, you'd think that Ft. Lauderdale would build a shuttle service. Maybe the new business from Disney will push them to do it?

 

[Pens Fan]

Dania pointe is a great place to stay if you come in the day before it’s connected to a nice outdoor shopping/entertainment complex. There are 3 or 4 hotel in the complex too. A nice brand new Marriott, Hyatt place and I can’t remember the others. There’s a bunch of restaurants, bowling, movie theater, grocery store, clothing etc if you forget something. It’s close to both the airport and port and out of the traffic of 17th street port area and would only be a 10-15 minute ride from the port and airport too. If you want a beach experience Marriott Harbor Beach is a nice hotel close to the port and on the beach. It’s a very popular hotel and has lots of events there and can be overrun by teens during homecoming and prom season. Here’s a map that shows how close everything is, the port is very large and it’s an easy drive to get between the port and airport.

View attachment 797364

Thanks so much for this info! I had already booked the Hyatt Place at Dania Beach as it was less expensive than the hotels closer to the port but still seemed close enough for an inexpensive Uber/Lyft ride. We'll be heading out on the transatlantic so I've been debating throwing in our wine carriers and trying to find a place to buy wine to carry onboard. Sounds as if that won't be a problem.

 

[princesscinderella]

With the airport and cruise port being so close, you'd think that Ft. Lauderdale would build a shuttle service. Maybe the new business from Disney will push them to do it?

Unfortunately, public transportation is not great in south florida and I honestly wouldn't feel safe using it.

 

[princesscinderella]

Thanks so much for this info! I had already booked the Hyatt Place at Dania Beach as it was less expensive than the hotels closer to the port but still seemed close enough for an inexpensive Uber/Lyft ride. We'll be heading out on the transatlantic so I've been debating throwing in our wine carriers and trying to find a place to buy wine to carry onboard. Sounds as if that won't be a problem.

There's a BJ's in the Oakwood plaza across the street if you have a membership for cheaper wine. The grocery store is a Sprouts its like a more reasonable priced whole foods, I'm not sure they sell wine I will check for you next time I shop there as I'm not a wine drinker.

 

[Kwami]

Unfortunately, public transportation is not great in south florida and I honestly wouldn't feel safe using it.

I would take public transportation over so-called "ride share" options any day. But, this wouldn't be a normal public transportation option. It would be a direct shuttle between the airport and the cruise port with space for luggage, just like Disney does for Port Canaveral.

 

[Pens Fan]

There's a BJ's in the Oakwood plaza across the street if you have a membership for cheaper wine. The grocery store is a Sprouts its like a more reasonable priced whole foods, I'm not sure they sell wine I will check for you next time I shop there as I'm not a wine drinker.

Thanks so much, that would be great! We don't have BJ's where I live, so we aren't members.

 

[Jaime C]

We are staying at a Holiday Inn Express that is near the cruise terminal. It is a 1.25 mi but I think we could walk there quicker because we can just cut down streets - these are Google Driving directions. We have a cruise in January. We will fly into FLL 2 days earlier and stay at the hotel. Will shuttle from the aiport to our hotel, then will likely walk to port.