Expert: Linda - 5/22/2011

Question
Hi Linda ~ A group of 12 people will be flying into Fort Lauderdale on Saturday, September 10,2011 from Richmond, Va with an arrival of 1:35p.m.(straight flight)and will return from our cruise on September 17,2011 flight departure 1:00p.m. we will need roundtrip transportation to and from the Port of Miami. what do you suggest for booking transportation. And another question arriving in Ft Lauderdale at 1:30pm will that give us enough time to get to the ship?  Please help. Thank you for any advise or assistance you may be able to provide us with.

Answer
Hi Diane,

You have several options for transportation from Ft Lauderdale to Miami for your cruise.  If you are arriving at 1:30 then the ONLY transportation I would do would be thru Carnival.  Why?  Cause' if your flight is late, they will hold the ship for you.  If you book thru anyone else...no go, they won't wait and you would need to fly to the first port to meet up with the ship.  Arriving at 1:30 with 12 people to get their luggage and get out to the walk to get any type of transportation, then 40 min to Miami, plus checking in....that's really cutting it close.

The options that are available are thru the shuttle, holds 12 and luggage, charge is $14 per person.  Cabs would be a little less, but because they only have a trunk, you can ususally only get luggage for 2 in them, plus you're stuck waiting for a cab at the sidewalk.  Ft Laud is a busy airport because they also at that time are brining in passengers leaving from Ft Lauderdale on cruises as well as Miami.

I'm not the kind of person that wants to stress out my first day on vacation, so I'd go with the ship transportation both ways.

Linda