Expert: Linda - 3/19/2007

Question
Hi Linda,
My husband and I will need a room the night before an upcoming cruise on Carnival's Liberty.  We will fly into FLL the night before and NOT rent a car.  We are looking for a hotel that is located close to Ft.Laud's Port Everglades Cruise Port, (either hotel shuttle or cheap cab ride), but also, perhaps in an area that we can walk to some restaurants, shops, etc. and enjoy the area Friday afternoon and evening.  I am looking to get the best value for the money and am wanting to spend less than $150.00 for the night.
Thanks,
Susan

Answer
you didn't say when you were coming, if it's after May, you won't have a problem with less than $150.00

the very BEST advice i can give you is to use Priceline.com.  You put in the area you want (You will choose Ft.Lauderdale beach)  They'll ask you for a * rating, you'll put in 4 star to start with, then it will ask you for a price.  depending on when you're coming, I'd put in $79.

Please read carefully before you choose this route as once priceline accepts your bid, it hits your credit card, is non transferrable, no refundable etc.  I use it all the time, Ft.Lauderdale, Orlando, NEVER had a  bad room and have booked over 50 rooms.  the hotels you'll get will be either the Amerisuite hotel or Doubletree or Embassy suites.  Your first bid for 4 * will return as unacceptable as there are only 2 4 * hotels on the beach.  when you try the next time, you'll key in 3 * or 4 * and the same amount.  If you get turned down, you can try again in 72 hours and you just increase your bid.  All these hotels are walking distance from Carlos and Charlies,, chucks Steak House, Bimini Bay, Southport Raw Bar, MANY, all in walking distance.  You also must invest $8/PP and take the Water Taxi, you can walk to several places, once is also a great restaurant, 15th Street Fisheries.  You catch the water Taxi and it'll take you up and down the intercostal.  You can stop at Hooters and have a drink and get back on, it's really a neat thing to do and inexpensive.

Also suggest you log in to cruisecritic.com.  you'll need to join (free), go to "message boards", click on Carnival, then you can also post your questions about using Priceline and what other people have paid.

You are  only 10 min from the airport to 17th street which is next to the port.  If you get the Embassy suites, ask them for a room facing the port an above the 7th floor; then you can get up EARLY and watch the Liberty dock.  She's a great ship we took her on a New England Cruise.

Susan, ask away if there's anything else you need.  Ft.Laud is SO much nicer than the port of Miami and lots of choices for drinking and eating.

Linda