Miami ad-Vice

[Bazza]

Hey all. Happy Friday. 

Just booked back to back on Oasis from Miami in Jan 2024 - only about 660 days to go...!

Looking for some local tips/advice please as not sailed from Miami before, and from other posts on here I know it can get quite hectic!

When the flights are released next year our plans would be to arrive the day before (Saturday) and with most UK flights tending to arrive mid afternoon there won't too much time to kill. We would then hope to board as early as possible on the Sunday.

Where would be best to stay for cost/convenience/evening activities? Blue Lagoon area gets decent reviews with hotel shuttle buses from the airport etc, plus looks like only a 15-20 minute Uber/taxi ride next day to the cruise port. Or should we consider down by the water (Biscayne?) for more evening options?

The other question is when we get disembark 2 weeks later, we may decide to stay an extra night in which case book a hotel and sort the cases etc with the hotel BUT if we decide we are flying home same day, do RCI offer any transfer excursions for Miami? Assume they do but thought ask the question here as my planner ain't gonna have anything listed for quite some time!

Many thanks. 

[BnB93]

We always stay at the Hampton Inn and Suites Brickell or Homewood Suites Brickell. It's a great area that is close to shopping and restaurants as well as close to the port (10 minute drive).  

[Riley]

4 hours ago, Bazza said:

Hey all. Happy Friday. 

Just booked back to back on Oasis from Miami in Jan 2024 - only about 660 days to go...!

Looking for some local tips/advice please as not sailed from Miami before, and from other posts on here I know it can get quite hectic!

When the flights are released next year our plans would be to arrive the day before (Saturday) and with most UK flights tending to arrive mid afternoon there won't too much time to kill. We would then hope to board as early as possible on the Sunday.

Where would be best to stay for cost/convenience/evening activities? Blue Lagoon area gets decent reviews with hotel shuttle buses from the airport etc, plus looks like only a 15-20 minute Uber/taxi ride next day to the cruise port. Or should we consider down by the water (Biscayne?) for more evening options?

The other question is when we get disembark 2 weeks later, we may decide to stay an extra night in which case book a hotel and sort the cases etc with the hotel BUT if we decide we are flying home same day, do RCI offer any transfer excursions for Miami? Assume they do but thought ask the question here as my planner ain't gonna have anything listed for quite some time!

Many thanks. 

RC offers an Everglades debarkation tour and drop-off at either Miami or Ft. Lauderdale airport. There is also a hotel inside the Miami airport, depending on how you want to work this.  The hotel is nothing exciting at all but it's reasonably priced and very convenient - I stayed there one night late last fall when I changed my flight to avoid incoming bad weather.  A single (and seriously, this was a crackerbox of a room but it was clean and quiet) was under $100 and the location could not have been more convenient.... 

[kadmgs]

We are IHG rewards members, so we've stayed at the Holiday Inn Port of Miami and the Intercontinental Miami. Both are located on Biscayne Bay Blvd. and are across the street/across the park from Bayside Marketplace. Bayside is a shopping/dining/entertainment area on the edge of Biscayne Bay. You can see the cruise terminal from both hotels. The Holiday Inn is a more affordable location compared to the Intercontinental. We Lyfted from the hotel to the terminal and it took less than ten minutes. We love to spend time in Little Havana when we are in Miami and its about a 10 minute Lyft to there from both hotels.