Official Miami Port Information Thread-5/1 update

[breakingd_awn]

Originally Posted by NWmom

You absolutely have to try a Cuban sandwich and platanos maduros. I miss those two things the most.
Someone needs to find the best place to get one near the port.

still setting up

I don't know what those are , but they sound good Thanks for starting a POM thread

[fredgirls]

Thank you SO much for getting this thread started.

[westjones]

Thanks for putting together this information. Someone today told me if we fly into FLL and rent a car there, we will need a Sun Pass for the toll roads? They said there are not toll booths? If you find any information on this can you include it? We will most likely be flying into FLL because it looks like the airfare if much less for that airport. Thank You!

[hardingk]

Originally Posted by westjones

Thanks for putting together this information. Someone today told me if we fly into FLL and rent a car there, we will need a Sun Pass for the toll roads? They said there are not toll booths? If you find any information on this can you include it? We will most likely be flying into FLL because it looks like the airfare if much less for that airport. Thank You!

The toll roads in Florida use a Sunpass to pay. Most of them are unmanned and you either need a Sunpass or exact change to pay. Some tolls are $1 and up. I'm not sure about the fees near Miami, but in Orlando and Port Canaveral, there are several tolls on 528, 407, and the Florida Turnpike.

Hope this helps!

[westjones]

Originally Posted by hardingk

The toll roads in Florida use a Sunpass to pay. Most of them are unmanned and you either need a Sunpass or exact change to pay. Some tolls are $1 and up. I'm not sure about the fees near Miami, but in Orlando and Port Canaveral, there are several tolls on 528, 407, and the Florida Turnpike.

Hope this helps!

But when we have driven from WDW to PC we have had toll booths and could pay a person as we went. My friend told me that you must have a Sun Pass in the Miami area because they have no booths?

This is just what she told me, I have no idea since I have never been to Miami before. I don't mind paying as I go, but she said that if you rent a car they will charge you a 'per day' charge for the sun pass even if you are leaving it parked for awhile. So she said she went to a CVS and bought one there so she didn't have to pay for a daily pass.

[hardingk]

Originally Posted by westjones

But when we have driven from WDW to PC we have had toll booths and could pay a person as we went. My friend told me that you must have a Sun Pass in the Miami area because they have no booths?

This is just what she told me, I have no idea since I have never been to Miami before. I don't mind paying as I go, but she said that if you rent a car they will charge you a 'per day' charge for the sun pass even if you are leaving it parked for awhile. So she said she went to a CVS and bought one there so she didn't have to pay for a daily pass.

I haven't been to Miami In 5 years, so I don't exactly remeber that specific area. But there are several around WDW that don't have a person to pay. You either need exact change or a Sunpass. Your friend might be talking about the express lanes where there are no booths and you just drive and there are sensors above. If you don't have a Sunpass you have to go off to the right and pay the toll to a person. There are a few of these on 528 around the airport in Orlando.

We bought a Sunpass bc both of our parents live 45 mins north of Orlando and we visit often with rental cars. It came to the point where we had to travel with a bag of change to pay the tolls so we bought the Sunpass. This was back in 2006 or 2007, and at the time we had to pay $25 for the Sunpass device. Not sure if its the same 5+ years later, but they do sell them on the turnpikpublicans and a few other places.

I believe if you use a rental car, you can ask for the unpass to be activated for your rental period. You are only charged for each toll, not a daily fee. We just had to be careful bc our Sunpass was charged and then we were charged again by the rental company for the tolls!!

[westjones]

I just did a search and here is the link I found that explains it:

http://www.floridasturnpike.com/all-...Qs.cfm?SunPass

I guess in 2011 this 'no cash' toll road went into operation, so it sounds like you have to have a Sun Pass to drive on it.

[jilljill]

Originally Posted by hardingk

I haven't been to Miami In 5 years, so I don't exactly remeber that specific area. But there are several around WDW that don't have a person to pay. You either need exact change or a Sunpass. Your friend might be talking about the express lanes where there are no booths and you just drive and there are sensors above. If you don't have a Sunpass you have to go off to the right and pay the toll to a person. There are a few of these on 528 around the airport in Orlando.

We bought a Sunpass bc both of our parents live 45 mins north of Orlando and we visit often with rental cars. It came to the point where we had to travel with a bag of change to pay the tolls so we bought the Sunpass. This was back in 2006 or 2007, and at the time we had to pay $25 for the Sunpass device. Not sure if its the same 5+ years later, but they do sell them on the turnpikpublicans and a few other places.

I believe if you use a rental car, you can ask for the unpass to be activated for your rental period. You are only charged for each toll, not a daily fee. We just had to be careful bc our Sunpass was charged and then we were charged again by the rental company for the tolls!!

Originally Posted by westjones

I just did a search and here is the link I found that explains it:

http://www.floridasturnpike.com/all-...Qs.cfm?SunPass

I guess in 2011 this 'no cash' toll road went into operation, so it sounds like you have to have a Sun Pass to drive on it.

The no cash/SunPass is only a 47 mile stretch of the Florida Turnpike. This is for the southern part of the turnpike.

In February 2011, Florida’s Turnpike Enterprise (FTE) implemented all-electronic, no-cash tolling – a safer, more efficient, seamless method of collecting tolls from customers on the Turnpike segment located between Milepost 0 in Florida City and Milepost 47 at the Miami-Dade/Broward County line.

FTE has always been a leader in the worldwide toll industry, and new technologies now allow the agency to collect tolls electronically from both SunPass and non-SunPass customers while providing a safe, cost effective and efficient transportation system for residents, businesses and visitors.


No other road (the Beachline or 417 that run between WDW and the port) or portions of the FL Turnpike are effected.

[Joel0917]

subscribing..cruising mar 31 on Wonder..so need to decide flying to MIA or FLL

[NWmom]

I count on all current locals to handle the hotel section questions. I honestly have never stayed overnight in any Miami hotels. With family all over the area, plus living there it just never came up.

So far no one has sent me any info to put in the general areas. I truly had fantastic help from other locals on the Seattle thread.

The rest I can research and post links on.
Does anyone have a specific section they would like me to look into first?

It will be about 2 weeks before things start going up in the Miami thread. Finishing up the tax season--and going to put the final touches on Seattle's threads as they go live for that port in a few weeks. (All the threads there went up in about a week- feel free to pm me to put things there)

Just wanted to let everyone know I have not forgotten you.
NW from the SE

[JD3ofthem]

We are cruising on the Wonder's Holiday cruise this December. We fly in the day before and are thinking of staying in the area for a couple days after the cruise. Would love information on where to stay pre-cruise.

[abbyar]

We're sailing the EBPC in December. Dh is originally from Miami, and we spend a lot of time there.

The Hertz car rental has a Port of Miami location that will pick up from the Port. Most of the hotels near the airport are fine. We stay at the Embassy suites bc we like the size. It's not far from Miami Beach and much less expensive.

News Café has a great view and is open pretty much all the time. The great Cuban places are close to the beach but you have to know the area.

[Mouse Mom]

So glad someone set this up -- on the New Year's Eve cruise out of MIAMI!!! I spoke to DCL ... they really are without information --- I asked about suggestions for pre-cruise hotels --- they took my name and put me on a waitlist but I don't know what hotel the waitlist is for and they told me they would not contact me...that I would have to call back and check if they recommend discounted rooms.... canned that and booked the Marriott - we arrive on the 27th so we are super excited but there is an information shutdown on the part of DCL..... little disappointing but I expect a lot more from them and so far I have never been let down.

[Mtkgal]

So excited to see this thread started. We'll probably end up flying in the day before our March 30, 2013 cruise so I'm really looking forward to info on cheaper hotels near the port. Also I'm guessing it will be cheaper for us to fly into FLL since Southwest doesn't fly into MIA. Trying to determine the cheapest options for us.

Can we maybe sticky this thread so more local people see it and can hopefully join in?

[hardingk]

Originally Posted by Mtkgal

So excited to see this thread started. We'll probably end up flying in the day before our March 30, 2013 cruise so I'm really looking forward to info on cheaper hotels near the port. Also I'm guessing it will be cheaper for us to fly into FLL since Southwest doesn't fly into MIA. Trying to determine the cheapest options for us.

Can we maybe sticky this thread so more local people see it and can hopefully join in?

You might want to start looking at hotels now. We are sailing in February and I booked a room 6 weeks ago and the prices have already gone up $60 a night!!