Cruising through Ft Lauderdale help, please.

[Doingitagain]

$25 pp

https://disneycruise.disney.go.com/guest-services/ground-transportation/

MJ

Thank you for the link, it has a lot of great info. Can transport be booked from Hilton Marina if you book the hotel on your own rather than through DCL?

 

[dwg]

Thank you for the link, it has a lot of great info. I couldn’t find a piece I need, the cost of transport from hotel to port. Also, can transport be booked from Hilton Marina if you book the hotel on your own rather than through DCL.

I had called DCL a few weeks ago and they said that yes you could book through the hotel and just let the front desk know when you arrive. The Hilton Marina also said the same thing when I texted them. I just have not seen anyone confirm this on this thread or the other thread I started asking more specific questions about transportation. fort-lauderdale-cruises-and-using-hilton-marina-for-disney-transportation-questions.3936210

I really would like to hear from someone who stayed at the Hilton and used DCL transportation and booked the room by themselves. I have read posts about checking in with a DCL representative the afternoon before in the hotel butI didn't think that was not specific to the Hilton Marina and we wouldn't get to the hotel until around 6:00 pm.

 

[Doingitagain]

I had called DCL a few weeks ago and they said that yes you could book through the hotel and just let the front desk know when you arrive. The Hilton Marina also said the same thing when I texted them. I just have not seen anyone confirm this on this thread or the other thread I started asking more specific questions about transportation. fort-lauderdale-cruises-and-using-hilton-marina-for-disney-transportation-questions.3936210

I really would like to hear from someone who stayed at the Hilton and used DCL transportation and booked the room by themselves. I have read posts about checking in with a DCL representative the afternoon before in the hotel butI didn't think that was not specific to the Hilton Marina and we wouldn't get to the hotel until around 6:00 pm.

I had called the hotel as well and they have their own shuttle to port for $8/persoon. But I wanted to check on DCL transportation because I didn’t want to deal with luggage at the port and get the DCL benefit of PAT.

 

[happycamper47]

I really would like to hear from someone who stayed at the Hilton and used DCL transportation and booked the room by themselves. I have read posts about checking in with a DCL representative the afternoon before in the hotel butI didn't think that was not specific to the Hilton Marina and we wouldn't get to the hotel until around 6:00 pm.

I think you will find that it is standard for a DCL Trans. rep to be in the lobby of all their partner hotels in the afternoon and evening before and again the next morning. They make the list of what rooms need the luggage collected and the number of pieces the night before. At least that is what we have always encountered no matter which way we booked the hotel, direct or through DCL. Why not just call the hotel and ask if a rep is always there the evening before.

 

[Dizney73]

We are booked on the Dream for 11/20. Staying at Hilton Marina for 2 nights prior to our sailing. Although I was hoping to just walk over to the port we booked the transfers in hopes of getting an earlier boarding time. At this time not much is known as this is a new spot for the Dream. I will try to update after the trip.

Were you able to get an earlier port time with transfers from this hotel? And what is yoiur review of the hotel? I have it booked for our family night before our cruise this summer and just read awful reviews on trip advisor. Will definitely switch it up if no earlier boarding time.

 

[mmouse37]

I had called DCL a few weeks ago and they said that yes you could book through the hotel and just let the front desk know when you arrive. The Hilton Marina also said the same thing when I texted them. I just have not seen anyone confirm this on this thread or the other thread I started asking more specific questions about transportation. fort-lauderdale-cruises-and-using-hilton-marina-for-disney-transportation-questions.3936210

I really would like to hear from someone who stayed at the Hilton and used DCL transportation and booked the room by themselves. I have read posts about checking in with a DCL representative the afternoon before in the hotel butI didn't think that was not specific to the Hilton Marina and we wouldn't get to the hotel until around 6:00 pm.

I will be staying at the Hilton Marina pre cruise for 2 nights starting Friday and probably taking DCL transfers to the port. I booked the hotel on my own with points. I will report back. But, every time I have stayed at "Disney" pre cruise hotel the DCL rep was never there day before....just the morning of the cruise. Where did you hear they are there the afternoon before?

I really need luggage tags as I booked the cruise less than 10 days out and there is no time for Disney to send me my tags.


MJ

 

[mmouse37]

Thank you for the link, it has a lot of great info. Can transport be booked from Hilton Marina if you book the hotel on your own rather than through DCL?

Hope so.....I arrive at the HIlton this Friday and hope to take transfers on Sunday to the port. I booked the Hilton on points.


MJ

 

[DigitalOlli]

Hope so.....I arrive at the HIlton this Friday and hope to take transfers on Sunday to the port. I booked the Hilton on points.


MJ

Did you take the transfer?

 

[auntlynne]

I will be staying at the Hilton Marina pre cruise for 2 nights starting Friday and probably taking DCL transfers to the port. I booked the hotel on my own with points. I will report back. But, every time I have stayed at "Disney" pre cruise hotel the DCL rep was never there day before....just the morning of the cruise. Where did you hear they are there the afternoon before?

I really need luggage tags as I booked the cruise less than 10 days out and there is no time for Disney to send me my tags.


MJ

We did a Hyatt MCO (booked direct) stay with DCL transfers. At hotel check-in, we were given printed info with time and location. I think we got an email the day prior.

This does leave trip planners feeling uncertain, but it should be fine.

If there are no representatives, don’t stress.

And you can get luggage tags the morning of Boarding.

 

[Doingitagain]

We did a Hyatt MCO (booked direct) stay with DCL transfers. At hotel check-in, we were given printed info with time and location. I think we got an email the day prior.

This does leave trip planners feeling uncertain, but it should be fine.

If there are no representatives, don’t stress.

And you can get luggage tags the morning of Boarding.

I just wish they would make them available for cruises after April. It is within 90 days for the May 1 cruise! I just want to take it off my list

 

[auntlynne]

I just wish they would make them available for cruises after April. It is within 90 days for the May 1 cruise! I just want to take it off my list

Sounds like that contract is also in negotiations.

 

[SteveMouse]

It is (maybe) a 6 minute bus ride from
the Hilton Marina to the Disney ship terminal in Port Everglades, and about half that if the bus doesn't have to stop at the traffic light at 17th and Eisenhower Avenue.

You can easily see the ships from south/southeast facing rooms that are above the height of the 17th Street Causeway bridge.

If you had to, you could walk it. If you need last-minute sundries, etc., there is a Walgreens at the southwest corner of 17th Street and Eisenhower- maybe a 8 minute walk from the hotel lobby.

 

[jack87891]

We recently cruised on the dream out of fll. There were 8 of us with 3 kids ( car seats strollers etc). We stayed at the homewood suites near the port. They offered a shuttle but it was $20 or $30 per person ( can’t remember) so we chose Uber. It was about $25-$30 inc tip Very quick and easy and much less than the per person shuttle cost

 

[CarolynU]

Sorry to jump on this post but my friend and I debark at FLL but need to go to Miami (airport hotel) for overnight then fly the following day.
DCL have offered us only a private transfer by car for around $220.
Would a cab be cheaper? Is it easy to just line up for a cab to take us to MIA ( we can get the hotel shuttle from there) or are most of the cabs local only?

 

[BamaBeagle]

Have you thought about taking the Brightline from FLL to Miami?

 

[SteveMouse]

Have you thought about taking the Brightline from FLL to Miami?

That is not a particularly good option. Tri-rail would be a much, much better rail option.

 

[Cheburashka]

Sorry to jump on this post but my friend and I debark at FLL but need to go to Miami (airport hotel) for overnight then fly the following day.
DCL have offered us only a private transfer by car for around $220.
Would a cab be cheaper? Is it easy to just line up for a cab to take us to MIA ( we can get the hotel shuttle from there) or are most of the cabs local only?

Renting a car would be the easiest way to go and a lot cheaper than that private transfer option. Get a taxi from Port Everglades to the Fort Lauderdale airport (about $20), rent a car there, then drop the rental car off at the Miami airport on your way out. All of that together will cost a lot less than $220. We're doing that for our upcoming trip, and the one-way Enterprise car rental from airport to airport is less than $100.

I will caution you against renting a car from near the cruise port. The post-cruise shuttle situation from the cruise port to the nearby car rental place can be awful, and prices are usually higher than from the airport. The FLL airport is not far from Port Everglades. Just get a taxi (they're waiting when you get off the ship) and take it to the FLL airport, and rent your car there.

 

[SteveMouse]

Sorry to jump on this post but my friend and I debark at FLL but need to go to Miami (airport hotel) for overnight then fly the following day.
DCL have offered us only a private transfer by car for around $220.
Would a cab be cheaper? Is it easy to just line up for a cab to take us to MIA ( we can get the hotel shuttle from there) or are most of the cabs local only?

A cab, rideshare, or bus would be much cheaper if the transfer is to your hotel OR to MIA. If the private transfer includes BOTH a transfer to your hotel and a transfer the next day to the airport, it is still on the expensive side if you are staying at an airport-area hotel.

DCL usually offers bus transfers to MIA (not to MIA hotels, but to the airport).

If there are two or more people in your party, a rideshare or taxi will be cheaper than the bus. There should not be any issues with availability on Saturday. Sunday may be a little different because of Easter.

 

[CarolynU]

Renting a car would be the easiest way to go and a lot cheaper than that private transfer option. Get a taxi from Port Everglades to the Fort Lauderdale airport (about $20), rent a car there, then drop the rental car off at the Miami airport on your way out. All of that together will cost a lot less than $220. We're doing that for our upcoming trip, and the one-way Enterprise car rental from airport to airport is less than $100.

I will caution you against renting a car from near the cruise port. The post-cruise shuttle situation from the cruise port to the nearby car rental place can be awful, and prices are usually higher than from the airport. The FLL airport is not far from Port Everglades. Just get a taxi (they're waiting when you get off the ship) and take it to the FLL airport, and rent your car there.

Thank you for this but I’m from the uk and elderly so I couldn’t do that as driving on the opposite side of the road and on an unfamiliar route is not something that I have the confidence to do. I’m afraid I have to arrange some kind of transport maybe cab or maybe a private transfer.

 

[CarolynU]

A cab. rideshare, or bus would be much cheaper if the transfer is to your hotel OR to MIA. If the private transfer includes BOTH a transfer to your hotel and a transfer the next day to the airport, it is still on the expensive side if you are staying at an airport-area hotel.

DCL usually offers bus transfers to MIA (not to MIA hotels, but to the airport).

If there are two or more people in your party, a rideshare or taxi will be cheaper than the bus. There should not be any issues with availability on Saturday. Sunday may be a little different because of Easter.

Oh when I rang DCL she said that the only transportation they could offer me to Miami was by private transfer. She then sent me a follow up email with the details. I asked if there was a bus or any shared transport and she said not through DCL.
We don’t have to worry about transportation the following day as our hotel has a free shuttle. It’s mid week we debark in May.
If getting a cab at the port is easy we will just do that I think. There are two of us.