The Port of Miami is the busiest cruise terminal in the world with almost 5 million people joining cruises from the city every year. With so many customers, this means lots of options for things to do before or after your cruise and multiple ways to get to your ship to embark on your cruise.
Whether you’re driving and need to find parking or a hotel with parking, or flying in and need to get from the airports to the port area, we’ve covered all the options for you to make the best decision.
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Miami sits at the south end of Interstates 75 and 95 (I-75 and I-95) and these are the routes most drivers will use to get to the port area. Only if you are coming in from further south will you come in on the famous Highway 1 from Key West.
Driving times from nearby major cities are:
- Fort Myers: 2.5 hours (160 miles)
- Orlando: 3.5 hours (240 miles)
- Jacksonville: 5 hours (350 miles)
- Tampa: 4 hours (280 miles)
Miami International Airport (Code: MIA)
The main airport in Miami, and an American Airlines hub, Miami International is located in the centre of Miami and just ten miles west of the cruise terminal.
It is possible to get from the airport to the cruise terminal using public transport, but it is not the easiest of journeys. It will take at least an hour, involves a couple of changes and requires a walk at the end.
For this port, we’d recommend using a taxi or Uber/Lyft each way.
From the airport, take the MIA Mover to the Metrorail station, then take the Dadeland Express from Miami Airport Station to Brickell. Then from Brickell (West Side) take the Port of Miami Bus to Royal Caribbean @ Terminal J. From here you will have to walk to your terminal which will take between 5 and 15 minutes depending on your cruise company. Royal Caribbean is easiest to get to by public transport as the bus stop is right outside their terminal, but Carnival is about a ten-minute walk and Norwegian is about a fifteen-minute walk.
With the airport located ten miles from the port and a flat-rate system in place for journeys to the cruise terminal, Miami is one cruise port where a taxi is a good option. The cost is just $27 (+ tip) for up to four people each way and in a car that leaves to your schedule. So if you want the luxury of a private transfer, head for the taxi stand at the airport and be at the cruise terminal in double-quick time.
READ MORE: Looking for more information to plan your visit to Miami? Check it out here!
Uber and Lyft will cost between $18 and $23 for a transfer from Miami Internation Airport to the Port of Miami for the standard Uber X or standard Lyft.
Given the small saving and added inconvenience over just taking a taxi from the airport, this is one port where Uber/Lyft probably don’t make the most sense.
With taxis so cheap, a shuttle only really makes sense if you are a solo traveller and even then an Uber/Lyft might be preferable to a shared shuttle.
If you need a shuttle, SuperShuttle charges $30.60 per person for a round-trip between the airport and the cruise terminal
Renting a car for just a few hours is our favourite way to get to the cruise terminal from the airport. As long as you don’t mind driving, possibly on the “wrong” side of the road for you, it gives you a private transfer that leaves to your schedule and can be surprisingly competitive with other transportation options. In Miami, it only really makes sense if you are going to use the car to see any of the attractions in the area.
There are no rental car offices on the island of the port, but most of the big names including Avis, Hertz, and Enterprise are just a few minutes away and offer shuttles for cruise passengers.
Paying the cruise company to get from the airport to the ship is rarely good value, especially if more than one or two people need a transfer. You will invariably be better off using one of the alternatives above. For example, Carnival prices as of Feb 2018 from MIA are $16.99 – one way.
With the cruise port so close to the heart of the city and the airport just minutes away, it’s worth looking at a hotel which is close to one and provides a shuttle service to the other. Check out our Miami hotels section for more info.
Looking for more information to plan your visit to Miami?
You may find these articles helpful.
Miami Cruise Port Guide
Where to Stay in Miami with ‘Park & Cruise’ Deals
Miami Cruise Parking Options
Things to See and Do in Miami
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