Theresa Russell, ContributorThe Port of Miami continues to grow and many cruisers opt to drive to the port rather than fly. Known as the Cruise Capital of the World, Miami is well-prepared to welcome guests arriving by automobile. Lucky those cruisers who can drive to the port rather than fly. But where do you park when you arrive? Are there options besides parking at the cruise port? What happens if the lots are full? Do you have a plan B?
Well, if you are planning to drive to your next cruise from PortMiami, we answer all your questions about parking for the Miami Cruise Port.
Here’s What You Need to Know About Parking for the Miami Cruise Port
First and foremost, if you are driving to the port be prepared for unexpected delays. Don’t cut your arrival too close to final boarding time. In fact, we always recommend that those who fly in arrive a day early.
That advice also holds true for driving, especially if you have driven from far away. The relief of stress knowing that you have arrived and are an easy shuttle ride to the port is worth it. Being rested prepares you for enjoying every moment of your cruise.
What Are My Parking Options?
As the largest cruise port in the world, PortMiami offers a variety of parking spaces paired with the nearest cruise terminal, eliminating long walks from the car to the terminal.
Yet, while the Port of Miami itself may be the first option that comes to mind, you should be aware of other alternatives for parking that are outside of the port itself as well. This way, you can make an informed decision as to which option best fits your needs.
Parking at the Port of Miami
For many, parking right at the port makes everything simpler. This choice takes away the time and stress of researching and comparing other options. Just take note of your cruise line and find the garage that provides parking for that terminal.
The Port of Miami has excellent signage directing you to your appropriate cruise terminal. You should also check your cruise docs or the cruise website to see where your cruise ship will dock at the port before your embarkation day.
PortMiami has made it simple to know which parking option is closest to the cruise terminal where your ship departs. Most of these parking facilities are in garages, but the overflow lots have uncovered parking. Here is a list of the current parking areas and their matching cruise lines.
- Terminal AA/AAA – MSC Cruises (coming in 2024)
- Terminal A – Royal Caribbean | The Crown of Miami
- Terminal B – Norwegian Cruise Line | The Pearl of Miami
- Terminal C – Disney Cruise Line/MSC (Disney will move to Port Canaveral and MSC will move to a new terminal AA/AAA. Other cruise lines will eventually use this lot.)
- Terminals D & E – Carnival, Princess Cruises, P&O, Holland America Line
- Terminal F – Carnival Cruise Line
- Terminal G – Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises
- Terminal J – Small vessels and luxury cruises
- Terminal K – Overflow Lot
- Terminal V – Virgin Voyages | Palm Grove
Cost of Parking at the Miami Cruise Terminal
For most vehicles, the charge for parking is $22 daily. Remember that includes any part of a day. So, if you come in on Sunday at 3:00 PM and leave the next Sunday at 9:00 AM, you will pay for eight days of parking.
Royal Caribbean’s parking A has its own system. You may reserve your parking in advance. You go to the site, select your sailing and it will give you the total amount. Expect to pay $35 per day for Terminal A parking.
Terminal J requires pre-payment upon entering. Cruisers will be given a decal to stick to their windshield.
Parking lot E has an outside lot for oversized vehicles. The cost is $22 per space. If your rig takes up two spaces, you will pay $44.
Please call the port to check on parking fees if you have a disabled veterans license plate, adapted controls in the car, and are a resident of Florida to see what your parking costs will be.
Other Parking Options
While the port may be the most convenient, it’s often more expensive. Though, it does have security, which may be comforting to many. Who wants to come back to a car missing its catalytic converter or to no car at all?
If you are looking for alternative parking options, you have some choices.
Hotel Park and Stay
Some hotels have a stay and park option. If you are using a travel advisor, ask them to check International Holidays, a company that only works with professionals. They can help quickly find a hotel that offers such a combo fare. Usually, you will pay a higher premium for your room, but it will make sense when you figure that you are paying for both a night at the hotel and parking for the duration of your cruise.
Another way to find these deals is to go to your favorite search engine and look for “park and stay hotels in Miami”. While many hotels have a free shuttle with this rate, they will likely have assigned shuttle times to/from the cruise port, and they may even have a per person rate to get to PortMiami. With a shared ride service or taxi, you go when you want and the cost may be less or close to what the hotel charges for this service.
Below are some popular hotels options that offer park and stay packages listed in order of distance from the Miami Cruise Port.
- DoubleTree by Hilton Grand Hotel Biscayne Bay (2 miles to cruise port)
- Hilton Miami Downtown (2 miles to cruise port)
- Hampton Inn & Suites Miami Brickell Downtown (2.7 miles to cruise port)
- Courtyard by Marriott Miami Airport (6.5 miles to cruise port)
- Residence Inn by Marriott Miami Airport (6.5 miles to cruise port)
- Towneplace Suites Miami Airport (6.5 miles to cruise port)
- Embassy Suites by Hilton Miami International Airport (7 miles to cruise port)
- Sonesta Miami Airport (7 miles to cruise port)
- Hyatt Place Miami Airport East (7.5 miles to cruise port)
- Hampton Inn & Suites Miami Airport South/Blue Lagoon (8.5 miles to cruise port)
- Hampton Inn Miami Airport East (8.5 miles to cruise port)
- Eb Hotel Miami (8.5 miles to cruise port)
- SpringHill Suites By Marriott Miami Airport South Blue Lagoon Area (10.5 miles to cruise port)
- Four Points by Sheraton Miami Airport (11.5 miles to cruise port)
- Hilton Garden Inn Miami Airport West (12 miles to cruise port)
Hotel Lots Without a Stay
Have you ever had a flight cancelled and decided to drive to the Port of Miami to catch your cruise? You wouldn’t have made a Park and Cruise hotel reservation due to the unexpected circumstances. But if you are still looking for an alternative parking option, some hotels do offer such without a stay. Hotels that offer this option often use a third party reservation system. You can do a search for long term hotel parking.
While not PortMiami, I did encounter this situtation recently. My personal experience when my flights were cancelled meant I quickly looked for a flight that would leave that same day. Most were a few days out, but I suggested an alternate airport to the agent and she found one that I could make the same day. This meant driving for three hours in a snowstorm!
Thankfully, after a thorough search, I found a hotel near the alternate airport that had long-term parking. Most of the options had parking for less than half of what the airport charged. Just do your homework before reserving this option as some have cancellation fees.
Alternative Off-Site Parking Lots
Another alternative for less expensive parking for the Miami Cruise Port are off-site parking lots. There are several independent parking lots near the cruise port. Again do a search to see where the nearest parking lots are in relation to the port, what the fees are, and if they offer a free shuttle to the port. You may even find recommendations in Facebook groups from fellow cruisers.
Also, be sure to check on the reviews for these places and the type of security they offer. Caveat Emptor.
Some options for off-site parking near the Miami Cruise Port include:
Discounts or Special Offers
After deciding which of these parking options is best for you, it doesn’t hurt to see if you can score any discounts or special offers on the price. Check out sources like Groupon, auto club memberships, other types of memberships or special coupons to see if you are eligible for a parking discount.
Getting to the Port of Miami from the Miami Airport
If after reading this you’ve decided to just fly to Miami or to park at the airport, there are a few ways of getting to PortMaimi from the Miami Airport. You could use a ride-share program like Lyft or Uber, a shuttle service, a taxi, or you could use Miami-Dade public transportation.
Shared Ride Service and Taxis
From Miami Airport to the Port of Miami, driving time is just about 15 minutes depending on traffic. The cost will vary with shared-ride services depending if you are traveling during a surge period and on which class of car you book. A good estimate would be around $15, but that is subject to a variety of factors.
Ride App pickup zones are located on the Arrivals Level (1) at the middle median outside of doors 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 11, 15, 20 and 23.
Miami-Dade County provides this rate card for taxis:
Shuttle Service
Services like Lyft, Uber, and taxi charge per car. Shuttle services unless booked as a private car charge by the person. So if your family of four needs transport to the port it may be more economical to hire a Lyft, Uber, or taxi.
You will find both economy and luxury options for shuttles between Miami airport and the Port of Miami. My favorite at the luxury end is Blacklane. However, many shuttle services do operate from MIA and the costs for these services vary. The cruise lines typically offer shuttles from the airport as well on the day of embarkation.
Public Transportation
Public transportation is also an option. From the airport, you will first take the MIA Mover, station located on the third level between the Dolphin and Flamingo garages at the airport. Take the Skyride on the third level to reach the station. Allow about four minutes. Then, look for the Orange MetroRail, which will take you to Government Center.
The train into downtown Miami is an inexpensive and convenient option to get near the port. The fee is only $2.25. But remember that you will likely have luggage with you. They don’t call it “lug”- gage for nothing. Consider what it takes to get your bags on and off the train.
Once you reach Government Center, you can get a shared ride to the port. Or you can wait for the free Trolley. Keep in mind that the trolley does not stop at every cruise terminal in the port. And don’t forget that your luggage has to get onto the trolley with you.
Saving the Best Option to Last
If you have friends or family who live near the port, you might be able to stay with them and leave your car with them. They might even agree to drive you to the port.
Or, maybe they live elsewhere in Florida near the newer Brightline train, which runs between Orlando and Miami, with limited stops between.
Considerations for Parking at the Port of Miami or Elsewhere
- Figure out what the value of your time is. Remember that you are here for a cruise. Do you want to spend hours figuring out parking alternatives to save a few bucks? Likely, you have saved a lot by driving rather than flying anyway.
- Check out reviews of the parking lots that you are considering.
- Check out reviews of the shuttle or car service that interests you.
- If you need a shuttle to the cruise port, be sure that the shuttle service can carry all of your luggage.
- Be sure to allow plenty of time for taking a shuttle or other transportation to the Port of Miami.
- Check your cruise line to see if they offer shuttles to and from the airport if you have chosen to park near there.
- Drop off your passengers and all luggage at your designated cruise terminal before parking your vehicle.
- Make note of where you parked. Grab a business card from the attendant at a remote lot. You will need to call for the shuttle when you get back. Take a photo of the nearest sign or landmark.
- Arrive a day early so you aren’t exhausted from driving long distances.
- Remember how you dropped off your passengers and luggage before heading to the parking lot? When you return, do the opposite. Leave the others with all the luggage at the terminal and retrieve your vehicle.
- If you park at a surface lot, put a sun blocker in your windshield to protect your vehicle from the scorching sun.
- If you are traveling with kids who need a car seat, don’t forget to grab it if you are planning on renting a car for independent exploration in a port of call.
- Carry a spare set of keys that you keep on your person.
- Don’t wait to the last minute to reserve your parking space if not parking at the Port of Miami.
Final Thoughts
With advance preparation, drivers can make the process of finding parking for their cruise go smoothly. Choosing the Port of Miami parking takes much less thought than other parking locations, but they are certainly viable options if you are looking to save money.
Remember that it’s your vacation. Choose the parking option that works best for you and gets you to your cruise ship safely and easily.
Comments
Do you have any other questions about parking for the Miami cruise port? Do you usually fly or drive to your cruise’s departure port? Drop us an anchor below to share your experiences cruising from PortMiami.
