Transfers to/from cruise docks
 

We are from the UK, and looking at a Celebrity cruise via Panama canal in April 2009.
We intend using our air miles for our flights so we have no tranfers 'built in' or can we?. Are there any problems getting to the docks from downtown or mission bay San Diego?, what are the costs? any options?
When we arrive in Fort Lauderdale what are the options getting to Miami Airport? How long is the trip?

George,

In San Diego, the cruise ship docks are close to downtown. Mission Bay is a costly taxi ride away from downtown and the cruise ship docks.

I think you would do better to stay in the downtown or "Old Town" area. There are a number of good restaurants within easy walking distance or brief taxi rides of the downtown hotels and you will be no more than 15 minutes away from the cruise ship docks.

Fort Lauderdale presents an entirely different problem. If your ship is large or happens to arrive at the same time as several others, only the first few passengers to debark will be able to find taxis. (When we arrived in 2007, along with two other large cruise ships, we got a taxi by getting off the ship early and heard the dispatcher calling for 200 taxis to the port.)

You may be able to book a car service, or arrange for a car rental. Most of the major car rental companies have shuttles that will pick you up at the pier.

The simplest, most reliable, and probably most costly way to get to MIA from the ship is to arrange to travel on the ship's bus to the airport. The excursion services on the ship will be happy to book that for you. Besides being a source of revenue, it is a way of getting you off the ship early so that the crew can clean and reload for that evening's departure.

George,

The cruise line your going on should offer transfers at an additional cost.

Sometimes these transfers are listed in the shore excursions booklet that will come with your cruise documents.

Heck, some cruise lines will offer a city tour that drops you off at the airport afterwards.

So if you have not yet received your cruise documents, then visit your cruise lines website and search for transfers. They should have something.

Purchasing the transfers is great because you do not have to bother with Taxi's. And your going to know the cost rather than the taxi ride fluxuating.

We cruise a lot and always book transfers thru the cruise line. Much easier and sometimes cheaper. You have to ride a bus to airport, but oh well!!!

"Heck, some cruise lines will offer a city tour that drops you off at the airport afterwards." - just make sure your flight leaves after their suggested time.

Thanks guys,
A lot of good info. I'll keep you posted!