Affordable parking options: Port of Miami?
 

Going on a cruise out of the Port of Miami . . . prices to park at the actual port are outrageous. Here are my options, unless someone has a better idea:

1) Park at the Port: Easy, convenient but $20 per day (total of $280 for two cars for the week)

2) Safe Parking Lot: Half the price that the port charges but their shuttles stop running @ 3pm and our boarding begins @ 4pm. Also, I've heard that it can be pretty chaotic trying to find space on the shuttles.

3) Embassy Airport Hotel: Only $30 per car per week but you have to take taxis to and from the hotel to the port @ $30 a pop for each taxi. The only way this would be an option is if the drivers in the two cars we are taking dropped everyone off and picked everyone up - thereby limiting our need of a taxi to one each way.

4) http://www.portofmiamicruiseparking.com/ - This site seems to be our best option . . . $60 per car per week and it's within walking distance to the Port but I've heard concerns about how safe and secure the lot is being right in the middle of downtown Miami. Is anyone familiar with this lot?

Which is why we use Port Lauderdale. Sorry, cannot give you a better answer.

I wonder if any of the hotels that offer airport parking would have a shuttle that could take you to the port.

On a couple of trips, we've spent one night at a hotel and then used their free airport shuttle.

On one recent trip, we didn't spend the night - we just paid a fee through http://globalairportparking.com/ . I just looked and they have locations in Miami and they mention cruiseport parking.

Maybe that will help.

I just looked at the choices. Two specifically mention that they do not shuttle to the port. The others don't mention that, but do just mention the airport. The website itself does mention parking near the cruiseport. I would call any hotel that you are interested in to double-check. They ran about $5 per day.

I find the boarding starting at 4PM to be rather unusual.

Traveler2005, Thanks for the tips . . . I have called a number of hotels, some had a shuttle but the shuttle to the port went @ 11am and cost $10 pp. A cab from the hotels would cost about $25-30 - two cabs roundtrip would eliminate the savings.

The option I found: http://comfortsuitesmiamiairport.com/specials.html
It depends on whether you want a room when you return.

$20 per day is very competitive to park at the pier. And it's a convenience that, to me, is worth the extra cost. Not to mention the ease of arrival.

If you don't want to spent the night at an off-airport hotel, then I don't think you'll find a park-and-say hotel deal without the "stay" part.

But Banff, normally, embarkation ENDS at 4 ... it doesn't BEGIN at 4. Are you sure of the timing? It seems to me that anyone would absolutely want to be at the pier no later than 2 or at the latest 3. If embarkation begins around 11 or 12, as is typical, then there's certainly no problem with arriving at 11.

Regarding near-port "safe" parking lot, are you referring to the Premier lot? It costs $8 per day and seems to be your cheapest option.

The nice thing about coming in a private vehicle is that you can drop off your passengers and bags and then park the car, take the shuttle back to the port, and meet up with your group later so everyone doesn't have to pile on. I realize this adds to the time and requires you to be at the pier a bit earlier, but it seems a reasonable trade-off. The drivers just need to keep their carry-ons and let the others check their larger bags.

I suppose having the drivers arrive later can be a problem if you don't want to register more than one credit card for cabin charges, but it might be easier. Just a thought.

Thanks for the link Tom but the hotels that offer parking without a night stay are the Embassy Suites and Marriot near the airport.

Doug, I understand your logic regarding the ease of travel, etc. but with two cars I just have a hard time forking over $300 for parking. This is why I trying to look into every option available.

Yes the embarkation time is quite odd but the cruise doesn't leave until 7pm . . . with that being said, I could be sitting behind the 8 ball when it comes to parking (considering the fact that all those other ships leaving earlier that day will have already parked).

Why two cars and not a van driven by a neighbor/friend that is not sailing? With a Choice Rewards card you can get a two queen bed room for a bit over $105 (or 16000 rewards points).
How far from the Port of Miami are you?
If you are flying into Miami International it is wise to fly in the night before and stay in a hotel in case there is a flight delay or cancellation.

Here's another way to think of the cost of parking. You're driving to Miami (I assume). I think of all the money you're saving from not having to fly or take other forms of transport to Miami, and the cost of parking will start looking a lot cheaper.

http://www.portofmiamicruiseparking.com/ - BEWARE of using this lot for parking at Port of Miami. I made a reservation for a 5 day cruise last week it was NOT at ALL what is shown in the website. No attendant on the lot, no shuttle as it claims, homeless people all around the perimeter, parking spaces that have piles of broken safety glass. I drove in and drove right out and parked at the port garage. I'm not happy about losing the $50 bucks, but the peace of mind was well worth it. Also, "within walking distance" means dodging traffic coming into and out of the port and it's not a distance I would have wanted to walk. Best info I can give is bite the bullet and park at the port. It's clean, safe and close.

Please think twice about using Safe Cruise Parking in Miami. Our vehicle was returned to us on Feb 3, 2015 with a door ding as well as 2 scratches. We called the police and filed a report. Auto body shop repair was to be around $1,000 (door would have to be painted). We were able to have repairs done by a "dent doctor" for less that $350. So far owner Isabel Castillo, her son Juan Castillo and manager Anna from Safe Cruise Parking have been non responsive regarding compensation. They are not returning calls. I am hoping they are sending a check and are just too busy to return calls/emails so no further action on our part is necesssary. I will update this post with more info later.

Stay away from this place. Saving a couple dollars per day is not worth the additional hassle and HORRIBLE customer service. Even though they have mediocre ratings, it is because they pay sites, like Yelp, to allow them to remove negative ratings. There are plenty of other places that are just a couple dollars extra per day, do not take a chance on this place.