Cruise hotel with parking and shuttle
 

I will be cruising out of Ft Lauderdale soon and I would like to stay at a nearby hotel that I can leave my car there (with a fee of course) and a reliable shuttle to the port with a charge is fine. I never parked at Ft Lauderdale because I always did the bus from The Villages. Looking for your experience doing this. TY

We’ve done this at the Embassy Suites on 17th St. Very popular with cruisers.

There are several close by the port that do this. Can't recall the names but that info should be available online.

One thing I would suggest, if you haven't done it already, is to arrange your ride from the hotel to the port with the same company that you're cruising with--in our case Royal Caribbean though other companies probably also do it. Fort Lauderdale was insane both times we sailed from there: once it took 20 minutes from the hotel to the port gate, and over two hours from the gate to the ship. Less than a mile. The advantage of using transportation arranged by Royal Caribbean was that, if we were late, they'd hold the ship until we got there. If it was our own transportation, we'd be SOL.

This link may help.

Click here...

We have stayed at a hotel near the port before cruises and have never had a problem leaving car there and get taxi morning of cruise. Never had a long wait to get into the port.

I didn't want to ask this before the OP got an answer. I plan to drive and park at the terminal. Never been to Everglades before. How is the traffic going in? I am reading that it can be busy.

We used the Fairfield Inn & Suites Fort Lauderdale Airport & Cruise Port

I would get there by 10 am or even earlier. Lots of traffic going out probably not bad going in. Might have to wait to board ship but better to be there.

Time to Fort Lauderdale
 

We do this drive often from The Villages....Buttonwood. Door to terminal 4 hours....one stop. I drive the turnpike all the way...I will not drive on 95. No guarantee that you will be in a garage...you may be outside and pay a high fee to park. We use Rightway Parking...good luck!

Nothing to do with that but to all you can’t park at Brownwood hotel and take the shuttle to the airport anymore. FYI

The times are slightly exagerated. The port is busy with traffic but no way does it take hrs to get to he ship. Total exageration. Leave early enough and you won’t have to worry about the ship waiting for you. It’s a well run machine over there

Use The Port's Garage
 

There is no need to stay at a hotel unless you have some reason to spend a day in Ft. Lauderdale.

The ships sail in the late afternoon. You will have plenty of time to drive from TV to the Port. The Port has two covered, multi-story garages. These are conveniently located among the berths for the ships. On Google maps, you will see which garage is most convenient for you.

You can drop of your luggage at the terminal and then go on to the garage, or park in the garage and then pull your bags with you. The walk from the garage is hardly a city block in length.

The daily charge for parking in the garage is very reasonable and, certainly, less than the cost of a hotel for the night and any charges it has to park.

We've done this many times. It is both the most convenient and the cheapest.

Busy but flows smoothly. It doesn’t take hrs to get to the ship at all. Some of the posters have obviously not been there or are totally exagerating

We used the Hampton Inn. Theye en arrai ged transportation to/fromthe ship.

We stayed at the Hampton Inn and they arranged transportation to/from the ship.

Same thing now at Sumter Market Square

If you are driving to the pier and your ship sails at 4:00pm on a Saturday, what time would you leave the Villages for the cruise port ? We live in the Village of Hillsborough.
We have not ever driven to the cruise port of Fort Lauderdale. Thanks for any suggestions.

I would leave around 6 am. Stuff happens and would want just in case time.

To avoid problems we normally would spend the night at the port. Very annoying to miss the ship.

More important is when your boarding time is. I would leave at least 6 hours before your boarding time.
Sometimes they let you in early if there is not a long line already.

We always us Embassy Suites by the cruise port. They have a shuttle and parking too for your car as well.

Currently Cruising
 

I am writing you from the Lido deck of our 14-day cruise out of Ft. Lauderdale.

We paid $118.37 to leave our car with Park by the Ports. Excellent service and never touched our luggage. We fly back from NYC after 17 days of parking for that price, and they pick us up at the airport instead. Not your case, but maybe nice for others to know.

No transfer fees either way. Consider just driving down on cruise day like we did. Cheap, easy luggage handling, reliable, and simple. No worries or hassles with coordination. Put your bags in the car. Drive. Park. Cruise.

No actually on point be we are currently shipboard out of Ft. Lauderdale. We got a ride to MCO and took the Brightline down to Ft. Lauderdale and then an Uber. Very comfortable and easy.

On 17th street are hotels and entry road to get on the ships. Research hotels on 17 th.