[Sandy and Ed]

Wife and I are going on a Celebrity Panama Canal cruise on April 18 2022 from Port Everglades (Ft Lauderdale). Just found out that Yankee Trails last trip down to that port for 2022 will be April 10th. Anyone have any thoughts about alternative transportation?? Trying to find an easy way to get down to the port besides driving. Given that Florida seems to be the cruise capital of the US and The Village located smack dab in the center of some great cruise ports, there would be a lot of transportation options. Also, by chance is anyone else from The Villages booked on that cruise?

[charlieo1126@gmail.com]

Originally Posted by Sandy and Ed

Wife and I are going on a Celebrity Panama Canal cruise on April 18 2022 from Port Everglades (Ft Lauderdale). Just found out that Yankee Trails last trip down to that port for 2022 will be April 10th. Anyone have any thoughts about alternative transportation?? Trying to find an easy way to get down to the port besides driving. Given that Florida seems to be the cruise capital of the US and The Village located smack dab in the center of some great cruise ports, there would be a lot of transportation options. Also, by chance is anyone else from The Villages booked on that cruise?

I don’t cruise but many people I know use the different limo drivers here

[blueash]

A bit of a bother.. but if you really don't want to drive and park, you could take a shuttle from here to Orlando airport, where in the past Celebrity has made available transports from MCO to their ship.

[Babubhat]

Take a short flight from Orlando. Not usually expensive

[Arctic Fox]

Originally Posted by Sandy and Ed

...Port Everglades (Ft Lauderdale). Just found out that Yankee Trails last trip down to that port for 2022 will be April 10th...

That's a shame - we always use Yankee Trails for Ft L as it's a long way to drive. YT have to get their buses up north for coach tours, but mid-April does seem a bit early.

Some people have used the train - I think it's a coach at this end and a taxi at the other end so ends up being quite time-consuming.

[Sandy and Ed]

Originally Posted by blueash

A bit of a bother.. but if you really don't want to drive and park, you could take a shuttle from here to Orlando airport, where in the past Celebrity has made available transports from MCO to their ship.

Thank you. Figured a crazy alternative. Since ship leaves from Everglades and terminates at San Diego, decided to drive to Tampa Int’l and leave car there, fly Southwest to Ft Lauderdale then get transfer to ship. On return we fly to Tampa pick up car and drive home. A bit more complicated. Hope it works out. Little over 3 hours total driving, cheaper parking, low airfare, yada, yada, yada. Wish me luck

[ThirdOfFive]

Originally Posted by Sandy and Ed

Thank you. Figured a crazy alternative. Since ship leaves from Everglades and terminates at San Diego, decided to drive to Tampa Int’l and leave car there, fly Southwest to Ft Lauderdale then get transfer to ship. On return we fly to Tampa pick up car and drive home. A bit more complicated. Hope it works out. Little over 3 hours total driving, cheaper parking, low airfare, yada, yada, yada. Wish me luck

Sounds like a good idea.

Ft. Lauderdale can be a bear. I remember one time: 15 minutes from our hotel to the port gate, and from there THREE HOURS to the ship. We could see it the whole time. It has been nearly two years since we took our last cruise but as I recall all the ships leave port at approximately the same time (5:00 PM or so) so "nuts" is a mild way of putting it.

I'd advise leaving yourself plenty of time.

[Stu from NYC]

Originally Posted by ThirdOfFive

Sounds like a good idea.

Ft. Lauderdale can be a bear. I remember one time: 15 minutes from our hotel to the port gate, and from there THREE HOURS to the ship. We could see it the whole time. It has been nearly two years since we took our last cruise but as I recall all the ships leave port at approximately the same time (5:00 PM or so) so "nuts" is a mild way of putting it.

I'd advise leaving yourself plenty of time.

Not sure how the best way to get there is now but would plan to get there a day early just in case. No fun to watch the ship leave without you

[Sandy and Ed]

Originally Posted by Stu from NYC

Not sure how the best way to get there is now but would plan to get there a day early just in case. No fun to watch the ship leave without you

Considered that. Going to have transfers from airport to cruise port added to our cruise package. Let Celebrity worry about getting us onboard.

[Arctic Fox]

We're taking Yankee Trails to Fort Lauderdale tomorrow

There are three ships leaving Fort L, and two departing Miami, so hopefully we'll have a full-size coach rather than a minibus

[Calisport]

Creative solution you made. Like someone mentioned try to get there one day before and stay at a closer hotel to the port then all stress getting on the ship is waived. San Diego airport is very close to the port so no worries there. Probably chilly in San Diego in April still. Rain and cold usually till May. But usually sunny in the afternoons.

[Arctic Fox]

Originally Posted by Calisport

Probably chilly in San Diego in April still. Rain and cold usually till May. But usually sunny in the afternoons.

Good advice. We had a trans-Panama cruise that ended there. Spent the day (sunny) at the zoo in shorts and a t-shirt. By 6pm, waiting for the bus back to the hotel, we were frozen!

[Garywt]

Originally Posted by Sandy and Ed

Thank you. Figured a crazy alternative. Since ship leaves from Everglades and terminates at San Diego, decided to drive to Tampa Int’l and leave car there, fly Southwest to Ft Lauderdale then get transfer to ship. On return we fly to Tampa pick up car and drive home. A bit more complicated. Hope it works out. Little over 3 hours total driving, cheaper parking, low airfare, yada, yada, yada. Wish me luck

We just flew in and out of Tampa and found the ride to The Villages much easier than from Orlando.

[xcaligirl]

Originally Posted by Sandy and Ed

Thank you. Figured a crazy alternative. Since ship leaves from Everglades and terminates at San Diego, decided to drive to Tampa Int’l and leave car there, fly Southwest to Ft Lauderdale then get transfer to ship. On return we fly to Tampa pick up car and drive home. A bit more complicated. Hope it works out. Little over 3 hours total driving, cheaper parking, low airfare, yada, yada, yada. Wish me luck

sounds like a good plan if you don't mind a little more of a hassle. Good luck and have a great cruise!!

[Arctic Fox]

Originally Posted by Arctic Fox

We're taking Yankee Trails to Fort Lauderdale tomorrow. There are three ships leaving Fort L, and two departing Miami, so hopefully we'll have a full-size coach rather than a minibus

Chaos at Bealls this Morning. Had a message from Yankee Trails saying to get there early as there records were in disarray. Took them five minutes to find us on the printed list. Two buses, and they couldn't work out who to put on which. Half an hour late leaving and didn't arrive in Fort Lauderdale until past noon.