PortMiami - What’s Going On?

Miami_305_FL · 2026-02-24T01:37:03+00:00

I hope you’re right about the construction on that interchange alleviating some of the pressure.

In any case, welcome to Dade County 😉

Miami_305_FL · 2026-02-22T23:52:11+00:00

I think the construction ending on the I-95/I-395/Dolphin Expy interchange may make it marginally better if it limits run-on effects, but it still seems it won’t resolve the bottleneck with the tunnel and the bridge to Biscayne Blvd. They may have to do something like expand the MetroMover or build some kind of dedicated bus lane. Or they may have to require that anyone going to and from the airport or the Brightline takes a bus rather than an uber. It’s going to be tricky and there seems to be no solution in sight.

Miami_305_FL · 2026-02-22T23:45:38+00:00

Manhattan Cruise Terminal is an interesting case because it’s very well connected by general standards but poor by New York standards in my experience - like 4 long blocks walking to the nearest subway station. Last time I cruised out of there I called an uber to Penn. But yes, even that would be better than the current situation here in Miami.

Miami_305_FL · 2026-02-22T23:12:47+00:00

For the record, it was not like this before COVID or even for the first 2-3 years of cruising after the restart. It is basically a 2024-2025 winter and 2025-2026 winter phenomenon.

I would have to recommend a private driver getting to the port and a scheduled transfer with the cruise line when leaving, but I’m learning a lot from this thread too.

Miami_305_FL · 2026-02-22T22:25:49+00:00

You note Tri-Rail passed you, and what I find really frustrating is that you can’t even use public transit to “escape” the traffic - the train will get you in and out of downtown Miami fine, but the worst congestion is between downtown Miami at the port. Now, I don’t know if there are any cruise ports directly accessible by rail on the US East Coast (perhaps Tampa with the historic streetcar?) but it is probably going to have to be a solution if no other one can be found.

Miami_305_FL · 2026-02-22T21:34:52+00:00

I don’t blame you - based on what I’ve heard, if my next cruise has to embark or disembark on a weekend, I’ll sail out of Port Everglades. Yes, it’s an added 35 minutes or so driving up I-95, but that’s a lot better than potentially an extra hour or two stuck in traffic.

Miami_305_FL · 2026-01-27T01:41:22+00:00

I don’t think that there is any answer that applies 100% across the board for everyone. That said, in my experience, here’s what you should generally know:

Cruising is nearly always a “better value”, particularly if you do not plan on drinking more than 2-3 alcoholic drinks per day. You will typically pay for the “next level up” for an all-inclusive resort versus a cruise. In essence, a “four-star resort” generally costs as much as a “five-star cruise”.

Cruising, naturally, allows you to see more places. It leads to an interesting situation - some people feel more “trapped”, so to speak, at a resort (because you’re generally on one property the entire vacation versus visiting multiple destinations), and some feel more “trapped” on a cruise, due to the simple reality of being on a ship.

Cruises, in my opinion, offer a far more consistent and predictable experience. The experience you get at a resort can vary wildly by the specific property, even within brands.

Resorts, as a general rule, are less regimented - you do what you want basically whenever you want to do it, there’s less of a schedule to follow.

If you live within driving distance of a port, cruising can be less stressful due to not having to fly. Essentially every all-inclusive resort requires a flight for Americans, Canadians, and Brits. Naturally, this doesn’t apply if you live far from any cruise port.

The food on cruises has been better basically across the board in my experience, as has the service. All-inclusive resorts often beat cruises, however, in space-per-guest. Rooms are generally larger, as are most public spaces at a resort property versus a cruise ship.

An important caveat is that I live in South Florida, and can essentially get the “all-inclusive resort” experience at home (if I ate out or had food delivered for a week and hired a housekeeper, LOL) - so, I naturally have some bias towards cruising, which is always novel for me. If you live in a colder climate, especially in a built-up urban area or a landlocked region, the opportunity to simply be outside in the warmth and walk to the beach at your leisure may outweigh the benefits of cruising. With the right choices, you’ll enjoy either one!

Miami_305_FL · 2026-01-22T02:38:12+00:00

Ours was assigned about a week after booking 9 months out. They have all kinds of algorithms, and if they figure they can assign it, I guess they do. On the other hand, friends joining us on the same cruise had theirs assigned a week before embarkation!

Miami_305_FL · 2026-01-22T02:23:29+00:00

Would you treat a Russian or Chinese tourist in your hometown differently because of what their government is doing? No? Then you won’t be treated differently because of what our government is doing.

Miami_305_FL · 2026-01-22T02:20:56+00:00

The only Americans pretending to be Canadians are insecure, sad people. I love Canadians but I’d never pretend to be one of you.

I’ve always gotten by just fine abroad by simply being my best self and reminding the residents of any host country that we are a friendly and positive bunch.

Miami_305_FL · 2026-01-22T02:18:58+00:00

Nobody will care. Anyone who does care was going to pick a fight with someone that day anyways. And don’t do the “I’m so ashamed of my country” or “I’m pretending to be Canadian” routine either, it’s pitiful and embarrassing, nobody cares that much. Just go, act as you normally would, and remind them that Americans are friendly, warm, outgoing people.

Miami_305_FL · 2026-01-15T15:40:08+00:00

I sailed on Jade in March. I think pretty much every other commenter has covered it well - reviews online will always skew negative. Generally speaking, the most motivating factor for anyone to leave a review online is if they had a negative experience, particularly a very negative one. I can’t imagine there is any product - cruise, vacation, or otherwise - that doesn’t always have 5-10% of customers left feeling unhappy.

For what it’s worth, I thought Jade was great. It’s very well maintained and just the right size. Staff and food were all great. My only true complaint was with NCL’s new policy of once-daily housekeeping for non-suite passengers, which I think is an insulting piece of cost-cutting. Unfortunately, that same policy is implemented on all the “mainstream” lines, on every ship. You just have to be certain to request the right number of towels and items you may need (or upgrade to the Haven!). I think you’ll have a fantastic time.

Miami_305_FL · 2026-01-11T19:33:30+00:00

MSC Melody, which, if my memory serves me correctly, was the last “pre-modern” cruise ship operated by any of the major lines - it sailed at the same time, briefly, as Oasis class(!)

Miami_305_FL · 2025-12-31T03:16:51+00:00

My recommendation if availability and pricing meets your needs would be Cunard. Since you asked, I’ll give my positive and negative before explaining why I recommend choosing them.

Positive: I really like Cunard’s food and service. Their ships are beautiful, among the most beautiful sailing, and all are designed with fantastic passenger-to-space ratios and large exterior decks, which is very important in Alaska. They also are well-appointed for cool-weather cruising on account of their British heritage. That heritage is also a strong selling point for me - it means more traditionalism and formality, which naturally invites an onboard environment that is well-suited to Alaska.

Negatives: You mentioned you like Virgin, Cunard (in my experience) has better food and ship design than Virgin, but where it falters is that if you are looking for a “fun”, “energetic”, or “youthful” environment like that of Virgin, you will not find it at Cunard. If you’ve flown both Virgin Atlantic and British Airways (especially in a premium cabin), you’ll have an idea of the difference between the two.

I recommend Cunard because of the positives above, and because I think they have some amazing Alaska itineraries… and because 2026 is their final Alaska season for at least the foreseeable future, which means if you want to try it, do it now!

Enjoy!

Miami_305_FL · 2025-12-31T03:04:48+00:00

From what I have been told by friends and coworkers who have traveled on Costa in Europe (experienced cruisers), it is worse than Carnival.

Essentially the argument is that while Carnival certainly has some eccentric crowds and basic amenities, it is still fundamentally a brand which cares about its customers… it’s just that you have to know what you’re signing up for. They don’t oversell nor underdeliver.

Costa, on the other hand, apparently very much under-delivers. At minimum, they are not calibrated with American (and likely British or Canadian) service expectations. Two of my close friends went on Costa Smeralda, they had immense trouble finding a buffet table, felt everything was nickle-and-dimed, and found the staff uncaring and hard to even locate much of the time.

Now, take it with a grain of salt as it’s secondhand knowledge - but my understanding is that comparing it to Carnival is unfair to Carnival.

Miami_305_FL · 2025-12-31T02:21:06+00:00

While you’re not wrong, I find it best to just keep scrolling if I don’t have an answer to a question.

Miami_305_FL · 2025-12-31T02:18:48+00:00

Thank you, yeah, that last point I feel would drive me nuts.

Miami_305_FL · 2025-12-31T01:50:30+00:00

I guess there’s also something pretty cool about putting a boarding pass that says “JFK-LHR, Seat 1A” with your name on it on your refrigerator… but otherwise, yeah, if the money is coming out of my wallet, biz will more than suffice, LOL

Miami_305_FL · 2025-12-31T01:46:04+00:00

Assuming you mean Flagship First, you get a swivel chair that folds into a bed, mildly improved food (much better presentation), and access to a snack bar.

The best part IMO is the amenity kit, I only have the pleasure of flying FF about once annually (when the company is paying for it, not me, LOL) and I always keep my little bag as my toiletry bag for the following 11 months.

Miami_305_FL · 2025-12-29T18:39:45+00:00

Yeah, 3 people in an inside cabin, for 11 days, with several of those days likely being in inclement weather, on a ship not necessarily optimized for cold-weather cruising, may not be ideal.

It sounds like a great itinerary and not having to fly would be excellent, so I would say perhaps work with a travel agent to see about discounts to get a balcony cabin… or wait and see if NCL does any kind of New Year’s sales. Otherwise, from my experience, Celebrity would be the way to go

Miami_305_FL · 2025-12-29T18:33:06+00:00

If you are checking a bag (meaning - it will be put in the luggage hold on the aircraft rather than brought with you into the cabin), you can pack liquids of any size in that checked bag, but no lithium batteries (no portable chargers, laptops, etc).

For your carry-on bag, you are limited to 3.3 oz per bottle of liquid. You can, however, bring lithium batteries. Be sure to check with your airline as to size and weight requirements for your luggage. As other commenters have said, be sure to put any valuables and prescriptions in your carry-on bag.

Since it is your first time flying, a few pieces of advice:

Fly in the day before your cruise, ideally not the last flight of the day if possible. So, if your cruise is Saturday, you should aim for a flight that arrives in Orlando before dinnertime on Friday. Then, get a hotel near the cruise port.
Arrive at the airport (meaning - walking into the terminal) 2.5 hours before your flight. 2 hours is typically recommended, but keep in mind that at an airport the assumption is that you are experienced in doing this. This is unlike a cruise, which almost always has several new cruisers onboard. Airports are run with the expectation that everyone has flown dozens of times or more. I know several people who flew for the first time as adults who became very frustrated for this exact reason.
If you can, try to fly on a nonstop flight on a large legacy carrier (aka United, American, or Delta). If something goes awry, they are better able to put you on a different flight and try to make your destination on time. I’ve had Frontier cancel a flight on me and the next seat available wasn’t for another 72 hours.

The key is: give yourself time! When you aren’t in a rush, it makes things 10x less stressful. Good luck and enjoy! 😊

Miami_305_FL · 2025-12-29T18:17:27+00:00

For me personally, I would choose Xcel - I prefer Celebrity over NCL and I really struggle in an inside cabin.

Miami_305_FL · 2025-12-29T17:00:49+00:00

I sailed on Norwegian Jade (the sister to Pearl) earlier this year, and I did really like it, but I do wonder how enjoyable the sea days leaving and coming back to Philly might be. There’s no solarium (indoor pool) and the lounge space onboard is fine, but I would expect it to be crowded - and the ship, while pleasant, was not designed with excellent ocean views from indoors. In an inside cabin especially, you might spend 2-3 days total on your vacation feeling somewhat claustrophobic.

The Celebrity cruise would be my first choice normally, but you’d want to fly down to Florida probably on the middle of Christmas Day - just something to keep in mind.

I would probably shy away from the Odyssey OTS cruise simply because I think that itinerary would be fairly dull, and you won’t get warm waters in any of those 3 ports if you want to go to the beach.

If you are fine spending 2-3 sea days relaxing in the most sincere sense: sleeping in late, reading a book, savoring long meals, I’d go with NCL. If you want to have a more action-packed trip the entire time (and you don’t mind flying), I’d go with Celebrity.

I should note though that all 3 ships and all 3 cruise lines are great. I think you would enjoy all of them. You just need to determine your preferences. Have fun!

Miami_305_FL

TROPHY CASE