Introduction
If you want cheap, safe, or convenient cruise parking close to PortMiami then you have 3 options to consider:
- Parking ship-side
- Parking off-site
- Parking in hotel lots
PortMiami Parking Ship-side Rates
Costs are $22 per day for normal vehicles except for Terminal A ($35 a day).
Take a ticket upon entry and pay as you exit the lots (Terminal J is paid upon entry) – advance booking is not available nor needed. Handicapped parking is available – but note FREE disabled parking rules are strict and you need to talk to a parking agent as you enter (find him/her in the booth of the exit lane)
Oversized vehicles (requiring larger parking spaces or exceeding the height of the parking garages) cost $44 per day. Oversized vehicles may only park in Lot #2, across from Cruise Terminal E.
The general idea is to drive up to the Terminal entrance, then drop your luggage (and passengers if you choose) with the baggage agents and proceed to park after which you rejoin the rest of your party.
Pros and Cons
You’ve driven far and the temperature is a blistering 90 degrees! Your family is a bit tired and you have more luggage than expected. It is extremely convenient to just drive up to your cruise terminal, hand your luggage to the attendant, and have your family wait in the shade while you go and park in the shaded parking garage.
No waiting in the heat for crowded shuttles that are running late and no endless driving around the cruise terminals while dropping other passengers – all the while hoping no one takes your luggage by mistake from the trailer behind!
After your cruise your family may be sunburned, tired of crowds and everyone just wants to get home. While other passengers are waiting for shuttle buses, you just walk out to your vehicle (use a porter if needed), pay as you exit, and drive home.
- The benefits are convenience, less frustration, and parking in a shaded garage (depending on your cruise terminal).
- The obvious drawback is cost. But consider this – many cruisers try to save money by parking off-site. They can save up to 50% for the duration (do not forget about tips). Then they get frustrated with the off-site shuttle buses and end up calling taxis and paying $18 or more each way (tips included) – thereby negating a slice of their savings, especially for short cruises!
TIP – Even if you are budget-minded, our advice is to park ship-side for 3 or 4-night cruises and off-site for longer cruises.
Parking Directions
Signs will direct you to your parking lot as you approach the cruise terminals. Most parking garages/lots are attached to or directly across the terminals. With so much construction going on, there are parking shuttles between a few of the garages/terminals when needed.
The general idea is to drive up to the Terminal entrance, then drop your luggage (and passengers if you choose) with the baggage agents and proceed to park after which you rejoin the rest of your party.
- Terminal AA/AAA – MSC. The parking garage is connected to the terminals
- Terminal A – Royal Caribbean. Parking garage A is part of the terminal.
- Terminal B – Norwegian. Parking garage B is connected to the terminal via a walkway
- Terminal C – Disney. MSC. Parking garage C (6 levels) is across the road. Surface lot C is next to the garage.
- Terminal D – Carnival. Holland America. Princess. Parking garage D (4 levels) is across the road. A small surface lot D is next to the garage.
- Terminal E – Carnival. Large surface lot #2 across the street
- Terminal F – Carnival. no garage or lot
- Terminal G – Royal Caribbean. Celebrity. Parking garage G (4-levels) is connected to the terminal via a walkway on level 3.
- Terminal J – The parking garage is across the road. Garage J is pre-paid only. Passengers pay upon arrival at Garage J and are given a decal to post in their vehicle for the duration of their cruise.
- Terminal V – Virgin. Parking garage G (4-levels) is across the road
PortMiami Off-site Parking
An internet search shows many off-site parking lots within a 15-minute drive from the Port. But buyer beware!
It is tough to recommend any but perhaps a couple is worth your consideration.
WARNING – While vehicles are generally safe, online reviews reveal confusing directions, very slow shuttle services, no customer service, and unfriendly or unhelpful drivers. As a result passengers often end up calling an Uber or taxi when they get frustrated with waiting. It is best to add $30 to your parking budget in order to compare costs with shipside parking.
Also, know taxes and service fees are not shown online until you check out! So be wary of low online ads!
ISSUE – There seems to be a process whereby someone with a van manages to secure parking spaces in garages and lots around the city. Then they rent those spaces to airport or cruise passengers. You call the shuttle upon arrival then they show up after some time! Unfortunately, these agreements seem to perish after a while, and clients are moved to different lots than advertised. Shuttles are rarely on time.
This is why we recommend parking shipside at PortMiami. But if you want to save money, consider the companies mentioned below. At least, they have been around for a while!
MAP of Parking Locations
Parking Rate Comparison
Here are typical SEVEN NIGHT (8 days) pre-booked cruise parking rates BUT please get accurate quotes for your dates! Competition dictates frequent rate changes!
And do pre-book online for off-site parking – you may pay more if you just show up at the lots.
Ship-side parking for 8 days = $176, $280 for Terminal A
(click on the names for pictures and links)
Safe Cruise Parking – Public parking garage in an OK part of downtown. $105.16
Premier Cruise Parking – A nice area. In the MET3 parking garage (Whole Foods). Booking is performed by Global Airport Parking. $103.36
We Parkin Miami – Near the Park West Metromover Station. OK area. Park and meet the shuttle on the 7th floor. $90.67
Pros and Cons
The benefit is cheaper parking if you are budget-minded.
The drawbacks are plenty
- Unclear directions and confusing instructions
- Terrible customer support (no one answers the phone) and unfriendly drivers.
- The lots are often not as secure as promised and only as good as the least trusted employee. Do you keep your car keys?
- The rates you see advertised are rarely the amount you pay! You have to complete the booking forms or call to get the actual costs (with service fees and taxes added). And you have to consider tipping the shuttle driver.
- Rates for the same lot vary at times because of booking agents! Read below for more information.
- Shuttles often get delayed due to unforeseen problems (such as slow passengers) and wait times between shuttles are increased
- Shuttles are packed (especially on the return trips from the cruise ships)
- Watch your luggage while passengers unload! It is very possible for someone to mistakenly grab the wrong bag while in a hurry at the cruise terminal. You will not know about this until you reach your stop, creating a huge problem!
- Shuttles make multiple stops – sometimes including a drop at the airport on the way to the cruise terminal! If your ship is number 6 on the drop-off list it will not be a fast transfer!
- Frustration does set in and many passengers simply call taxis (especially after the cruise while fighting the crowds on the ship). After tipping the shuttle and taxi drivers, their savings are diminished.
TIP – If you are budget-minded, our advice is to park ship-side for 3 or 4-night cruises and off-site for longer cruises.
Booking Agents
Booking agents do not own nor operate parking lots or shuttles. They are 3rd party online booking systems for many airport and cruise port facilities around the country. At times, they offer discounted parking rates meaning they may be cheaper than booking directly with the parking facility.
Many cruisers get confused when using booking agents. They book with ABC Company, then they expect to see an ABC Company logo and signage at the parking garage and on the shuttle vans! Wrong!
TIP – Please make sure you know exactly what to expect when you arrive.
- Parking garage address, directions, and floor for parking
- Shuttle van company and colors and signage
- Shuttle times
- Emergency and contact phone numbers
If you are looking to save as much money as you can on cruise parking, take a look at the booking agents below. They may, or may not, be cheaper than booking direct.
PortMiami Parking at Hotels
There is no consistent advice that can be shared because the options vary greatly depending on your booking. Some hotels do not allow parking while you are cruising while others have different rules/rates depending on how you booked.
Pros and Cons
The benefit is peace of mind and the ease of simply booking a hotel package with everything included. Sometimes it is cheaper too.
The drawbacks are:
- Hotel shuttles are often subcontracted to local transportation companies and the quality of vehicles/service varies.
- Many hotels offer free airport shuttles but port shuttles cost extra.
- Hotel shuttles to the Port often run on a limited fixed schedule – say 10 am and 11 am. They do not run non-stop so plan accordingly! If you get frustrated with waiting then calling a taxi will negate your package savings
- Hotel cruise shuttles make various stops (including the airport at times). If your stop is number 6 then you will get a tour of the Port!
- Watch your luggage while passengers unload! It is very possible for someone to mistakenly grab the wrong bag while in a hurry at the cruise terminal. You will not know about this until you reach your stop, creating a huge problem!
- The wait times for hotel shuttles from the ship back to the hotel at the end of the cruise can be frustratingly long! In frustration, many passengers simply hail taxis. Keep this in mind before paying upfront for return hotel shuttles.
Cruise Lines
This information is valid for:
Carnival Cruise Line
Norwegian Cruise Line
Royal Caribbean
Holland America
Princess Cruises
and others