Fort Lauderdale, Florida ยท Departure port guide
Fort Lauderdale Cruise Port Guide: Port Everglades Explained
Short answer
What do you need to know before sailing from Fort Lauderdale?
Port Everglades sits ten minutes from Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport, the shortest airport transfer of any major cruise port. Parking costs $19 to $22 per day. Eight terminals serve Princess, Celebrity, Holland America, Royal Caribbean and others, and traffic is far lighter than Miami.
Key takeaways
- The airport is ten minutes away, the shortest transfer of any major cruise port in the world.
- Parking is $19 to $22 per day, between Miami and Port Canaveral.
- Eight terminals, all within the port complex and well signposted.
- The premium lines cluster here: Celebrity, Princess, Holland America and Silversea.
- Fort Lauderdale Beach is 15 minutes and is a calmer pre-cruise base than Miami Beach.
Overview
Port Everglades has one advantage nobody else can match: Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport is ten minutes from the terminals. No other major cruise port anywhere is that close to a full-service international airport, and it removes most of the anxiety from a fly-cruise.
It is also where the premium lines concentrate. Celebrity, Princess, Holland America and Silversea all base ships here, which gives the port a slightly older and calmer character than Miami on a turnaround morning.
Fort Lauderdale itself is an easier pre-cruise city than Miami: less traffic, cheaper hotels, a good beach and a walkable waterfront district along Las Olas Boulevard.
Port Everglades sits between Fort Lauderdale and Hollywood, immediately adjacent to the airport. Eight cruise terminals operate within a compact complex, all clearly signposted from the two main entrances.
The port handles both cruise and cargo, and it is the largest petroleum storage facility in South Florida, which explains the industrial character of parts of the drive in.
Because the airport is so close, same-day flying is less risky here than at any other port. That said, our advice remains to fly in the night before: a delayed flight is a delayed flight regardless of how close the terminal is.
- Eight terminals in a compact, well-signposted complex.
- FLL is ten minutes away, the shortest transfer of any major cruise port.
- Premium lines cluster here: Celebrity, Princess, Holland America, Silversea.
- Traffic on turnaround days is noticeably lighter than PortMiami.
Terminals
- Terminal 2, Celebrity
- Terminal 4, Holland America and Princess
- Terminal 18, Royal Caribbean
- Terminal 19 and 21, Princess and Celebrity
- Terminal 25, Holland America
- Terminal 26, Celebrity
- Terminal 29, Princess
Getting there
Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International is a ten-minute, $15 to $25 rideshare from the terminals. Cruise line transfers run $20 to $35 per person, which for two people is rarely worth it over a rideshare.
Miami International is 40 minutes south and costs $55 to $80 by rideshare. It sometimes has cheaper fares, particularly on international routes.
Driving is easy. The port is signposted from I-95 at exits 26 and 27, and the approach roads are wide and rarely congested.
- FLL to port: 10 minutes, $15 to $25 rideshare.
- MIA to port: 40 minutes, $55 to $80 rideshare.
- Brightline rail from Miami and Orlando stops at Fort Lauderdale station, 15 minutes from the port.
- I-95 exits 26 and 27 lead directly into the port complex.
Parking, priced honestly
Port Everglades parking sits between Miami and Port Canaveral on price. Garages are directly adjacent to the terminals and the walk is short.
| Option | Cost per day | Seven-night total | Walk to terminal | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Official port garage | $19 to $22 | $133 to $154 | Two to six minutes | Northport and Midport garages, adjacent to terminals |
| Offsite lot with shuttle | $8 to $13 | $56 to $91 | Shuttle, 10 minutes | Several operators along Eller Drive |
| Hotel park and cruise | Included in room rate | Room plus $0 to $60 | Hotel shuttle | Widely available in Fort Lauderdale |
| Airport long-stay plus transfer | $14 to $18 | $98 to $126 plus transfers | Shuttle then rideshare | Rarely worth the complication |
| Drop-off only | Free | Free | Curbside | No charge to stop |
Where to stay the night before
Fort Lauderdale Beach is 15 minutes from the port with hotels at $190 to $340 in season, and is a calmer, more pleasant pre-cruise base than Miami Beach at a lower price.
Airport-area hotels along Griffin Road and State Road 84 run $130 to $210 and are five to ten minutes from both the airport and the port. Many offer park-and-cruise packages.
Downtown Fort Lauderdale along Las Olas Boulevard is $170 to $290 and is the best choice if you want restaurants and a walkable evening rather than a beach.
- Fort Lauderdale Beach: $190 to $340, 15 minutes, the best pre-cruise experience.
- Airport area: $130 to $210, 10 minutes, best value with park-and-cruise deals.
- Las Olas downtown: $170 to $290, walkable restaurants and bars.
- Park-and-cruise packages are more widely available here than at any other Florida port.
- Book refundable; summer thunderstorms disrupt FLL regularly.
Worth your pre-cruise day
Las Olas Boulevard is the best walkable pre-cruise evening in South Florida: independent restaurants, galleries and bars over about a mile, ending at the beach.
The Riverwalk and the water taxi network are a genuinely good way to see the city. A day pass costs about $35 and the boats connect the beach, downtown and the marina district.
Everglades airboat tours run from Sawgrass Recreation Park, 40 minutes west, and are less crowded than the Miami operators.
- Las Olas Boulevard: a mile of restaurants and galleries ending at the beach.
- Water taxi day pass, about $35, connecting beach, downtown and marinas.
- Bonnet House Museum and Gardens, an unexpected highlight.
- Hollywood Beach Broadwalk, 15 minutes south and quieter than Fort Lauderdale.
- Sawgrass Recreation Park airboats, 40 minutes west.
Embarkation day, step by step
Port Everglades is the most relaxed embarkation of the three big Florida ports, largely because the airport is so close and the traffic is light.
Complete online check-in when it opens
Boarding windows are allocated first come, first served. Complete check-in on the opening day for the earliest slot.
Identify your terminal and garage
The Northport garage serves terminals 1 to 4 and Midport serves 18 to 29. Parking at the wrong garage means a long walk with luggage or a shuttle.
Allow 45 minutes from an FLL hotel
The drive is ten minutes, but allow time for the garage, the walk and the porter queue. Forty-five minutes door to terminal door is realistic.
Hand bags to a porter at the curb
Attach luggage tags before arriving. Tip $2 to $5 per bag. Keep medication, documents and anything you need before 2pm with you.
Clear security and check-in
Expect 10 to 20 minutes inside your assigned window. Port Everglades processes faster than PortMiami on comparable ship sizes.
Board and eat before the rush
Cabins usually open around 1pm. Eat before 12.30pm when the buffet fills.
Complete the muster check
App-based muster with an in-person station check. Complete it as soon as you board.
Terms worth knowing
- Northport and Midport
- The two parking garage complexes at Port Everglades. Northport serves terminals 1 to 4 and Midport serves terminals 18 to 29.
- Brightline
- The privately operated higher-speed rail service connecting Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach and Orlando, with a station 15 minutes from the port.
- Port Everglades
- The official name of Fort Lauderdale's cruise and cargo port, one of the three busiest cruise ports in the world alongside Miami and Port Canaveral.
- Las Olas Boulevard
- Fort Lauderdale's main dining and shopping street, running about a mile from downtown to the beach.
| Factor | Fort Lauderdale | Miami |
|---|---|---|
| Airport to terminal | 10 minutes | 15 to 30 minutes |
| Official parking per day | $19 to $22 | $22 to $28 |
| Turnaround day traffic | Light | Heavy |
| Hotel prices, beachfront | $190 to $340 | $250 to $450 |
| Lines based here | Premium: Celebrity, Princess, HAL | Contemporary: RCI, Carnival, MSC |
| Pre-cruise city | Calmer, walkable Las Olas | Bigger, more to do |
Planning a Port Everglades departure
Fort Lauderdale is the easiest major cruise port in the United States to use. These decisions cover the rest.
Fly into FLL
Choose it when: Fares are comparable to MIA. A ten-minute transfer is worth a modest premium over a 40-minute one.
Book an airport-area park-and-cruise hotel
Choose it when: You are driving or want simplicity. They are widely available here and usually cheaper than a week of garage parking.
Stay on Las Olas
Choose it when: You want a walkable pre-cruise evening rather than a beach day.
Check your garage, not just your terminal
Choose it when: You are parking. Northport serves terminals 1 to 4 and Midport serves 18 to 29.
Consider flying into MIA
Choose it when: The fare difference exceeds about $70 per person. The 40-minute transfer costs $55 to $80 per car.
Fort Lauderdale port questions
How far is Fort Lauderdale airport from the cruise port?
Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International is about ten minutes from Port Everglades, the shortest airport-to-terminal transfer of any major cruise port in the world. A rideshare costs $15 to $25. Cruise line transfers at $20 to $35 per person are rarely worth it for two people travelling together.
How much is parking at Port Everglades?
Official port garages cost $19 to $22 per day, so $133 to $154 for a seven-night cruise. Offsite lots along Eller Drive run $8 to $13 per day with a shuttle. Many Fort Lauderdale hotels offer park-and-cruise packages bundling a night's stay with a week of parking and a port shuttle.
Which cruise lines sail from Fort Lauderdale?
Port Everglades is where the premium lines concentrate: Celebrity, Princess, Holland America, Silversea, Regent Seven Seas and Oceania all base ships here, alongside Royal Caribbean and Carnival. That gives the port a calmer, slightly older character than PortMiami on a turnaround morning.
Fort Lauderdale or Miami for a cruise?
Fort Lauderdale has a far shorter airport transfer at ten minutes against 15 to 30, cheaper parking, lighter turnaround traffic and cheaper beachfront hotels. Miami has more to do as a city and hosts the contemporary lines. The two ports are 40 minutes apart, so a cheap flight into one is a reasonable way to sail from the other.
Where should you stay before a Fort Lauderdale cruise?
Fort Lauderdale Beach at $190 to $340 is the best experience and is 15 minutes from the port. Airport-area hotels at $130 to $210 offer the most park-and-cruise packages and sit ten minutes away. Las Olas Boulevard downtown at $170 to $290 is best if you want a walkable evening of restaurants and bars.
Which terminal will my ship use at Port Everglades?
It varies by line and ship: Celebrity typically uses terminals 2, 21 and 26, Princess uses 2, 19, 21 and 29, Holland America uses 4 and 25, and Royal Caribbean uses 18. Check your cruise documents, because the Northport garage serves terminals 1 to 4 while Midport serves 18 to 29.
About the author
Ports and Destinations Writer
Lena Hartley covers the parts of a cruise that happen off the ship: departure port logistics, shore excursions, weather windows and whether a port call is worth leaving the ship for at all.
48 sailings logged across 8 cruise lines.
This page was fact-checked by Priya Raman, family and accessibility reviewer, on . Prices and policies are re-checked against cruise line sources at least every 90 days. Read our editorial policy.