I booked this cruise after I got sticker shock from the airlines to travel during Presidents week. I booked the Presidents week cruise over a year ago hoping to not have to take the kids out of school, but when the flights were going to cost 50% more than the cruise for my family of four, our plans quickly changed.

I found out later that the John Healds Bloggers Cruise was scheduled for that same week on our ship, and I signed up for it. At best, I could choose to attend or ignore the special programs, and I never turn down freebies. It was well worth the two minutes it took to sign up.

We flew into FLL the day before the cruise. I agonized for days whether to stay in a hotel in FLL or MIA, how to travel between the cities, etc. I finally hit upon the combination of staying in a hotel in FLL that had a free shuttle from the airport and contacting Florida Limo to get from the hotel to the airport. The hotel (Springhill Suites) had a free breakfast, but the selection of restaurants nearby was limited to fast food. You could walk to better restaurants, but you have to walk along busy roads through strip mall parking lots. We took the walk as a start on getting our metabolism going for the cruise, and ended up at the Market Diner which wasn't bad. The shuttle driver did offer rides to nearby restaurants, but we chose the walk. The FLL hotel, and the car and driver from Florida Limo were very easy, and it went of well. The alternative of renting a car to go to a MIA hotel, taking a taxi from the airport after returning the car to the airport drop-off, and then taking a taxi from the hotel to the port was certainly more trouble, and certainly not cheaper. Read more