Warning this is a very lengthy review but full of information.

We stayed the night before just north of Mobile in Saraland, AL. It was close enough to downtown only taking about 15 minutes to drive down I-65S to I-165S that dead ends right on to Water Street that runs right in front of the dock. We used free hotel points so this more than made up for the price of parking at the port. We did have to drive past and flip around to get in to the parking deck line since they had the other street blocked off as an exit only for debarking passengers out of the parking deck. Got there about 10:30.

Once in line it did not take long to drive into the deck, (about 7 minutes) a porter took our cabins bags right as we pulled in (tipped him $5 for 3 bags and he said that was the best tip for him so far), drove up the ramp to pay the $75 cash to park and got a spot in handicapped on the 2nd floor near the elevators. Did not seem like many cars were left from the previous cruise when we parked around 10:45. I know many complain of the high cost to park but hotels with free parking are located near by. Read more