From $485 per vehicle: a private, one-way ride from Port of Miami to Shalimar Beach Resort in a chauffeured SUV or van.
The fare is locked per vehicle for the one-way trip, and it already covers the tolls, the fuel and the driver’s time.
The driver is outside the PortMiami terminal when you come through, plans around the ship’s real arrival time, and loads the bags. The terminal greeting is covered by the fare and a name sign is offered for $20. Then it is one private vehicle straight to the destination.
Shalimar Beach Resort sits on Sanibel, a barrier island off Florida’s southwest coast where the buildings stay low and the sand does the talking. It is a beachfront property, so the shore is only steps from your room, and many travelers who arrive straight off a cruise trade the ship’s pool for real sand the same afternoon they step ashore.
Sanibel is not a place of towers and neon. There are no high-rises here — instead you get the island’s lighthouse, the mangroves of its wildlife refuge, and a beach that gives up more shells than anywhere else in Florida. Walk the waterline at low tide and you will see why people fill their pockets; the shelling is the island’s quiet claim to fame, and it asks nothing of you but a slow morning and a little patience.
The resort keeps the day simple. You are right on the water, the beach is yours to reach on foot, and the rhythm of things is set by the tide rather than a clock. When your car pulls up, your driver brings you to the main entrance and carries the bags to the curb beside you, so the first thing you do on the island is walk toward the sand instead of wrestling suitcases. For the specifics of your stay — room types, parking, and check-in times — the property’s own official page is the right place to confirm the details before you sail.
The ride begins the moment you clear the terminal. Your driver tracks your ship’s actual arrival and meets you at the exact terminal your cruise line uses, so there is no line to join and no luggage left sitting on the sidewalk. Bags go into the vehicle, everyone settles in, and the car heads out along I-595 for the run west toward Sanibel — about 165.6 miles that usually takes somewhere between 179 and 186 minutes, depending on how the traffic moves.
It is one continuous door-to-door trip, terminal to resort entrance, with no shared stops and no changing vehicles along the way. Traffic on I-595 is really the only variable, which is why the pickup is built around your ship’s timing with room to spare rather than a slot cut to the minute. At the end your driver pulls up to the main entrance of Shalimar Beach Resort and carries the luggage to the curb, and you are on the island.
A reserved driver removes the guesswork after a long flight or a cruise morning: no queue at a taxi stand, no surge pricing, no shared stops. The group rides together and the price on this page is the price you pay.
Booking takes a 50% deposit; the other half goes to the driver when the ride is done, by cash or card. There are no seat fees and no add-ons unless you request them.
Late is fine: the SUV night fee is $20 in Miami-Dade and Broward and $50 outside them for pickups between 9 PM and 7 AM. A stop on the route runs $45 per 30 minutes, and a child seat is $15.
A full-size suitcase per passenger fits the SUV with five aboard; groups of six or more move to a van sized 6-9 or 10-14 with the cargo space to match.
Passenger count, child seat or pickup detail changes are fine up to 12 hours ahead. The travel date cannot be moved to another day, so confirm it carefully.
Questions or ready to reserve? WhatsApp wa.me/17866828748 or call 786-682-8748 and we take it from there.
Reserving a few days ahead is ideal, and in peak season (holidays, spring break, big cruise weekends) a week or more keeps your first-choice vehicle available. Requests inside 24 hours are welcome but depend on availability, and those bookings are non-refundable once confirmed.
We run on reservations rather than on-demand pickups. A same-day request may still work if a driver is free: message us on WhatsApp with the pickup time and we will confirm quickly. Keep in mind that a ride booked within 24 hours of pickup cannot be refunded.
No. A 50% deposit holds the vehicle when you book online, and the other half goes to your driver on the day of the ride, in cash or by card. If you prefer to settle everything at once, choose Pay in full at checkout.
Yes. After the deposit, the remaining half is paid directly to your driver when the ride is done, cash or card, whichever you prefer. There is nothing else to pay unless you added an extra service.
Cancellations are free up to 24 hours before the pickup. Inside that 24-hour window the ride is non-refundable, and no-shows are treated the same way. Booking details such as an extra passenger or a child seat can still be updated until 12 hours before pickup.
The pickup time and other details can be adjusted until 12 hours before the ride, subject to driver availability; write to us as soon as your plans change. The travel date itself is fixed once booked, so double-check it before you confirm.
Payments run through Stripe over an encrypted checkout; we never see your card number. Card payments carry a 3% processing fee that is shown before you pay. Zelle is also accepted for the deposit with no fee: ask us on WhatsApp.
Not at all. Travelers reserve from all over the world, international cards are accepted at checkout, and we answer on WhatsApp and email in English, Spanish and Portuguese.
Yes. Give us the flight number when you book and your driver tracks it in real time, so the pickup follows the actual landing rather than the scheduled one, at no extra cost.
Message us the moment you know. We reschedule around the new arrival whenever a driver is available; because that counts as a change to the booking, the cancellation terms above still apply if the ride cannot be rebooked.
Your driver meets you at the MIA arrivals level at the curb, and that meet-and-greet is included in the fare. If you would rather be greeted inside the terminal with a name sign, add the name-sign welcome for $20 when you book.
You receive the meeting instructions in advance, and the driver contacts you the day before the ride to confirm every detail. On landing, head to the agreed curb; connect to the airport Wi-Fi and message us on WhatsApp if anything is unclear.
The day before the ride we send the driver’s name and phone number, and the vehicle details you need to spot the car. Vehicle photos on the site show the category booked; the exact model can vary.
Call or WhatsApp us at +1 (786) 682-8748 and we connect you right away. The pickup is always coordinated at the confirmed spot, and the courtesy waiting time keeps running from your landing or your scheduled pickup.
At the airport we wait up to 60 minutes after landing on domestic flights and up to 2 hours on international arrivals; at hotels, homes and the cruise port the courtesy wait is 15 minutes. Beyond that, waiting is billed like an extra stop, $45 per 30 minutes.
The distance and the usual driving time for this exact route are listed on this page. Real timing depends on traffic and the hour, which is why the driver plans the pickup around your actual landing or ship arrival rather than a fixed clock time.
Yes. Your driver loads and unloads every bag at the curb. Drivers do not go inside the hotel or terminal to collect luggage, so have it with you at the meeting point.
Each passenger can bring one large suitcase plus one carry-on. The black SUV carries up to 5 passengers as long as passengers plus large suitcases total 10 or fewer; larger groups or extra bags move to a van. Surfboards, bikes or many extra cases need a custom setup, so tell us before booking.
Yes. Add them when you book: a child seat for babies and toddlers up to about 3 years, or a booster for ages 3 to 5. Each seat is $20 and is fitted before the driver leaves for the pickup.
Planned stops are fine when you add them at booking, priced at $45 per 30 minutes with a 30-minute minimum, then $1.50 per extra minute. Unplanned detours on the day are not part of the fare.
Never. Every transfer is private: the vehicle carries only your group, door to door, with no other pickups and no waiting for strangers.
A black SUV for up to 5 passengers, a van for 6 to 9 and a larger van for 10 to 14. The fare table on this page shows the price for each. For groups above 14 we arrange several vehicles or a minibus on a custom quote.
No. We pick up and drop off at Miami International Airport, PortMiami and the other cruise terminals, hotels, private homes, offices and event venues across South Florida and beyond.
Yes. Wedding parties, corporate groups and private events get a tailored quote with the right mix of vehicles; message us with the date, head count and schedule.
Between 9 PM and 7 AM the black SUV adds a night fee of $20 inside Miami-Dade and Broward and $50 farther out. The fee is shown in the quote before you book, and daytime rides carry no surcharge.
The fare shown is for the exact route named on this page. For a different pickup or drop-off address, use the ride search on this site: it prices the real road distance instantly and lets you book on the spot.
The fare includes the driver, fuel and tolls, with no hidden fees. Only optional items add to it: the 3% card fee, a name-sign welcome, child seats, extra stops or the night fee, each shown in the quote before you pay. Tipping is at your discretion.
We came off the ship tired but happy and a driver already waiting to take us to Shalimar Beach Resort set the tone for the rest of the trip. An easy, relaxed handoff for the two of us — off the ship and into Shalimar Beach Resort with nothing left to sort out.
Descemos do navio depois de uma semana ótima e um carro privativo direto até Shalimar Beach Resort foi a decisão certa. O carro estava impecável, um alívio no calor de Miami.
Los dos zarpamos de PortMiami y tener un auto privado listo en la acera para el viaje hasta Shalimar Beach Resort fue lo mejor del día. Un traspaso fácil y cómodo para los dos — del barco a Shalimar Beach Resort sin nada que resolver.
Stepping off the ship, having the ride already handled to Shalimar Beach Resort was worth every bit. The driver loaded all our cruise luggage so we didn’t have to lift a thing.
My husband and I weren’t up for the chaos outside the terminal, so we reserved a private ride to Shalimar Beach Resort before we even sailed. The ride from the terminal to Shalimar Beach Resort was calm and comfortable, and we could just watch the city go by. For a reliable way to get from the ship to Shalimar Beach Resort, it was absolutely worth booking. Made getting off the ship so easy.