From $475 per vehicle: a private, one-way ride from Port of Miami to Sunshine Island Inn in a chauffeured SUV or van.
Pricing is by vehicle, not by seat: a solo traveler and a full car pay the same flat one-way rate.
On disembarkation morning the driver plans around the ship’s arrival and waits at the curb outside your terminal at PortMiami. Meet-and-greet at the terminal is included; a name-sign welcome is available for an extra $20. Luggage goes straight from the terminal into the vehicle and the ride leaves private and direct.
Sunshine Island Inn sits out on Sanibel, one of the barrier islands in the Sanibel and Captiva stretch off Florida’s Gulf coast. After the run across the state from the cruise terminal, you arrive somewhere the shoreline is only steps from the door. Plenty of guests trade the ship’s pool for real sand the same afternoon they come ashore, and the inn is built for exactly that kind of easy landing.
Sanibel keeps its own quiet character. There are no high-rises here — just the lighthouse standing at the point, the mangroves of the wildlife refuge, and beaches that surrender more shells than anywhere else in Florida. Mornings tend to open with a slow walk along the water, eyes down, sorting through whatever the tide left overnight. It is a different rhythm from the deck of a cruise ship, and for travelers who have spent days at sea it tends to settle in fast.
There is plenty within reach once you have unpacked. Guests here often work in the Sanibel Lighthouse and Bowman’s Beach during their first days ashore, with Blind Pass and Captiva Village close by across the Sanibel and Captiva islands. Drop-off covers Sanibel, Captiva, and the streets right around your stay, so the ride ends at the inn’s own door rather than a stop somewhere down the road. For the hotel side of things — amenities, luggage holds, early check-in — the inn’s official page is the place to check.
From the pier it is one straight run to the island. The route follows I-595 for roughly 162.6 miles, and the terminal curb to the inn’s door usually takes 171 to 179 minutes, depending on the hour and the traffic. Your chauffeur is staged at the terminal, timed to your ship’s actual arrival with room to spare, so there is no scramble once you walk off with your bags.
Your luggage goes into the vehicle at the pier and stays there until it comes out at Sunshine Island Inn — no shifting bags mid-trip, no extra stops for other parties. The vehicle is yours alone for the whole crossing, so you set the departure and the pace across the state. On a run this long, that difference shapes the entire day: you arrive on the island rested rather than herded through a schedule cut to the minute.
One vehicle, one party, one fixed price: nobody else boards, the route runs straight to the door, and the driver handles the bags at both ends. It is the simplest way to start or end a trip without lines, apps or surprises.
A 50% deposit reserves the ride online; the balance is paid to the driver on the day, cash or card. The fare is one way and per vehicle, so what you see above is the full price for the trip.
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.
Details such as an extra passenger or a child seat can be adjusted up to 12 hours before the pickup. The date itself is fixed once booked, so double-check it before you confirm.
To book, WhatsApp wa.me/17866828748 or call 786-682-8748. Share the date, the number of travelers and bags, and we lock in the driver.
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.
Los ocho bajamos del barco juntos y reservamos una van privada de la terminal de cruceros a Sunshine Island Inn. Llegar a Sunshine Island Inn a primera hora significó que pudimos dejar las maletas y arrancar el día. Sinceramente la parte más tranquila del viaje — el puerto quedó totalmente resuelto. Sin estrés alguno.
Reservamos una sola van para la comitiva entera de la terminal a Sunshine Island Inn para que hiciéramos el check-in todos juntos. La noche anterior recibimos un mensaje con el nombre del conductor y la placa, así que no hubo que adivinar en la acera al salir.
Private, punctual, and stress-free — so much better than fighting for a ride outside the terminal. The ride from the terminal to Sunshine Island Inn was smooth and steady, and we could just settle in.
Cruising with the family, we didn’t want any disembarkation-day chaos, so a private van straight over to Sunshine Island Inn was perfect.
Nuestra familia de cinco bajó del barco en PortMiami y el conductor cargó todas las maletas del crucero para el viaje a Sunshine Island Inn. La noche anterior recibimos un texto con el nombre del conductor y la placa, así que no hubo que adivinar en la acera al salir.