A private transfer to or from Port of Miami and Residence Inn by Marriott Miami Beach Surfside covers 12 miles (19.3 km) in about 20–35 minutes door to door, riding in a black SUV or climate-controlled van with a bilingual driver, at a flat rate from $80 per vehicle. One car is reserved for your party, with curbside pickup right at the cruise terminal.
The fare is fixed per vehicle by group size, locked the moment you book — pick the tier that fits your party.
The simplest route is a single private vehicle booked ahead, so a driver is already waiting when you step off the ship. After you clear the gangway and collect your bags, your driver meets you curbside at the cruise terminal — no app, no queue, no shared van filling up with strangers. You choose the vehicle that matches your group: a black SUV for up to five travelers, or a van for six to nine or ten to fourteen. There is ample room for cruise luggage, so trunks of suitcases and carry-ons all ride with you. From the terminal the car heads north toward Surfside and drops you at the hotel entrance. To book, send your ship name, debark date, and party size by WhatsApp or the website, and the trip is confirmed in writing.
Once you disembark and gather your luggage, walk out to the terminal curb where your driver is positioned. If you request it in advance over WhatsApp, the driver holds a name sign so you spot the car instantly. There is no meeting point to hunt for and no curbside-only scramble — the vehicle is already assigned to your group and stays until you arrive.
A private transfer hands your whole party one reserved vehicle and one accountable driver from the terminal to the hotel door. The fare is flat and locked at booking, so the number you agree to is the number you pay — peak-hour demand never moves it. Your bilingual driver speaks English plus Spanish or Portuguese, which smooths the first minutes off a long sailing when directions and plans matter. Nobody else shares the car: it is your group, your luggage, your schedule, with no extra stops to pick up other passengers. Booking and changes happen through direct WhatsApp contact, so a real person answers rather than an app menu. For cruise travelers juggling tight disembark windows, families, and stacks of bags, that combination of certainty and a door-to-door drop-off is what makes the ride worth reserving ahead.
Yes. Every driver is bilingual, speaking English alongside Spanish or Portuguese. That matters when you have just walked off an international sailing and need to confirm the address, the hotel entrance, or a quick stop. You can communicate clearly from the curb to the lobby without translation apps or guesswork during a busy disembarkation morning.
The ride runs about 20 minutes off-peak and up to 35 minutes at peak across the 12-mile route. Travel time swings on when your ship docks and how heavy traffic is leaving the port that morning. Early arrivals and mid-afternoon windows tend to clear fastest, while late-morning waves — when multiple ships release passengers at once — push toward the top of the range. The drive heads north from PortMiami toward the barrier-island communities, reaching Surfside without long highway detours. Because the fare is fixed, a slower run never raises the price; you simply ride the same flat rate whether the road is open or crawling. Your driver watches the terminal flow and plans the timing around it, so the estimate you get at booking reflects realistic door-to-door minutes rather than a best-case figure that ignores cruise-day congestion.
It can. On mornings when several ships dock together, the roads around the terminal back up as thousands of passengers leave at once, nudging the ride toward the 35-minute end. Your driver tracks the debark flow and times the pickup to ease through it, and because the fare is flat, the extra minutes never cost you more.
Residence Inn by Marriott Miami Beach Surfside sits in the quiet beach town of Surfside, along Collins Avenue just north of Miami Beach and south of Bal Harbour. The all-suite hotel suits cruise travelers who want kitchen-equipped rooms for a pre- or post-sailing stay, steps from the Atlantic sand. The surrounding blocks are walkable and low-key, with the ocean on one side and a tidy strip of cafés, shops, and the upscale Bal Harbour boutiques a short ride away. You can dig into room details and amenities on the Residence Inn Miami Beach Surfside hotel overview, and ideas for filling your days on the official things to do around Surfside page. It is a calmer base than the South Beach crowds while staying close to Miami’s airport and port.
Surfside centers on its beach, so most days start with a walk straight onto the sand. Nearby you will find the Bal Harbour Shops for high-end browsing, a stretch of local restaurants and bakeries along Harding and Collins Avenues, and an easy drive south into Miami Beach for nightlife. The pace is relaxed and family-friendly, ideal for unwinding before or after a cruise.
Yes — the Residence Inn sits right by the Surfside oceanfront, with the Atlantic just across Collins Avenue. After a long sailing you can drop your bags and reach the sand within minutes, no car needed. The calm, uncrowded shoreline here is one of the main reasons cruise travelers pick a Surfside stay over the busier South Beach blocks.
Three private tiers cover everyone from a couple to a large multi-generational family, each reserved solely for your party.
The flat rate is an all-in door-to-door fare with no add-ons sprung on you later. Tolls, SunPass charges, and fuel are all built into the price, so the highway costs between the port and Surfside are already settled. Onboard WiFi is available through a mobile hotspot, letting you message the hotel or check plans en route. The vehicle is private to your group, and the driver handles the full run from the cruise terminal curb to the hotel entrance. The first child seat for a child under five is included free; any additional child seat carries a small extra fee confirmed when you book. Small pets are welcome with advance notice on WhatsApp, traveling in a pet carrier. Everything the ride itself needs to get you cleanly from the ship to your room is part of the quoted fare — no surprise surcharges on the day.
Anything beyond the point-to-point transfer falls outside the fare. Extra child seats past the first one carry a confirmed fee, and trips that fall outside daytime hours add the night surcharge below. The rate does not cover your hotel stay, food, gratuity, or detours and extra stops not arranged at booking. Everything road-related — tolls, fuel, WiFi — is already in the price.
Yes. Each vehicle carries a mobile hotspot, so your group can stay online between the cruise terminal and the hotel. It is handy for letting the front desk know your arrival window, pulling up confirmation details, or keeping kids occupied on the short ride. The hotspot is included in the flat fare at no separate charge.
Small pets are welcome when you let us know in advance over WhatsApp. The pet must travel inside a proper carrier for the ride. Giving notice at booking lets the driver prepare the vehicle and confirm the arrangement, so there are no surprises curbside on a busy disembarkation morning when you are already managing bags and family.
Payment runs through Venmo, Zelle, or a secure link sent over WhatsApp or the website — whichever is easiest for you. A 50% deposit confirms and locks the booking, and the remaining 50% goes to the driver on the day of the trip. There are no hidden processing add-ons; the figure you settle is the flat fare you were quoted. Securing the reservation early matters most around busy cruise weekends, when SUVs and vans for popular debark mornings fill quickly. Once the deposit lands you receive written confirmation with your vehicle tier, pickup details, and timing, so the whole arrangement is documented before you ever sail. Handling the bulk upfront and the balance on arrival keeps trip-day logistics simple: you step off the ship, meet your driver, ride to Surfside, and close out the small remaining balance at the door.
A round trip is simply double the one-way fare for your chosen vehicle — the port-to-hotel leg plus the return. Booking both legs together locks one driver and one price for your whole stay, so the ride back to the terminal on sailing day is already arranged. The same flat, per-vehicle structure applies in each direction with no demand-based changes.
Yes — a 50% deposit secures your vehicle and date, with the other half paid to the driver on trip day. The deposit is what holds an SUV or van against a specific debark morning, which is why early booking matters on packed cruise weekends. You receive written confirmation as soon as the deposit clears.
Daytime hours run 7:00 AM to 9:00 PM with no added charge. Pickups that fall outside that window carry a modest surcharge to cover off-hours driving:
Your driver tracks your ship’s arrival, so a late dock is handled without a re-booking. The pickup is re-timed to your actual disembarkation at no penalty — the flat fare you locked stays exactly the same. You step off whenever the ship clears, and the car is there. No surge, no scramble, no fresh reservation needed.
Your driver meets you curbside, right outside the cruise terminal where passengers exit with luggage. Request a name sign in advance through WhatsApp and the driver holds it so you spot the vehicle immediately. There is no separate lot or app pin to chase — the car is reserved for your group and waits until you reach the curb.
The rate is per vehicle, not per person — your entire group rides for the one flat fare shown in the prices list above. Whether two travelers take the SUV or fourteen fill the large van, the price covers the whole car. That makes a private transfer especially good value for families and groups splitting a single fixed cost.
Yes. Disembarkation mornings are the most common pickup we run from PortMiami. Send your ship name and debark date when you book, and the driver plans the timing around your terminal’s release flow. As the ship clears and you collect bags, the car is already curbside for the roughly 20-to-35-minute ride to Surfside.
Yes. The first child seat for a child under five is included free of charge — just note it when booking. Each additional child seat carries a small extra fee confirmed at the time of reservation. Flagging the number and ages of children early lets the driver fit the correct seats before pickup, so families board safely and quickly at the terminal.
A more coordinated, premium service — flat fare, named driver, cruise-terminal pickup — at a significantly lower total cost than Uber Black or Lyft Lux.
| Feature | Us | Uber | Lyft |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Flat rate locked at booking | Surges 1.5×–4× at peak | Surges 1.5×–4× at peak |
| Vehicle | Black SUV reserved for your group | Driver’s own car | Driver’s own car |
| Cruise terminal meet-and-greet | Driver waits at the terminal with your name | Curbside only after you book | Curbside only after you book |
| Ship arrival tracking | Yes — free re-timing if your ship docks late | No — you re-book if delayed | No — you re-book if delayed |
One booking, one coordinated pickup, significantly lower cost than an Uber Black or Lyft Lux surge.
Uber, Uber Black, Lyft, and Lyft Lux are trademarks of their respective owners. We are not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by them. Comparison reflects publicly available pricing as of 2026.
Lock your ride before you sail and step off the ship straight into a waiting private vehicle. Send your ship name, disembarkation date, party size, and vehicle tier by WhatsApp or email, and you will get written confirmation with pickup details and your flat fare. Booking early is the surest way to hold an SUV or van for a busy debark morning at PortMiami.
Email: [email protected] | Phone/WhatsApp: +1 (786) 682-8748Updated on
We recommend booking at least 24 hours in advance. For holidays and busier weekends, please book ahead to ensure better availability.
Yes, we accept bookings from anywhere in the world. We accept international payments and keep travelers updated via WhatsApp and email.
No. We only work with reservations made in advance. We recommend booking at least four hours ahead; same-day service is subject to availability and is not guaranteed.
Yes. To confirm your reservation, we ask for a 50% down payment on bookings under $199 USD and 30% on bookings of $200 USD or more.
No. To reserve and secure the vehicle, you need to send a 50% deposit through our payment link or via Zelle. The remaining balance can be paid in cash when the driver arrives.
No. In addition to the airport, we also serve hotels, ports, train stations, restaurants, and private addresses.
We work with XL SUVs for smaller groups, vans for 12 and 14 passengers, and full-size buses with capacity for 40 to 54 people — ideal for large events.
Yes. We serve weddings, corporate conferences, VIP events, and other special occasions. Contact us for a custom quote.
Some vehicles in our fleet are equipped with Wi-Fi and USB ports. Let us know in advance if this is essential, and we’ll book a vehicle that meets your needs.
No. We only work with private transfers. The vehicle is reserved exclusively for you and your party, with no shared seating.
No problem. We track your flight in real time and adjust the pickup time when needed, at no extra charge.
Send us the updated information as soon as possible, and we’ll adjust your booking while monitoring the new flight status.
We primarily work with curbside pickup. Just send a message with your exit gate and the driver will arrive in a few minutes — usually faster than the traditional sign-holding service.
If you prefer the driver to wait inside the terminal with a sign bearing your name, we can also arrange that service for $20
The day before your trip, we’ll send you a message with the driver’s name, vehicle model, and license plate, along with detailed instructions for curbside pickup.
Don’t worry. We’ll send you a message as soon as your flight lands. If we don’t receive a quick reply, the driver will automatically head to the international arrivals hall. Wait there and we’ll find you; we never leave a passenger behind.
For domestic flights, we offer up to 60 minutes of wait time after arrival.
For international flights, the courtesy time is up to 120 minutes.
For hotel pickups, there’s a 15-minute grace period.
For port pickups, we wait up to 60 minutes past the agreed time.
This rarely happens, since we already include two free hours of wait time. If you’re still inside the airport after that, the ride may be considered a no-show. You can also request additional wait time, at a cost of US$ 30 per extra 30-minute block, paid in cash directly to the driver.
Yes. Our drivers help load and unload your bags.
The standard allowance includes one large suitcase and one carry-on per person.
Traveling with larger or additional items — extra suitcases, musical instruments, mobility equipment, or strollers? Contact us in advance so we can arrange the necessary space. An additional fee may apply.
Yes. Small pets are accepted, as long as they stay in a secure carrier. Please let us know in advance.
Yes. We include one free child car seat for children under five. If you need an extra seat, request it in advance; the cost is US$ 15.
We ask that you don’t eat during the trip. Only water in sealed bottles is allowed on board.
Unscheduled stops aren’t included in the base rate. However, if a short, nearby stop is arranged in advance, we can try to accommodate it. A small fee may apply based on the additional time.
Yes. Give us at least 24 hours’ notice and, depending on availability, we’ll adjust your pickup time.
No. The quoted price is the final price — no hidden fees. Driver gratuity is optional and at your discretion; it’s always welcome.
our group of six, boarded our cruise calm and right on time. no surprise tolls, no upselling, just the ride. recommend without hesitation.
Tudo certinho. vale o preço pela tranquilidade.
Felt taken care of. leather seats clean and the AC worked great, plus the trunk fit four large suitcases plus carry-ons.
Preço justo. Tudo certo. Bom preço.
Llegaron, cargaron las maletas, manejaron seguros, listo.