From $365 per vehicle: a private, one-way ride from Port of Miami to Carousel Inn on the Beach 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.
Disembarkation at Port of Miami is easier with a driver already outside the terminal. The greeting at the curb is part of the price, the Meet & Greet at the terminal adds $40, and the vehicle is yours alone from the port to the destination, luggage included.
Carousel Inn on the Beach sits out on Estero Island, the barefoot stretch of Fort Myers Beach where the sand runs broad and the pace slows the moment you step out of the vehicle. This is a place built around the water rather than the road, and the reward for the drive is a shoreline that stays sandy underfoot from the moment you reach.
The island keeps its top attractions within simple reach. The lively Times Square pier district anchors the beach with its walkable core, while the passes at either end of Estero Island are known for their dolphin traffic — a common sight for anyone with time to watch the water. If your plans stretch past a single night, Lovers Key State Park is close by, and Matanzas Pass and Bowditch Point Park round out the natural corners of Fort Myers Beach worth an unhurried afternoon.
When your private vehicle reaches the property, look for your driver at the main entrance — that is the meeting point on arrival, with your bags carried the last few steps beside you. The setting rewards travelers who like their beach days simple: broad sand, a simple walk to the pier district, and open water at both ends of the island. Carousel Inn on the Beach makes a natural base for that kind of journey, close enough to the island’s core that you can leave the vehicle behind and spend the rest of the visit on foot.
The run from PortMiami to Carousel Inn on the Beach covers roughly 144.7 miles, and the drive takes about 156 to 168 minutes depending on the hour, following I-595 for the long middle stretch. Traffic on that corridor is the only real variable, so the pickup is timed to your ship’s actual arrival with room to spare rather than a slot cut to the minute.
You are met curbside at your terminal, not sent to a parking lot, with the pickup organized by message as you walk off the ship — the included 60-minute wait window absorbs a slow gangway. Your luggage rides in the same vehicle as your group, the driver handles the bags at both ends, and the whole journey runs door to door with no added stops. When you reach the property, the driver drops the group at the entrance with your bags carried to the curb beside you.
The ride from the Port of Miami to Carousel Inn on the Beach covers 144.9 miles and takes about 2 hours 38 minutes in light traffic via I-595. Each vehicle has its own fare: Black SUV $365, Van $475, Van XL $580. Pickup is at your cruise terminal curb at PortMiami.
| Road distance | 144.9 miles |
|---|---|
| Black SUV, 1-5 | $365 |
| Drive time | 2 hours 38 minutes |
| Van, 6-9 | $475 |
| Main roads | I-595 |
| Van XL, 10-14 | $580 |
| Back from Carousel Inn on the Beach | $365 / $475 / $580 |
Going back works the same way. The driver meets you at the main entrance of the inn and takes you to your cruise terminal at PortMiami, 144.9 miles away, in about 2 hours 38 minutes with light traffic. Fares for the return from Carousel Inn on the Beach are $365 (Black SUV), $475 (Van) and $580 (Van XL). The booking box below opens with the two points swapped. Book the return
The 144.9 miles from the Port of Miami to Carousel Inn on the Beach take about 2 hours 38 minutes without heavy traffic via I-595. At busy hours, allow extra time. Each vehicle has a fixed fare, no traffic or surge charges: $365 for the Black SUV, $475 for the Van and $580 for the Van XL.
Book the time you expect to walk out of the terminal with your bags, not the docking time. The waiting rules for slow disembarkation days are on the FAQ page linked below. The drive to Carousel Inn on the Beach then takes about 2 hours 38 minutes.
Curbside at the terminal your ship uses. Leave the building with your luggage, send a message, and the driver comes to that curb. From there it is 144.9 miles to Carousel Inn on the Beach.
The Black SUV holds up to 5 passengers, with passengers plus big suitcases up to 10; on this route it costs $365. Six to nine travelers with their cases take the Van ($475), ten to fourteen the Van XL ($580). All three go door to door to Carousel Inn on the Beach.
We do. The driver picks you up at Carousel Inn on the Beach and takes you to your cruise terminal for $365 (Black SUV), $475 (Van) or $580 (Van XL). Plan on about 2 hours 38 minutes for the 144.9 miles, more at rush hour.
Every policy in full: FAQ
Nice ride. Quiet ride. Smart routing. Friendly driver.
We booked one van for the whole group from the terminal to Carousel Inn on the Beach so nobody got left behind. We’ve already saved them for our next cruise out of PortMiami.
I was cruising by myself and arranged a private car to meet me at the terminal curb once the ship docked and take me right over to Carousel Inn on the Beach. There was a thirty-minute cushion from the agreed time, so I never had to rush to gather the bags. It was a private car just for me — no one else’s stops — so much nicer than piling in with strangers.
I was sailing by myself and arranged a private car to meet me at the cruise terminal once the ship docked and take me straight to Carousel Inn on the Beach. The last thing you want after a week at sea is a ride that falls through, and this was reliable and on time.
Los niños estaban sin energía cuando bajamos, y una van privada ya en la acera llevó a todos a Carousel Inn on the Beach de una pieza. El conductor nos dejó en la entrada de Carousel Inn on the Beach, y no del otro lado de la calle. El viaje de la terminal a Carousel Inn on the Beach fue tranquilo y parejo, y pudimos acomodarnos y nada más.