From $395 per vehicle: a private, one-way ride from Port of Miami to Tarpon Tale Inn in a chauffeured SUV or van.
These are fixed one-way fares for the whole car or van, tolls and fuel included, so the total is known before anyone gets in.
Book with the ship’s name and the date, and the driver handles the rest at PortMiami: waiting at the correct terminal, helping with the suitcases, and leaving the port without a queue. The curbside greeting costs nothing extra; the Meet & Greet at the terminal with a name sign adds $40.
Tarpon Tale Inn sits on Sanibel & Captiva, the pair of islands that curve into the Gulf like a shell-collector’s daydream. Once your ride pulls up, you step out at the door of your stay with the water and the island’s quiet pace close at hand. This is where your journey settles down after the ship — a small island address rather than a hectic port, reached by a single door-to-door run that ends exactly where you are staying.
The islands are known for their shelling, and the beaches here draw people who like to walk the tide line looking for whatever the Gulf has left behind. Bike paths thread across Sanibel, and the J.N. ‘Ding’ Darling National Wildlife Refuge sets aside a broad stretch of protected land for the birds and wildlife that live along the coast. The Sanibel Lighthouse marks the island’s eastern tip, a simple landmark once you have dropped your bags at the inn.
When you feel like sand and salt, Bowman’s Beach and Blind Pass are both close by in Sanibel & Captiva, so a beach afternoon is a short move rather than a full outing. Anything about the stay itself — rooms, check-in, what the inn offers — lives on Tarpon Tale Inn’s own page; the ride to and from the ship is the part we handle. Our job ends when you are standing at the door with your luggage beside you, free to start the island part of the journey on your own clock.
The pickup is built around your ship’s real arrival, not a fixed clock time, so the vehicle is waiting when you clear customs and the luggage hall rather than the other way around. Your chauffeur meets your group at the curb of your cruise line’s own terminal, loads every bag, and heads straight out — one direct leg to Tarpon Tale Inn with no other stops and no other passengers sharing the vehicle.
From the port the route runs about 162.5 miles along I-595, and you should plan on roughly 171 to 179 minutes door to door depending on how the traffic moves that day. Your luggage stays in the vehicle the whole way, so there is nothing to reload and nothing to track. When you reach, the driver brings the bags to the door of the inn, and the island part of your journey begins right there.
Booking takes the full fare up front, paid online. There are no seat fees and no add-ons unless you request them.
Tarpon Tale Inn in Sanibel is 162.7 miles from the Port of Miami by road, about 2 hours 51 minutes without heavy traffic via I-595. The fare is per vehicle: $395 for the Black SUV, $520 for the Van and $635 for the Van XL. Pickup is at your cruise terminal curb at PortMiami.
| Road distance | 162.7 miles |
|---|---|
| Black SUV, 1-5 | $395 |
| Drop-off address | 367 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel |
| Drive time | 2 hours 51 minutes |
| Van, 6-9 | $520 |
| Main roads | I-595 |
| Van XL, 10-14 | $635 |
| Back from Tarpon Tale Inn | $395 / $520 / $635 |
The return covers the same 162.7 miles: pickup at the main entrance of the inn (367 Periwinkle Way), drop-off at your cruise terminal at PortMiami after about 2 hours 51 minutes. From Tarpon Tale Inn the Black SUV costs $395, the Van $520 and the Van XL $635. Open the booking box with the points swapped and choose the date and time. Book the return
Plan on about 2 hours 51 minutes for the 162.7 miles from the Port of Miami to Tarpon Tale Inn via I-595 when the roads are clear. Peak hours can stretch the trip; it is a fixed fare per vehicle, no traffic or surge charges: $395 for the Black SUV.
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 Tarpon Tale Inn then takes about 2 hours 51 minutes.
Outside the cruise terminal, at the curb. Driver, car and plate arrive by message ahead of the pickup, so you know who to look for; the drive to Tarpon Tale Inn starts as soon as the bags are loaded and takes about 2 hours 51 minutes.
In the Black SUV ($395 to Tarpon Tale Inn) passengers plus big suitcases can add up to 10, so five people with five cases fit. The Van ($520) carries 9 passengers and 9 big cases, the Van XL ($635) 14 and 14, and everyone keeps a carry-on.
We do. The driver picks you up at Tarpon Tale Inn and takes you to your cruise terminal for $395 (Black SUV), $520 (Van) or $635 (Van XL). Plan on about 2 hours 51 minutes for the 162.7 miles, more at rush hour.
Every policy in full: FAQ
no drama. a hand with the bags made a long day easier, honestly wifi worked, kids stayed busy on the way.
Servicio impecable. el vehículo estaba impecable por dentro. viaje fluido desde la acera hasta el lobby. Reservaremos con antelación la próxima.
De crucero con la familia, no queríamos caos el día del desembarque, así que una van privada esperando en la terminal Tarpon Tale Inn fue perfecto. El auto estaba con espacio de sobra para todo el equipaje del crucero, con lugar para todo.
We reserved one van for the entire crew from the terminal to Tarpon Tale Inn so we all checked in together.
Éramos seis bajando en PortMiami, y un traslado privado a Tarpon Tale Inn fue mucho más simple que dividirnos en autos. Era un auto privado solo para nosotros — sin nadie a quien esperar — justo lo indicado para esa mañana. Pasamos del barco a la recepción de Tarpon Tale Inn sin una sola complicación. Hizo el desembarque facilísimo.