From $400 per vehicle: a private, one-way ride from Port of Miami to West Wind Inn in a chauffeured SUV or van.
The fare is locked per vehicle for the one-way journey, 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 curbside greeting is covered by the fare and the Meet & Greet at the terminal is offered for $40. Then it is one private vehicle straight to the destination.
West Wind Inn sits on Sanibel Island, part of the Sanibel and Captiva stretch along Florida’s Gulf Coast. Sanibel is a place that chose to stay low and quiet — no high-rises interrupt the skyline here, only the lighthouse, the mangroves, and a shoreline the island is known for. After several days aboard a ship, pulling up to a spot this peaceful can feel like the real start of the vacation, the point where the schedule finally becomes yours again.
The location puts a run of Sanibel’s top-known places within simple reach. The J.N. ‘Ding’ Darling National Wildlife Refuge lies close by, its mangroves and quiet water home to birds and other coastal wildlife. The Sanibel Lighthouse stands out near the island’s tip, a simple outing from the inn. Blind Pass and Captiva Village are neighboring as well, so you can move between Sanibel and Captiva on short, unhurried drives rather than long hauls across the region.
What most visitors notice first is the shoreline. Sanibel’s sand gives up more shells than anywhere else in Florida, and the mornings tend to draw people down to the tideline, heads bent, filling a pocket or a bag. With the refuge, the lighthouse, and the two villages all close, West Wind Inn works well as a base — a place to settle in, unpack once, and let the island set the pace for the rest of your stay. It is a fitting reward at the end of a long crossing.
The ride begins right at your ship’s terminal on Dodge Island. Your chauffeur is staged and waiting before you clear customs and the luggage hall, so once you walk out, the vehicle is there and the bags go straight in. From the port, the route runs west on I-595 and stays a single, direct leg all the way to Sanibel — roughly 166.5 miles door to door.
Plan on about 180 to 187 minutes from the terminal curb to the door of West Wind Inn, depending on the hour and how traffic moves. It is one continuous drive, your group alone in the vehicle, luggage stowed the whole way. There are no shared pickups and no detours added to the journey — just the road, the coast opening up as you near the island, and a driver who handles the route and the bags at both ends.
West Wind Inn in Sanibel is 166.7 miles from the Port of Miami by road, about 2 hours 59 minutes without heavy traffic via I-595. The fare is per vehicle: $400 for the Black SUV, $530 for the Van and $650 for the Van XL. Pickup is at your cruise terminal curb at PortMiami.
| Road distance | 166.7 miles |
|---|---|
| Black SUV, 1-5 | $400 |
| Drive time | 2 hours 59 minutes |
| Van, 6-9 | $530 |
| Main roads | I-595 |
| Van XL, 10-14 | $650 |
| Back from West Wind Inn | $400 / $530 / $650 |
The return covers the same 166.7 miles: pickup at the main entrance of the inn, drop-off at your cruise terminal at PortMiami after about 2 hours 59 minutes. From West Wind Inn the Black SUV costs $400, the Van $530 and the Van XL $650. Open the booking box with the points swapped and choose the date and time. Book the return
West Wind Inn is 166.7 miles by road from the Port of Miami. In light traffic the drive takes about 2 hours 59 minutes via I-595; rush hour can add time, but it is a fixed fare, no traffic or surge charges: $400 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 West Wind Inn then takes about 2 hours 59 minutes.
At the curb outside your own cruise terminal (the terminals are listed below). Before the pickup you get the driver’s name, car and plate; when you are outside with your bags, message us and the car pulls up for the ride to West Wind Inn.
The Black SUV holds up to 5 passengers, with passengers plus big suitcases up to 10; on this route it costs $400. Six to nine travelers with their cases take the Van ($530), ten to fourteen the Van XL ($650). All three go door to door to West Wind Inn.
On sailing day the ride from West Wind Inn to your terminal is $400 for the Black SUV, $530 for the Van and $650 for the Van XL. The 166.7 miles take about 2 hours 59 minutes in light traffic, so leave early enough for boarding.
Every policy in full: FAQ
Llegaron, cargaron las maletas, manejaron seguros, listo.
Stepping off the ship, having a private car ready to West Wind Inn was such a relief.
The two of us set up a private transfer for after the cruise so we wouldn’t worry about the timing getting over to West Wind Inn. Getting to West Wind Inn with no detours meant we could drop the bags and start the day.
Our group of friends rode together straight from the port to West Wind Inn, and nobody had to think about a thing. The van was fresh and comfortable, and the AC was perfect after the ship.
Cruising with the family, we wanted the port end handled, so a private van straight over to West Wind Inn was worth every bit. The fare was set up front, the same number we were quoted.