FORT LAUDERDALE CRUISE TERMINAL

With annual passenger counts of nearly 4 million, Fort Lauderdale (Port Everglades) can count itself amongst the busiest cruise ports in the world. There are nine modern cruise terminals from which passengers can depart so it is important to know which terminal your cruise ship will be using or you might try to drop your luggage off at the wrong one!

Each air-conditioned terminal provides guests with free Wifi, snack and beverage machines, restrooms, and a seating area. But you won’t be in them too long; you’ll be headed for fun on your ship!

If you are using a GPS or map program (we use Here WeGo), input one of the following addresses to find your terminal:

CRUISE TERMINAL 1: 1800 SE 18th Street

CRUISE TERMINAL 2: 1801 SE 20th Street

CRUISE TERMINAL 4: 1800 SE 20th Street

CRUISE TERMINAL 18: 1901 SE 32nd Street

CRUISE TERMINAL 19: 2019 Eller Drive

CRUISE TERMINAL 21: 2021 Eller Drive

CRUISE TERMINAL 25: 2025 Eller Drive

CRUISE TERMINAL 26: 2026 Eller Drive

CRUISE TERMINAL 29: 2200 SE 35th Street

Note: All terminal addresses are Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316.

Click on each terminal for further information about that terminal and to see photos of the interior guest areas. 

View a map of the cruise terminals for Fort Lauderdale.

PASSENGER & LUGGAGE DROP OFF

EMBARKATION: Luggage drop-off at parking lots is provided on a limited basis (indicated on the parking lot signage). For faster service, you can drop off your luggage and companions at the terminal first. The port recommends arriving at the port after 11:30 am to avoid traffic. If you are being dropped off, please note that anyone 18 years old and older must be able to produce government-issued photo ID at the security checkpoint before entering the port.

DISEMBARKATION: When returning you can either retrieve your vehicle and return to the terminal to pick up your companions and luggage in the loading area, or take your luggage and companions to your parking lot to retrieve your vehicle.

If you are being picked up from your cruise there are free cell phone waiting lots available on weekends for the person picking you up to wait. One lot is located at 1850 Eller Drive, just past the security checkpoint at the 1-595 entrance to the port. The other lot is located just north of Cruise Terminal 18 (1901 SE 32nd Street).

There is porter service available to help you with your bags to private cars, taxis, or to baggage trucks that take bags directly to the airport.

The area next to the cruise terminal is for loading and unloading only so you should be prepared to unload/load quickly to allow others to do the same.

TAXIS: As to be expected there is a high demand for taxis during peak disembarkation hours and they may not be readily available. Please account for this wait time in your plans for departure day, especially when booking a flight home.

PORTS OF CALL FOR SHIPS DEPARTING FORT LAUDERDALE

Amber Cove  |  Antigua  |  Aruba  |  Barbados  |  Belize  |  Bermuda  |  Bimini  |  Bonaire  |  Cabo San Lucas  |  Caldera  |  Cartagena  |  Cherbourg  |  Cococay  |  Colon  |  Cozumel, Mexico  |  Cristobal  |  Curacao  |  Dominica  |  Dover  |  Freeport  |  Fuerte Amador  |  Georgetown  |  Grand Cayman  |  Grand Turk  |  Grenada  |  Guadeloupe  |  Half Moon Cay  |  Havana  |  Horta (Azores)  |  Huatulco  |  Key West  |  Labadee (Haiti)  |  Los Angeles (San Pedro)  |  Mahogany Bay (Roatan)  |  Martinique  |  Montego Bay  |  Nassau  |  New Orleans  |  Nicaragua  |  Ochos Rios  |  Panama Canal  |  Princess Cays  |  Puerto Costa Maya  |  Puerto Limon  |  Puerto Vallarta  |  Punta Cana  |  Puntarenas  |  Roatan  |  San Diego  |  San Francisco  |  San Juan  |  Seattle  |  St. Barts  |  St. Croix  |  St. Kitts & Nevis  |  St. Lucia  |  St. Maarten  |  St. Thomas  |  Tortola  | Turks & Caicos  |  Vancouver  |  Victoria

*Please Note: These scheduled ports of call are not guaranteed as the cruise line may make changes to their itineraries due to weather or other reasons. 

MONEY MATTERS

CURRENCY

The currency of the United States is the US Dollar (USD) which is divided into 100 cents. It is printed on paper bills in the following denominations: $1, $2 (uncommon), $5, $10, $20, $50, and $100. It also includes the following coins: 1¢ (penny), 5¢ (nickel), 10¢ (dime), and 25¢ (quarter). There are 50¢ pieces and dollar coins but they aren’t common.

TIPPING

Although it’s not mandatory, tipping is customary in the United States and some service industries will expect a tip for a job well done. Visitors from outside the country may also be surprised at how much is tipped as it can be quite a bit more than in, for example, European countries.

RESTAURANTS: It is customary to offer your waiter or waitress a tip between 15-20% depending on the level of service they provided. Usually, you will find the service is very attentive (refilling your drinking, checking on your party etc.) but if the service isn’t great you can leave a smaller tip or even no tip. Typically service that doesn’t warrant a tip does warrant speaking with a manager to voice your dissatisfaction. If you are dining with a large group (usually 8 or more) the restaurant may add an 18% service charge to your bill automatically so check for this before you add your tip. This is usually indicated at the bottom of a menu if the restaurant does this, or it will be indicated on your bill.

BARS: A tip of 10-15% is appropriate at a bar. In some places, you’ll find a “tip jar” on the bar and others you can give the tip to your server directly.

TAXIS: A tip of 10-15% of your fare is customary, especially if your driver helps you with your luggage.

Paying with a credit or debit card is very common and in most restaurants, bars, and even taxis,  you’ll be able to add a tip to the total on the machine when you settle the bill if you don’t have cash. This is so common that many credit card machines now even have buttons with 15% / 18% / 20% on them so it will calculate the tip for you if you choose that option. You are always given the option to select the amount you’d like to tip, or you can opt not to put the tip on your card and give a cash tip instead.

BANKS & ATMS

Finding an ATM (Automated Teller Machine) will not be too difficult in Fort Lauderdale.  We’ve pinned several ATMs that are near the terminals to the map below.

Generally, in the US, you will find ATMs at banks (some may have drive-thru ATMs), in grocery stores, gas stations, and in pharmacies (of which two common ones are CVS and Walgreens).

GETTING AROUND FORT LAUDERDALE

While the easiest way of getting around Fort Lauderdale is by car if you don’t have your own or a rental you still have some options.

Water Taxi – The system of waterways provide a unique way of getting around and seeing the sights. You can hop on and off boats all day to visit 12 points of interest in Fort Lauderdale and three more in Hollywood. To check out maps, schedules and pricing, click here. The tickets are a bit pricey but you may see some savings with their “Cruise & Save” discounts at various restaurants, museums, and shops along their route.

Sun Trolley – Provides service with routes along the beach and through downtown, as well as to Las Olas Boulevard (for shopping and dining). The routes are free except the Las Olas and Beach Link Routes that cost $1 for a single ride or $3 for a day pass. For routes and schedules click here. They also have an app that allows you to “track the trolley” in real-time so you can see where it is along the route to plan to catch the next one (Android / iOS)

Broward BCycle – This is a bike-share program that has stations located around the city. Rides up to 30 minutes are $5 but they also offer 7-day memberships that might be more cost-effective if you’ll be in town for several days. Check out full information here. 

Bus (Broward County Transit) – This is the public us service that offers routes throughout the county. Click here for information about routes, schedules, and fares. 

FORT LAUDERDALE WEATHER

In general, you’ll find the summers are long, hot, oppressive, wet, and mostly cloudy while the winters are short, comfortable, windy, and mostly clear. The best times to visit Fort Lauderdale for warm-weather outdoor activities is from early November to early May.

The hottest part of the year is June 1 to October 1 with average daily high temperatures above 87°F (30.5°C). The cooler part of the year is early December to early March with average daily high temperatures below 78°F (25.5°C).

FORT LAUDERDALE VISITOR’S CENTER

The Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitor’s Bureau is a great place for even more, in-depth, information about many things to see and do around Fort Lauderdale.

LOCATION: 110 NE Third Avenue, Suite 100, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301

PHONE: 1-954-765-4466 or toll-free in the US -800-22-SUNNY

HOURS OF OPERATION: Please call to confirm opening hours before visiting. 

For the Official Fort Lauderdale Visitor’s Guide click here to sign up to receive one by mail or instant download. They also have a digital vacation planner app you can download to use. 

FESTIVALS & EVENTS

Day or night, there is always something going on in sunny Fort Lauderdale. From concerts on the beach to arts festivals, warehouse jam sessions, and multicultural events – there is likely an event happening if you are staying in the city for a day or two pre/post-cruise. 

Some events that take place each year include: 

Fort Lauderdale Orchid Show (mid-January) – A popular event since 1957, this is an international event that features everything you want to see and learn about orchids. 

Sunfest (April/May) – This is Florida’s largest music, art and waterfront festival that is billed as five days of fun in the sun. It’s been a local tradition for over 25 years and attracts over 275,000 guests each year. 

Lauderdale Air Show (early May) – This is a popular and patriotic event that takes place over the waterfront and features over four hours of the country’s premier military and civilian air acts. 

Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show (late October) – This event has been going strong for more than 50 years and is the largest in-water boat show in the world. Spread out over six locations around the city, this features the world’s largest display of mega-yachts – just the ticket to get you ready to board your own mega-ship for your cruise. 

For many more annual, or one-time events, click the button to check out the Fort Lauderdale events calendar. 

DINING

While you’ll have plenty to eat aboard your cruise, you shouldn’t give up the chance to try some of the great things Fort Lauderdale has to offer.

From waterfront romantic restaurants to trendy steakhouses, to Sunday brunches (perfect for a meal before you catch your flight home) – there are endless options in Fort Lauderdale to tempt your taste buds. For lots of suggestions click on the dining guide button below. This will take you to a list that can be searched and filtered to help you find just the spot you’re looking for. Reviews are also included from fellow diners.

If you really into the dining scene, Fort Lauderdale produces foodie services called “Crave GFL” on their ‘hello sunny tv‘ site. Watch Wednesday at 7 pm (EST) to learn about some hidden culinary gems in the area.

SHOPPING

With everything from small boutiques to department stores in shopping malls, you’ll be sure to find stores to suit your style. If you are without a car, many hotels will provide easy access to major shopping centres, and there are also special shopping tours for groups and local shuttle buses from the beach. 

Shopping options include:

Sawgrass Mills – The world’s largest discount and entertainment mall. 

Swap Shop – The South’s largest flea market. 

Westfield Broward – A 1 million sq foot shopping mall in Plantation. 

Las Olas Boulevard – Known as Fort Lauderdale’s “style mile” this is a lined with independent boutiques, a restaurant row with acclaimed chefs, and sidewalk cafés. 

MAP

The map below shows the points of interest mentioned above in relation to the cruise terminal.