Miami is home to one of the busiest cruise ports in the world. As such, it's not uncommon for upwards of eight vessels to be in port on the same day, meaning thousands of guests are embarking and disembarking daily.
This constant flow of travelers has led to significant traffic, especially during peak cruise times when ships like Icon of the Seas or Symphony of the Seas are in port.
To combat the problem, Royal Caribbean has begun offering complimentary bus shuttles on disembarkation day to help consolidate the flow of passengers and reduce congestion.
Guests on recent Royal Caribbean cruises from Miami, Florida, received emails about free bus transfers to nearby airports.
"Since we're expecting heavier traffic than usual on debarkation day, we're now offering complimentary transfers," reads an email sent to passengers on Icon of the Seas' March 15 cruise.
Those who paid for transfers through Royal Caribbean are being refunded for the cost, as the complimentary bus service will now cover their travel to nearby airports, including Miami International (MIA) and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International (FLL).
"Because you've already booked and paid for your return trip to the airport, we'll be refunding your reservation and rebooking you on a complimentary shuttle back to the airport on debarkation day," the email continues to those with pre-booked transfers.
Passengers on an upcoming Symphony of the Seas cruise received a similar email, asking if they'd like an airport transfer on Royal Caribbean.
"All you have to do is log into your Cruise Planner account and make a reservation. It's that easy! If you're interested in this sweet deal, be sure to snag your spot while they're available, as this offer is first come, first served."
These emails have been sent to passengers on specific sailings at the start of the spring break season. There's no way to know whether they'll continue to offer free airport transfers in the future.
Read more: Where to stay in Miami before a cruise (with a shuttle)
"Traffic to the port is [ridiculous]"
One frustrated cruiser took to TikTok to complain about Miami's traffic. "Omg traffic was bad! Uber said line took an hour. We jumped out to skip the traffic!!" user @juanita_m39 captioned the video.
The 13-second video quickly went viral with over 22,000 views and 50 comments, showing the couple walking toward their terminal after leaving their rideshare. As they hopped over curbs, they passed bumper-to-bumper traffic.
According to Juanita, the video was recorded on March 9 when eight ships, including Symphony of the Seas, Carnival Celebration, MSC Seaside, Valiant Lady, and Norwegian Encore, were in port.
Other cruisers shared similar sentiments in the comments. "I'm on Symphony of the Seas right now and we just left from Miami," wrote Kevin, "Traffic just gets worse and worse each time I sail from there. The port is in desperate need of traffic flow improvements!"
forgotmyownname25 added, "Port of Miami is such a nightmare (coming from a Miami native). The Port of Miami needs to improve traffic flow and parking. [Port] Canaveral is so much easier."
"That port is quite overwhelming and isn't one of my favorites," said Regina - travel agent.
Read more: 31 cruise ship embarkation tips and tricks
Tips for avoiding traffic at Port Miami
I'd recommend checking Port Miami's website to see how many ships will be in port on your departure day. This will help you adjust your expectations and plan accordingly.
For example, if there are seven or more ships in port, it's not uncommon for some cruisers to sit in upwards of 90 minutes of traffic. This is because there's just one road shared by multiple cruise terminals. The traffic pattern is like a bottleneck, where all vehicles and shuttles have to funnel into a single route.
Setting up rideshares in advance is helpful, Because of the traffic, day-of drivers might be more inclined to cancel or decline rides. You can also consider a private car service. Though it costs more, you won't have to worry about last-minute cancelations and scrambling to find another transfer service.
Cruise lines have their own transportation services, too. These will take you from the cruise port to the airport after disembarkation. They're helpful because you don't have to worry about ordering an Uber or Lyft, as the shuttle will already be waiting for you.
If you have a flight later in the day, you can book an excursion through the cruise line that allows you to spend the day in Miami or the Everglades before transporting you to the airport. This is ideal for travelers not keen on sitting in an airport terminal all day.
Elizabeth Wright
Elizabeth graduated from New York University's Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute with her M.A. in Journalism in May 2023. Growing up, she had the privilege of traveling frequently with her family and fell in love with cruising after sailing on the Oasis of the Seas her freshman year of high school. She wanted to pursue a career that highlighted her passion for travel and strengths as a writer.
