Hotel Review: The Renaissance Fort Lauderdale Cruise Port Hotel

Ports

Jun 6

Hotel Review for stay on December 3, 2021

My cruise on Sky Princess in December was to depart from Port Everglades. It had been several years since I had cruised from Port Everglades so I wanted to choose a pre-cruise hotel that was near the terminal so I could get familiar with the area and not have far to go on boarding day. I have status with Marriott brands, so I chose to stay at the Renaissance Fort Lauderdale Cruise Port Hotel. It is very close to the port, and you could even walk to the ship if you wanted to. The stay turned out OK but as I will describe, the hotel did not live up to expectations.

Transfer from the Fort Lauderdale Airport

The Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood Airport is the closest airport to Port Everglades and a very easy airport to fly in and out of. I took an Uber from the airport to the hotel. The cost was less than $20 including tip. The rideshare pickup is pretty congested so I would actually suggest you take a taxi instead. I did that on a different visit, and it worked out much better. The hotel does not provide a shuttle to/from the airport.

Check-in and Lobby

As I mentioned I have status with Marriott, and I had actually booked a king corner room so I could see the cruise ships in the port. Upon check-in I learned that the room I booked was not available and in fact they only had a standard room. So not only no upgrade but I didn't even get the room I booked. Not a good start and things didn't get much better. The staff at the hotel were very efficient and friendly. The lobby does have a business center that you can use to print out your test results and other paperwork. The printer was actually not working but I was able to email the manager who printed my test results for me.

Gym

The gym looked reasonable. I didn't use the gym on this trip, but the equipment looked to be in good order.

Pool

The pool and hot tub looked really nice. I hardly ever go in the pool before a cruise as I don't want to have a wet bathing suit to deal with, but I did go out for a short time and enjoyed the sun.

Room

The room itself was OK, but definitely not clean. I do not think they had moved the nightstand out to clean underneath in decades. The bed was comfortable, and the desk was a good size. For one night it was OK, just not what I was expecting. The room did have a safe and luggage stands.

Bath

Aside from the shower curtain coming off the hooks, the bath was fine. Water temperature and pressure were good. Towel and bath amenities were fine.

Things Nearby

The location is a definite plus for this hotel. There are many restaurants to choose from. I visited the Burger Fi which is less than a ten-minute walk from the hotel. The Boatyard is a very popular restaurant that is very close to the hotel, but I have never been there. Across the street from the hotel is a Walgreens. The prices reflect the area so I would not use it as a place to "stock-up" on things, however, the prices are certainly lower than on the ship. A longer walk but not too far is a Publix supermarket in the Harbor Shops Plaza. They have a complete pharmacy as well and the prices are much more reasonable. There are several banks along the main road with ATMs should you need them.

Transfer to Port Everglades

I had the coveted "Bording Group A", meaning my boarding time was between 11:00 and 11:30 AM. It was recommended by someone on Cruise Critic to use Yellow Cab so I pre-booked using their app. The cost was much lower than Uber or Lyft and the service was excellent. The website and app were a little difficult to use, so it might be easier to just call. Here is a tip, have the driver turn right as you exit the hotel, then turn right again and one more time. That will put you on Eisenhower Blvd directly across from the port entrance. Cross over 17th street and wave to the long line of people backed up on 17th street, waiting to turn right into the port. If your ship is at Terminal 2, you can walk to the ship from the hotel. If I stay here again, I will probably walk if the weather is good.

Would I stay here again?

The cost of this hotel is very high as you are paying for the location. The hotel itself is nothing special but it is very convenient with a lot to do within walking distance from the hotel. If the cost comes down in the future, I'll give this one another try.