Port Everglades (Fort Lauderdale), Florida Cruise Ship Port Guide

Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale is one of the busiest cruise ports in the US, the fourth busiest in the world by passenger numbers, with sailings to the Caribbean and Bahamas leaving from a handful of numbered terminals. It’s 1.8 miles from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, which makes landing and boarding the same day a real option rather than a stretch, and every terminal has free Wi-Fi, seating and snack machines waiting for you.

Port Everglades sits roughly 23 miles north of Miami, home to the PortMiami cruise ship port guide, and about 215 miles south of Orlando, covered in our Port Canaveral cruise ship port guide, with West Palm Beach 48 miles further up the coast. It’s covered alongside the state’s other departure points in our guide to Florida’s cruise ship ports. Carnival Corporation & plc, Disney Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean Group all sail from here, and in the most recent fiscal year the port handled 4,773,873 passengers, up 16 percent on the year before, according to Port Everglades’ own published figures. Add in a cruise business worth around $48.3 billion to the wider economy and supporting almost 300,000 jobs across Florida, according to a study cited by Seatrade Cruise News, and mornings with two or three ships in port together stop being unusual and start being the norm.

With FLL this close, plenty of people sailing out of Fort Lauderdale build in a few hours to work out what to do in Fort Lauderdale after their cruise and before a flight home, rather than sitting it out in a departure lounge. More on that below.

Port Everglades cruise terminal address

The Port Everglades Administration building sits at 1850 Eller Drive, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316, and that’s the address most sat navs and rideshare apps will recognise for the port as a whole. Each terminal has its own entrance too, Terminal 2 is at 1801 SE 20th Street and Terminal 29 is at 2200 SE 35th Street, so check your terminal number on your cruise line’s boarding pass or e-ticket before you set off.

Which cruise terminal will you use at Port Everglades?

Port Everglades has several numbered terminals, and who uses which one shifts as cruise lines renegotiate berthing deals, so treat the table below as a starting point rather than gospel. Check the Port Everglades website or your own boarding documents close to your sailing date, since Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises, Carnival and the rest can all move terminal from one season to the next.

This mismatch between official and third-party sources on Terminal 19 is one of the port’s few real planning headaches. The fix is simple: your booking confirmation or your cruise line’s app will confirm the exact terminal a few weeks before departure, and that beats anything printed elsewhere, this page included.

Cruises to and from Fort Lauderdale (Port Everglades)

Cruises from Port Everglades are run by some of the biggest names in the business, with Carnival Corporation, Disney Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean Group between them filling most of the port’s terminals. Royal Caribbean Group’s cruise brands hold preferential berthing rights at the refurbished Terminal 25 for several more years, the result of a multi-year renovation project.

Whichever line you’re sailing with, cruises from Fort Lauderdale (Port Everglades) mostly leave in the afternoon or early evening, so check-in around midday can get crowded when several ships are boarding guests at once.

Directions to Port Everglades cruise terminal

Port Everglades has three main entrances, and which one you want depends on where you’re driving from.

• From the north or south on I-95 or Florida’s Turnpike, come off onto I-595 East, which turns into Eller Drive and runs straight to the terminals.
• From US 1 (Federal Highway), turn onto East State Road 84.
• Coming from the beach side or SE 17th Street, use the Eisenhower Boulevard entrance.

The port is also reachable from I-75, so if you’re coming from the west you get a direct route in without cutting through central Fort Lauderdale. Whichever entrance you use, everyone aged 18 or over needs a government-issued photo ID, a driving licence or passport will do, to get through the security checkpoint, and any weapons need to stay off site rather than in the car.

Best ways to reach Fort Lauderdale cruise port

Port Everglades is the only cruise port in the US built right next to a major airport, so flying in and sailing the same day is a plan that holds up here.

• Fly in and cruise same day: Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) is about 1.8 miles from the terminals, roughly a 10-minute drive, though giving yourself at least 45 minutes between landing and your scheduled check-in time is the sensible move.
• Taxi or rideshare: Available at the airport and most hotels; ground transportation booths on the lower level of each terminal can help if you’ve got questions on arrival.
• Limousines, sedans and vans: Pre-bookable private transfers that run straight to your terminal.
• Public transport: Broward County Transit (BCT) buses and Tri-Rail’s regional trains both serve the area, and Brightline’s faster rail connects into the region too.
• Rental car: Drive yourself and either drop off nearby before you sail or arrange a one-way return once your cruise ends.

Car hire at Port Everglades

If you’re picking up or dropping off a hire car around your cruise, you’ve really got two options: rental desks at FLL airport, or firms licensed to operate directly at the port.

None of the on-site rental firms sit inside FLL airport itself, so if convenience matters more than a short extra drive, picking up at the airport the day before or after your cruise is usually the simpler option.

What to do in Fort Lauderdale after your cruise, before a flight

With FLL this close, you don’t need to camp out at the airport for hours after disembarking. A few options work fine even with luggage in tow.

• Fort Lauderdale Beach, about 2.5 miles from the port, for swimming, sunbathing or a walk along the sand.
• 15th Street Fisheries, a 2-mile drive away, for fresh seafood with marina views, including the chance to feed tarpon from the dock.
• Everglades Holiday Park, roughly 30 minutes from the port, for an airboat ride through the Everglades and a close look at alligators and native birdlife.
• Hugh Taylor Birch State Park, about 4 miles away, for mangrove canals, hiking trails and kayak, canoe or paddleboard rentals.
• A water taxi tour along Fort Lauderdale’s waterways, passing mansions, marinas and waterfront cafes such as Coconuts.

Pack a bottle of reef safe sunscreen if the beach’s on your list, Florida sun catches out plenty of UK travellers even on an overcast morning.

For the state park’s trails, a decent pair of walking shoes makes far more sense than sandals.

If your flight isn’t until the evening, look at hotels offering shuttle service, such as Hyatt Place, less than a mile from the Royal Caribbean and Princess Cruises terminals, or Hilton Fort Lauderdale Marina on SE 17th Street, which runs its own transfers to and from the port. Candlewood Suites Fort Lauderdale Airport/Cruise, about 2 miles away, charges for its shuttle, while the nearby Courtyard Fort Lauderdale Airport & Cruise Port throws in free transfers, so it’s worth checking before you book if that matters to you.

Common Questions

Is Port Everglades the same as the Fort Lauderdale cruise port?

Yes. Port Everglades is the official name for Fort Lauderdale’s cruise complex, and cruise lines and travellers use both names interchangeably.

How do I know which terminal my ship uses?

Check your cruise line’s booking confirmation or e-ticket closer to your sailing date, since Port Everglades’ terminal assignments can shift between seasons.

Is Wi-Fi available at the cruise terminals?

Yes, every terminal has free Wi-Fi along with snack and drink machines, restrooms and comfortable seating, including artwork by local and internationally known artists.

What ID do I need to enter the port?

Anyone aged 18 or over needs a government-issued photo ID, such as a driving licence or passport, to get through the security checkpoint before entering.

Can I bring a firearm to the port in my car?

No. Weapons of any kind need to be stored off site before you arrive, even if you’d normally just leave them locked in the vehicle.

How far is Port Everglades from Miami?

About 23 miles south to the Port of Miami, usually a 30 to 40 minute drive depending on traffic.

Is there help with transport if I need it on arrival?

Yes, each terminal has a ground transportation booth on its lower level to help with taxi, shuttle and transfer questions.

Can I fly in and cruise the same day?

Mostly, yes. FLL is around 1.8 miles from the terminals, but build in more of a buffer than the 45-minute minimum Broward County suggests, in case of delays.

Why Trust About2Cruise

This guide draws on Port Everglades’ own published terminal, access and passenger information alongside reporting from cruise industry outlets, checked against each other before publication. Where sources disagreed, most notably on which terminal certain cruise lines use, we’ve flagged it rather than guessed, because pinning your route to the wrong pier wastes real time on turnaround day. You can read more about how we research and fact-check our port guides on our about us page.