On my recent Fort Lauderdale trip sailing on both the Disney Dream and Disney Destiny, I stayed at three different pre-cruise hotels to see which ones actually make embarkation or disembarkation day easier (and more relaxing).
One of the hotels I tried was the Fort Lauderdale Marriott Harbor Beach Resort & Spa — and it’s definitely one that gets talked about a lot for cruise guests.
If you’re sailing out of Port Everglades, picking the right hotel can feel like a surprisingly big decision.
Do you stay as close to the port as possible for convenience?
Or do you turn that pre-cruise night into part of the vacation experience?
After staying here, I can say this hotel is much more of a “start the vacation early” kind of stay rather than just a quick overnight before boarding.
And it has a price that reflects that too. This is definitely not a budget stay.
It has that resort feel where you could easily spend a full day by the beach or pool and actually unwind before the excitement of embarkation morning.
Or, as I did, getting over the disembarkation day, before flying back home.
So if you’re trying to decide whether it’s worth it before a cruise, here’s how it really felt and what you can expect.
Location & Convenience
The Fort Lauderdale Marriott Harbor Beach Resort & Spa is located:
- About 10 minutes from Port Everglades
- Right on the beach
- On 16 acres of private beachfront property
Unlike Hilton Fort Lauderdale Marina, which is directly across from the port entrance, this is not the closest option — but it’s still extremely convenient.
As this hotel is affiliated with Disney Cruise Line there is a shuttle to the port. It is priced at $29 as shown on the DCL website.
Would I get the DCL shuttle? There are 2 advantages (and one disadvantage namely the price). It just depends on how important these are to you.
DCL will handle your luggage from the hotel and the next time you see it will be your stateroom. Not a big deal really unless you have huge amounts of luggage. The porter system is very easy as Port Everglades anyway. An Uber or taxi is going to be priced much less than the shuttle.
if you book the shuttle the DCL rep told me that you will get Boarding Group 3, which means you will be amongst the first on the ship.
This seemed to be confirmed when we got to the port – Boarding Group 3 was huge, and took some time to process! So if getting on the ship early is important to you, this might be a reason to take the DCL shuttle in Fort Lauderdale.
This hotel also offers easy access to Fort Lauderdale airport.
Our very early morning Uber got us to the airport in about 15 minutes.
If enjoying a beach resort before you board or after your cruise is important, this location is hard to beat.
First Impressions and Lobby
From the moment you walk in, this feels like a resort.
The lobby is:
- Spacious
- Bright
- Modern
- Busy, but not chaotic
We arrived early as we had just disembarked Disney Destiny.
I was very happy to be given early check in (were were there at about 9.45 am). This may have been because of my Marriott Gold status, but whatever the reason, it was very welcome.
The Fort Lauderdale Marriott Harbor Beach Resort & Spa definitely felt much larger and more “conference hotel like” than Hilton Fort Lauderdale Marina and AC Hotel Fort Lauderdale Beach but that really isn’t a bad thing.
The Beach – The Standout Feature
This is where the Fort Lauderdale Marriott Harbor Beach truly shines.
The private beach and pool area.
It has:
- A large private beach
- Complimentary beach chairs
- Umbrella rentals
- Clear, wide stretch of sand
If you are want to enjoy Fort Lauderdale before boarding your cruise, this is private beach access is a huge advantage.
I am known for not really being a beach person, but even I was impressed by this. Just a few steps from the lobby and you have your own private beach with lounge chairs and bar service.
After staying at other hotels in the area, I can confidently say:
If private beach access matters to you, this one wins.
Pool Area
The pool area is:
- Large
- Resort-style
- Surrounded by palm trees
- Family-friendly
There is also a full service spa and a gym – but we didn’t experience either of these features.
Of the 3 hotels we stayed in, this one had the best pool area, by far.
The AC Hotel was small, and even though the Hilton was a decent size, it really wasn’t large compared to this.
This pool feels like a destination in itself.
Now, unfortunately we were on vacation during some cooler weather, so we couldn’t really enjoy the beach or the pool for long before it started raining.
Even being British didn’t help in trying to make the best of it and ignore the rain.
Before long, and after realizing that we really were the only ones left on the beach, we decided to go indoors. The experience would have been very different in good weather.
Room Quality & Comfort
The room was spacious, functional and modern. If you read my reviews you will know that I always appreciate a room with hard flooring and no carpet, so this was definitely a plus point.
Of all our stays, this one was definitely not the best view, or the nicest balcony.
You could see a long way into the distance, but immediately below was a very large roof.
Of course there are ocean views available, for a higher cost.
Having just talked negatively about the view, I will say that this is not the most important thing to me in a hotel stay. I rarely pay for an ocean view room unless the difference is very little.
The bathroom was spacious, and obviously had been updated, but still had a shower curtain.
I really am not a fan of shower curtains, particularly in a hotel that is costing me this much money. However, I do appreciate that some people, including those with young children, will appreciate that there is a bath.
I definitely liked the room despite my feelings about the bathroom and the balcony, but as I stayed in 3 hotels this time to compare them for you I will say that my favorite room was in the AC Hotel Fort Lauderdale Beach.
Dining Options
We didn’t eat onsite, apart from a croissant and a coffee from the very overpriced Starbucks in the lobby.
It was tempting to eat at the hotel but we wanted to go back to the Las Olas area that we had enjoyed so much at the beginning of our stay, so we took at Uber back there.
We had been given two drinks vouchers when we checked in, so wanted to redeem these at the bar.
This was not a great experience. The Bar Tender ignored us for as long as he possibly could and then when he finally spoke to us he rolled his eyes when we gave him the vouchers.
However, if you want to dine there you have several different options.
There are multiple on-site dining options, including:
- Casual poolside and beach dining
- A more upscale 3030 restaurant
- Riva Bar and Restaurant areas
- Starbucks Coffee shop
- In Room Dining
- HB Fresh – a beach level option offering smoothies and healthy options.
Food prices are what you would expect from a beach resort — not cheap, but convenient.
If you prefer dining off property, Las Olas Boulevard is a short Uber ride away with lots of options.
Pricing
Let’s talk about the part everyone wants to know — the cost.
Fort Lauderdale Marriott Harbor Beach Resort & Spa sits firmly in the upper mid-range to luxury category for Fort Lauderdale hotels.
This is not your budget pre-cruise overnight stay.
This is the “start the vacation early” kind of hotel.
Rates can vary significantly depending on:
- Cruise season
- Winter travel demand
- School holidays
- Peak cruise embarkation weekends
Resort Fees & Parking
In addition to the nightly rate, you should factor in:
- Resort fee: Currently $59 per night
- Self?parking: $54 per day
- Valet parking: $60 per day
Those extras can add up quickly, particularly for families driving in.
It’s important to calculate the total cost, not just the advertised room rate.
Booking Strategy
If you are set on staying here, my biggest advice is simple:
Book early.
This hotel is popular not just with cruisers, but also with vacationers and conference guests.
Rates tend to increase as cruise weekends approach, particularly in peak season.
If you want the best pricing, lock it in as soon as your cruise dates are firm..
You can book with Disney Cruise Line, but you are probably not getting the best price booking in this way. Always check prices that you could get by booking in another way as you may be able to save on the DCL rate.
Who Should Stay Here?
This hotel is ideal for:
- Guests flying in early
- Families wanting beach + pool time
- Couples making it a mini getaway
- Anyone who sees pre-cruise night as part of the vacation
It may not be ideal for:
- Budget-focused cruisers
- Guests who only care about port proximity
- Travelers arriving late at night
Overall Thoughts
Fort Lauderdale Marriott Harbor Beach Resort & Spa is not about convenience alone — it’s about experience.
If your goal is:
- Relax before your cruise
- Enjoy private beach access
- Stay somewhere that feels like a vacation
- Upgrade your pre or post cruise night
Then this hotel delivers.
If your goal is simply:
- The shortest ride possible to the ship
- Lowest cost
- Quick overnight stop
There are many better options.
After staying at multiple hotels on this trip, I would say, whilst this was not my favorite hotel, many will love it for it’s beach access and resort pool.
Alison Meacham is the founder of EverythingMouse Disney Blog. For over 15 years she has shared her love of Disney Parks, Disney Cruises and Universal Orlando. In over 30 years of Disney Travel she has spent countless months in Disney Parks and has sailed on over 60 cruises. A British native and now a United States resident she splits her time between California, Florida and the UK. And spends a serious amount of time sailing the seven seas. She helps over 250,000 people per month follow their Disney travel dreams.