I traveled with my 12-year-old niece Justina to Fort Lauderdale, Florida for her first cruise on one of the world’s largest cruise ships, Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas.
Never wanting to miss the ship due to a flight delay, we flew into Fort Lauderdale the afternoon/evening before our departure.
We stayed overnight at the Hilton Fort Lauderdale Marina hotel located near the 3,000-mile Intracoastal Waterway that runs from New Jersey to Texas.
Take a look inside our room, number 506 on the fifth floor of the Ft. Lauderdale Marina Hilton hotel.
Room 506 features two comfortable queen-size beds.
Justina was excited to have four pillows all to herself.
There’s a full picture window with a door to the private balcony. It’s getting too dark for a view, but we know we will enjoy the view in the morning.
The most important thing about a hotel (to the 12-year-old) is a good pool. This one is attractive, but it’s too late for us to swim.
We walk to dinner and to the nearby Walgreens for a little last-minute pre-cruise shopping.
Back in room 506, we admire the decor in the bathroom.
While you can’t see it in this photo, Justina’s favorite feature is the rain shower that’s built into the ceiling of the shower.
Meanwhile, I’m excited about the high-speed internet and comfortable desk as I worked to finish some last-minute work.
The next morning, we enjoy the view of the drawbridge in action from our balcony.
The 12-year-old takes our breakfast coupons to the lobby to retrieve the complimentary continental breakfast for Hilton Honors Diamond members.
When she returns with coffee and one of the best croissants of my life (complete with a small jar of strawberry jam), I realized that this trip is going to be an amazing learning adventure for both of us.
Justina finishes her cinnamon roll on the balcony.
The cruise ships are visible in the distance.
We can’t wait to check out and board the Oasis of the Seas.
Our bottom line impressions of the Hilton Fort Lauderdale Marina Hotel:
- The hotel is ideally located for a pre or post cruise stay. It’s less than 15 minutes and a $15 cab fare from the Ft. Lauderdale airport, and it is only about a 5-minute ride to the cruise ship port.
- The rooms are spacious and comfortable.
- While compact, the bathroom in room 506 features a relaxing shower than “rains” from the ceiling.
- The Antea Lobby Bar offers morning breakfast with great coffee and fabulous croissants and other baked goods.
- This hotel offered an attractive rate.
Have you stayed at the Hilton Fort Lauderdale Marina hotel? What is your preferred pre-cruise hotel? Please share in comments below.
You may also want to take a quick look inside these other hotels”;
- A Peek Inside the Prague Marriott Hotel
- A Peek Inside the Four Seasons Hotel-Denver
- A Peek inside the Stanford Court Renaissance Hotel – San Francisco
- A Peek Inside the Hilton New York Fashion District Hotel
- A Peek Inside Chicago’s Palmer House Hilton Hotel
Cruising on Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas? Check out these related posts:
- Traveling With a 12-Year-Old: Driving, Flying and Trying New Foods
- 20 Interesting Facts About Haiti
- Photo Friday: Inside the Oasis of the Sea
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