Miami area advice PLEASE! - NLC

[rossybee]

I'm looking for some advice/experiences from you well-travelled lot here

Me? I know the Orlando area very well, but am clueless when it comes to Miami.

Summer 2012 we're going on a family trip (my Mum's 70th) which involves a caribbean cruise from Fort Lauderdale, and are looking at spending the week prior to this somewhere in this area.

Initial thoughts are Pompano Beach/Boca Raton/Lighthouse Point/West Palm Beach sort of area, looking for any views on these, or other areas maybe just south of Miami, are there any bits to avoid?

More specifically, there will be 16(!) of us comprising 8 adults & 8 kids, so are looking at a BIG villa or maybe a couple of decent size villas/apartments near each other. Any specific accomodation recommendations would be even better!

Many thanks in advance folks!

[robin]

Barbados is a good place to spend a week before going on a cruise

Cheers,
Robin

[rossybee]

Thanks for that Robin....

Any more advice welcomed

[vet111s]

Have emailed my wife's cousin who lives there, will see if she comes back with any decent advice

Ali

[rossybee]

That'd be great, thanks

[Karen]

We did a cruise last December from Miami - stayed for a few nights before cruising. South Beach was fantastic. Don't rule it out as you'll only be down the road! Which cruise line are you going with?

[rossybee]

Thanks Karen - will keep that in mind.

We are sailing from Fort Lauderdale, with Royal Caribbean, on the Oasis of the Seas

[Karen]

That's on my list to do - Oasis! Just off Indepedence on Monday! Never out of Southampton again! Did Celebrity Eclipse from Miami last year and it was perfect! Caribbean is the only way to go! Enjoy!

[rossybee]

I'll try

[rossybee]

Any more info on this?

[MacK]

Not been in Miami for years (15+) so no current recommendations.

But did enjoy the Art-deco buildings etc in Miami beach, as well as the beach

Would recommend a trip down the Keys for a night or two and a run through Alligator Alley in the Everglades.

[rossybee]

Wee update:

Many thanks to those who have helped, most noteably Ali (vet111s) with his info supplied from his wife's cousin who lived there

Taking her comments into account, we are staying in a large villa at Hollywood Beach, so things are falling nicely into place

[rossybee]

..and in addition, we have decided to stay on an extra 2 nights in the Art Deco area (cheers for the tip MacK ), just us 4, treated ourselves to here - http://www.loewshotels.com/Miami-Beach-Hotel which I must say looks rather nice - might go the whole hog and hire something nicer than the usual boggo Chrysler 300/Dodge Magnum

[gorrie]

Are you doing the Eastern cruise, or the Western one... out of interest.
I think Cozumel is one of the stops on the Western cruise, and there's a couple of decent watch shops there .. if that's your thing (although I heard the prices go up a bit when a big ship docks).
Andy.

[rossybee]

Hi Andy - Western, cos we're stopping at Cozumel, Jamaica, and Haiti

Not planning on buying any more watches