Before the Cruise

🧳 Packing – What to Bring

Packing for the cruise might be a little bit tricky if you’re new. Here is a suggested list of items you should make sure to take with you to the boat:

• Sunscreen
• Motion Sickness pills. You never know. Sea sickness can ruin your trip.
• Concert-grade Earplugs are not a must but definitely a good idea: like Hearos, Eargasm or Earasers. “My personal favourite are the Earasers which cost US $40 and can be bought at Guitar Center” (Alexander Wolf Griffin)
• Sunglasses (extra pair won’t hurt)
• Merch you want signed by band members (you will get a chance to meet each and every one of your favourite artists at least once at the Meet n’ Greets)
• Flip-flops
• Swimsuit (chances are you will want to try the jacuzzis, swimming pools or the beach at our destination at least once)
• You might want to bring your own shampoo and conditioner, the quality of these products onboard is not the best
• A sweater / jacket. It might get windy and chilly on the pool deck and sun deck.
• Condoms, if you intend to use them. I don’t think they are for sale inside the boat.
• to be continued

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💰 Should I bring cash? How do I pay?

This one is a very recurring question, especially for people travelling from outside de US.

During your days in Miami before or after the cruise you will have expenses, but most of them, if not all, you will be able to pay with credit or debit card.

During the cruise, you pay everything (drinks, merch, everything else) with your seapass (room card), which you will have previously linked to a credit card as part of the check-in process, so no need to bring cash onboard, or for the whole trip for that matter. Except…

…Tipping, of course. That’s probably the only reason for which you want to bring cash with you. You may consider tipping the porters (if you want them to take your luggage to your cabin), the room service, or anything you can think of in Miami or our destination port. So having a few dollars with you won’t hurt, but you should be fine if you don’t have easy access to them.

Regarding card payments, I strongly recommend to use services like Revolut (I will buy you a beer if you do it through the referral link) since you can pay with your phone and, most important, with NO FEES regardless on which currency you use. I keep it charged with my Euros and I can pay in the US, they apply the current market exchange which is nice and uncommon with traditional banks.

Finally, for moving around, I will always recommend Uber so again no cash required.

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✈️ When to Book your Flights

Make sure to arrange your flights so that you get to Miami at least two days before departure. The unexpected happens. You don’t want to plan to get there one day before and be relocated to another flight the day after. If the cruise starts on Monday you should get to Miami no later than Saturday.

For your flights back home, it is generally OK to return on the same day the cruise ends. You will be kicked out of the cruise between 8am and 9am, with plenty of time to catch a flight from Miami International Airport any time in the afternoon.

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🌊 What to Do Before the Cruise

First things first, take a look at the Cruiser Organized Events section. There are two big pre-parties, one in Hollywood and another one (the biggest one) in front of the Clevelander Hotel in South Beach. That is a great way to meet old and new friends and, in general, to have one extra day of party and fun.

If you attend the beach party you will meet hundreds, probably thousands of fellow cruisers. One thing that is becoming a very nice tradition is, if you have the chance, to bring drinks and sweets from your home country to share with people during the event. Of course, totally optional. Part of the gathering is free (just show up at the beach in front of the Clevelander the day before the cruise starts) and part of it is a paid event (more info here).

Other than that, the next sections include a few suggestions from fellow cruisers for food and drinks (I will keep adding more ideas as you send them to me)

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🍛 Food

Little Havana is your friend when you’re hungry. Amazing Cuban food (better than Cuba according to my friends who are actually Cuban):

• El Palacio De Los Jugos – “Fruit Palace” is an outdoor market, go inside and try their fruit juices. Amazing things to put in your mouth.
• La Camaronera Seafood Joint and Fish Market – Sooooo good. Fish sandwiches. Fresh. Amazing.
• Versailles – pretty well known place to grab some Cuban food; if it’s busy the place across the street is supposedly equally as good.

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🍻 Breweries

Collaboration brought to you by Craft Beer Stefan. At the end of this section you will find a MAP with all the breweries explained!

Breweries and Beer Bars in South Beach and Miami Downtown:

I’ve been on every cruise since 2013 and therefore have a few tips on what to explore in Miami and South Beach a few days before or after the cruise in terms of breweries and pubs (beer-related). As a big craft beer fan and beer sommelier, I’ve spent the last few years looking at everything to do with beer and breweries in Miami. Unfortunately, a few things are no longer there, such as the Concrete Beach Brewery, whose great brewery Dogfish Head was in for a short time, but which then closed again in November 2022 due to the high rents. The information is as I have found it in recent years, but of course things can change quickly, especially in Miami. So it’s always best to check the website.

SOUTH BEACH:

🍺 Yard House

A MUST for anyone interested in beer. Over 100 taps await the visitor. Many local beers but also many European beer styles can be explored. The menu is quite extensive and even vegetarians (like me) will find something.

• Beer: a few house beers that are brewed especially for the Yard House. Otherwise, a huge selection of all known beer styles from all over the world.
• Good to know: It can be quite full at the weekend, so a larger group should make a reservation.
• Food: Burgers, Pizza and much more
• Opening hours: 11.00 a.m. – 11.30 p.m.
• Happy Hour: Mo-Wed 3-6 p.m. + 10-11.30 p.m.; Thu-Fr 3-6 p.m.
• Location: 1681 Lenox Ave. (right near/at the end of Lincoln Road Mall)
• Web: https://www.yardhouse.com/locations/fl/miami-beach/miami-beach-lenoxave/8347

🍺 Abbey Brewing Company

If you have perhaps been to the Yard House or are on your way there, the Abbey Brewing Company is on the same level at the intersection of Lenox Ave./16th St. On their website they say about themselves: “One of the oldest bars in Miami, it has the old world charm of a traditional European pub”.
One of my favorite places, it’s a very cozy, not too big bar with its own beer, which is not brewed on site. The selection changes from time to time and I’ve had several very good American sour beers there.

• Beer: own beers like “Father Theodore’s Stout” or “Brother Dan’s Double” and many other US beers
• Good to know: Good for a sundowner at happy hour and has a very long shelf life..
• Food: not sure
• Opening hours: Mo-Fr 3 p.m. – 5 a.m. / Sat 1 p.m. – 5 a.m. / Sun 12 p.m. – 5 a.m.
• Happy Hour: Mo-Fr 3 p.m. – 8 p.m. / Sat + Sun 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
• Location: 1115-1117 16th St.
• Web: https://abbeybrewinginc.com

🍺 Lost Weekend (The Alibi) + Kill Your Idol

This used to be THE bar where most cruisers met. Maybe a band member from time to time. There used to be a lot of partying until the early hours of the morning. Because there was a jukebox that anyone could feed with
dollars, the music was and still is a colorful mix of all kinds of genres. The jukebox was then “hijacked” by the metalheads earlier and almost all the music played that evening was metal. Many locals liked it, but not everyone was able to enjoy it all evening. That’s why Kill Your Idol, which is right next to Lost Weekend now has metal nights before the cruise. The bar has pool tables, other games, sports broadcasts and simple dishes. Since people smoke here, you might want to think about eating there, not everyone’s cup of tea. There are theme nights with specials like the PBR night – Pabst Blue Ribbon for 2$ (or so….) and e.g. Whiskey Cola night.

• Beer: a few US beers on tap and many more from US (craft) breweries and European beers in bottles and cans, which are quite expensive for Europeans.
• Good to know: Pitchers are available at a good price during happy hour
• Food: Pizza, chicken wings and a little more
• Opening hours: Mo-Sun 4 p.m. – 4 a.m. (Kill Your Idol: 8 p.m. – 4 a.m.)
• If there is not much going on, they close earlier.
• Happy Hour: Mo-Sun 4 p.m. – 8 p.m. (Kill Your Idol: 8 p.m. – 10 p.m.)
• Location: 218 + 222 Española Way
• Web: https://www.instagram.com/lostweekendmiami/
• https://www.instagram.com/kyimiami/

🍺 Mac’s Club Deuce

Oldest Bar in Miami (Est. 1926) – perhaps a little inconspicuous from the outside and you’re not sure what’s hiding behind the entrance. I went there myself a few years ago following a tip from a cruiser friend and the website says: “Laid-back ambiance, rustic decor, pool table & jukebox make this
South Beach institution a local hangout”. The bar has a long and legendary past behind it and you should take a look at the photo book that is usually displayed at the bar. Many famous stars or personalities (or those who think they are) have been there.

• Beer: good selection of US beers in bottles and cans
• Good to know: right opposite is La Sandwicherie, a very good sandwich store that many cruisers like to visit
• Opening hours: Mo-Sun 8 a.m. – 5 a.m.
• Happy Hour: Mo-Sun 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. (buy one, get a second beer for free)
• Location: 222 14th St.
• Web: https://www.macsclubdeuce.com/
• https://www.instagram.com/macsclubdeuce

🍺 South Beach Brewing Company Taproom

This taproom is brand new, although it’s not really a taproom as the name suggests. A beautiful terrace with a wooden floor right next to the street. You still have to find out exactly where it is brewed, but not here in any case.

• Beer: there are currently only very few varieties, you can try them all in one evening
• Good to know: there is a beer finder on the website where you can still get the beer
• Opening hours: Sun – Tue 12 p.m. – 10 p.m. / Wed – Sat 12 p.m. – 0.00 a.m.
• Location: 210 11th St.
• Web: https://southbeachbrew.com

🍺 Total Wine & More – Beer-Shopping & Alcohol

If you’ve had enough of Bud’s, Miller’s, Coors and Corona beers and are looking for something else for the beach party, then this is the place for you. It’s a kind of wholesale market with a huge selection of wine, beer, spirits and other alcoholic beverages.

There are several shelves with an estimated several hundred different beers from the USA and Europe. If you stock up here for the beach party or your day in Miami and have the untappd app, it will literally explode when you check in all your beers.

• Beer: leaves nothing to be desired for the beer geek
• Good to know: the entrance is a bit hidden above the supermarket; you have to go to
• 6th St. and take the elevator to the upper floor of the parking garage and then walk a few meters
• Opening hours: Mon – Sun 9 a.m. – 10 p.m. / Fri + Sat 9 a.m. – 11.00 p.m.
• Location: 1139 5th St. (close to Alton Rd., entrance 6th St.)
• Web: https://www.totalwine.com

MIAMI DOWNTOWN:

There are several smaller and larger breweries scattered around the city, all of which are worth a visit. If you don’t have too much time, then our short brewery tour through Wynwood is enough. This is also the hot spot for beer in Miami. Some of the others are a little further apart, so it’s worth visiting just one brewery.

Wynwood district:

The district has become a popular and trendy area in recent years. It is characterized by many buildings covered with great paintings and graffiti. Wynwood Walls is a unique outdoor attraction featuring colorful street art murals by artists from around the world.

Often these are dilapidated houses or warehouses that have been repurposed. There is also a lot of construction going on, prices are rising rapidly and new bars, restaurants and all sorts of things are opening everywhere.

Whether all this will last is another question. I only visited one great beer bar with 50 taps and it was gone the next year. The aforementioned Concrete Beach Brewery didn’t survive either, and its successor, Dogfish Head, couldn’t compete with its concept and high rents.

But let’s start our little excursion, all of them can be reached within a radius of a few hundred meters, max. 0.8 miles. In any case, we always recommend the so-called flights – tasting boards with usually 4 different beers from the brewery. Start slowly, there are 4 breweries waiting for you… It’s worth eating at the first two breweries because the food is a bit less.

🍺 Cerveceria La Tropical

It is relatively new and also the largest of the 4 breweries. A very large taproom with a view of the brewery. It is visually well integrated behind large panes of glass, in front of which a long bar awaits visitors.

A beautiful garden with palm trees also invites you to linger outside. For me, the best thing in Wynwood in terms of the entire complex.

• Beer: good selection of approx. 10-12 own beers
• Good to know: Saturday and Sunday there is brunch and you should make a reservation
• Food: Very good selection with burgers, pizza etc.
• Opening hours: Tue – Thu 12 p.m. – 11 p.m. / Fri 12 p.m. – 1.00 a.m. / Sat 11.30 – 1 a.m.
• Sun 11.30 a.m. – 10 p.m.
• Happy Hour: Tue – Fri 3 p.m. – 6 p.m.
• Location: 42 NE 25th St.
• Web: https://www.cervecerialatropical.com

🍺 Veza Sur Brewing Co.

The next station is only a few minutes away. Latin American flair and some great beers await us here, as they say themselves:

“We stay true to Cerveza Artesanal by combining flavors and ingredients inspired by the Miami melting pot.”

The place is often bustling and the covered outdoor area invites you to order your next flight.

• Beer: around 15 different, solid beers, some of which are seasonal and barrel-aged
• Good to know: very good beer cocktails are also served
• Food: small menu with snacks and a few larger dishes
• Opening hours: Tue – Thu + Sun 12 p.m. – 12 a.m. / Fri + Sat 12 p.m. – 1.00 a.m.
• Happy Hour: think no
• Location: 55 NW 25th St.
• Web: https://vezasur.com

🍺 J. Wakefield Brewing

If we come from Veza Sur, we only have to walk around the block and reach JWB after a few minutes. As a sour beer fan, this is actually my favorite brewery. They always have great beers with mango or other exotic fruits. He also always has Berliner Weisse on the menu – all of them have been very good so far.

But the stouts and barrel-aged beers are also excellent and you can certainly order two flights here.

• Beer: 5 core beers, many other seasonal and barrel-aged beers
• Good to know: Specialist for sour beer
• Food: Grill or food trucks in front of the brewery
• Opening hours: Mon – Thu 12 p.m. – 11 p.m. / Fri + Sat 12 p.m. – 1.00 a.m. / Sun 12 p.m. – 10 p.m.
• Happy Hour: Mon – Fri 4 p.m. – 7 p.m.
• Location: 120 NW 24th St.
• Web: https://jwakefieldbrewing.com

🍺 Wynwood Brewing Company

This would be the last stop (or you could start the tour here). You pass a few houses with graffiti and if you’re not careful, you’ll almost miss the entrance. Somewhat hidden in the building, the door opens into a small taproom. If the blinds are open, you can take a look behind the bar into the brewery.

• Beer: La Rubia and Father Francisco are among the solid standard beers, which are supplemented with a few other seasonal beers
• Food: Snacks
• Opening hours: Sun – Thu 12 p.m. – 10 p.m. / Wed – Sat 12 p.m. – 12.00 a.m.
• Location: 565 NW 24th St.
• Web: https://www.wynwoodbrewing.com

Miami Downtown – other breweries

The other breweries can usually also be reached by public transport from South Beach. But you should always allow about 1 hour for the journey.

🍺 Titanic Brewery & Restaurant

In Coral Gables, we find this small pub brewery with a little bit of the charm of a harbor pub. The brewery is located directly behind the bar. On the website they say: “Miami’s oldest and finest brewpub” – so you have to see it. The beers are all ok, but as is usual with such small breweries, you can always expect a little fluctuation.

• Beer: 6 beers, other seasonal and guest beers
• Good to know: it is recommended to take the Omni Loop/Metromover route through Miami with great views
• Food: relatively large menu with many different dishes to suit all tastes
• Opening hours: Mon – Sun 11.30 a.m. – 12 p.m. / Fri + Sat 1.00 a.m.
• Location: 5813 Ponce de Leon, Coral Gables
• Web: https://titanicbrewery.com

🍺 Lincoln’s Beard Brewing Co.

Probably the smallest brewery in Miami, it has developed from a very small facility into a somewhat larger operation. Good beers that you can also enjoy in the open air right next to the lager tanks.

• Beer: approx. 15 beers, light, hoppy, malty and belgian beer style
• Fun fact: he supplied a NEIPA (New England India Pale Ale) for the Cleveland party in 2019, but the inexperienced beer drinkers couldn’t do anything with it. Some of them had never drunk anything like it before and thought there was something wrong with the beer.
• Food: Food truck with tacos, snacks
• Opening hours: Mon 4 p.m. – 11 p.m. / Tue + Thu 4 p.m. – 12 p.m. / Wed + Fri 4 p.m. – 1 a.m. / Sat 12 p.m. – 1 a.m. / Sun 12 p.m. – 9 p.m.
• Location: 7360 Southwest 41st St.
• Web: https://www.lincolnsbeardbrewing.com

🍺 Unseen Creatures Brewing & Blending

This brewery is not far from Lincoln’s Beard Brewing. It specializes more in IPA’s and their stronger variants.

• Beer: about 10 beers and a guest brewery on the menu
• Food: Burgers, Ribs, French Fries
• Opening hours: Tue – Thu 4 p.m. – 10 p.m. / Fri + Sat 12 p.m. – 1 a.m. / Sun 12 p.m. – 8 p.m.
• Location: 4178 Southwest 74th Ct
• Web: https://unseencreatures.com

🍺 Biscayne Bay Brewing Company

They haven’t been at this location for too long and have given up on the previous one, which I was able to see with a member of staff. I haven’t been to the new one yet, so I can’t say anything about it. But the pictures on the internet make a very good impression. The beers were also all flawless. And they are the official Craft Beer of the Miami Marlins right in the center of
LoanDepot park at the Biscayne Bay Brew Hall.

• Beer: approx. 6 beers such as Lager, IPA and Pilsner
• Food: not sure
• Opening hours: Mon + Wed – Fri 4 p.m. – 12 p.m. / Sat 12 p.m. – 12 p.m. / Sun 12
• p.m. – 10 p.m.
• Location: 100 NE 1st Ave Third Floor
• Web: https://www.biscaynebaybrewing.com

🍺 The Tank Brewing Co.

Located a little further away from the airport, this brewery is definitely worth a visit. A cool, large taproom awaits you with 18 beers on tap, including a core range of standard beers such as IPA, Wheat and Pils. Then there’s the Abbey series with Belgian beers such as Dubbel, Tripel and Quadrupel, but the small batch releases are definitely interesting. The Imperial Stout I drank there is one of the best I’ve ever had in this style and I took 3 bottles with me on the plane.

• Beer: about 12 that are produced, all styles included
• Good to know: if you have time, you can make a detour before departure
• Food: large selection with meat, burgers and bowls etc.
• Opening hours: Mon – Thu 4 p.m. – 11 p.m. / Fri 4 p.m. – 1 a.m. / Sun 12 p.m. – 10 p.m.
• Location: 5100 NW 72nd Ave A-1
• Web: https://thetankbrewing.com

🍺 Beat Culture Brewery & Kitchen

Also not far from the airport, this was also a brewery until 2023 that you can visit before departure. Very solid beers with a direct view into the brewery.

According to Facebook, they are currently closed with this notice: “Brewing up a transformation! Starting December 26, our taps are taking a break to embark in a month-long journey of needed upgrades and maintenance. Stay tuned for the big reveal when we reopen with a fresh look.”

🍺 MIA Brewery & Restaurant

This is probably the largest and best-known brewery in Miami. But since it’s also relatively far away, it’s on the to-do list. However, the cans will be most commonly found in supermarkets. It is perhaps also known for its Miami Weiss Hefeweizen, the design of which is reminiscent of the 80s crime series Miami Vice.

• Location: 10400 NW 33rd St #150, Doral

New or not yet visited and for the ToDo list

• https://www.trippinganimals.com
• https://prisonpalsbc.com
• https://www.unbrandedbrewing.com
• https://worldofbeer.com/locations/doral/beer/

Again, here is the map with all the recommended breweries: https://maps.app.goo.gl/vr1c4HQqCwi7QjiL7

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🏨 Where to Stay Before the Cruise

It is highly recommended to overnight in Miami especially if you are flying in.

The Clevelander and Essex Hotels in Miami are great places to be. A LOT of cruisers stay at these hotels and if you want to start your immersive “I am among my metal family” experience early, you should look here first. The Clevelander is where the Heavy Metal Beach Party ends, too. Beware though, these are NOT cheap options. If you are interested in booking at the Clevelander, check out the Heavy Metal Beach Party section.

Numerous hotels in the Brickell areas of Miami are convenient and cheaper than staying in Miami Beach or downtown Miami. Expect costs to be around US $150-200/night. An Uber from the MIA airport to Brickell is about US$20 and from Brickell to the cruise terminal about US $15.

Also, AirBnB works very well from my personal experience, in case you cannot find anything else reasonable.

Know what areas you’re staying in and be safe. Coral Gables is nice, South Beach is nice, a lot of other places are sketchy.

If you’re feeling really dangerous, you can book your hotel on short notice with Priceline and get really nice hotels for pretty cheap. Not advisable for non-US citizen.

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🎟️ Check-in Process

Early check-in: this opens about 30 days before the cruise. Booked passengers will receive an email with a link to the Royal Caribbean website containing your reservation code. After divulging every piece of personal information imaginable, you will be assigned a boarding pass. Then you can purchase add-ons like internet access, food and soda packages, spa services. Ship-organized shore tours will also be offered; it is a good idea to reserve these early as some (especially ones with band members featured) tend to book out.

On embarkation day: check-in begins around 10:00. Your large luggage will be checked in outside the terminal (the smaller suitcases, you can decide whether or not to take them with you – also it is nice to tip the porters) and then you proceed to the passenger arrival area which is on the west side of the terminal. Once inside you’ll be screened by security (metal, liquids and explosives detectors) and then on to check-in. You will need to have your (1) passport (2) credit card and (3) boarding pass in hand so don’t pack these in your checked luggage!

Once clear of check-in, you’ll board the ship. If that’s before 13:00 go straight to the Windjammer (Deck 11) or bars on Decks 4 & 5 and wait for the announcement that rooms are open. Optimal time to arrive at terminal is about 13:00-14:00 as the crowds will have eased and you can go directly to your room after boarding, unless you are anxious to explore the boat, in that case you can go earlier.

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🛥️ Getting to the boat

There are several ways you can make it to the boat on embarkation day:

• Beach Party Bus: please visit the official Beach Party website
• Taxi / Uber
• By car: parking at the terminal costs roughtly $25/day
• Brightline train (for trips from outside Miami):  It can go from Orlando, and the Miami Central station is a 2 mile Uber ride to the port. Suggestion: trains that arrive at 10:20 or 12:20. More info: https://www.gobrightline.com
• The hotel concierge/front desk in your hotel can help you arrange a shuttle to the port

What time to get there?

There are several points of view on this. Some people suggest not earlier than 13:00. First, because there is no guarantee you’ll be allowed into the boat before. Second, because not all areas of the boat are open before departure time (your rooms, for instance, will take a while to be available). Third, because it might be messier to move around the port (more people going all directions).

In case this is your first time, though, you might want to get there earlier. If you’re lucky (no guarantees) you *might* be allowed in starting at 10am. This will give you more time to explore the ship, take a relaxing walk around, play basketball or just head to the Windjammer for food.

Don’t arrive later than about 15:30 though (or whatever they say is the cutoff this year) as you don’t want to risk missing the boat entirely. It does take about half an hour to go through the lines and do the boarding check-in before you’ll actually get on the ship. Departure time is about 5pm and it’s never late. Hint: Pre-Party hangovers are a potential cause for people to miss departure, which means missing at least the first half of the cruise.

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