Leaving from Bayside Marketplace harbor, you can find a variety of cruises that take you out to see the tucked away mansions of the man-made islands in Biscayne Bay just off Miami. You will cruise by Millionaire’s Row, Flagler Monument Island, Miami Beach Marina, Fisher Island, and the Port of Miami. To top it off, you will get some spectacular views of the Miami skyline as you return to port.
We took the Miami Island Queen cruise line which operates multiple vessels and can be found right by the waterfront in Bayside Marketplace. We selected the usual 90-minute sightseeing cruise to Millionaire’s Row and sailed aboard the Island Lady. Both sister ships, the Island Queen and Miami Lady do this cruise. And they also offer dinner cruises and party cruises too. See their website: Here
There is ample parking at Bayside Marketplace and two-hour parking will set you back $12. You can also park in one of the many municipal lots in the area. Prices vary. We used the parkwhiz app to find a lot with a daily rate as we also attended an event at the American Airlines Arena next door.
The cruise leaves on the hour and the ships alternate their departures. Both are similar and have two covered decks. We were on the top deck which was lined with plastic lawn chairs. Certainly not luxurious but for a quick 90-minute cruise, it’s not so bad.
We chose to go out on a day that was calling for 8-foot swells and 25 knot winds but the whole cruise is in the intracoastal area so there was no impact from the seas, it was all very calm.
Millionaire’s Row Cruise Itinerary
Heading out of the harbor we got a guided tour and some history behind the creation of the many man-made Venetian Islands outside Miami. Basically, these were originally sandbars and they were developed into islands by adding soil and eventually sold back to Miami. We even learned that Miami Beach itself was originally a sandbar, it was developed and first connected by a 2.5-mile wooden toll bridge built in 1913.
Shortly after leaving the Bayside Marketplace harbor we sailed past the Venetian Causeway Bridge which links the Venetian Islands to the mainland. As we sailed past Flagler Memorial Island, we learned that this is now a picnic island used by boaters and a tribute to Henri Flagler whose inspiration to build a railroad put Florida on the map.
From there the guided tour brought us past the many ginormous yachts as we approached the deeper island retreats towards the celebrities’ homes (or winter homes). Amazingly enough, cruising by all these 8 and 9 figure properties we did not see even one person at home. Where are you Ricky Martin?
One local billionaire was described as owning seven of the mansions, two of which had mega yachts in front of them. We felt that it must be very difficult to be faced with such difficult choices such as where to sleep or which boat to take from which mansion. I wonder if he ever forgets where he parked!
Turning back, as we headed towards Miami, we got some excellent views of the skyline.
Conclusion
While the cruise was a nice and an entertaining diversion, we were actually a little disappointed to have ‘won’ the draw prize which turned out to be nothing more than being invited to a high-pressure timeshare presentation. Geez, we already paid $25 for the cruise ticket, let us enjoy it! Ah well, as soon as they started talking about us having to go to a presentation, we thanked him and walked away so we only missed a few minutes of our cruise. Do yourself a favor and don’t even hand in your coupon!
While there was some interesting facts and it was impressive to see the many mansions, we have to say that we enjoyed the Fort Lauderdale version of the cruise more. Perhaps the narrower canals give it a nicer feel. We are still glad to have done both and if you’ve never experienced the Millionaire’s Row Cruise, it’s worth the experience.
If it’s not for you there are many other choices at Bayside Marketplace for water activities including some high-powered speed boats. There are also many restaurants and bars. Moreover, on the Sunday we were there, there was a live band playing which gave it a nice ambiance.
You may also want to make a day of your visit and this cruise could be combined with a visit to the Frost Museum of Science or the Pérez Art Museum Miami. Both are located less than a mile away and it should only take you about 15 minutes to walk there.
Millionaire’s Row Cruise Schedule:
Monday-Sunday: 10:30 am (10 am seasonal) – 6 pm (7 pm seasonal)
Be sure to get there at least 30 minutes before the cruise to get your ticket as these cruises are offered on a first come first serve basis. Also, people start to line up and if you want a seat on top be sure to get there about 20 minutes or more before departure.
Millionaire’s Row Pricing:
- Adult $28
- Seniors and Military $25
- Children (ages 4 to12) $20
- Infants (3 and under) Free
Ask for a discount, we did, and they gave us the tickets for $25.