Fort Lauderdale — crew house or find your own place?

Heading to Fort Lauderdale for the winter and trying to decide between a crew house and just renting a room. Crew houses look expensive per night but everyone says they're where you hear about jobs. Is that still true or is it just what people say?

Still true, but only if you're actually looking for work. If you've got a boat already, get your own place — it's cheaper and quieter. If you're job hunting, the crew house pays for itself in about a week. You'll hear about daywork at breakfast that never gets posted anywhere. Ask how many beds per room before you book. "Crew house" covers a wide range.

One practical thing: check whether they'll receive post and packages. If you're getting kit shipped over, a lot of the short-term rentals won't.