SteerageJoe

So here is the pickle we are in. We are checking out of Disney World May 30 to head to Port Canaveral to board the Valor same day. Issue is its Memorial Day.

I have a Hertz reservation set up, but heres my issue. Hertz in Canaveral, Im told all rental places, are closed on Memorial Day. So I would have to drop off car and leave it to be checked in the next day. Im not thrilled with that since I have no control what happens to car while it sits, but still on my bill. Second, I have to take a taxi back to the port.

We have 5 in our party, my minivan rental with Hertz is only $79. I cant find any transportation that can come close, but I would be willing to pay more to not have to stress about the rental car just sitting there.

 

Anyone have any suggestions!?

Thanks

This is nothing to worry about! Even when the offices are open the rental staff near the Port do not check out every vehicle on busy days! Same situation - to speed things up they just ask for the keys and off you go.

Film a walkaround with your camera for peace of mind. Then enjoy your cruise!

About the taxi - I would drop my family at the terminal then hail a 888-transport taxi (they line up at the terminal but call if not available) to follow me to the rental car building!

I have another question. If I rent a van on the day we stop in Port Canaveral and drop it off after hours (since we get to port at 1 pm and leave at 9 pm), is there a reliable cab company that anyone knows of that could pick up 6 people. I would rather not hire 2 cabs. I am thinking Sea World would be our best choice with renting a car. If we get to Sea World by 2 and leave by 6 we should be pretty good. I am so scared of missing the ship so I want to be back really early. Thanks for any suggestions

888-transport. Their office is near the Port and they have a hail station at your cruise terminal. I would drop the family at the ship and ask a cab at the ship terminal to follow me to the rental car building!

My 22-y-o daughter is cruising with her college roommates, then meeting me in Orlando (Caribbean Beach resort) since I have a business meeting there. Since I'll be tied up in meetings all day Sunday, I'm trying to figure out best way for her to get there. If she gets to the airport with her friends, can she then take Disney's Magic Express bus to the hotel? I'm assuming she can't take it directly from port (she'll be on RCCL). Any other ideas beside rental car?

It will be difficult to get on the Disney bus that runs from cruise terminal 8 to the Disney Hotels. How will the ladies get from the RCCL terminal to CT8 is the first issue?

I guess you can ask Disney if the bus will stop by the RCCL terminal (CT1 I assume) to pick them, but I do not think they will.

So, the most sensible option is to take the RCCL bus to MCO then hop on the free Magic Express to the resort. The buses will be right next to each other at the airport.

A private shuttle or even a limo to the resort will be more convenient and actually cost about the same or only slightly more than the RCCL bus but that will depend on how many friends are traveling! If looking for cheapest you can start with Cortrans for a quote.

I suggest you book a rental car instead of using a cruise excursion even if offered. Maximum flexibility at good-value-for-money.

However, if you are looking for the convenience of a pre-arrange tour, then you can contact:

Sunward Tours – They can arrange just about any activity including the great Canaveral Lighthouse tour!

FunDay Tours – Works primarily with pre-formed groups such as shore trips but check them out anyway.

Please go here for a long and complete list of things to do and places to see in the Port area!

My husband and I are taking our first RC cruise and our first trip ever without kids :-)

We plan on driving and arriving the day before our cruise. We will need to park our car so we'd prefer to just stay at a hotel that offers free/discounted parking during our cruise. Any suggestions of hotels to stay at around in that area? Any other info about parking/ hotels would be appreciated.

43 days to go!

Enchantment of the Seas here we come!

Fortunately you have 30-some hotel options, most who offer parking/shuttle packages.

I doubt there is "free" parking anywhere because the parking costs are actually rolled into the room rate package!

My suggestion is to book a 40% port partner hotel and then park ship-side. Many hotels do not have fenced parking and if you can avoid shuttles you will same time and gain convenience!

However, your "best" option is the one that fits your budget and interests and Cape Canaveral/Cocoa Beach will not disappoint. There are 4 clusters of hotels that cover beach lovers, restaurants lovers, romantics, active families, shoppers, those who want to watch the cruise ships, and so on!

It is a longer discussion described here with maps, etc. Happy choosing!

There are so many options for transport but renting a car one-way when 2 or more people and arriving before your cruise is certainly at the top of my list for cost savings and convenience as stated by others.

Here is long description of the transport options.

For lodging, the choices are plenty too. Here is a long description of hotel clusters near the Port, average rates, choosing a hotel, etc.

Has anyone flown into this airport for your cruise going out of Port Canaveral? It says it 25 miles away and its a small airport. just curious!!:)

We've flown in/out of Melbourne twice in the last year. Love the location and scenic ride to the Port! Car rentals and shuttles/taxis are readily available.

It is at least a 50 minute drive to the Port area. Here is a short video showing the airport and the drive.

You have 3 airports to choose from. Orlando, Sanford or Melbourne.

I would pick the one with the lowest airfares AND one-way car rentals. If costs are the same for these two things then Melbourne gets my vote for the easiest experience. I also like Sanford because of the Alegiant Air low airfares to/from Sanford.

To do what you want to see, a one-way rental car will be a must in my opinion so the discount codes are a great idea!

After the cruise you have to decide - if your flight leaves early then I would book a shuttle/taxi/Uber. If your flight departs after 1pm for example, I would opt for a rental car to explore a bit more at first.

How about a water taxi to get across the channel. :D

THAT IS AN EXCELLENT IDEA!! I nominate Capt BJ to start a service (using amphibious ducks) between the Terminal B complex and the terminals over at A!

Especially when traffic is bad near the tower during festivals!

Friends, this thread is getting confusing.

Please look back at my post from January 17 for photos, accurate maps and other information about the rental car changes!

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2301883

I am going to be looking for a room or suite as close as possible to the port that will hold our family of 6. 2 adults and 4 kids. Thanks guys

All the cruise hotels have pools. Assuming you have younger kids, most are rather boring! Kids want waterfalls and fun layouts while parents enjoy watching them from Tiki Bars or deck chairs!

Larger rooms or suite types are available at many.

Radisson Resort at the Port : An old-Florida style hotel and a favorite of cruisers for many years. The pool is great fun and always packed with kids and adults acting like kids! The Tiki bar next to the pool is lively and there is live music on weekends. Tennis courts onsite with mini-golf just a block away.

Holiday Inn Club : The largest and most interesting pool layout of all the hotels complete with a tiki bar, restaurant, kid-playground and mini-golf. Live music on weekends. The north-facing and oceanfront rooms have clear views of the cruise ships near the Port entrance! Note – it is a big resort and the oceanfront areas are some distance from the main building. The hotel offers shuttles to/from the main complex.

International Palms Resort : A bit further south than the other hotels (only 7 miles from the cruise terminals) this affordable resort is very popular with families thanks to the pirate-themed pool, sports courts and beachfront location. They offer poolside snacks and two restaurants/bars!

We stayed next to the cocoa beach pier in early 2015 as we loved the location in the past. We were very disappointed the pier and beach bar in front of it were abandoned except for one small bar on it. Was told it was sold and new owners raised the rent so high. We discovered Fishlips which saved our precruise evening. I have heard there are new places open on the pier, I would double check.

Yes, you visited during a transition period. Things are back to normal at the pier and there are 4 bars and 4 places to eat.

It is a bit more expensive than in the past but improvements are still underway. Eventually they will reopen the fine-dining restaurant too (it is now a game room).

Thanks steeragejoe! can you recommend any private van service?

Here is a list of companies we see often on the road between Orlando and Port Canaveral and most are popular here on Cruisecritic.

If you have a large party (say 12 or more people), I suggest you start with Mears, Travelynx Stylus and AA Access because they have experience with large group transfers. Mears has a desk at the airport (next to Carnival) which is great to assist your group in case of issues.

Uber - Getting more popular and the feedback continues to be positive. UberBLACK can do curbside pickups at the airport. UberXL can pick up nearby.

Cocoa Beach Shuttle – based near Port Canaveral. The “go to” shuttle for many cruisers. Also offer scheduled shared shuttles. Preferred by many Canaveral hotels for port and airport transfers.

Executive VIP Limousine – based near Port Canaveral. Many good reviews on the internet.

Happy Limousine – Recommended by some Disney travel agencies

Mears Shuttle – With a desk at Orlando Airport ensuring personal service. Operates the Disney and Carnival transfer buses.

Groundlink – A nation-wide value-add service trusted by many travelers. Also has exclusive agreements with some cruise lines. Often more expensive but you can trust the service.

Travelynx Stylus – A large company with a good reputation. The preferred transfer company for many Canaveral hotels. Parent company is based in Orlando.

888-Transportation – based in Cape Canaveral with an exclusive agreement with Port Canaveral, allowing hail services. They have taxis waiting at the cruise terminals.

Cortrans Shuttle – Consistently one of the cheaper shuttles with good reviews. Also offer scheduled shared shuttles. Based in Orlando.

AA Access Transport – One of the most popular shuttles with shared scheduled services and vans of all sizes. Based in Orlando.

FL Tours - Recommended by several Disney Travel Agencies. Based in Orlando

Web links to these companies can be found here.

can any one who use the 40% discount from the hotel tell me when they when to the ship in there car can you 1st park your car than take a shuttle back to board the ship Or can you 1st drop your bags 1st then park your car.I not sure the people moving people along will give you time to get out of your car & give the bags to the dock workers then get back in your car to park it.

No, it is much easier than that when you park ship side using the 40% discount. No shuttles - the garages are next to the ship!

1. Get the voucher from he hotel upon checkout and drive to the port.

2. You show the voucher to the attendant at the parking garage entrance and get your discount on the spot as you pay.

If you have a lot of luggage you can drop those first with the porters then go and park and walk back, or you can park first and hand your luggage to porters in the garage, or carry it yourself.

There will be people showing you what to do as you arrive!

To see the parking garage photos, please read this detailed description of the process.

No boardwalk unfortunately but I can think of two options:

1. At low tide the sand surface near the tide line is very firm and many folks run or bike at that time. So you can plan your run according to the tides! You can run all the way north to Jetty Park (4 miles) and return. At high tide the line forces you to walk/run on soft sand which is not so pleasant.

2. Very nice sidewalks and/or bike lines! From your hotel you can run north along Ocean Beach Blvd for about 2.5 miles then return for a 5 miler. You will find many runners/walkers/bikers on this route and not much vehicle traffic.

I am undecided between Comfort Inn & Suites and LaQuinta Inn & Suites Cocoa Beach. Can anyone help me decide. I plan on parking at the hotel rather than parking at the port due to perceived congestion that morning. Tis is my first cruise out of Port Canaveral so I am not familiar with this port. Any opinion will be helpful. Thanks.

Neither hotel offers secure parking as far as I know. Cars are parked in the open without fences.

For this reason please reconsider parking at the hotel instead of the Port. Both your hotels offer 40% port parking discounts and you will find it super convenient! Do not be concerned about congestion. Especially if you arrive just before 10:30am or after 1pm you will find things rather easy going.

I would pick the Comfort Inn because of the proximity of shops and restaurants within easy walking distance and the beach just a block east. But it depends on your interests and you have a vehicle so location is really unimportant! Either one will work thanks to your vehicle!

Here is a map with everything clearly marked.

We will be a large group flying in the same day of the cruise. Right now we plan to use the carnival shuttle to get to the port. My question is, would it be possible to catch a cab after we arrive at the port to take us to Wal-Mart or the ABC store to buy some wine and cokes? and if so does anyone know what that round trip would cost?

Very easy to do assuming only one or two will jump in the cab otherwise you need a much larger vehicle which may/may not be readily available.

888-transport is the taxi company with services waiting at the port. However, on cruise mornings they are very busy so I would pre-book the cab based on your port arrival time.

The closest/largest grocery/ABC is just south of the port about 15 minutes away depending on traffic.

If it was me I would get a private van from Orlando instead of the cruiseline bus. You will save money and can arrange the extra stops without taking cabs!

Please look at the map here where the cruise terminals (you will be at CT6 or 10?) and services such as liquor stores are clearly marked.

February 26 is the weekend of the popular Port Canaveral Seafood and Music Fest! You may want to plan accordingly as traffic may be an issue at times - gates open at 5pm on the 26th!

See link!

We are planning to stay a couple of nights prior to our November cruise. Has anyone stayed at this hotel on the beach? Is there much to do in walking distance? Thanks.

 

 

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Great choice!

Someone else can comment on the service, cleanliness, etc. but I love the location close to just about everything you need! Many of the rooms have ocean views.

The pier itself is the main attraction but as you can see in the map below you are just a block or two away from a grocery store, liquor, many restaurants, takeout places and shops.

Oriana from P&O Cruises is in Port today at B1. Pretty ship actually!

Last week Disney Magic departed Canaveral on the first cruise of her season here! Welcome to your "new" home, Magic!

My DH and our 3 children will be in Orlando celebrating our 1 year anniversary onboard the Carnival Magic. We will be arriving to MCO 7/22/16 and our cruise leaves 7/23/16. Does anyone have any suggestions on transportation to get us from our hotel to the Port of Canaveral, Port of Canaveral to Disney, and from Disney back to MCO? Any help is greatly appreciated. I have been looking for two weeks now and am at a dead end here

I agree with the rental car suggestion because it often the cheapest and you gain freedom to explore Disney Springs (if staying near MCO) or the beach area (if staying near the Port)!

On the 23rd, I suggest you do not rush to the Port especially when more than 2 ships are in. If you arrive at the rental return office from 1pm onwards you will find the rental shuttle crowds gone and it is smooth sailing from there!

how do you know which terminal you are getting off from royal 10 or 1?

http://www.portcanaveral.com/PortCanaveral/media/Cruise-Assets/Copy-of-Cruise-through-March-2016.pdf

You need transport to everything from CTs 10 and 6.

888-Transport taxis will be waiting and are easiest for walk-ups.

You have to call/book all other options

I can let you know that for Comfort Suites the shuttles were empty when they picked us up and then swung in Holiday inn express across the st to pick up a couple. Took 15 min to get to port.

 

After cruise empty shuttle was waiting. After it was half loaded and another one there to pick up passengers off ship, we headed back to hotel. Dropped off first at holiday inn express and then to comfort suites. Took a few minutes longer on way back but still very fast and comfortable.

Just to be clear, wantocruisemore.

Did you stay at the Comfort Inn & Suites Hotel next to the Sheraton or the Cocoa Beach Suites?

It is interesting that the Comfort Inn & Suites shares a shuttle with the Holiday Inn Express! Have to figure this one out!

One problem I see is that ocean landings says pick up time for shuttle to port is 11:15am. When we stayed at comfort suites last year the shuttles started before 10am and were 1 after another.

I noticed that too.

Ocean Landings is quite far down the road to the south. Is the package $125?

Also, it is not clear how that shuttle works. It appears the shuttle is a shared one between the different hotels under contract by goportcanaveral and thus it makes several stops on its circuit to/from the cruise terminals as well as at the cruise terminals? Meaning you will sit on the bus and endure several stops with pickups to the terminal? How many stops does it make?

Maybe someone can explain the goportcanaveral shuttle circuit in its packages and answer why it departs so late for the cruise terminal.

In this case I still think the $95 a night park/shuttle/sleep deal from Park Port Canaveral and its partner Cocoa Beach Suites is a great one for cruisers looking for one of the cheapest stays before a cruise. And you can hop on any shuttle leaving every 15 minutes or so starting around 10am as you stated!

Just looking for an inexpensive, but nice, place to sleep the night before our cruise that will allow us to leave our car there during our cruise. And have shuttle service to/from ship.

 

Bill

That $95 deal by Park Port Canaveral for parking, shuttles and a suite-type room (lounge +bedroom) at Cocoa Beach Suites looks pretty good to me. The location is good and just a short walk to the Ron Jon area with lots to do.

I doubt you will find a more competitive rate in the area except perhaps the Motel 6 next door.