Port Canaveral

[ElvisAndretti]

(Reposted from First Time Cruisers)

 

We're leaving in two weeks from Port Canaveral and it seems the window for boarding the ship (Ecstasy) is pretty big. Is there a "best time" to arrive? We are renting a car to travel from Orlando so we can be flexible. Is Hertz set up there as they are in airports? with the shuttle bus to the terminals? How much time should I factor in for that?

 

I fear the aniticipation is taking over my brain. It's been 8 years since I was last able to get a full week away from work and I need it bad. :cool:

[Spurs Fans]

We always try to arrive at the dock at 10:30 or so to beat the crowd. Generally, you are able to walk right onto the ship once they open boarding. Hertz and several other rental agencies are very close to the port and will provide transport to and from there. You should probably allow 45 minutes or so for this process. Have a great trip and enjoy your time off.

[ElvisAndretti]

We always try to arrive at the dock at 10:30 or so to beat the crowd. Generally, you are able to walk right onto the ship once they open boarding. Hertz and several other rental agencies are very close to the port and will provide transport to and from there. You should probably allow 45 minutes or so for this process. Have a great trip and enjoy your time off.

 

Excellent! I don't even think we'll have to get up early on Saturday. (The dogs certainly won't be there to wake us.)

[srqrobin]

Our last cruise was out of Port Canaveral and we'd gotten suggestions to arrive early (10:30) and glad we did. No crowds and everything went amazingly smooth. Highly recommend early. Also... EvisAndretti... you are the very same ship AND ITINERARY as we are in June (Sat to Thur with Key West, not HMC). Would you please, please, please bring back the Fun Times to post here ...and if all possible.. the Camp Carnival Schedule for the 6 to 8 year olds?? Not sure if you are cruising with kids so threw the Camp Carnival Schedule in just in case...but definitely the Fun Times!! It's so new (used to be out of Galveston) and there are so many variations of itineraries, it's impossible to find them right now. I soooooo look forward to your review. Hope you have a great time!!! I can't wait myself!

[tracyanns]

Last time I flew into Orlando you walk from the baggage area right to the car rental area....they are lined up along a wall on the left. Once you check in and do what you need to do you walk across the street into the parking garage where they keep the cars...once you take the car back to the rental car place you will get the shuttle to the cruise ship right there and it will drop you off at port...

 

Give yourself some extra time if you are returning a car and getting the shuttle, we have had over a half hour wait in this process before, not always, but it happens with people getting off the ship and checking in and others checking out and picking people up from the ship...

[ElvisAndretti]

Our last cruise was out of Port Canaveral and we'd gotten suggestions to arrive early (10:30) and glad we did. No crowds and everything went amazingly smooth. Highly recommend early. Also... EvisAndretti... you are the very same ship AND ITINERARY as we are in June (Sat to Thur with Key West, not HMC). Would you please, please, please bring back the Fun Times to post here ...and if all possible.. the Camp Carnival Schedule for the 6 to 8 year olds?? Not sure if you are cruising with kids so threw the Camp Carnival Schedule in just in case...but definitely the Fun Times!! It's so new (used to be out of Galveston) and there are so many variations of itineraries, it's impossible to find them right now. I soooooo look forward to your review. Hope you have a great time!!! I can't wait myself!

 

I plan in bringing back the 'funtimes' and everything else I can find to remember this trip by. My wife likes to make shadow boxes with bits and bobs from our various trips so we grap a lot of stuff other folks would leve behind. I might have to scan it in pieces though, our scanner is only 8x10.

[srqrobin]

Thanks ElvisAndretti!! My daughter is taking me along with her and my grandson, and we're hoping to try and schedule some time for us to be together...as well as "alone" time. Hoping Camp Carnival has a lot of activities for the 8 year old grandson as well. Anything you can scan..no matter the size.. would be greatly appreciated!! Have fun!!:)

[MomofBoyz]

Just agreeing here. We always sail out of Canaveral - multiple times on Sensation and once on Ecstasy. We arrive at 10:00 and have no trouble with lines. We walk right through, take a seat and have boarded anytime from 11:05 to 11:45. Lines thicken pretty bad at about 11:00.

 

Good luck!