Help with hotel and transfers for port canaveral cruise

[Dave4120]

Hello to Everyone...Even though we've cruised on RCCL many times, we have never done a back2 back, nor, have we ever cruised out of Port Canaveral.

 

Well, next Spring we plan to do this and would like some help as it relates to a night prior hotel stay, and, transportation issues.

 

HOTEL...some have suggested the Hyatt Orlando Airport hotel, while others have suggested a hotel at Cocoa Beach, such as Holiday Inn Express, DoubleTree, and Hampton Inn, even though, they also pointed out that the Cocoa Beach area hotels are a bit run down from years ago.

 

TRANSPORTATION...Some have suggested to stay at the Hyatt Orlando Airport, then get transportation to the port, then back to the airport for the return trip.

 

Many have said that the Hampton Inn at Cocoa Beach has a Snooze & Cruise Package that includes your transportation from Orlando Airport to their hotel, then transportation from their hotel to the ship, and transportation from the ship back to the airport. They say this is included in the hotel room price for one person, and, an additional $45 per person for their transportation portion.

 

Well, being the nervous and stressful person I am, I am just trying to find out any suggestions from all of you based on any of your past experiences so I can remain somewhat calm, and not drive my wife nuts by worrying so much.

 

Any help you can provide would be appreciated.

 

Dave

[EatonDoolittle]

Looks like you have already done some research..scroll down a page or two - your's are one of the most frequently discussed topics/ questions on this Florida board, and you'll find all sorts of info.

[Dave4120]

Thanks for the help. There are so many hotels and so many different opinions about them, along with all of the transportation companies, it can sometimes get confusing, at least for someone like me.

[FlaGrl4Evr]

Do you know how late your flight into Orlando will be? Personally, if it were a later flight, I would stay near the Orlando airport and then take a shuttle to the port in the morning. In addition to the previously mentioned MCO area hotels, also price the Homewood Suites Orlando airport and the LaQuinta North Orlando airport. Both are clean, have restaurants within walking distance, an airport shuttle and a complimentry hot breakfast. TravelLynx is a well known and highly recommended shuttle Co. that provides service from hotel to port and then back to MCO after the cruise.

 

 

:)

 

.

[aria48]

Thanks for the help. There are so many hotels and so many different opinions about them, along with all of the transportation companies, it can sometimes get confusing, at least for someone like me.

 

There's a half dozen hotels in the cocoa beach/port canaveral area that have "cruise & fly packages". There's a list of them with online booking here.

 

The other option is to book your own transportation (list here) and hotel seperately, which sometimes can be cheaper and gives you more flexability.

[Dave4120]

Thank-you again for the suggestions. Even though we cannot book our flights yet, we are planning on arriving in Orlando between noon-1-PM.

 

I will check the link for the hotels with transportation for a cruise and fly package. I was only asking about some of the hotels in particular, and, how new, and/or clean they might be from previous vacationers, because I have serious asthma issues, and I know it acts up if a hotel has that old musty smell from the carpets, etc.

 

Thanks again

[Dave4120]

Have checked with a few hotels in Cocoa Beach to see if they have cruise and fly packages that include transportation from Orlando Airport to hotel, hotel to cruise port, then cruise port back to Orlando Airport.

 

Even though some postings indicate certain packages, after calling, many program are different, or, do not even exist anymore.

 

The Hampton Inn at Coca Beach includes the transportation for the above in the room rate, but, for one person. It is an additional $45 per person for the roundtrip transportation for additional guests.

 

The Radisson, closest to the port, only has a park and cruise package, no more fly and cruise. So, if you don't have a car, you can still get transportation through the hotel by calling them in advance of your planned stay, but you will end up paying about $106 per person roundtrip, or about $212-$215 per couple.

 

Radisson rooms are less that Hampton Inn, but transportation is more. So, a lot of research has to be done to see what the better value is when figuring the quality of each hotel's rooms and property and other services, along with what company does each hotel use for transportation.

 

Just another College assignment.

[JohninDC]

We now prefer to stay in the Orlando area, where there must be 1000 hotels and just as many dining options, and use a rental car to get to PC the next morning -- usually as cheap or cheaper than a shared shuttle and gives us the flex in our schedule to shop for last minute items. Just another option to consider -- good luck! :)

[Dave4120]

Thanks JohninDC for the info. After being unable to get a good feel for the various hotels in Cocoa Beach, I think we might just stay at the Hyatt Orland Airport hotel, even if it costs a bit more.

 

When reading reviews even on Trip Advisor and on Cruisecritic, it's hard to figure out if a particular hotel is clean, old, musty smelling, etc because everyone has a different opinion, just as they do on a cruise. So, how do you really know what hotel has newer rooms, a good breakfast, and a zillion other amenities that might please our personalities.

 

Hate to sound stupid, but have never rented a car in my life, so, if we decided to do that, we would rent the car once we arrive at Orlando Airport, then drive it to the hotel, and to the cruise port?

 

Do we drop off the car before we get to the cruise port, then rent another car when we get back and drive that to the airport for the trip back home, or, do we hang on to the rent a car and park it at the port and pay the parking fee until we get back, then have the same car to take back to the airport? I would think this would cost more than just hiring a shuttle.

 

Thanks

[JohninDC]

Thanks JohninDC for the info. After being unable to get a good feel for the various hotels in Cocoa Beach, I think we might just stay at the Hyatt Orland Airport hotel, even if it costs a bit more.

 

When reading reviews even on Trip Advisor and on Cruisecritic, it's hard to figure out if a particular hotel is clean, old, musty smelling, etc because everyone has a different opinion, just as they do on a cruise. So, how do you really know what hotel has newer rooms, a good breakfast, and a zillion other amenities that might please our personalities.

 

Hate to sound stupid, but have never rented a car in my life, so, if we decided to do that, we would rent the car once we arrive at Orlando Airport, then drive it to the hotel, and to the cruise port?

 

Do we drop off the car before we get to the cruise port, then rent another car when we get back and drive that to the airport for the trip back home, or, do we hang on to the rent a car and park it at the port and pay the parking fee until we get back, then have the same car to take back to the airport? I would think this would cost more than just hiring a shuttle.

 

Thanks

The Hyatt is an easy but expensive option; you could also search this link for other nearby MCO hotels:

http://www.mcohotels.com/

My mother (retired in FLA) has stayed for one night before an early flight at both the La Quinta North and the Best Western (not on the link) and both were fine for one night.

If you stay at the Hyatt you can wait until the next morning; if you stay anywhere else I would rent the car when you arrive - car rental desks are one level below bag claim at MCO. Then you can use the car to find someplace for dinner and my wife and daughters always seem to find an excuse for shopping. :o

A few hints on MCO to PC car rentals:

• Stick with the major agencies (Avis, Hertz, etc...) who have a drop location near the port; we have used Avis most recently and were happy with the service, but chose them more because of a corporate discount I get -- shop around at sites like kayak dot com or carrentals dot com.
  
• Check with your auto insurance policy - you are probably covered and do not need to purchase any of the extra insurance/waivers they try to sell.
  
• Bring your GPS or smart phone and skip renting the GPS for $10-15/day
  
• Bring change for the tolls
  
• Do not pre-purchase a full tank of gas -- you will only use a couple of gallons for the 50+ mile trip to PC; fill the car up before you turn it in.
  
• We prefer to drop the car off and then all of us ride the shuttle to the port; others drop their party and bags off first and then return the car - your call.
  
• If you have a late afternoon or evening flight home after your cruise you can rent a car to get back to MCO - put the bags in the trunk and you are free in FLA for a few hours; any departing before 1:00 and I would just take a shared shuttle to the airport.
  

Good luck! :)

[Dave4120]

Hi John....Thanks again for your time and help. Sure seems much easier to leave out of Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Baltimore, San Juan, or New Jersey like we have in the past, but I guess doing something new, and, a bit more challenging never hurt anyone.

 

I'm a bit more adventurous than my wife as she still wants to stay at a nice hotel in Cocoa Beach, and find a hotel that provides transportation from the airport to Cocoa Beach hotel, then from the hotel to the ship, and from the ship back to the airport.

 

I suppose that is fine too with so many transportation companies, but it has been hard to get a read on what hotels in Cocoa Beach are nice. Because of some Asthma issues, I have to try and make sure I stay in a fairly new hotel, or hotel with updated rooms. Older, run down places with that dirty, musty smell are not good for me.

 

As I read reviews from people who have stayed at various hotels in Cocoa Beach, opinions seem to vary quite a bit. At the moment, if we were to choose a hotel at Cocoa Beach, we are leaning a bit toward the Radisson, Best Western Ocean Beach, Country Inn & Suites, or Holiday Inn Express.

 

Thanks again for your help.

Dave

[mojomn]

This is my 10th cruise and also my first out of PC. Also my first time taking our teenage kids and a Nephew, 6 of us all together. I have done alot of research to try and keep transportation cost to a minumum. For us renting a car seems to be the answer, I found a code for budget it offers a huge discount!

Y937800

[JohninDC]

.

 

As I read reviews from people who have stayed at various hotels in Cocoa Beach, opinions seem to vary quite a bit. At the moment, if we were to choose a hotel at Cocoa Beach, we are leaning a bit toward the Radisson, Best Western Ocean Beach, Country Inn & Suites, or Holiday Inn Express.

 

Thanks again for your help.

Dave

 

I can't help you with PC hotel suggestions, but for transportation to PC area hotels you can either rent a car (with the bonus of using it for last minute shopping and dinner out), book a hotel that includes transportation (significantly limiting your hotel choices), or book your own tranportation. These 4 are often suggested by other cruisers on these boards:

Cocoa Beach shuttle

Star Trans

TraveLynx

Executive VIP Limo

 

Prices start at about $25 per person each way. Good luck! :)

[Dave4120]

Thanks for the information on available choices, and thanks for the Budget Rent a Car code offer. I did check it out and with that code, the rate is reduced by 50%. Not bad.

 

Now, we will decide what way makes the most sense, along with the least amount of stress.

[Dave4120]

Has anyone stayed at the Four Points Hotel by Sheraton. It looks fairly active, very good reviews, a great bar and restaurant, nice rooms and bedding. On the surface, if you're going to be stuck at a hotel prior to your cruise if you don't have a vehicle, this place could keep you occupied a bit more.

 

Any thoughts?

[cruisegirl1]

Has anyone stayed at the Four Points Hotel by Sheraton. It looks fairly active, very good reviews, a great bar and restaurant, nice rooms and bedding. On the surface, if you're going to be stuck at a hotel prior to your cruise if you don't have a vehicle, this place could keep you occupied a bit more.

 

Any thoughts?

 

We've stayed at the Four Points twice. The hotel is nice, close to the beach, close to many good restaurants and other stores. It is connected to the cocoa beach surf shop. The only downside was the pool. It was not very large or nice . The enclosed area was only large enough for a few lounge chairs.

 

They provided beach towels for the beach.

 

Take a look at trip advisor reviews.

 

Marci.

[carbon]

careful it is not for unlimited miles

[rafro]

Our group of five will be arriving two days before we sail and will fly home three days after we sail. Amazingly, it is cheaper for us to rent a car for the entire 12 days than to take shuttles or to just rent "one-way" before and after the cruise. Thank you Priceline! We can leave the car at our hotel while we are on the cruise.

[aria48]

The Radisson, closest to the port, only has a park and cruise package

 

strange.....

 

[zpdw484]

strange.....

 

Definitely strange as I have the fly, ride, and stay package booked at the Radisson for August......

[Dave4120]

I know it sounds very strange that the Radisson doesn't list the package of fly, ride and stay. Maybe they are not going to offer it anymore after this year. Our cruise is early May of 2014, and I was told by the hotel front desk, and, the national Radisson reservation line, that this package is not being offered. Maybe this will change once we get our of 2013.

 

In the meantime, we've decided to stay at the Embassy Suites Airport, about a mile away from the Orlando airport, then, reserve a shuttle to the ship, and from the ship back to the airport.

 

Obviously, I have plenty of time to change these plans, but after reading so many people mention about how crowded the rental car places are from people dropping off cars before their cruise, and, how many people picking up cars after their cruise to head back to the airport, it seemed like a lot of stress, and long wait times to get on the shuttle from the rent a car place to either the ship, or, back to the hotel.

 

Again, I know I stress out a lot faster and easier than most people, so, I could be worrying over something I shouldn't. But, the room rate at the Embassy Suites Airport was only $119. For the nice reviews this hotel has received, that rate was much cheaper than the hotels closer to the port, and, even with having to pay for a shuttle, I think everything comes out about the same.

[JohninDC]

That's a great rate :cool: -- especially if you arrive in time for the free happy hour! :D Lots of chain dining options within a few blocks - TGI Fridays, Chili's, Tony Roma, etc. if you don't want dinner in the hotel. Good luck! :)

[Dave4120]

Thanks John...I could believe the rate! We always stay at the Embassy Suite on 17th when we cruise out of Fort Lauderdale, and love that place. The hotel in Orlando appears to be newer, or, at least updated, so, for that rate, I think we did very well. We will arrive between 1 and 2-PM when we do fly in, and that will allow us to get situated, and, as you said, take advantage of the so called managers happy hour. All in all, I think staying here after flying will work fine. Get off the plane, get right to the hotel, then, the following day, we are in no rush. We can get our shuttle from the company we choose, even at noon, then arrive at the ship around 1, when the lines are less. I'm not going to wilt away if I'm not the first person to raid the buffet on the ship. lol.

 

Dave

[JohninDC]

Have a great cruise! :)

[Luvtoeat]

We will be staying at the comfort inn & suites including parking and shuttle to and from the port for only a few dollars more then if we parked at the port. Found a good deal on trip advisor.com. You may want to check it out and see whats available.