Kennedy Space Center Post cruise excursion

[BillOh]

Since I am speaking specifically of the Royal Caribbean excursion, I hope the moderators will leave this here.

 

Have you taken it lately? I've found Royal's own descriptions to be sometimes inaccurate for excursions. I'm mainly interested in what time you arrived at the airport in Orlando. Southwest opens up flights next week so I want to use that info to pick my flight back.

 

I guess since I'm going on Freedom which leaves returns on Sunday, I should speak specifically to that. Those of you on a week day Enchantment return might have more traffic to deal with.

 

I'm grew up watching every launch from Mercury through the Shuttle and actually was in Coco Beach for the last launch of a Saturn V, so know what I expect to see, but I haven't been to MCO since 83 and have never sailed out of Port Canaveral before.

[Host Jacquelyn]

I have found many of the airport drop-off excursions add a detail along the lines of "must have 4:00 pm flight or later...". Did you check the fine print?

[BillOh]

I have found many of the airport drop-off excursions add a detail along the lines of "must have 4:00 pm flight or later...". Did you check the fine print?

 

It does say 4pm flight. My previous experiences with Royal's post cruise excursions from Miami and Fort Lauderdale they got us back to the airport way ahead of what they said. I suppose if I end up with a 3pm flight I could rent a car at the port and visit NASA myself and drop the car off at the airport . That might be cheaper.

[P&C4/16/67]

We're doing that excursion on Nov 15th. Our docs list the time of the excursion as 8:30am till 3:30pm. I'm assuming we will be at the airport before 3:30pm.

[nolesrule]

I was going to suggest just renting a car and taking a later flight actually.

 

I've been to KSC many times, including once after a cruise, and it sounds to me like the excursion is too short if they want you to have a 4pm or later flight, especially for someone who is obviously a fan of the space program.

 

And if you haven't seen the Atlantis exhibit yet, you're really going to wish you had the extra time.

[BillOh]

I was going to suggest just renting a car and taking a later flight actually.

 

I've been to KSC many times, including once after a cruise, and it sounds to me like the excursion is too short if they want you to have a 4pm or later flight, especially for someone who is obviously a fan of the space program.

 

And if you haven't seen the Atlantis exhibit yet, you're really going to wish you had the extra time.

 

They list is as 6 hours. I am guessing the bus might depart the ship around 8:30. I could priority disembark and get a rental car around 8am. Your right, I haven't been there since way before Atlantis' arrival. Not sure when they open, but I would be happy with whatever time I can get and if I leave at my own discretion, how long is the drive back to the airport? 45 minutes?

Edited October 23, 2014 by BillOh

[nolesrule]

Yeah, 45 minutes or so. Leave a little extra time for the rental return though.

 

When we went after the cruise, we were still living in Florida, so we had our own car. I think we got off the ship around 8:30ish. We did the included bus tour (the one that does the VAB drive-by with the stop at the Saturn V exhibit), saw the IMAX film, walked around some of the exhibits. I think we left around 4:30 or 5pm, mainly because we have young kids and they can only handle so much. I really wished we'd had more time. I would have liked to do one of the premium bus tours, and I could have used another hour at least in the Atlantis exhibit. It was just breathtaking.

[Debitoo]

Since I am speaking specifically of the Royal Caribbean excursion, I hope the moderators will leave this here.

 

Have you taken it lately? I've found Royal's own descriptions to be sometimes inaccurate for excursions. I'm mainly interested in what time you arrived at the airport in Orlando. Southwest opens up flights next week so I want to use that info to pick my flight back.

 

I guess since I'm going on Freedom which leaves returns on Sunday, I should speak specifically to that. Those of you on a week day Enchantment return might have more traffic to deal with.

 

I'm grew up watching every launch from Mercury through the Shuttle and actually was in Coco Beach for the last launch of a Saturn V, so know what I expect to see, but I haven't been to MCO since 83 and have never sailed out of Port Canaveral before.

We were just on that excursion Sept 28th.

 

This picture was taken before 9:00 am and we had been there for 10 minutes or so. I don't think it opens till 9:00.

 

 

There is no way you can see everything in that short time. The bus ride around the launching pads was very informative and something you can't see unless you are on a tour. I'd love to go back and really spend some time there.

 

Atlantis is HUGE!

 

 

 

We were at the airport by 4:00 pm

 

Enjoy!

[Bailey & Sophie]

We were there for an entire DAY and didn't see it all. If you can, I would suggest spending an extra day. The place is fabulous. There is a small, but nice place for lunch.

[BillOh]

We were there for an entire DAY and didn't see it all. If you can, I would suggest spending an extra day. The place is fabulous. There is a small, but nice place for lunch.

 

Thanks for that. At this point an extra day is out of the question, I will keep that in mind for the future. I have been there before, but that was more than 30 years ago. I know I can go on my own and not see everything. I can accept that. I wasn't aware of any admission though. I live near a comparable facility in the US Air Force Museum in Dayton Ohio and that place is a 2 day visit, absolutely wonderful and totally free. Forgot about the possibility of paying admission on our own.

[Bailey & Sophie]

Thanks for that. At this point an extra day is out of the question, I will keep that in mind for the future. I have been there before, but that was more than 30 years ago. I know I can go on my own and not see everything. I can accept that. I wasn't aware of any admission though. I live near a comparable facility in the US Air Force Museum in Dayton Ohio and that place is a 2 day visit, absolutely wonderful and totally free. Forgot about the possibility of paying admission on our own.

There's also a van that will take you to some of the remote areas. That was pretty interesting, too. You could see some of the launch sites way off in the distance.

[GaryT-UK]

I went on this tour from the Freedom last Sunday (19 Oct 2014).

Meeting time in the theatre was changed from 8.15am to 7am (for operational reasons) which meant a very early start. We were almost first off the ship, but had to wait for the bus and didn't leave until almost 8.30am. However we arrived at KSC just at 9am, which is when it opens anyway.

We had a great tour guide (Connie) who kept us all moving.

The tour included a quick trip to the Early space flight exhibit (a bit too quick), the Rocket park, Atlantis (awesome & do the launch simulator if you can), then we had a bus tour of the launch pads before getting to the Saturn V section for lunch.

We left at 2pm and were at the airport for around 3pm, though they say it's ok for domestic flights after 4pm & international after 5pm (you are at the mercy of traffic & also the rest of you tour group being on time).

As a tour it was one of the many highlights of my holiday. You don't have time to leisurely read everything, but it fills the time before your flight well. I'd definitely recommend it if you like anything space related.

[P&C4/16/67]

Thank you for the review:). We're doing this tour on November 15th. Could you tell me how the luggage was handled? Thank you.

[GaryT-UK]

Thank you for the review:). We're doing this tour on November 15th. Could you tell me how the luggage was handled? Thank you.

 

You put your main luggage outside your cabin the night before & keep your hand luggage with you. They give you numbered tags (ours was #1), tours were first off the ship after the independent departures.

Once off the ship you collect your own cases from the carousel in the terminal before going through customs. I think there were porters, but I didn't need them.

Once outside at the tour bus you make sure your cases go on the bus you are travelling on. The driver and tour guide are there to make sure you are ok.

The bus was locked all day for our tour, so you could leave everything on the bus - I just carried a small bag with a bottle of water round KSC.

Then you take the same bus to the airport, pick your own bags off the bus and then head to check in.

[P&C4/16/67]

Thank you for that info., we're looking forward to the tour and consider it a great value with the airport transfers.

[Cruiser523]

I'd like to tack on a related question here: We're going to be on Quantum next month with the first stop in Port Canaveral. The RCCL excursion price is $80, which means about $30 just for transportation. There will be 5 of us (friends) going, would we be better off just renting a car for around $50 and splitting that (which seems cheaper than a cab at $50 each way), or is there something that the cruise line excursion does that's not part of the regular tours?

[flpab]

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Hertz+Local+Edition,+8963+Astronaut+Blvd,+Cape+Canaveral,+FL+32920/Kennedy+Space+Center,+Florida+32899/@28.4861291,-80.7362953,12z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m13!4m12!1m5!1m1!1s0x88e0a6347a82748b:0xa0b8891294fb45c4!2m2!1d-80.615416!2d28.399426!1m5!1m1!1s0x88e74b95a365c6fd:0x8b7339f246f869dd!2m2!1d-80.648981!2d28.572872

 

hoping this map comes up ok for you. Rent a car from the hertz place in Cape Canaveral and take the bee line to state rd 3, Merritt Island exit. Follow the signs, watch your speed once you enter the space center and on the rd that says 45 mph.

[Cruiser523]

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Hertz+Local+Edition,+8963+Astronaut+Blvd,+Cape+Canaveral,+FL+32920/Kennedy+Space+Center,+Florida+32899/@28.4861291,-80.7362953,12z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m13!4m12!1m5!1m1!1s0x88e0a6347a82748b:0xa0b8891294fb45c4!2m2!1d-80.615416!2d28.399426!1m5!1m1!1s0x88e74b95a365c6fd:0x8b7339f246f869dd!2m2!1d-80.648981!2d28.572872

 

hoping this map comes up ok for you. Rent a car from the hertz place in Cape Canaveral and take the bee line to state rd 3, Merritt Island exit. Follow the signs, watch your speed once you enter the space center and on the rd that says 45 mph.

Map came up fine, thanks. It's certainly close enough, hopefully someone can answer my question about whether there's anything special on the excursion vs. just driving there and pay ourselves.

[GaryT-UK]

Thinking back our guide mainly kept us moving, as there was a lot to see and we had limited time as we were heading to the airport.

We also jumped the queue for the bus tour of the launch pads which takes you on to the Saturn V centre, and we had our own bus on the way back too.

If you do go on your own I'd make sure you check these bus times (I didn't have to think about that on the ship's tour, so I'm not sure if long waits are a big issue) especially if you have to be back at the ship early.

[stellarose]

We are doing the KSC excursion in December. Question.... Lunch? It is an 8 hour trip. Do we get a bag lunch or is that an extra cost??

[Clarea]

We are doing the KSC excursion in December. Question.... Lunch? It is an 8 hour trip. Do we get a bag lunch or is that an extra cost??

Lucnh was extra cost when we took the excursion a few years ago. There's is a food venue in the visitor center.

[GaryT-UK]

Lunch wasn't included on the airport run tour either, but there is a cafe at the Saturn V centre and we stayed there long enough to visit and have lunch.

[stellarose]

For that price no lunch? Yikes.

 

It is over 300 dollars for family of 4.

[Clarea]

For that price no lunch? Yikes.

 

It is over 300 dollars for family of 4.

Not to pile on, but lunch is not inexpensive there either.

[stellarose]

Guess when on vacation... You gotta roll with the punches. :-):)