Flying in to Orlando day early for Mariner

[genxian]

Hello everyone,

 

My fiance and I will be flying in to Orlando (MCO) on June 24th for our honeymoon cruise on the Mariner (June 25th - July 2nd). I am confused as to the best way to handle the transfers and hotel lodging for the one day pre-cruise.

 

I have thought about staying at a hotel close to the airport and then needing transfers from airport to hotel, hotel to pier, and finally pier to airport.

 

I have also considered staying at a hotel close to the pier and then needing transfers from airport to hotel, hotel to pier (hopefully free from the hotel), and finally pier to airport again.

 

Are there any other viable options?

 

If we stay near the airport maybe we could go back to the airport the day of the cruise and take the Royal Carribean bus transfers. I think the RCI bus transfers are $50 per person round trip right?

 

So scenarios:

 

1) Airport to hotel near aiport (???), hotel cost (~100), hotel to airport (???), RCI round trip transfers (~100)

2) Airport to hotel near pier (~60), hotel cost, hotel to pier (~free), pier to airport (~60).

3) ???

 

Please advise about good hotels and the best scenario.

 

Thanks everyone.

 

P.S. best transportation back to airport??? We will have a later flight so I suppose we could drive, neither my fiance nor I have driven in a big city situation though.

[cruisinisforme]

Do you have a roll call for your cruise yet? You will probably find a lot of people coming in a day early, most of them tend to stay near the peer at Ron Jon's or the Radisson, I know there are several of us on my upcoming cruise and they are all planning on getting together the night before. Either scenario will work for you, depends on what you want to do the night before. Im staying near the pier and also arranged my own transportation.

[cruz1234]

You could rent a car and drive out to the port area. I know the Radisson has a shuttle back and forth to the pier. You could return the car after you get there and check in. then in the am ride the shuttle to port. On the return the car rental places have shuttles at the port to bring you there. It is inexpensive to rent cars, and it's a very easy drive to the port, a straightshot from Airport to Port area. But if you are not comfotable there are other services that take you out to the port area on the day before. I think I would rather get down to the port area, although we always come in a day early and stay on Disney property the day before and go into a park for the day. :)

[alwaysfrantic]

Renting a car will be the easiest & cheapest. You'll also not be herded along with many others onto a bus spending a few hours of your honeymoon with 45 others.

[jkfreeman33]

We were on the Mariner 9/4 sailing. We arrived on Saturday, 9/3 and rented a van for 6, from National and drove to the Hampton Inn in Cocoa Beach. We had the car that night for dinner, etc. The next morning I dropped the car off at National (less than 6 blocks away) and walked back to the Hampton Inn. At Noon the shuttle picked us up at the Hampton Inn and drove us the the port for $4.00 per person. We had transfers from the pier to the airport when the cruise was over.

 

In June, we were on Carnival's Glory and we rented the smallest car and stayed at the Radisson. We parked our car in their parking lot and took the hotel shuttle to the pier and back. Very convenient & I really liked the 2 room suite at the Radisson.

[dirtgirl]

We stayed at the Hyatt at the Airport (no transfers needed there:) ), then took Art's Shuttle to the pier. It was cheaper than the RC transfers for 5 people, but it wouldn't be for 2 people.

[Nieuwcruiser]

We went a day early in Jan. Used Art's shuttle to take us to the Holiday Inn, Cocoa Beach which I got for a very good deal through price line. Then Arts picked us up in the morning to take us to the ship. For 4 Arts from airport to Cocoa Beach was around $65.00, then $3.00 each to the pier. So, my advice skip the transfers, take care of it on your own. No problems with Arts.

[dfgf]

Also, there is certainly nothing to fear about "big city driving" in Orlando! The entire area between the Orlando airport and Port Canaveral is actually quite rural. There's no big-city rush hour like there is in NYC, Chicago, Atlanta, etc.

 

I would rent the car and go have fun near the port.

 

I would also recommend Grills (do a search on it) for some excellent seafood in a rustic atmosphere.

[GLB]

I am also on the Mariner the same dates on my honeymoon. :) I live in FL but will be driving over the night before. I found a nice room (I hope) at the Doubletree in Cocoa Beach which I understand is fairly close to the port and right on the beach. As everyone else has said do not worry about the drive. We are not in season yet and it is the weekend so traffic will be light and the drive very easy.

Congrats on the wedding!

[TheWog]

For ease the MCO Hyatt is the best thing. Right in the airport, then just use the transfers. I like the idea of utilizing the services of Art's or similar. I think Art uses all vans, if you want limo for your honeymoon experience you may need another service. Get a room overlooking the ocean and hit the pier in the morning. I say go for it, its your honeymoon.

[genxian]

Lots of great suggestions guys, I really appreciate it.

 

I am leaning towards staying at Hyatt MCO (and taking arts or rci transfer round trip) or Radisson and renting a car or arts round trip.

 

What time should I be at the pier for embarkation on the 25th (sailing date)? We can be there anytime basically, just need to know when to wake up.

 

I haven't done the meet and mingle yet for our cruise, should I sign up for that?

 

Thanks everyone,

 

Brandon

[maggieq]

I was going to stay at the port but I am now staying Saturday night at the Hyatt and will take the rccl bus roundtrip. It's only two of us so it doesn't really pay for us to do Arts.

 

I'd be more than happy to tell you of our experience of the hyatt, shuttle and cruise, if you like.

 

M

[genxian]

I would love to hear how it goes, please share, and have fun!

[wovenwonder]

We will be on the same sailing. I think we may come in on Thursday and spend a couple days at Universal.

 

In the past, we have stayed both at the Hyatt Airport and the Hampton Inn CoCoa Beach. Both were very nice.

 

Jody

wovenwonder@gmail.com

[lclocke]

We stayed at the Hyatt at the Airport (no transfers needed there:) ), then took Art's Shuttle to the pier. It was cheaper than the RC transfers for 5 people, but it wouldn't be for 2 people.

 

I am glad to hear this...we are a party of 8 going on the Mariner 4/2/06 and I was beginning to have nightmares about transporting my 86 and 87 y/o in-laws to the port from Orlando. I think this is reasonable, doing the Hyatt and then going to the Port on sail date. Does Art's shuttle need reservations or is it catch as catch can????

[ata1976]

We flew into Orlando and rented a car through Budget. We had 4 adults and lots of luggage. We spent 2 nights in Orlando then drove to the port. We dropped the car off at Budget and took their free shuttle. If we had to do that again, we would have dropped off 3 people and ALL the luggage at the port then dropped the car off. For the shuttle it was really just a full size van that would only hold 7-8 people plus luggage. It would have been a lot easier if we had only one person catching it back to the port than the 4 of us and all our luggage.

When we departed the ship, the shuttle was there waiting for us and took us back to Budget. We picked up a car and toured Kennedy Space Center that day. Our flight was that night and we drove back to Orlando and caught the flight home.

[garyw]

If you're getting in fairly early, I would say rent a car through Budget and stay in Port Canaveral at the Radisson or another hotel nearby. It's a nice place to spend a relaxing afternooon before your exciting departure.

 

Be sure to go to Grills for dinner in time to watch the ships go out.

 

Reserve your car now and keep watching. I was able to get a car for $22/day by watching for their specials.

 

Budget and Avis have a van that will take you to the port and they are very close to the hotel. The Radission also has a shuttle, but it was pretty heavily scheduled when we went.

 

It's nice to have the car so you can pick up any last minute items you forgot or if you would like to purchase some sodas to take on board with you.

 

Upon our return we rented a car again and went to Port Canaveral Space Center. It was a nice way to spend the morning before flying home. If you didn't have time, you could take a shuttle back to the airport.

[Pitbull1130]

Regardless if you go to Cocoa eat at Florida Seafood.