B2B Port Canaveral, then Miami, can it be done?

[Gone Cruising]

The wife and I were looking to go on a B2B on two different CC ships from two different ports. The 1st sailing is out of Port Canaveral that ends on Saturday and the second cruise is out of Miami on the same day. Flights look to take about an hour from MCO to Miami.

 

Can it be done? Will we have enough time? as long as we get off the ship asap!!!

 

Anyone done it? Thank you for your advice!!!

[bakersdozen12]

I'll let others with more experience chime in as to whether it's feasible, but just an FYI: from what I have read technically this wouldn't be considered a back-to-back, but rather a side-by-side. [emoji6]

 

Anyway, good luck, and enjoy your multiple cruises!

[Gone Cruising]

I'll let others with more experience chime in as to whether it's feasible, but just an FYI: from what I have read technically this wouldn't be considered a back-to-back, but rather a side-by-side. [emoji6]

 

Anyway, good luck, and enjoy your multiple cruises!

 

LOL!!! Thanks....S2S it is!

[FloridaGram]

It CAN be done, if everything falls into place the way it is supposed to. But it will be nerve wracking!

 

You could do self disembark early, like 7:30 and for straight to the airport, about 30 minutes from Pt Canaveral. (MCO will be crowded on a Sat. morning.) If you had a flight about 10 and got to Miami at 11 you should be at the port by 12:30 or 1 if you get a cab or have transportation arranged.

 

As long as your flight is not delayed, and there are not security problems at the airport, or a wreck on the way to the port you should be good!

[ginak82]

Or you could rent a car and drive. Miami is only a 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 hr drive from Orlando. If you self debark you would have plenty of time to make the drive.

[bakersdozen12]

Or you could rent a car and drive. Miami is only a 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 hr drive from Orlando. If you self debark you would have plenty of time to make the drive.

 

 

Yeah, I was thinking that driving would probably be the better (and cheaper) option too. This is probably what I would do. That way you don't have to worry about a canceled flight. Good luck!

[sunlovingirl]

I would self-debark, rent a car and drive. It totally could be done... Have fun!

[hartsnvt]

I agree with the above posters who suggest renting a car and driving down 95 to Miami. It is approximately 200 miles or 3 hours and 15 minutes. It is 40 minutes to Orlando International and that is driving your car. If you had a transfer, you would have to wait for all of the passengers that are going with you. Providing there is a flight that will accommodate you, it takes at least a half hour or more to go through security on a busy Sat morning.

 

I think it would be better in the long run to have your plans in your own hands and it would be a lot less expensive to do it this way.

[snc_cam]

regardless of the cost, it is more time-smart to drive than fly. Driving as has been said is a straight shot south down I-95. Make sure you check the times the rental car offices open in PC so you can be there as they open. You should probably take a cab from the port to the rental office otherwise you will be waiting for the rental car shuttle which could take another 30 minutes.

 

Going through MCO, you will (probably) have to check bags, which can take time, get through security. Also, you need to be there at least 60 (preferably 90) minutes ahead of your flight. Then when you get to Miami, you will need to get your luggage from baggage claim (don't know how efficient MIA is with this) and find travel to the POM. So worse case, you are probably even in time spent just traveling. But if something happens that causes the flight to be delayed, you could have more issues.

 

Me, I would drive. :)

[put me on a ship]

We live close to Port Canaveral. Flying is NOT the way to go! Rent a car, and drive, it will save time. From the port, it is about a 3 and a half hour drive. Get on the Beachline West, then take I 95 south, in Fort Pierce, jump on the turnpike (yes, it is a toll road, but less traffic). Once in Miami, you will get back on I 95 briefly, and follow signs to the port.

 

This is certainly doable, but you will want to be off the ship in PC early, to avoid stress.

[springs741]

I can understand your desire to do two cruises. Since you are flying to Florida you want to maximize your vacation dollars. Yes, your plan is doable but could potentially be a disaster too. While on a different interstate I travel every other weekend, 200 mile to see family. Some trips I make in a little over 3 hours other trips have taken literally twice that amount of time. Most recent delay was a big truck hit a bridge support and everyone was routed off the interstate around the damaged support. This was hours after the accident.

In all likelihood your plan could work but since you asked, I would spend most of the first cruise worrying about the connections.

 

Have you looked at other side to side options? I don't know Florida schedules but for example if you sailed out of Galveston there is a 5 day (Triumph) that ends on a Saturday and the Freedom sails on Saturday as well. Or the 7 day Freedom (sat to sat) spend the night in Galveston and sail out on the Magic on Sunday. I am sure there are similar scenarios in Florida.

[Havingfun2010]

I can understand your desire to do two cruises. Since you are flying to Florida you want to maximize your vacation dollars. Yes, your plan is doable but could potentially be a disaster too. While on a different interstate I travel every other weekend, 200 mile to see family. Some trips I make in a little over 3 hours other trips have taken literally twice that amount of time. Most recent delay was a big truck hit a bridge support and everyone was routed off the interstate around the damaged support. This was hours after the accident.

In all likelihood your plan could work but since you asked, I would spend most of the first cruise worrying about the connections.

 

Have you looked at other side to side options? I don't know Florida schedules but for example if you sailed out of Galveston there is a 5 day (Triumph) that ends on a Saturday and the Freedom sails on Saturday as well. Or the 7 day Freedom (sat to sat) spend the night in Galveston and sail out on the Magic on Sunday. I am sure there are similar scenarios in Florida.

 

Since this is very unlikely, and random, I would go with driving. By the way, going to Orlando, the same thing can randomly happen! Driving takes a little over 3 hours, with two major highways you can travel on. It might be a little pain dropping the car off, but flying would take much longer!

[loubetti]

As a Floridian, another vote for driving. It will cost much less than flying. Even accounting for traffic delays due to accidents (expect one along the way!) It is totally possible.

[Swampbabe]

We live close to Port Canaveral. Flying is NOT the way to go! Rent a car, and drive, it will save time. From the port, it is about a 3 and a half hour drive. Get on the Beachline West, then take I 95 south, in Fort Pierce, jump on the turnpike (yes, it is a toll road, but less traffic). Once in Miami, you will get back on I 95 briefly, and follow signs to the port.

 

This is certainly doable, but you will want to be off the ship in PC early, to avoid stress.

 

I would take a straight shot down 95, forget the turnpike. We drove to the port from Viera in two and half hours on a Sunday morning so no real traffic. Saturday will be a bit more crowded but not like a weekday. Take the port exit, go through the tunnel, easy peasy. No turns, no confusion.

[tbjl24]

Tampa and Jacksonville are also very close by car.....closer than Miami. So you have that option as well.

 

Ships aren't as good as Miami, though. :(

[kelkel2]

I also vote with driving. On your last day, do self disembarkation. You'll be one of the first groups off the ship. Take a taxi to the car rental company of your choice and do a one way rental to Miami. Pick up your car and go. That saves you the time of taking a shuttle back to Orlando and also checking bags and going through airport security. By the time you go through the ordeal of the shuttle, airport security, checking in and checking bags, you could already be halfway to Miami. I personally don't think it's worth it to fly and if there's any delays you're really hurting.

I would much rather have the rental car and have the travel in my own hands. Get the car and hit the road!!

[Mary Ellen1]

... and here's the umpteenth vote chiming in for DRIVING not FLYING. With a flight as short as MCO-MIA, you waste more time waiting around, standing in lines, dealing with security, etc. Drive it. :)

 

Have a fabulous double-cruise!

[surfone]

We met a couple that did just that last July they got off the Liberty in PC and drove down to Miami to catch a Royal C cruise that same day. I did wonder if they made it in time as you never know with traffic (especially on I95)

[D4]

Have you considered doing a B2B on the Glory or Breeze out of Miami? Both ships have alternating itineraries so you could do a real B2B. You wouldn't have to switch ships but you would still go to different ports each week.

 

Or consider ships that leave from Miami and Ft. Lauderdale because those ports aren't far apart.

 

As far as your question, yes it can be done, but I wouldn't ever choose that. (I love B2Bs on the same ship.)

Edited July 20, 2015 by D4

[islandatsea]

Driving would be better. I95 is a straight shot down to Miami. As an alternate in case of accidents, Florida Turnpike(toll road). Research where would be a good place to turn in the rental car near POM to see where the nearest drop-off would be.

 

Enjoy your cruise!

[Gone Cruising]

Thank you everyone!!! If we decide to do both of the cruises next year we will definitely drive. Self disembark and catch a taxi to the rental car place and away we will go!

[NavarreCruiser]

We live in Florida so we drive to both of these ports. We have done what you want to do twice with no sweat, although we just parked in Miami and did not have to drop off a rental car. I believe you can probably catch a rental car shuttle bus in Port Canaveral and save cab fare. We did catch a shuttle once after a repo cruise that ended in Port Canaveral. We rented a one way car rental to the departure port at the start of the cruise and another rental to drive home at the end of that cruise. It was definitely cheaper than airfare for 2.

[AmberTeka]

Take the Turnpike

 

Beat the traffic

 

My husband won't.

 

My Son in Law always does. He Beats us to Fort Lauderdale and/or Miami......by hours.

 

ONE car wreck in the Interstate heading into Miami..........you are stuck.

 

And as Dave Barry wrote........S. Florida car tags should carry the motto

 

WE ARE ARMED

 

tend to get excited when folks hit them..annoy them..etc.

[snc_cam]

I think I would rather stick to I95 than the turnpike, at least until you get closer to Miami. First, to get the turnpike from PC, you would have to go to Orlando. Second, the turnpike is more of a restricted access highway than I95. So, if there is an accident on the turnpike, you have less options to get off of it and work your way around the accident.