Port Canaveral Transportation - Looking for any and all suggestions

[laurliz41]

I just booked a cruise last night on Royal Caribbean out of Port Canaveral. My husband and I left from there before a couple of years ago when I booked a cruise last minute. We had arrived on the last flight of the day the night before the cruise so I simply booked the cheapest hotel I could get that had a free shuttle from airport to the hotel. I paid for a round trip shuttle from the hotel to Port Canaveral, I think it was $80 round trip for two of us if I remember correctly.

 

I was happy with this option buuuut since I'm planning much further ahead I am looking into all my options. I'll likely be flying into MCO from Chicago the day before and since the pier is a 40-minute or so drive from MCO I realize I'll have a few options and I'm looking for recommendations for:

 

• Hotels near MCO with free shuttles from MCO to hotel
  
• Car rental options that would allow me to pick up at MCO and drop off near Port Canaveral (any shuttle options from the locations near the pier?)
  
• Hotels near Port Canaveral (I assume some will have shuttles to the pier? fees?)
  
• Shuttles going to/from hotel/airport/pier/etc.
  
• Taxi vs. Shuttle vs. Renting a car
  

 

So tell me what you've done and would do again! Tell me what you didn't like! Anything is helpful.

[Kamloops50]

I just booked a cruise last night on Royal Caribbean out of Port Canaveral. My husband and I left from there before a couple of years ago when I booked a cruise last minute. We had arrived on the last flight of the day the night before the cruise so I simply booked the cheapest hotel I could get that had a free shuttle from airport to the hotel. I paid for a round trip shuttle from the hotel to Port Canaveral, I think it was $80 round trip for two of us if I remember correctly.

 

I was happy with this option buuuut since I'm planning much further ahead I am looking into all my options. I'll likely be flying into MCO from Chicago the day before and since the pier is a 40-minute or so drive from MCO I realize I'll have a few options and I'm looking for recommendations for:

 

• Hotels near MCO with free shuttles from MCO to hotel
  
• Car rental options that would allow me to pick up at MCO and drop off near Port Canaveral (any shuttle options from the locations near the pier?)
  
• Hotels near Port Canaveral (I assume some will have shuttles to the pier? fees?)
  
• Shuttles going to/from hotel/airport/pier/etc.
  
• Taxi vs. Shuttle vs. Renting a car
  

 

So tell me what you've done and would do again! Tell me what you didn't like! Anything is helpful.

 

We have always rented a car from MCO to Port Canaveral. Dropped off at the rental place and took their shuttle to the port . The same in return after our cruise. I would take the rental from MCO and drive to the hotel.

Edited April 19, 2016 by Kamloops50

[SteerageJoe]

Fortunately, there now more transport/hotel choices than ever to meet most budgets.

 

All the hotels within 10 miles or so from the Port have shuttle services, with only one or two exceptions. No worries there.

 

The choices are plenty and way too much to repeat here, but you can read all about it on this site - transportation options.

 

Hotels near the Port are grouped in clusters. Go here for maps and hotel average costs, shuttle info, etc. Hotel Options

[Capt_BJ]

right now

 

4 of the top 10 threads in this (Florida) forum are about this same topic .....

 

Search works ..... YES, there IS a lot to read. And the less you read the more restricted your answer is .....

 

not meant to be harsh but your answer IS here ..... well, maybe not the ANSWER but a TON of DATA to use to make a decision.

[Clarea]

We have always rented a car from MCO to Port Canaveral. Dropped off at the rental place and took their shuttle to the port . The same in return after our cruise. I would take the rental from MCO and drive to the hotel.

We do the same (rental car) from the airport to the hotel, pre-cruise. However, on the way back to the airport after the cruise, I don't want to spend the time renting and returning the car, so we usually do the Cortrans shuttle.

[AACJ]

It looks like she was looking for some SPECIFIC recommendations of what others had done. One of the 4 of the top 10 threads you mentioned is MINE. I was asking pretty much the same thing, recommendations on what people did.

 

You know what happened, I got answers! A lot of helpful answers. (big thanks to SteerageJoe BTW)

 

right now

 

4 of the top 10 threads in this (Florida) forum are about this same topic .....

 

Search works ..... YES, there IS a lot to read. And the less you read the more restricted your answer is .....

 

not meant to be harsh but your answer IS here ..... well, maybe not the ANSWER but a TON of DATA to use to make a decision.

[gorgotron]

Fortunately, there now more transport/hotel choices than ever to meet most budgets.

 

All the hotels within 10 miles or so from the Port have shuttle services, with only one or two exceptions. No worries there.

 

The choices are plenty and way too much to repeat here, but you can read all about it on this site - transportation options.

 

Hotels near the Port are grouped in clusters. Go here for maps and hotel average costs, shuttle info, etc. Hotel Options

 

Great list! I'd recommend http://www.executiveviplimousine.com/ if you want private transportation. Or https://www.goportcanaveral.com/airport-shuttle/day-of-cruise.php $14.50 each way for shared shuttle on TravelLynx you won't find cheaper.

[NotVeryCreative]

I'm interested in this info, too. I know the options:

• stay near MCO and shuttle, shared ride or private car to port in the morning
  
• shared ride or private car to hotel near port and then taxi or shuttle to port in the morning
  

 

But what I really want to know is what option did you pick and why? If you stayed near MCO, why did you chose that option and vice versa?

 

Do the hotels near the port offer free shuttles to the port? Or is there a cost?

[gorgotron]

I'm interested in this info, too. I know the options:

• stay near MCO and shuttle, shared ride or private car to port in the morning
  
• shared ride or private car to hotel near port and then taxi or shuttle to port in the morning
  

 

But what I really want to know is what option did you pick and why? If you stayed near MCO, why did you chose that option and vice versa?

 

Do the hotels near the port offer free shuttles to the port? Or is there a cost?

 

I've stayed near the port by the beach at Oceans Landings because we got there early and actually got the enjoy the beach.

 

I have stayed at Embassy Suites by the airport because we flew late and really just wanted to relax afterwords. The happy hour was a huge plus lol

 

Either way, got both all in one packages with Go Port Canaveral.

 

I think people don't know that Orlando is still a good option before a cruise. 1, because its near the airport. 2, because its near so many aattractions to help keep kids entertained.

 

Near the port has its obvious plusses. Easy to get to the terminal, and hang out at the beach before sailing out.

[JohninDC]

We prefer to stay in Orlando - 1000's of hotels in every price range.

 

We usually rent from Avis, but that's more for the corporate rate I get; all of the major car rental agencies have offices in PC/Cocoa Beach and offer port shuttles.

 

Post cruise I would opt for a shuttle over another car rental unless you have a flight leaving after about 2-2:30. Cocoa Beach Shuttle has been good to us, and CoreTrans is another good option.