Cocoa Beach or Port Canaveral

[xan51090]

We are cruising out of Port Canaveral on the Magic in May, 2017. I'm in the process of booking transportation and a hotel 1 nite pre-cruise. We've narrowed down the hotel to either Homewood Suites at Port Canaveral or La Quinta Oceanfront at Cocoa Beach. We arrive at MCO at 10 AM and are taking a shuttle from the airport to our hotel so no car. My question is, since we aren't familiar with the Pt.Canaveral/Cocoa Beach area, which of the 2 hotels would have more to do within walking distance? Also any restaurants that are within walking distance? Thanks in advance!

[crewsweeper]

La Quinta will give you more walking type things to do. The CB pier is about a block away via the beach. There are many restaurants around too.

 

Homewood is closer to the cruise port, but unless their shuttle takes you to the small row of restaurants along the ship canal (and these are good restaurants with good seafood) it's a bit far to walk and not sidewalks. There is the Florida Beer Company brewery on the same side of A1A and close by though;)

[John&LaLa]

La Quinta will give you more walking type things to do. The CB pier is about a block away via the beach. There are many restaurants around too.

 

Homewood is closer to the cruise port, but unless their shuttle takes you to the small row of restaurants along the ship canal (and these are good restaurants with good seafood) it's a bit far to walk and not sidewalks. There is the Florida Beer Company brewery on the same side of A1A and close by though;)

 

The walk is far, but I'm pretty sure there is a sidewalk. I vote for the beachside property any day.

[Capt_BJ]

near the Homewood, without going to the Cove area are

 

Kelsey's Pizza (above average informal Italian ... a GREAT Greek salad .. I was here just last week and go regularly) http://kelseyscanaveral.com/

 

Zachary's - your typical Greek American place .... good food - especially good for breakfast altho that's included in most hotels now .... http://www.zacharysrestaurant.com/

 

Preacher Bar - same building as Kelsey's http://preacherbar.com/lunch-dinner-menu/

 

{also McD's and Burger King}

 

and the Cove places ARE near but walking is not something I'd recommend. A taxi (or UBER) will be just a few dollars.

[acruisingcouple]

We've stayed at the La Quinta Oceanfront. It was great being right on the beach and being able to walk to so many places. We loved the Cocoa Beach pier - in fact, we are going there during our Breakaway stop in Port Canaveral in March!

 

 

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[terri-eddie]

We are cruising out of Port Canaveral on the Magic in May, 2017. I'm in the process of booking transportation and a hotel 1 nite pre-cruise. We've narrowed down the hotel to either Homewood Suites at Port Canaveral or La Quinta Oceanfront at Cocoa Beach. We arrive at MCO at 10 AM and are taking a shuttle from the airport to our hotel so no car. My question is, since we aren't familiar with the Pt.Canaveral/Cocoa Beach area, which of the 2 hotels would have more to do within walking distance? Also any restaurants that are within walking distance? Thanks in advance!

 

I'm in this process also, although our cruise is still a long time away...Dec 2017. Can I ask you which shuttle service you booked?

[xan51090]

We haven't booked the shuttle yet as we need to make a decision on the hotel first but we're leaning toward Cortrans.

[terri-eddie]

We haven't booked the shuttle yet as we need to make a decision on the hotel first but we're leaning toward Cortrans.

 

Thank you....that's our thought also.

[SugarTwist]

We've stayed at the La Quinta Oceanfront. It was great being right on the beach and being able to walk to so many places. We loved the Cocoa Beach pier - in fact, we are going there during our Breakaway stop in Port Canaveral in March!

 

 

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How far is LaQuinta from the port?

[Magellan321]

How far is LaQuinta from the port?

 

It is about 3.5 miles.

[Magellan321]

Just an FYI....there are 2 La Quinta lodges in the Cocoa beach area. The name of the one furthest from the port(about 10miles south) is a bit misleading calling itself La Quinta Cocoa Beach-Port Canaveral. La Quinta Cocoa Beach Ocean Front is the one closest to the port and adjacent to the Cocoa Beach Pier.

[John&LaLa]

Just an FYI....there are 2 La Quinta lodges in the Cocoa beach area. The name of the one furthest from the port(about 10 miles south) is a bit misleading calling itself La Quinta Cocoa Beach-Port Canaveral. La Quinta Cocoa Beach Ocean Front is the one closest to the port and adjacent to the Cocoa Beach Pier.

 

It's more like 6-7 miles depending on which Terminal you go to. But I'd stay at the one by the pier.

[Capt_BJ]

Google Earth and/or maps allows you to check all this geography yourself . . .

[John&LaLa]

Google Earth and/or maps allows you to check all this geography yourself . . .

 

I think that is where I got it. :D

 

The southern one is about a half mile from our place. All I know is that it takes about 8-10 minutes to get to the port from our condo.

[Desert Cruizers]

We will be cruising out of Port Canaveral for the first time,next year and see it is about 45 minutes from the airport to Cape Canaveral. We will be staying at least 1 night pre cruise, are we best to take a shuttle from the airport to the hotel then cab to the Royal Caribbean cruise terminal for the Oasis.

[John&LaLa]

We will be cruising out of Port Canaveral for the first time,next year and see it is about 45 minutes from the airport to Cape Canaveral. We will be staying at least 1 night pre cruise, are we best to take a shuttle from the airport to the hotel then cab to the Royal Caribbean cruise terminal for the Oasis.

 

I'd rent a car with a drop off in Cape Canaveral. Generally between $35 and $60.

Edited January 6, 2017 by John&LaLa

[milton333]

We will be cruising out of Port Canaveral for the first time,next year and see it is about 45 minutes from the airport to Cape Canaveral. We will be staying at least 1 night pre cruise, are we best to take a shuttle from the airport to the hotel then cab to the Royal Caribbean cruise terminal for the Oasis.

 

We've sailed several times out of Port Canaveral. In my opinion, unless you are staying at a Disney property pre-cruise and want to use their bus service to get to the port, renting a car is cheap and easy. Unlike many rental locations, there's no draconian one-way rental fee tacked on, lots of people do this. It's 45-60 minutes from MCO to the port area. There are tolls on the highway out, so be prepared to have quarters and dollars with you (you can Google the toll costs, I want to say I spent maybe $4 each way but you'll want more current information than that). The rental car's toll pass costs far more than paying the tolls in cash yourself.

 

We have dropped off family and luggage at the port and had one person return the car. All the rental services have a free shuttle to the port. That is optimal for causing less hassle to others, there can be a considerable delay waiting for the rental car agency's shuttle bus when it's loaded up with entire families and all their luggage, versus one luggage-less driver headed back to the port after dropping the family.

 

But keep in mind that you can't check in to the cruise without your entire party present. My experiences sailing out of Port Canaveral have been mostly in September (around 9/11 anniversaries) so this procedure may vary, but we could not go through security without our entire party present and sometimes the first security screening starts close to the door or there is someone looking for boarding documents right at the door to the lovely air-conditioned building. We were basically waiting outside the building in the heat for husband to come back from returning the car. Just plan for it - I still wouldn't pay the cost of a car service or shuttle just to get to the port, but there are logistical considerations.

 

Oh: and there's really no cab service from Orlando to the port. You can get car services or shuttles, but should not expect to be able to step out of your Orlando-area hotel to catch a cab to the port.

Edited January 6, 2017 by milton333