Stay in Orlando or Port Canaveral??

[Calli50]

Hi all, for those of you that have cruised out of Port Canaveral, do you recommend staying in Orlando or Port Canaveral? We will be flying in the day before the cruise, and it looks like we can get a good deal at a hotel by the airport, and then use a shuttle service to get us to the cruise ship the next day. Seems reasonably priced. Or does anyone think staying by the port is the better option? Thanks in advance for any input!!!

[smileygirl_68]

I’ve always stayed at the airport. I decided I’d rather get to my hotel ASAP and then wake up refreshed for a trip to the port. I stay at the Hyatt which is in the airport so there’s no extra travel at all..bit pricey but works for me after flying in from the uk.

 

The port isn’t that far though, maybe 40/50 mins and there are a number of fly/snooze/cruise packages that might help you decide. Either way, once you’re on a beautiful ship, all the travel activity is forgotten!

[fla gang]

Stay in Orlando. It's cheaper and not that far to the port from there.

[Starry Eyes]

Staying near the airport is a practical option. Plenty of hotels and restaurants.

If one really wants a beach day (and has a flight that arrives early enough to allow a beach day), then consider staying in Cocoa beach.

[rolloman]

One item to consider is the fact there is only one road to the Port from the Airport. ( 528 beachline toll road )There is construction and occasional delays due to traffic. If you do stay in Orlando, please make sure to allow yourself plenty of port arrival time in the event of a traffic situation.

[cruise wizard]

We usually stay in Cocoa Beach - go to one of the restaurants right at the port for dinner and watch the cruise ships sail right by the deck. Then wake up a little bit later the next day, have a leisurely breakfast and then take a shuttle to the port to arrive about 11:30.................no stress.

 

We usually have dinner at Rusty's - check it out:

 

http://www.rustysseafood.com/

[Garf]

I am living in Orlando FL, you can stay by the Orlando Airport area and the next morning you travel to Port Canaveral. The drive from the Airport Hotels is only about 35-40 mins to the port.I will be at the port in September myself.

[cb at sea]

I agree...unless you're getting in VERY early, and wish to go to a beach the day you arrive, you'll save money staying in Orlando.

[bobmacliberty]

We stay in Orlando and drive a one way rental car to the port the next morning. There are typically cheaper hotel options near the airport (we like the 2BR "suite" at Homewood Suites that's usually <$200 per night). If we would arrive in Orlando on a Saturday morning though for a Sunday cruise, I'd consider staying at the port to watch other ships sail out on Saturday while enjoying Grills for drinks/dinner. Our flights times just don't seem to allow that.

[deliver42]

There is a lot of competition in Orlando, so rates stay reasonable. The lack of same in Port Canaveral, and the location keep the rates higher there.

[Clarea]

I'd rather stay near the port. We've always been able to find reasonable hotel rates in Cape Canaveral/Cocoa Beach, and I like knowing that I'm beyond the most likely possiblity for traffic problems.

[RocketMan275]

Hi all, for those of you that have cruised out of Port Canaveral, do you recommend staying in Orlando or Port Canaveral? We will be flying in the day before the cruise, and it looks like we can get a good deal at a hotel by the airport, and then use a shuttle service to get us to the cruise ship the next day. Seems reasonably priced. Or does anyone think staying by the port is the better option? Thanks in advance for any input!!!

We're staying in Orlando at the Doubletree on our next cruise. Many nice options but DT is located within walking distance of places to eat. Here's a nice link that you might find helpful. Covers hotels in Orlando and at the Port as well as transportation options to the Port.

 

http://cruiseportcanaveral.us/hotels/

[time4u2go]

We usually stay in Cocoa Beach - go to one of the restaurants right at the port for dinner and watch the cruise ships sail right by the deck. Then wake up a little bit later the next day, have a leisurely breakfast and then take a shuttle to the port to arrive about 11:30.................no stress.

 

We usually have dinner at Rusty's - check it out:

 

http://www.rustysseafood.com/

 

I'd rather stay near the port. We've always been able to find reasonable hotel rates in Cape Canaveral/Cocoa Beach, and I like knowing that I'm beyond the most likely possiblity for traffic problems.

I would agree with these. Might as well be in that area, relax, have a nice meal on/near the beach, watch other cruise ships, and most importantly, no chance of delays along 528. It may be a little more expensive, but it's only one night.

[Swampbabe]

We usually stay in Cocoa Beach - go to one of the restaurants right at the port for dinner and watch the cruise ships sail right by the deck. Then wake up a little bit later the next day, have a leisurely breakfast and then take a shuttle to the port to arrive about 11:30.................no stress.

 

 

 

We usually have dinner at Rusty's - check it out:

 

 

 

http://www.rustysseafood.com/

 

 

 

Rusty’s is closed. Another restaurant at the port is Rising Tide Tap and Table

 

 

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[time4u2go]

Rusty’s is closed. Another restaurant at the port is Rising Tide Tap and Table

 

 

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Are you sure? It still has a website, and there are reviews from yesterday.

[reallyitsmema]

We prefer to stay in the Port Canaveral area so we don't have any surprises on 528 the morning of the cruise. We get a one way rental so we can go to dinner and then head to CVS to grab wine, sunscreen and toiletries so we don't have to waste any of our luggage weight since we are flying in. We return the car the morning of the cruise and take the rental car shuttle to the port. Some prefer to drop people and luggage at the port first and then have the driver drop off the car, we prefer to stay together and just take out luggage on the rental shuttle.

[Bobal]

We stay in Orlando and drive a one way rental car to the port the next morning. There are typically cheaper hotel options near the airport (we like the 2BR "suite" at Homewood Suites that's usually <$200 per night). If we would arrive in Orlando on a Saturday morning though for a Sunday cruise, I'd consider staying at the port to watch other ships sail out on Saturday while enjoying Grills for drinks/dinner. Our flights times just don't seem to allow that.

 

Would you (or anyone else) recommend a particular car hire company? Is there a company whereby you can drop at the port, or does it have to be in Cocoa Beach and if so do any of the hire companies have a shuttle to the port Thanks

[Clarea]

Would you (or anyone else) recommend a particular car hire company? Is there a company whereby you can drop at the port, or does it have to be in Cocoa Beach and if so do any of the hire companies have a shuttle to the port Thanks

We've had very good luck with Avis, but there are other companies with shuttles to the cruise terminals:

 

 

http://cruiseportcanaveral.us/car-rental/

[seabeew]

Are you sure? It still has a website, and there are reviews from yesterday.

 

 

 

Swampbabe might have been thinking of Millikens.

 

 

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[nerak11]

We always have stayed near the port. Cocoa Beach is a nice little town and it feels like our vacation begins once we are there. Some trips we’ve even arrived early enough to enjoy the beach for an afternoon. Lots of great little restaurants. We rent a car at the airport and have it to drive around that day and return it at the Port Canaveral location the next morning and get the free shuttle to the port. (We use Budget and have paid as little as $25 for a 24hr rental)

 

Staying near the airport is much more utilitarian.

[pstone1]

Rusty’s is closed. Another restaurant at the port is Rising Tide Tap and Table

 

 

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Are you sure? It still has a website, and there are reviews from yesterday.

 

There are many good restaurants at Port Canaveral including Rusty's. Grills, Fishlips, and Atlantic Seafood are also right there along the waterfront. Millikan's has closed but something else will open in that location in the near future. There are several hotels clustered in Cape Canaveral, minutes from the Port with several other restaurants within walking distance.

[jules815]

We prefer to stay in the Port Canaveral area so we don't have any surprises on 528 the morning of the cruise. We get a one way rental so we can go to dinner and then head to CVS to grab wine, sunscreen and toiletries so we don't have to waste any of our luggage weight since we are flying in. We return the car the morning of the cruise and take the rental car shuttle to the port. Some prefer to drop people and luggage at the port first and then have the driver drop off the car, we prefer to stay together and just take out luggage on the rental shuttle.

 

We do exactly the same thing, including our trip to CVS or Publix for sunscreen and toiletries.

 

We really like the Residence Inn in Port Canaveral. Hertz is right in their parking lot, so returning our rental car and taking the shuttle is a breeze.

[alfaeric]

One think you can factor into the cost is transportation. Many hotels in Orlando offer transportation packages- both to and from the port. That can save some money and stress.

 

The other factor for us is the flight- we can work the night that we fly to Orlando, land near midnight. And saying in Orlando is much better than getting to anywhere in Canaveral really late. So it saves money and a vacation day.

[reallyitsmema]

We do exactly the same thing, including our trip to CVS or Publix for sunscreen and toiletries.

 

We really like the Residence Inn in Port Canaveral. Hertz is right in their parking lot, so returning our rental car and taking the shuttle is a breeze.

 

Residence Inn and Hertz are our first choices too, we are staying there again in September.:D

[jules815]

Residence Inn and Hertz are our first choices too, we are staying there again in September.:D

 

:D Another nice thing about Residence Inn is they offer a 2 bedroom/bath combo that was a really nice room back when we were cruising with our teen daughters. Would also be good for 2 couples.

 

Haven't sailed out of PC since 2015 after Freedom left.