Sailing Celebrity out of Port Canaveral

[phoenix_dream]

I will also search the departure port pages, but also looking for some specific info about sailing Celebrity out of Port Canaveral.  If anyone who has done it can report back on their experience?  Particularly if they want to fly in several days earlier and rent a car and stay in the area?  Does Celebrity offer shuttle service from the port back to Orlando?  Has anyone used it and how might it compare to private services or Uber/Lyft?  Are there rental car options available that don't charge around $400 PER DAY for a one way rental should I want to do that (yes, I typed the number correctly!).  Is it worth it to stay outside of the immediate area and Uber to the port?  I can't believe the prices of hotels I am seeing for early March (yes I know spring break is starting but shouldn't be too bad that early).  I thought Lauderdale and Miami were bad - they're nothing compared to these prices.

 

I strongly advise anyone considering sailing out of that port do some research prior on these things.  I already booked my cruise and now almost wish I hadn't.  I don't think that area is really geared up yet to handle the huge increase in sailings caused by the addition of more Celebrity and Royal ships (not to mention other lines).  Any input would be appreciated and fingers crossed I can figure this all out without needing to take a second mortgage out on my house.

[mom says]

Have you looked at the Florida Departures board? I'm sure there's lots of info about getting from MCO to Port Canaveral and back.

[Georgia_Peaches]

Port Canaveral is a very easy port to navigate.  There is lots of parking, which is great for those of us who live close enough to drive.  I'm not a fan of the Orlando area so flying in a few days ahead is not something I would do...but I'm not into theme parks and that's the Orlando draw.

 

Here's what I would recommend if you want to fly in a day or two early...UBER to Coco Beach.  Coco Beach is not far from the cruise terminal and is a great way to kick off a cruise.  The town reminds me of a mid-century throw back to what vacationing was like when I was a kid growing up in the 70's and 80's.  We stay at a place called The Inn at Coco Beach.  It is a boutique hotel with quaint grounds and nicely refurbished rooms.  There is private access to the beach, a pool, loungers and umbrellas for the beach, and they have an honor bar in the lobby with everything you would want to mix your own cocktail.  They also offer complementary wine and cheese at 5 PM and a nice breakfast in the morning.  Coco beach also boasts some great beach bars/grills, a NASA space museum, and of course the worlds largest Ron Jon surf shop...at must do experience!

 

Not sure if Celebrity offers a shuttle service but I'm sure it would be listed in the cruise planner.

[phoenix_dream]

4 minutes ago, mom says said:

Have you looked at the Florida Departures board? I'm sure there's lots of info about getting from MCO to Port Canaveral and back.

I mentioned that in the first sentence of my posting.  I definitely will.  I want to hear from some Celebrity experiences as well.

[phoenix_dream]

1 minute ago, Georgia_Peaches said:

Port Canaveral is a very easy port to navigate.  There is lots of parking, which is great for those of us who live close enough to drive.  I'm not a fan of the Orlando area so flying in a few days ahead is not something I would do...but I'm not into theme parks and that's the Orlando draw.

 

Here's what I would recommend if you want to fly in a day or two early...UBER to Coco Beach.  Coco Beach is not far from the cruise terminal and is a great way to kick off a cruise.  The town reminds me of a mid-century throw back to what vacationing was like when I was a kid growing up in the 70's and 80's.  We stay at a place called The Inn at Coco Beach.  It is a boutique hotel with quaint grounds and nicely refurbished rooms.  There is private access to the beach, a pool, loungers and umbrellas for the beach, and they have an honor bar in the lobby with everything you would want to mix your own cocktail.  They also offer complementary wine and cheese at 5 PM and a nice breakfast in the morning.  Coco beach also boasts some great beach bars/grills, a NASA space museum, and of course the worlds largest Ron Jon surf shop...at must do experience!

 

Not sure if Celebrity offers a shuttle service but I'm sure it would be listed in the cruise planner.

thank you for the insight.  I actually used to live in Cocoa (inland from the beach) many years ago, but that was way before my cruising days.  I definitely want to do some sightseeing beforehand.  Love visiting the Space Center, and taking in some of the other attractions nearby.  I fondly remember Ron Jon's from years ago.  I will look into that hotel.  

[Missusdubbya]

3 hours ago, phoenix_dream said:

I want to hear from some Celebrity experiences as well.

Celebrity’s first cruise out of PC is not until December

[phoenix_dream]

16 minutes ago, Missusdubbya said:

Celebrity’s first cruise out of PC is not until December

Thank you. I wasn't sure when it started.

[cruisestitch]

14 hours ago, phoenix_dream said:

I mentioned that in the first sentence of my posting.  I definitely will.  I want to hear from some Celebrity experiences as well.

There won’t be any for several months 

[NutsAboutGolf]

13 hours ago, phoenix_dream said:

I will also search the departure port pages, but also looking for some specific info about sailing Celebrity out of Port Canaveral.  If anyone who has done it can report back on their experience?  Particularly if they want to fly in several days earlier and rent a car and stay in the area?  Does Celebrity offer shuttle service from the port back to Orlando?  Has anyone used it and how might it compare to private services or Uber/Lyft?  Are there rental car options available that don't charge around $400 PER DAY for a one way rental should I want to do that (yes, I typed the number correctly!).  Is it worth it to stay outside of the immediate area and Uber to the port?  I can't believe the prices of hotels I am seeing for early March (yes I know spring break is starting but shouldn't be too bad that early).  I thought Lauderdale and Miami were bad - they're nothing compared to these prices.

 

I strongly advise anyone considering sailing out of that port do some research prior on these things.  I already booked my cruise and now almost wish I hadn't.  I don't think that area is really geared up yet to handle the huge increase in sailings caused by the addition of more Celebrity and Royal ships (not to mention other lines).  Any input would be appreciated and fingers crossed I can figure this all out without needing to take a second mortgage out on my house.

 

We sailed out of PC on an RCI ship last month

 

-Uber/Lyft, you could reserve one ahead of time for $80 one way, otherwise, it's the luck of the draw with their dynamic/surge pricing.  You can check the prices right now on the app

 

-Return to Orlando, they had a $30(?) shared shuttle.  You'd imagine it would be operational for X but who knows for sure

 

-One-way rentals, like Uber/lyft, check pricing right now and if you are okay with the price, book it with free cancelation.  We were told a one-way rental would have been stupid expensive but it was only $55/night from MCO from Budget.  Budget has a place by the port and has a free shuttle to the ship

 

-Amazing beaches, Cocoa Beach is a great beach, but the problem with it along with FL's east coast beaches is that FL's amazing west coast beaches have the whitest and softest sand in the world.  If one is craving to stay somewhere with dazzling beaches, one should consider visiting the Tampa area beaches of St Pete and Clearwater which is still a fairly easy drive over to PC or from Orlando

 

-SE FL, you could also consider flying into Miami, FLL or West Palm Beach.  Obviously need to check the costs

[Ipeeinthepools]

PC is not my favorite departure port, I don't find the same number of nice hotels and restaurants that I'm accustomed to Fort Lauderdale or Miami.  I have always been able to find a decent price on a rental car and we do a one-way trip from Orlando to PC.  This gives us plenty of flexibility to explore the area for one or more days.  Drop of the car early, around 10:15 or so, and catch the shuttle to the port. Th car rental offices get really busy with lots of people returning from the ships and wanting to rent cars.  I usually have more issues on the return, because no one wants to wait for an afternoon flight.  On the return I arrange for a car to take me the Orlando airport.  It's more expensive than a shuttle, but I know I'll get to the airport without waiting.  On the plus side, airfares are often lower than Fort Lauderdale or Miami.

Edited May 25 by Ipeeinthepools

[EatonDoolittle]

16 hours ago, phoenix_dream said:

  I want to hear from some Celebrity experiences as well.

 

I am curious to know how Celebrity cruisers experience car rental, hotels, traveling in Florida, etc. differently than anyone else.  

[mrgabriel]

We also lived the area for several years and go back to Melbourne fairly often.

 

Depending on where you are flying from, it may make more sense to fly into Melbourne (MLB) then rent a car from the tiny airport there, and drop it back before your cruise. It's about 25 miles from MLB to Port Canaveral. I just checked flights into MLB and was surprised to see flights arriving from the UK. We always flew in from Atlanta but there are also flights from Charlotte, Pittsburgh, and likely other east coast airports. It's a super quiet little airport without any of the stress of MCO or the drive on 528. 

 

If you decide to stay, my suggestion would be to get a hotel south of Satellite Beach on the beach. There are a few choices. We've usually stayed at the Doubletree which has apparently been recently remodelled.  It's not luxury but there is nothing like walking right out onto the beach to watch the sunrise. There are also plenty of restaurant options that are less touristy than those on Cocoa Beach. 

 

Edit to add ... we don't usually spend any time in Orlando. The theme parks are so over the top expensive now and unless we want to visit the outlet malls there really isn't anything special to see. We tend to spend time on the beach, maybe stop into Ron Jon's or take a run up to KSC. 

Edited May 25 by mrgabriel

[Lastdance]

We are doing the reverse a year from November, so are able to visit friends and relatives.  I was wondering the same about the PC area and rental cars that would be one way.  

[phoenix_dream]

2 hours ago, EatonDoolittle said:

 

I am curious to know how Celebrity cruisers experience car rental, hotels, traveling in Florida, etc. differently than anyone else.  

Of course I know those don't apply.  I am talking about how they handle embarkation and disembarkation and what type of shuttles they may offer.  Apparently I jumped the gun as they aren't sailing out of their yet, of which I was not aware, but I am thankful for the helpful suggestions I am getting.

[Gracie115]

1 hour ago, phoenix_dream said:

Of course I know those don't apply.  I am talking about how they handle embarkation and disembarkation and what type of shuttles they may offer.  Apparently I jumped the gun as they aren't sailing out of their yet, of which I was not aware, but I am thankful for the helpful suggestions I am getting.

 

We are on the 1st Equinox sailing out of Port Canaveral December 4th.  We have sailed from Port Canaveral several times and it is INFINITELY easier than dealing with FLL or MIA ports.  

 

Celebrity will probably offer a shuttle(big bus) from/to Orlando airport just like Royal does, but there are at least a dozen different shuttle companies available and there are a couple rental car agencies within a mile or two from the port.  Budget Rental offers decent prices for same day one way transport ($150) if you want to go that way.  I'm sure part of the reason you are seeing such high hotel prices is March is prime spring break time and Orlando a definite hot spot for that crowd. 

 

Depending on what airline you travel you could also look at Melbourne, FL to arrive, much closer to the port.  Delta and American both have flights there.

 

Embark & debark are so easy at Port Canaveral. Our last cruise(4 weeks ago) we were on the ship in minutes and off the same way.  Only concern I would have is cruising in March which we just don't do....

Edited May 25 by Gracie115

[NutsAboutGolf]

11 hours ago, Ipeeinthepools said:

PC is not my favorite departure port, I don't find the same number of nice hotels and restaurants that I'm accustomed to Fort Lauderdale or Miami.  I have always been able to find a decent price on a rental car and we do a one-way trip from Orlando to PC.  This gives us plenty of flexibility to explore the area for one or more days.  Drop of the car early, around 10:15 or so, and catch the shuttle to the port. Th car rental offices get really busy with lots of people returning from the ships and wanting to rent cars.  I usually have more issues on the return, because no one wants to wait for an afternoon flight.  On the return I arrange for a car to take me the Orlando airport.  It's more expensive than a shuttle, but I know I'll get to the airport without waiting.  On the plus side, airfares are often lower than Fort Lauderdale or Miami.

 

I understand there are many reasons to book a private ride/driver but waiting isn't one of them as there is more than one; you may wait 5 minutes for it to fill

 

When we arrived at the PC Budget rental location to drop off at 11am-ish, it wasn't busy at all, perhaps that's just late enough for those getting off the ship 

 

Miami, FLL, and West Palm were all roughly 20-25% cheaper.  Pre-cruise we did the one-way to Miami with the one-way rental, post-cruise, we took the $30 shuttle to Orlando and flew from there

[mlparker]

We live nearby and absolutely love the area. My son lives in Tampa and it is not an easy trek from there to PC, so I don’t recommend going there. We are actually on the transatlantic sailing into PC on 12/3. There are some great restaurants nearby and I agree with recommendations to stay in CB. 

[ISABELLA]

On 5/24/2024 at 5:36 PM, phoenix_dream said:

I will also search the departure port pages, but also looking for some specific info about sailing Celebrity out of Port Canaveral.  If anyone who has done it can report back on their experience?  Particularly if they want to fly in several days earlier and rent a car and stay in the area?  Does Celebrity offer shuttle service from the port back to Orlando?  Has anyone used it and how might it compare to private services or Uber/Lyft?  Are there rental car options available that don't charge around $400 PER DAY for a one way rental should I want to do that (yes, I typed the number correctly!).  Is it worth it to stay outside of the immediate area and Uber to the port?  I can't believe the prices of hotels I am seeing for early March (yes I know spring break is starting but shouldn't be too bad that early).  I thought Lauderdale and Miami were bad - they're nothing compared to these prices.

 

I strongly advise anyone considering sailing out of that port do some research prior on these things.  I already booked my cruise and now almost wish I hadn't.  I don't think that area is really geared up yet to handle the huge increase in sailings caused by the addition of more Celebrity and Royal ships (not to mention other lines).  Any input would be appreciated and fingers crossed I can figure this all out without needing to take a second mortgage out on my house.

Celebrity has not sailed from PC yet. We live 50 min drive and can’t wait to cruise from PC in March. Depends on what you want to do before the cruise, Cocoa Beach is a great place to hangout for a day. I would not recommend to stay in Orlando.

[Gracie115]

I would add to those saying stay in the Cocoa area.  The best "attraction" in Florida is very close.  Spend a day at Cape Kennedy Space Center. It is an amazing place!!!

[rockraiders]

Cocoa is a very different area than Cocoa Beach and Cape Canaveral. Don’t stay in Cocoa. 

[phoenix_dream]

On 5/25/2024 at 9:29 AM, mrgabriel said:

We also lived the area for several years and go back to Melbourne fairly often.

 

Depending on where you are flying from, it may make more sense to fly into Melbourne (MLB) then rent a car from the tiny airport there, and drop it back before your cruise. It's about 25 miles from MLB to Port Canaveral. I just checked flights into MLB and was surprised to see flights arriving from the UK. We always flew in from Atlanta but there are also flights from Charlotte, Pittsburgh, and likely other east coast airports. It's a super quiet little airport without any of the stress of MCO or the drive on 528. 

 

If you decide to stay, my suggestion would be to get a hotel south of Satellite Beach on the beach. There are a few choices. We've usually stayed at the Doubletree which has apparently been recently remodelled.  It's not luxury but there is nothing like walking right out onto the beach to watch the sunrise. There are also plenty of restaurant options that are less touristy than those on Cocoa Beach. 

 

Edit to add ... we don't usually spend any time in Orlando. The theme parks are so over the top expensive now and unless we want to visit the outlet malls there really isn't anything special to see. We tend to spend time on the beach, maybe stop into Ron Jon's or take a run up to KSC. 

Are you talking about the Doubletree in Melbourne?  We stayed there several years ago and loved the location but it was a bit worn and torn.  If that's been remodeled that would be a great choice.

[Ipeeinthepools]

19 hours ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

 

I understand there are many reasons to book a private ride/driver but waiting isn't one of them as there is more than one; you may wait 5 minutes for it to fill

 

When we arrived at the PC Budget rental location to drop off at 11am-ish, it wasn't busy at all, perhaps that's just late enough for those getting off the ship 

 

Miami, FLL, and West Palm were all roughly 20-25% cheaper.  Pre-cruise we did the one-way to Miami with the one-way rental, post-cruise, we took the $30 shuttle to Orlando and flew from there

 

I guess your experiences are different from mine.  I have seen the PC rental car locations jammed during the 10 - 11 am period.  There are few rental cars and very few staff to handle all of the renters.   As far as the busses are concerned, waits have always been much longer than 5 minutes.  If I go through the effort to get off early with self-assist, I want to be able to leave when I get to the curb.   I have also encountered long waits to check-in and to go through security, so I want to control what I can in order to make an earlier flight.

[NutsAboutGolf]

13 minutes ago, Ipeeinthepools said:

 

I guess your experiences are different from mine.  I have seen the PC rental car locations jammed during the 10 - 11 am period.  There are few rental cars and very few staff to handle all of the renters.   As far as the busses are concerned, waits have always been much longer than 5 minutes.  If I go through the effort to get off early with self-assist, I want to be able to leave when I get to the curb.   I have also encountered long waits to check-in and to go through security, so I want to control what I can in order to make an earlier flight.

May depend on the day. Have only been there once which was on a Sunday last month

[LIMPIT]

Following.

We are sailing on Apex into PC from Southampton in Oct 2025, whilst we have visited all areas of Florida on multiple occasions, we have never visited The Space Ctr, so we would like to plan a visit but could be a issue with luggage ?

Then either transfer into Orlando and stay overnight for flight into London, or stay local to Space Ctr and transfer the following day, so we will be following this thread with interest.

Edited May 26 by LIMPIT
Updated information

[Harrisonkid]

If you drive to PC it's the port to use. I have to fly to cruise . So had to pay for a two way shuttle from Orlando and then find a ride from over night hotel to port. Currently , the city does not have a good a strong cab system (Uber )

It's a great port experience just a logistics nightmare for fliers. I won't be doing it again