Mariner out of Port Canaveral

[linaka625]

I just booked our first cruise on the Mariner. We are using frequent flyer miles to fly to Florida, so I didn't book the airfare through Royal Caribbean. Is Orlando the best airport for us to fly into? If so, what kind of transportation can we get to Port Canaveral? Also, what is the difference between the ship being docked and it being tendered? Thank you! Linda in NJ

[Cruise-Nut]

Orlando is the best airport. You can get Vans, Limos, Taxi's, etc to take you to and from the port. The difference between docked and tendered is when you are in port: Docked you can walk right off the ship onto the pier and Tendered you take smaller "water shuttles" that hold a 100 to 200 people at a time. It is no big deal. i prefer to be docked but so what. Congrats on the Mariner - I have been on her 3 times and love her.

[rfische1]

Done this and doing this again in two weeks. Orlando airport is the closest and cheapest major airport to the port. If there are a few of you, a shuttle might be economical. However, I have rented cars from Budget both ways and this worked great. Avis, Hertz and Thrifty also have shuttles to the port.

 

Some ports are too shallow or small for the ships to dock at. In these cases small boats ferry passengers from the ship to land. Cozumel is normally a docking port, but Hurricane Wilma took out the docks, so tendering is being done until they are rebuilt.

[Longhorn Cruiser]

Linda,

I was on the Mariner last month. Orlando is the airport you want. There are many shuttle services that will take you from the airport to Port Canaveral. A quick google search on the internet will give you many options. Most of us prefer to go in the day before the ship leaves to avoid the stress of any possible lost luggage by the airlines (or air delays.) You can stay in Orlando or in Cocoa Beach near the Port. We stayed at Universal Studios in Orlando and enjoyed two extra days. The Port is about a 45 minute drive from the airport (with no traffic.)

 

Tendering means the ship does not dock, but rather anchors in the Bay. Passengers then load onto smaller boats to get into the port. The Mariner tenders to the Private Islands (Cocoa Cay and Labadee) and tenders at Grand Caymans (all ships tender there.) If the ship docks, you just walk off the ship and you are in the port.

[katiel53]

Many times renting a car is less expensive than the shuttles. It would depend upon how many of you will be together. It's a very easy drive from Orlando to Pt. Canaveral. If you are flying down a day before, renting a car is the way to go so that you have a way to get to your hotel and relax.

 

Enjoy your cruise.

[PSCruiser]

Yes, Orlando is the correct airport.

Transportation - there are shuttles available. One I see mentioned often and is supposed to be good is Art's shuttle (put it in Google and check their webpage). Another alternative is to rent a car at Orlando airport and drop it off near the cruiseport. Take a look at Budget, they are close to the cruiseport and have a free shuttle. When getting a price on their website, use code CC5 for the Canaveral location.

When you are docked at a port, they will have a gangplank down to the dock all day, and you can come and go as you please - just like being in a hotel! When you are tendered the ship is anchored a few hundred yards offshore. The small tender boats then shuttle you back and forth - not quite as convenient.

[bigscrb15]

Yes, Orlando is the best Airport to use. If you can I would recommend coming in the day before so you don't have to worry about delayed flights. There is a very nice hotel(Radisson at the Port) right near the port that offers free shuttle to the ship.

 

I personally prefer Tendering. I have been to 6 ports, 3 were docked and had very long walks, the other 3 were tendered and the walks were very short. I will say it is awesome to see the shipped docked next to another ship though. I have also never had to wait long on a tender.

 

I am going on Mariner July 30th(Western Caribbean) so let me know if you have any other questions

[B-52]

I just booked our first cruise on the Mariner. We are using frequent flyer miles to fly to Florida, so I didn't book the airfare through Royal Caribbean. Is Orlando the best airport for us to fly into? If so, what kind of transportation can we get to Port Canaveral? Also, what is the difference between the ship being docked and it being tendered? Thank you! Linda in NJ

 

We are on the Mariner next week - July 16. We booked Jet Blue out of Newark, 7am. Non Stop, round trip. Will arrive in Orlando at 10am. Have a car service at Orlando Airport to meet us and take us to Port Canaveral.

[JanineM]

Just to give you another option - Sanford Airport is not much further away (maybe another 10 minutes), and there are a couple of new upstart airlines that use that airport. Depending on where you are flying from, you may want to check your options for Sanford and MCO (Orlando).

 

We were on Mariner in the spring and are sailing on her again in September. You will have a wonderful time!

[tktktk]

Orlando is the airport you want.

 

 

Was on Mariner a few weeks ago. We stayed at the Radisson at the Port in Cape Canaveral. They have a nice shuttle to the port and free breakfast if you book the night before your cruise. Very nice pool. We loved it. We saw the ship from our window the morning we left. One thing to keep in mind is that you need to make a shuttle reservation with the hotel though .... (they fill up).

[katiel53]

My understanding that at this time Sanford has only one small airline flying there, Allegiant Air. The other airlines are all charters from/to Europe etc. There was a time when other airlines, albeit small ones, flew there. It was a much easier airport to navigate. Hopefully, other airlines will again fly from Sanford.

 

Orlando would be the best airport to fly to. Have fun!

[shorecat]

We sailed on the Mariner in May and used Sunrise Florida Transportation... TransportationFlorida.com....they were wonderful. My son forgot his garment bag with his suit, several shirts and his friend's suit. Our driver gladly took us to the mall in Orlando and waited while we ran in and bought new ones. The driver was friendly and got us to and from the port on time. They only charged us $140 round-trip for a towncar. I will definitely use them again next time I am in Orlando.

[birdie16]

Rental cars are cheap and it is one time when the "One Way" rental is actually not more because they rent so many cars each way. We didn't even have to add gas to our tank because the gauge still read "full". I would recommend renting a car and driving each way.

[Inshape]

We have done this cruise and are doing it again in OCt. So easy to get to. MCO is a nice airport to go into. Rent a car and the drop off is within 5 min from the port. Then they give you a compliementary ride to the port. Just check around for best prices for what you need. I would ask also for thereturn trip, how many shuttles do you operate on a given Sunday for pick up. We waited 45 min outside the port for a budget pick up. Needless to say we are doing Avis. They seemed to have more shuttles running.

[w&k]

Orlando (MCO) is a bit closer to Port Canaveral, but it's our large central airport, and thus comes with all the advantages (lots of flights from lots of places) and disadvantages (lots of people, long security lines, long car rental lines, overrun airport employees, kids screaming to go into the 'mouse' store...).

 

We live in NE FL, and fly out of Daytona Beach whenever possible. There are just a few gates, and the facility is tiny, but beautiful, with nice, friendly people. It takes about 15 minutes total to check in your bags on the curb, have a restroom stop, go through security, and stroll to the gate.

 

You will probably want to rent a car, as it's about an hour from Daytona Beach to Port Canaveral, and the drive is simple, with little to no traffic. I know there is a Hertz location, and others are available.

 

Exit the airport, turn west (left) on International Speedway Drive ~2 miles, exit south on I-95 ~50 miles, exit east on SR 528 ~10 miles, then pick Port Canaveral exit A or B depending on your ship!

 

Delta has most of the flights into DAB, but Continental and United also have a few. If you are flying Delta, try to connect through Atlanta, not Cincinnati.

 

Have a great trip!

 

Wendy

[Boatbuilder]

Arriving in Orlando is a breeze, but be aware of the fact that departure is sometimes a major hassle, so book your return flight for after 12 noon, perhaps as late as 1 or 2 PM to be safe. Some folks report that they've caught an 11 AM flight but I would not risk it unless I knew I had priority disembarkation.

 

Orlando (MCO) was recently rated among the worst in security line length. I fly out of there about 30-40 times per year and it can be awful. If you happen to catch a flight Sunday afternoon it may not be as bad, but if you plan to fly out Monday AM, the business travelers will be lined up to the moving sidewalks from 6AM to 8 AM! It's a headache.

 

You'll love the Mariner, and it is my favorite ship sailing out of Canaveral. You can look forward a great time and if it is your first cruise, you'll be spoiled :-)

[PBNJ620]

Has anyone flown into ORLANDO on JET BLUE? We are a family of five and need to know which airline would be best for us. I've always wanted to fly JETBLUE and try it and they now fly out of our local airport, but their prices are so much lower that I am concerned it may not be a great airline.

 

ALSO, for a family of five, a shuttle from RCI is available? Any thoughts?

[rfische1]

luvRCCL, we are in the same situation. Jetblue has just started service from Portland, ME to New York and we are flying them for the first time next week. Rest assured, however, that they are good. I just read where they were ranked as the top budget airline for service, even beating the Southwest. In addition they have the inflight television and satellite radio (XM) services and serve Dunkin Donuts coffee. I am looking forward to our flights.

[ugotoots]

I am flying into Orlando end of August for SOS cruise. I have booked Tropicana Transport. Their shuttle is only $35 pp round trip - a lot cheaper than RCCL's shuttle. Only bad thing is they have definite times they leave - 12:00 - 12:30 from orlando airport to ship - arriving at ship around 1:15. I prefer to get there earlier. Leaving port canaveral they leave at 10:00AM, so hopefully, I am off ship by then.

[Inshape]

Luvrccl: It is cheaper to rent a full size car for the trip to the port right from the airport and reverse for going back. The car rentals are soooo close to the port that the shuttle takes less than 5 minutes to get there. Just get a car large enough for the luggage to fit into the trunk. RCI transfers will cost a lot more. The trip from the port to the airport is less than 50 minutes.

[B-52]

Has anyone flown into ORLANDO on JET BLUE? We are a family of five and need to know which airline would be best for us. I've always wanted to fly JETBLUE and try it and they now fly out of our local airport, but their prices are so much lower that I am concerned it may not be a great airline.

 

ALSO, for a family of five, a shuttle from RCI is available? Any thoughts?

 

I flew Jet Blue from Newark to Orlando last October for business. Loved it. Booked for this weekend with 5 adults for our cruise.

There is no 1st class, all seating same, Direct TV at every seat, GPS map, Dunkin Doughnuts coffee.

You can print your boarding passes, luggage tags through their website within 24 hrs of the flight, instead of using the automated check-in at the terminal. (Have not tried that yet, will do in a few days.)

 

Oh and yes, if you have your own headphones, bring them.

[Disneycrazymom]

Boatbuilder,

How will the lines be on Monday evening? Our flight is at 6:50pm. What would be a good time to leave the Dolphin, have time to return a car (budget) and get through security.

 

Last year we had REALLY long lines on Sun and thought Monday would be better! Thanks!

[katiel53]

I haven't ever flow JetBlue, but my husband has flown many times from Orlando to Syracuse on JetBlue. It's his favorite airline. The seats are very comfortable and he loved having his own tv to watch. One time he saw a Phil Collins concert that took almost the whole flight from Orlando to JFK. I wouldn't hesitate to fly them at all.

 

I would also suggest the car rental. Much cheaper than a shuttle and much easier. Enjoy your cruise.

[tx2cruiser]

Just booked the Mariner for September out of Port Canavarel:) ...any suggestions for decks or things we should know? I booked a D1 and right now we are on Deck 10.

 

Any other suggestions/comments appreciated! First time of RC - sailed Several princess ships before, though.

 

Many thanks!

[la_croisiere_s'amuse]

Just booked the Mariner for September out of Port Canavarel:) ...any suggestions for decks or things we should know? I booked a D1 and right now we are on Deck 10.

As a rule, deck 10 is GREAT! That's where we were on our last Mariner cruise (we enjoyed it so much that we're taking another one in September!). You're just one flight of stairs away from the pool deck, the Windjammer buffet, and the spa -- which are about the only places we went during the day. The only potential problem is the location of your cabin, since if you're directly underneath something noisy you might regret it. You can look at the deck plans on the RCI website and compare 10 and 11 to see what's directly above you. That being said, we're nearly always one deck below the pool & Windjammer deck, and have NEVER had any noise problems. So I wouldn't stress about it too much. :)

 

You'll love the Mariner, I'm sure --she's the newest of the Voyager class, and just a beautiful vessel. If you have any questions feel free to ask!