Question about "Port Canaveral to Orlando Airport"

[catherinec]

We are taking Holland America and the tour ends at 8AM at Port Canaveral. Our returning flight is at 11AM at Orlando Airport, which is 50 miles away from the port. Will there be enough time for us to catch our flight? I know they usually let people with early flights disembark before everyone else. But the airport is probably one-hour drive away. Is there enough time?

Pleae advise..... Thank you.

[arzz]

That is cutting it mighty close if what you mean by the "tour" ending at 8 am is the ship getting into port at 8 am. It could be one to two hours between the time the ship arrives in port and the time that you are allowed to leave. Then you have to exit the ship, collect and ID your luggage, and get to the buses to get to the airport. The buses will stop at several air lines. The ride from Port Canaveral to the airport is about an hour.

Last time we were at the Orlando airport (about a year and a half ago) the security lines at the airport went of forever.

[RevNeal]

Oooooh, that's really tight timing. Too tight. If EVERYTHING goes right, you will make it. It's a 45 minute trip from the ship to the airport, assuming no traffic. If you get off the ship by 9 you'll have the hour to get to the airport and an hour to process through, but that's really not long enough given the kinds of security lines we went through last month.

The Zaandam was due to dock at Canaveral at 8 am on our Panama Canal Cruise, but due to weather we didn't get in until 9:00 am and, due to 2 families which refused to report for immigration inspection, we didn't get off the ship until several minutes after 11:00 am. It was horrible. A bunch of people didn't make their noon flights. We were booked for later that afternoon, so we didn't have that much to worry about. As it was, we didn't have to wait more than 2 and a half hours at the terminal in Orlando.

[Santa Fe Jim]

I just returned from the Zaandam on Saturday. The ship did arrive ~ 8AM, but disembarkation didn't begin until shortly after 9 (for the first group off). I was on the HAL shuttle, in the second group off the ship, but we didn't arrive at the airport until 11AM. At that time, the security lines were ~20 minutes. Some of the airlines had very, very long lines just to check in, although you could circumvent that if you only had carry-on luggage (I think most cruise passengers would have luggage to check).

SFJ

[elmorejj]

In FLL, there is a special line for cruise pax to check in, Dellta and I think AA. Anyone know if the cruise line has started this in Orlando yet. It really cuts down on the time spent in lines. The last time we arrived in Port Canaveral, we didn`t get off the ship till about 10.30.....jean :cool:

[Randyk47]

Even with special handling for cruise passengers at the airport I'd say the schedule is way too close for comfort. Isn't doesn't help that I really don't like the Port Canaveral to Orlando arrangement or the Orlando airport even for normal business travel. It's one of my least favorite ways to get to and from a cruise. Give yourself a couple more hours at least.

[Budget Queen]

I'll assume you booked this flight yourself? You will NOT make it. How were you getting to the airport?? HAL shuttle? They will have to load everyone first involving time- no guarantee you will get on the first bus etc. Orlando is a big airport- no guarantee- the shuttle will head to your airline first- you get the idea. At this time, CHANGE YOUR FLIGHT TO A LATER DEPARTURE. If you don't- then understand fully what the value of your ticket will be if you miss this flight- understand fully- all later flights will probably be full and if standby is an option- you could be waiting all day?