Port Canaveral hotel and transportation help (2 different airports)

Please forgive me for the very confusing post that follows:

After booking flights for my family (my wife, my mom, and my kids...aged 10 and 7) into Melbourne airport, we decided that we should assist my in-laws with their pre-cruise lodging and transportation. They had already booked flights into MCO at 4:20 pm the night before the cruise. We arrive into MLB at 7:20, also the night before. I am hoping for an economical way to stay at the same hotel so I can assist them with transportation to the port the following morning.

Should I rent a minivan and drive up to meet them at a hotel near MCO, drive everyone to the port, then again rent a car and drive them back to MCO before driving my family to MLB after the cruise (both groups have outbound flights around 1:00 post-cruise?)

Should both groups book a "fly, snooze, cruise" package near Port Canaveral? (a bit weary of this due to the reviews of travelynx/stylus shuttle service.)

Any creative and cost-effective suggestions would be very appreciated.

Two standard car rentals are likely cheaper than the van rental - can they rent a car at MCO and meet you at a hotel in Port Canaveral/Cocoa Beach? If you rent from the same company it will make it a little easier to coordinate the car return/shuttle in the morning.

IMO a Cape Canaveral hotel is the perfect meeting spot for your two parties - an hour from MCO and from Melbourne!

I would not drive from Melbourne to MCO, etc. It is a long way. In case of flight delays this can get messy.

I suggest you each make your way to Canaveral separately.

1. Each of you can rent cars from each airport to Canaveral if you are both up for it.

2. Or you can use private shuttle services from the airports. Start cost comparisons with Mears, Cocoa Beach Express and Melbourne Airport Express. For peace of mind, Mears has a kiosk at MCO and Melbourne Express has a kiosk at MLB.

If your In-Laws don't/can't rent a car, Cortrans offers a shuttle from MCO to Port Canaveral Hotels for $20 per person. I'm not sure how late they run however.

It is unusual for shared shuttles ($20 Cortrans for example) to Canaveral hotels after 2pm. And these generally run to the Port, not hotels.

Late in the day, private transportation is about the only option HOWEVER there are partnerships between some local hotels and a few shuttle companies that operate from MCO on a shared basis at reduced rates until about 8pm or so.

Once the OP decide to opt for a Canaveral hotel, we can share some information about this....

I'm sold. I just made reservations for the Comfort Inn and Suites. I plan to rent a van to drive myself and my family to the hotel and to the port the following morning. Now I need to make a plan for the in-laws to get themselves from MCO to the Comfort Inn and back to MCO at the conclusion of the cruise. I'm not sure how comfortable they would be renting a car and heading out to Cocoa Beach on their own. Other options?

By the way, thank you for taking your time to help me!

Great!

As stated above, there are many reliable shuttle companies for them to book. Not all offer lower cost shared shuttles after 2pm to your hotel at the beach/port area. All can arrange private transfers at higher costs.

Mears is convenient (a bit more expensive too) because they have a kiosk and a person to talk to - next to the Carnival desk. Expect to pay upwards of $100 for a private towncar. So if the shuttle is nowhere to be found, your family can walk to the kiosk and complain to a real person. With other companies it will be a phone complaint to some unknown dispatcher!

Cocoa Beach Shuttle offers shared/private shuttles and is very well-known and trusted. I see rates of $58 for two to your hotel.

Smart-Two is another company with shared shuttles that drop at your hotel. At $80 for two to your hotel, they are more expensive but they are known for dependable services.

I'm not sure how comfortable they would be renting a car and heading out to Cocoa Beach on their own. Other options?

Cocoa Beach Shuttle, Travelynx and CorTrans are the most often suggested shuttle providers between MCO and the PC area. Fares start at about $20+ per person.

Please forgive me for the very confusing post that follows:

 

After booking flights for my family (my wife, my mom, and my kids...aged 10 and 7) into Melbourne airport, we decided that we should assist my in-laws with their pre-cruise lodging and transportation. They had already booked flights into MCO at 4:20 pm the night before the cruise. We arrive into MLB at 7:20, also the night before. I am hoping for an economical way to stay at the same hotel so I can assist them with transportation to the port the following morning.

 

Should I rent a minivan and drive up to meet them at a hotel near MCO, drive everyone to the port, then again rent a car and drive them back to MCO before driving my family to MLB after the cruise (both groups have outbound flights around 1:00 post-cruise?)

 

Should both groups book a "fly, snooze, cruise" package near Port Canaveral? (a bit weary of this due to the reviews of travelynx/stylus shuttle service.)

 

Any creative and cost-effective suggestions would be very appreciated.

You can have a private town car for about $100 deliver them right to you

at the hotel by Executive vip limousine.

Contact Michael at 321-505-0009.

This family owned company has been operating in the Cape Canaveral area

for about 60 years. They know everyone and will only put you in the right

direction with any question you have.