Is there a reasonably cost-effective way to cruise from Port Canaveral?

Wow! Lots of great info offered. Thank you. I always search for better airfares from nearby home airports, but hadn't really considered nearby destination airports. I need to condense all this info into a document to digest as we try to settle on best weekend to go.

As for the concept of focusing on longer cruises just because we're Midwesterners, I would have agreed 2 years ago that a 3-day cruise isn't worth the bother or the added cost of airfare. But I had a huge project at work that cost me my entire summer last year ... 60-70 hours a week for three months straight ... working weekends and holidays. When that project hit a breather in early fall, I took the token bonus check they gifted me with and squandered it on airfare and a 3-day getaway on the Majesty ... it was a desperately needed break. The best medicine possible to try to restore my sanity. And I discovered just how therapeutic a weekend cruise can be ... especially when there was no chance of getting approval for a week's vacation.

I didn't read the whole threads so sorry if it's been said.. my mom lives in Cleveland and flies to FL out of Akron - Canton much cheaper than out of Cleveland Hopkins. We live in southern Ohio and fly out of Columbus even cheaper on Southwest.

Actually, Port Canaveral is one of the most convenient ports for the fly-in traveler. We usually use a one-way rental car for about $50 for the trip from the airport to the port, and a shuttle back to the airport after the cruise for about $20pp. Hotels are also reasonable in the Cocoa Beach area.

 

Check out Galveston if you want to experience a port that is very expensive and inconvenient for the fly-in traveler.

Just got back to Cleveland today from Galveston on the Navigator. Not expensive in my opinion nor inconvenient. $80 round trip shuttle from airport - port and from port - airport. Used Galveston Express. Terrific service.

Wow did not realize that my brother, who is a pilot for a large airline, has told me it is expensive to fly there. Sorry guys.

 

I live part of the year in Daytona so yes that could be an option.

Good thing your brother is flying the plane and not a TA. MCO is one of the cheapest airports in the country to fly into. However, if you are trying tomget there on a school break, you need to book at the 11 mth mark or generally those prices skyrocket and stay there.

And MKE! Sometimes I've seen cheaper fares from MKE than MDW, depending on when/where you're going.

 

I personally am hesitant to book SW for a winter flight because SW doesn't codeshare. Unless I have a day or two of "float", I try to stick with great deals on the majors. Delta has been price-competitive from the midwest lately, with the caveat that past performance doesn't predict future (bargain) results. :cool:

What does this mean...codeshare?

What does this mean...codeshare?

It means a single airline flight will be listed by two or more allied (coorperating) airlines. For example, United is in the alliance called Star Alliance. United may operate a flight from JFK to Frankfurt. Lufthansa is also in the Star Alliance, so that United flight may also be listed in Lufthansa's schedule as a Lufthansa flight number. They share flights or codes.

There are some ports where airfare might be reasonable, but ground transportation can be quite expensive. Port Canaveral is one such port; another is Houston/Galveston. I'm never cruised out of either port, but I wonder if it might be one of those rare instances where it might make more sense for the OP to take the cruiseline's transfers, depending on how many are in his/her party. Driving a car on vacation is out of the question - for me - but it might be a good alternative for the OP.

There are some ports where airfare might be reasonable, but ground transportation can be quite expensive. Port Canaveral is one such port; another is Houston/Galveston. I'm never cruised out of either port, but I wonder if it might be one of those rare instances where it might make more sense for the OP to take the cruiseline's transfers, depending on how many are in his/her party. Driving a car on vacation is out of the question - for me - but it might be a good alternative for the OP.

Usually more expensive than the alternatives.

Love going in and out of Port Canaveral. Going to Disney next week to spend out Grand Daughters Birthday there. 4 nights in the park, then doing a cruise following that. Rental cars are the way to go, as they average about $50 per night including taxes. We will have our rental with us for the 4 days, then drop it off at the Budget location in Port Canaveral. Afterwards we are picking up another rental for a total cost of $67.56. Spending an extra night at Disney then flying back the next day. The first time we went out of Port Canaveral we used the Cruise Lines transportation. With that being said....A Rental Car is the only way to go, cheaper, and faster.

Just checked the points on my AmEx Card ... I should be able to use those for a rental, as long as it's relatively reasonable. Rental car pricing can fluctuate badly for one locale to the next, but if they aren't gouging on the one-way rentals cruise-to-port, this time I should be able to work out something reasonable. I usually don't even consider one-way rentals after the time I got hit for $200 for a four-hour rental (fortunately covered under expense account).

Just checked the points on my AmEx Card ... I should be able to use those for a rental, as long as it's relatively reasonable. Rental car pricing can fluctuate badly for one locale to the next, but if they aren't gouging on the one-way rentals cruise-to-port, this time I should be able to work out something reasonable. I usually don't even consider one-way rentals after the time I got hit for $200 for a four-hour rental (fortunately covered under expense account).

You should not have to pay an extra fee for a one way rental, one way rentals are very common in Florida. If the rental car agency is charging one, use someone else. There was one company charging a fee but I thought they stopped since it was hurting their business.

You should also check out the Florida Departures forum as there are usually discount codes floating around that should save you a lot.

emeraldcity, you seem like the kind of person who might really benefit from the experience and expertise of a good travel agent.

It means a single airline flight will be listed by two or more allied (coorperating) airlines. For example, United is in the alliance called Star Alliance. United may operate a flight from JFK to Frankfurt. Lufthansa is also in the Star Alliance, so that United flight may also be listed in Lufthansa's schedule as a Lufthansa flight number. They share flights or codes.

Thanks!

emeraldcity, you seem like the kind of person who might really benefit from the experience and expertise of a good travel agent.

While I realize my past experience is the exception and not the rule, the first cruise I booked was through a travel agent. I thought I was going on the Sovereign of the Sea ... the fifth cruise ... and I continued to think that for nearly 6 months. By the time we found out that we were among 40 some people who had been fleeced, our money was gone and the cruise was sold out. I do a lot of research instead because it's just WAY too much stress trusting someone else with my travel money.

We ended up booking the fourth cruise on the Sovereign instead and returned in time to testify at the trial.

Something like knowing how air prices for major cities should be standard knowledge for any decent TA. That's more what I meant, not so much the cruise itself

Frontier has a non-stop between Cleveland and Orlando January 14 am - Jan 18 pm for $118. That's a bargain!

Frontier has a non-stop between Cleveland and Orlando January 14 am - Jan 18 pm for $118. That's a bargain!

It is a bargain ... but not one that can tempt me, I'm afraid.

I know about 300 people who swore they'd never fly with Frontier again ... that would be the 300 or so people on that last Frontier flight I was on, trying to get home from Orlando earlier this year. It wasn't the delays ... I can understand that. It was the complete breakdown in customer service. I think the cleaning people at the airport had a better handle on what was going on that the guy manning the desk at the gate. And when our flight finally landed in Cleveland 5 hours late at 3 a.m., the flight crew didn't even bother to tell us there was no jetway (the guys that arrange those things probably went home hours earlier) ... people carrying sleepy toddlers and leading little kids found themselves unexpectedly faced with walking down a metal stairway and across the tarmac in a freezing rain. A little public service announcement so they could have put coats on the kids was apparently never even considered.

It was a painful lesson that started with booking a Saturday morning flight for March (in November) and then sometime in late January they moved it to Saturday late afternoon. When you're only planning for 4-days at WDW, you'd like to start day one before the evening fireworks at the Magic Kingdom.

Actually as long as I can score airfare somewhere in the 200-250 mark (with an airline that has a reasonable on-time track record), I'm a happy camper.

I've looked at cruises from PC, but I can't seem to put together anything that makes sense financially when I factor in the cost of the airfare and the ground transportation to and from the port. Virtually every combination I've come up with so far exceeds the cost of the cruise.

 

Is this a "Florida residents only" departure port?

I just drive there and in 20 minutes I'm on the ship :)

Like others suggested, rent a car. If we cruise from the other Florida ports we drive to the port the day prior and stay the night so we do not miss the ship due to traffic, delays, etc.

Also you live up north where that white crap tends to fall out of the sky and cause bad things like cancelled flights. I would suggest coming early, helping my state's economy, and enjoy a nice relaxing day on the beach prior to your cruise.

Any day in Cocoa Beach has got to better than Cleveland. Right?

I've looked at cruises from PC, but I can't seem to put together anything that makes sense financially when I factor in the cost of the airfare and the ground transportation to and from the port. Virtually every combination I've come up with so far exceeds the cost of the cruise.

 

Is this a "Florida residents only" departure port?

Keep watching airfares, I cruised out of Columbus last spring and the airfares were close. Just had to pay for the shuttle. Had a great deal on Freedom so it was worth it to be back on that ship again.

It is a bargain ... but not one that can tempt me, I'm afraid.

 

I know about 300 people who swore they'd never fly with Frontier again ... that would be the 300 or so people on that last Frontier flight I was on, trying to get home from Orlando earlier this year. It wasn't the delays ... I can understand that. It was the complete breakdown in customer service. I think the cleaning people at the airport had a better handle on what was going on that the guy manning the desk at the gate. And when our flight finally landed in Cleveland 5 hours late at 3 a.m., the flight crew didn't even bother to tell us there was no jetway (the guys that arrange those things probably went home hours earlier) ... people carrying sleepy toddlers and leading little kids found themselves unexpectedly faced with walking down a metal stairway and across the tarmac in a freezing rain. A little public service announcement so they could have put coats on the kids was apparently never even considered.

 

It was a painful lesson that started with booking a Saturday morning flight for March (in November) and then sometime in late January they moved it to Saturday late afternoon. When you're only planning for 4-days at WDW, you'd like to start day one before the evening fireworks at the Magic Kingdom.

 

Actually as long as I can score airfare somewhere in the 200-250 mark (with an airline that has a reasonable on-time track record), I'm a happy camper.

that would be quite a trick as max capacity on Frontier planes in fleet is 150-180 until last month

It is a bargain ... but not one that can tempt me, I'm afraid.

 

I know about 300 people who swore they'd never fly with Frontier again ... that would be the 300 or so people on that last Frontier flight I was on, trying to get home from Orlando earlier this year. It wasn't the delays ... I can understand that. It was the complete breakdown in customer service. I think the cleaning people at the airport had a better handle on what was going on that the guy manning the desk at the gate. And when our flight finally landed in Cleveland 5 hours late at 3 a.m., the flight crew didn't even bother to tell us there was no jetway (the guys that arrange those things probably went home hours earlier) ... people carrying sleepy toddlers and leading little kids found themselves unexpectedly faced with walking down a metal stairway and across the tarmac in a freezing rain. A little public service announcement so they could have put coats on the kids was apparently never even considered.

 

It was a painful lesson that started with booking a Saturday morning flight for March (in November) and then sometime in late January they moved it to Saturday late afternoon. When you're only planning for 4-days at WDW, you'd like to start day one before the evening fireworks at the Magic Kingdom.

 

Actually as long as I can score airfare somewhere in the 200-250 mark (with an airline that has a reasonable on-time track record), I'm a happy camper.

When the airline changes flight times like that, you call and you ask to get rescheduled on another flight. They do it for free and basically, you can choose any other flight you like without additional charges or penalties. In a situation like that where you lose a whole day, they'd even switch you to day or night before if you ask.

I just drive there and in 20 minutes I'm on the ship :)

 

Like others suggested, rent a car. If we cruise from the other Florida ports we drive to the port the day prior and stay the night so we do not miss the ship due to traffic, delays, etc.

 

Also you live up north where that white crap tends to fall out of the sky and cause bad things like cancelled flights. I would suggest coming early, helping my state's economy, and enjoy a nice relaxing day on the beach prior to your cruise.

 

Any day in Cocoa Beach has got to better than Cleveland. Right?

Yep.

Yep.

John,

How goes the construction on the new hotel across from the Residence Inn? Still on track for this year?

RM

John,

 

How goes the construction on the new hotel across from the Residence Inn? Still on track for this year?

 

RM

Drywall looks done, HVAC units on roof, stucco started. Sign still says December 15. Going by in about an hour.

Keep watching airfares, I cruised out of Columbus last spring and the airfares were close. Just had to pay for the shuttle. Had a great deal on Freedom so it was worth it to be back on that ship again.

That's what we did when we took our family cruise on the Liberty. There were 12 of us and we saved $200/pp by driving down to Columbus and flying out from there. We even left our cars with a friend who's relatively close to the Columbus airport so we didn't have to pay for parking.