Port Canaveral, FL - Best Airport to Fly Into?

[Careyoakie]

Hello Happy Cruisers! Can anyone with experience sailing out of Port Canaveral please assist me? I'm interested in knowing the following:

 

1- Which airport did you fly in to?

2- In which city did you choose to stay overnight at? (If you flew in the night before.)

3- Where did you stay? Good rate??

4- Did you rent a car to drive to hotel/cruise port? If so, from who? Rate? Or use a taxi/shuttle bus?

I have booked an upcoming cruise and have never been to this port. I understand that a couple airports are over 50 miles away so I am looking at flying into Melbourne International Airport, which is only 26 miles away. But I am still open on this if there is a better way to go.

Thanks for any information provided!!

[Former Goalie]

Hello Happy Cruisers! Can anyone with experience sailing out of Port Canaveral please assist me? I'm interested in knowing the following:

 

1- Which airport did you fly in to?

2- In which city did you choose to stay overnight at? (If you flew in the night before.)

3- Where did you stay? Good rate??

4- Did you rent a car to drive to hotel/cruise port? If so, from who? Rate? Or use a taxi/shuttle bus?

I have booked an upcoming cruise and have never been to this port. I understand that a couple airports are over 50 miles away so I am looking at flying into Melbourne International Airport, which is only 26 miles away. But I am still open on this if there is a better way to go.

Thanks for any information provided!!

Well, Orlando (MCO) is the biggest airport with by far the most service. Maybe a bit further than Melbourne, nonetheless the dominant player, and the airport the vast majority use.

We stayed in Port Canaveral at the Courtyard. Decent rate. We took hired transport to the Port.

[will773]

Best airport would be Orlando. Cruised out of Port Canaveral once before, but I was young and don't remember anything else!

[hazeleyez3]

Fly into Orlando a day or 2 before hand.

 

Rent a car (Usually Budget) to drive down to Port Canaveral. Since we fly in a day or 2 before we are able to use the car around the area.

 

We've stayed at the Radisson and at the Courtyard.

 

The morning of the cruise....we drive over to the port (10am or so), and drop off the luggage with the porters. Then we drive over to drop off the rental car, and ride over in the bus they drive to the port

[uksimonusa]

To be honest, you can probably get to PC quicker from Orlando (MCO) than Melbourne (mlb) even though it is twice the distance. Most people rent a car at MCO and stay the night at PC, then drop the car off at the Cape Canaveral office and take the shuttle to the port, about 5 mins. Budget is the closet office to the port

[DonnaK]

We fly into Orlando, rent a car from Budget or Avis, stay overnight at the Residence Inn and Suites by Marriott in Cape Canaveral, have dinner at a NY Pizza House in Cocoa Beach.

[Tyler80]

• I fly into (MCO) Orlando International Airport the day before my cruise.
  
• I spend the night at the Hyatt Regency Orlando International Airport, which is a very nice hotel that is directly connected to the airport. You can get discount rates at hotwire dot com or right through hyatt dot com.
  
• Orlando International Airport has a large atrium with lots of shopping, restaurants and interesting things to do. It's a beautiful clean organized airport.
  
• From there I normally have a Royal Caribbean transfer booked to take me to and from Port Canaveral, however, you can rent a car at the airport if you prefer to drive. The drive time is approx. 45 - 50 minutes depending on traffic.
  

 

Enjoy your cruise! :)

[outtoseacruise]

Hello Happy Cruisers! Can anyone with experience sailing out of Port Canaveral please assist me? I'm interested in knowing the following:

 

1- Which airport did you fly in to?

2- In which city did you choose to stay overnight at? (If you flew in the night before.)

3- Where did you stay? Good rate??

4- Did you rent a car to drive to hotel/cruise port? If so, from who? Rate? Or use a taxi/shuttle bus?

 

I have booked an upcoming cruise and have never been to this port. I understand that a couple airports are over 50 miles away so I am looking at flying into Melbourne International Airport, which is only 26 miles away. But I am still open on this if there is a better way to go.

 

Thanks for any information provided!!

If you are near an airport that has the Allegiant or Direct Air Flights to/from Sanford Orlando you can check this option? Their prices come in cheaper most of the time. I have Family & Friends who get Direct Air from Worcester and Allegiant from Bangor & Allentown.

On top of price Sanford Orlando is easier to get in and out of compared to Orlando (MCO).

[silentbob007]

Sanford can end up costing your more for rental cards or other transportation as it simply does not get as many people as MCO ... just saying. :)

[DarthGrady]

I can't help with the airport questions since we drive down. When we stay in PC the night before a cruise we stay at the Country Inn and Suites. Its right near the terminal, (if you're on the right side you can see your ship from your hotel room) and they offer parking with shuttle service back and forth from the pier. Their rates are pretty decent, and the parking fee for the week doesn't add very much.

[Lionesss]

Fly Continetel from Cleveland to MCO

 

Take pre-purchased towne car and driven to Raddison at Port.

 

Take a cab at 10:30 to port.

Although MCO is a quickie to fly into, it can be a pain flying out of if you hit the TSA at a bad time and get backed up!!!!!

Safe travels

[thinfool]

Melbourne

[SharkCruiser24]

I live here, but I can still answer! MCO has more flights than any other airport near Port Canaveral. More flights equates to more competition which generally means cheaper fares. It is a straight shot from MCO to the port, East on 528(Beachline). Portions are tolled, but it will get you to Port Canaveral in less than an hour and fifteen minutes. MCO is truly a beautiful, easy to get around airport and reflects the Orlando Experience. Have fun! :D

[Keith1010]

Hello Happy Cruisers! Can anyone with experience sailing out of Port Canaveral please assist me? I'm interested in knowing the following:

 

1- Which airport did you fly in to?

2- In which city did you choose to stay overnight at? (If you flew in the night before.)

3- Where did you stay? Good rate??

4- Did you rent a car to drive to hotel/cruise port? If so, from who? Rate? Or use a taxi/shuttle bus?

I have booked an upcoming cruise and have never been to this port. I understand that a couple airports are over 50 miles away so I am looking at flying into Melbourne International Airport, which is only 26 miles away. But I am still open on this if there is a better way to go.

Thanks for any information provided!!

 

Orlando tends to have the most flights so we fly in there.

 

I would check flights into Orlando and into Melbourne to see what works better for you in terms of airfare and flights.

 

Keith

[boo214]

you might also try daytona beach

[Oviedo32765]

These are 4 choices and the distance/time (according to Google Maps) to Port Canaveral:

 

1. Orlando International Airport - 44 miles / 45 minutes
   
2. Orlando/Sanford International Airport - 64 miles / 1 hour 7 minutes
   
3. Daytona Beach International Airport - 71 miles / 1hour 11 minutes
   
4. Melbourne International Airport - 32 miles / 43 minutes
   

 

There are advantages and disadvantages to each. I'm familiar with Orlando International. It's a large airport with lots of flights in and out. It is also crowded and getting checked in and thru security can take some time.

 

A friend of mine recently traveled thru Melbourne. It's a smaller airport so flights are fewer than Orlando, but it is less crowded and getting checked in and thru security is faster.

 

Do your home work by checking each airport for available flights in and out and also check to see how much transportation to and from the port will be.

 

Here are links to transportation for each airport:

Orlando

Orlando Sanford

Daytona Beach

Melbourne

 

You might also want to check into one way car rentals from each airport as well. Vroom Vroom Vroom.com advertises "Guaranteed Lowest Car Rental Price of the Day!"

[Careyoakie]

THANK YOU... to everyone who responded to my quest for information!!

FormerGoalie, Will773, Hazeleyezs, Uksimonusa, Donnak, Tyler80, Outtoseacruise, Silentbob007, DarthGrady, Lionesss, Sharkcruiser24, Keith1010, and a Special Thanks to: Oviedo32765 (Loved the Links!!).

You Guys are AWESOME!

[Quixotic]

We're flying into MCO and renting a car at the airport.

Staying at the Courtyard in Cocoa Beach.

Driving to PC to drop off bags, spouse, and kiddos.

Dropping the car off at the rental place in PC then taking shuttle to port.

[vplsh]

We flew into MCO and rented a car from Avis- got a great rate with dropping it off at the Cocoa Beach office the next day.

 

Drove for about 45 minutes to the Courtyard Cocoa Beach. Beautiful hotel and great room.

 

Walked around Cocoa Beach the next morning, returning the car around 10:45. Avis shuttle took us to the port for free.

 

We were having lunch in the Windjammer at 11:30!!

 

On the way back we had booked VIP Limo. Michael sent me a phone number to call when we docked, but Marlene beat us to it. She called around 7:30 and told us to call her when we were out of the terminal. We did and she arrived 5 minutes later. What a lovely person! I would highly recommend them!!

 

Great experience!!

[Careyoakie]

Thanks Quixotic and Vplsh! I appreciate the additional information.