Transportation from Fort Lauderdale to Port Canaveral

[BORN A BOWLER]

I have a cruise that ends in Fort Lauderdale and I would like to make a reservation to cruise the same day out of Port Canaveral. Any suggestions on how the get there? 

Thanks Sue 

[Capt_BJ]

rental car is really your only option . . .

[SG65CB]

Just now, Capt_BJ said:

rental car is really your only option . . .

 

Yes rent a car, or fly from FLL to Orlando MCO where shuttles to Port Canaveral are plentiful. 

[S.A.M.J.R.]

18 minutes ago, SG65CB said:

 

Yes rent a car, or fly from FLL to Orlando MCO where shuttles to Port Canaveral are plentiful. 

While that's an option, I think it's a poor one.  You'll want to be at FLL at least an hour before your flight, an hour flight, figure 30 minutes to get bags, then an hour drive to PC.  So 3 1/2 hours.  And that's IF everything goes well. It's less than a 3 hour drive.  

 

A rental car, unless it costs a lot (like $500+) or you can't drive, is the way to go. 

[Starry Eyes]

One way rental car seems most promising.  If you are the type who makes friends during cruises, there is a chance somebody will be driving up I-95 and might be willing to drop you off at 520 where you could wait at a local business for an Uber to port.  That would depend on the size of your party and how much luggage and your comfort level and charm level, but it would allow you to forgo your rental reservation.

 

I think it would be cumbersome but I will mention that Brightline plans to open high speed train from Fort Lauderdale to their station at Orlando airport in the second quarter this year.  No schedule announced yet though.  Maybe someday there will be a station in Brevard.

[S.A.M.J.R.]

5 minutes ago, Starry Eyes said:

I think it would be cumbersome but I will mention that Brightline plans to open high speed train from Fort Lauderdale to their station at Orlando airport in the second quarter this year.  No schedule announced yet though.  Maybe someday there will be a station in Brevard.

I thought about the train also, but doesn't look like a station is planned for PC area... 

[RRTcruiser]

Have done the rental car from Ft, Lauderdale to Orlando after a Transatlantic last October. It was an easy thing to do. There is a shuttle service from the pier in Fort Lauderdale for $10 person to the airport, tell the driver you are picking up a rental car and he will drop you off at the right place. Simply drive to MCO and drop of the car and catch a shuttle service to Port Canaveral. With a little planning it should be fairly simple. Good luck

[S.A.M.J.R.]

4 minutes ago, RRTcruiser said:

Have done the rental car from Ft, Lauderdale to Orlando after a Transatlantic last October. It was an easy thing to do. There is a shuttle service from the pier in Fort Lauderdale for $10 person to the airport, tell the driver you are picking up a rental car and he will drop you off at the right place. Simply drive to MCO and drop of the car and catch a shuttle service to Port Canaveral. With a little planning it should be fairly simple. Good luck

If you're going to do that, price to return the rental car to one of the PC based locations.  They have free shuttles to the pier.  Why pay extra for the shuttle from MCO?

[RRTcruiser]

That’s a good point, that is why you need to plan it out. In my case where I dropped the car off had a huge effect on the one way rental cost. MCO was happy to take in the car as they serve a larger market and needed the car I brought them. 

[Starry Eyes]

2 hours ago, S.A.M.J.R. said:

I thought about the train also, but doesn't look like a station is planned for PC area... 

As I said I rather I doubt Brightline will represent a good option, though we will know more when schedules are out and trains are running to Orlando.  Presumably one would catch a shuttle from Orlando to PC.  It is not very efficient.

Brevard County is lobbying Brightline for a station, perhaps in Cocoa.  I hope they eventually succeed.

[molly361]

Expensive  Uber?

[ZoeyVictoria]

4 hours ago, Starry Eyes said:

One way rental car seems most promising.  If you are the type who makes friends during cruises, there is a chance somebody will be driving up I-95 and might be willing to drop you off at 520 where you could wait at a local business for an Uber to port.  That would depend on the size of your party and how much luggage and your comfort level and charm level, but it would allow you to forgo your rental reservation.

 

I think it would be cumbersome but I will mention that Brightline plans to open high speed train from Fort Lauderdale to their station at Orlando airport in the second quarter this year.  No schedule announced yet though.  Maybe someday there will be a station in Brevard.

We live within driving distance of all of the Florida ports and have made friends on cruises who we would have loved to help out with rides.  Our cars are too small and our amount of luggage is too large to allow that to happen.