Amtrak to Port Canaveral

[MrsPete]

We recently used Amtrak (for a non-cruise vacation) and were very pleased with it. The service was good, the seats were larger than those on an airplane, and we each had an electrical outlet next to us. The price was very good. The only negative was the expensive cardboard food, a problem we solved on the way home by bringing good sandwiches onboard for the homeward trip.

 

I'm thinking about using Amtrak for our next cruise. We'd need to board around 9:00 at night, and we'd ride all night -- that doesn't sound particularly restful, but we'd have the whole next day to lounge by a hotel pool and relax. We'd arrive in Orlando around 10:30 the next morning. Just for the record, "we" are a family with four teenaged girls. If we get our tickets waaaay in advance and use a AAA discount, all six of us can ride from NC to Orlando for just under $400 (that's round-trip).

 

Here's the catch: Ground transportation.

 

We'd need to get from the Amtrak station to Country Inns & Suites at Port Canaveral. We can use the hotel shuttle to get to the port the next morning. Then we need to be picked up at the port after the cruise.

 

I think I'd be okay with being "stuck" at the hotel once we arrive. We wouldn't have slept all that well on the train, so I expect we'd check in and take a good nap. With lots of nice meals ahead of us on the cruise, I wouldn't feel the necessity of serving up a good meal to the girls -- I'd order pizzas. I've stayed here before, and I remember we ate at a little Italian place the night before the cruise; I think it might've even been walking distance.

 

Back to the problem: Ground transportation. I saw one shuttle service that's about $40/person, but they leave from the airport. How much would a taxi run? The train station is only 12 miles from the airport, so it'd be about the same cost as going from the airport. Ideas?

[rhorhorho]

You may sleep better on the train than you imagine - I sleep almost as well on the train as on the ship - but I had a bed....

 

FWIW - the train depot in Orlando is in a very industrial area. I'm sure taxis are available, but...one option might be to call enterprise "they'll pick you up":D and drive to Port canaveral. I have a friend who owns a little taxi service - I'll call her and see what they would charge for 6 from the train to the hotel for you if that would be of any help.

[MrsPete]

You may sleep better on the train than you imagine - I sleep almost as well on the train as on the ship - but I had a bed....

 

FWIW - the train depot in Orlando is in a very industrial area. I'm sure taxis are available, but...one option might be to call enterprise "they'll pick you up":D and drive to Port canaveral. I have a friend who owns a little taxi service - I'll call her and see what they would charge for 6 from the train to the hotel for you if that would be of any help.

They DO advertise, "We'll pick you up", don't they! That's perfect. I checked the cost of a van, and it's less than $100; plus, it would be convenient to have transportation the day before boarding. But how do we return the car? Are there car rental returns at the port?

 

A one-way taxi back to the train depot might be just the thing.

 

Thanks!

[karzdan98]

We rode the train frm salt Lake city and it wasa wonderful trip. Very scenic, but a little noisey. Any how we booked transportation from Amtrak to port canaveral for 2. It was 88 plus a good tip for the driver

[karzdan98]

Sorry hit reply to quickly. It was Cocoa Beach shuttle that we used.

[rhorhorho]

Talked to my friend she said $115.00 for all of you from the train station to the port, each way.

 

Pheonix Cab Service - 321-724-6022.

 

Have fun. We, okay I, am thinking about, and therefore trying to convince DH to do a train to Baltimore or NY and try one of those sailings - I am currently using the two cool modes of transportation in one vacation angle.:D

[TampAGS]

Out of all the ports in Florida, you picked the one that Amtrak doesn't go anywhere near! ;)

 

It is a great idea, though... I love traveling on Amtrak and have taken the train to get to both cruises I took recently. I was going from Tampa to Fort Lauderdale and Miami, though. Getting to any of their ports from the respective train stations is easy because of their proximity (particularly Tampa's Union Station). Port Canaveral is a different story.

 

Enterprise does advertise "We'll pick you up." but it pays to call ahead and confirm that, as I discovered at Port Everglades when they decided "We'll tick you off" sounded better..:mad: lol.

 

Hertz maintains an on-site desk at Orlando Amtrak Station, but they are not to my knowledge very keen on one-way in-state rentals. Enterprise is the only company I know of that offers that. They have locations that are not far from the depot so it shouldn't be a problem in Orlando. Not sure about the port. Anyway, like I said, definitely call ahead to arrange pick-up, etc.

 

I have a video of the Orlando Station on YouTube if you aren't familiar with the facility. Link is here: