If you will be flying to Central Florida for a Port Canaveral cruise departure, your first priority at the time of booking your cruise should be to arrange for a shuttle from the airport to the ship terminals at Port Canaveral. For an additional fee, all of the cruise lines offer shuttles from the airport as part of cruise packages, or transportation may be arranged separately.
Airports Serving Port Canaveral
Although Orlando International Airport (MCO) is the busiest, there are five airports in the area, each offering many choices for ground transportation.
| Airport | Distance in Miles to Port Canaveral |
| Space Coast Regional Airport | 21 |
| Melbourne International Airport | 26 |
| Orlando International Airport (MCO) | 47 |
|
Orlando Sanford International Airport |
61 |
| Daytona Beach International Airport | 75 |
Airport Shuttles
Shared van shuttles require an advance reservation to confirm your pickup time at the airport. Prices are per-person and accurate as of April of 2014, but the rate per-person drops with each additional passenger. Contact your provider of choice for current pricing information and specifics.
The vans come in varying shapes and sizes ranging from a small van to a mini-bus, depending on the number of passengers. While saving on your budget, remember you will likely make several stops for other passengers. If only a few people are scheduled to ride with you, the company will send a small van or shuttle; a minibus or even motor coach may be used for a larger number of passengers.
Space Port Transit
Space Port Transport ranked highly among Yelpers in four critical areas: punctuality, friendliness, cleanliness and comfort. Their flat fee price of $98.00 makes this a #1 shuttle pick. Although there is no special accessibility ramp, travelers with a fold-up wheelchair should find the minivan seating adequately roomy.
Cost directly to Port Canaveral
Note: Price includes taxes and tolls; gratuity not included.
- From Space Coast Regional Airport: $60
- From Melbourne International Airport: $100
- From Orlando International Airport: $98 Credit/$93 Cash
- From Orlando Sanford International: $150
- From Daytona Beach International: $180
Happy Hour Shuttle
Happy Hour Shuttle stands out due to the absence of any negative online reviews. While there are only a few website reviews posted about this company, there are also no negative reviews. That warrants a thumbs up for courtesy, punctuality, cleanliness and even a little local area sightseeing. While there are no free drinks as the name may suggest, Happy Hour Shuttle guarantees a friendly face to greet you at your pick up location and a fun start to your cruise vacation.
Cost directly to Port Canaveral:
Note: Price includes taxes, tolls and 20 percent gratuity.
- From Space Coast Regional Airport: $120
- From Melbourne International Airport: $100
- From Orlando International Airport: $96
- From Orlando Sanford International: $100
- From Daytona Beach International $165
Beach Line Transportation
The Doubletree Hotel works exclusively with Beach Line Transportation, ensuring prompt and comfortable services between the airport, the hotel, and the ship terminals. If you are staying at The Doubletree, they can arrange this service for you; if you are not staying there you can book directly with Beach Line.
Cost directly to Port Canaveral:
Note: Price includes taxes and tolls; gratuity not included.
- From Space Coast Regional Airport: $100
- From Melbourne International Airport: $105
- From Orlando International Airport: $125
- From Orlando Sanford International: $135
- From Daytona Beach International: $135
Cocoa Beach Shuttle
Cocoa Beach Shuttle is a well-established transportation company with vehicles ranging from small vans to motor coaches, all modern, clean and comfortably equipped. Wheelchair accessible vans are available upon request with advance reservation. The company is recommended in a USA Today Travel Tips article and a cruiser who stayed a the Residence Inn before her cruise reported having a great experience with the company on TravelPod.com.
Cost directly to Port Canaveral:
Note: Price includes taxes and tolls; gratuity not included.
- From Space Coast Regional Airport: No service offered
- From Melbourne International Airport: $104
- From Orlando International Airport: $78
- From Orlando Sanford International: $144
- From Daytona Beach International: No service offered
Stylus Bus
The claim to fame for Stylus Bus is customer safety. Their upscale fleet is maintained by not just certified mechanics, but certified professionals trained by the manufacturers. All equipment is inspected each day prior to use. A review on DISboards.com is very positive, with the cruiser saying that her experience with Travelynx "could not have been better".
Cost directly to Port Canaveral:
Note: Price includes taxes and tolls; gratuity not included.
- From Space Coast Regional Airport: $140
- From Melbourne International Airport: $140
- From Orlando International Airport: $100
- From Orlando Sanford International: $240
- From Daytona Beach International: $300
Cruise Line Shuttles
Each cruise line offers shuttle services from Orlando International Airport to Port Canaveral. This option is convenient because it often comes with a luggage transfer from the airport directly to your cruise ship stateroom.
Disney offers free transfers from the airport to the port for passengers who have booked both their flight and cruise with the company. If you have booked a cruise only, the line charges for airport transfers. Carnival charges all cruise passengers for airport-to-port transfers.
Cruise Line shuttle fees (per person, round trip as of April of 2014) from Orlando International Airport are:
- Carnival - $70
- Disney - $70
- Royal Caribbean - $75
Note: Prices include taxes and tolls; gratuity not included.
In all cases, whether the price is included or not, you should make your reservation well in advance of the time of travel to utilize a cruise line shuttle.
Shuttle Alternatives
Taxis
Families or small groups may save a few dollars picking up a regular taxi from the airport, as the shuttles charge per person vs a metered fare for the entire carload. Some taxis can carry up to nine people, but as with any taxi ride, the total bill can be a risky gamble depending on traffic.
Taxifarefinder.com provides an easy way to estimate your fare from any of the area airports.
Fly/Snooze/Cruise Packages
If you're worried about the possibility of flight cancelations, inclement weather, lost luggage or other unavoidable delays, most travel counselors would agree that buffering your cruise with a pre-cruise hotel stay the night(s) before embarkation as well as the night(s) after your return, eases the anxiety.
"If the cruise passenger will be staying a minimum of one night pre-cruise," says David Poston, Director of Cruise, Tourism, and Hospitality at the Canaveral Port Authority, "there are a few hotels that offer a fly/snooze/cruise package where they will arrange the airport transfers". Options as of April 2014 include:
- The Courtyard by Marriott Cocoa Beach works with Travelynx, to offer a fly/snooze/cruise package. Once booked at the Marriott, a Travelynx vehicle will pick up the traveler(s) from the airport, transport them to the hotel and then take them to the port for boarding. The first traveler is free and additional passengers cost $45 for a round-trip arrangement (including taxes and tolls; gratuity not included).
- Your stay at the Clarion Hotel Port Canaveral can provide a group of four people round trip airport-hotel-port transfers for $439 (including taxes and tolls; gratuity not included). Their provider of choice is Cocoa Beach Shuttle
Note: Rates confirmed in April of 2014; contact hotel directly for current pricing.
Renting a Car
David Poston points to rental cars as another option for cruise passengers. "There are no drop fees in Florida so this can be very economical," he says. Rental car rates vary based on a number of factors, but typically cost between $40 and $80 per night as of April of 2014.
Poston explains, "A passenger can rent a car at the airport and turn it in over at their Port Canaveral area location. They can pick up the car at the airport, drive on over to the Port Canaveral area and stay in one of our many local hotels located very close to their cruise terminal. The morning of their cruise, they can turn in the car and take a complimentary shuttle over to their cruise terminal."
Poston adds that all of the area rental car companies have shuttles to pick up travelers after their cruise and place them in another rental car for their eventual return trip back to the airport.
Choosing Your Shuttle
Whether you're on your way to enjoy a relaxing cruise vacation, or returning home from one, research and early reservations can ensure that your airport transfer is stress-free and within budget. If you want to explore other shuttle opportunities, the Canaveral Port Authority provides an extensive list of transportation companies that have satisfactorily completed a vehicle inspection and background checks on the drivers. Bon Voyage!
