While Miami is known as the cruise capital of the world, there’s another cruise port a bit north of it in Florida that shouldn’t be forgotten. Not only is Port Canaveral the second busiest cruise port in Florida, but it’s actually the second busiest in the entire world. In fact, it processes nearly 7 million passengers each year with more growth on the horizon.

If you are planning a cruise from this eastern Florida location, here’s our 2024 guide to the Port Canaveral cruise port to help answer many frequently asked questions.

Cruise Lines That Sail From Port Canaveral

The Port Canaveral Cruise Port currently has seven cruise terminals. There are four A terminals, which are located on the north side: terminals 5, 6, 8, and 10. There are three B terminals, located on the south side: terminals 1, 2, and 3. A new terminal 4 is slated to open in 2026.

When arriving at Port Canaveral for your cruise, there are large electronic signs directing passengers to their correct terminal.

Cruise Terminal 1 was built to handle some of the largest cruise ships in the world, which includes Royal Caribbean‘s Oasis-class ships. This year, ships sailing from Terminal 1 include Allure, Wonder, and Utopia of the Seas.

Cruise Terminal 3 is the newest terminal at Port Canaveral to house Carnival Cruise Line’s largest ships — specifically Mardi Gras. Carnival Liberty and Glory also sail from this $163 million, 188,000 square foot terminal.

Terminal 5 is home to some of Royal Caribbean’s mid-sized ships — currently Mariner and Adventure of the Seas. Terminal 6 is home to some of Carnival’s mid-sized vessels, Carnival Freedom and Vista.

Cruise Terminal 8 is Disney Cruise Line‘s terminal, complete with a Mickey head-shaped portal that welcomes guests through the terminal and onto the ship. Disney Fantasy and Wish currently sail from Terminal 8, and it will also be home to Disney Treasure when the ship debuts in December 2024.

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Terminal 10 is home to Norwegian Cruise Line and MSC Cruises ships. Currently, Norwegian Escape, Norwegian Jade, and MSC Seashore sail from this terminal.

Flying to Port Canaveral for a Cruise

Port Canaveral’s not far from the Bahamas. So, this cruise port is popular for short three and four-day cruises. These cruises often visit cruise line private islands such as Royal Caribbean’s Perfect Day at CocoCay,.

Several popular cruises also visit Norwegian Cruise Line’s Great Stirrup Cay or Disney’s Castaway Cay.

While many Florida locals do drive to the port, many cruisers still fly here for cruise vacations. The closest airport to Port Canaveral is Orlando International Airport. MCO hosts plenty of airlines from destinations across the country, so you shouldn’t have a problem finding a flight.

This airport is located approximately 45 minutes from Port Canaveral. Thus, you should plan your flights appropriately if you plan to fly in the day of your cruise. Though, we never recommend doing so. We always recommend cruisers fly in the day before to avoid any potential travel delays.

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Once you arrive at the airport, you will have several transportation methods. Some of these options will depend on whether you fly in the day before or the day of your cruise.

Transportation To and From the Port Canaveral Cruise Port

As mentioned previously, if you live within driving distance of Port Canaveral, you will likely be driving to the cruise terminal. If you are driving, we will discuss parking options a bit later. However, there are several other transportation options available.

If you are arriving the day of your cruise, a cruise line transfer from the airport might be the easiest option, though likely not the cheapest.

Many cruise lines offer an option to book this transportation pre-cruise. Once at the airport, a cruise line representative will greet you at baggage claim and escort you and your luggage to the check-in area. After checking-in, you will board the next departing bus to the ship. 

These transfers will run upwards of $40 per person and do run on set time schedules.

There are also several independent shuttle options. These shuttle options may include shuttles from the airport to the cruise terminal and/or hotel shuttles from the airport. These shuttle services tend to be a bit cheaper than transportation arranged through the cruise line.

Some of these options include Cortrans Shuttle Service and Cocoa Beach Shuttle. Of course, some hotels themselves offer transportation — sometimes complimentary — from the airport. Most often, these shuttles are a shared service and run on a set time schedule.

Shared Ride Services are probably the most popular form of transportation in recent years. Popular apps like Uber and Lyft are allowed to pick-up/drop-off passengers at both the airport and the cruise port.

The cost of using these services varies base on the type of vehicle you choose but average between $70-$100. So, depending on your party size and amount of luggage, this option may or may not save you money. While Uber or Lyft are convenient and often cheaper, one issue that can arise is quality control among drivers.

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GoPort is another nice option offering packages that can include hotel accommodations, airport transportation, and cruise transfers for one set price. The company also offers shared shuttle service from the airport to the cruise port for as low as $29.99.

Parking at the Port Canaveral Cruise Port

If you are driving to the Port Canaveral Cruise Port, the Official Port Canaveral Cruise Parking is the most convenient option available. This “official” cruise parking is the only area directly adjacent to each of Port Canaveral’s cruise terminals.

With this option, you can park at your cruise terminal’s designated parking garage and simply take a short walk to your ship. The current parking rate is $17 per day, including day of arrival and day of departure.

The Port does not own or operate any off-site parking facilities. Though, independent off-site parking lots can be a cheaper option. This will entail taking a shuttle from the lot to the cruise terminal.

One of these options is the GoPort Plaza. Packages start at a flat fee of $60 for a seven-night cruise for one person, plus $10 for each additional traveler. For a week-long cruise for two, this would be about a 50 percent savings.

Park Port Canaveral and Port Parking Space are other options as well.

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Of course, if you opt for a pre-cruise stay in a hotel, many hotels offer cruise and stay packages which can include parking for the entire duration of the cruise.

Hotels Near Port Canaveral Cruise Terminal

When preparing for your cruise, you should consider planning a pre-cruise stay before the vacation. 

When cruising from Port Canaveral, you will have a number of hotel options. You could opt to stay closer to the Orlando airport and make the commute to the port in the morning.

Or, you could choose a hotel that is located closer to the port or nearby Cocoa Beach. Better yet, you could spend a few days at Disney World or Universal Studios before your cruise.

The Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, Radisson Resort at the Port, and Residence Inn Cape Canaveral Cocoa Beach are among the closest to the Port Canaveral Cruise Port. You can also find our top picks for the Best Hotels Near Port Canaveral right here!

Top Things to Do Near Port Canaveral

Serving as an embarkation port as well as a port of call on some cruises, you might be wondering what activities there are to enjoy while visiting Port Canaveral. Whether you are visiting Florida’s Space Coast for the day or plan to spend a few pre-cruise or post-cruise days in the area, you will have several options.

Given the proximity to Orlando, one of the obvious choices is to visit your favorite central Florida theme park. Walt Disney World and Universal Studios are both located about an hour away. Walt Disney World is home to the popular Magic Kingdom theme park and Epcot which hosts various festivals throughout the year like the Food and Wine Festival in the summer/fall and the Flower and Garden Festival in the winter/spring. Additionally, Hollywood Studios is home to Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge, and Animal Kingdom has Pandora — The World of Avatar.

Harry Potter fans will love visiting Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley at Universal Studios. Not mention, there are plenty of thrill rides as well as the immaculately-themed Volcano Bay water park.

Further, Kennedy Space Center is one of the most popular attractions near Port Canaveral. Admission to this active spaceflight facility includes a variety of exhibits and attractions. To enjoy everything Kennedy Space Center has to offer, plan on spending at least one full day there.

If you want to grab a bite to eat almost at the port itself, Grills Seafood Deck & Tiki Bar and Fishlips Waterfront Bar & Grill are two popular options. These restaurants are located right at the pier and are cruiser favorite spots to watch the ships sail out of port.

Of course, there are several other activities in the area as well. If you are looking for more options, check out our list of top things to do near Port Canaveral.

Comments

Have you cruised from the Port Canaveral Cruise Port? What are some of your best hotels and things to do in the area? Drop us an anchor below to share your Port Canaveral cruise tips.