About Port Canaveral

The cruise port near Orlando, Florida, is officially named “Port Canaveral,” and it’s located in Cape Canaveral. This port and Port Miami jockey back and forth for the title of the world’s busiest cruise port and Port Canaveral’s seven cruise terminals are divided into “A” terminals, housing terminals 5, 6, 8, and 10, and “B” terminals containing terminals 1, 2, and 3. Each terminal has a different address, which can be found here. Cruisers can determine their departure terminal by consulting their cruise documents provided by the cruise line, but upon arrival at the port, signage will indicate where each cruise ship is docked. A port map is online here.

Getting to Port

Some cruisers who’ve never sailed out of Port Canaveral are under the mistaken impression that the port is in Orlando. While it’s close, Port Canaveral is located 47 miles away in Cape Canaveral, which can be up to a one-hour ride, depending on traffic. Cruisers flying to this port should also search for flights to Sanford Airport (SFB) and Melbourne Airport (MLB), as they are also in close proximity. Many cruisers are curious about how to get to this port from MCO, and there are several options:

• Cruise Line Transfer: Most cruise lines offer transfer service, and Carnival’s service from MCO to port, as one example, is $37 per person. This is booked directly through your cruise line.
• Hotel Shuttle: Some Port Canaveral hotels offer an optional (shared) shuttle service for guests at an additional cost, such as the Radisson at $28 per person.
• Rideshare: When it comes to getting to port, I typically recommend using Uber, but in this case, the long distance means that the ride can cost $75-150, depending on the time of day and other factors, but that is for up to four passengers.
• Private Transfer: Cruisers can book their own private transfer service, which is much more convenient than cruise line transfer service or hotel transfer services, which is typically on a bus or shuttle with other cruisers. Get Transfer offers transfer service for up to three people from MCO to Port Canaveral starting at $64, or cruisers traveling in a larger group can book a minibus for up to 16 people for $147.

Best Port Canaveral Hotels for Cruisers

This is a lengthy topic, so I created a separate post detailing the best hotels near the cruise port with a shuttle, and a dedicated post to highlight the top hotels near the cruise port, but located beachfront in Cocoa Beach, about 15 minutes from port.

Port Canaveral Parking

Cruise port parking is available directly adjacent to the port’s terminals, and cruisers are advised to park at their cruise terminal’s designated parking area and walk to their ship. Port parking is $17 per day, and reservations are not needed. There are more affordable off-site options nearby, although they aren’t as conveniently located. Some nearby hotels offer “park and stay” options for cruisers, with parking bundled into the pre-cruise overnight room rate.

Port Schedule

The 2023-24 Port Canaveral cruise port schedule is online here.

Clothes featured in photo: Halter Top Pineapple Bikini