Capt_BJ

editorial: Port Canaveral and the town of Cape Canaveral are not BIG metropolitan areas like Miami or Ft Lauderdale and as the port has grown some of the 'support services' have NOT grown to match. One such service is rental cars ..... The local rental offices are not BIG like you see at Miami or Lauderdale where the main offices are actually serving the airport .... In Canaveral those large rental offices are at Orlando Airport - 45 minutes away. What the local offices are like - how busy they are - is VERY dependent on the port load: how many ships are in on 'your day'. If your day is one or two ships there is typically no issues but some days there are 4, 5 even 6 and these days easily over run the local rental offices. If you go to the port website and the cruise section you can find a link to the cruise ship schedule. They tend to keep it filled to about 6 months out and you can check 'your day' and have an idea of what to expect .... https://www.portcanaveral.com/getattachment/Cruise/Cruise-Lines-Schedules/Port-Canaveral-Cruise-Schedule-Dec23-Jul24.pdf.aspx?lang=en-US

'in the port' is a shared office for enterprise/national/alamo (walkable from terminal one - RCCL primary terminal not far away (shuttle provided) are Budget, Avis and Dollar/Thrifty

TECHNICALLY if you look at the web sites for GE it is described as being for AIRPORTS only. However IME I have seen 'priority' lanes at cruise ports marked for GE holders (and used them). They don't have the machines but will hand inspect the card and the line is VERY short .. . Global Entry is a program of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection service that allows pre-approved, low-risk travelers to receive expedited clearance upon arrival into the United States through automatic kiosks at select airports

sorry to say that is my impression that it depends on the garage ..... https://www.miamidade.gov/portmiami/parking-information.asp

we were on SATURN in July (one of the first sailings) and found the internet service do be significantly less than what we'd experienced previously on other VO cruises. I ran 'speed test' several times and the bandwidth I'd see for down link was typically WELL under 10 mbps. Btw we don't stream ... use was simple emails/messages, some FaceBook. Provider was STARLINK ..... I'd noticed the bunch of antenna the first day.

ESCAPE has been using 10 I see when EPIC begins the schedule says 3 ..... https://www.portcanaveral.com/PortCanaveral/media/Communications/2023/CPA-Website-Schedule-Aug-Jan-2024.pdf

One of our stops will be Key West so we won't need to go there. good thing as it is about 150 miles away ..... a couple of companies run Hop on Hop Off <HoHo> from Bayside and this would appear to fit you well. You should look into the different offerings as they go different places AND note that there is a difference 'tween Miami and Miami Beach ..... sep' cities ..... there IS also an extensive 'free' trolley system which can get you to all the touristy places in MIAMI but there is no narration as you'd get on a HoHo so kinda requires some local knowledge or a LOT of pre-planning .....https://www.miami.gov/Transportation-Roadways/Trolley-Information/Get-Trolley-Information-Schedules-and-Maps

SIX .....

no reservations taken for IN port parking. OTOH the off-sites DO and usually give a better rate when you make reservation . .

MG uses terminal 3 which has an adjacent garage ... just follow signs to terminal 3 ... SUNPASS is accepted at T-3 parking (T-3 ONLY) Official Port Canaveral Parking Official Port Canaveral Cruise Parking is available only directly adjacent to each of Port Canaveral’s Cruise Terminals. The Port does not own or operate any off-Port parking facilities. Park at your cruise terminal's designated parking area and simply take a short walk to your ship; no need for shuttles. Oversize parking for RV's and buses is also available at each Cruise Terminal. Parking Rates Parking is $17.00 per day plus tax for vehicles & RVs, including day of arrival and day of departure. *Rates are subject to change without notice. Contact the Canaveral Port Authority at 321-783-7831 for the latest information. Acceptable Payment Methods • No cash accepted • Major credit cards (American Express, Visa, MasterCard, and Discover) • Presently, EPASS and SunPass accepted ONLY at the Cruise Terminal 3 parking garage

prohibited outright .... no approach sidewalks ... no foot path on the bridge(s) .... security will be called but will they respond b4 you get across is a different issue .... a taxi or U/L is basically your only choice ... local bus service doesn't cross the bridge to the north side ... no route ...

A woman has been banned for life from sailing aboard any Carnival Cruise Line ship for packing CBD gummies along in her carry-on bag for an August 2023 cruise from Miami, Florida. Despite the controlled substance being conditionally legal in Florida, all major cruise lines prohibit such items, as is clearly stated on Carnival’s prohibited items list.

did you check the airport web site for transport companies? https://flysfb.com/taxis-shuttles-rides/

the 'problem' with off site parking at POM is the fact that the port is smack downtown. Having worked downtown for a few years I can tell you that parking is $$ so establishing a low cost site is somewhat of a problem. IME what happens is a lot may get cleared by tearing down a building and in the interim b4 new construction begins someone runs a parking operation ..... I've tried a couple over the years and each time is was a MISTAKE and would not even bother today .... the ARE decent off site lots for the AIRPORT that have been around a long time and are safe ... BUT they are at the airport and don't run shuttles to the port. You could use them via the airport but at increased time and $$.

remember that outside of the cruise port this is a pretty small town and the number of taxi avaialble is NOTHING like what you see in Miami or Lauderdale. A lot will depend on the 'port load' for the day. If only one ship is turning around there will be taxi (and UBER). If it is a 4 (or more) ship day .... not so much. Same applies to how crazy the car rental places will be and how soon shuttles will book up. You can check 'your day' here: https://www.portcanaveral.com/PortCanaveral/media/Communications/2023/CPA-Website-Schedule-Aug-Jan-2024.pdf <always subject to changes>

due to the length of the transit from the sea buoy to the pier they regularly begin in the wee hours .... The distance is about 35 nautical miles of restricted channels. In order to ensure they are at the pier by 6am (to begin off load at 7am) they need to begin the transit around 2am (4 hours travel time is typical as mentioned above) ....

my picture has an arrow pointing at the existing garage .....

there's a couple of different companies providing 'hop on hop off' type bus tours .... they cover slightly different sets of attractions so I'd check those out, https://www.bigbustours.com/en/miami/miami-bus-tours?utm_source=GMB-miami+&utm_medium=GMB&utm_campaign=miami-GMB-website The Miami trolley system is FREE and goes to many of the same places but there won't be 'narration' so you are on your own to know where to go .... https://www.miami.gov/Transportation-Roadways/Trolley-Information/Get-Trolley-Information-Schedules-and-Maps If never been to Miami b4 Cuban is what ya want. Versailles is the place with the name but just a few doors down is La Carretta which is where 'locals' go. IMO better food and lower prices! https://www.versaillesrestaurant.com/ https://www.lacarreta.com/ <you want Calle Ocho location> >>>>>>>>>>>> p.s. Miami and Miami Beach are two completely different cities and tours typically do ONE or the OTHER and not both .... each has its own vibe and places to see , , ,

concur this will be the ball park. IME most dive ops will try to get it two trips - two tank dives - each day ... there will be some variables wrt the 'transit time' to/from the site but they will typically set a 'maximum' bottom time regardless of your actual air status (you may not be close to 'empty') to stay on schedule. Here's the shop schedule for our favorite shop taking small groups into Pennekamp Park Depending on the port you may be able to have flexibility for a shorter 'trip' by just doing a shore dive or two. This is what we typically do in Cayman ... just heading down to Eden Rock or Sunset House and doing shore dives. For new divers this can actually provide a better (shallower) profile versus a 'wall dive'

there will be signs ..... follow the signs ... and folks to help ... ask if needed. being dropped is very common . .

IME MOST snorkeling excursions offered by a cruise offer equipment and a short 'lesson' for newbies .... of your three stops I'd say CAYMAN would be your best choice <but do NOT take a snork' trip to the Kittiwake ship wreck as this will be DEEP water and NOT a good place for a newbie> A trip with stingray city and a second snork' stop is probably a great fit for you. Coz is second choice but shore snorkeling would be better for you as the currents of a boat trip can be significant here. And Nassau is last choice as frankly there ain't much great snorkeling in Nassau area. BTW I started diving in 1973 and lived in south Florida for a good part of 1978 - til now and worked on ships for a good part of that time in the islands. I've been to each of these places dozens of times and 'dove em' .... not to mention cruises over 60 ... most to the Carib as well. Enjoy

I've found that often G MAPS has more current imagery then does EARTH ..

weird that they used T-3 .....