Pride -- Port Canaveral stop

[cbpanda]

We are sailing on the Pride out of Baltimore next month and the first port of call is Port Canaveral. We have not been to this port before. Can anyone tell me is there anything to do here aside from the beach (we are not beach people), or the amusements parks (WDW, Universal, Seaworld – which deserve more than just a few hours for the expense) or Kennedy Space Center (we have done numerous times before). Is there any place to just walk around? Or is like an industrial port? Will it be better to just stay on the ship and enjoy the solitude caused by the majority of passengers off on excursions?

Thanks in advance for your help.

(I apologize if this is not posted in the correct area of the boards, but I tried looking for a Port Canaveral section on the “Ports of Call” board, with no luck.)

[golfadj]

We have cruised a number of times from Pt Canaveral.

 

Other than what you have said not much going on here. IMHO do not understand why it is a destination on a cruise.

 

Would suggest you go back to the port of call pages and look around for the correct pages and perhaps somebody has a better idea what to do.

[LemurCat]

We are sailing on the Pride out of Baltimore next month and the first port of call is Port Canaveral. We have not been to this port before. Can anyone tell me is there anything to do here aside from the beach (we are not beach people), or the amusements parks (WDW, Universal, Seaworld – which deserve more than just a few hours for the expense) or Kennedy Space Center (we have done numerous times before). Is there any place to just walk around? Or is like an industrial port? Will it be better to just stay on the ship and enjoy the solitude caused by the majority of passengers off on excursions?

 

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

(I apologize if this is not posted in the correct area of the boards, but I tried looking for a Port Canaveral section on the “Ports of Call” board, with no luck.)

 

It's a pretty industrial port, no shopping right there or anything. I know they have a couple of "nature walk" type excursions -- airboats and such. Or you can take the bus to Ron Jon Surf Shop (I think they bill it as a beach stop as well). Lotsa kitchy, beachy type shopping there on the A1A.

[DaDivaMom]

It is mostly an industrial type port. There are several places to eat etc...but for the most part there is no port village or anything. You could head to Cocoa Beach just to walk around but again, it's all beach themed.

[vacruizer]

There's nothing nearby you can walk to. The port area is pretty separated from the business district of Cape Canaveral.

 

We took the Airboat and Alligators tour which was actually really nice. An airboat ride on the St. John's river which is beautiful along with a wildlife conservation group that brought some of their rescues in for everyone to see. That and you get to sample fried gator. :eek: But the river is gorgeous and lots of beautiful wildlife - many nice birds and some alligators as well.

[highbridge5]

I think that the port canaveral stuff is under "East Coast" ports or something like that.

 

Because the Carnival Pride stops there every trip, the Pride roll calls

might have some references to what other people are planning or have done.

 

Also, the family board often has the same question posed by parents.

 

If I were to go with my kids again, I'd do Sea World or Disney.

 

If I were to go back without my kids or my kids were older, I'd try and find a naturalist or someone that could take me out birding or wildlife watching in the National Wildlife Reserve areas near KSC.

 

Or, I'd try an airboat excursion to see alligators and swamps and such.

[cbpanda]

There's nothing nearby you can walk to. The port area is pretty separated from the business district of Cape Canaveral.

 

We took the Airboat and Alligators tour which was actually really nice. An airboat ride on the St. John's river which is beautiful along with a wildlife conservation group that brought some of their rescues in for everyone to see. That and you get to sample fried gator. :eek: But the river is gorgeous and lots of beautiful wildlife - many nice birds and some alligators as well.

 

 

This actually sounds interesting.

[cbpanda]

We have cruised a number of times from Pt Canaveral.

 

Other than what you have said not much going on here. IMHO do not understand why it is a destination on a cruise.

 

Would suggest you go back to the port of call pages and look around for the correct pages and perhaps somebody has a better idea what to do.

 

I did look around the POC board, the posts that I could find dealt specifically with embarkation at the port (airports, rental cars, hotels, etc.). Nothing about the port being a "port of call." Admittedly, I wasn't sure if I was in the right place, so didn't dig past the first page of threads.

[cbpanda]

Thanks to all! I appreciate everyone's responses. DH and I really have no problems remaining on the ship when everyone else gets off. As far as I'm concerned, the ship itself is a destination! :D

[trptplayer22]

Thanks to all! I appreciate everyone's responses. DH and I really have no problems remaining on the ship when everyone else gets off. As far as I'm concerned, the ship itself is a destination! :D

 

We're going to Nasa this year, but last year we stayed on the ship. It was nice. Got to see some manatee's (sp) and just enjoy the ship. My In-laws are going again this year too and will be on the same cruise as you. They plan to take the shuttle to Coco Beach.

[Knights on the Beach]

There are a few restaurants and bars on the water at the port, but not right next to where the ships are docked. I suppose it would be a fairly cheap taxi ride if that's what you wanted to do.

[H82seaUgo]

my cousin went on a tour that took her to ron jon resort, or something like that. she loved it!

 

i only remember seeing the space center and the parks as other alternative.

 

a friend of ours picked us up, and we went to seaworld for the day. no stress, but it was hot as hell. it was a good day spent.

[rjrice1]

Good place for New England seafood is The Boston Beef & Seafood. Right on A1A. Further down the road is RonJon Surf shop.

May be able to just take a taxi??

[thomarvin]

We did this cruise last July. We rented a car $50 for the day. Enterprise picks you up at the port and brought us back at the end of the day. We went to Kennedy Space center. Did lunch with an astronaut. I think that was $24 a person plus admission to KSP. We also hit a grocery store for last minute things that we had forgotton. Cheaper than buying onboard. There are 5 of us so it was so much cheaper to do things on our own than with Carnival.

[BND]

We're going to do the Kennedy Space Center tour in Nov. and we've been to PC before pre-cruise so we know the area. We've been to Huntsville, AL too so probably not a huge difference. We actually know an astronaut whose done a couple of shuttle trips too so no need to pay for lunch with one lol.

[falkcor]

you're right there really isn't a good 'port of call' board for port canaveral, as most ships never stop at port canaveral as a port of call (no other carnival ships, anyhow, so as i pride question, i think you're in the right place)

 

here's the full list of carnival excursions that are offered - there's more than just KSC (which i did on our own) and the amusement parks....

 

 

 

as others have noted, there is nothing that you can really walk to from the port itself... but there are a few establishments in the area...

 

here's a few that line the inlet on the way out of port canaveral, we passed them as we left - and they waived! music, food, and drinks... doesn't sound like a bad idea and certainly isn't very far - probably a pretty cheap taxi ride...

 

 

 

hope that helps :)

[vacruizer]

This actually sounds interesting.

 

Don't worry, I ran into the same thing with research. Everything on the ports board has to do more with homeport departures and hotels, etc. and very little in the way of one day port call excursions.

 

Here's a few pics from the airboat tour. We went with no plans and my dh decided he'd like to do the airboat ride so we booked onboard. I wasn't sure it really interested me all that much but it ended up being a really nice excursion.

 

Look in the bushes for a Great Blue Heron here..

 

 

A small gator...

 

 

The river and another gator..

[uffdafla]

We are sailing on the Pride out of Baltimore next month and the first port of call is Port Canaveral. We have not been to this port before. Can anyone tell me is there anything to do here aside from the beach (we are not beach people), or the amusements parks (WDW, Universal, Seaworld – which deserve more than just a few hours for the expense) or Kennedy Space Center (we have done numerous times before). Is there any place to just walk around? Or is like an industrial port? Will it be better to just stay on the ship and enjoy the solitude caused by the majority of passengers off on excursions?

 

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

(I apologize if this is not posted in the correct area of the boards, but I tried looking for a Port Canaveral section on the “Ports of Call” board, with no luck.)

book a spa day on the boat.

[im4clowns]

not sure if this would interest you but historic cocoa village is a nice way to spend a few hours. it's about 20 minutes from the port and there are lots of nice restaurants and one of a kind store.

here is the web site for you

http://www.cocoavillage.com/

[Aknot]

 

Because the Carnival Pride stops there every trip, the Pride roll calls

might have some references to what other people are planning or have done.

 

My Pride cruise is not going there. We made it a point to select the trip not going there.

[xitappers2bx]

We are sailing on the Pride out of Baltimore next month and the first port of call is Port Canaveral. We have not been to this port before. Can anyone tell me is there anything to do here aside from the beach (we are not beach people), or the amusements parks (WDW, Universal, Seaworld – which deserve more than just a few hours for the expense) or Kennedy Space Center (we have done numerous times before). Is there any place to just walk around? Or is like an industrial port? Will it be better to just stay on the ship and enjoy the solitude caused by the majority of passengers off on excursions?

 

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

(I apologize if this is not posted in the correct area of the boards, but I tried looking for a Port Canaveral section on the “Ports of Call” board, with no luck.)

 

IMO, just stay on the ship... we were on the Pride in December, and did the Space Center, but we hadn't done that before, and we would definately do it again, but because my daughter and I had an utterly incredible day. We've been there/done that with Disney, and the cost, plus the 1 hr+ trip each way is waaay too long for me, and not enough time for the incredibly overinflated price. I know there was a mall nearby, and a Ron Jons surf shop. it's sort of an industrial port though, not a whole lot around.

[cbpanda]

you're right there really isn't a good 'port of call' board for port canaveral, as most ships never stop at port canaveral as a port of call (no other carnival ships, anyhow, so as i pride question, i think you're in the right place)

 

here's the full list of carnival excursions that are offered - there's more than just KSC (which i did on our own) and the amusement parks....

 

 

 

as others have noted, there is nothing that you can really walk to from the port itself... but there are a few establishments in the area...

 

here's a few that line the inlet on the way out of port canaveral, we passed them as we left - and they waived! music, food, and drinks... doesn't sound like a bad idea and certainly isn't very far - probably a pretty cheap taxi ride...

 

 

 

hope that helps :)

 

 

Thanks for the pics and the information. It's good to actually see the port area. We've checked out the Carnival excursions, but nothing jumped out at us.

 

(BTW, DH and I enjoyed your review of your trip on the Pride) :)

[bythehex]

My Pride cruise is not going there. We made it a point to select the trip not going there.

 

We did too (I'm on the same cruise as you AKnot). We deliberately chose it because it ISN'T going to Port Canaveral.

 

We've been to Disney World numerous times, been to Kennedy Space Center, and if we wanted to go to the beach we'd much rather it be in Grand Turk or Half Moon Cay. Just our personal preference.

 

- Sharon -

[cbpanda]

Don't worry, I ran into the same thing with research. Everything on the ports board has to do more with homeport departures and hotels, etc. and very little in the way of one day port call excursions.

 

Here's a few pics from the airboat tour. We went with no plans and my dh decided he'd like to do the airboat ride so we booked onboard. I wasn't sure it really interested me all that much but it ended up being a really nice excursion.

 

Look in the bushes for a Great Blue Heron here..

 

 

A small gator...

 

 

The river and another gator..

 

Thanks for the pictures. They are great!

[cbpanda]

not sure if this would interest you but historic cocoa village is a nice way to spend a few hours. it's about 20 minutes from the port and there are lots of nice restaurants and one of a kind store.

here is the web site for you

http://www.cocoavillage.com/

 

 

I will look into this. Thanks.:)