Park N Cruise Review - Port Canaveral

[loudbmw]

Our experience using Park N Cruise - Port Canaveral.

 

Just off the Freedom of the Seas and used Park N Cruise Port Canaveral for the first time. We have sailed many times from Port Canaveral and have parked at the pier as well as used the Radisson. Park N Cruise is relatively new and their rates were good so we figured we wold give them a try.

 

We reserved on-line a week prior to the cruise and an e-mail came back quickly confirming our rate for $50 for the week. We did not have to prepay when we reserved. As we we driving to the pier we received a phone call from Park N Cruise at 9:00 am to confirm we were still coming as being a Sunday they we going to be busy with all the ships in port.

 

We arrived at about 10:20 am and were directed to an indoor unloading area where they unloaded our luggage from our car and placed it by a doorway designated for our ship (Freedom of the Seas). We then paid for the week prior to parking and were directed to park in a area designated area for our ship and kept our keys. The lot is fenced in (no barbed wire) but had 24 hr security cameras. The whole process to unload, pay and park took just a few minutes.

 

We waited for the Freedom of the Seas shuttle next to our luggage again in an area protected from the sun or rain. The Disney shuttle came, then the Carnival shuttle and then another Disney shuttle but no Freedom shuttle. After a 20 minute wait, they said the Freedom disembarkation was running late and thus the reason for the delay. They had a couple of empty seats on the Disney shuttle and loaded us on that one and dropped us off first. Freedom check-in was a breeze and we were on the ship by 11:15 am or just under 1 hour from pulling into the Park N Cruise lot, clearing security, checking in on the ship to waiting for the Windjammer buffet to open.

 

Others who had to wait for the designated Freedom shuttle said they waited 45 minutes for their shuttle to arrive.

 

At the end of the cruise, we walked off with our own luggage at 6:45 am. An empty Park N Cruise shuttle was waiting in the bus lot. The driver immediately drove us to our car (and just us) and he loaded our bags into our trunk. Since we had prepaid, we just drove off. Total time through customs, shuttle ride and being on the road was less than 30 minutes. We tipped the drivers each way.

 

Summary

 

Pluses

 

Great service by employees - we never had to touch a suitcase

Shuttles - brand new and spotless

Rates - less than half that of the pier

We had zero wait for a shuttle when returning

Easy to find, right off I-528 (there's a BP station at the exit if you want to fill up prior to parking)

 

Minuses

 

They could use a couple more shuttles if things get backed up at the pier

 

We will use Park N Cruise again.

[cruisegirl1]

Thanks for the detailed info. We have a reservation for an upcoming cruise.

 

M

[poolboyclay]

I appreciate you posting this experience. I am considering this option as well.

[cruisegirl1]

We used Park N Cruise for our Monarch cruise - March 9-12. The experience was WONDERFUL! The staff was terrific.

 

They called us the day before to make sure we were still coming and gave us the exact exit number off 528. We arrived at park N cruise about 10:45 We pulled into their covered drive through building; they removed the luggage and took it to the waiting shuttle. My husband parked the car. We waited maybe 10 minutes for few other passengers then took off for the pier. 5 minutes later we were there. They took the luggage off the shuttle. They gave us instructions for our return.

 

When we got off the ship, the shuttle was waiting, we got on and they took off. The took us directly to where we had parked the car.

 

Great deal, great folks, great experience. We will definitely use them again.

 

M

[crewsweeper]

We used them last June! Really great service and easy to find. When we got on the only other people in the shuttle were from our roll call, LOL. I think they only had one shuttle, but then there was only one ship in port that day. We could park anywhere then, sounds like they've marked off areas by ship now.

 

Really a great service, even if you're staying at a local hotel. Saves not only on port parking but also on hotels as you don't need to book the higher park n cruis rates.