Transfer to MCO

[FillupD]

I have a question about purchasing a Carnival transfer to MCO after the cruise. Our flight departure time is at 3:30 pm so we really are not in a great hurry to get to the airport but are unsure if we want to mess around with renting a car after the vacation. We'd like to make as easy as posible of coarse.

Is it possible to disembark carrying my bags and kind of pick what time you want to get on a shuttle? Does carnival have one bus they pile as many as they can get on and go to MCO as soon as it is full? Do you carry your bags on the carnvial bus or can it only be used if you disembark using zone times and give your bags up the night before?

Any ideas or opinions on what is an easy way to get to MCO in the 35.00 per person range (my wife and I).

[Miller_KC]

I

Is it possible to disembark carrying my bags and kind of pick what time you want to get on a shuttle? Does carnival have one bus they pile as many as they can get on and go to MCO as soon as it is full? Do you carry your bags on the carnvial bus or can it only be used if you disembark using zone times and give your bags up the night before?

 

When I have taken the shuttle we have set the bags out at night, but picked them up and taken them through customs ourselves. There is a new option you can buy where Carnival checks your bags in at the airport and you don't see them until you get to your home airport.

 

Everyone with a shuttle "Excursion" is told where to meet and then was guided off of the ship together. We picked up our bags and carried them to the bus then the driver loaded them underneath. Buses left as they filled up. They kept everyone on the bus while the bags were unloaded then let you come out and line up to claim your bags.

 

If traveling with more than 2 people it has usually been cheaper and easer to just catch a cab but MCO from Port Canaveral would probably be too high.

[FillupD]

Thanks, I looked into a car but it was between 125.00 and 185.00, depending on the rental company. I think the 185.00 one was including tip.

I was thinking about goofing around Cocoa Beach for a couple hours then getting a shuttle to the airport around noonish. I guess I don't know what there is to do but it should beat hanging out at the airport. I don't want to get to MCO at 9:00 and have a long wait to board.

The carnival shuttle may not be what I am looking for if you have to get off at a scheduled time. I think I'd like to feel un-rushed and eat breakfast and then work our way off the boat around 9:00-9:30 if that's possible.

[woffojl]

We are in the same boat, "no pun intended." I first thought about Cocoa Beach Shuttle, but read some not-so-great reviews. I have contacted Travelynx for a quote. I too prefer to hang out for awhile before being "herded" to the airport so early. If I hear back, I will post the details here.

 

 

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[FlaGrl4Evr]

Thanks, I looked into a car but it was between 125.00 and 185.00, depending on the rental company. I think the 185.00 one was including tip.

I was thinking about goofing around Cocoa Beach for a couple hours then getting a shuttle to the airport around noonish. I guess I don't know what there is to do but it should beat hanging out at the airport. I don't want to get to MCO at 9:00 and have a long wait to board.

The carnival shuttle may not be what I am looking for if you have to get off at a scheduled time. I think I'd like to feel un-rushed and eat breakfast and then work our way off the boat around 9:00-9:30 if that's possible.

 

 

Try Budget Car rental and use code Y937800. Another CC'er shared this code on the Fla boards and it saved me a lot of $ on my Tampa car rental in August.

 

From what I understand, there is a Budget car rental at 8401 Astronaut Blvd in Cape Canaveral and they provide a courtesy shuttle to/from the port.

 

 

 

:)

 

 

 

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[winddawn]

Thanks, I looked into a car but it was between 125.00 and 185.00, depending on the rental company. I think the 185.00 one was including tip.

I was thinking about goofing around Cocoa Beach for a couple hours then getting a shuttle to the airport around noonish. I guess I don't know what there is to do but it should beat hanging out at the airport. I don't want to get to MCO at 9:00 and have a long wait to board.

The carnival shuttle may not be what I am looking for if you have to get off at a scheduled time. I think I'd like to feel un-rushed and eat breakfast and then work our way off the boat around 9:00-9:30 if that's possible.

Everyone will need to be off the ship at a certain time (around 8 to 9). The buses to MCO will be long gone by noonish. I suggest that you purchase a Carnival excursion for debarkation day, and those typically drop you off at the airport when the excursion is over. This would solve your transportation dilemma, give you something fun to do for the day until your later flight time, and get you to the airport in time for your flight. You can look on Carnival's website or onboard at the shore excursion desk. Lots of people do the Cape Canaveral tour.

[FillupD]

Try Budget Car rental and use code Y937800. Another CC'er shared this code on the Fla boards and it saved me a lot of $ on my Tampa car rental in August.

 

From what I understand, there is a Budget car rental at 8401 Astronaut Blvd in Cape Canaveral and they provide a courtesy shuttle to/from the port.

 

 

 

:)

 

 

 

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Thanks, I didn't think I wanted the hassle to rent a car to get to the airport but it looks like it should be pretty painless. It came out to be just under 40 bucks and after the fuel and toll's may end up close to the shuttle cost, but I'll be able to goof around in Cocoa Beach or Orlando for a few hours. When I think about it, the idea of having 'my own space', even for 4-5 hours might seem to be appealing after the cruise.

We are staying at Universal a week before the cruise and I used the code for the rental from the Portofino Bay (Budget rental very close) to Cape Canaveral. I've read on CC about dropping luggage and the wife off at the port and returning the car on the morning of the cruise. Looks like Budget will give me a lift back to the ship. I hope it goes as well as it sounds!

Thanks for the code heads up, it helped out considerably.

[RuthlessBoss]

Thanks, I looked into a car but it was between 125.00 and 185.00, depending on the rental company. I think the 185.00 one was including tip.

I was thinking about goofing around Cocoa Beach for a couple hours then getting a shuttle to the airport around noonish. I guess I don't know what there is to do but it should beat hanging out at the airport. I don't want to get to MCO at 9:00 and have a long wait to board.

The carnival shuttle may not be what I am looking for if you have to get off at a scheduled time. I think I'd like to feel un-rushed and eat breakfast and then work our way off the boat around 9:00-9:30 if that's possible.

Cars are not that much in Florida, was that a weekly rate?

[FillupD]

Sorry, That was not for a rental car, it was for a company that had Town Cars, limos and vans for hire. For two people that is a little steep. For four, maybe not such a bad deal.

[FlaGrl4Evr]

Thanks, I didn't think I wanted the hassle to rent a car to get to the airport but it looks like it should be pretty painless. It came out to be just under 40 bucks and after the fuel and toll's may end up close to the shuttle cost, but I'll be able to goof around in Cocoa Beach or Orlando for a few hours. When I think about it, the idea of having 'my own space', even for 4-5 hours might seem to be appealing after the cruise.

We are staying at Universal a week before the cruise and I used the code for the rental from the Portofino Bay (Budget rental very close) to Cape Canaveral. I've read on CC about dropping luggage and the wife off at the port and returning the car on the morning of the cruise. Looks like Budget will give me a lift back to the ship. I hope it goes as well as it sounds!

Thanks for the code heads up, it helped out considerably.

 

 

 

You are very welcome. Just trying to pay-it-forward. :)

 

 

BTW: have a great time at Universal. We are doing an Orlando fun trip next year followed by a 4 day on the Sensation. Also, going to rent from Budget instead of the shuttle.

 

Have a great time.

 

 

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[jmoyer]

Thanks, I looked into a car but it was between 125.00 and 185.00, depending on the rental company. I think the 185.00 one was including tip.

 

Are you sure those prices aren't round trip? The company we are booked through in 2 weeks says $169 for 1-4 people round trip.

[DEL67]

We booked with Enterprise last year and it was only about $60. They provided a shuttle from the ship to their rental location. However, you had to call them to get a one way rental.

[sbnuggie]

Okay, here is what we did in May, I was the main planner for our group of 17 so I researched this issue ad nauseum and found this to be about the best but your flight time is in the mid afternoon where ours wasn't until 7:30pm.

 

 

FIRST AND FOREMOST, USE, USE, USE, THE LUGGAGE EXPRESS PROGRAM!!!!!! BY FAR THE BEST SERVICE CARNIVAL OFFERS AND WORTH EVERY SINGLE PENNY!!!

 

Getting information on the specifics for the luggage express program is very difficult. There is limited info on the carnival website and the PVP's don't have very much information. There are certain restrictions about which airlines, times etc. You are in luck however. I saved the flyer and scanned and attached it to this post. I can not emphasize enough how GREAT this service is. You put your checked luggage out Saturday night and you don't see it again until you're picking it off the carousel at your home airport. AWESOME! You can walk off the Dream as soon as they let people go, no waiting for zone's etc.

 

Now for your situation. If you were not aware Florida is one of the few states where you can rent a car one way and not incur drop fee's or one way fee's. Depending on the size of the party your in, it maybe the best option. All of the car rental companies have shuttles at the cruise port waiting for customers to take them to their respective offices. All are within just a few miles and the Port Canaveral cruise port is very easy to get in and out of.

 

However with my group their were 15 of us flying out in the evening. So I setup a charter with Travelynx, they were awesome, what we did was a one way Charter to Kennedy Space Center at 830am (opens at 9am). They then picked us up at 3pm for the 45 minute drive to MCO. We ate dinner at MCO, there is a Chilli's and numerous other restaurants, then got on our flights. We were lucky in that we made arrangements with Travelynx to use the same driver. They tow a trailer behind their vans for luggage storage, now we had checked all of our luggage via luggage express but we had carry on's and the driver kept the carry on's in the trailer while he made other trips for the day. Very prompt, courteous and a great overall service, he was tipped well.

 

Now, word of caution, MCO, if you were not aware is notorious for slow security and long lines. We experienced that, took about 40 minutes to get through just security (with luggage express they print your boarding passes so we didn't have to worry about that hassle), so plan accordingly.

 

Since you didn't really state how many were in your group I'm not sure, if you have less then 4 I would seriously consider renting a car. We got a great deal on our pre trip rental through Costco travel using Budget Rent a Car. We had a minivan (6 in my family), we visited Universal for a couple of days, then on day of embarkation drove from Orlando to Cruise Port, dropped the family and luggage off at the Dream, drove down to budget (about 4 miles south on Astronaut Blvd, filled up with gas at gas station next to the rental agency) turned in car, hopped on one of the frequent shuttle busses and was back at the cruise port in about 30 minutes, time enough for wife to check luggage and get us checked in (I just showed up, walked to the clerk to show my passport and she checked me in).

 

If I were you, look at reserving rental car (most open at 8am), use luggage express, catch one of the rental shuttles outside the ship promptly at 8am, get car (830am - 9am), tour cocoa beach or drive over to Orlando, do some sightseeing but be at MCO about 2 hours before your flight to allow for turning in rental car and getting through the long security lines. You may find a small sedan about the same cost as one transfer cost via Carnival and you can do what you want on your own pace.

 

Good Luck

Dream Luggage Express Flyer small file (2).pdf

[FillupD]

Thanks for the information, I'm sure your information will be used by many.