Tips and Tricks for Port Canaveral on Sunshine

[djsfamily]

So we just booked our second cruise, We will be traveling with our 9 year old who made the request to sail on a Carnival Ship with water works water park. Our problem is we will be sailing out of Port Canaveral/Orlando and our last cruise we sailed out of Miami, now we have 589 days until sailing.

How soon would you book a hotel room, would you fly in the day before (we are coming in from Seattle) in January, so we're not sure if we should fly in the day of or day before.

Any help ideas or suggestions for hotels or things to do would be great!!

Also we were not able to ask for ground transfers from airport to the port so we are wondering if hotels in the area are close to port or if any of them offer shuttles, I know we are almost 2 years away from sailing, but I am pretty anxious about this like I said this is only our second cruise.

Thanks in advance for any advice!!!

[CruiserBruce]

If you look down the board there is tons of info on hotels and transportation.

 

You can't book hotels until 365 days prior to the day you are checking out. No problems booking then, in most cases you can monitor prices, if a lower price comes along, you book at the lower price, then cancel the higher price.

 

No way I would attempt to fly in the day of sailing...it is probably not even possible from Seattle without a red eye, which will make everybody real happy on the sail away. Always fly in the day before.

 

If you go over to the Cruise Air board and do some reading, you will find truck loads of info on booking airfares.

[megr1125]

You're flying 3000 miles in January? Yes, please, come the day ahead, at LEAST...

 

Start looking about a year before you need your hotel...as CruiserBruce said, you can't book until 365 days out (usually less, like 330) and then keep looking to see if rates change...book a cancellable room first.

 

As for getting from Orlando to Port Canaveral, you'll probably rent a car...and decide what you want to do....Disney? Just rest?? Etc...

 

You have time...so you can peek around now and get price ideas so you can plan a bit, BUT remember that hotels and airfare will change a gazillion times between now and then

[sjcruiser]

I'd make a reservation for hotels as soon as possible, maybe at two places, under a refundable cancellation rate and then watch prices. I did this recently for our hotel in August for staying near the Orlando Airport, and then the prices with taxes and fees dropped by half with an online vendor (not a bidding site), and I booked and paid for the hotel. I then cancelled the previous hotels reservations, which the clerk at the hotel noted both reservations, one paid and one refundable when I called tho check the new reservation from the online site.

[JohninDC]

Book refundable or rooms that can be cancelled early, and then keep shopping - demand in January will be high, but you are outside the window for most school breaks and too early for spring break.

 

We prefer to stay in the Orlando area (more hotels, etc.) and then drive to the port the morning of the cruise.

[Capt_BJ]

two years out?

 

just keep reading . . . . .

[njmomof2]

So we just booked our second cruise, We will be traveling with our 9 year old who made the request to sail on a Carnival Ship with water works water park. Our problem is we will be sailing out of Port Canaveral/Orlando and our last cruise we sailed out of Miami, now we have 589 days until sailing.

How soon would you book a hotel room, would you fly in the day before (we are coming in from Seattle) in January, so we're not sure if we should fly in the day of or day before.

Any help ideas or suggestions for hotels or things to do would be great!!

Also we were not able to ask for ground transfers from airport to the port so we are wondering if hotels in the area are close to port or if any of them offer shuttles, I know we are almost 2 years away from sailing, but I am pretty anxious about this like I said this is only our second cruise.

Thanks in advance for any advice!!!

 

I would keep reading this forum on Florida departures and get information on all of the hotels in the Cocoa Beach area, then check the websites for the hotels and see if any appeal to you. Since Port Canaveral/Cocoa Beach is about 45-50 minutes from the Orlando airport, you will not have a hotel shuttle to take you from the airport to the hotel. You can either rent a car one way, with a drop off in Cocoa Beach (all of the car rental places are on the main drag) or you can arrange a shuttle service. It's a straight shot from the airport so it's an easy drive.

 

With your sailing so far out, as many have said, airfare is not going to be available until about 331 days out. I also agree with a January sailing, come in a day before, to allow for any weather issues and equipment changes or substitutions.

 

If you are a family of three, you can do fine at Country Inn and Suites, Radisson, really any of the hotels in the area. I need a true "suite" hotel, with 2 beds in the bedroom and a sofa bed. So I'm limited. I did the CIS last year but I thought the hotel was a bit "tired" so we are staying at the Hampton. We have been there before and they are doing a makeover this year so I'm hoping for new and improved. Either way, it's only one night and we don't land until dinner time anyway.

 

You can look on each hotel site and book something refundable that you like, then keep checking and see if prices drop. If you find a booking site that offers lower, for the same category, closer to sailing and can pre pay, then do that and cancel the original booking.