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tncruisergurl

By tncruisergurl,
in Carnival Cruise Lines

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riffatsea

riffatsea

Posted
Posted

I always think it is better to do your own independent pick up and just taxi back to the airport after the cruise.

This way you can come and go when you please and you don't have to wait for the bus/shuttle to fill up and leave.

Also depending on the port, a taxi may even be less expensive than the per person charge from Carnival.

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lmarie83

lmarie83

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Port canaveral is the only port we have ever flown to. We took a shuttle from the airport to hotel (it was not crowded at all for the 45 min drive) and took the hotel shuttle to the pier. I can't remember the service we used but it was much cheaper than what carnival had to offer and we had no issues. Shop around and read reviews and you can find something to suit your needs.

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tncruisergurl

tncruisergurl

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You would be flying in the day BEFORE your cruise departs, correct?

 

 

Actually No! I know, I know it's very risky. My husband is a avid football fan and will not miss a Friday or Saturday football game, so we will be flying in on Sunday and leaving the same day. The flight is scheduled to land at 9:30 am.

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oncruisecontrol

oncruisecontrol

Posted
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Actually No! I know, I know it's very risky. My husband is a avid football fan and will not miss a Friday or Saturday football game, so we will be flying in on Sunday and leaving the same day. The flight is scheduled to land at 9:30 am.

 

Well at least it's an early flight. But if you are flying in to Orlando, you still need to figure in the time it takes to drive to Port Canaveral (whatever method you decide on). Even just a couple hours delay of your flight (landing say at 11:30 instead of 9:30) could make for a nerve wracking embarkation day. I have read many horror stories on these message boards.

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oncruisecontrol

oncruisecontrol

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We have always drove in the day before we cruise. Thinking about flying in for our October cruise. Any differences/advantages in Carnival picking you up or taking a taxi to port?[/QUOTE]

 

Here's something I am wondering: If you book Carnival transfers, and say your flight arrives later than planned, but you still are able get on the last Carnival transfer to the ship, if there is a delay/accident on the road to Port Canaveral that will cause that last Carnival-booked transfer to arrive at the port past the scheduled ship departure time: Will the ship wait to pull out from the pier until that Carnival-booked transport shuttle arrives? May be worth researching the answer to this question.

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cccer

cccer

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Actually No! I know, I know it's very risky. My husband is a avid football fan and will not miss a Friday or Saturday football game, so we will be flying in on Sunday and leaving the same day. The flight is scheduled to land at 9:30 am.

 

Your husband must know there is football on Sunday also.:D

 

Private transportation might be a good option. If it's just the two of you, Carnival might not be bad. Last time to that port we had four people and it was cheapest to rent a car and drop it off there.

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tea4ular

tea4ular

Posted
Posted
We have always drove in the day before we cruise. Thinking about flying in for our October cruise. Any differences/advantages in Carnival picking you up or taking a taxi to port?[/QUOTE]

 

Here's something I am wondering: If you book Carnival transfers, and say your flight arrives later than planned, but you still are able get on the last Carnival transfer to the ship, if there is a delay/accident on the road to Port Canaveral that will cause that last Carnival-booked transfer to arrive at the port past the scheduled ship departure time: Will the ship wait to pull out from the pier until that Carnival-booked transport shuttle arrives? May be worth researching the answer to this question.

 

In 2002 we did a family cruise to Hawaii departing from Endenada. There were 6 of us. It was cheaper for us to meet the shuttle that the cruise line offered (RCI). Several passengers were VERY late arriving. Sail away was intended to be at 4. The ship waited - probably because we had 40 passengers - we didn't even get on the ship until around 9:30! While a long day we were glad we didn't have to deal with getting to Ensenada!

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S.S.Oceanlover

S.S.Oceanlover

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Actually No! I know, I know it's very risky. My husband is a avid football fan and will not miss a Friday or Saturday football game, so we will be flying in on Sunday and leaving the same day. The flight is scheduled to land at 9:30 am.

 

we just got back Saturday from a cruise. We met somebody on the cruise that did the same thing. Their flight was early in the am too but it had mechanical problems. They got on the ship at 3:40pm and were the last to board.

 

Odds are you'll be fine but you never know.

 

Good luck

 

Bill

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cntrydncr1

cntrydncr1

Posted
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Thanks for all the advice. Maybe we can go in the day before and watch the football game there! [emoji5]️

 

wise decision! I have only flown in once the day of sailing and it was a disaster. fortunately I had booked everything through the cruise line. I actually missed the sailing and had to fly to the first port. :eek:

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stlouistravelers

stlouistravelers

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I always fly in the day before. Your husband can watch his games on the internet if his phone is capable. Also get the FTTF and get on the ship earlier and find the sports bar. Should those not be options I would book Carnival transportation for the reasons stated in earlier post.

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stargate fan

stargate fan

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We have always drove in the day before we cruise. Thinking about flying in for our October cruise. Any differences/advantages in Carnival picking you up or taking a taxi to port?

 

MCO is about an hour from Port Canaveral. A taxi would cost a fortune. The Carnival shuttle might wait for more passengers so you might have to wait at MCO until the shuttle fills.

 

We rented a car at the airport and returned it in Port Canaveral, where we took the free shuttle to the ship. Check out rental prices. Some companies charge for picking up/dropping off at different locations but many don't.

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winddawn

winddawn

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We have always drove in the day before we cruise. Thinking about flying in for our October cruise. Any differences/advantages in Carnival picking you up or taking a taxi to port?

It depends on the port. In some ports, the cruise port is close to the airport and a taxi is the most convenient and a reasonable option for airport transfers. In other ports where the airport is further away from the cruise port, Carnival transfers may be your best bet--like in Port Canaveral when flying into Orlando where the transfer can take 50 minutes to an hour depending on traffic. Be aware though that if you plan to fly in a day early that Carnival only offers airport transfers on embarkation day. In some other ports like NOLA where the airport is further away, there are other options such as airport shuttle new Orleans dot com that are your best bet for flying in a day early and transferring to a hotel. It pays to do your homework based on the particular cruise port you are flying into.

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winddawn

winddawn

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We are leaving from Port Canaveral.

Radisson Resort at the Port is a good choice for a pre-cruise stay at Port Canaveral. I used Florida Town Car Service for Orlando airport pickup and transfer to the hotel for a one night pre-cruise stay. I found them to be dependable. The hotel has a shuttle that will take you to the cruise port, and be aware that you can call in advance and have your name placed on the transfer list to get a better spot on the hotel shuttle.

 

Have a great cruise.

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gigito2

gigito2

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There are dozens of threads on the Florida Departures section of the East Coast Departures thread. Many, many people (on Carnival as well as other lines) sail from Port Canaveral so there's tons of info there.

 

Could you please tell me what forum to look in for this thread? Thanks.

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