Sea World!

[regina11235]

Good evening, We're going on the Breakaway in a week! And we're interested in going to Sea World during the stop in Port Canaveral. Has anyone done that? The NCL transfer to the park seems really expensive! Any other options other than renting a car ourselves? If we are renting a car, how close is the rental to the cruise terminal? Thanks!!!

[Budget Queen]

Verify the park hours, was a prior post with an early closure and it being open later for ship excursions. I would call the park direct and verify.

 

I have gone to Sea World several times independent. But I am one who is always in line before the park opens and there when it closes, so a port time would be way too short for me.

Edited December 14, 2015 by Budget Queen

[Sizzlechest]

Good evening, We're going on the Breakaway in a week! And we're interested in going to Sea World during the stop in Port Canaveral. Has anyone done that? The NCL transfer to the park seems really expensive! Any other options other than renting a car ourselves? If we are renting a car, how close is the rental to the cruise terminal? Thanks!!!

 

I wouldn't do any theme park excursions except for Kennedy Space Center. There's really not enough time plus the money you're paying really doesn't make it worth it.

 

We did SeaWorld, but we knew going into it that we would ONLY be able to see the shows, but not do any rides. We lucked out and made it to the earlier killer whale show just in time, so we had a cushion at the end of the trip to walk around the park and look at stuff like the shark area. The only reason we were successful was that I studied the park map and showtimes well in advance.

 

One other thing to warn people about: ALL ADULTS NEED THEIR DRIVER'S LICENSES TO LEAVE THE SHIP IN FLORIDA. Your passport is NOT sufficient! Thank goodness my wife brought her's. Getting back on the ship from Port Canaveral is more time consuming and strict than the non-US ports. I STRONGLY suggest you don't attempt to do a car rental.

[cruisebear84]

We didn't go to SeaWorld, but we rented a car and drove to Downtown Disney. Go to the Port of Call boards, got a lot of great advice there about rental car places close to the ship terminal. We took a shuttle from the terminal-- I believe several rental places do that. We used Hertz as they allow drop-off after hours, and then take a cab back to the terminal. Not sure about the DL mentioned by the PP, I don't recall it being particular difficult to get on or off the ship. But I do agree with the poster above that an excursion to any of the parks is not worth the time or money. Wouldn't get to the parks before 2pm, have to be back on the ship by 8pm which means leaving the park around 6pm. Too much money for a four hour tour, IMO. We did Downtown Disney for the shopping and free parking. Had a nice lunch and picked up some Christmas presents. Lucky enough not to experience any traffic going there or back, and we spent much less for a nice day in Orlando.

[regina11235]

Thank you everyone! So my thinking is that the ship gets in Port Canaveral around 1pm, so we should get to the park at 2:30 and spend about 5hr there. We leave around 7:30 and ship leaves the port at 9pm. Does that sound about right? Is it worth spending the $70pp for the NCL provided bus?

[RuthlessBoss]

Thank you everyone! So my thinking is that the ship gets in Port Canaveral around 1pm, so we should get to the park at 2:30 and spend about 5hr there. We leave around 7:30 and ship leaves the port at 9pm. Does that sound about right? Is it worth spending the $70pp for the NCL provided bus?

 

The recent thread was for someone being there this week, and the SeaWorld schedule on the internet said the park closed at 5:30 week days. You are asking about next week that's closer to Christmas, so not sure.

[sparks1093]

I wouldn't do any theme park excursions except for Kennedy Space Center. There's really not enough time plus the money you're paying really doesn't make it worth it.

 

We did SeaWorld, but we knew going into it that we would ONLY be able to see the shows, but not do any rides. We lucked out and made it to the earlier killer whale show just in time, so we had a cushion at the end of the trip to walk around the park and look at stuff like the shark area. The only reason we were successful was that I studied the park map and showtimes well in advance.

 

One other thing to warn people about: ALL ADULTS NEED THEIR DRIVER'S LICENSES TO LEAVE THE SHIP IN FLORIDA. Your passport is NOT sufficient! Thank goodness my wife brought her's. Getting back on the ship from Port Canaveral is more time consuming and strict than the non-US ports. I STRONGLY suggest you don't attempt to do a car rental.

 

So if an adult only has a passport they have to stay on the ship? That's the weirdest thing that I've ever heard of.

 

In any event OP we had a little over 7 hours at the park when were there in May and we barely had time to see everything (no one was interested in any of the rides). We caught the last killer whale show and made it back to the bus just in time to leave. Personally the parks are too far away to drive myself- one wrong turn or a traffic backup and you could be watching the ship leave without you.

[bnorris10]

So if an adult only has a passport they have to stay on the ship? That's the weirdest thing that I've ever heard of.

 

In any event OP we had a little over 7 hours at the park when were there in May and we barely had time to see everything (no one was interested in any of the rides). We caught the last killer whale show and made it back to the bus just in time to leave. Personally the parks are too far away to drive myself- one wrong turn or a traffic backup and you could be watching the ship leave without you.

 

Yah something does not add up here because by this account your saying people from another country whom do not have passports would not be able to leave the boat and that is wrong

[zqvol]

Thank you everyone! So my thinking is that the ship gets in Port Canaveral around 1pm, so we should get to the park at 2:30 and spend about 5hr there. We leave around 7:30 and ship leaves the port at 9pm. Does that sound about right? Is it worth spending the $70pp for the NCL provided bus?

 

 

Does the $70 include admission or is that just the transfer? If it includes admission then it is not expensive at all.

 

As far as your timing You would need to leave around 6:30 to allow ample time to be back to the ship on time. On board will be 30 minutes prior to sailaway, or 8:30. It is about an hour drive once you are in the car, and you need to allow at least 30 minutes for unforeseen events.

[RuthlessBoss]

The recent thread was for someone being there this week, and the SeaWorld schedule on the internet said the park closed at 5:30 week days. You are asking about next week that's closer to Christmas, so not sure.

 

Found a schedule for 19th to 23rd. Open till 10.

 

I can guarantee $70 does not include the park price.

[LrgPizza]

Yah something does not add up here because by this account your saying people from another country whom do not have passports would not be able to leave the boat and that is wrong

People from another country would not even be in the US or on the boat in the first place without a passport.

[LrgPizza]

One other thing to warn people about: ALL ADULTS NEED THEIR DRIVER'S LICENSES TO LEAVE THE SHIP IN FLORIDA. Your passport is NOT sufficient! Thank goodness my wife brought her's. Getting back on the ship from Port Canaveral is more time consuming and strict than the non-US ports. I STRONGLY suggest you don't attempt to do a car rental.

There is clearly some confusion here. There is no requirement that you be able to drive in order to get off the ship. I only travel with my passport, and I've disembarked at Florida port with it before, no issue. It's a step up in security over a driver's license.

[regina11235]

So i just verified and it's $89 for the NCL excursion which is JUST for the transfer to the park. Luckily, because it's Christmas Week, the park is open very late, till 10pm I believe.

[sparks1093]

So i just verified and it's $89 for the NCL excursion which is JUST for the transfer to the park. Luckily, because it's Christmas Week, the park is open very late, till 10pm I believe.

 

Two thoughts- it's going to be busy even on the weekdays with kids not having school and the ship still leaves at 9, so you would still only have about 5 hours in the park.

[bnorris10]

There is clearly some confusion here. There is no requirement that you be able to drive in order to get off the ship. I only travel with my passport, and I've disembarked at Florida port with it before, no issue. It's a step up in security over a driver's license.

 

That is what I am saying because if you had to have a drivers license then your essentially telling people stay on the boat because not everyone has one

[Sizzlechest]

There is clearly some confusion here. There is no requirement that you be able to drive in order to get off the ship. I only travel with my passport, and I've disembarked at Florida port with it before, no issue. It's a step up in security over a driver's license.

 

No confusion. Driver's licenses are not just for people who drive. The state issues licenses for non-drivers to use as ID through the DMV.

 

I was on the Gem last July. Everyone leaving for an excursion met in the Theater. They kept announcing that you MUST have your driver's license. There were a number of angry people including a couple who were wheelchair bound and couldn't make it back to their cabin to get their driver's license in time.

[ColinIllinois]

No confusion. Driver's licenses are not just for people who drive. The state issues licenses for non-drivers to use as ID through the DMV.

 

I was on the Gem last July. Everyone leaving for an excursion met in the Theater. They kept announcing that you MUST have your driver's license. There were a number of angry people including a couple who were wheelchair bound and couldn't make it back to their cabin to get their driver's license in time.

 

 

What you are referring to is a State Identification Card. They are issued through the DMV but they are not drivers licenses.

[sparks1093]

No confusion. Driver's licenses are not just for people who drive. The state issues licenses for non-drivers to use as ID through the DMV.

 

I was on the Gem last July. Everyone leaving for an excursion met in the Theater. They kept announcing that you MUST have your driver's license. There were a number of angry people including a couple who were wheelchair bound and couldn't make it back to their cabin to get their driver's license in time.

 

They asked for drivers licenses but that does not mean that other forms of ID (such as a passport, which trumps everything) wouldn't be accepted. It would have been clearer if they had said "photo identification".

[Sizzlechest]

They asked for drivers licenses but that does not mean that other forms of ID (such as a passport, which trumps everything) wouldn't be accepted. It would have been clearer if they had said "photo identification".

 

Nope. I was there and they specifically said that a passport wasn't acceptable since it wouldn't have your address on it. If passports were acceptable, there wouldn't have been so much of an uproar among the passengers.

[sparks1093]

Nope. I was there and they specifically said that a passport wasn't acceptable since it wouldn't have your address on it. If passports were acceptable, there wouldn't have been so much of an uproar among the passengers.

 

Unbelievable (not that I doubt your story).

Edited December 14, 2015 by sparks1093

[mjkacmom]

I know I got off without my drivers license. I just wanted to check some emails, disembarked, walked 20 feet, and then panicked because all I had was my sea pass. They let me back on.