Fort Lauderdale to Port Canaveral...and am I crazy?

[Bruin Steve]

Here's the situation:

July of 2007...

I'll have enough points on my Royal Caribbean Visa card for a "Free Cruise"...

But, I don't want to fly clear across the country for just a 7-night cruise

(They only allow the free cruise to be a 7-night Mexican Riviera or Caribbean...and we can't cruise any time other than July/August...and RCCL doesn't do Mexican Riviera in Summer).

 

So, we're looking into some variation of a "back-to-back"...

BUT...my wife doesn't want to repeat ports and doesn't want to revisit ports we cruised last year...So, "Eastern" and "Southern" itineraries are out...

 

I found an 8-nighter on Carnival Liberty sailing on July 7 and returning to Fort Lauderdale the morning of July 15...This cruise goes to Costa Maya, Mexico...Limon, Costa Rica ...and Colon, Panama

 

The Freedom of the Seas alternates Western and Eastern out of Miami...BUT the Western cruises (the schedules just came out) are on June 24, July 8 and July 22...So, nothing to pair with a July 7 sailing (the Liberty also alternates weeks) without staying several days in between in Florida...

 

So, it seems the only way to pair a free RCCL cruise with the Liberty Central American cruise is to do the Mariner of the Seas on a 7-nighter July 15...Except the Mariner of the Seas sails out of Port Canaveral!!!

 

This poses two problems:

First...I guess we'd either need to get airfare into Ft. Lauderdale and out of Orlando (?)

Second, we'd have to get off of the ship the morning of July 15 in Fort Lauderdale and somehow get to the other ship in Port Canaveral...

 

From Yahoo.Maps, it appears these two ports are around 200 miles apart...

 

Question: Has anyone else ever done this? How would you do it? One way rental car? Shuttle service? Taxi? Bus? Train?

How much time did it take? How much did it cost?

 

Another question: Anyone have any other ideas how to fit two cruises together under those parameters? Someone other than Carnival that does a cruise out of Florida in July that goes somewhere other than the typical Western, Eastern (St. Thomas, San Juan) or Southern (Barbados, Antigua, St. Thomas, etc.) itineraries?

 

Last question: Am I crazy?

 

Thanks...

[dznymom]

I have never done this (I see that you are aware it sounds a little crazy - lol) but my son goes to college near Fort Lauderdale, and I have done the drive between there and Orlando several times. Rental cars are cheap in Florida and there is usually no drop off fee within the state, so I would think that would be your best bet. You can grab a shuttle to the car rental right at the port, and from there it's a straight shot up Rte 95. Alamo, Budget, Avis and some others have a drop off very close to Port Canaveral. I know Budget offers a free shuttle to the port and Avis may, but a cab from any of them would be pretty reasonable. I think it is definitely do-able, but don't waste any time along the way. I would think it's 3 and half hours or so.

 

Let us know what you decide. It sounds like a grand adventure :)

[TennisLover]

I definitely cannot answer all your questions. Just a few thoughts:

 

I would not opt to arrive in Fort Lauderdale and travel to Port Canaveral for another cruise the same day. Too many potential problems: first ship arriving late, traffic, road closures, to name a few.

 

You would have to drive from Fort Lauderdale to Port Canaveral.

 

The Liberty cruise you mentioned is a good one. Did that in February. Very different from typical Carib. ports. Your wife will like it if she's looking for something different.

 

This looks like it will require more research -- of course you'll get lots of good info from other posters on CC!

[Bequia]

We do it all the time, a one way flight from Ft Lauderdale to Orlando is $49 on Southwest. ..... ;)

[Bruin Steve]

I think I found another option...

The schedule isn't up yet, but I just realized that RCCL is launching the "Liberty of the Seas" megaliner in May 2007 ...and it will do alternating Eastern and Western routes out of Miami on Saturdays...

 

I am assuming if the Freedom does an Eastern one week, the new Liberrty will do the Western that week...

 

So, conceivably, we can sail on the Liberty of the Seas on June 30-July 7, then the Carnival Liberty on July 7-July 15...

 

Puts us a touch earlier in the season and shortes the ride down to a Miami to Fort Lauderdale...

 

I sure hope that works out...

[BlueHerons]

Steve, I would not let that Ft. Lauderdale to Port Canaveral drive scare me. You can rent a car and drive a bit of the way on the Florida Turnpike (up to Ft. Pierce) before you have to get back in I-95.

 

I like Bequia's Southwest Air idea but I wonder if it would not be one of those deals where it takes less time to drive than to fly.

[Bequia]

I like Bequia's Southwest Air idea but I wonder if it would not be one of those deals where it takes less time to drive than to fly.

 

I wish it were Blue....if that were the case I'd drive it more often then not. Lately with all of the brush fires in central Florida closing down the Turnpike and I95 for 4-6 hours at a clip the flights have been a godsend.

[BlueHerons]

I wish it were Blue....if that were the case I'd drive it more often then not. Lately with all of the brush fires in central Florida closing down the Turnpike and I95 for 4-6 hours at a clip the flights have been a godsend.

 

I keep forgetting about all the fires and they are on the news every night! Duh!

[cruisy-suzy]

When I fly American Airlines, they consider two airports in the same general area to qualify as a round trip. So you should be able to fly into FLL and schedule your return out of MCO with no problem.

 

To get from FLL to Canaveral, I would rent a Budget rental car one-way. The Budget office is only 1/4 mile from the pier, and they have a free shuttle. So you drop the rest of your group, and your luggage, then return the car and shuttle back to the ship.

 

You can get a 1 way transfer on Carnival's bus to MCO airport at the end. Don't know the cost of transfer on other cruise lines.

 

Suzy

[BlueHerons]

When I fly American Airlines, they consider two airports in the same general area to qualify as a round trip. So you should be able to fly into FLL and schedule your return out of MCO with no problem.

 

To get from FLL to Canaveral, I would rent a Budget rental car one-way. The Budget office is only 1/4 mile from the pier, and they have a free shuttle. So you drop the rest of your group, and your luggage, then return the car and shuttle back to the ship.

 

You can get a 1 way transfer on Carnival's bus to MCO airport at the end. Don't know the cost of transfer on other cruise lines.

 

Suzy

 

Even though MCO and FLL are around 250 miles apart?

[cruisy-suzy]

Yes, even though it is quite a distance. American also considered these to be round trip, when I flew out of Missouri:

to Anchorage, AK / return from Vancouver, BC

to Minneapolis, MN / return from Madison, WI

 

Much cheaper than paying for 2 "one-ways."

 

Suzy

[cruisehappyFL]

quickest way will be a rental car from ft lauderdale straight up I-95 cant miss it go west from port...only way out....straight to 95 north keep going on that road Id say about 2 1/2 to 3 hours. I heard from my sister that is a real nice and easy port to go into. You can enjoy the sites on the way up or go to Ron Jon's surf shop for a little change before the flight. good luck and have fun