Most cruisers sailing from Port Canaveral fly into Orlando International Airport (MCO), about 45 miles and a 45 to 55 minute drive west of the port. If you are renting a car for your trip, the simplest, cheapest way to the ship is to drive yourself over and leave the car with Portside for $14.95 a day while you sail.
Once you land at Orlando International, there are really four ways to cover the last 45 miles to Port Canaveral, and the right one depends on whether you are renting a car for the rest of your trip:
If a rental car is already part of your plan, parking with Portside is almost always the lowest total cost, because one flat $14.95-a-day rate covers the whole family and the car is there waiting when your ship gets back, no second booking, no schedule to catch.
From the airport you pick up SR-528 (the Beachline Expressway) and head east. It is a straight, easy 45-mile run that takes about 45 to 55 minutes outside of rush hour. SR-528 is a toll road, so bring a little cash, use your rental's toll pass, or let the toll-by-plate bill follow the rental. When you are nearly there, take Exit 52 (Banana River Drive), one exit before the port, to reach the Portside lot, so you never fight terminal traffic with your car.
Airport shuttles charge per person, each way. Two people are easily $100 or more round trip; four people more than that, before tips. A Portside reservation is one flat $14.95 a day for the car no matter how many are in it, it includes the free terminal shuttle both ways with luggage help, and your vehicle is in a gated, fenced, 24/7 monitored lot the entire time you sail. It also stays well under the $20.00 a day the port garage charges on-site.
If you are flying in the same day you sail, give yourself room: land by late morning for an afternoon departure, clear the rental counter, and plan on the hour-ish drive plus a short shuttle. Many cruisers prefer to fly in the night before and stay near the airport or in Cocoa Beach, then make an easy morning drive. Either way, reserve your Portside spot before you travel so the parking is one less thing to think about once you land.
Orlando International Airport is about 45 miles from Port Canaveral, roughly a 45 to 55 minute drive east on SR-528 (the Beachline). For parking, take Exit 52 (Banana River Drive), one exit before the port, to the Portside lot and ride the free shuttle to your terminal.
If you want a car for Disney, the beach, or getting around, rent one and park it with Portside for $14.95 a day, one flat rate for the whole family, with a free terminal shuttle. A shared shuttle charges per person each way, so for two or more travelers, driving over and parking is usually cheaper round trip.
A shared cruise shuttle runs about $25 to $40 per person each way, and rideshare roughly $70 to $110 each way. Driving a rental over and parking with Portside is $14.95 a day flat for the car, which for a family is typically the lowest total cost, and the car is waiting when you return.
You can, but leave a buffer. Aim to land by late morning for an afternoon sailing, then allow for the rental counter and the roughly one-hour drive plus a short shuttle. Flying in the night before and staying near MCO or in Cocoa Beach removes the risk. Reserve your Portside parking in advance either way.
$14.95 a day, free shuttle straight to your terminal, guaranteed reservation.
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$14.95 a day, free shuttle straight to your terminal, no hidden fees.