The Cheapest Ways to Get From the Orlando Airport to Port Canaveral

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Tanner Callais
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Looking for the least expensive way to get from Orlando to Port Canaveral for a cruise?

Your options are nearly unlimited. It goes without saying that tourism is big business in Florida. If there is a need by even a handful of people who are visiting, a business will pop-up to cater to them. That includes getting to the cruise port.

Port Canaveral transportation sign

If you are flying into Orlando for your cruise, then you have the most options. To get from the airport to the cruise port you can take a cab, Uber, Lyft, cruise line shuttle, hotel shuttle, rent a car, and more. (Read about all your options on getting to Port Canaveral here.)

The good news for cruise passengers is that with so many tourists and so many companies providing service, there is plenty of competition for your dollars. The result? Affordable prices mixed with good service.

If you’re looking for the cheapest way to get to Port Canaveral from Orlando, we have four different ways to suggest…

Note: This article contains affiliate links to KAYAK. We earn a commission for clicks made on their website, at no charge to you.

Option #1: Port Canaveral/Orlando Hotels with Cruise Shuttles

Your first inexpensive option to go between Orlando and the cruise port in Port Canaveral is perfect if you plan to stay the night in a hotel before your cruise. Many hotels in the area offer shuttles from the Orlando airport to the hotel and then to the cruise port.

In other words, you can fly into Orlando, get your hotel and have your ride to the cruise port also taken care of. It makes things convenient.

A number of hotels both near the Orlando airport and in Port Canaveral offer this perk. Most hotels include the shuttle as part of a package, which will cost more than the base room rate. In general, the deals near the Orlando airport seem to be cheaper than hotels in Port Canaveral.

We’ve put the phone number for each hotel so you can contact them for the latest updates on service. If booking a package, you may have to book directly with the hotel.

Orlando Hotels with Port Canaveral Cruise Shuttles:
For a full list of Orlando hotel options with shuttles to the port, see our article here.

Port Canaveral Hotels with Orlando Shuttles:
For a full list of hotel options with shuttles to Orlando, see our article here.

Dropping off passengers at Port Canaveral

Option #2: Independent Shuttles to the Port

If you don’t plan to stay at a hotel, then we’ve found the cheapest way to get to and from the port is an independent shuttle. Despite the ride being about an hour each way, the volume of people traveling to Port Canaveral from Orlando can make things cheap on a per-person basis.

A number of shuttle companies offer rides from the Orlando airport to Port Canaveral for as little as $36 per person, round trip:

Orlando Cruise Line Connection
The least expensive shuttle we found, this company offers a coupon on their website that provides round trip transportation for just $36 per person if coming from the Orlando airport or nearby hotels. Not headed directly to the port? They can also offer rides to theme parks.

Port Canaveral Quick Shuttle
This shuttle service offers some the cheapest rides from the airport to the cruise terminals in Port Canaveral. Rides leave several times per day from Orlando airport to the terminal area (you can head to the port or hotels in the area). The price is $50 per person round trip if booked in advance.

Go Port Canaveral
One of the most popular options, Go Port Canaveral is also among the cheapest. They offer a full-sized charter bus that heads between the airport and cruise port several times a day. For passengers arriving for their cruise, the shuttle runs between 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. When it’s time to return to the airport, the shuttle runs from 7 a.m. until debarkation is over back to the airport. The cost is $59.98 per person, roundtrip.

Cortrans Shuttle Service
Cortrans is a family-owned shuttle service that offers four trips a day between the airport and cruise port. You can ride one-way for $30 or go round trip for $60. Of the 550+ reviews on TripAdvisor, Cortrans is rated 5 stars.

Option #3: Uber/Lyft

Services like Uber and Lyft have boomed in popularity, and for good reason. They offer rides at a good price and are extremely convenient — you can call a car from the app on your phone no matter where you are and where you want to go.

That includes getting from Orlando to Port Canaveral. The rideshare services pick up at the airport and will take you to the port.

Estimates for a ride (amounts vary based on supply/demand) are around $70-$80 each way, or $140-$160 round trip. One thing to know is that this is per car, not per person. So if you are traveling with two people, this puts it on par with the cost of a shuttle. More people than that, and it can be even less expensive on a per-person basis.

Option #4: One-Way Rental Car (Depends on Dates of Travel)

Renting a car to get to the port seems silly, until you realize that it can be more affordable than shuttle in some cases if traveling with a larger group. 

The Cape Canaveral/Cocoa Beach area features several rental car agencies, including Dollar, Avis, Budget, Alamo, and Enterprise. As well, the Orlando area has every car rental company imaginable.

Port Canaveral car rental price
A one-way car rental from Orlando to Port Canaveral can run less than $60 a day in some cases.

We’ve found some days a one-way car rental from the Orlando area to Cape Canaveral can run under $60 for a day. If traveling with more than two people, that can mean not only would you have more freedom to explore with your own car, but you’d also pay less than booking an independent shuttle. Just keep in mind you’d have to arrange another rental back after your cruise.

Click here to search car rental rates during your trip via KAYAK.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to get from Orlando to Port Canaveral?
If you are flying into Orlando, then expect it to take about 45 minutes to an hour to get to the cruise port from the airport. When planning ahead, don’t forget about extra time for things like getting off the plane, getting your bags, and then waiting for the shuttle to leave. 

Coming from somewhere else in the area? Orlando is a sprawling city, and it can take up to 30-45 minutes extra if coming from the west side of town near the theme parks.

What time should I schedule my return flight home?
Given the distance between the airport and cruise port, we’d suggest making your return flight for 1 p.m. or later the day your cruise returns. 

Not only does it take 45-60 minutes to get between the airport and cruise port, but we’ve found that Orlando International Airport consistently has slow security lines. Scheduling your flight in the afternoon should give you plenty of time to get off the ship, find your ride, and get through security before your flight departs. (Yes, it is possible to fly out earlier.)

Where do I meet my ride at the airport? 
If you are getting a shuttle ride from the airport, you’ll get directions directly from your shuttle company on where to be picked up. Due to laws about who can pick up passengers where at the airport, each provider has a designated area. They will give you instructions on where you should go after you pick up your luggage.

For more options on getting to Port Canaveral, see our port transportation page here.

Know of a cheaper way to get to the port? Tell us about it in the comments below!

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The Cheapest Ways to Get From the Orlando Airport to Port Canaveral

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12 COMMENTS

  1. We are heading to Port Canaveral from Texas in 3 weeks. Thanks for putting all this info together. It’s making planning so much easier!

  3. I would like to get a cost for a taxi/uber from MCO Airport to Cape Canaveral, address 1000 Shorewood Drive. Two people, carry on each.

  6. Hi, thank you for the post on shuttle bus services available in Orlando, Florida. I was going to book Port Canaveral Quick Shuttle based off of your recommendation and after reading their Google Reviews decided not to roll the dice on this one. They have a Google Rating of Three, a TripAdvisor Rating of One and a Yelp Rating of Two. You may want to update your post so readers like myself aren’t disappointed with a bad shuttle bus experience.

  7. My family and I are planning on staying at a friend’s house while we are on vacation. You said that it is cheaper to take an independent shuttle if we aren’t at a hotel. This works perfectly with our plans so I’ll let my wife know.

  8. As you say Travel Orlando on Yelp does have low star reviews, disturbing that a rep. from the company does not respond.

    The lowest priced one at $14 (which may be the only way that can get customers based on their reviews) Port Canaveral Cruise Shuttle now has reviews and yes, there are a couple of five star ones on Yelp (that are two-three years old), which brought their ratings up but the bad ones (latest 2017) are REALLY bad and there is no rebuttal by the company, bad enough their shuttles are late, cancelled with no explanation and no refund, luggage (on a vehicle???) not being there when arriving but someone caught the driver rifling through the luggage!! Maybe they’ HAVE improved because of these complaints (as often happens) hope somebody (not me) takes a chance on them and if they have improved writes a good review!!!

    That company should not be confused with another company which is only .95 more $14.95 OW and $28 RT (and that may be worth your piece of mind) with a similar name that Kurt already mentioned and has mostly five star reviews on Yelp, that had the star rating brought down with some lower star reviews but the complaints are addressed by a rep. from the company that states that they take the complaints seriously and have changed things so it would not happen again, but the problems could stem from the fact that they contract out to a third party to provide the transportation and this company is https://www.goportcanaveral.com. They had one negative review on Cruise Critic but written 5 years ago.

    Called Cortrans and their good service may be due the fact that they own their vehicles and drivers directly work for THEM.

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