Port Canaveral Cruises

Written by Jeff Heath

Cape Canaveral is the home of the Kennedy Space Center, the major launch site for the United States space program. Cape Canaveral's port, Port Canaveral, is also a major launch site for large cruise ships. Port Canaveral, one of the busiest cruise ports in the world, serves over 3 million cruise passengers each year. Three major cruise lines offer 3-Day, 4-Day and 7-Day cruises from Port Canaveral year round including Carnival Cruise Lines, Royal Caribbean International, and Disney Cruise Line. Disney Cruise Line also offers 7-Night Land and Sea Packages that include a 3-night Walt Disney World stay followed by a 4-night cruise from Port Canaveral.

Royal Caribbean Bahamas Cruises

Royal Caribbean International's Sovereign of the Seas is homeported at Port Canaveral and offers three- and four-night Bahamas Cruises to Nassau and Coco Cay, RCI's private island. Sovereign of the Seas departs for 3-Night Bahamas Cruises on Thursdays and 4-Night Bahamas Cruises on Sundays. The 2,600 passenger cruise ship is docked at Port Canaveral's two-story, 75,000 square-foot Cruise Terminal 9/10.

Disney's Caribbean Cruises

Disney Cruise Line homeports two ships at Port Canaveral's Cruise Terminal 8. The Disney Magic offers 7-Night Eastern Caribbean Cruises year round departing Saturdays with stops in St. Thomas, St. Maarten and Castaway Cay. Disney Magic will also start offering 7-Night Western Caribbean Cruise beginning May 2002 with stops in Key West, Grand Cayman, Cozumel and Castaway Cay.

Disney's Bahamas Cruises

Disney Wonder offers 3-Day and 4-Day Bahamas Cruises year round. Disney Wonder's Bahamas Cruises stop in Nassau and Castaway Cay, Disney's private island. Disney Cruise Line also offers 7-Night Land and Sea Packages that include a 3-night Walt Disney World stay followed by a 4-night Cruise from Port Canaveral.

Carnival's Bahamas Cruises

Carnival Fantasy sails on three- and four-night cruises to Freeport and Nassau in the Bahamas. Carnival Fantasy's 3-Night Bahamas Cruises depart on Thursdays and 4-Night Bahamas Cruises depart Sundays.

Carnival's Caribbean Cruises

Carnival Pride offers year-round seven-day sailings from its homeport at Port Canaveral. Carnival Pride departs Port Canaveral every Saturday on alternating 7- night cruises to the western and eastern Caribbean. Western Caribbean cruises stop in Belize City, Belize; and Playa del Carmen/Cozumel and Progreso/Merida, Mexico. Eastern Caribbean Cruises stop at the private Bahamian islands of Half Moon Cay or Salt Cay; St. Thomas/St. John; and St. Maarten.

Port Canaveral Location and Directions

Located on Florida's Space Coast near Melbourne and Cocoa Beach, Port Canaveral is only 42 miles from the Orlando International Airport. Many cruise passengers arrive at either the Orlando Airport or the Melbourne Airport. From Orlando's Airport, travel east on Highway 528 (also called the Beeline Expressway) all the way to Port Canaveral. From the Melbourne Airport, follow signs to eastbound U.S. 192, cross the Indian River on the causeway, and turn north on SR A1A. Drive along the coast until you reach Port Canaveral. From I-95 take exit # 77 Beeline Expressway/Hwy 528 and travel east approximately 12 miles to Port Canaveral.

Signs along the highway will direct you to the cruise terminals at Port Canaveral. Cruise Terminals 5, 8, and 9/10 are located on the north side of the Port and can be reached via S.R. 401. Cruise Terminals 2, 3 and 4 are on the south side near the Port's oceanfront campground, Jetty Park. Just turn left off S.R. 528 into Port Canaveral, and follow the signs.