Driving to Kennedy Space Center

[Becky0976]

We’ll be stopping at Port Canaveral and might be interested in going to Kennedy Space Center. The most cost effective way to go with the most control for our group of 6 seems like it would be to rent a car and drive ourselves. Anyone have experience doing that from Port Canaveral? Any recommendations?

[Rackham]

I don't know you group's demographics, but what I'm seeing in the cruise planner for my sailings stopping in Port Canaveral has the Kennedy Space Center excursion at ~$4 less than gate admission pricing per adult ($75 gate vs. $70.99 in the cruise planner which includes transportation). $0.99 higher in the cruise planner than gate for military and seniors. About $3 in savings in the cruise planner per child. Sailed Oasis last summer and doing it through Royal I didn't have any issues. Though I did take the advice given here about showing up to the meetup spot exactly on time and sitting in the back due to the buses loading from the back of the theater and not the front. We didn't have to meet back at the buses until closing time. Overall, we had about 4 hours of touring time at the space center.

So where I'm going with this is consider the extra expense and hassle of renting a car is going to be worth it if these prices are available for your sailing. Renting a car might still be worth it if your group is planning on stopping off elsewhere after the space center.

[Becky0976]

Thanks. I did just look on space center site and see that it cost more than the excursion…wonder how that works. So, looks like if we want to do it, through Royal is best …

[Rackham]

3 hours ago, Becky0976 said:

Thanks. I did just look on space center site and see that it cost more than the excursion…wonder how that works. So, looks like if we want to do it, through Royal is best …

Royal is dealing either directly with KSC or their official tour people. They pick up from the port in official KSC buses, it's possible to have the same driver & bus to/from the Saturn V center!, so I'm assuming Royal is getting a nice tour group discount for sending busloads of business their way. This situation of an excursion being cheaper through  the cruise line is a good illustration why you don't want to assume Royal will be the most expensive without checking into it first. There are times when Royal is significantly more expensive (looking at you, Alaska), but often I'm seeing that they're about the same when there's a decent sale. However, by booking through Royal, the ship will wait for you if the tour runs over and you don't have to figure out transportation to the starting point.

[FionaMG]

4 hours ago, Rackham said:

I don't know you group's demographics, but what I'm seeing in the cruise planner for my sailings stopping in Port Canaveral has the Kennedy Space Center excursion at ~$4 less than gate admission pricing per adult ($75 gate vs. $70.99 in the cruise planner which includes transportation). $0.99 higher in the cruise planner than gate for military and seniors. About $3 in savings in the cruise planner per child. Sailed Oasis last summer and doing it through Royal I didn't have any issues. Though I did take the advice given here about showing up to the meetup spot exactly on time and sitting in the back due to the buses loading from the back of the theater and not the front. We didn't have to meet back at the buses until closing time. Overall, we had about 4 hours of touring time at the space center.

So where I'm going with this is consider the extra expense and hassle of renting a car is going to be worth it if these prices are available for your sailing. Renting a car might still be worth it if your group is planning on stopping off elsewhere after the space center.

Oh, wow! I had no idea! I booked this during the Labor Day sale for our cruise in April next year. I got the tickets precisely at the price you mention. With 2 seniors and one adult, we're still making that small saving on the gate price and to all intents and purposes that means the transport is free. Score!

In the meantime I had not seen that price offered again until last Friday and they must have sold all of however many they were offering because it's back up to $84 now.