Disembarkation from Port Canaveral and flights from Orlando

[YoungFamilyExplorers]

I’m sure that this has been discussed here before so thank you in advance for your help. 

 

We’re planning a cruise in April on the Wonder and we need to catch a flight out of Orlando on the same day we return to port. I wanted to find out what time the earliest flight we could catch out of Orlando would be. I’m not familiar with the area nor the commute time between the port and the airport.

 

Also, when does disembarkation begin for families who need to use the porters.

 

Thanks!!!

[Ampurp85]

I would suggest no earlier than 12pm. 

The port is about a good hour away from MCO, Orlando's airport. 

Disembarkation will begin around 7:15am for those who want to self-depart. If you need help with your bags, the earliest might be 7:45. But all of this is based on the ship getting in on time and clearing customs. 

My experience with MCO is it is always busy, even more so if you check luggage, so you will need between 2-3hrs. 

[BennyandBo]

I also say Noon. 11am can be possible, but it's stress and rush. And families, kids, etc all take time at security etc.

[NoobCruise]

6 hours ago, Ampurp85 said:

I would suggest no earlier than 12pm. 

 

This is horrible news as we have an 11:30am flight. I guess we will skipping breakfast and self disembarking as early as possible.

[BennyandBo]

19 minutes ago, NoobCruise said:

This is horrible news as we have an 11:30am flight. I guess we will skipping breakfast and self disembarking as early as possible.

11:30 isn't too bad, but I wouldn't stop for breakfast. When are you traveling and how many adults, children in party?

[smokeybandit]

I've got al 11:30 flight in March,  but I'm in a suite so I have the escort off

[NoobCruise]

31 minutes ago, BennyandBo said:

11:30 isn't too bad, but I wouldn't stop for breakfast. When are you traveling and how many adults, children in party?

It's a wonder cruise starting Feb 26th. We have 1 five year older and 1 overpacking wife. I plan on Ubering because I want to arrive when I want to arrive on embarkation day but I am scared with disembarkation. I spent 45 minutes standing on a curb waiting for an uber on our first cruise when we got off in NJ.  We did got off the ship as late as possible and didn't have a flight to catch.

[BennyandBo]

1 hour ago, NoobCruise said:

It's a wonder cruise starting Feb 26th. We have 1 five year older and 1 overpacking wife. I plan on Ubering because I want to arrive when I want to arrive on embarkation day but I am scared with disembarkation. I spent 45 minutes standing on a curb waiting for an uber on our first cruise when we got off in NJ.  We did got off the ship as late as possible and didn't have a flight to catch.

Lots of schools have off end February beginning of March so OIA Orlando International Airport could be very busy. Many say rule is no flight before Noon, but 11:30am is doable. I would skip breakfast and self disembark. Be warned getting an elevator for you and luggage doesn't always happen when doing this. Many have had to carry everything up or down the stairs themselves. Make sure that's something you can handle. The earlier you get to whatever deck (3?) for departure the better chance you have with elevator vs luggage vs stairs. The early bird also gets the Uber. It's a great place for them to make money, so if off early I wouldn't worry about it. It's all about having enough hands and arms to carry/pull all the bags. I have straps that connect multiple bags together by handles so I can pull on wheels 2 large bags at once. 

[Ampurp85]

As long as you are off the ship before 8am and heading to the airport around then your 11:30 flight might be doable.

However, keep in mind the boarding process, lots of people fail to factor in that boarding ends no less than 20 minutes before your departure. That means you only have until 11:10 to be on the plane before doors are locked and closed. Only in MCO have I heard and seen many people who cruised missing their flights because of this. 

[NoobCruise]

14 hours ago, BennyandBo said:

I have straps that connect multiple bags together by handles so I can pull on wheels 2 large bags at once. 

Thanks for the info and that is a good idea about the bag straps.

[YoungFamilyExplorers]

Great advice all. Thank you!

 

Anyone have recommendations as far as shuttles that go from the port to MCO?

[lkg276]

I live 15 miles from the Port and drive back and forth between MCO/ SFB and Port Canaveral for both Uber and Lyft, I also do private rides several times a week. If you self carry off the ship by 07:30-07:45 you will make it to MCO in 45 min from Port Canaveral. On a rare occasion an accident on the "beachline" main road to MCO will cause a delay. At 0800am the number of available uber/lyft cars waiting in the Port ride-share lots hover around 50-60. As the morning progresses the number of cars available decreases from the first wave of disembarking passengers. At around 9:30 the ride-share wait can be several minutes due to the drivers returning from MCO so plan accordingly.

[lkg276]

19 hours ago, NoobCruise said:

It's a wonder cruise starting Feb 26th. We have 1 five year older and 1 overpacking wife. I plan on Ubering because I want to arrive when I want to arrive on embarkation day but I am scared with disembarkation. I spent 45 minutes standing on a curb waiting for an uber on our first cruise when we got off in NJ.  We did got off the ship as late as possible and didn't have a flight to catch.

As a local Uber/Lyft driver, if you off the ship no later than 0800 your wait will be minimal, the Ride-share lot has 60+ drivers waiting at that time

[Riley]

2 hours ago, YoungFamilyExplorers said:

Great advice all. Thank you!

 

Anyone have recommendations as far as shuttles that go from the port to MCO?

You can book an RC shuttle for about $35 which if you're more than two or three people isn't cost-effective. They run two waves - one for people with flights before and one after noon.  Multiple buses go with each wave and the bus needs to reasonably fill up before leaving the terminal.

[smokeybandit]

2 hours ago, YoungFamilyExplorers said:

Great advice all. Thank you!

 

Anyone have recommendations as far as shuttles that go from the port to MCO?

Cortans and GoPort are the most popular ones

[Pooch]

Also Cruise Control Transportation 

[FireFishII]

One more thing to add to this thread, airlines at Orlando requires 45 minutes before the schedule departure for checked bags.

As far as breakfast goes: Bring ziplok baggies.  Have someone go up to the Windjammer early and grab some easy to eat food (Fruit, pastries, ??).  Bring them back to your cabin and pack them into the ziplok baggies. 

[BennyandBo]

I'll add to the 45 min rule. Almost all flights I've been on over the past year have started boarding 50 minutes before stated departure time. So if you have a flight at 11:30am, you really need to be at the gate at 10:30. Not the airport, the gate. And they can and will start giving away those seats to stand by passengers by 11am for anyone still not on board for 11:30 departure. And doors close a good 20 min before at least. Almost all of mine doors closed 30 min before. 

[lkg276]

I'm a retired public safety officer and have a full size SUV Chevy Tahoe black and offer ride service between Orlando "MCO" and Port Canaveral along with Sanford "SFB" and Port Canaveral for anyone interested just message me. I live 15 miles from the port and the wife and I are loyal Royal Caribbean travelers.  I'm not sure if the administrator allows me to post if not please remove. I can also answer any questions anyone may have about the Port area.

[NoobCruise]

20 hours ago, lkg276 said:

As a local Uber/Lyft driver, if you off the ship no later than 0800 your wait will be minimal, the Ride-share lot has 60+ drivers waiting at that time

Thanks, that's informative and comforting. 

[Matt]

8 hours ago, lkg276 said:

I can also answer any questions anyone may have about the Port area.

Can I email you some questions for a blog post?

[lkg276]

sure happy to contribute

[AshleyDillo]

On 1/11/2023 at 5:24 PM, FireFishII said:

As far as breakfast goes: Bring ziplok baggies.  Have someone go up to the Windjammer early and grab some easy to eat food (Fruit, pastries, ??).  Bring them back to your cabin and pack them into the ziplok baggies.

They have a bin outside customs in PC for people to throw out any fruit they took off the ship, so be mindful of that.

[YoungFamilyExplorers]

Love the community spirit of this group!!! 

[barjpoe]

On 1/11/2023 at 5:24 PM, FireFishII said:

One more thing to add to this thread, airlines at Orlando requires 45 minutes before the schedule departure for checked bags.

As far as breakfast goes: Bring ziplok baggies.  Have someone go up to the Windjammer early and grab some easy to eat food (Fruit, pastries, ??).  Bring them back to your cabin and pack them into the ziplok baggies. 

I don't you can legally take FRUIT off the ship.

[MoonMan81]

Do Royal Caribbean offer ground transportation to MCO (for a fee?)

[NoobCruise]

41 minutes ago, barjpoe said:

I don't you can legally take FRUIT off the ship.

You can take it off if it is in your belly! 

[Matt]

29 minutes ago, MoonMan81 said:

Do Royal Caribbean offer ground transportation to MCO (for a fee?)

Yes, Royal Caribbean has transfers the day the cruise ends. I've never booked them, but there's always buses and vans waiting.

You should be able to book it via the cruise planner or at worst, once onboard.

[smokeybandit]

I believe you can only call to book RC transfers, at least pre-cruise

[WAAAYTOOO]

We’ve used the Royal shuttle from Port Canaveral to MCO many times.  It’s not glamorous but it gets you there safely.  I can recommend it.

[tjcruisers]

Done the shuttle a few times.For me it's hit and miss. The time we took it in PR they had two types of shuttle buses, one where you take your luggage with you, the is they have an moving truck/delivery van that your luggage goes on and you on the bus. We end up arriving at the airport and had to stand outside for around 20 minutes for this delivery van to show. They just dump the luggage off on the curb. It does contain multiple busses worth of luggage, so  this van might arrive before you do. We didn't like being separated from the luggage, seemed to be very unsecure

[Censored]

On 1/10/2023 at 11:40 AM, YoungFamilyExplorers said:

I’m sure that this has been discussed here before so thank you in advance for your help. 

 

We’re planning a cruise in April on the Wonder and we need to catch a flight out of Orlando on the same day we return to port. I wanted to find out what time the earliest flight we could catch out of Orlando would be. I’m not familiar with the area nor the commute time between the port and the airport.

 

Also, when does disembarkation begin for families who need to use the porters.

 

Thanks!!!

The earliest time usually would be about 11:30 am. But that is risky. You never know the hiccups that can occur. 1:00 pm is safer... If you want guaranteed flight then try Royal Caribbean's Air 2 Sea program for flights.... here's the link  https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/air-to-sea-flight-travel-assistance-reservation

 

[Maggie M]

I would also recommend a flight after noon just to be safe. It would stink to ruin your vacation at the end of it if you missed your flight.

[lkg276]

On 1/12/2023 at 3:51 PM, Matt said:

Can I email you some questions for a blog post?

Matt, what questions do you have?

[need2cruz]

We just got off Wonder on Sunday and had a 12:08pm flight.  Our self disembark time was 6:45AM, but we went to Windjammer and had breakfast and left the ship at 7:30AM.  Walking off the ship was no wait at all.  Opened the app, picked a Lyft that saved $12 because we'd wait 15 minutes.  We got to MCO by 8:20AM.  This was too early for me.  You cannot check a bag before 3 hours early.  So, we waited until 9:08AM to check our bag.  TSA precheck took about 10 min.  Then, we were stuck waiting almost 2 hours before we could board.  Starbucks line past security did take 45min.  But I would have much rather had an 11am flight and less waiting at the airport.

[NoobCruise]

25 minutes ago, need2cruz said:

We just got off Wonder on Sunday and had a 12:08pm flight.  Our self disembark time was 6:45AM, but we went to Windjammer and had breakfast and left the ship at 7:30AM.  Walking off the ship was no wait at all... ... But I would have much rather had an 11am flight and less waiting at the airport.

This is comforting. Thanks for this info. While there is zero chance my wife and kid will be able to walk off at 6:30am unless we set an alarm for 4 or 5am ,knowing that leaving at 7:30am got you to the airport before 9am is great. Our flight is at 11:35am and will probably do exactly what you did. Head to windjammer early and walk off around 7a-7:30a.

[lkg276]

22 minutes ago, need2cruz said:

We just got off Wonder on Sunday and had a 12:08pm flight.  Our self disembark time was 6:45AM, but we went to Windjammer and had breakfast and left the ship at 7:30AM.  Walking off the ship was no wait at all.  Opened the app, picked a Lyft that saved $12 because we'd wait 15 minutes.  We got to MCO by 8:20AM.  This was too early for me.  You cannot check a bag before 3 hours early.  So, we waited until 9:08AM to check our bag.  TSA precheck took about 10 min.  Then, we were stuck waiting almost 2 hours before we could board.  Starbucks line past security did take 45min.  But I would have much rather had an 11am flight and less waiting at the airport.

One thing to consider is the day of the week that you will disembark. The Wonder comes and goes on a Sunday which helps with the traffic on the beachline with most people heading to the coast vs week day and work commuters and Sunday mornings are usually slower at MCO. Same situation on a Saturday with traffic but MCO can be busier in the morning. Mondays and Fridays work traffic to Orlando is busier and the occasional traffic accident can cause back-ups. 11:00 am flight should be the mark to be on the safe side as a Ride-share/ private transport driver the normal time to MCO is 40-45 minutes so plan your disembarkation time accordingly for Uber/Lyft shuttles are a different story because of they don't leave until full.

Side note- 2 weeks ago I saw a GoPort bus full of passengers going 30mph on the Beachline backing up traffic for several miles (turbo issue) then the next day saw another shuttle bus parked at the entrance to MCO on the big curved overpass and the driver was walking along picking up suitcases that fell out of the bus as he rounded the curve. The driver did not look happy.

[need2cruz]

30 minutes ago, NoobCruise said:

This is comforting. Thanks for this info. While there is zero chance my wife and kid will be able to walk off at 6:30am unless we set an alarm for 4 or 5am ,knowing that leaving at 7:30am got you to the airport before 9am is great. Our flight is at 11:35am and will probably do exactly what you did. Head to windjammer early and walk off around 7a-7:30a.

I also suggest bringing ziplock bags on board and stopping at Cafe Promenade and getting a bunch of chocolate chip cookies to eat at the airport.  It makes for a happier wait.  Besides, by the end of the cruise, you're used to eating every 2 hours!

[Matt]

21 hours ago, lkg276 said:

Matt, what questions do you have?

Can you email me? [email protected]

[Ryanmw]

https://www.clearme.com//reserve
 

I’ve made appointments at the Orlando airport which will make it easier to get through security