Okay all of you wiser and more traveled vacationers....Is Orlando International Airport the closest to Port Canveral? And if we decide to fly instead of drive, what is the best way to get from the airport to our motel in Port Canveral, and from the cruise ship back to the airport?
Dee

Yes, Orlando is the closest airport, about 45 miles and 45 minutes away.

Depends on the cruise line. Carnival's transfers have gone up to a whopping $70. per person for round trip. Disney has some pretty stout pricing as well. If you're coming in the day before though neither is going to do you any good. They all require that you be arriving on the same day as departure to offer the transfers. A cab is pricey too for that distance but it's what I'd do. You share the expense that way (not per person) and you'll get there far quicker than the cruiselines bus.

Some of the upscale hotels have transportation arrangements that are either free or pretty low cost. Check with your hotel, if no luck hail a cab or get a limo if the budget allows. Pretty cool way to arrive in style and have fun on the way. Just consider it your first excursion expense.

Cheers, Neil

dbug.. check out a one way rental from AVIS. We are doing that and it costs $61 (for a mini van)(plus your gas) which is less than the cost of one transfer. So if you have mutliple people traveling, that may work for you. AVIS has a shuttle to the port.

If you want to have it two days, double that price. But check with your Hotel. If they offer a shuttle to the port, then maybe the rental car shuttle can drop you at your hotel???

I just read your post. So if its any help when we went on our disney cruise in march we rented a mini van/suv from budget. We flew in on friday got the van, went to dinner then to the hotel in cocoa beach. On saturday went out for breakfast and I dropped the wife and kids at the ship along with the luggage and drove about 5-7 minutes back to the rental car drop off and took thier free shuttle back. Oh no worries with the luggage because you drop the family and luggage right next to luggage area and a porter helps you tag and carries them inside($1 a bag) Oh and same thing when we left...took luggage to budget shuttle area and we were off, no problems.