Disney cruise ship docks at Port Canaveral. Credit: Wikimedia

Families with a large enough budget may combine a world-famous amusement park and a Caribbean cruise thanks to Port Canaveral.

Port Canaveral is named after the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, the location of early space launches.

The port is an active embarkation point for cruise lines including Carnival, Disney, Norwegian and Royal Caribbean. It is on the east coast of Florida about midway between Jacksonville to the north and Miami to the south.

Nearby Attractions

Port Canaveral is just one hour east of Orlando’s Disney World and Universal Studios.

Families who don’t have the time or budget to combine a cruise with an amusement park may instead want to visit another world-famous attraction. The Kennedy Space Center and shuttle landing facility are 17 miles north of Port Canaveral on Merritt Island.

The port lies on a thin strip of land that includes the city of Cocoa Beach. Attractions include the beach itself as well as the well-known Cocoa Beach Pier and several parks.

The beach and pier are only three and a half miles from the port, so visitors with a little extra time can hit the beach before or after their cruise.

Location and Directions

Anyone driving to the port from the north or south can take I-95 to 528 / A1A east. The distance from the exit to the port is about 13 miles.

The port has eight active terminals. The city and zip codes for each are Cape Canaveral and 32920.

Cruise Terminal #1 - 9050 Discovery Road
Cruise Terminal #2 - 180 Christopher Columbus Drive
Cruise Terminal #3 - 220 Christopher Columbus Drive
Cruise Terminal #4 - 240 Christopher Columbus Drive
Cruise Terminal #5 - 9245 Charles Rowland Drive
Cruise Terminal #6 - 9241 Charles Rowland Drive
Cruise Terminal #8 - 9155 Charles Rowland Drive
Cruise Terminal #10 - 9005 Charles Rowland Drive

Cocoa Beach Pier. Credit: Wikimedia Creative Commons license

Orlando Sanford International Airport is the largest airport serving the port. Others include Melbourne International Airport, Space Coast Regional Airport and Daytona Beach International Airport.

Melbourne is the closest airport at 25 miles away. Orlando is 45 miles away but easily accessible using the Route 528 / Martin Andersen Beachline Expressway.

Anyone who wants to spend time on bigger Florida beaches before or after their cruise may want to land at Daytona Beach International Airport. It is about one hour or 72 miles north of Port Canaveral.

Parking

Visitors can pay for parking at the cruise terminals with cash, Mastercard, Visa or traveler’s checks.

Parking prices at the time of this writing was $17 per day including the days of arrival and departure. Prices are subject to change at any time.

The port website has the ability to schedule parking in advance based on the cruise ship, cruise length and departure date.

Discounts are available for guests staying at a select list of nearby hotels. Check with the hotel for details on the discount.

For more information, go to the Port Canaveral website: https://www.portcanaveral.com/