Parking near port canaveral FL? St Maartin's/St Thomas excursions?

[takirb]

This is only our 2nd cruise (Eastern Carribbean/7Day), and we're pretty excited about going again. Last cruise was 2 years ago for our honeymoon, and we flew down to FL, took the shuttle bus to port, etc. This time we're driving, and were told parking at the port was around $20/night. Are there alternatives to parking at the port there near Port Canaveral? Cheaper parking garages, shuttle busses, etc? We originally wanted to leave earlier and stay at a hotel the night before and use their parking fees, but we won't be able to leave home early enough to warrant a hotel stay that night.

Last cruise we did most of the excursions we care to do, and decided to just go with the flow of the places without booking many activities prior. Though I would like to find a booze cruise in either Nassau, St Maartins, or St Thomas if available. Any suggestions? If we book with a 3rd party place online, will we be the only couple on that cruise or are they usually pretty popular? It was a pretty enjoyable way to spend 4hrs and still have time to shop and site-see when we were in Cozumel. It was also the 1st and only time me or wife have ever been snorkeling. Carnival's catamaran excursion's don't appear to be very fun judging by their description/reviews in the eastern Carribbean. Should we look into booking a trip prior to the cruise or take our chances at finding one when we get to port at either island? Sorry, again, we're pretty new to cruising and traveling like this altogether. Any information is appreciated!

 

[Jeanie]

Park N Sail. $6.99 a day if you register on Line. Free shuttle to the port

 

[Gayle V]

If you decide to rethink the hotel idea, the Radisson Resort a the Port, in Port Canaveral offers these two Cruise Packages :

• Park, Cruise & Breakfast includes
  • Breakfast for two
  • Shuttle service for up to two people per room to and from your cruise terminal
  • Parking for one car during your cruise - complimentary
• Park & Cruise includes
  • Shuttle service for up to two people per room to and from your cruise terminal
  • Parking for one car during your cruise - complimentary

Those are both little more than the port parking fees, although no nearly as cheap as the Park and Sail site. Depending on how far you have to drive as to whether the difference is worth arriving the day before.

I personally think you should arrive the day before whether you fly or drive. You never know what kind of last minute delays might make you miss your ship.

 

[takirb]

Jeanie - thanks for the info! Have you used them before (Park-N-Sail)? I just tried calling them and got their voicemail, just some guy saying "park-n-sail" and it sounded alot like a cell phone voicemail. It wouldn't let me leave a message because his mailbox was full. How far away is that lot from the port? I'm asking because with the main line being some guy's cell#, his voicemail being full, and limited information on the website, it seems a little shady/unprofessional. Please advise if you've had personal experience with them?

Gayle - I'd much rather leave early enough to get a hotel the night before, but it's an 8hr trip from home in SC and there's just no way i can get on the road prior to 9pm that evening I just learned that boarding doesn't start until 12 noon, so I guess i'll wait till early in the am (3-ish) to leave. I've never driven in FL, so i'm not sure what the port traffic will be like when we arrive. I'd like to leave as early as possible so my entire Saturday isn't taken up on the road.

Thanks for the info/help everyone!

 

[Jeanie]

Yes we use them a few times, excellent service.. You need to make your reservation online. @ Port Canaveral Parking - Save Big on Cruise Parking in Port Canaveral Free shuttle to and from the cruise port..They are less than 5 minutes from Port Canaveral

park and cruise/park n sail is the same.. $6.99 a day with reservation and $7.99 a day without a reservation.

Contact Info Phone: 321.454.2500
Address: 1700 Sea Ray Drive, Merritt Island, FL 32953

Have fun on your cruise

 

[Gayle V]

Hello takirb, Wow, driving eight hours on the actual day of the cruise ! I'd be really scared to cut it so close.

Leaving at 3 am, driving eight hours, conservatively count in only one hour for gas and potty stops, gets you to the Park Place lot at noon. Count at least 30 minutes to park, wait for the shuttle, load suitcases from your car to the shuttle, and then drive to the pier. That makes it 12:30.

The ship sails at 4:00 pm. And you know that government regulations require that a final departure manifest is submitted 60 minutes prior to departure. (That rule is not flexible.) So the absolute moment at which you must be DONE checking in is 3:00pm. (The cruise line states actually 2:30.)

That means you've left yourself only two hours leeway between the perfect drive and missing your ship. You are gambling on there being no delays, no road construction, no accidents in your path, and no wrong turns. And you are counting that your route does not go through any city area during the rush hours between 7:30 and 9:30, which could easily add an hour to your trip.

I would never attempt it.

Driving at night might not be fun, but I'd be more inclined to leave at 9:00 pm, arrive at the hotel at 6 am. That gives you several hours leeway, should anything delay you. Otherwise you can just nap until noon (in your room or at the poolside) ; and then take the hotel shuttle to the ship.

Good luck with what ever you choose. Let us know how it goes.

 

[takirb]

Well, now that you break it down like that I think we may need to leave a bit earlier. We have another couple that's leaving from SC (2hrs closer) and they're waiting till 6am to leave out with hopes of arriving around 1pm. I'd just hate to get there 4hrs earlier than we can board, and be stuck sitting in the car or trying to find something to keep me occupied(awake) until time to board. I believe we'll be booking a reservation for parking with the park-n-sail company.

 

[Gayle V]

Last cruise we did most of the excursions we care to do, and decided to just go with the flow of the places without booking many activities prior. Though I would like to find a booze cruise in either Nassau, St Maartins, or St Thomas if available. Any suggestions? If we book with a 3rd party place online, will we be the only couple on that cruise or are they usually pretty popular? It was a pretty enjoyable way to spend 4hrs and still have time to shop and site-see when we were in Cozumel. It was also the 1st and only time me or wife have ever been snorkeling. Carnival's catamaran excursion's don't appear to be very fun judging by their description/reviews in the eastern Carribbean. Should we look into booking a trip prior to the cruise or take our chances at finding one when we get to port at either island? Sorry, again, we're pretty new to cruising and traveling like this altogether. Any information is appreciated!

About this second part of your question, "Should you book prior, or wait" let me offer what little I can. FWIW As you can tell from my previous post, I tend to be very cautious when I plan things, so we don't often book on our own. I like knowing I have reserved what I want (IF I have something specific in mind.)

But that being said, all three of your ports are places where finding excursions on your own should be fairly easy either booking on line or at the pier. (And fairly safe. You can't say that for all ports.) Just remember, that booking at the pier will use up some of your limited island time, and may not be as easy to find exactly what you're hoping for.

As to being the only people on that 3rd party excursion, I'd bet the answer is likely not, unless you specifically book a "private" tour, designated as private or "small group" when you book. There are some to be found. The ones that take just your group of four, six or eight, on a sailing ship really look like fun and often include lunch along with the drinks. I've always wanted to do one, but the few times we've cruised with a small group, finances were a concern for some and those "private" sailings were too expensive.

We have, on occasion, booked an excursion independently and found we were on the same excursion as other cruise ship passengers. So you may get precisely the same excursion (often for less money.)

What you don't get with any third party excursion is the assurance that you will get back to the ship in time for sail away. So be very specific about timing when you book. And try to book your independent excursion for early in the day, to give your self a little time cushion should you return later than expected.

Even after 21 cruises, we still book most of our excursions with the ship, and consider the difference in price as a mini- insurance policy. (If the cruise's own excursion is late getting back to the ship, they will either wait for you, or it's their job to catch you up with your ship)

Lastly, as to whether a particular excursion is fun or not, really depends on the people. We've always enjoyed our excursions (whether book with the ship or elsewhere), some have been merely pleasant, other were a blast. Seems to me that if you are going with those friends that you mentioned, you'll have fun no matter how you book.

 

[Jeff & Susana]

I would like to find a booze cruise in either Nassau, St Maartins,

We did the Americas Cup regatta in St. Maartin a few years ago. (booked via Carnival)

FUN!

I was a main sail trimmer, my wife the bartender onboard the ship. I was so busy working during the 'race" that I only had time for 2 beers.
Afterward at the marina it was free Rum!
Don't remember how many I had exactly but we then went for a walk in town. I got thirsty and wanted a water from a street vendor.
A bottle of water was $3.00, a bottle of Heineken was $1.00.
You can guess what I drank next..........several times.

By the time we got back to the ship, me stumbling along, I had met at least 10 or 12 new friends, including a dog.

Not exactly a booze cruise but one hell of a good time.


We are going to do it again in Cozumel in a couple months.

 

[Jeanie]

Well, now that you break it down like that I think we may need to leave a bit earlier. We have another couple that's leaving from SC (2hrs closer) and they're waiting till 6am to leave out with hopes of arriving around 1pm. I'd just hate to get there 4hrs earlier than we can board, and be stuck sitting in the car or trying to find something to keep me occupied(awake) until time to board. I believe we'll be booking a reservation for parking with the park-n-sail company.

When we reside in SC, we left about the same time, stop for breakfast & had plenty of time. On our recent cruise out of Port Canaveral, we left our home in Augusta around 5:30 AM, stop for breakfast, arrived at Park and Sail around 1PM & by 1:30; we were eating lunch in the Windjammer.
Normally we like to arrived the day before and stay at a hotel but sometimes work conflicts interfere especially on short weekend cruises. Actually, we enjoy the day before a cruise fun