Updated March 7, 2026 This post contains affiliate links, if you click and buy a product, I may make a commission, at no cost to you. Please see my disclosure policy for details. Port Canaveral is a world-class cruise and cargo port located 45 minutes east of Orlando. Cruise Critic voted it as the Best North American Homeport. It is the fastest growing cruise port in Florida and is a homeport to many of the top cruise lines. You can also find fishing charters and one-of-a-kind, waterfront dining that serves some of the freshest seafood in Florida. Want to watch a rocket launch? Kennedy Space Center is only a few miles away. Why not arrive a few days early and enjoy the Space Coast? The beaches are first class, with plenty of hotels to choose from. Or…spend a few days in Orlando visiting Disneyworld , Universal Studios and Harry Potter World or SeaWorld Orlando? Quick Facts Distance from Orlando Airport: 45 miles Number of Cruise Terminals: 6 (plus one cargo ship terminal) Passengers Carried Each Year: ~5 million Cruise Ship Dockings Each Year: ~ 800+ Getting There If flying to the port, you will arrive at Orlando International (MCO) or Sanford International Airport (SFB). There are plenty of car rental agencies available and hotels if you choose to stay before heading to the port. The drive time to Cocoa Beach…where Port Canaveral is located….is approx. 45 minutes to an hour from MCO depending on traffic. It is an easy drive via toll road FL-538 E. Driving to the port? Interstate 95 runs north and south on the eastern side of the state. Watch for signs for A1A and Cocoa Beach/Port Canaveral. While each terminal has a slightly different address, they are all in the same complex. You can use the following address for navigation: 9241 Charles M Rowland DrPort Canaveral, FL 32920 Once in the port area, you’ll see signage directing you to each individual cruise ship in port that day. Below are the distances and times to get to Port Canaveral from a number of popular spots in the area, depending on traffic of course. Orlando Airport: 45 miles | 45 minutes Disney World: 67 miles | 1 hour 15 minutes Universal Studios: 60 miles | 1 hour Downtown Orlando: 55 miles | 55 minutes Kennedy Space Center: 18 miles | 30 minutes Cocoa Beach: 5 miles | 10 minutes There are toll roads between Orlando and Cocoa Beach. If renting a car, be sure to get a Visitor Toll Pass which is available at Terminals A, B, and C! Visitor Toll Pass™ is a free, temporary toll pass for rental car customers traveling roundtrip from the MCO airport. Save on tolls & make travels even smoother! A: Level 1 B: Level 1 C: Level 4 For more information, visit Visitor Toll Pass Shuttles There is a thriving industry that caters to cruise passengers, including transportation options to get you back and forth between Orlando and the cruise terminals. While many of the options seem expensive, remember that you won’t have to pay for parking at the port. If you want the most affordable option (and help the local economy), we suggest an independent shuttle service. There are numerous companies that can do the job and usually at rates below that of a taxi or Uber/Lyft. Rates and service level can vary from company to company and will fluctuate. There are a number of companies and some run specials from time to time. The best rates we’ve found are $36 per person round trip by Orlando Cruise Line Connection. (There is a coupon on their website for this price.) For most of the other shared shuttle services, expect to pay about $50-60 and more per person for round trip service. All of these shuttles run from the airport to the port. These will be a shared shuttle service that may run on a schedule. Normally, there are several departure times from the airport and you will ride to the port with other cruise passengers. Shuttle companies: Go Port Canaveral Cocoa Beach Shuttle Cortrans Shuttle Port Canaveral Quick Shuttle Orlando Cruise Line Connection Port Canaveral Transit Airport Canaveral Orlando Black Car Go Fast Pass Hotel Shuttles Orlando and Port Canaveral are meccas for tourism. With theme parks, cruises and beaches, there is an amazing amount to do and see. To service all these tourists, there are a ton of hotels competing for tourist business. As a perk to get your business, many hotels offer extras such as shuttles between Port Canaveral and the Orlando airport and/or the cruise port. The good news about these services is that they are perfect if you are flying in the day before your cruise. The shuttles will pick you up from the airport, take you to the hotel and then to the port the next day. If you are flying in the day of your cruise, then hotel shuttles won’t work for you. And if you don’t plan to stay at a hotel the night before, then it’s not worth the extra cost of the room just for the shuttle. Uber/Lyft Not recommended for transportation to/from MCO. While Uber and Lyft have made getting rides easy no matter where you want to go, most of the drivers are locals and prefer to stay in the Cocoa Beach area. With the airport being an hour+ away, many will not accept bookings or will charge a high premium. The rideshare services do offer service to Port Canaveral from the Orlando airport and other points in the area, but it can get expensive. Expect the ride to be over $100 per car (not per person), each way. Taxis A one-way trip from the Orlando airport to Port Canaveral by taxi is estimated at over $150. Keep in mind that multiple passengers can ride for the price of one. For that reason, taxis can make sense for families, but are somewhat expensive for just one or two passengers. If you want to take a cab, ridesContinueContinue reading “Port Canaveral: Complete Guide to Orlando Airport, Shuttle Options and Hotels”