Overview

Port Canaveral's cruise operators have successfully packaged cruise vacations with central Florida's famous theme parks, as well as with vacation-ownership resorts. Seven active cruise lines offer partial day and two-, three-, four- and seven-day cruises.

Port Canaveral is the second-largest three- and four-night cruise port in the continental United States. The port has set its sights on expanding into the seven-day cruise market, which can also be packaged with Central Florida's attractions.

Cruise Terminals 2,3 and 4 can handle three ships simultaneously, each with a capacity of up to 1,800 passengers. Cruise Terminal 5(left), covering 59,000 square feet, can efficiently serve any of the megaships currently plying or planned for the Florida-Caribbean market. A new crossover eases baggage drop-off and access to the parking lot and passenger flow to the terminal.

Cruise Terminal 8 Cruise Terminal 8, the Disney Cruise Line Terminal(right), was completed and dedicated on November 17, 1997. The $27 million, 70,000-square-foot facility is Port Canaveral's third ultra-modern mega-ship terminal, and will be the exclusive home of Disney Cruise Line's first two ships, the Disney Magic and Disney Wonder.

Cruise Terminal 9/10, below, Port Canaveral's second ultra-modern mega-ship terminal, is a 75,000-square-foot facility capable of berthing ships up to 1,100 feet in length and 130,000 gross registered tons. Cruise Terminal 9/10's first official guest was the Queen Elizabeth 2, the $22 million flagship of Cunard Lines, which paid a two-day port of call in November 1995. This year, CT 9/10 will again be the summer home of Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines' NORDIC EMPRESS. Norwegian Cruise Line's NORWEGIAN CROWN will also be utilizing CT 9/10 throughout the year.

The Canaveral Port Authority has the waterfront to construct up to five additional large cruise terminals on existing deep water. The port owns land upon which several more large turning basins can be constructed when needed during the next century and is poised to work with the cruise industry to fully develop these valuable assets in the coming years.

The World City Corporation and a number of U.S. seaports, shipyards and corporations in related industries are working together to build in the U.S. a series of giant cruise ships which will be, in reality, floating resorts. Port Canaveral has been selected to be the home-port of the first of these ships, the 6,200-passenger, AMERICA WORLD CITY. An area on Port Canaveral's West Turning Basin has been reserved for the construction of suitable support facilities, including two new cruise terminals, an International Trade Center office building, and a convention, hotel and conference center complex.

Premier Cruise Lines/Big Red Boat

Currently, one vessel operates from Port Canaveral under the banner, The Big Red Boat. Premier Cruise Lines' STAR/SHIP OCEANIC (left) departs from Port Canaveral on a family-oriented cruise with Looney Tunes characters providing on-board entertainment. The ship currently cruises to Port Lucaya and Nassau in the Bahamas offering three- and four-night cruises. Popular land packages are available with a trip to Disney World or Universal/Sea World in nearby Orlando, Florida. For information on The Big Red Boat, contact your travel agent or call Premier Cruise Lines at 800 DREAM-54.

Carnival Cruise Lines/M/V FANTASY

In October 1993, Carnival Cruise Line gave Port Canaveral its first mega cruise vessel by home-porting the M/V FANTASY here.

For more information about Carnival cruises, contact your travel agent or call Carnival Cruise Lines at 800/327-7276.

Cape Canaveral Cruise Line/S/S DOLPHIN IV

When Cape Canaveral Cruise Line sailed its first ship, the SS Dolphin IV, into Port Canaveral in early February 1996, the family-owned Kosmas Group, Inc., had already achieved first-year bookings exceeding 70 percent of total passenger occupancy to boost confidence in their newly formed venture. Today, the cruise line's 1998 bookings are already up 75% compared with last year at this time.

The first cruise line to offer two-day/one-night cruises to Freeport, Grand Bahamas, is targeting first-time cruisers looking for an affordable introduction to cruising. The short-term cruise concept creates an opportunity for those on a typical Florida vacation to incorporate a cruise experience into vacation plans. Those plans often center around vacation ownership resorts, which the Kosmas Group specializes in developing, marketing, and managing. The high percentage of initial bookings is attributable to their ability to add a new dimension to a vacation experience by combining a land/sea package for resort owners.

For more information call 1-800-910-SHIP.

SunCruz Casino

SunCruz Casino-owned, 600-passenger SunCruz VII (formerly the Diamond Royale) offers four-hour gaming excursions three times per day. The SunCruz VII is located at the D&L Port Canaveral, Inc., bulkhead between Lloyd's and Rusty's restaurants in The Cove at Port Canaveral. For information and reservations, call 407-783-2770.

Disney Cruise Line Plans/DISNEY MAGIC

In 1994, the Walt Disney World Company announced the start of a cruise division with plans to have the first of two ships in operation by the spring of 1998. On May 17, 1995, Port Canaveral and Disney Cruise Line officials signed an exclusive terminal agreement to home-port Disney's first ship, the DISNEY MAGIC , at Port Canaveral. The $27 million, 70,000 square-foot Cruise Terminal 8 was completed and dedicated on November 17, 1997.

Royal Caribbean International/NORDIC EMPRESS

Last summer, Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines (RCCL) tapped into the world's most popular tourist market by sailing the 2,000 passenger NORDIC EMPRESS out of Port Canaveral with departures on Sundays and Thursdays on three- and four-night cruises to Nassau and to RCCL's private out-island, CocoCay. The NORDIC EMPRESS will again utilize Port Canaveral's Cruise Terminal 9/10 beginning May 1998.

Norwegian Cruise Line/NORWEGIAN CROWN

On May 16, 1997, Norwegian Cruise Lines (NCL) announced the repositioning of the M/S NORWEGIAN CROWN to Port Canaveral in 1998 to offer a series of 7-day itineraries round trip to Bermuda. Not only will this be the first time the ship has sailed out of Port Canaveral, but it will also the first time Norwegian Cruise Line has ever offered Florida-Bermuda cruises.

The 1,050 passenger NORWEGIAN CROWN will embark on its first Bermuda-bound cruise from the port March 29, 1998. Subsequent sailing dates include April 5, November 7, November 14, November 21 and November 28. The ship will also leave Port Canaveral on a 13-day "Springtime Highlights" cruise to Bermuda and Montreal on April 12, 1998, and depart for a 14-day "Sounthern Discovery" cruise through the Panama Canal to Santiago de Chile on December 5, 1998.

Directions to Port Canaveral

FROM THE ORLANDO AREA AND ORLANDO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

Take State Road 528 (Beeline Expressway) EAST all the way to the port. For North Cruise Terminals 5, 8 (Disney Cruise Terminal) and 9/10, take the exit for State Road 401 and Port Canaveral SIDE A, and follow the signs.

For South Cruise Terminals 2, 3, 4 and The Cove, continue on SR 528 to the first traffic light - follow the signs for Port Canaveral SIDE B. Take a left at the traffic light into the port and then take a right at the stop sign on to George King Boulevard. Follow the signs to the cruise terminals or The Cove.

FROM MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

Exit the Melbourne International Airport on to NASA Boulevard, and take a right (west) on NASA Blvd. Travel approximately 5 minutes (2 miles or so) down the road to Wickham Road (traffic light). Take a right on Wickham Road (north) to State Road 518 (also known as Eau Gallie Boulevard). Take a left on State Road 518 (west). Less than two miles down State Road 518 will be Interstate 95. Take Interstate 95 North approximately 30 to 40 minutes to State Road 528 (also known as the Beeline Expressway). Take State Road 528 EAST all the way to the port.

For North Cruise Terminals 5, 8 (Disney Cruise Terminal) and 9/10, take the exit for State Road 401 and Port Canaveral SIDE A, and follow the signs.

For South Cruise Terminals 2, 3, 4 and The Cove, continue on SR 528 to the first traffic light - follow the signs for Port Canaveral SIDE B. Take a left at the traffic light into the port and then take a right at the stop sign on to George King Boulevard. Follow the signs to the cruise terminals or The Cove.

FROM NORTH FLORIDA

Take Interstate 95 SOUTH to State Road 528 (Beeline Expressway). Take SR 528 EAST all the way to the port.

Alternatively, Take Interstate 75 SOUTH to the FLORIDA TURNPIKE SOUTH to State Road 528 (Beeline Expressway). Then take SR 528 EAST all the way to the port.

For North Cruise Terminals 5, 8 (Disney Cruise Terminal) and 9/10, take the exit for State Road 401 and Port Canaveral SIDE A, and follow the signs.

For South Cruise Terminals 2, 3, 4 and The Cove, continue on SR 528 to the first traffic light - follow the signs for Port Canaveral SIDE B. Take a left at the traffic light into the port and then take a right at the stop sign on to George King Boulevard. Follow the signs to the cruise terminals or The Cove.

FROM SOUTH FLORIDA (EAST COAST)

Take either Interstate 95 NORTH or U.S.1 NORTH to State Road 528 (Beeline Expressway). Take SR 528 EAST all the way to the port.

For North Cruise Terminals 5, 8 (Disney Cruise Terminal) and 9/10, take the exit for State Road 401 and Port Canaveral SIDE A, and follow the signs.

For South Cruise Terminals 2, 3, 4 and The Cove, continue on SR 528 to the first traffic light - follow the signs for Port Canaveral SIDE B. Take a left at the traffic light into the port and then take a right at the stop sign on to George King Boulevard. Follow the signs to the cruise terminals or The Cove.

FROM SOUTH FLORIDA (WEST COAST)

Take Interstate 75 NORTH to Interstate 4 EAST to State Road 528 (Beeline Expressway) EAST all the way to the port.

For North Cruise Terminals 5, 8 (Disney Cruise Terminal) and 9/10, take the exit for State Road 401 and Port Canaveral SIDE A, and follow the signs.

For South Cruise Terminals 2, 3, 4 and The Cove, continue on SR 528 to the first traffic light - follow the signs for Port Canaveral SIDE B. Take a left at the traffic light into the port and then take a right at the stop sign on to George King Boulevard. Follow the signs to the cruise terminals or The Cove.

Cruise Terminal Locations Within the Port

Port Canaveral has two main sections separated by the channel. The North side is denoted as "Side A" on the directional signs along the major roadways leading to the port. The South side is denoted as "Side B". There are separate entrances from the main highway for the North and South sides.

Cruise Terminals 5, 8 (Disney Cruise Terminal) and 9/10 are located on the North side (Side A).

Cruise Terminals 2, 3, 4 and the bulkhead in The Cove - between Rusty's and Lloyd's restaurants - are located on the South side (Side B).