Caribbean Princess at Port Canaveral
Everything you need for boarding Caribbean Princess (Princess) at Port Canaveral. Terminal info, parking, restaurants, hotels, and pro tips.
Official Terminal
Caribbean Princess sails from Cruise Terminal 3 at Port Canaveral. The drop-off lane, the sourced parking rate, and check-in timing are below.
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Upcoming Sail Dates
Official schedule · Verified Aug 11, 2026
Sources: Port Canaveral cruise ship schedule, Port Canaveral Master Cruise Schedule PDF
Terminal: Cruise Terminal 3 — every date below departs from it.
- Sun, Aug 16, 2026
- Sun, Aug 23, 2026
- Sun, Aug 30, 2026
- Sun, Sep 6, 2026
- Sun, Sep 13, 2026
- Sun, Sep 20, 2026
- Sun, Sep 27, 2026
Most cruise lines assign an arrival window during online check-in, and arriving inside that window is the best way to avoid the longest terminal lines. General boarding usually runs from late morning into the early afternoon, but the exact timing varies by ship, port, and sail date. Follow the check-in instructions your cruise line sends you — they always take priority over general guidance.
Where does Caribbean Princess depart from at Port Canaveral?
The current schedule lists Cruise Terminal 3. Confirm your terminal with the cruise line before traveling.
Drop-off: Follow George King Blvd past Terminal 1 to Terminal 3. The drop-off lane curves in front of the building — look for the covered portico. Porters will grab your bags curbside. Tip $2-3 per bag and keep your carry-on with you.
When should I board Caribbean Princess?
Princess check-in typically runs through the Princess app (MedallionClass), where you complete your documents and select an arrival window ahead of the sailing. Finishing everything early typically puts you in the faster walk-through lane at the pier.
Windows and opening dates vary by ship, homeport, and loyalty tier, so always follow your cruise line's instructions for your specific sailing.
Where can I park for a Caribbean Princess cruise?
- Drive Yourself — Port Parking: $20/day plus tax + tolls from MCO
- Drive Yourself — Off-Site Parking: From $7.95/day at Go Port; from $12.95/day booked ahead at Park N Cruise (free shuttle included at both)
Rates change — check parking and transportation options near Port Canaveral before you travel.
Official Terminal
Cruise Terminal 3
Drop-off: Follow George King Blvd past Terminal 1 to Terminal 3. The drop-off lane curves in front of the building — look for the covered portico. Porters will grab your bags curbside. Tip $2-3 per bag and keep your carry-on with you.
Parking: Park in the multi-level garage adjacent to CT-3 ($20/day plus tax). Parking is cashless and paid on arrival; no reservations are accepted. The garage is connected to the terminal by a covered walkway on the second level.
Parking at Cruise Terminal 3 is $20/day — all Port Canaveral parking & transport options →
Check-in tips:
- CT-3 is one of two Carnival terminals here — Carnival Freedom and Vista sail from CT-6 instead, so check your booking documents for which one you want. The terminal pages list the ships currently scheduled at each. Download the Carnival Hub app and complete online check-in before you arrive
- Bring your boarding confirmation (digital or printed) plus a valid photo ID for everyone in your party
- If you purchased Faster to the Fun, you'll have a dedicated check-in lane — look for the priority signs on the left side
- Security screening is airport-style but moves quickly — have your bags ready to go through the scanner
Getting to the Port
Drive Yourself — Port Parking
Official Port Canaveral parking is next to each cruise terminal. The current rate is $20 per day plus tax for vehicles and RVs, and both the arrival and departure days are charged. Payment is due when you enter the lot; reservations are not accepted and cash is not accepted.
Drive Yourself — Off-Site Parking
Off-site lots near the port undercut the terminal rate. Go Port advertises parking from $7.95/day at its plaza on North Courtenay Parkway in Merritt Island, with departure-day shuttles from 10:30 AM and returns from 7:00 AM until debarkation finishes, and its package covers round-trip transfers for up to six travelers in one vehicle. Park N Cruise on Sea Ray Drive, about two miles from the port, advertises from $12.95/day booked ahead or $15.95 same day, with a free shuttle it says runs every 60 minutes.
Park-and-Cruise Hotel Package
Many hotels near the port bundle a night's stay with parking for the duration of your cruise plus a shuttle to the terminal. You drive in the night before, sleep, then shuttle to the port in the morning while your car stays at the hotel. Radisson Resort at the Port, Country Inn & Suites Cape Canaveral, and Residence Inn Cape Canaveral all offer reliable park-and-cruise packages. Hampton Inn Cocoa Beach is another solid option if you want a beach-adjacent stay.
Shuttle from Orlando Airport (MCO)
MCO is about 45 miles from Port Canaveral, roughly 45 min by car. Several cruise shuttle companies run scheduled transfers, and they exist because the airport itself lists no bus, hotel shuttle or shuttle van serving the port. Go Port publishes $29.99 per traveler each way for its shared service; private black-car transfers are quoted at booking rather than posted.
Still weighing where to leave the car?
Nearby Restaurants
Grills Seafood Deck & Tiki Bar
Waterfront seafood with live music and a kids' menu that actually has good food
$$Fishlips Waterfront Bar & Grill
Casual waterfront spot where you can watch cruise ships from your table
$$Brano's Italian Grill
Chef-owned Italian on N Atlantic Ave doing pizza, pasta, seafood and steak in generous portions
$$Pompano Grill
Small downtown Cocoa Beach dining room doing American Wagyu steaks, house-made pasta and local seafood
$$$Nearby Hotels
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Residence Inn by Marriott Cape Canaveral Cocoa Beach
Suite-style rooms with full kitchens leave room for the whole family to spread out.
Radisson Resort at the Port
Resort-style property with a big pool area — the kids will want to stay an extra night
Country Inn & Suites Cape Canaveral
Budget-friendly and closest to the port, so you can save the money for the cruise.
Hampton Inn Cocoa Beach/Cape Canaveral
Reliable beach-adjacent stay with cruise parking packages available
Local Tip
The Cove area is within walking distance if you have time before your boarding window, and Grills Seafood Deck there does a solid blackened mahi lunch.
Other Ships Sailing from Port Canaveral
Sky Princess terminal & parking
Princess
Norwegian Prima terminal & parking
Norwegian
MSC Seashore terminal & parking
MSC
Adventure of the Seas terminal & parking
Royal Caribbean
Carnival Freedom terminal & parking
Carnival
Carnival Glory terminal & parking
Carnival
Carnival Mardi Gras terminal & parking
Carnival
Carnival Venezia terminal & parking
Carnival
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