Anyone fly into Melbourne, FL (MLB) for their Disney Cruise?

[collectoraholic]

We've booked (pretty last minute for a holiday cruise) the 11-Night Christmas Cruise for this year and at first, we were thinking of driving. But I check daily (multiple times) for flights for the 4 of us and just came across a pretty good deal for us to fly from Houston to Melbourne, FL (MLB), so I'm wondering the pros & cons of using this airport.

Any and all info/advice/help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance!

 

[Happy99]

No Disney transfers from there
Not sure how far it is and how much it would cost you to get to Port Canavaveral

 

[UMTerp]

Yes, we have. It is actually closer than MCO to the port. We got a one-way car rental and dropped it off near the port (after dropping luggage and pax off at the port).

 

[collectoraholic]

No Disney transfers from there
Not sure how far it is and how much it would cost you to get to Port Canavaveral

We normally rent a car or use a car service, as it is cheaper than the $70/PP/RT for the transfers ($280) for us.

I Googled it and it says it is 42 minutes from MLB to Port Canaveral.

 

[collectoraholic]

Yes, we have. It is actually closer than MCO to the port. We got a one-way car rental and dropped it off near the port (after dropping luggage and pax off at the port).

So you think we could make an 11:18 AM return (home) flight after the cruise then? Normally we don't book a flight from MCO until after noon on those days.

 

[When I Grow Up]

We have lived in Melbourne (West Melbourne) since 1976. The Melbourne Airport is a very very nice totally underutilized airport that has only a very few flights in and out each day. Your time to process through is very fast as the airport is typically deserted even though it is an international airport. Picking up a rental car would be easy and the lot is about 100feet from the airport doors. If you head west to I95 then North about 25miles to the BeachLine (SR520) Head East and you run into the port. 40 miles is probably about right. When we get off the boat (we park in the parking lot at the terminal) It typically take us 40 minutes door to door. If you leave the boat at 8am you could easily make the 11 am flight. Depends where you pick up the car at the terminal. I thought maybe they would deliver one there for you. I have to confess total ignorance on that part. In 9 cruises we have never taken longer than an hour from when we finished breakfast on board and decided to leave the ship, to unlocking the front door at home. And that is staying at the speed limit. The airport is 10 minutes further on from our house.

 

[Disney Cajun Man]

I have flown into Melbourne airport to Disney Cruises before and I agree with other posters that it is a nice airport and very easy to do for a cruise. We have used a shuttle service from the airport to the port and back and it was very reasonable (about 40 per person round trip if I remember right). On the last trip we flew into Melbourne and arrived at about 830 am, then to the shuttle - which was a town car that they had waiting for us as soon as we checked in at the transportation company desk. We were only two passengers in the town car so we even asked the driver to stop at a grocery store and he did. We arrived at the port about 10 am and were some ot the first passengers in the terminal. At disembarkation we went to the lot the transpotation compnay told us to go to and they had a van there waiting for us, we then picked up another family from the Carnival terminal then headed to Melbourne airport. We arrived at the airport just before 10 am and did not have flight until 1230pm so we had to wait around for a while. The drive from the airport to the port is only about a 30 to 40 minute drive and is very scenic. I highly recommend the Melbourne airport to fly into for cruises out ot PC, especially if you are getting great deals on airfare. Hope this helps. I do not remember the transportation company we use, but I know we found it when we googled ground transportation for the Melbourne airport.

 

[collectoraholic]

Fantastic info, thanks so much everyone!

 

[queenbee99]

Just curious, how cheap of an airfare did you find to this airport from Houston? And what airline?

 

[collectoraholic]

Just curious, how cheap of an airfare did you find to this airport from Houston? And what airline?

On Delta from Hobby Airport.

Price per passenger: $190.00 (USD)
Taxes/Fees: $41.30 (USD)
Subtotal per Passenger: $231.30 (USD)
Total for all passengers (4): $925.20 (USD)

HTHs!

 

[queenbee99]

Thanks so much! That is a good rate. I am always so jealous of some friends who find $29 airfare from further places to Orlando. Why can't HOUSTON have that!? LOL

 

[collectoraholic]

Thanks so much! That is a good rate. I am always so jealous of some friends who find $29 airfare from further places to Orlando. Why can't HOUSTON have that!? LOL

I know! Wish Jet Blue (that's who does the $29 flights) flew out of Houston. The do fly out of Austin, so if we could get $29/pp/1-way, it'd be worth the drive.

 

[queenbee99]

Austin is 7 hours the other direction for me...UGH!

 

[collectoraholic]

Austin is 7 hours the other direction for me...UGH!

Well, that wouldn't work then. I don't know if there are any other TX cities that offer Jet Blue flights (specifically to Orlando). I just don't see how they can offer those $29/1-way flights. Baffles me and irks me that I haven't been able to utilize such a deal from them...yet.

 

[jgura]

Well, that wouldn't work then. I don't know if there are any other TX cities that offer Jet Blue flights (specifically to Orlando). I just don't see how they can offer those $29/1-way flights. Baffles me and irks me that I haven't been able to utilize such a deal from them...yet.

No need to be jealous on the flights out of Austin on jetblue. They never have the cheap fares when you actually need them. We'll see you on the Christmas cruise. Flying reasonably on South West but we bought the tickets a while ago.