Cruises From Orlando (Port Canaveral)

You’ll find restaurants catering to every taste in Orlando, where there’s an impressive selection of high-end places to eat. Many are managed by celebrity chefs and have an emphasis on fresh, farm-to-table cuisine. Head for the fashionable Mills 50 District for Vietnamese, Korean and other Asian specialties, and West Church Street in Winter Park, the epicenter of the city’s fine dining scene.

Near Port Canaveral, The Cove is the place to go for waterfront restaurants cooled by sea breezes, where you can dig into tasty fish tacos, fresh oysters, snow crab, and mahi-mahi sandwiches. Other local specialties to try include rum cake, salt water taffy, gator jerky (yes, made from alligator meat), and Florida craft beers.

While it’s easy to dismiss Orlando as having barely existed before the theme parks put it on the map, the city was actually founded in 1875. During the late 19th century, Orlando thrived as the hub of Florida’s citrus industry, an era which abruptly came to a halt in the Great Freeze of 1894. During this time, many citrus farmers went bust and left the area, leaving the citrus industry in the hands of a few big producers. 

After the 1950s, Orlando and the surrounding area grew steadily as a tourist attraction, the appeal of the region boosted in 1955 when NASA opened its headquarters on Cape Canaveral. Theme parks followed, and the rest is history; Orlando now receives some 74 million visitors a year.

You’ll find an abundance of shopping opportunities in Orlando, specifically on International Drive, at Disney Springs, and in the outlet malls. You’ll find everything from designer labels to factory outlet bargains.

Nearer Port Canaveral, visit Cocoa Village for local art and bright, whimsical tropical clothing and homeware. Ron Jon Surf Shop in Cocoa Beach sells all you need for surfing. The gift shop at the Kennedy Space Center is a fantastic place for quirky gift ideas, from freeze-dried ice cream to model rocket kits. Around 30 minutes from the port, The Avenue Viera is an open-air retail center with some big names, while Merritt Square Mall, just 15 minutes away, is great for big department stores and specialty shopping.

A rental car gives you the freedom to explore as you please and is a good idea if you’re staying in the area before or after your cruise. All the major companies operate here. In downtown Orlando, the I-Ride Trolley runs back and forth along International Drive, giving access to multiple restaurants, shops, hotels, and other attractions.

In Port Canaveral itself, there’s a shuttle service to Cocoa Beach and Merritt Island. You’ll also find rideshare service here.

The currency in Florida is the U.S. Dollar. Credit cards are widely accepted. Tipping here is customary, as it is all over the United States. Leave 15-20% in restaurants for good service and tip taxi drivers and tour guides, too.