Before embarking on a cruise vacation, passengers have to first make their way to their cruise port – which can be complicated when navigating an unfamiliar city.
But for passengers of Florida-based Princess cruise ships, a new partnership between the cruise line and Brightline makes getting to the ports a lot more convenient and affordable.
“Rail & Sail” Program Unveiled For Florida Cruise Passengers
Traditionally, cruise passengers have to book a shuttle service, rent a car, take a taxi, or call an Uber or Lyft to reach their cruise ports, which can come with hefty prices and lots of city traffic.
But passengers embarking on a Princess cruise out of Port Canaveral (Orlando) and Fort Lauderdale (Port Everglades) have a new, easier way to travel to their cruise ports.
On Friday, April 5, 2024, the cruise line announced its new partnership with Brightline, a high-speed, inter-city rail service that runs between Miami and Orlando, Florida
Dubbed the “Rail & Sail” program, passengers of Princess Cruises will be able to take a Brightline train to their Florida homeport – which takes less time and costs less money than traditional transportation methods.
As part of the announcement, Brightline also unveiled a new high-speed train that is decorated with Princess Cruises’ iconic “Love Boat” branding, famous sea witch logo, and depictions of popular cruise ports.
Brightline offers 16-round trip transits per day between Orlando and Fort Lauderdale, with Brightline’s Orlando station directly connected to Orlando International Airport (MCO).
Possible options for cruisers include a Southbound route from Orlando to Fort Lauderdale, a Northbound route from Fort Lauderdale to Orlando, and routes from Miami and Aventura for South Florida residents.
Once guests arrive at the Fort Lauderdale or Orlando stop, Princess Cruises will provide guests with complimentary motorcoach service to their respective cruise terminals.
As an additional value add, cruisers can also check their luggage at their Brightline station and have it waiting for them in their stateroom once they board their ship – so there’s no lugging heavy bags on and off trains or coaches.
Princess cruises is already the best value in travel and this new partnership with Brightline makes it even easier and more enjoyable to sail with us from the top-rated ports in South and Central Florida,” said John Padgett, president of Princess Cruises. “Our guests can just sit back, relax, and let us do the rest, including delivering their luggage directly to their stateroom.”
Read Also: Florida Cruise Ports: Your Full Overview and Guide
In celebration of the new partnership, Princess Cruises and Brightline are offering special discounts of up to 15% off when booking Smart and Premium “Rail & Sail” packages until May 5, 2024. Additionally, guests who book a new Florida-based Princess Cruise before May 5 will receive a credit of up to $150 per person to put toward the “Rail & Sail” program.
That said, you don’t have to be a passenger of Princess Cruises to use Brightline’s high-speed trains. Anyone can use Brightline’s services, and the company is already working on making transportation even more convenient for cruisers by announcing plans for a new station even closer to Port Canaveral.
Princess Cruises Sailing From Florida
Princess Cruises is very active in Fort Lauderdale (Port Everglades), Florida, with seven ships currently sailing from the popular port. This accounts for nearly half of the Princess fleet, which includes 18 ships in total. Itineraries consist of week-long getaways to longer 10-20 day cruises, featuring destinations in the Caribbean, the Panama Canal, Canada and New England, South America, and transatlantic cruises.
For example, Sun Princess, the cruise line’s newest ship that entered service earlier in 2024, is sailing a series of 7-day Caribbean cruises, including a mix of port calls at destinations like Amber Cover, Dominican Republic; Grand Turk, Turks & Caicos; Belize City, Belize; Cozumel, Mexico; and more.
While Princess Cruises is not currently sailing out of Port Canaveral, Caribbean Princess will begin sailing out of the Orlando cruise port at the end of the year, beginning on November 27, 2024.
Until April of 2025, the Grand-class cruise ship will be offering a series of 4 to 14-night sailings throughout the Western Caribbean, including calls at Grand Turk, San Juan; St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands; San Juan, Puerto Rico; Belize City, Belize; Amber Cove, Dominican Republic; and Mahogany Bay, Isla Roatan.
