Two of Florida's best trips finally fit in one vacation.
Families used to pick: a cruise out of South Florida or a Universal week in Orlando. The drive between them — three-plus hours of I-95 and the Turnpike with luggage, kids, and a rental you barely used — was the part nobody wanted to plan. Brightline turns that drive into a seat with Wi-Fi and a window.
No rental car, no airport shuttle roulette
The Orlando station is inside Orlando International Airport, and the South Florida stations sit minutes from PortMiami, Port Everglades, and the Port of Palm Beach. I build the transfers into your plan so nobody's guessing at a curb.
The timing question, answered
Ships board early and the parks open earlier. I pick the departures that give you margin — a sailing-day train that doesn't cut it close, and a post-cruise train that doesn't have you sprinting off the gangway.
Fare class chosen for your crew
SMART or PREMIUM isn't a luxury question — it's a luggage-and-kids question. I'll tell you which one is actually worth it for your group and your bags.
The line, stop by stop
Six stations, one straight shot. Here's what each one connects you to.
The world's busiest cruise port is a short ride from the station. Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Virgin Voyages, MSC, Norwegian and more sail from here.
Convenient for families staying in North Miami-Dade or shopping the day before a sailing.
Minutes from Port Everglades and the Fort Lauderdale airport — a favorite for Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Princess and Holland America sailings.
Easy pick-up point for Palm Beach County families heading to the parks or a Miami sailing.
Closest station to the Port of Palm Beach and its short Bahamas sailings.
The station is inside Orlando International Airport's Terminal C, so you can fly in, ride down, and never leave the terminal to find the train. Universal Orlando Resort is a short drive from here. Sailing from Port Canaveral? It's about an hour east — I arrange that transfer too.
SMART or PREMIUM?
Both get you leather seats, free Wi-Fi, and power at every seat. Here's where they part ways.
SMART
Best for: day trips · light packers · budget-first
- Comfortable leather seating with Wi-Fi and power
- Onboard café and drink service for purchase
- Advance-purchase and off-peak fares are often the best value
- Checked bags available for a fee
PREMIUM
Best for: cruise days · families with luggage · celebrations
- PREMIUM Lounge access with complimentary bites and drinks
- 21-inch seats with extra legroom; complimentary onboard snacks, wine, beer and soft drinks
- One free standard checked bag with priority pick-up
- Priority boarding in Miami and Orlando
- Cancel before travel for 100% Brightline credit
Three ways families put it together
Fly → Orlando · Ride → Miami · Sail
Parks first, then the ship
Fly into MCO, spend three or four days at Universal Orlando Resort, then walk to the station inside the airport and ride south the day before you sail. Wake up in Miami, board rested. This is the order I recommend for most families — the cruise becomes the recovery.
Sail → Ride → Orlando · Fly home from MCO
Ship first, then the parks
Cruise out of PortMiami or Port Everglades, disembark, and ride to Orlando the same morning. Works beautifully when your best airfare home is out of Orlando — and it means you land the theme-park finale instead of a sea day.
Reunions · Milestone Birthdays · Multigen
The group that shouldn't be in six cars
For reunions and celebration groups, the train keeps everyone together on the transfer day — grandparents, teens, strollers, and all the luggage in one place. Brightline also offers group savings on larger bookings, and I'll layer that with any seasonal fare promotions running for your dates.
How we plan it together
- Tell me about your crewA short questionnaire — who's going, when, whether the ship or the parks come first, and how much luggage is realistic. About 3 minutes.
- Get one connected planCruise, Universal, hotel nights, train times, and port transfers — sequenced so the handoffs actually work, with the trade-offs in plain English.
- Book and go, fully supportedI book each piece through my advisor accounts and stay on call before and during your trip, start to finish.
Common questions
How does your pricing work?
For a straightforward Brightline booking, there's no charge — you pay Brightline's published fares, and I'm compensated as a registered Brightline Travel Advisor. Trips with more moving parts — a cruise plus Orlando, hotel nights, port transfers, or group coordination across households — involve a planning fee that reflects the scope of the work. It's a separate professional fee for my time and expertise, and I'll always share it with you up front, before anything begins. Either way, my job is to pick the fare and train that fit your trip — not the one that pays most.
How much time should we leave between the train and the ship?
More than the map suggests. I plan cruise-day arrivals with a comfortable buffer and, wherever possible, put you in South Florida the night before you sail. It's the single easiest way to protect a cruise vacation.
What about Port Canaveral?
The Orlando station is at the airport, not the port — Port Canaveral is roughly an hour east by road. I arrange that ground transfer as part of your plan, so it's one booking, not a scramble.
Can we do this without the cruise — just Miami to Orlando?
Absolutely. A South Florida family heading to Universal, or an Orlando family heading to South Beach, is a great Brightline trip on its own.
Is the train kid-friendly?
Very. Family seating, Wi-Fi, room to move, and a café car go a long way with children — and Brightline runs seasonal family promotions I watch for on your behalf.
One trip. Two coasts of Florida. Zero rental cars.
Tell me about your family, and I'll come back with a cruise-and-Orlando plan that connects — literally.
Start PlanningPrefer to talk first? Text me at 470.800.0386