ownercarry

On 4/1/2024 at 2:46 PM, MWL58 said:

Sept 2023 we used Enterprise, 91 Quai de Southampton, 76600 Le Havre, France

we are looking to do this in october for a princess cruise, we're there 7am-8pm. looks like about 1 mile walk and price is really reasonable. curious on your destinations though. one goes north and then you have to back track to go south. what was in Etetat that was worth going up and back? also any other stops you'd recommend? we'll do honfleur as it's universally praised.

agree, you'll be fine. we made a 1030am flight in 2022 when covid protocols were still in place. get off with first available group and head right out. plenty of taxis will be there and luckily the airport is not far and that early there's very little traffic.

we used them twice in june out of madrid. fantastic and brand new mb van. we're setup to use them again for october in vigo and bilbao. the itinerary is all there on their website, though i could see something non-interesting to everyone getting slipped in, that did happen once. poor comms could be because this is a big tour company working out of italy, south of france and spain. i think maybe the agents are answering emails from all the websites and countries. or maybe not, i just know that every time, no matter the country and we've done all three with them, it always shows up on my card as top day tours. unlike other companies they haven't raised their rates and always have nice vans. info@spaindaytours.com is the email i see the most, but i did get one from spaindaytours@gmail.com if you wanted to try that.

we got off the oasis in early june and when we boarded we waited until we could get to our rooms, store our stuff and then went back to the duty free in term b. bought 9 bottles of wine (3 per person), walked right back on to the ship. there is no security at ship, just check in with your card. we had done this 2 years before as well. prices were not bad either. and i'd have to say if any line were going to take it from you, it would be rccl and the oasis on a summer cruise. but not a problem and lots of people were doing it.

sorry i've gone through all 11 pages but i'm still not certain.

can you walk just old town if you want to, or you must pay the walk the walls to get into old town and then you can do both. i think the equivalent of $30usd is quite a bit. for a couple that's 60 and the hour taxi tour with the trip to the top would get equally impressive views for less money. would like the walk inside the walls though.

the link for the cable car company is saying it's closed. contractual problems between the city and the cable operator. can this be confirmed?

http://www.dubrovnikcablecar.com/

it sounds like Dubrovnik is one of the places you really don't need an organized tour. basically get yourself to the gate of the walled city, explore it and the walls and then can cable car or taxi or even bus back? we're only there 8 to 5 so i don't think time for much more.

and if you did get a taxi, how would you pay? do you need to go to an atm asap? this is the only place (and maybe kotor) that won't take the euro. how much should you take out so you're not left holding a bunch or souvenir money?

just returned from oceania riviera cruise. we used them in sorrento, monte carlo and Marseille. i think for the france tours it wasn't italy tours, but they know who to use.

every tour was excellent!

our first stop in sorrento was changed with less than 24 hours notice to naples, but they made the switch effortlessly. then we wake that morning to find we're going to be 3 hours late getting to port. still made the tour work. we had to cut the final destination of amalfi out, but 2 on the fly adjustments and then a great tour?!

monaco was a fantastic tour. our guide was excellent. kept everyone happy and showed us so many things. nice was part of the tour and where he lives and you could tell, he really liked what he was doing.

last stop, Marseille, also excellent. Arles, Les Baux , St Remy & Avignon tour and instead of the kinda cramped holds 8 bus, we got a dodge caravan with room for us big americans. that part was great and the tour just as good.

our other 2 stops we did with people in roll call using drivers or limos in.... type companies and while that was nice too as their vans had water bottles and wifi, but they were literally just drivers. only offering advice or history when asked. italy tours people were fantastic guides full of info and could answer any question.

the only reason we didn't do all 5 was because of this system where it takes at least 6 people to make a tour "go". it's nothing on italy tours either, they all do it. the limo people have a flat price and then folks on roll call try to fill up the van. at the time, those 2 tours were basically same price and definitely going so we went that route. if the minimum thing wasn't there, we would have certainly done all 5 tours with italy tours.

sorry, searched first 8 pages but the IND schedule in SJ same for long time and no posts. in at 4 and out at 11. seems like complete waste of time, BUT maybe there's things to do.

we've been 3x, but new for our boys (9&11). we'll walk to forts and have fun with that but going to be dusk at 630 no doubt october 13. what to do after the forts? just go back?

that is a really good find.

it's hard to find both sides of the transportation problem. breakfast is always an english style breakfast at these places typically so that's not huge (IMO).

but they are fairly expensive and you do give up some really convenient shopping right next door.

sure wish we'd hear back from the original poster.

hey all,

i think we're off point now.

original post was

free ride from airport

free ride to port

this is REALLY rare. i know only the hotel i posted to do this. it's also exceptional in that it's walking distance from great shopping.

SO - because their rate has going from 80 to 120 in a year, let's stick to any other hotels that have both, even if cost is not object and it appears our original poster is not with us any longer.

it'll certainly help me as we have october cruise coming and maybe others.

looks like if you zoom all the way in google doesn't tell you all the shop names.

kmart is the big one. we get all our soda and water for the trip there. there's old navy and ross if you forgot clothes and a big lots for anything in between. if you want booze, the BJs is like costco and requires a membership but not for booze. prices are only ok though. and if you have time grandpa's bakery featured on diners drive ins and dives is only a mile's walk away to the east at the end of sterling. it's quiet yummy.

i have no idea what the shopping area is called. i included the address so people could be certain they got the right hotel.

i see google maps in your future....

Quality Inn & Suites Airport/Cruise Port South

2520 Stirling Rd

Hollywood, FL 33020

does all 3 you want. we've stayed there 4 times now. all the shopping right next door is great. we actually pack lighter and get stuff there to bring on the ship. not super nice hotel, but all you need. yes you will get crammed into a bus for your free trip to the pier but they go often enough it's not really a big deal. plus it saves $20 for taxi (with tip and waiting time).

i looked and

Comfort Suites Fort Lauderdale Airport South and Cruise does NOT show free pier shuttle on their site, Quality does.

i'm currently searching for same thing however as their rates have gone up a LOT for when we're going (mid Oct). used to get a room there for 80 now cheapest i'm seeing 120 for a 2 beds room. that's a huge increase in just one year (we stayed last october).

i also know from experience i can rent a car on priceline for 20+10 taxes +10 gas and then get hotel further for about 70. that gives lots of freedom. and half the agencies have shuttles from the airport to the peir. so kind of a pita to head back to airport sunday morning and then take their bus to the peir but it's not full and the driver is board so they're happy to leave when you ask. (we did this in miami and worked great).

post up what you find.

did opposite today, oct 20, and it was 12.50 on the meter. but sign in window did say $3 surcharge for all fares starting at the airport, $16 sounds right on.

but beware, when you get there, they might tell you different rate, especially if you're in a larger vehicle (we were 4 in a Tahoe because no way car would work). he said bigger car and 4 bags so $20. i told him meter says 12.50 and it's meter only, said it right at the peir on big sign. he kept insisting so i told him to pound sand and took away his tip and paid meter only.

rate daisyloo said for april still good. exactly 12.50 for our party of four on october 20, 2014. exactly 12.50 plus tip. we got off allure and straight to FLL.

BUT BEWARE!

at port they'll put 1-3 people in the cars and then 4+ in the vans or bigger vehicles. when we got out, meter was 12.50 but the guy said $20! he says bigger vehicle and more bags is extra. i told him meter was 12.50 and right at the pier it clearly states meter rate, no flat rates (there is a big sign).

he kept insisting this is how it is for the bigger vehicles. i told him again, meter says 12.50. after about a minute of this, i took my $15 i had ready, and gave him exactly $12.50 and walked away. told him he gives florida a black eye.

watch out for this, it's meter rate and meter rate no matter what the vehicle's size. don't fall for it or be guilted into it. this company had 954-999-9999 on the side of the tahoe.

also, we stayed at quality inn on sterling because they pick up from airport and will take you to the pier for free and they were hard selling pickup at ship and take to airport for $10 a person. told them why when cab is 12.50, maybe 15 if lots of traffic, for all 4 of us?? it was 'yah, good luck getting that rate' and 'lmk if you really do that because i don't think so'.

don't think i'll actually take time to tell them it is the case because they know better, just trying to get you to pay $10 each. company they use btw is KSA.

cabs are simple and easy and it's also no trouble to get bigger vehicle like we did. only thing we saw was that there is a $3 surcharge if your taxi originates at FLL airport, so FLL to pier would be $3 more than back.

so many new responses i love it.

the allure is there 8-5 so i don't know if pinal is in the cards and the cost of taxi, then ferry, then whatever we need there, and make sure back in time, i don't know. the video sure looked good though.

simpson bay lagoon might be kinda fun though. could motor all around in there, even right by the airport. any idea what that costs?

thanks again y'all

oh man, did you see the rain we got in phx today?! wow.

anyhow, let's not switch this post to that please.

we're family of 4, boys 8/10 and looking for something for all of us. they'll only want the beach for so long, hate shopping and def. didn't appreciate it when i got us all lost last time in the rental car.

wasn't looking to spend a fortune either. maybe best is to stay on the ship, just didn't think so as we have 3 sea days.

thanks for suggestions!

ok, not 10 but 6.

lots of trips to french side for their marketplace and lunch, orient beach, had a 747 land on our heads, rented a car and got totally lost (FR side mostly) and the usual downtown marketplace stuff.

are we doomed to just chill at a beach?

veterans, please - lmk.

great, so now we know we can do at least alamo!

looks like alamo is part of national and enterprise too. so i should at least be able to choose between national and alamo for best price.

now i need to find a coupon code!

why is this thread so seemingly dead?

arriving fll port from cruise on feb 23 and would like to get rental car shuttle back to fll to rent car and explore for a bit before 5pm flight.

we did this in miami and was super easy. 4 rental companies had bus between port and airport.

i think i'm seeing alamo to do this and that's it.

experts/locals, please chime in.

if you're actually in nassau (you mentioned 3 places), the cruise ship pier shops have it and so does mcdonalds (not too far of a walk).

in grand turk, try jack's shack. off the ship and on the beach to the left, 100 yards up (out of the "cruise" area). nice bar, small restaurant and free beach chairs.

thanks VERY much to everyone.

there's now so much good info in here, it should almost be a sticky!

cackles, thanks SO much.

did NOT realize there was free shuttle if you drop off at mia airport. if that was more clear (or perhaps if it was in earlier posts and i would read better!) i would not have spent so much time on this.

so now it's really simple. i'll keep trying with priceline (name your price) because you're 100% correct, closer it gets, the better my chances for that rate.

i'm going to call a couple of those mia airport offices to be certain they can do the shuttle on sunday, but this sounds 100% way to go.

again, thanks a lot. and beerman, you too.

LOVE the camaraderie here!

ok, did that myself and get 42-44 depending on car size and then used priceline to get an idea of the taxes and fees. 22 bucks!! and there's no one way thing in there either, just the usual way overpriced airport fees. so overall, this option is a tiny bit more than SAS and getting picked up when we want and dropped right at POM.

something else! you are spot on for their downtown address. that took a bit of doing to find. everything wants to default you to miami beach that i don't think would have a free shuttle to POM. but the problem is, the downtown office closes at 1pm on the 14th (day of our cruise) because it's a sunday. many cruise on saturday too so i'd say call that location for hours and when the last shuttle is.

still hunting for that $25 all-in rental :-)