TrentS How about helping this person out

[klfrodo]

Not familiar with the Alamo Rental service that this poster is claiming that Alamo is offering. I was thinking you may have a better answer.

 

Thanks

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1076379

[scrozuk]

Darn, you beat me to it!

 

Yeah, long and short of it is, wife and I fly in to MIA, pick up rental car from airport (Alamo), stay three nights in Hilton Downtown, then on day of cruise, Friday 6th, drive to the terminal where someone will be there to take the car.

 

When we get back off the cruise on the Monday, am renting another car for the day, from the port before dropping it off at MIA later that day.

 

Is this how it happens, as I'm just a bit dubious and have visions that I will get to the port, the Alamo guy will be there, and we then need to go to their office at the airport on both days to drop off/pick up the car!

 

Any advice would be gratefully received.

 

ScrozUK

[TrentS]

Sorry, I haven't heard of Alamo letting you return the car at the port. It could be something new, but I just don't know. I was always under the impression that Alamo was one of those where you had to return the car to the airport and then they would shuttle you to the port. :confused:

[temple1]

It shouldn't make a lot of difference, except in timing on the day you board the ship.

 

When you say "meet you at the terminal" do you mean cruise port or airport?

 

I would confirm that information when picking up the car. If they give you the deer in the headlights look then you know you will have to drop the car and take the shuttle.

 

Good luck and have a great cruise.

[klfrodo]

Darn, you beat me to it!

 

Yeah, long and short of it is, wife and I fly in to MIA, pick up rental car from airport (Alamo), stay three nights in Hilton Downtown, then on day of cruise, Friday 6th, drive to the terminal where someone will be there to take the car.

 

When we get back off the cruise on the Monday, am renting another car for the day, from the port before dropping it off at MIA later that day.

 

Is this how it happens, as I'm just a bit dubious and have visions that I will get to the port, the Alamo guy will be there, and we then need to go to their office at the airport on both days to drop off/pick up the car!

 

Any advice would be gratefully received.

 

ScrozUK

 

 

I did a little research for you.

 

I see you are staying at the Hilton in downtown Miami.

If I'm correct, Hiltons downtown address is 1601 Biscayne Blvd.

 

NOW

 

It appears from my google search that Enterprise Car Rental location in downtown Miami is also at 1601 Biscayne Blvd

 

In other words, Enterprise has a car rental location at the Hilton hotel.

 

Enterprise is a reputable company here in the States.

 

So, you could fly into MIA. pick up the Enterprise rental car, and return it at your hotel. Take a shuttle or a taxi over to the cruise terminal. Return from your cruise. Rent an Enterpirse car at the hotel and return the car at MIA.

 

Hope this helps.

[miamiyogi]

The Alamo website is very misleading. It states the Port of Miami location as:

 

Port Of Miami Airport Rental Plaza

3355 Nw 22 Street Road

 

That address is miles away from the port and is actually the airport location.

 

You might want to try to call the local office for clarification, but in my experience they won't answer the phone.

 

+1 (305) 633-6076

[scrozuk]

The Alamo website is very misleading. It states the Port of Miami location as:

 

Port Of Miami Airport Rental Plaza

3355 Nw 22 Street Road

 

That address is miles away from the port and is actually the airport location.

 

You might want to try to call the local office for clarification, but in my experience they won't answer the phone.

 

+1 (305) 633-6076

 

This was exactly the point I was trying to get across to the people I booked through. That the address for both port and airport pickup/drop off were the same!

 

I've sent an email to Alamo directly to get the facts from the horses mouth. Way I see things at the moment, we need to leave our hotel, drive past the port, off to the airport, drop the car off then get shuttled back to the port.

 

Absolutely crazy!!.

 

ScrozUK

[miamiyogi]

I lifted this from another thread:

 

booked with Alamo. They said they do run a shuttle from the MIA drop off location. We are driving down from Orlando and have always used Thrifty, but they want a $100 drop fee, Alamo doesn't, so the decision was easy.

 

I have to be in the Port this Sunday on business: I will look and ask around for an Alamo guy/desk/shuttle.

 

 

[scrozuk]

I lifted this from another thread:

 

booked with Alamo. They said they do run a shuttle from the MIA drop off location. We are driving down from Orlando and have always used Thrifty, but they want a $100 drop fee, Alamo doesn't, so the decision was easy.

 

I have to be in the Port this Sunday on business: I will look and ask around for an Alamo guy/desk/shuttle.

 

 

 

Thanks would be much appreciated.

 

ScrozUK

[temple1]

This was exactly the point I was trying to get across to the people I booked through. That the address for both port and airport pickup/drop off were the same!

 

I've sent an email to Alamo directly to get the facts from the horses mouth. Way I see things at the moment, we need to leave our hotel, drive past the port, off to the airport, drop the car off then get shuttled back to the port.

 

Absolutely crazy!!.

 

ScrozUK

 

No, it is not that confusing. I think the problem is the explanation you were given of leaving the car with someone and getting on the ship. The shuttle to the port was left out of the explanation.

 

Alamo has an offsite MIA location. When you fly into Miami you take a shuttle to the pick up location and when you get ready to go to the port you drop the car off at the same location and they have a shuttle to the port. If you are also renting when you return from your cruise they pick you up at the port and take you to the car pick up area. (At least this is how they did it when we used them in 2007.)

 

I hope this helps.

[scrozuk]

No, it is not that confusing. I think the problem is the explanation you were given of leaving the car with someone and getting on the ship. The shuttle to the port was left out of the explanation.

 

Alamo has an offsite MIA location. When you fly into Miami you take a shuttle to the pick up location and when you get ready to go to the port you drop the car off at the same location and they have a shuttle to the port. If you are also renting when you return from your cruise they pick you up at the port and take you to the car pick up area. (At least this is how they did it when we used them in 2007.)

 

I hope this helps.

 

Finally, the answer I was looking for.. :)

 

I did ask if the drop off point was the same as the pickup point as it said on the Voucher, because when I booked it, we were led to believe we could return the car to them at the Port!

 

So, instead of a 2mile trip from Hotel to Port, now have a 16 mile round trip!! Would I be possible to drive our luggage into the cruise port terminal, drop off the wife, and luggage, then go off to Alamo to return the car? Would make it easier if it was just me, instead of worrying about hauling loads of bags!

 

ScrozUK

[temple1]

I think it depends on the location of your hotel. If you are fairly close to the port, maybe but your wife will be left at the port for an hour or more while you return the car.

 

The driver will help getting the luggage on and off the shuttle. It really was not that big a deal for us. It seems the rental car location is right next to the expressway so it was not a bad ride from the port to the pick up.

[klfrodo]

And I still stand that you should drop Alamo all together.

or at least give it some consideration.

 

Let's see

 

Alamo:

Fly in MIA

Retrieve luggage

Walk to rental car shuttle

shuttle to Alamo

drive to hotel

drive back to rental car pick up at airport

take shuttle to cruise port

 

After cruise

shuttle to Alamo at airport with luggage

pick up rental car

drive to hotel

drive back to airport

 

 

Enterprise:

Fly into MIA

either a: shuttle or taxi to hotel

or B

Shuttle to Enterprise car rental then drive to hotel

 

If A: then pick up rental car at hotel

 

Evening before cruise or day of,, return Enterprise car AT hotel

Shuttle or taxi to cruise port

 

After cruise

shuttle or taxi to hotel

pick up rental car AT hotel

Return rental car to airport

[scrozuk]

Two problems with switching to Enterprise..

 

1, They haven't got convertibles available

2, Their other cars are way overpriced!

 

Already have an idea of how we're gonna play this, so it's cool.

 

Still gonna do a couple of double-checks to be on the safe side..

 

Thanks for the input though.

 

ScrozUK

[klfrodo]

Thanks for at least considering this.

 

A couple of warnings to share on the convertable.

 

A) Bring sun screen. We drove down to the keys once on a cloudy day. I've never had such sunburn and windburn :eek:

 

B) A lot less luggage room. We rented a Chevrolet Camaro once and a Ford Mustang once. Fun, fun,fun, in the car. Music blasting, hair blowing in the wind,,,,only 1 piece of luggage would fit in the trunk, the rest barely fit in the back seat.

 

Have a great time.

[temple1]

Not a huge problem. We manage to get 1 large and a couple of carry ons in the trunk of our Sebring. The backseat is a decent size for the 2nd large suitcase. I doubt if the OP has a lot of large luggage since they are flying in from GB.

 

But - Don't forget the sunscreen and a hat. I have also burned my legs when wearing shorts on a long drive in summer.