Renting Car – tips/tricks - leave at hotel OR rent one way?

[bdavis12123]

We are planning 2 vacations in one (4 day cruise + 5 nights in Panama City Beach) and need to rent an SUV. I hate the thought of paying for a rental car while it’s just sitting in a parking lot during our cruise. There is the option of doing 2 one-way car rentals (rent car to drive to pier, rent car after cruise and drive home) but that can be expensive.

Does anyone have any tips or tricks to get around (1) paying $$$ for one-way rentals or (2) paying for a car rental while it sits in the hotel parking lot during cruise?

“Technically” it’s not a one-way rental since I would be returning the car to its original location – rent a car, drive to pier, turn in rental car, go on cruise, return from cruise, pick up rental car, drive to panama city beach, drive back home.

Any tips, tricks or suggestions?

[dan40]

We are planning 2 vacations in one (4 day cruise + 5 nights in Panama City Beach) and need to rent an SUV. I hate the thought of paying for a rental car while it’s just sitting in a parking lot during our cruise. There is the option of doing 2 one-way car rentals (rent car to drive to pier, rent car after cruise and drive home) but that can be expensive.

 

Does anyone have any tips or tricks to get around (1) paying $$$ for one-way rentals or (2) paying for a car rental while it sits in the hotel parking lot during cruise?

 

“Technically” it’s not a one-way rental since I would be returning the car to its original location – rent a car, drive to pier, turn in rental car, go on cruise, return from cruise, pick up rental car, drive to panama city beach, drive back home.

 

Any tips, tricks or suggestions?

 

I rent one way and rent again for the return. There is no drop off charge from my place to anywhere within Fl. Might not be true from PC Beach. Evidently there is a drop charge for bringing a car into Fl. and dropping it here. Even if you do another rental and take a car out of Fl.

[bdavis12123]

Thanks dan40 - I'll have to check into one-way.

 

We will be renting the car in Kentucky, driving to Mobile Alabama for the cruise, driving to PCB Florida for 5 nights and then driving back home to Kentucky.