More Convienient Rental Car Drop Off than the Airport in Fort Lauderdale?

[jannam]

My husband and I are considering adding a week of visiting friends and family on the Gulf coast of Florida before a cruise out of Fort Lauderdale. We would fly in and rent a car in Tampa, visit, then drive to Fort Lauderdale, stay in a hotel there the night before the cruise, drop off the rental car, then board the ship.

 

My question is if there is a more convenient place to drop off the rental car than the airport? We haven't chosen a rental car company, or hotel yet, so if there is a hotel with a rental facility onsite, that would be good to know.

 

Or would it be just as easy to drop off the car at the airport?

 

We would be boarding the Carnival Freedom, if it makes a difference. Any info or tips you guys have for this situation would be helpful.

[tekman26]

My husband and I are considering adding a week of visiting friends and family on the Gulf coast of Florida before a cruise out of Fort Lauderdale. We would fly in and rent a car in Tampa, visit, then drive to Fort Lauderdale, stay in a hotel there the night before the cruise, drop off the rental car, then board the ship.

 

My question is if there is a more convenient place to drop off the rental car than the airport? We haven't chosen a rental car company, or hotel yet, so if there is a hotel with a rental facility onsite, that would be good to know.

 

Or would it be just as easy to drop off the car at the airport?

 

We would be boarding the Carnival Freedom, if it makes a difference. Any info or tips you guys have for this situation would be helpful.

 

Most of the car rentals companys are located at the airport. They often have shuttle service to the port. At least I know you can pick up a shuttle to get a car but I would asked the rental car company prior to see if they will take you from the airport to the port. The drive is about 10 minutes.

[Twickenham]

My husband and I are considering adding a week of visiting friends and family on the Gulf coast of Florida before a cruise out of Fort Lauderdale. We would fly in and rent a car in Tampa, visit, then drive to Fort Lauderdale, stay in a hotel there the night before the cruise, drop off the rental car, then board the ship.

 

My question is if there is a more convenient place to drop off the rental car than the airport? We haven't chosen a rental car company, or hotel yet, so if there is a hotel with a rental facility onsite, that would be good to know.

 

Or would it be just as easy to drop off the car at the airport?

 

We would be boarding the Carnival Freedom, if it makes a difference. Any info or tips you guys have for this situation would be helpful.

 

Thrifty/Dollar have a combined office right at the entrance to the port, with a free shuttle. I believe Hertz and Budget also have offices close by with shuttles.

If you rent with Thrifty, try the Orlando Magicard code: 004M001010. If you want to rent with Hertz, find a free Gold membership offer somewhere (it's free for Aeroplan members, for instance); no discount, but will considerably speed up rental/drop off.

[mrpayroll]

Alamo/National have a shared shuttle from FLL to prt. Actually it is a full size bus. Other rental companies at airport do NOT have shuttle to port. We had to show paperwork to ride it last january.

[jillyfish]

Budget is at Quay Plaza on 17th. They have a shuttle to the port (best to call directly to be sure they still offer it) or you could take a cab, it is a very short distance.

[piper28]

Alamo/National have a shared shuttle from FLL to prt. Actually it is a full size bus. Other rental companies at airport do NOT have shuttle to port. We had to show paperwork to ride it last january.

 

I did this shuttle myself on a previous cruise, and it was painless. I have every intention of doing it again in Feb.

 

Now, going from the ship to the rental car place? That didn't work out anywhere near as well.

[Pia1913]

Hertz is in the Renaissance Hotel; the closest hotel to the 17th St. port entrance.

[DanJ]

There is a Hertz office in the Crowne Plaza just outside the port gates on State Rd 84. Enterprise is just west of there. Across the road is the Thrifty/Dollar location mentioned above.

[jannam]

Thanks for all the great information. I knew Cruise Critic members would come though!

[Esmerelda]

We are using Budget and dropping it on 17th street....very easy. Last year, we did Hertz and dropped at the Hilton Marina (where we were staying at). There are numerous options besides going back to the airport.

 

:p

[jannam]

I probably should have updated with what we decided on. We are doing Budget and returning it to the 17th street location. It was a little cheaper to return to the airport, but not significant. The 17th street says they also offer shuttles to the cruise ships.

 

We like renting with Budget since they include the spouse being able to drive in the price. We got a great rate through Costco. For the same price as the pay up front rate through Budget's site, we got the normal pay when you rent rate. I have always found Costco to have great rates on rental cars.

 

Thanks for all the information everyone!