Rental car return in Miami

[mtra]

We are flying in the day before to FLL and crushing out of Port of Miami the next day. Planning on renting a car at FLL. I am confused as to where to book my car rental return. Would I return to the Miami airport and do they provide a shuttle to the Miami Port? Or are there car rentals agency's by the port? Thanks in advanced for your input!!!

[JohninDC]

National, Alamo and Thrifty offer free POM shuttles from their MIA airport locations. Hertz, Avis and others are located in downtown Miami very close to POM (info on shuttles is confusing)- about a $12-13 cab ride from the port.

 

Especially on a weekday I would skip the downtown traffic and drop the car at MIA. Your call.

[Corby114]

Hertz, Avis, and Budget have locations in downtown Miami that are very close to the Port of Miami. I'm fairly sure that they don't provide free shuttle service from their locations and that a taxi will cost approximately ten to twelve dollars plus tip. I have read numerous posts that state the Hertz location in downtown Miami is one of the worst locations to pick up or drop off a vehicle in the State of Florida. In reference to the Rental Car Center which is located directly across from Miami International Airport, Alamo, National, Dollar, and Thifty provide free shuttle service from that facility to the Port of Miami. Whenever I stay in Florida and rent a vehicle pre cruise or post cruise I usually rent from either Dollar or Thifty. I'm always satisfied with the service that they provide.

[htkodiak]

You could consider going to Miami by shuttle and staying near the port.The cost of a one way rental for one day will be expensive.You can do last minute shopping near the port and if you stay in the downtown area a cab ride to the port will be between 12 to twenty dollars.

[AlaskaAtLast]

You could consider going to Miami by shuttle and staying near the port.The cost of a one way rental for one day will be expensive.You can do last minute shopping near the port and if you stay in the downtown area a cab ride to the port will be between 12 to twenty dollars.

 

That is incorrect. Generally, Ft. Lauderdale is an inexpensive place to rent a car and all the major car rental companies do not charge a drop off or one way fee within the state of Florida. Rent your car and drop it off at MIA and take the rental car company's free shuttle to the port. You'll be glad you did.

Just don't plan on driving down to MIA before 9:30 to 10am and you'll avoid rush hour (if it's a weekday, weekends it won't matter)

[kiyoko]

The two of us will be disembarking the Oasis (Port Everglades) and boarding the Getaway (Port of Miami) the same day. Not a fan of taxis since I've been ripped off too many times in the past. After researching my different options, I found that all the shuttle services I contacted don't pick up Port to Port. I'm guessing that it must be some sort of governmental regulation. Since I was able to find a reasonable rate, I decided that I will rent an Alamo car from FLL airport (using Alamo's shuttle to get from Port Everglades to FLL) then drive to MIA airport (then use Alamo's shuttle there to get to Port of Miami). Alamo indicated that it only has a shuttle that runs once an hour from MIA to POM. Does anyone know once I get on the Alamo MIA shuttle, how long will it take to get to the POM and whether you had issues with the Alamo shuttle in MIA? I remember a few years back, I had to wait over an hour to get picked up by Alamo at POM while watching other car agencies come and go much more frequently and hoped others could report more recent experiences. Thanks.

[walty]

We are flying in the day before to FLL and crushing out of Port of Miami the next day. Planning on renting a car at FLL. I am confused as to where to book my car rental return. Would I return to the Miami airport and do they provide a shuttle to the Miami Port? Or are there car rentals agency's by the port? Thanks in advanced for your input!!!

 

It depends on which company you rent from.

[walty]

You could consider going to Miami by shuttle and staying near the port.The cost of a one way rental for one day will be expensive.You can do last minute shopping near the port and if you stay in the downtown area a cab ride to the port will be between 12 to twenty dollars.

 

Today, I'm picking up a mid size car from Alamo at FLL and will drop it at MIA tomorrow, then ride their shuttle to the POM. Total cost including rental, taxes and fees is $23.77. That's less than the cost of a taxi and shuttle for one person.

Edited February 23, 2014 by walty

[kiyoko]

Today, I'm picking up a mid size car from Alamo at FLL and will drop it at MIA tomorrow, then ride their shuttle to the POM. Total cost including rental, taxes and fees is $23.77. That's less than the cost of a taxi and shuttle for one person.

 

Wow! You found an incredible deal. The cheapest I can ever find is around $40. Did you use a special code? I find the cheapest rates through Costco, but never at the rate you've found.

[ashleycrew]

I pricelined a car as I am arriving in FLL and leaving from POM. I got National. Does not look like they have a shuttle to POM so what is the bet way to get there?

[walty]

Wow! You found an incredible deal. The cheapest I can ever find is around $40. Did you use a special code? I find the cheapest rates through Costco, but never at the rate you've found.

 

Nope...Booked it on the Alamo web site less than two weeks ago. Weekend rate.

[walty]

I pricelined a car as I am arriving in FLL and leaving from POM. I got National. Does not look like they have a shuttle to POM so what is the bet way to get there?

 

National participates in the shuttle from MIA to POM.

[Corby114]

National shares it's free shuttle service from the Rental Car Center with Alamo to the Port Of Miami. Dollar and Thifty share their shuttle service. I've also never heard that only one shuttle per hour leaves from the Rental Car Center. When the shuttle has a full group of cruise passengers they leave the facility and are replaced by another shuttle. Whoever told you that information was incorrect. If you call the rental company three times asking the same question most likely you will receive three different answers to your question. It happens all the time.

[walty]

National shares it's free shuttle service from the Rental Car Center with Alamo to the Port Of Miami. Dollar and Thifty share their shuttle service. I've also never heard that only one shuttle per hour leaves from the Rental Car Center. When the shuttle has a full group of cruise passengers they leave the facility and are replaced by another shuttle. Whoever told you that information was incorrect. If you call the rental company three times asking the same question most likely you will receive three different answers to your question. It happens all the time.

 

Dollar, Alamo, National, Budget and Thrifty all share the same full sized buses at MIA.

[Corby114]

Walty, are you sure about Budget. Last time I checked with them approximately six months ago they advised me that they didn't provide free shuttle service from the Rental Car Center to the Port Of Miami. Personally, I usually book with either Dollar or Thifty.

[walty]

Walty, are you sure about Budget. Last time I checked with them approximately six months ago they advised me that they didn't provide free shuttle service from the Rental Car Center to the Port Of Miami. Personally, I usually book with either Dollar or Thifty.

 

See post #2 and #6...

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1898345

Edited February 23, 2014 by walty

[kiyoko]

National shares it's free shuttle service from the Rental Car Center with Alamo to the Port Of Miami. Dollar and Thifty share their shuttle service. I've also never heard that only one shuttle per hour leaves from the Rental Car Center. When the shuttle has a full group of cruise passengers they leave the facility and are replaced by another shuttle. Whoever told you that information was incorrect. If you call the rental company three times asking the same question most likely you will receive three different answers to your question. It happens all the time.

 

Funny you should mention the discrepancies when calling. I called the Alamo MIA airport location last week and talked with someone directly there who told me re: once per hour pickup and drop off and that they only have one bus. Anyhow, hopefully it's changed for the better since the last time I rented from that location, I remember standing out in the hot sun after getting off the ship and waiting for over an hour for that Alamo shuttle to pick us up outside the port terminal while seeing all the other agencies' shuttles come and go. After getting fed up and deciding to just hop in a taxi, it finally arrived. I also remember not being able to get anyone to answer the phone at that Alamo location to find out the status while we were waiting there. I think I promised myself then never to rent from that location ever again...however, the rates are currently less than half of any other company, no one else has mentioned the issues we've had, so I guess we'll give it another try.

[Davey Wavey]

Our 3 trips out of Miami we used Dollar. We usually are very late off the ship and have had a wait for a shuttle of 15 minutes up to 1.5 hours. If you go earlier, they have a constant run of shuttles lined up.