Port Canaveral and Car rental

[excited1stcruise]

Hubby and I are thinking about renting a car for the night when we fly into Orlando the night before our cruise. The only question that I have is when he drops the car off how does he get to port? I saw somewhere on CC that a lot of people do this but didn't see the info about returning the car and getting to port. The cost to rent a car for the day and drop it off to different location is about 40 bucks.

 

Thanks for any and all help

[Clarea]

Hubby and I are thinking about renting a car for the night when we fly into Orlando the night before our cruise. The only question that I have is when he drops the car off how does he get to port? I saw somewhere on CC that a lot of people do this but didn't see the info about returning the car and getting to port. The cost to rent a car for the day and drop it off to different location is about 40 bucks.

 

Thanks for any and all help

Several car rental agencies in Cocoa Beach have free shuttles to the port. There are probably more, but I know of Avis, Budget, and Hertz that do this.

[BND]

Hubby and I are thinking about renting a car for the night when we fly into Orlando the night before our cruise. The only question that I have is when he drops the car off how does he get to port? I saw somewhere on CC that a lot of people do this but didn't see the info about returning the car and getting to port. The cost to rent a car for the day and drop it off to different location is about 40 bucks.

 

Thanks for any and all help

 

The car rental companies run shuttles to and from the port.

[excited1stcruise]

Thank you so much for your quick response. Hubby now feels safe making a reservation for a rental car.

 

Happy Cruising !!

[galfromkazoo]

We always do this when we sail out of Port Canaveral. It is an easy drive from Orlando and it is really nice to have a car to do things in Orlando when we arrive and Cocoa Beach where we stay overnight. All the car rental companies will take you by shuttle to the port. We also rent a car after the cruise since we usually have a late flight home. We can get off the ship and leave right away and go out to eat and shop or do other things since we usually have a late flight. One thing we do now is catch a cab rather than the shuttle at the end of the cruise to the car rental facility. They don't have a designated area for the car rental shuttles to pick-up and I hated the confusion and waiting and we were usually off well before the first shuttle would come. It was worth the what the short cab ride cost.

[Merion_Mom]

Several car rental agencies in Cocoa Beach have free shuttles to the port. There are probably more, but I know of Avis, Budget, and Hertz that do this.

 

And Dollar and Thrifty.

 

I use Thrifty. :)

[M&JfromSDL]

We rented from National for our 2012 FoS cruise. We picked up at MCO, stayed the night at a hotle and dropped at the Cocoa beach location. The location provided a shuttle to the port after drop off. It was a fairly efficient process. More so than our return to Port Canaveral. We rented a car, drove to Miami then flew home out of Fort Lauderdale. There was a bit of confusion/wait for the shuttle to the rental car office.

[Badgertr]

I used a travel website that compares prices and got 2 different companies one was cheaper each way. Was $20 cheaper each way than going through each companies website. Then I found an old thread that got resurrected here that people were posting recently on titled something like discount code for Budget. I got a dodge avenger for $47 each way.

 

 

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[DonnaK]

We've used Budget and Avis because they are located inside MCO airport. The drop off is just a mile or two south of the port, and they shuttle you for free to/from the ship. You can find discount codes by googling "discount codes for <name of agency>"

 

We never had a pay a fee for picking up at the airport and returning to a different location in Florida.

[LeeW]

Pretty easy to do, but recommend dropping folks off and then taking car back - sometimes space in the shuttle is tight when several people have a lot of luggage. Did this twice for Disney cruises, once with Hertz and once with Avis. Hertz is almost within walking distance of the ports (but don't recall a sidewalk, since it is just past the bridge at the first hotel on the right. Avis and Budget are a mile or so down the road.

 

All cars have transponders for the toll roads (although you may have to pull it out of the rear view mirror). Tolls get billed to your credit card (plus a handling fee) within a few weeks.

 

This works especially well if you have a large number of people - we rented vans both ways to haul six people. Luggage for a week at Disney World plus a cruise can be a challenge to fit in, though!

[HeidsCrew]

Hubby and I are thinking about renting a car for the night when we fly into Orlando the night before our cruise. The only question that I have is when he drops the car off how does he get to port? I saw somewhere on CC that a lot of people do this but didn't see the info about returning the car and getting to port. The cost to rent a car for the day and drop it off to different location is about 40 bucks.

 

Thanks for any and all help

 

We've done this a couple times and you have a few options.

You can return the car in the morning of your sailing and use the car rental shuttle to take you to the port. However, you could wait a while (with a bunch of others) before the shuttle takes you.

Last time we returned the car the night before, had the rental place shuttle us back to the hotel. You could then use a shuttle from the hotel (if they offer it) or what we did was pre-book a taxi for a specific time in the morning and had them take us to the port. It was around $15 for three of us. This option was quick and easy.

[ddaz]

And Dollar and Thrifty.

 

I use Thrifty. :)

 

Merion_Mom,

 

How do you go about renting from Thrifty in Orlando and returning it to a facility near Port Canaveral? I spent most of the morning attempting to make an on-line reservation without any success. I found the facility near the port, but could only rent from it, but not to it. Is there a special secret of making an on-line reservation that I have not yet mastered?

 

Any advice you could provide would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks

ddaz

GBY

[Clarea]

Merion_Mom,

 

How do you go about renting from Thrifty in Orlando and returning it to a facility near Port Canaveral? I spent most of the morning attempting to make an on-line reservation without any success. I found the facility near the port, but could only rent from it, but not to it. Is there a special secret of making an on-line reservation that I have not yet mastered?

 

Any advice you could provide would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks

ddaz

GBY

On Thrifty's website, you enter the pickup location (MCO), and check the box that says "Return to a different location".

[LynnAnne]

Following. We need this info also. Husband decided he wants to rent a car. We fly in two days before cruise. Staying at Cocoa beach

[cmh717]

Can anyone give me an idea about cab fare from the cruise terminal to the Hertz location?

I had a bad experience with the taxi service several years ago. They wanted $40 to take me to a Cocoa Beach hotel, I've been avoiding them since then.

[Clarea]

Can anyone give me an idea about cab fare from the cruise terminal to the Hertz location?

I had a bad experience with the taxi service several years ago. They wanted $40 to take me to a Cocoa Beach hotel, I've been avoiding them since then.

I know this is not what you are asking (don't know cab fare), but I wanted to make sure you knew that the rental car companies pick you up at the cruise terminal for free.

[cmh717]

Thanks Clarea, that would certainly be the best option. I've just read a few comments about the pick up at the terminal being somewhat disorganized and confusing. I guess I'll find out =).

[Clarea]

Thanks Clarea, that would certainly be the best option. I've just read a few comments about the pick up at the terminal being somewhat disorganized and confusing. I guess I'll find out =).

What I've learned about the rental car shuttles is to get out to the waiting area as early as you can, especially if there are multiple ships in port. As time goes on, more people come out of the terminal, and the rental shuttles fill up, and sometimes they pass up a terminal because they are full.

[cmh717]

Good to know. I'll be one of the first ones off of the Freedom so I will make sure I get out there as early as possible. Thanks for the info!

[nyer]

Are there taxis already waiting at the port? I am planning on renting a car to get to and from the port, but I don't want to have to wait too long for the rental car shuttle.

[Clarea]

Are there taxis already waiting at the port? I am planning on renting a car to get to and from the port, but I don't want to have to wait too long for the rental car shuttle.

Yes, there are taxis waiting at the terminal.

[ddaz]

On Thrifty's website, you enter the pickup location (MCO), and check the box that says "Return to a different location".

 

Clarea,

 

I understand the "check the box" portion of returning a car to a different location, but my original question really had to do with the return location site. I have identified it (via Thrifty's location button), but cannot use it as a return location for a vehicle rented out of Orlando. I am able to make a reservation for renting out of their Port Canaveral site, but not to that location.

 

I really don't mean for that to come off as snippy, but I just tried to make the same reservation and the goofy website says I can only return a car rented in Orlando to Port Columbus International Airport, Whitehall, OH or Portland International Airport, Portland, OR.

 

I may just have to break down and call Thrifty directly, but I really prefer using the website. Any additional advice would be appreciated.

 

Thanks

ddaz

GBY

[Clarea]

Clarea,

 

I understand the "check the box" portion of returning a car to a different location, but my original question really had to do with the return location site. I have identified it (via Thrifty's location button), but cannot use it as a return location for a vehicle rented out of Orlando. I am able to make a reservation for renting out of their Port Canaveral site, but not to that location.

 

I really don't mean for that to come off as snippy, but I just tried to make the same reservation and the goofy website says I can only return a car rented in Orlando to Port Columbus International Airport, Whitehall, OH or Portland International Airport, Portland, OR.

 

I may just have to break down and call Thrifty directly, but I really prefer using the website. Any additional advice would be appreciated.

 

Thanks

ddaz

GBY

I just tried it and was able to enter MCO for the pick-up location and Cape Canaveral (MU2) for the drop off. I just picked some dates at random, perhaps the dates you are using are restricted in some way.

[njmomof2]

Clarea,

 

I understand the "check the box" portion of returning a car to a different location, but my original question really had to do with the return location site. I have identified it (via Thrifty's location button), but cannot use it as a return location for a vehicle rented out of Orlando. I am able to make a reservation for renting out of their Port Canaveral site, but not to that location.

 

I really don't mean for that to come off as snippy, but I just tried to make the same reservation and the goofy website says I can only return a car rented in Orlando to Port Columbus International Airport, Whitehall, OH or Portland International Airport, Portland, OR.

 

I may just have to break down and call Thrifty directly, but I really prefer using the website. Any additional advice would be appreciated.

 

Thanks

ddaz

GBY

 

When searching for the drop off, either use the code Bob provided (MU2) or search Cocoa Beach, not Port Canaveral. The rental car location is in Cocoa Beach. That might be your issue.

[ddaz]

I just tried it and was able to enter MCO for the pick-up location and Cape Canaveral (MU2) for the drop off. I just picked some dates at random, perhaps the dates you are using are restricted in some way.

 

Clarea,

 

THANKS!

 

I typed in "MU2" instead of cutting and attempting to paste in "CAPE CANAVERAL, FL TLE" and it worked. I appreciate the very quick reply and the assistance. Have a GREAT day!

 

Thanks

ddaz

GBY