Port car rental questions

[mividajp]

My husband has 4 days worth of free car rental. We're going on a 7 day cruise on the Fantasy in September.

 

Our current plan is to rent a car in Orlando and then return it at the port. After the cruise, rent a car at the port and return it at the Orlando airport. It will be possibly 5 adults, 3 yo, 4 yo, and approximately 5-7 bags plus purses and 2-3 carry on duffle bag type.

 

I'm wondering how this might work after we disembark from the ship. Should we send two of the adults off the ship early with 2-3 of the bags to pick up the rental car? Can they pick the rest of us up at the terminal? Can we leave our bags, pick up the car and then go back to get the bags? How hard would it be for all of us with all of our bags to go pick up the rental car and then leave from the rental car place?

 

How long does it take to get off the ship, take a shuttle to the rental car, and then get back to the cruise terminal? Is there a place for the rest of us to wait or will we be standing on the sidewalk? Thanks for any help or suggestions!

[moki'smommy]

7 people and a bunch of luggage sounds like either 2 cars or a full size van.

 

At the terminal, you can send the drivers to pick up the vehicle(s) and return to pick up the gang. In fact, that's a very good plan. The shuttle will often "fill" enough that it can't hold another family + luggage, but there is almost always room for one person with no luggage. When the shuttle gets to the car place, the solo person (your driver) should hop out and get in line to pick up the car while the families on board are still playing with their luggage, etc. Get the vehicles(s) and head back to pick up the family and luggage. No, you cannot leave the luggage there and come back. You have to leave people with the luggage.

 

Your alternative is to get everyone + all the luggage on the car shuttle. You might have to wait in line a while to get all those people in (you almost need a shuttle to yourselves.)

 

Budget (CC5) is about a mile from the port. Hertz is about a block closer, but always more expensive in my experience. The other places are farther away. Budget also operates 2 shuttles on cruise days,so doesn't take as long as some others. It will take about 10 minutes from the time the shuttle leaves to get to the Budget place. Now comes the kicker--it can take 10 minutes or an hour to pick up a vehicle depending on the line there. 10-15 minutes for the driver to get back to the port. There are a few benches, but not a lot.

 

Honestly, if you weren't getting the car free, I'd tell you to book a private transfer company to get back to the airport. A towncar service will cost you about $150. They will pick you up right outside the terminal at whatever time you specify with whatever car seats you have specified.

 

Will your "free" car rental include 2 car seats ($12 each)? It won't include gas and tolls--another $10-15 depending on gas prices. That puts you at $35-45 for your "free" car rental. How much is the effort worth?

 

On the way TO the terminal, a rental car is really easy. Pick up at MCO (join the loyalty program in advance to save a ton of time!) The driver drops the passengers and luggage at the cruise terminal where the porter takes the luggage. Family proceeds thru security and into the terminal. Driver leaves the terminal area and drives about a mile to the car drop off place. Return car, hop on shuttle (again 1 person, no luggage=always room on shuttle) and back to the port. It may take 30-40 minutes for the round trip, but family has no luggage, is in climate controlled terminal, and can get in line for cruise check in.

[mividajp]

Thanks Moki! I'm trying to work out the timing. We have early dining so we'll have early breakfast. If my husband leaves right after breakfast to pick up the car I thought the rest of us could find someplace on the ship to hang out for a bit and let the toddlers be antsy.

 

If my husband calls us as soon as he actually has the car will it be about the same amount of time for him to get back to the terminal as the rest of us to disembark and pick up the luggage?

 

If he's ahead of us and gets back to the terminal before we've disembarked completely, is there somewhere he can park for 10 min or so? Is the terminal kind of like an airport, can he just circle until we come out? We've never sailed out of Port Canaveral before. Our previous cruises, the terminal area was VERY congested.

 

Would it be better for him to stay at the car rental place and then we call him when we're through customs?

 

We'll probably rent a Suburban. We can squeeze everyone and everything in that. Even with all the "extras" it's still a lot cheaper than any other transportation. The kids both have to pay full price on all transportation options and if we go with Happy Limo or some other car service, they charge us for car seats as well.

 

We also want a car so that we have options. We haven't bought our flight tickets yet, but we will probably have a late flight or leave the next day. The car gives us more freedom to do what we want instead of just hanging out at the airport for hours. We also have better options if we want to rent a hotel room for the day and let the kids nap or swim. As you know, the cheaper Orlando hotels are not super close to the airport. We're still trying to decide if we want to stay an extra day or two.

[mividajp]

Moki, what car service charges $150 for 7 people with 2 car seats added on? The cheapest I've found is around $200 one way.

[moki'smommy]

Moki, what car service charges $150 for 7 people with 2 car seats added on? The cheapest I've found is around $200 one way.

 

I was not aware that there is now a surcharge for car seats (didn't used to be!) Happy Limo is showing Port Canaveral to MCO for $145 for a 10 passenger van. The home page said something about a $5 surcharge for PC (don't know why they just didn't change the price table). RJ Tours is showing a 5-9 passenger van one way MCO/PC for $100. We've always found them to be less, but Happy will often match prices. FL tours is showing $160 for 7 people in a 10 passenger van. As I said, in years past, they did not charge extra for car seats.

 

I totally understand wanting a car if you are taking a late flight! That's typically what we do also. I was just thinking about your little kids and the hassle of getting the car.

 

OK, each family has to do one Customs declaration...but there is nothing to prevent you from going thru separately and each group having one. Extra forms are available at a table by GS (no need to stand in line, just take what you need). Yes, the driver could get off, go get the car, and call you before he left the car place. But he may need to wait for you. There is a McDonald's right by the terminal. He could wait in their lot and you could call him as soon as you clear Customs. That worked great for us when a friend was picking us up at the terminal.

 

Actually, we've found lots of cheap hotel rooms near the airport. I can always get a "name" brand for under $100, but what I typically do is to get a priceline room at the 2.5* level. That ends up costing $50 or so, and at that level all have complimentary shuttle and breakfast. In fact, that's how we've found some of our favorites that I've booked with the "name" since. Another good way to go is hotel.com which lets you see the name but has a price match guarantee. I've hit them up for a price match twice--no problems. There's another site that I'm forgetting right now....that's the one they had to match for me. Unfortunately, Priceline rooms are for 2 people...so you'd need to check out one of the other booking places to assure enough beds for the kids. My favorite hotel in the area is the Hyatt Place NW (not Hyatt MCO). It's not the cheapest, but keep looking for specials.

 

One other thought--don't know who your free car rental is with, but Budget at Cape Canaveral used to allow you to store car seats there if you were renting from them before and after the cruise. You had your own car seat for on the plane and in the car. You could package it any way you wanted (a large garbage bag works well, tag it with your name, and pick it up with your car on the way back--no charge. OK, it's been a few years, so I'd call the location (not the national office) to be sure they will still do this.

Edited February 24, 2015 by moki'smommy

[mividajp]

Thank you! Thank you! As always, you are a wealth of information! This helps A LOT!

[Capt_BJ]

The home page said something about a $5 surcharge for PC (don't know why they just didn't change the price table).

 

This is a fee that the port charges any 'non preferred' commercial people hauler to enter the port to drop off folks. Non-preferred meaning anyone other than the contracted taxi company, which reportedly happens to have connections to a port commissioner ... but I digress

 

THIS company may be being upfront about the extra fee, while the other's will simply tack it on later .... they all pay it!

 

from the Port's newly updated web page:

 

Taxi Service – On Demand Transportation

 

The Port has one contracted taxi company to provide all on-demand service.

Taxi Company

888 Taxi – Telephone Number is 321-868-8888. There is a high demand for taxi cabs during peak debarkation hours. At times, taxis may not be readily available. Please be patient and prepared to wait as other taxi cabs return to the cruise terminals throughout the debarkation morning rush. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding.

 

Commercial Entry Lane

 

All commercial passenger vehicles must enter from the traffic signal at SR 401 and Charles M. Rowland Drive. Signage will be posted to help guide drivers to the correct destination.

 

Trip Fees: Commercial Vehicles will be assessed with every entry to cruise terminals at Port Canaveral. Rates are per vehicle and may be paid with Visa, MasterCard or Prepaid Trip Tickets.

 

Taxi - Metered Vehicles $ 2.50

Limousine - Up to 9 Passenger $ 3.00

Van - Up to 15 Passenger $ 5.00

Any Vehicle 16 to 28 Passenger $10.00

Any Vehicle 29 to 44 Passenger $12.00

Any Vehicle 45 or more Passenger $15.00

 

Welcome to Florida

as an old advertising campaign said: the rules are different here!

Edited February 28, 2015 by Capt_BJ