Rental car in Miami - how would you do this?

[squierjosh]

Hey all. Looking for advice from some experienced cruising pros. We are going to FL for a couple days (Tampa area) before heading to Miami to jump on the Victory. We're renting a car in Tampa and the plan is drive it to Miami and return it there. Cruise/party/soak up the sun. Then, do the opposite on the way back. There will be six of us, and probably around 8 suitcases/bags to tote along. 

 

Originally, I was thinking I would drop off the van at the airport, and we'd all board a shuttle and go to the port. That seems like asking a lot of two young kids and two grandparents. So then I thought maybe I could drop everyone off at the port and go return the car. Is there a decently priced car rental agency near the cruise port that I can bring the car back to? Or am I going to have to drive all the way to the airport and jump on a shuttle from there? 

 

Budget seems to have a downtown location that Kayak claims I can drop the car off at. Can I pickup there too? Do they have a shuttle, or am I gonna have to Uber it?

 

Thanks!

[hockeyguru32]

I flew into Fort Lauderdale rented a car from Avis dropped off the car at the avis rental facility by the cruise port and the Avis shuttle took me to the port

[JaxsMama]

Don't know if you are staying in Miami the night before but it may be cheaper and easier to book a stay and park deal.  Leave car parked at the hotel, use their free shuttle to the port and then shuttle back to hotel after the cruise.  It has been my experience dropping off a rental car at a different location can be very costly.

[K&RCurt]

26 minutes ago, hockeyguru32 said:

I flew into Fort Lauderdale rented a car from Avis dropped off the car at the avis rental facility by the cruise port and the Avis shuttle took me to the port

 

We did the same before and after our last cruise.  Flew into FLL, picked up an Avis car there, stayed at a hotel in Bal Harbor Islands, dropped off the car at Avis and took their shuttle to port.  After the cruise, picked up the Avis shuttle, rented a car and as we had an evening flight home, we drove down to Key Largo for lunch, back to FLL, returned the car there and easily made our flight home.  I think the Avis location is the easiest to deal with for a cruise out of Miami.

Edited October 23, 2018 by K&RCurt

[EllaDuChien]

I've done the "drop everyone and the bags at the port, then return the car." It works out great for me.  I've taken the shuttle or sometimes called an uber.  Both have worked great.

[jkneern]

Yes thrifty/ dollar, Avis, budget all have drop off locations.  There is a one way drop off charge and a port charge.  We do this often.  The shuttle bus will drop you off at your ship.

[JohninDC]

Avis, Hertz and others have downtown locations close to POM - if dropping off downtown I would drop passengers and bags at the port first.

 

National, Alamo, Thrifty and Enterprise offer free shuttles between their MIA airport location and POM (show the driver your reservation papers); if dropping the car at MIA I would have all of you ride the shuttle.

 

You do not need/want a car if staying in downtown Miami or Miami Beach - traffic and parking are a mess.  Use public transport and Uber/Lyft.

[Host CJSKIDS]

Avis and Budget are right next door to each other in downtown Miami, Alamo is located at the Intercontinental Hotel and Enterprise at the Hyatt hotel.  All are close and you can return to all of them.  I would drop everyone off at the port and then drive to return to any of these and uber back to the port if it was me.  

 

There is no port charge if returning to those offices as they are normal rental locations.  My parents and others have done it more than once when coming to visit me.

 

And yes, you can also pick up at any of these locations.  

[#1packerfan]

Are these locations easy/quick to drop off cars and get back to the port?  We are thinking about renting a car from Budget or Avis.  My hubby would drop us off at the port with all the luggage and then take the car back to the downtown location and catch the shuttle. But I don't want him to have to wait an hour to drop off the car and get the shuttle back to the port.  

 

Also, does the shuttle run pretty much anytime in the morning like after 10:30 or so to the port?  Thanks!  

 

Trying to decide between the downtown and airport locations for dropoffs.  

[JohninDC]

Much quicker turn around at the downtown locations.  If he does not want to wait for the next shuttle an Uber to POM will be under $10