Car Rental - Miami

[scsagh]

Has anyone used Dollar Car Rental in Miami after their cruise? Did they have a shuttle bus at the Port of Miami to take you to their airport location to pick up the vehicle? If so, how long would you estimate it took from the time you got on the shuttle until you actually had your car? Hate to waste lots of time if they have lines. Would you recommend using them again?

 

We can get a minivan through Dollar for $38.55 including taxes and fees for our return on April 2. Just trying to decide if the rental will be good for us (2 adults and 2 kids) or if we would be better off taking a Carnival tour (thinking Everglades) and sitting around at the airport. Our flight doesn't leave until 7:45 p.m.

 

Thanks!

[signman]

I don't understand your thinking. You are fretting about a possible long line at the Dollar rental counter and wasting time, but your alternative is a tour that absolutely will have you wasting lots of time at the airport.

 

Best suggestion would be to take a cab to the car rental facility, then you would not be arriving on a shuttle bus with lots of others who may then get ahead of you in line. As far as actually finding out if Dollar runs a shuttle ---Call them.

 

I'll also relate my story to you from my rental from Alamo on Feb. 11th. I had a wait of about 3 minutes for the shuttle to arrive after debarking and collecting my luggage. I was one of the first people on the bus. But then lots more people arrived and the bus ended up being fully loaded. During the ride to the airport many people were complaining that they waited up to 50 minutes for that same shuttle to arrive. I had a great experience. Others didn't. Once at the Alamo facility I got preferrential treatment because I am a frequent renter member. Others waited in line.

 

I think you can join the Dollar frequent rental program right on line, so that is another suggestion. One last one would be for one of your party to sit near the doors to the shuttle bus and run right into the rental facility, leaving one of you to deal with getting all the luggage off the bus.

[scsagh]

I don't understand your thinking. You are fretting about a possible long line at the Dollar rental counter and wasting time, but your alternative is a tour that absolutely will have you wasting lots of time at the airport.

 

I agree with you signman. It's my husband who thinks that it is more relaxing to hang at the airport than to drive a rental car in places he doesn't know. I offered to drive, but that idea was vetoed.

 

 

 

One last one would be for one of your party to sit near the doors to the shuttle bus and run right into the rental facility, leaving one of you to deal with getting all the luggage off the bus.

 

I like this idea too!

 

Thanks,

Sandy

[signman]

You got a great deal on the car rental, and the Miami airport isn't that far or difficult to get to, so visit your local AAA office if you are a member, for a good map (The one Alamo now dispenses is almost useless) and just drive around Miami Beach if you like. From South Beach northward, just follow A1A. Stop on Watson Island where Parrot Jungle is and look right across at the cruise ships. It's quite a sight. Then drive along Ocean Drive in South Beach for a look at the restored Art Deco hotels. You'll know you're not in Minnesota. Have fun.

[lvssushi]

Just to add. We are using Avis for a car rental after our cruise on Apr 1. The have a location in Miami downtown near the port, you might want to check that out. We'll just take a short cab ride there and be off to do some sightseeing before we head to the airport. We are flying out of FLL at 7:40 p.m. There is no way I would want to end my cruise sitting in an airport all day.

[scubapuss]

I never wait for the shuttle. I always take a taxi,

[motherofthebride]

Scsagh, where did you book through to get those rates for the minivan?

[scsagh]

Scsagh, where did you book through to get those rates for the minivan?

 

I had used sidestep.com, but looking this morning for the same dates, the best I could get was a total of $43.80 (the same as on dollar.com). It was on Friday, Feb. 24 that I booked it. Don't know if searching on different days of the week makes a difference, or if I just hit a sale.

[motherofthebride]

Thanks.

[Ernie G]

We rented a van for 3/9 - 3/11 for $26.99 per day with a pickup in MIA and a drop-off in FLL. Prices are low right now.

[Ernie G]

Forgot to say that our rental is through http://www.travelocity.com. They don't charge your credit card until you actually pick up the vehicle