Anyone rent from budget and use there shuttle?

[momtoleasawav]

we rented a car from budget and are returning it the morning we leave. Our plan is to have my husband drop us off at port, return car and take shuttle back to port. How early can we be dropped off- i know we will be waiting outside. How long will it take for him to get the shuttle? We have an 11:00-11:30 arrival time and like everyone else we want to get on board as early as possible. Thanks for all your tips and input

 

[Billinaz]

We are dropping the rental off at Budget and then all 5 of us take the shuttle from there to the port. Usually can get to the Port at 10:30 or so.

Done it this way for the past several years.

 

[clten]

I believe they open the port for drop off anywhere between 10:30 and 11. I believe it depends on when they have cleared all the incoming passengers. Now, the shuttle for Budget can be very different. We have used them for years with no problems. However, the shuttle on our last trip (end of November) was very, very slow compared to previous trips (we had no luggage and just 2 of us and it took us over 1 1/2 to get on a shuttle and they had 3 running). The port has changed how the shuttles can go through the different piers and where they must wait, etc. so it has really slowed things down. Just wanted to give you a heads up because how long it will take him to get the shuttle and get back to the terminal will vary greatly based on the number of people waiting for the shuttle and the traffic at the port (not just the DCL terminal). My suggestion, have Plan B ready. If I had the phone # to a taxi company handy, I certainly would have paid to get to the terminal.

 

[racingfandj]

We used budget a couple weeks ago and I had know issues dropping the family off about 10:45 for an 11:00 PAT. The security gates weren't open yet, so they had to go to the parking garage and stand in line. I went to the rental car office and rode the shuttle back. I waited about 10-15 minutes for the next shuttle to take off. I arrived at the port just as they were opening the gates at the ground level and actually beat my family through security and was standing inside the terminal when they got through security from the parking garage.

I would encourage a drop-off versus everyone going to the rental car together. If you take luggage to the rental car, you have to worry about having enough room in the van to get all of your luggage in, which could cause you to have to wait for multiple shuttles. On our first cruise, I went both directions (pre and post cruise) being the last person to squeeze in because I didn't have any luggage).

 

[Jammy93]

We used Budget for our last cruise. We did a one way rental to Port Canaveral and dropped off the car in the morning. We waited about 15 minutes to return the car then waited at least an hour for the shuttle which I thought was much too long. Next time we'll be trying a limo service or dcl bus from MCO.

 

[momtoleasawav]

an hour seems like a long wait for the shuttle. I might have to rethink my plans

 

[Billinaz]

We have used Budget for our 8 cruise arrivals...... Never waited more than 20 minutes for a shuttle to take all 5 of us (and luggage) to the port. We do arrive early, so maybe it gets more slow as the day goes on....

 

[MarineFam]

we rented a car from budget and are returning it the morning we leave. Our plan is to have my husband drop us off at port, return car and take shuttle back to port. How early can we be dropped off- i know we will be waiting outside. How long will it take for him to get the shuttle? We have an 11:00-11:30 arrival time and like everyone else we want to get on board as early as possible. Thanks for all your tips and input

We did this same thing this past April. We had 8 of us in our party and got a 15 Passenger Van and dropped everyone off at the port and then a couple of us took the van back and they shuttled us back. Only was around a 15 minute turn around. Very painless.

 

[woody73]

. . . We waited about 15 minutes to return the car then waited at least an hour for the shuttle which I thought was much too long.

I had a similar experience. Apparently it depends on how many ships are in port that day.

Woody

 

[clten]

I had a similar experience. Apparently it depends on how many ships are in port that day.

Woody

It does depend on the # of ships and how many people are doing the exact same thing. But I think it also has to do with how long ago people are quoting their experiences from (looks like a couple here were from April 2012). I know when we were in PC in September (as a port day, not a busy embarkation/debarkation day) we had a longer than normal wait for the shuttle to come get us. When it finally arrived, the driver apologized and said that it takes much longer for the shuttle buses to get to each terminal because of changes that the port authority put in place and that they only expect it to be worse. And when we went in late November, they were absolutely right. So if I hadn't been there twice this fall, and quoted on my previous past experiences, I also would say "it was fine, in fact most of the time the shuttle was sitting out front, waiting on us to return the car".

But our last two experiences have been very different and I'm afraid until the port authority makes further changes, it might be hit and miss how long you have to wait for a shuttle! I wish everyone luck and hope it is painless and takes only 20 minutes. But like I said earlier, I'd just have the phone # for a taxi company handy just in case you need a plan B because the normally very helpful Budget people were not very helpful with that!

 

[owensamo]

We've never had a problem - but what we've done in the past is get to the Budget office early (8:30ish) and wait through the line of people getting off the ship and picking up cars to drop ours off! I will say the rental people are always appreciative to have our car show up on the lot - they're usually running out by then!

When we've done this, we've been able to hop on a shuttle (the whole party of 5 with all bags) returning to the port for pick-up. We'd usually get there before 10 and end up stitting outside waiting for the porters to start taking luggage. Maybe this will still work, if you get to Budget early enough and allow plenty of time?

That was all before PATs. We're actually driving for our next cruise so will be parking at Cruise Parking of Port Cananveral (what a deal!) instead of renting from Budget like normal.

 

[MarineFam]

Wow waiting an hour for them to shuttle me back, not good. I would be so angry they would probably put me in a taxi before then That is unacceptable. We must have been there on a great day to have such a great turn around. It made it easy because the rest of our party was getting bags dropped and looking around while we took the vehicle back.

 

[kshark1958]

I had a similar experience. Apparently it depends on how many ships are in port that day.

Woody

Just checked the PC ship schedule for my sailing date 2/16/2013. Three ships in port that day. Looks like a possible long wait after dropping off car at Budget. Oh well first time cruiser still learning. Will stay at MOC Hyatt next time and take DCL transfer.

 

[mike0035]

I also am doing this on 2/16. How far from the port is the Budget car return? Also does anyone have the name and # of a taxi that could be used if wait is too long?

 

[kshark1958]

I also am doing this on 2/16. How far from the port is the Budget car return? Also does anyone have the name and # of a taxi that could be used if wait is too long?

I just checked google maps. It's 2.7 miles. Which I would guess is about 5 or 10 minutes.

 

[momtoleasawav]

now I am really worried, 2/16 is the date I am doing this also! I had visions of my husband dropping us off at the prot at 9 am, but if he can't do that I think I will just get to budget at 8:30 and wait.

 

[ptcrn]

We did this about 2 weeks ago on the Fantasy. i dropped my DH and the kids off at the terminal, drove to Budget to drop off the car and waited less than 10 minutes for the return shuttle. I'm sure I was back to the terminal in less than 45 min all together. Worked perfect!

And they allowed my DH to check all of us in, he took all the documents except for my photo ID. All I had to do once I got into the terminal was show my ID and have my picture taken for the KTTW.

It was not as seamless on the other end however... we waited more than an hour just to get on the shuttle to Budget and waited another hour at the office to get a car. This was partially due to circumstances out of anyone's control however. The ship was about 2.5 hrs late getting in to port due to a death on Castaway Cay the night prior. Because of this the Fantasy was no longer the first ship in, luggage and debarkation were delayed, etc. In hindsight, one of us should have just hopped in a taxi as soon as we exited the terminal and that would have made things a lot faster.

 

[kshark1958]

We did this about 2 weeks ago on the Fantasy. i dropped my DH and the kids off at the terminal, drove to Budget to drop off the car and waited less than 10 minutes for the return shuttle. I'm sure I was back to the terminal in less than 45 min all together. Worked perfect!

And they allowed my DH to check all of us in, he took all the documents except for my photo ID. All I had to do once I got into the terminal was show my ID and have my picture taken for the KTTW.

It was not as seamless on the other end however... we waited more than an hour just to get on the shuttle to Budget and waited another hour at the office to get a car. This was partially due to circumstances out of anyone's control however. The ship was about 2.5 hrs late getting in to port due to a death on Castaway Cay the night prior. Because of this the Fantasy was no longer the first ship in, luggage and debarkation were delayed, etc. In hindsight, one of us should have just hopped in a taxi as soon as we exited the terminal and that would have made things a lot faster.

About what time did you drop off DH and the kids at PC and head to Budget with the car.

 

[ptcrn]

About what time did you drop off DH and the kids at PC and head to Budget with the car.

I think it was between 12:45 and 1 pm. We got a late start due to an unexpected ear infection & had to wait at the pharmacy. So there may have been more of a wait at the 11 am port arrival time.

 

[LeslieG]

Does anyone know what the cost is for a taxi from Budget to the port and vice versa? We had a very bad experience last time with the Budget shuttle both ways, and I will call a taxi this time if necessary. Just trying to get an idea of cost.

The one taxi service I have a number for is the one that says pay what you want, but I'd like to get an idea what is a fair amount.