best rental car company at Port Canaveral?

[emmabelle]

we haven't cruised in three years because of Covid, but we have a cruise in September on the Wish. I'm looking for the best way to get two of us to the Swan. We've done one way rentals from Avis and Budget in the past, haven't tried Alamo.

Plan to self disembark, are all the PC car rental companies a zoo?

I wouldn't even mind taking an Uber to the Swan but not sure any driver would want to do that.

 

[holula]

Budget at PC was worse than a zoo when I did it a month ago. I think next time I’m just going to pick up a car at MCO and pay for parking to avoid the zoo.

 

[emmabelle]

I wish rental car prices weren’t so insane. We have done that in the past

 

[ladyofthetramp]

Budget can be pretty crazy. Very good luck with Enterprise

 

[kucanhead]

We just got off the Fantasy this past Saturday. It was my family and my buddy from college and his family. I paid for an extra week for my rental and parked in the garage. He dropped off his rental before the cruise and picked up a new one day rental from Budget after the cruise. By the time he and his family had finally left the port, we were already at Morimoto's in Disney Springs eating lunch. It was a complete nightmare for them. It probably didn't help that two other larger cruise ships also disembarked that day.

 

[emmabelle]

Oh my @kucanhead!

 

[MickeySwirl]

We disembarked the Wish today and picked up a car from Budget. It was quick and easy. Only one customer was there when we arrived and there were only two of us on the shuttle. It was the quickest we have ever done any rental at PC.

So I think it is hit or miss depending on the cruise traffic that particular day.

 

[emmabelle]

I just checked and there will be 3 ships that morning. The Wish, a CC and an RCI. That could be a problem

 

[jcarwash]

I have been using National for the past three cruises (2018, 2019, and 2022) and it's been terrific. The Enterprise/National/Alamo Port Canaveral facility is the closest to the ports. (Enterprise/National/Alamo are the same company.)

This past experience in February 2022 was great -- the van drivers were friendly and knew exactly when to take us over to the port. There was zero wait when getting picked up at disembarkation.

 

[Akck]

Because of the horror stories posted on these boards, my wife refused to book a rental at Port Canaveral. Instead, we’re taking DCL transportation to the airport to rent a car. I just checked on our sailing and there will be 4 ships disembarking the same day.

 

[emmabelle]

I just booked Avis to go from Royal Pacific (Universal) to the cruise port, park it for the 4 nights and return to MCO a day after the cruise.

$407, plus the parking garage, ughhh, I hate to pay that, but it would've been at least $250 for two - one way rentals. It will definitely be way less stressful, I guess that's worth something?

 

[Rob1872]

I just booked Avis to go from Royal Pacific (Universal) to the cruise port, park it for the 4 nights and return to MCO a day after the cruise.

$407, plus the parking garage, ughhh, I hate to pay that, but it would've been at least $250 for two - one way rentals. It will definitely be way less stressful, I guess that's worth something?

By the way (as a husband of another crazy cat lady), you are morally obligated to be wearing an Aristocats (or other Disney cat) shirt for your account photo instead of Star Wars............

Hope you enjoy your cruise!

 

[emmabelle]

By the way (as a husband of another crazy cat lady), you are morally obligated to be wearing an Aristocats (or other Disney cat) shirt for your account photo instead of Star Wars............

Hope you enjoy your cruise!

I definitely have one too! haha

 

[Intr3pid]

Enterprise. Way more efficiently run near the port than most others.

 

[Cruzin’Sisters]

I just checked and there will be 3 ships that morning. The Wish, a CC and an RCI. That could be a problem

How does one check to find out that info for my cruise date arrival?

TIA

 

[Cruzin’Sisters]

I have been using National for the past three cruises (2018, 2019, and 2022) and it's been terrific. The Enterprise/National/Alamo Port Canaveral facility is the closest to the ports. (Enterprise/National/Alamo are the same company.)

This past experience in February 2022 was great -- the van drivers were friendly and knew exactly when to take us over to the port. There was zero wait when getting picked up at disembarkation.

Where would I pick up a shuttle to the rental car lot from port canaveral? Is there an optimum time to get there?

Reading horror stories as well.
Thanks!

 

[Carohs]

We had a good experience with National. On embarkation day there was quite a few people waiting, but they sorted us by ship and port arrival time. Felt fair and efficient.

 

[MickeySwirl]

Where would I pick up a shuttle to the rental car lot from port canaveral? Is there an optimum time to get there?

Reading horror stories as well.
Thanks!

The rental car shuttle pick up is next to the DCL buses at PC. When you get out of the terminal you turn left. There are people there to point you to the correct waiting spot.

 

[emmabelle]

How does one check to find out that info for my cruise date arrival?

TIA

if you go on the Port Canaveral website

https://www.portcanaveral.com/Cruise/Cruise-Lines-Schedules

you should be able to pull up the PDF file and see what ships are there that day.

 

[emmabelle]

I ended up booking Alamo at MCO for the day before the cruise until the day after. We'll have to Uber over to MCO to get the car but it was $349 as opposed to $407 for Avis at Royal Pacific. I just like Alamo and have never had an issue with them.

It will be worth the extra money not to have to deal with shuttles and whatnot if we did a one way rental in each direction. We're only doing one day in Epcot too so the earlier we get there the better.