Budget/Radisson @ port

[Joyful!]

We are planning on renting budget the day before the cruise to go to KSC and drop the car off the morning of the cruise. We will be staying at Radisson. Can we walk back to Radisson from Budget (after the drop-off) to take the free shuttle to the port or does budget have free shuttle to the port also?

Which option is better? TIA!

 

[BuzzBoyMom]

I wouldn't recommend walking back. Your best options are either to take the budget shuttle OR have one person drop everyone off at the port and then have that person take the budget shuttle without all the luggage. The budget shuttle in my opinion is a little quicker than the Radisson shuttle.

 

[Joyful!]

Thanks for the fast reply.
If we decide to take the budget shuttle, do we just drop off the car there and tell them that we need a ride to the port or do we need to 'book' the shuttle in advance?
Thanks again!

 

[DrCavin]

If you do the Budget shuttle, the best thing to do is drop all luggage & everyone except driver at the terminal. Then have them return the rental car & hop on the budget shuttle back to the terminal. Just make sure they have their photo-id or they wont be able to get back into the terminal area.

You can check everyone in while the car is being returned & the returner can catch up with you when they arrive.

 

[BuzzBoyMom]

At budget, you do not need to book the shuttle. And when it is just one person vice lots of people and their luggage, they can usually fit one more on a shuttle quite easily.

 

[webray]

Definately..keep the car, take your entire party to the port and then you (with your photo id) can take the budget shuttle back to the port for free. Very easy, very convenient. Just don't take your whole party with you to budget..that gets to be quite a mess.

The rest of your party will have all cruise documents and will head through security and up to check in, you will meet them there. No problems, very easy.

 

[Joyful!]

Thanks guys for the replies. It looks like driving to the port is the way to go. The only other question I have is, since we are only planning on renting the car for 24 hrs (8:30am-9:30am the next morning), does this mean we'll have no other choice but to get to the port BEFORE 9:30am? Does that seem a little too early for you guys to be at the port?

 

[Buddy Bear]

I wouldn't recommend walking back. Your best options are either to take the budget shuttle OR have one person drop everyone off at the port and then have that person take the budget shuttle without all the luggage. The budget shuttle in my opinion is a little quicker than the Radisson shuttle.

I don't recommend the Budget shuttle; the Radisson holds more people and you can put your luggage on the shuttle too. The Radisson shuttle drops you off in front of the porters so it is very convenient.

The reasons I don't like taking the Budget shuttle is you have to wait in two lines: one to drop off the car and then the other to wait for a van to take you to the port. Also the Budget location is small and has trouble handling the amount of volume that a "cruise day" can bring.

We just sailed on the Magic on November 19th and I did the following which worked out very well. We rented a car from the airport and drove to the Radisson. The Budget rental center in Cocoa Beach is a couple of blocks from the Radisson on the same side of the street which is easy walking distance.

Budget opens at 8:00 AM on Saturday so I was there 10 minutes early only to find out that they were already taking customers which at that point there was only one. There has always been a long line so it paid this time to be early.

After visually inspecting the car which I always make them do for obvious reasons I walked back to the Radisson which took less than 10 minutes.

At this point I was happy to be back at the Radisson without having to worry about loading my family into the rental car, taking them over to port, driving back to Budget, waiting in two lines, and then trying to find them after all that rushing around.

Instead we had the bellhop at the Radisson take our bags to the front where the shuttle picks you up, they loaded them on the shuttle and we all took a 5 minute ride to port where the porters took our bags.

 

[slindamood]

The process Buddy Bear describes has worked well for us also. We don't like to be separated during embarkation - and dropping the car off early is one less hassle making the day a lot more fun.

Another observation - the Radisson van is larger than the Budget van and the Rad van also has a trailer for extra luggage, so you are less likely to have to wait.

 

[Joyful!]

Thanks Buddy_Bear and slindamood. You guys make me wanna stick to my original plan....hmm.

Is it safe to walk from budget to Radisson? ie pedastrian path? Same side of the street on Astronaut Blvd right?

 

[thegales]

Depending on what time you arrive at the Radisson the day before, could you return the car then? That is what we did.

We arrived at the Radisson the afternoon before our cruise. DW stayed with the DDs, I drove to ABC Fine Wine and Liquors (for supplies ), The Perfect Gift just to visit, then returned the car to Budget. Because it was the afternoon, they did not have the shuttle running. It was not a bad walk at all (even carrying the supplies). There is a sidewalk most of the way, except for one spot where it crosses a canal. That part was short, and there was plenty of grass to walk on away from the road.

 

[Joyful!]

Thanks thegales, for your input.
Unfortunately we probably won't get to Radisson until quite late in the evening, so returning the car on the same day is not an option.