Car rental after cruise-Port Canaveral

[Nicole Valentine]

We are looking to rent a car after our cruise to spend a few days in Orlando. What is our best bet for a rental agency? From what I researched there are a few walkable locations? Are we better off doing that vs. one we have to take a shuttle? I also see there are some a couple miles away...will those be less busy? Thanks!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

We are looking to rent a car after our cruise to spend a few days in Orlando. What is our best bet for a rental agency? From what I researched there are a few walkable locations? Are we better off doing that vs. one we have to take a shuttle? I also see there are some a couple miles away...will those be less busy? Thanks!

There aren't any walkable car rental locations near where DCL ports. They all require a shuttle.

 

[OKW Lover]

Agree with @PrincessShmoo above. Also, don't place a lot of emphasis on how close the car rental place is. The difference in the shuttle drive time is probably less than 10 minutes, so be sure to price shop.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Walking to any of them will result in painful death. They are all shuttle.

 

[Pinkgurlshubby]

Agreed with the other posters. I would not attempt to walk to any of them. You would need to google map the satellite image and see the road. But also know that the shuttles are right there when you get off the ship. We have never waited that long to get one. Our favorite rental was Budget but Alamo is also very close. I believe after a cruise they are all very busy but even at that I don't think we've spent a lot of time waiting for our rental, they are pretty efficient

 

[Intr3pid]

When you exit the luggage area, ask the rest of your party to wait with luggage. Hop aboard the shuttle to your rental car company, pick up the car, drive back to the port, pick up the luggage and the party, and coast away. Reverse the process if dropping a rental car off at the port prior to the cruise.

 

[Capt_BJ]

if you look at the provided picture/map ... on the left you see a draw bridge which is the division between the NORTH terminals and the SOUTH terminals

DCL is on the NORTH side. all the car rentals are on the south side

foot traffic is prohibited on the bridge. there are no sidewalks and no walkway on the bridge. security will stop anyone walking that way.

 

[bobbiwoz]

We have almost always used Avis and we are pleased with the service.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

We used Alamo, since we wanted to use the Car Care Center on the WDW side. It was efficient.

 

[su_A_ve]

Looking at the same now (actually for two rentals). Closest agency is Enterprise and Alamo (look like the same location), then Hertz, Budget and finally Avis. Rates by Alamo & Enterprise are in the mid 80s (Car care center is over $110), while Budget and Avis in the mid 40s. So inclined towards either of these last two.

I've heard horror stories about their shuttles - Can you use Uber instead between the rental office and the terminal - this would be for either pickup or drop off? Not sure if they allow Uber to enter the terminal.

 

[OKW Lover]

Can you use Uber instead between the rental office and the terminal - this would be for either pickup or drop off? Not sure if they allow Uber to enter the terminal.

Yes, you could Uber. There is no reason for the terminal to try to exclude uber/lyft/taxi

 

[Pinkgurlshubby]

If you zoom in on the cruise terminal there is an area for uber driver waiting area

 

[Mich123]

We rented from Hertz on Sunday and after witnessing the chaos of debarking from the Fantasy the week before, opted for express walkout. We got in line at 7:15 a.m., walked off at 7:30 a.m., were the first on the Hertz shuttle (all four of us), waited for a family of three, and headed to Hertz and rented a car. It wasn't as fast as picking up a car at other locations (i.e. LAX) because it's a small lot and everyone has to be checked out individually (as opposed to picking up the car and checking out at a booth at the edge of the parking lot), but it was fast because there were 3 people handling rentals. Even with a little bit of a wait, we got out after about 15 minutes, then dropped our friends off at the Hilton at MCO at about 9:05, and pulled into the MK parking lot at about 9:30 a.m. We had rented a car so we could go to the park before our 4 p.m. flight (we essentially needed a place to store our luggage) and this plan worked well for us. We returned the car to MCO and our only snafu was getting caught in an exact change only toll without exact change when we gassed up the car on the way to MCO. I'm sure we will have a Hertz fine for that.

 

[su_A_ve]

Yes, you could Uber. There is no reason for the terminal to try to exclude uber/lyft/taxi

I remember at one time the port trying to impose a fee for uber/lyft..

 

[Capt_BJ]

A factor in the experience with a shuttle and the rental office is the 'port load' for the day in question .... the number of cruise folks the port is dealing with.

Some days your ship is alone in the port and one ship is easily handled (usually)

On the other hand there can be days with FIVE ships turning around and one visiting. And remember that a 3000 pax ship turning around means 3000 ending their vacation and in a hurry to get home PLUS 3000 folks anxious to get on board. On these days the shuttles and the offices can be a ZOO.

You can check here to see what your day is scheduled to be: https://www.portcanaveral.com/PortCanaveral/media/Cruise-Assets/2016 Images/Port-Canaveral-Cruise-Schedule-8-1-19-to-9-30-20.pdf

example: let's look at the next few days: Today wasn't bad; tomorrow is a piece of cake; and Monday is



the basic passenger potential is 18,710 ... before considering the 'double dip' for a ship turning around (vs a port call) adding another 12,030 potential players to the mix.

NOTE TO SELF: stay away from the port area on Monday!

(p.s. the third column is the berth/terminal assignment .. note the last line ... visiting ships are sometimes using CARGO piers for their port calls! T-3 is being rebuilt for Carnival's new LNG fueled cruise ship)