Checking-in then returning rental car

[leane]

I have heard others say they check-in at terminal and then return the rental car. Can the whole party leave the terminal or does at least one member of the traveling party have to stay at the terminal?

 

[LindaBabe]

My plan is to drop my girlfriends and the luggage, along with the cruise paper and my passport and let them check in and chill out. I will return the car and take the shuttle to the port. Why fill the shuttle with extra people other than the driver, when the rest of the party can be in the terminal watching cartoons and meeting charactors?

 

[jcarwash]

I haven't done this yet, but I'm planning to, and the sequence I learned is the driver drops off the party and luggage at the terminal, returns the car, then takes the rental car shuttle to the terminal. The rest of the party can either check in or wait for the driver.

I guess the alternate would be the entire party drops off the rental car and everyone takes the shuttle, but it seems more convenient to drop off the luggage first. Not sure!

 

[Angie_Ohio]

We've dropped off our party at the cruise terminal and then one or two people from our group take the rental car back and catch a shuttle to the port. The rest of us go up to check in. It is easy to do and we've done this twice.

 

[kcashner]

No one HAS to stay at the terminal. However, if an adult stays AND has a photo ID from the driver, they can check in for the group (or at least work their way thru the check in line!)

You will pull up at the terminal (the exact area has varied depending on the construction status, but it is well marked and easy.) You will give the luggage to the porter who will confirm the tags and accept your tip. The passengers can then head to the terminal while the driver returns the car, or you can choose to keep your whole party together and return the car as a group.

Advantage to just driver returning car--another adult can start the check in process AND it's easy to get a single person with no luggage onto the rental car shuttle. It is more difficult to have space for a larger group on the shuttle, and you may have to wait for the next shuttle depending on your timing. That said, we've rarely waited more than 5 minutes--in most cases my crew was on the shuttle waiting for me to finish returning the car!

 

[leane]

Thank you for all of the quick replies

I would be the one driving most likely and DH is a "we all stick together" type person so I wasn't sure if he would be up for me leaving them there.


Can we check in at the terminal then go to drop it off?

 

[kcashner]

You can NOT check in at the terminal and then return the car. The reason is that there is no short term parking at the terminal. The only way you could do this would be to pay the $15 per night of cruise parking fee which is stupid for the hour you might need to park the car.

You can drop luggage, then return the car....but not the whole check in process.

 

[w-family]

this is thread answered a question i had been wondering about. So I can check in with the kids while DH returns the car? I figured I could go through security and take care of the luggage, but I thought I would need him physically present for us to check in.

 

[kcashner]

It has been my experience that you CAN check in the whole family (even if DH is returning the car). IF you have a valid photo ID for him (like his passport), you can even get his KTTW card. If you do not have a valid photo ID for him, the CM will do the check in but will hold his KTTW card. Then when he gets to the port, he needs to get into that CM's line and he/she will just look at his ID and give him the KTTW card. They do ask that the whole family be together for the security photo, but they make exceptions for people arriving at a different time. You'll probably find it just as easy to wait for dad before doing the security photo.

They SAY that all adults need to be present to check in, but that's not normally enforced as long as you have all the documentation.

If the group is separating, BE SURE the driver keeps one photo ID (like driver's license) with him in order to re-enter the terminal area. Logically, if he's driving to return the car, he needs this anyhow!

 

[mmouse37]

You can NOT check in at the terminal and then return the car. The reason is that there is no short term parking at the terminal. The only way you could do this would be to pay the $15 per night of cruise parking fee which is stupid for the hour you might need to park the car.

You can drop luggage, then return the car....but not the whole check in process.

Correctomundo..as the Fonz would say....LOL!!!

MJ