Does Budget have shuttle to port?

[AnnMorin]

We have always used Avis for our rental car but in checking prices I noticed that Budget has a better deal. (I can get a convertable for the price of a regular midsize ) Do they have a shuttle to the port?

 

[Stimpy]

They did when we went in Sept. Getting to the port wasn't a problem. Getting from the port to Budget was. I hope they changed things but at the time, the drivers didn't start work until an hour or so after disembarking. We were waiting in the parking lot, under the tent, for over 45 minutes with a 4 yr old. The Hertz driver felt bad for us and took us and another family to Budget. We weren't too happy with Budget when we got there.

 

[mmouse37]

Budget does have some issues when going from port to the budget rental location....last time we cruised there was a very long line of people waiting for the budget shuttle.

We saw a cab just waiting (in the white tent area) so we asked him to take us to Budget and it cost $8.00....worth it to us not to have wait any longer for the shuttle. When we got to Budget there was no line and we picked up the car very quickly.

MJ

 

[DrCavin]

They were waiting at the white tent when we disembarked. Heard some complaints on this board about them being slow. They had 2 drivers, but the one was not to be found.

 

[CB4U]

We used Budget this past April and we were very pleased. Yes they do shuttle back to the ship. My best advice upon returning would be to send only the driver to get the car and have the driver come back to the port and pick the rest of your party up. We learned this the hard way the first time we sailed 2 yrs ago. It is much easier for one person without luggage to fit on the shuttle than the whole family with luggage. Just tell the porters that you are being picked up. They will escort your party to the pick up location. The driver returns to the port and picks everyone up including luggage.
Worked great for us.

 

[jel0511]

Ann - a note, a convertible has little to no trunk space, maybe enough for one suitecase, or two smaller ones. You'll have to load them into the back seat, and you'll have limited room because of your son. We found this out the hardway during a Hawaii trip. We had 4 bags, but luckily it was just DH and I and we piled those that didn't fit in the back seat, and it was FILLED.

 

[AnnMorin]

I did not even think of the no storage in a convertable.. better go back to midsize......... that is a good idea about sending the driver back for the car. I will have to wait until southwest opens up our air and then decide what to do.

 

[charwac1]

We are thinking of using Budget for our Repo Cruise in May. I think we should drop the car off in the morning and take the Budget shuttle to the port. DB thinks we should drop the car off the night before and grab a cab.

I know the time you may board the ship varies but does the Terminal open at a specific time? From this post it seems like most people have had trouble going from the ship to Budget. How is the shuttle when you are dropping off the car and need to get to the terminal?

Thanks,
Charlene

 

[CB4U]

charwac1,

The shuttle to the ship was fine. In our case (and it worked quite well) my husband dropped the family off at the port around 10:00, we checked our bags, and proceeded to the check-in counter. We all checked in. I even checked in my husband. All my husband had to do was go to the counter where I checked him in and show his photo id when he returned on the shuttle. The CM was wonderful. She told me not to have him wait in line. Just come up and pick up his paperwork. All he had to do was join us in the line and board! No problems at all.

 

[inkkognito]

We usually use a towncar, but we've used Budget a couple of times and have had no problems. As a matter of fact, both times we were amazed at the promptness of the shuttle when it picked us up at the port (there was a five minute wait one time, and once it was there already), and both times Budget had the smallest amount of people waiting, while Avis was a zoo. It could be that we lucked out both times.
Barb