Dollar at Cape/Port Canaveral

[nemmie]

Hi all,
I tried posting on the cruise forum but no response and I think that Wayne you might of done this a few times and can help me out with some advice.
We usually park at the port for the shorter cruises but being 7 nights we want to drop off the car and pick another car up after our cruise.
We will prob be using Dollar.
Can anyone share experiences with them? I believe there is a shuttle service to take us to the port and then to Dollar when we return but are their taxi's around too? We would rather do that than wait around I think.
TIA

 

[wilma-bride]

We had a terrible experience with the Dollar shuttles last year. I would defintiely take a taxi TO the port from Dollar. From my understanding, they are more concerned with taking passengers from the ship to the car rental places at first so don't usually start to transport passengers back until all have been fetched (if that makes sense). My DH and our friend spent nearly an hour waiting for a shuttle last year before just jumping in a cab to the port (which took a few minutes and cost less than $20). When we returned, rather than waiting for the shuttle, they just got a cab back.

If I were you, I would drop your family at the terminal first, then take the car to Dollar and grab a cab back to the terminal. Then, on your return, you and the family jump in a cab and, with any luck, you should be ahead of the people taking the shuttles.

 

[nemmie]

Urgh that sounds like fun.........not! Sorry for your bad experience.

Thanks for the advice. Were taxi's at Dollar waiting or did you have to call?

 

[wilma-bride]

I believe at Dollar there were some waiting.

When you get back after your cruise, if you go to the exit gate where all the shuttles pick up from, there are usually transportation people there who can call you a cab if there isn't one there already. Look for a guy or gal with a clipboard

 

[nemmie]

Ok great, I think we will def be taking your advice and jumping in a cab. It just the two of us so we'll get there nice and early and go from there. I am presuming even if there isn't cabs waiting outside Dollar the Dollar rep would be able to call one for us.

Thank you!

 

[wayneg]

Only done it once, it was with Budget.
We probably arrived about 10.30ish, no passengers getting off the ships, I assume they had cleared everyone by then so no problem with shuttles. When we returned we just waited a few mins for a minibus to arrive.

I would probably try Dollar next time, Budget cars were poor quality, we should have had a SUV but ended up with a 7 seater, not been cleaned and warning lights on, eventually got them to sort it out. I am just not a Budget fan, Dollar by far my fave rental company.

 

[nemmie]

Thanks for your input Wayne. We intend to get down there around 1030 also. We have the 11am port arrival time. I guess we will get down there with a view of getting a taxi and if there's a shuttle ready to go we'll hop on that instead
Dollar/Thrifty are our first choice too.