How to get from Budget to Cruise Ship and crowds on Thanksgiving weekend?

[Jaime]

Does budget in Cape Canveral offer free transportation
to the cruise ship? Is it scheduled?

We are driving to Cocoa Beach the night before and staying all night. We aren't sure if we want to rent a car but would really like to some shopping in Orlando first so it seems to be our best choice. Is anyone fimilar with the crowds on Thanksgiving weekend? Will the stores just be too crowded?

 

[swillis]

I don't know about Budget, but I know that Hertz does. We rented a car at the Orlando airport from Hertz, drove it to the Hertz rental office in Cape Canaveral area, and they shuttled us to the cruise ship terminals.

We had several hours to kill between when our plane landed, and when we could board the ship, so the car was helpful for going to get lunch, and do a little shopping before the drop off. Service was very efficient, and professional. They picked us up after our cruise, and we did the whole thing in reverse on the way home.

 

[plutospup]

Budget is located adjacent to the Radisson in Cocoa Beach, and does have a shuttle to the port. Depending on where you are staying your hotel might also have a port shuttle.

Thanksgiving/Black Friday shopping in Florida... It's the same as anywhere else. Expect big sales, big malls, and BIG crowds.

 

[2boyshere]

Budget does have a port shuttle. We picked up a car at MCO drove to Jon Ron's, went shopping etc... Then I drove everyone the next am to the terminal and dropped them all off. Then drove to budget near Raddison and they had a shuttle bring me to the port. A 5 minute drive. They had vans constantly running. Then when we got off ship I took the shuttle over to Budget (it was out there) and came back to pick everyone up and drive to MCO where we dropped off. I would do the same thing next time. I know someone who used AVIS in Feb and had a really bad experience doing the same type of thing.