Just Curious...Returning Rental B4 Cruise

[2-4me]

I've read where just about everyone who rents a car B4 cruising usually drop off family and luggage at terminal, driver returns car and meets back up with family at terminal. I suggested this to DH but he wants us all to drop off car then return to terminal together. He wants us to stay together . He says anything could happen. (Example: Lord forbid but what if he's involved in a minor fender bender while returning the car, family is at port waiting and wondering. What happens then?) I do see his point that's why I was just wondering do any of you familys drop rental off together, let's say around 9:30 and if so, would the shuttle have you at the port at 10:00?

 

[MagicMe]

I would like to hear this answer too. I believe everyone can take the shuttle but I've never done it before and would like to hear what the veterans say.

I'm not so worried about something happened while we are separated as much as I'm taking my DS and his DG and I want to see their faces through the whole experience (you know - seeing the ship, entering the terminal, etc).

 

[plutospup]

We stay together for the same reasons mentioned above. Together we dropped off our Avis rental for our prior cruises, and will do the same in November.

 

[lds0191]

We stay together, also. We have used both Avis and Budget and had no issues with the shuttles. It is such a neat feeling getting off the escalators at the terminal and I want us to experience it together.

 

[atinkerbellmom]

Yes you can all go together. I think the reason people tend not to is so that you are not force to be loading luggage and multiple people onto the shuttle. It is a lot easier to drop the wife, kids and bags and once dad had returned the car, just hope on over on the shuttle solo, footloose and fancy free. So that is why people suggest it. Goes a lot faster and is easier to hop on if the shuttle was a bit full. So, you would just go return your car with ALL of yo and ALL of your bags. Unload the car there and ALL of you hop on the shuttle loading ALL of your bags and ALL go to port with ALL of the bags together. So it is really for ease and not for not wanting to be together. People think it saves time too as the Wife/Mom usually gets the kiddos into port and starts check in while Dad/husband is doing the rental return.

 

[IzzysMom]

DH always drops us at the port before returning the car for the reasons the previous poster posted.

Just a thought as I was reading the PP - if you do all take the shuttle from the rental car remember, you should probably tip the driver of the shuttle as he will most likely assist you with your luggage and then you will need to tip the porter who takes your luggage at the port. So that doubles the amount you would need to tip. But if peace of mind is worth more than a couple of dollars (and for you it sounds like it is) take the whole family on the shuttle. (that previous sentence is in no way a judgement on you choice - though it might sound like it - I don't mean it that way.)

 

[2-4me]

Yes, the peace of mind is worth the extra tips and all the lugging of the luggage. Glad to see a couple of others who choose to do the same thing. It didn't matter to me one way or the other but DH wants us together so together we will be .

I thank everyone for their opinions so far. IzzysMom, no offense was taken. I completely understood what you were saying.

Does anyone know what's the earliest a shuttle would drop you off at the port? Like, would they get you there between 10 and 10:30? My guess would be they would as long as they had a van load. (I may have answered my own question)

 

[SnowWhite2]

When you take the shuttle, you may not go to the DCL terminal first. You may drop off passengers at one of the other cruiselines first. So even if you get a shuttle to leave the rental car area at 9:30 or 10, it may take over a 1/2 hr to get to the DCL terminal.

 

[arabians207]

We used Budget last time before and after our cruise. The main reason we used Budget was because that was the only car rental still open when our plane came in at midnight. (That was the planned time BTW)

It was pretty easy. We got the first rental car at the airport, drove to our hotel. The next morning we stopped at a few places (walmart) and drove to the Budget close to Port Canaveral (we were like an hour away) and dropped the car off. Then we took the shuttle to Port Canavral with all 4 of us and all our luggage

I think it'd be much better to have everyone stay together.. just easier IMO. The only problem we had at all was that after the cruise we waited over an hour for a Budget bus at the Port..

For times I have no clue. We got at the port at probably 12 or 1pm.. maybe later I dunno. We are not early birds no matter what the occasion, unfortunately! Drives me crazy sometimes!

 

[Donald's Main Squeez]

just FYI, we rented a car from Avis and my husband dropped me, the kids and the luggage off at the port. We were able to go inside check-in, fill out the forms while he was taking the car back to Avis. We were also able to get picture inside the terminal with Mickey.

He was gone at least an hour, for he had to stand in line and wait a while at Avis. (This also happened at Avis when we got off the boat). But the plus side was that when he got to the port, he just walked through security, then up to check-in to get his room key and then they called our group to board. So he didn't have to do very much when he got into the port. This trip (9/1/08 double dip cruise after a few days at the park), we are using the Happy Limo Shuttle which was cheaper than the car rental (2 families using the passenger van) and we don't have to wait.

 

[dismom73]

I was just wondering if there is anything stopping you from going to the terminal, dropping off the bags, then heading over to drop off the rental car all together? This would save the hassle of transferring the bags and the extra tip. We have always done it the other way (DH dropping me and the kids off) but I was thinking it might be kind of fun for my DH to see the kids reaction as we enter the terminal. There's 5 of us though(and 3 DD's), which means lots of bags, so I wouldn't want to lug all of our bags to the rental car office.

 

[cats mom]

For us the answer to the OP's question depends in part on what time we're returning or picking up the car and how many other people are trying to do so at the same time.

For example: last cruise there was a very long line of people waiting for the Avis shuttle. It was just common courtesy for DH to go pick up the rental car alone; thus taking up only one seat and no luggage space, rather than all of us and our piles of luggage taking up space as well as extra time to load/unload while a long line of people waited their turn to get on the shuttle.


As for the fender bender thing... we're a multi-cell phone family and international roaming fees don't kick in until after the ship leaves port.

 

[minijaffacake]

Hi, we are renting a car before and after the cruise and I am abit concerned that some of you have experienced quite long waits for the shuttles to and from the port. We are renting through Budget and wondered, if there are long waits for the shuttle are there taxis readily available at either end instead of having to wait for the shuttle? Also anyone have any idea how much a taxi would be?

Thanks

 

[cats mom]

I found this list of local cab companies:

Beach Line 321-704-0502
Cape Canaveral Cab 321-783-8294
Checker Cab of Brevard County 321-799-0377
Space Port Transport 321-986-8026
Tropical Storm 321-783-4445
Yellow 321-636-1234

There are taxi's waiting at the port though, so I don't know that you'd necessarily need to reserve one in advance.

I believe taxi service from the port to most Cocoa Beach locations would probably run $5 - $12, depending on the distance.
No absolute guarantees on those prices though.


As for rental car shuttle lines and wait times... it just depends.

There have been times when we've been able to hop right on a shuttle and it's even left partially empty because no one else was waiting.
Other times there have been long lines and people had to wait for several return trips to even get on the shuttle.

Thus why I think sometimes dividing and conquering makes more sense.
If just one person from every family grabbed the shuttle they could probably accomodate everyone in one or two trips, but when whole families hop onboard, it just make a much longer wait time for everyone.