Port Canaveral - Dropping of Rental

[Emily Becker]

We will be taking our rental (enterprise) car to the port from our hotel and returning at their location right there.

My 1st question is, our PAT is 10:45 so what time should I drop the car off? It's my understanding that it's very close and they shuttle frequently.

Secondly, would it work better to drop off everyone else in our group (2 kids, 3 adults other than me) and our luggage and then return the rental by myself then meetup at the port?

 

[clten]

We always stop at the port first to at least drop off luggage so that you don't have to move it onto/off of the shuttle bus. With that many people, I'd suggest everyone but the driver stay at the port (they can start the check-in process) and then you only need one seat on the shuttle back. (Going to the port first is only slightly out of the way, if you are coming from the Orlando area, you would pass by it on your way to drop off the rental). If you do that, you can't arrive to the port before they open (which I am not sure of the official opening time if it is 10:30 or if they allow earlier drop offs).

 

[Shea&Van]

Hello!

We haven't done this yet, but our plan for our cruise is to drop off the car first and then take the (Budget) shuttle to the port. However, we are not traveling with our children this time. If I did have the kids, I would probably have my husband drop me and the little ones off at the port with the luggage and then return the car and head back to the port. From my understanding, the rental car places around the port can be VERY busy and there can be many people waiting to board shuttles to the port. So, I'd recommend leaving plenty of time for that. Also, I've read on other boards that some people have elected to just pay for a taxi if the line for the shuttle gets too long. Might be a good idea to have the number for a reputable cab company as a backup.

Have a wonderful cruise!!

 

[MUN]

We will be taking our rental (enterprise) car to the port from our hotel and returning at their location right there.

My 1st question is, our PAT is 10:45 so what time should I drop the car off? It's my understanding that it's very close and they shuttle frequently.

Secondly, would it work better to drop off everyone else in our group (2 kids, 3 adults other than me) and our luggage and then return the rental by myself then meetup at the port?

IMHO, you are better off staying in one group. Earlier this year for our Fantasy cruise, there was a tremendous amount of congestion getting into the cruise terminal for embarkation. If you had someone drop off people at the port and then head back to the rental car agency to drop off the car, then take the shuttle to the port, you would have had to wait in traffic twice. I say keep your party together, no need to double the hill. For a 10:45 PAT, I would drop off the rental car around 10 am.

MUN

 

[ladyofthetramp]

We have always done this switch/drop off as a family and have not had a problem, even when the kids were little. Maybe just lucky?

 

[apocalyps3]

Does anyone know if someone from a linked stateroom can check me in while I drop off the rental car? Or can only another adult assigned to the same stateroom can check me in?

 

[PizzaFryGirl]

Years ago (like 2010) we dropped off our rental car before a cruise and the rental car place was packed with people waiting to take a shuttle to the port. We were doing a RCCL cruise so we stayed together since the line starts outside the building there. But you could drop off your family if the port is open (so that you only need one seat on the shuttle) since they could wait inside for you at the DCL terminal. We ended up sharing a taxi with a man who had already dropped off his family because the shuttle line was really ridiculous.

I would say drop off your family and luggage as early as you possibly can and then be prepared to possibly take a taxi to the port in case of crowds at the rental car place.