Renting a car, can I drop off luggage first?

[shaylahc1]

I am flying down in 2 weeks for the EBTA and I will have 2 young kids with me. We are renting a car at MCO and driving in to Port Canaveral the night before. I am wondering if it's possible to drop off the luggage at port around 10 a.m., leave and return the rental car, then ride the shuttle back and check in? There would probably be a 1-1.5 hour lag time from the time we dropped the luggage off, and the time we actually check in. Is this a problem? I'd hate to have our luggage "flagged" and not make it on the boat

 

[kcashner]

Yes, you can do this. They do not know WHERE you drive off to after dropping your luggage (people return cars, drive to the parking lot, etc). There's no problem with dropping luggage then returning car....but I'm not sure why you are choosing to do this. It's out of your way to take the luggage to the terminal, and both the shuttle driver and the porters at the terminal will help you with luggage handling if you are concerned about yourself alone with kids.

On my last 2 trips the teens and shuttle driver had the luggage out of the car and loaded for me by the time I came out from returning the car! I do realize that young kids are different and you might feel better dropping luggage with kids secured in the car. Yes, it will work.

 

[mackeymouse4eva]

I am flying down in 2 weeks for the EBTA and I will have 2 young kids with me. We are renting a car at MCO and driving in to Port Canaveral the night before. I am wondering if it's possible to drop off the luggage at port around 10 a.m., leave and return the rental car, then ride the shuttle back and check in?

We are doing the same thing for the EBTA...I'm hoping to arrive early and drop the passengers at approx. 9:45a and then head to Budget and shuttle back. I think it will be a pretty quick process, but I guess you never know if the rental agency might be backed up. I considered going directly to Budget and shuttling all of us and our luggage, but I think it will be easier to at least drop the luggage at the port first.


For all of you frequent DCL cruisers - on average , how early are the porters available to drop the luggage? I can wait for security and the terminal to open, but the porters being available would be a great help.



TIA

 

[kcashner]

I totally agree that if you are dropping passengers and luggage so that they can begin the check in process and then shuttling just the driver back, it is a great convenience.

I'm less sure about the convenience factor if you are dropping just luggage and then taking the whole family to return the car. Also, my car return to port experience was more like 15-20 minutes than an hour.

 

[Fire14]

I totally agree that if you are dropping passengers and luggage so that they can begin the check in process and then shuttling just the driver back, it is a great convenience.

I'm less sure about the convenience factor if you are dropping just luggage and then taking the whole family to return the car. Also, my car return to port experience was more like 15-20 minutes than an hour.

Dh did this on our last cruise. Drop us girls ( adults) off with luggage and than returned car. I had us checked in and was waiting on him when he arrived at terminal but it was maybe 20 mikn tops from drop off to meet up.

 

[PorterBob]

on average , how early are the porters available to drop the luggage?

TIA

10 is the usual start time for us, but this is going to be a much busier day so I'm sure some of us will show up a little earlier than normal.

 

[mackeymouse4eva]

10 is the usual start time for us, but this is going to be a much busier day so I'm sure some of us will show up a little earlier than normal.

Thank you so much for answering!!!!


It's great to have the answer from the actual person that may be assisting me!


It must be very chaotic for you guys!!


Porter Bob I hope to see you on the 10th!!!!

Heather

 

[shaylahc1]

Thank you! I guess I assumed it would be easier to drop off the luggage first and then drop off the car...hmmmm....maybe not? That's something to think about, TY!!!

 

[Pinkgurlshubby]

I dropped my wife and 2 young boys off at the terminal and took the car back. As others said, it's only about 20 minutes and you are back. On the shuttle there were no girls or children, I had the company of almost half a dozen dads so this is a popular way of doing it. Also, the porters come by even though the gate is still closed and they get the luggage quite early. By the time I got back, we were all set to wait another half hour and then went in.

 

[branv]

Well we have done it both ways (just 2 adults), and definitely prefer dropping off luggage first then heading off to drop off our car. When we tried taking our luggage with us to the rental agency first, we had to pull it out, stand around with it in the parking lot until a shuttle van arrived, and then help the driver load it (doesn't feel right to make him do all the work). Then, we feel compelled to tip the driver extra for the drive plus the baggage handling, on top of the usual tip to the porter at the port (granted, that's only a few bucks more, but still). And honestly, I just felt more rushed and flustered doing it that way, and my attention was divided trying to return the car, clear everything out of the car, get us in order...and that's just 2 adults!

Not to mention, with those little vans they use, if you've got too much luggage, or the persons in front of you have too much luggage, if they run out of storage space someone gets left behind to wait for the next shuttle.

 

[kileybeth]

We are doing the same thing for the EBTA...I'm hoping to arrive early and drop the passengers at approx. 9:45a and then head to Budget and shuttle back. I think it will be a pretty quick process, but I guess you never know if the rental agency might be backed up. I considered going directly to Budget and shuttling all of us and our luggage, but I think it will be easier to at least drop the luggage at the port first.


For all of you frequent DCL cruisers - on average , how early are the porters available to drop the luggage? I can wait for security and the terminal to open, but the porters being available would be a great help.



TIA

Yup, yup, yup, that's how you do it. It makes sense to leave the rest of your passengers behind if you have a responsible adult to stay with them and just one of the adults return your rental.

The person returning your rental should hang onto just their drivers liscense and they can re-enter port with that. The other adult should drop bags with proters, go ahead into terminal, get thru security with carry ons and kids, and go ahead and let kids wonder around while they get in line to check in. Make sure you keep car return-ers Passport with you for check in. The only thing you can't do is get his/her picture taken. (Make sure you have them sign their on line check in form).

We arrived at 10am and porters were out and about in abundance but we were on 2nd shuttle from Country Inn and Suites and first drop offs had no problem either so you should be fine.

HTHelps! See you both on the EBTA! only 14 days!

 

[mkmommy]

I totally agree that if you are dropping passengers and luggage so that they can begin the check in process and then shuttling just the driver back, it is a great convenience.

.

When we checked in last week we were told there was a new procedure and that all passengers needed to be at the check in counter at the same time, as they are now taking the picture right at check in and not in a second line.

You may be able to drop the luggage off, but you will have to wait until the person returns to do the actual check in.

 

[kileybeth]

10 is the usual start time for us, but this is going to be a much busier day so I'm sure some of us will show up a little earlier than normal.

Hey, so cool to see you on the DISBoards! You guys ROCK!

We received awesome service both coming and going last time and there were 6 of us and 14 total, albeit very organized, bags to deal with!

and to everyone else? Make sure you tip your Porters well! They are the start to a fabulous vacation! It's all in the Magic

 

[kileybeth]

When we checked in last week we were told there was a new procedure and that all passengers needed to be at the check in counter at the same time, as they are now taking the picture right at check in and not in a second line.

You may be able to drop the luggage off, but you will have to wait until the person returns to do the actual check in.

Really, wow, can't begin to imagine what an organizational nightmare that line must be?? Our last cruise we had 6 with us, 2 teens and 2 little ones and DH and myself. It would be hard to hold everyone in line that long and things not get uumm, long? dicey??? And everyone wants to see the model ship , wait for characters to come out, go potty, etc. Who wants to stand in line the whole time?

 

[Husurdady]

I am flying down in 2 weeks for the EBTA and I will have 2 young kids with me. We are renting a car at MCO and driving in to Port Canaveral the night before. I am wondering if it's possible to drop off the luggage at port around 10 a.m., leave and return the rental car, then ride the shuttle back and check in? There would probably be a 1-1.5 hour lag time from the time we dropped the luggage off, and the time we actually check in. Is this a problem? I'd hate to have our luggage "flagged" and not make it on the boat

YES! you can do it, our time [with DOLLAR] was less than an hour [Sept 09 ] and that was stopping and topping off the rental car gas tank,don't forget to get a gas reciept if you do. Some car rentals want to see it or they will charge you a sircharge of something like $ 10.00. HAPPY SAILING.

 

[clten]

We very often find it more convenient to drop off the luggage and then return the rental car (keeping the group in tact rather than leaving some off at the port and just one person returning the car). We had done it the other way -- returning the car and then heading to the port. But it was not that much extra time to leave the luggage off first at the port since we basically drive by on the way to the car rental. But we also do it at non-peak time so there aren't a long line of cars trying to get in to drop off. (And not that it is that much money, but then we don't have to tip 2 different people to handle our luggage.)