Returning a rental car to port

[tchrrx]

Can you share your tips on how to make returning a rental car the easiest experience? I was thinking that we could return the car around 10:00 for an 11:00 PTA. Does that sound about right? I figured that gives us plenty of time to wait in lines to return the car, wait on a shuttle, etc.

 

[Kim1964]

If I were you, I'd go earlier than that. Remember, a lot of people will be doing the same thing. I returned our car around 8:30 a.m. to Budget with no wait. I can't say for sure that by 10 it was packed, but I can tell you that the day we got back to Port Canaveral and went to pick up a new rental car, the wait in line at Budget was over an hour, and I got in line at 9:20.

 

[tchrrx]

What did you do from 8:30 until 11:00? I'm just envisioning standing outside with our luggage if the Disney building isn't open yet! lol

 

[Kim1964]

We stayed at a nearby hotel and didnt have to be out of the room until 11.

 

[kshark1958]

Drop off everyone and the luggage at the terminal. Have one person take the car back. You can get on a shuttle at the car rental by yourself a lot easier with no luggage. When I dropped off the car at Budget originally the driver said no more can get on but that was because of luggage issues their was one seat left I had no luggage so I was able to squeeze on.My wife had my passport so she was able to check me in and when I got back I only had to have my pic taken and we walked right on the boat. I kept my license with me so I could get into the terminal. We didn't arrive till about 1:30 and the shuttle was full but no line waiting for the next one.The Budget office is small so I could imagine how crowded it would be between 10 and 12. I've read on other threads with waits for as long as an hour. On another thread someone wrote their were taxis riding around and they grabbed one and only had to pay 10 bucks to get back to the terminal.

 

[Zeppelin]

spend $20 on a taxi to the port....better yet, find someone else who wants to go and spend $15....

its hit or miss....it can be murder getting from the car rental drop-off to the boat but i've also had situations where it was very easy....

 

[jcarwash]

Here's my recent experience, and it's with Hertz who I think has a really great operation in Cape Canaveral, having used them twice now.

As posted above, use the rental car to drive your party to the port. We left our hotel (Country Inn and Suites) around 10:45-10:50 for an 11-11:30 PAT. The word is you may not even be allowed into the drop-off area much earlier than that.

Drop off your party and luggage. Your party can enter the terminal with all the passports and do the final check-in process without you. The porters handle your bags.

The driver goes back to the rental car office and drops off the car, and takes the shuttle back to port. With one person with either no bags or perhaps one carry on bag (like I had) taking the shuttle is much easier. The driver needs a photo ID (license is fine) to enter the terminal.

With Hertz I was back at port by 11:25, and actually walked into the terminal and onto the ship, as boarding had already started.

Using Hertz for a one-way rental back to the airport was also great - their shuttle was prompt. On a previous cruise my experience with Avis was ridiculous -- the shuttle took forever and a large crowd of people and bags built up.

 

[deanimal]

We were at Budget last week and the office was packed, with lineups out the door and more shuttle arriving all the time. I got in line at 0930 and waited just over an hour to pick up. They seemed way understaffed.

However, about every 10 minutes or so they'd call out and ask if anyone was returning a car. They'd take those people immediately since they needed those cars to rent out to the hoards that were picking up. So it seemed like that whenever you were returning there wasn't much wait, even if the lines were really long for picking up.

 

[CaliforniaGirl09]

On a previous cruise my experience with Avis was ridiculous -- the shuttle took forever and a large crowd of people and bags built up.

Uh oh. I'm using Avis because I'd read that they were supposed to be one of the best. Anyone else use them recently? We were planning to do the drop off the party and have one person take the car back, but now I'm wondering if we should look at alternatives?

 

[manateesmom]

Uh oh. I'm using Avis because I'd read that they were supposed to be one of the best. Anyone else use them recently? We were planning to do the drop off the party and have one person take the car back, but now I'm wondering if we should look at alternatives?

We had no problems with Avis out of PC in 2011. We did exactly what you plan, DH dropped off DS and I , then returned the car. Your party should expect to wait for a bit before you return on the shuttle, it was maybe 20 minutes?

 

[NC State]

OK, I have another question. We will rent a car in NC and drive down to the port and stay at Country Inns & Suites. If we drive down on Saturday I would like to turn in our car Saturday after we check into the hotel. Question 1) will the rental shuttle brings us back to the hotel? Then on Sunday take the hotel shuttle to the port.

We return from the cruise on Thursday. Question 2) will the rental car shuttle pick us up and take us to pick up the returning car back to NC?

 

[jcarwash]

OK, I have another question. We will rent a car in NC and drive down to the port and stay at Country Inns & Suites. If we drive down on Saturday I would like to turn in our car Saturday after we check into the hotel. Question 1) will the rental shuttle brings us back to the hotel? Then on Sunday take the hotel shuttle to the port.

We return from the cruise on Thursday. Question 2) will the rental car shuttle pick us up and take us to pick up the returning car back to NC?

On question 1, if you happen to rent from Hertz it is right next to CI&S and so you can walk. The other agencies, I don't know if they give rides to hotels or not.

On question 2, yes, the rental car shuttles pick up guests at the port and takes them to the rental office, where your reserved car will be waiting.

Curious...have you priced these one way rentals from NC to Florida...?

 

[NC State]

On question 1, if you happen to rent from Hertz it is right next to CI&S and so you can walk. The other agencies, I don't know if they give rides to hotels or not.

On question 2, yes, the rental car shuttles pick up guests at the port and takes them to the rental office, where your reserved car will be waiting.

Curious...have you priced these one way rentals from NC to Florida...?

Yes, it's cheaper than flying and transportation fees.
Budget NC to FL $110.93 turn in car
pick up car FL to NC $68.47

I'll try Hertz now. Thanks!

 

[CaliforniaGirl09]

We had no problems with Avis out of PC in 2011. We did exactly what you plan, DH dropped off DS and I , then returned the car. Your party should expect to wait for a bit before you return on the shuttle, it was maybe 20 minutes?

Phew! That's great to hear. I suspect we'll go early since we're concierge and can enter the port right when it opens. Hopefully that will help.

 

[NC State]

WOW, Hertz is high...sticking to Budget. Does anyone know if they would bring us back to the hotel when we turn the car in?

 

[mickey2000]

Drop off everyone and the luggage at the terminal. Have one person take the car back. You can get on a shuttle at the car rental by yourself a lot easier with no luggage. When I dropped off the car at Budget originally the driver said no more can get on but that was because of luggage issues their was one seat left I had no luggage so I was able to squeeze on.My wife had my passport so she was able to check me in and when I got back I only had to have my pic taken and we walked right on the boat. I kept my license with me so I could get into the terminal. We didn't arrive till about 1:30 and the shuttle was full but no line waiting for the next one.The Budget office is small so I could imagine how crowded it would be between 10 and 12. I've read on other threads with waits for as long as an hour. On another thread someone wrote their were taxis riding around and they grabbed one and only had to pay 10 bucks to get back to the terminal.

After the cruise rather than wait in a long line for budget , left bags at port and took a taxi to budget for $8 Was very fast NOT taking the budget van!
Was back in little time, picked up bags and off!!
Still a long wait for Budget Van LOL LOL

 

[Kim1964]

WOW, Hertz is high...sticking to Budget. Does anyone know if they would bring us back to the hotel when we turn the car in?

I stayed at the Radisson and it was close enough to walk back from Budget. There was a sidewalk the whole way. A front desk staffer at the Radisson told me Budget would drive me back, but I didn't see any need so I didn't ask at Budget.

 

[pjacobi]

Is it possible to drop off family early at the port, perhaps 9:30? Where would they wait until the port opens?

-Paul

 

[NC State]

I wanted to give this another bump!

 

[tchrrx]

Is it possible to drop off family early at the port, perhaps 9:30? Where would they wait until the port opens?

-Paul

I'm curious about this too. I am booking our rental now. I am going to go ahead and say we'll return it at 10, but I'm still confused as to whether or not that's too early. I like the plan of DH dropping off DD and myself with the luggage, but I don't want to stand outside waiting on him.