Staying in Miami a few nights & renting a car before the cruise. Embark tips..?

[DIS_MIKE]

So I plan on renting a car from MIA and staying in Miami for a few days before my cruise on The Magic. I generally rent from Hertz and have no problems but I read online that the Hertz rental/drop off location near the port is absolutely atrocious-especially when it comes to catching the shuttle to the port. I was shocked to learn that the port has no rental car drop-off locations on-site.

So I am a little concerned at this point. I guess worst case scenario I just take an Uber. I found a second Hertz rental office in South Beach but that has sketchy reviews as well with long wait times. Just trying to have a stress-free morning before the cruise.

Oddly enough, the cost to return the rental car back to Miami vs a different location is the same. So I wonder if I should just stay at a hotel near the airport the night before and just return the car to the airport and catch the transfer bus?

Hopefully some Miami cruise port veterans can help steer me in the right direction.

 

[DCLObsessed]

Depending on what your plans are...we didn't rent a car, stayed Bayside and walked the area very easily. There are also several forms of city transportation easily available (some free). Getting into the Port is the craziest/busiest scene I've ever experienced. We had two days there and navigated just fine without a car but like I said it depends on your preference/what you are planning to do. For me, after reading about the traffic in Miami, renting a car wasn't an option. Have fun whatever you decide. We loved Miami and hope to go again someday - we were just there in December.

 

[DIS_MIKE]

Depending on what your plans are...we didn't rent a car, stayed Bayside and walked the area very easily. There are also several forms of city transportation easily available (some free). Getting into the Port is the craziest/busiest scene I've ever experienced. We had two days there and navigated just fine without a car but like I said it depends on your preference/what you are planning to do. For me, after reading about the traffic in Miami, renting a car wasn't an option. Have fun whatever you decide. We loved Miami and hope to go again someday - we were just there in December.

Thanks for your reply! Forgot to mention that we are actually staying at the JW Marriott on Marco Island for 2 nights and then staying in Miami the night before the cruise. Hotel is still TBD at this point. I've even contemplated just dropping the car off the night before and just taking an Uber in the morning to the port.

 

[Gilland18]

We stayed near the airport for two nights in January. We considered a rental but DH decided trying to drive in Miami wasn't something he wanted to do. We used Uber and hotel shuttles and were satisfied with how it all worked.

 

[cmarsh31]

Hertz shuttle was fine (used it both ways last week) but picking up the car itself was absolutely ATROCIOUS. We waited almost 2 hours in line. I will NEVER, EVER rent from the Miami Port Hertz again... it had such great potential to be amazingly convenient but the staffing issue is insurmountable.

 

[DIS_MIKE]

Hertz shuttle was fine (used it both ways last week) but picking up the car itself was absolutely ATROCIOUS. We waited almost 2 hours in line. I will NEVER, EVER rent from the Miami Port Hertz again... it had such great potential to be amazingly convenient but the staffing issue is insurmountable.

Doesn't surprise me at all that you waited forever in line after some of the reviews I read. I guess you drop the car off in a parking garage. I hope that process goes smoothly.

Still working on some options but I found a Marriott close to the port which I may end up booking. Turns out they charge $50/night to park there so I may end up dropping the car off at the Hertz location the night before and just Uber to the port.

 

[Shirl56]

Uber or taxi for 6 plus luggage to Downtown Hilton in Miami night before our cruise? Uber readily available for that many?

 

[disneylove69]

The car rental to the airport was fine. If your picking a car up afterwards take Lyft to the airport. It took over an hour to get a shuttle.

 

[cwis]

we didn't rent a car, stayed Bayside and walked the area very easily.

Did you walk from bayside to the port? with your luggage? We were considering doing that, though a directions search on Maps showed it would take 30+ minutes and we were thinking this might not be the best way to start a cruise (especially if DCL docks at the farthest point). What's your experience with this? TIA!

 

[DisneyPiPhi]

I'd drop off the car the night before and go with Uber, Lyft, or scheduled private transportation. Less headache on embarkation day!

 

[hrhdhd]

Don't walk. Spring for an Uber.

 

[DIS_MIKE]

Miami Port Hertz won't even let me return the car the morning of the cruise. I don't know why but this is the error I keep getting: "Return Location - You cannot return your vehicle to the location specified. Please choose an alternate return location. [DE32]"

So I guess I'll scratch that idea. There is another Hertz location in South Beach that will take the car so maybe I'll look into that. Uber fare calculator says it's about $11 for the ride to the port so not too bad.

 

[Gentry2004]

I'd drop off the car the night before and go with Uber, Lyft, or scheduled private transportation. Less headache on embarkation day!

This is our plan in April, assuming our cruise isn't cancelled.

 

[monkeydawn]

We have our own car when we cruise out of Miami but a couple of data points for you. The La Quinita Airport East has free port shuttle service to the port, $20 pp back after and must be arranged ahead of time. What we did was free shuttle to the port and then Ubered back to the hotel to collect our car. The return Uber was $18, but we were driving during morning rush hour so there might have been surge pricing in effect.