Transfer Fees

[NickAndAnt]

I am sorry if there are 2 millions threads about this, I can't seem to find one. We're crusing in May and paying the transfer fee from the airport to the ship mostly because it seems so convient. The fees seems a little steep though and I wondered if there was a low hassle economic way to avoid them. Everything I am reading makes it sound like cabs and car rental scenarios are even more expensive.

Making it worse, when we get back to Port Canaveral, we're going to Universal Studios for a few days. We wanted to go from the port to the Orlando hotel we're staying. The transfer fees just for that were over $100 per person. So we're not sure what to do.

Not trying to nickel and dime here. I just want our vacation dollars to go as far as they can. So I ask you guys: Are the transfer fees steep or am I cheap? And are there low hassle economic alternatives?

 

[lanejudy]

DCL transfers are $35 per person each way ($70 round-trip if taken both before and after the crusie). Depending upon the size of your traveling party, other options may be more economical, but may not be as convenient.

One-way car rental deals can be found for under $100, sometimes as low as $50 depending upon what size vehicle you need. In my experience, car rental deals tend to come out within the 2-3 months prior, not too far in advance. You can book and cancel if something better pops up.

Private car service or limo might be less expensive, again depending upon the size of your party. It is typically 1 price regardless of how many passengers, though if you have a large party you would need a larger vehicle.

As to getting from PC to Universal - DCL won't provide that unless you go back to MCO and have another mode of transit to Universal. You'd want to look into car rental or maybe another shuttle service.

Enjoy your cruise!

 

[bumbershoot]

Everything I am reading makes it sound like cabs and car rental scenarios are even more expensive.

Well, only you know how many people are in your party, and how the total for DCL transfers compares to a one-way car rental or a limo, etc.

We liked the DCL transport to the cruise, though in the future we would take it from the airport. Why? Because the airport bus leaves much, much earlier than the WDW resort DCL buses.

We, too, went to Universal directly after our cruise. We took DCL transportation back to the airport, then got a rental car. Easy peasy except for hauling our bags from the bus to the car. But no one made us pack as though we were going on safari!

If we hadn't planned on getting the rental car, I would have looked into a private company. For the 3 of us, it was $105 for that ride back, and it only took us to the airport. I'm sure I could have found a one-way ride for about that same amount to take us directly to our hotel.


So start looking around for rental cars, towncars, limios, etc, and start comparing REAL numbers for your group.

 

[PaceFamily]

We do the Disney Transfers. They are a somewhat expensive, but not having to deal with any of the luggage is worth it to us. We take our bags to the airport and get them in the room. Same on the return. To us it is totally worth the extra money.

 

[NickAndAnt]

We do the Disney Transfers. They are a somewhat expensive, but not having to deal with any of the luggage is worth it to us. We take our bags to the airport and get them in the room. Same on the return. To us it is totally worth the extra money.

Thanks to all. There are just two of us. We'll defintely look into a car rental for the trip from Port Canaveral to the Orlando hotel. That transfer fee was quoted as $155.00! So then we though we'd do the DCL trip from ship to MCO and then hotel shuttle ($40 fee) from MCO to hotel it would be $110. So if we can get a car for 2 days at around those costs I'll at least feel I am getting my money's worth.

 

[networktek]

For us we always use dcl transfers there is inly me and my wife we looked at renting a car and found it cheaper to use dcl transfers