Tampa departures

[tulch]

I posted this on another thread but decided it should be double-posted here as well. Sorry if that breaks some rules....

 

We are leaving out of Tampa in January 2012. The airfare to Tampa is still so high that I started checking Orlando. It is $100 cheaper per person and the distance to Tampa is around 80 miles.

 

I have not yet booked air (the prices may still come down when Airtran and Southwest open up) but made reservations with Hertz (which can be cancelled, if necessary). Their AARP rate from Orlando to Tampa for a full-size car is about $71. The trip back is about $82. They provide shuttle from their downtown Marriott to the cruise terminal; and you pick-up the car for your return trip to Orlando at the cruise terminal!

 

If you have time, Alamo is about $20 cheaper on the return trip (using a Fed Gov't employee discount), but you go from the pier to the airport (shuttles about every 45 minutes). I was afraid that it would be too long a wait to get catch the shuttle and then get a car at the airport and return it in Orlando and be at the airport 2 hours before our flight.

 

There are probably other discounts out there if these are applicable to your situation. Neither Alamo nor Hertz charges a drop fee for one-way and again, both provide transportation to the pier. Hope this helps some others suffering from airline sticker-shock ....

[JohninDC]

Thanks! :)