Fort Lauderdale Port Car Rental Return

[hawt1]

We are flying into Orlando for a pre cruise Disney stay and then driving across to Fort Lauderdale the morning of our cruise in a rental car but have not rented yet.

 

Are rental cars allowed to drive up to the port so I can drop off the others in our group?

 

What car rental companies are located at the port and do they then take me to the ship in one of their vans? Or do we drop off the car with them and take their van or a taxi from their drop off location?

 

Trying to figure out the easiest way to do this and the companies that will make it work before booking?

 

Thanks,

[Clarea]

We are flying into Orlando for a pre cruise Disney stay and then driving across to Fort Lauderdale the morning of our cruise in a rental car but have not rented yet.

 

Are rental cars allowed to drive up to the port so I can drop off the others in our group?

 

What car rental companies are located at the port and do they then take me to the ship in one of their vans? Or do we drop off the car with them and take their van or a taxi from their drop off location?

 

Trying to figure out the easiest way to do this and the companies that will make it work before booking?

 

Thanks,

You can drive up to the cruise terminal and drop off people and bags.

 

There are no rental car offices in the port. There are a few just outside the port with free shuttles. I believe Avis and Budget are near, and probably more. There are also many at the airport which is very close, and only about a $15 taxi ride from the port.

[Jon in the ATL]

The port and the airport are a 10 minute drive at the most.

 

Forget dropping off at the port and then going back to airport to only return back to the port.

 

If it was me and my family, I would drop the car at FLL and then cab it to the port. Will cost you $15 and saves you the back and forth. Not sure if anyone of them have free shuttles to the port, but always could call a few of the rental companies to check.

 

It's pretty easy.

[ahecht]

Dollar/Thrifty has a location at the port with a shuttle, and Avis and Hertz have locations at hotels near the port with a shuttle (the Hyatt Pier 66 and Crowne Plaza, respectively). Budget and Enterprise also have nearby locations but I don't believe they have a shuttle.

[cruisinfanatic]

The port and the airport are a 10 minute drive at the most.

 

Forget dropping off at the port and then going back to airport to only return back to the port.

 

If it was me and my family, I would drop the car at FLL and then cab it to the port. Will cost you $15 and saves you the back and forth. Not sure if anyone of them have free shuttles to the port, but always could call a few of the rental companies to check.

 

It's pretty easy.

makes no sense because most rental places have a drop off right outside the terminal with free shuttle to port

[wendychloecruiser]

We had an AVIS rental. We dropped off the mothers at the port with the luggage, then returned the car just round the corner at the 17th st drop off site (Pier 66), then got the free shuttle back to the ship. In this way we didn't have to hoof luggage on and off the shuttle bus. It was very easy and will repeat the process in April on the Eclipse repo.

Edited January 8, 2015 by wendychloecruiser

[AeroBaldness]

I used Hertz at the Crowne Plaza last month and with worked perfectly. They are a straight shot into the port with free shuttles running every 30 minutes or so. We grabbed a shuttle at about 10:15 and were checked in and on Liberty at about 11:15. And we were dropped off right at bag drop. Bags were grabbed right from the shuttle steps and placed on the baggage carts.

[TravelerThom]

Note that the ONLY rental car company that provides a shuttle from the airport to the port is National/ Alamo. The other companies have offices closer to the Port in addition to being at the airport. Make sure that your drop off location is one that services the port.

 

Thom

[robtulipe]

I used Hertz at the Crowne Plaza last month and with worked perfectly. They are a straight shot into the port with free shuttles running every 30 minutes or so. We grabbed a shuttle at about 10:15 and were checked in and on Liberty at about 11:15. And we were dropped off right at bag drop. Bags were grabbed right from the shuttle steps and placed on the baggage carts.

 

I've also reserved from Hertz at the Crown Plaza at 455 SE 24th Street which is just outside Port Everglades as that location is just on the other side or west of Hwy 1 so its really quick and convenient to get to with their shuttle. Also Hertz had the lowest one way drop charge and therefore cost of all the major agencies for what we wanted to do. ;)

[brew99]

Note that the ONLY rental car company that provides a shuttle from the airport to the port is National/ Alamo. The other companies have offices closer to the Port in addition to being at the airport. Make sure that your drop off location is one that services the port.

 

Thom

 

Very handy to know as we plan to use National given my status with them. Now do I drop the wife and kids off first or not......hmmm....

[TravelerThom]

Very handy to know as we plan to use National given my status with them. Now do I drop the wife and kids off first or not......hmmm....

My last time at Port Everglades (Nov 2014) there was a long back-up at the Eller Drive entrance to PE, out onto US 1 and down pretty far. I wouldn't have wanted to make two passes through that mess. If you are dropping a car at National at FLL airport, you drive into a garage, have to take your luggage to elevators, up elevators, then 100 feet out to the sidewalk where the National bus will be. NO steps other than on/off the bus - driver will usually help with bags. Driver may ask to see your National receipt, so have it handy. You'll have to determine if you'd rather handle your luggage that far versus fighting the gate traffic.

 

Thom