car rental

[cndcruiser65]

We will be renting a car at the Orlando airport and dropping off at Port Canaveral. We are on the Freedom of the Seas. I was wondering what was the best rental agency? Closest to port - best prices - no bad experiences. Thinking of Avis. Thanks

[Clarea]

We will be renting a car at the Orlando airport and dropping off at Port Canaveral. We are on the Freedom of the Seas. I was wondering what was the best rental agency? Closest to port - best prices - no bad experiences. Thinking of Avis. Thanks

We've had very good luck with Avis over the past 10 years or so. Use dropoff location P3F for the cruise ship shuttle.

 

There are other agencies too. Here is a great map with the locations near Port Canaveral:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=46477988&postcount=5

Edited May 16, 2016 by clarea

[TempusFugit]

We've done this several times and really enjoy the freedom to travel to port and stop wherever and whenever desired. We've used Avis and National with good success. I usually drop DW off at the port, the bags to porters, then return the car. The the shuttles are usually sufficient but, on a very heavy volume day or time, I've called a cab to zip me back to port if I don't want to wait. Totally on me though.

[RFerrington]

We will be renting a car at the Orlando airport and dropping off at Port Canaveral. We are on the Freedom of the Seas. I was wondering what was the best rental agency? Closest to port - best prices - no bad experiences. Thinking of Avis. Thanks

 

Our scenario is always to rent with Hertz at the airport and drive to Cape Canaveral, do whatever you want to do during the day and evening and stay at the Residence Inn (8959 Astronaut Blvd 321-323-1100). Since the hotel and the Hertz rental car agency share a parking lot, it is very easy to return the car at any time and just walk next door to the hotel. You can rent the car at the airport, keep it all day, return it after the Hertz office closes (they have a key drop) and then take the hotel's shuttle to the port the next morning.

 

It has always been very convenient.

[cndcruiser65]

Great information - thanks

[drhall]

Just like the travel industry, the rental industry changes their prices on the fly. I shop multiple times before my trip (using Costco Travel, USAA discount codes, etc..) and book whomever has the lowest price for the class of vehicle I want.

 

Once I have reserved a price that i'm willing to pay, I check back every few days to see if someone else is doing a better rate. If they are, I book and cancel the first one. Rinse, repeat, until I hit the floor (nobody else is lettings cars go for that cheap).

 

I've scored a compact car for $11 a day over a week, and this summer I have a luxury car for $18 a day for a 9 days.

 

One small, easy-to-do tip. If you are booking the car for pickup on a Friday, book it after 2pm. Rental agencies charge less for weekend vehicles, and their "weekend" time begins then. I consistently see cars going for one price at noon, and $30 less at 2pm on the same day. Also, avoid airports unless that's your only option. There is a surcharge that the airport charges the rental company, which is passd onto the consumer for simply being located at the airport. Locations just outside the terminal don't have this surcharge.

 

That's my $.02.

 

Happy travels!

[Clarea]

... Also, avoid airports unless that's your only option. There is a surcharge that the airport charges the rental company, which is passd onto the consumer for simply being located at the airport. Locations just outside the terminal don't have this surcharge....

I have also seen this multiple times. Just today I had a choice of renting from a neighborhood location near Bradenton FL vs Sarasota airport, and the difference was about $20 for the same one-day rental.

[Hotel CA]

I almost always book rental cars via Priceline. I look at the cheapest daily rates for the size car I want and then bid something lower. I have always gotten Hertz, Avis National or Budget to rent me a car at lower than the cheapest rates using Priceline and you can designate drop off and puck up in the bid. Example--today I looked in San Diego for October-- cheapest rate was 22/day for small car from Ace rentals-- I bid 23 on PL for midsize and was told to go higher so I bid 25 and got it from Budget for a midsize-- decent deal

Edited May 16, 2016 by Hotel CA

[TempusFugit]

Just like the travel industry, the rental industry changes their prices on the fly. I shop multiple times before my trip (using Costco Travel, USAA discount codes, etc..) and book whomever has the lowest price for the class of vehicle I want.

 

Once I have reserved a price that i'm willing to pay, I check back every few days to see if someone else is doing a better rate. If they are, I book and cancel the first one. Rinse, repeat, until I hit the floor (nobody else is lettings cars go for that cheap).

 

I've scored a compact car for $11 a day over a week, and this summer I have a luxury car for $18 a day for a 9 days.

 

One small, easy-to-do tip. If you are booking the car for pickup on a Friday, book it after 2pm. Rental agencies charge less for weekend vehicles, and their "weekend" time begins then. I consistently see cars going for one price at noon, and $30 less at 2pm on the same day. Also, avoid airports unless that's your only option. There is a surcharge that the airport charges the rental company, which is passd onto the consumer for simply being located at the airport. Locations just outside the terminal don't have this surcharge.

 

That's my $.02.

 

Happy travels!

 

Some solid advice there.