Booking Car Rental Question - Port Canaveral

[lec2017]

Hey all! I'm leaving on the Wonder this weekend and using the DCL transportation to get to the ship, but when we get off we are going to rent a car. I've read that if you want to walk off with your luggage you can get off earlier, otherwise you have to wait until 8-8:30 and then find your luggage. Our booklet says we will be in at 7:30 am, is this the time we will actually be getting off? The car rental places don't open until 8, so I'm sure the shuttle won't be there right away. I have a little one so I don't want to sit there long, but I guess I'm trying to find out what time I should book the car for and if we should get off with our luggage right away? Thanks for everything!

[ArthurUSCG]

The time of the ship is approximate. We haven't done the walk off. But the rental car shuttles will be making loops as soon as you can get off the ship.

 

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[Shmoo here]

Hey all! I'm leaving on the Wonder this weekend and using the DCL transportation to get to the ship, but when we get off we are going to rent a car. I've read that if you want to walk off with your luggage you can get off earlier, otherwise you have to wait until 8-8:30 and then find your luggage. Our booklet says we will be in at 7:30 am, is this the time we will actually be getting off? The car rental places don't open until 8, so I'm sure the shuttle won't be there right away. I have a little one so I don't want to sit there long, but I guess I'm trying to find out what time I should book the car for and if we should get off with our luggage right away? Thanks for everything!

 

Typically, the ship is cleared for embarkation around 7:30. This can vary, depending on when the ship actually got into port, and how long the immigration people take to clear the ship.

 

Once the debarking process begins, there are shuttles that run continuously to/from the rental locations. One note, it may be just a few minutes between shuttles or up to 30 minutes.

 

Personally, I'd leave my bags outside the door the last night and have DCL get them off the ship for me. Wrangling a child as well as bags through breakfast and off the ship can be a problem. There will be no one to help you with your bags, if you opt to take them off yourself. And all the bags are in the terminal, ready for pick up when you get off the ship.

[moki'smommy]

Whether you walk off yourself with your bags or put the bags out the night before, you can get off the ship as soon as it is cleared by Customs. There are no groups, waiting, or disembarkation times like there are on other ships.

 

Finding your luggage in the terminal is pretty easy. First, it is in a color/character coded group based on the tags you were given in your cabin. Then the bags are lined up by cabin number. SO, unless another guest has moved your bag while checking the ID, they should be all lined up together.

 

Back to what time to reserve the car--list it for whatever time the place opens. Looks like that is 8:00 for you. Your rental time actually starts when you sign the car out, regardless of the time on the reservation. If you put 8:00 on it, they will be sure the car is there and ready for you right away. If you put 10 on it, they may be counting on someone who is going out on a cruise that day to be returning the car. That person could run late, the car might not have been washed yet, etc. The shuttles will start running as soon as people start appearing from the ship.

 

In my experience, Budget runs 2 shuttles on cruise days provided that both of their drivers are working. This is a huge help!

[lec2017]

Thanks for the replies everyone! We're hoping to get off ASAP so we can head to Disney! I'll book it for 8AM, thanks again!

[lec2017]

Last question, Budget seems to be the most expensive, I'm assuming because it's the closest. Any thoughts on if I should pay the extra $$ because it's closer or are the other rental companies just as good?

[moki'smommy]

Go to rentalcodes.com or a similar site--you should be able to find some good discount codes or coupons. Alternatively, just google "budget coupons. We typically go with the cheapest company, and have had little problem that way. But we do like that Budget is close (not the closest), but even more that they run 2 shuttles.

 

FYI, we typically drop 25-50% with a code. If it requires you to belong to a hotel chain or similar, sign up--those are free! We've never been asked, but I always bring along our membership number just in case.

[dexddd]

I know you are leaving now, but our last experience with Budget and then Avis have been poor. Granted, last time we were at Terminal 1, but the Avis van wasn't making loops. They had two show up about 1.5 hours after the ship cleared and not enough room. Then the rental office had 2 people working with line snaking out the office.

 

Budget the time before on DCL was understaffed as well.