Rental Car from FLL

[khewston]

We are thinking of picking up a rental car from FLL and returning car to FLL the morning of the cruise, than taking a taxi to port. Do you think we'll have a long wait when returning the car the morning of the cruise? I don't want to spend an hour returning it. Any advice on which car agency is best to deal with? Thanks

[Lido_Deck]

We are thinking of picking up a rental car from FLL and returning car to FLL the morning of the cruise, than taking a taxi to port. Do you think we'll have a long wait when returning the car the morning of the cruise? I don't want to spend an hour returning it. Any advice on which car agency is best to deal with? Thanks

 

You don't need to return it to FLL, return it to one of the locations surrounding Port Everglades and they will shuttle you to the port. What rental car company do you prefer?

[khewston]

You don't need to return it to FLL, return it to one of the locations surrounding Port Everglades and they will shuttle you to the port. What rental car company do you prefer?

We haven't rented a car in many years. We are thinking about staying at the Residence Inn Fort Lauderdale Airport/Cruise Port, which is not far from FLL, so I'd be just as easy to return there. We would rent the car to give us a little freedom and go a few places. However, if not renting a car we will stay at the Hyatt Place near 17th. I heard good reviews about the Residence Inn but if you have other suggestions we are pretty open.

[CruiserBruce]

There are many, many threads here about rental cars and near port locations. We just recently rented a Hertz car in Orlando, spent a few days there, then drove to FLL, and returned it to their office just outside the port on 24th. There is a shuttle to/from the port. Pretty easy, and just a few blocks from your proposed hotel on 17th- we stayed at the Embassy Suites on 17th, dropped our car off, and walked back to the Embassy Suites. Very easy.

[Lido_Deck]

We haven't rented a car in many years. We are thinking about staying at the Residence Inn Fort Lauderdale Airport/Cruise Port, which is not far from FLL, so I'd be just as easy to return there. We would rent the car to give us a little freedom and go a few places. However, if not renting a car we will stay at the Hyatt Place near 17th. I heard good reviews about the Residence Inn but if you have other suggestions we are pretty open.

 

It doesn't matter where you stay as far as which rental car company you rent from. You could stay in Orlando if you wanted then drop it near the port on cruise day. There is no car rental location at the Residence Inn, but that doesn't matter. What rental car company do you prefer and I will tell you where to drop it to catch a shuttle to the port.

[Lido_Deck]

There are many, many threads here about rental cars and near port locations. We just recently rented a Hertz car in Orlando, spent a few days there, then drove to FLL, and returned it to their office just outside the port on 24th. There is a shuttle to/from the port. Pretty easy, and just a few blocks from your proposed hotel on 17th- we stayed at the Embassy Suites on 17th, dropped our car off, and walked back to the Embassy Suites. Very easy.

 

Their first choice is Residence Inn on Griffin Road, so they would just drop the car on cruise day.

[Ashland]

We haven't rented a car in many years. We are thinking about staying at the Residence Inn Fort Lauderdale Airport/Cruise Port, which is not far from FLL, so I'd be just as easy to return there. We would rent the car to give us a little freedom and go a few places. However, if not renting a car we will stay at the Hyatt Place near 17th. I heard good reviews about the Residence Inn but if you have other suggestions we are pretty open.

We just stayed at Hyatt Place (loved it) we rented our car at FLL from Budget (great deal using Costco) and returned the car to the 17th Street location (Quay) the night before our cruise...quick and easy walk back to the Hyatt...this worked well for us.

[khewston]

We just reserved a car through Enterprise. Since we'll be staying very close to the airport, we'll bring it back there the morning of the cruise! Thanks for all the suggestions!

[Lido_Deck]

We just reserved a car through Enterprise. Since we'll be staying very close to the airport, we'll bring it back there the morning of the cruise! Thanks for all the suggestions!

 

No...Return it to their location at the Hilton Marina and they will shuttle you to the port. You're trying to make this difficult for yourself. Pick up the car at the airport when you arrive and drop it at the Hilton Marina the morning of the cruise.

[khewston]

No...Return it to their location at the Hilton Marina and they will shuttle you to the port. You're trying to make this difficult for yourself. Pick up the car at the airport when you arrive and drop it at the Hilton Marina the morning of the cruise.

Thank you! I just told my husband to change it. Does the shuttle take you right to the port or do they have to pick people up at other stops?

[hannibal54]

Just so you know, it normally takes longer to unload your rental car at FLL then it takes to check your car in.

[khewston]

Just so you know, it normally takes longer to unload your rental car at FLL then it takes to check your car in.

So, it doesn't take as long if you drop it off at the Hilton?

[4cats4me]

We rented a car and dropped it off at FLL Took all of two minutes to turn it back in. However, if you have the option of dropping off near 17th, I would go that route instead

 

 

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[c-cruise]

It's really fast and easy to drop off at the rental car center at FLL. The potential for slowdown is more with the taxi line at FLL and getting a ride back to the ship. But, you could be sitting and waiting at the offsite location for the rental car shuttle as well.

 

It's often a bit less expensive to use offsite locations and avoid some of the airport charges and fees on rental cars. But, since you are picking up at FLL you will likely get charged these anyway.

[Ashland]

It's really fast and easy to drop off at the rental car center at FLL. The potential for slowdown is more with the taxi line at FLL and getting a ride back to the ship. But, you could be sitting and waiting at the offsite location for the rental car shuttle as well.

 

It's often a bit less expensive to use offsite locations and avoid some of the airport charges and fees on rental cars. But, since you are picking up at FLL you will likely get charged these anyway.

No...we weren't charged any fees to drop off at offsite location.

[Lido_Deck]

Thank you! I just told my husband to change it. Does the shuttle take you right to the port or do they have to pick people up at other stops?

 

No, they do not pick people up at other stops, but how many stops for drop-off depends on how many ships are in port, how many people show up to return at the same time you do and what ship they are on. Regardless, it doesn't take that long.

Edited April 7, 2017 by Lido_Deck

[Lido_Deck]

It's really fast and easy to drop off at the rental car center at FLL. The potential for slowdown is more with the taxi line at FLL and getting a ride back to the ship. But, you could be sitting and waiting at the offsite location for the rental car shuttle as well.

 

It's often a bit less expensive to use offsite locations and avoid some of the airport charges and fees on rental cars. But, since you are picking up at FLL you will likely get charged these anyway.

 

The slowdown at FLL is driving there winding around and around, getting to the garage, wondering if you are in the right line, then walking to the terminal, down the stairs/escalators/elevator to baggage claim and out the door to get a taxi. Returning to a small location near the port is much simpler.

 

There are no drop charges in the State of Florida with the major car rental companies and you pay the taxes and fees where you pick the car up no matter where you drop it. So, yes, it is much less expensive to pick up a car at a neighborhood rental location, but for a one day rental the difference is usually not worth the extra hassle and expense. If you are renting for a week or two then I would definitely consider going off the airport property to rent.

[davidgv]

We dropped a rental car (Alamo) at FLL - we were going to get a taxi to Port Everglades - but the guy at the Alamo desk told us there was a free shuttle to PE - a few minutes later we were on a comfortable air conditioned bus to the port - just the 2 of us - free except of course for the tip

[Lido_Deck]

We dropped a rental car (Alamo) at FLL - we were going to get a taxi to Port Everglades - but the guy at the Alamo desk told us there was a free shuttle to PE - a few minutes later we were on a comfortable air conditioned bus to the port - just the 2 of us - free except of course for the tip

 

That is outdated information...Alamo opened a new location at 1700 Eller Drive to serve Port Everglades in February and that is where the shuttle comes and goes now. There is no longer a shuttle from or to FLL. Of course you can still pick up at FLL and return to Eller or the reverse.

[HS2BS]

Both dollar and thrifty are the rental return right at the gate to the 24th Sreet port entrance. Rent at FLL and return there, shuttles run continually right to the ship and it works in reverse as well. Quick, easy, no wait and it is as close to the port as you can see the security check point.

 

Hal