Port Canaveral car rental times

[disneylover89]

We plan on renting a car from Orlando airport and driving to Port Canaveral the day before our cruise . We really wanted to return the car the night before the cruise so the day of the cruise will be easy and stress free but it seems that all the car rental agencies close at 4pm. Does anyone know if that is only for rentals and you are still able to drop off later than 4pm? TIA

[JohninDC]

You can drop off after they close - most of them offer a drop box for keys and paperwork - and then they will email or snail-mail your final receipt. But dropping it off in the morning and riding their shuttle bus to the port is pretty easy to me.

 

Your call. ;)

[disneylover89]

Thank you for your reply.

 

I keep reading that the lines at the rental agencies are insane in the mornings with lines out the door. I was trying to avoid that.

Edited May 24, 2018 by disneylover89

[JohninDC]

We typically rent from Avis and drop in PC (corporate rate) and have never had a long wait - they are usually anxious to get the car back and rent it out again. Shuttle ride to the port takes 10 min or less once they load up and are rolling.

[Mike C]

Thank you for your reply.

 

I keep reading that the lines at the rental agencies are insane in the mornings with lines out the door. I was trying to avoid that.

 

I don't think the lines get long until people start coming off the ships. A couple of years ago, I dropped my car off first thing in the morning, walked back to the hotel and took a taxi to the port.

[megr1125]

Dropping off and shuttling is easy. I actually, by asking ahead, dropped car off the night before and they still drove me to the pier...this was Hertz as I was staying at the Residence Inn..

 

You could also keep it, go to pier, drop off luggage and all people but the driver, then send the driver and car to rental agency...

[teknoge3k]

As someone else mentioned, the drop off closes at 4 but you can leave the car there and put the keys in the drop box. I always rent from National. Being an Emerald Club member, I pick out which car I want and never have to stand in any line. Just go straight out to the lot, grab whichever car I want and go.

 

When we're done, I drop the car off at Cape Canaveral then Uber back to our hotel. Then Uber to the cruise terminal the next morning. Easy peasy :)

[EBFURR]

We have done the car rental thing a few times. We return the car in the morning and sometimes take the shuttle. However, boarding day to me is a little like Christmas morning to a six year old and I am not long on patience :-) The last time or two there were shuttles coming & going but they were dropping off debarking passengers and not taking anyone to the ship. We were told that it was "too early" to take passengers to the terminal but we knew we could go ahead and get in line based on experience so we just called a cab. It was about $12 I think. We got there, went right in, and were among the first to go through check in while other people were still at the car rental agency waiting. We have stayed at hotels that have shuttles many times but we have also found that getting a cab is simple, fairly cheap, and you do not have to fight crowds or search for your luggage when you get to the terminal. Anyway, that is my 2 cents. Consider dropping the car off when you are ready and if the shuttle looks to be available and not crowded, fine. If not, cabs in PC are readily available and not very expensive.

[teknoge3k]

We have done the car rental thing a few times. We return the car in the morning and sometimes take the shuttle. However, boarding day to me is a little like Christmas morning to a six year old and I am not long on patience :-) The last time or two there were shuttles coming & going but they were dropping off debarking passengers and not taking anyone to the ship. We were told that it was "too early" to take passengers to the terminal but we knew we could go ahead and get in line based on experience so we just called a cab. It was about $12 I think. We got there, went right in, and were among the first to go through check in while other people were still at the car rental agency waiting. We have stayed at hotels that have shuttles many times but we have also found that getting a cab is simple, fairly cheap, and you do not have to fight crowds or search for your luggage when you get to the terminal. Anyway, that is my 2 cents. Consider dropping the car off when you are ready and if the shuttle looks to be available and not crowded, fine. If not, cabs in PC are readily available and not very expensive.

 

Don't forget Uber. About half the cost of a cab and much nicer.

 

But yea I like to avoid the shuttles. With a shuttle you're on their time and they're usually packed.