Tampa Rental Car

[guntheros]

Where is the best car rental for drop off and pick up of a car pre and post cruise?  Pros and cons to airport locations, locations in the hotels less than a mile from the cruise port or the locations located on Gandy Blvd? We will be flying into Punta Gorda, FL and driving up to Tampa.  I was going to drop it off at the airport and then uber to the cruise port, but then noticed there are a few rental agencies less than a mile from the cruise port.  Then I read the reviews and they weren't good, mostly complaining that drop off/pick up was miserable.  I imagine they get swamped prior to and immediately after a cruise and the wait time gets long.  Am I better to pick up/return a car from locations located on Gandy or Kennedy or at the airport instead?

I'm looking for the best in terms of ease of dropping off/picking up.  If they have a shuttle to the port, that's a bonus, but I'm also fine with getting an uber or taxi.

 

Thanks in advance!

[camorelli]

I'm wondering about this same thing.  :)  Trying to see about renting from TPA airport and returning to one of the "cruise port car rental places" about a mile from cruise port. 

[JohninDC]

TPA airport location is easy and about a $15-17+ Uber or Lyft to the port. The ride takes about $15 minutes

 

Avis and Hertz have smaller hotel offices very close to the port. Enterprise is a bit farther away.