Orlando/Mariner Trip - What did you/Would you do??

[tbag124]

My cousin is taking his 1st cruise this Sept and is looking for advice. I have heard some pretty good recommendations, but what should I tell him is his best bet?

 

He wants to fly into FL on Wednesday, the cruise leaves on Sunday. He would like to do a day at Disney and a day at Universal. So...this is what I'm thinking...what do you think?

 

He should fly into Orlando, get a rental car at the airport, get a hotel near Disney (he doesnt want to stay inside Disney), drive to where they want to go, and Sunday morning, drive back to the airport and drop off the rental car, and get the RCL shuttle to the port (purchasing transfers in advance)....Do you think that's the best option?

 

I dont think he really wants to drive to the Port since he is very unfamiliar w/the area and I'm not even sure if there is a place to drop the rental car off there. And that way, he can take the RCL transfer right back to Orlando airport the morning the cruise is over.

 

What do you guys think??! Thanks so much for any help and advice!! :)

[signman]

What's the cost of a rental car for the week plus parking at the port, vs. cost of transfers for all. If it's even close, I would drive myself. It's a straight shot out 528 to PC.

[Kishioka]

Tbag:

 

Budget Rent a Car has an office in very close to Port Canaveral. You can rent a car from the Orlando airport, do Disney World, drive 45 minutes to the Budget office near Port Canaveral and drop the car off there. They have free shuttle service to the port. We did this before - a couple of years ago on Disney Wonder and recently in January on the Mariner.

 

That way, you don't have to pay for parking the car for 7 days and it will still be much cheaper than taking the ship's shuttle. The drive to Port Canaveral is very easy not busy at all.

 

On the return, you can also take the Budget shuttle to rent a car back to the airport. You can check the other rental companies to see if they have offices near the port.

 

Hope this helps.

[vtxriders]

It appears that renting from Budget would be 1/2 the cost of transfers but the website doesn't list a location at Port Canaveral -

[Kishioka]

Sorry! The town is actually called Cocoa Beach. The Budget office is a 5 minute drive from the port.

[tinktink78]

We rented from Budget in November and it was the easiest thing we did! And a whole lot cheaper than cruise line transfers!

[ocngypz]

One way RCL transfer from pier to airport is $25.00 per person.. and you should have a flight leaving after 1:30pm.

 

You can do the math and see what is cheaper for the return.

[tbag124]

Thanks so much for the suggestions and info!! Maybe renting the car for the way there and then the $25.00 shuttle back would be the way to go. That way he doesnt have to worry about the rental car that last day.

 

Thanks so much everyone! :)

[Maddle]

The one thing I would suggest you/he consider......when you drop off the car t the Budget location in Cocoa Beach, take a taxi to the pier. There is just one shuttle and frankly it is a slooooowwww process. (Now, if you get there, and the shuttle guy is just standing around, that's different of course, but I can't imagine that would be the case.)

 

Maddle

[suznf]

We used a 3 way transfer service. We were picked up at the airport w/a towne car and stayed at the Hard Rock. If you stay on a Universal Property you will get free fast pass tickets for the Universal theme park. This will keep you from waiting in line, and you can easily see both parks in one day.

 

We saved $100 per night by booking through AAA. Club level will give you free access to breakfast, snacks and soda in the afternoon, wine and cheese and snacks in the evening and sweets before bed. At the end of our stay at the hardrock, the service picked us up and took us to cocoa beach. Our driver stopped at a grocery store for a quick 20 minute stock up session.

 

In Cocoa Beach, cabs were easy to get. From the hotel, we got a limo from checker cab for $10 total cost to take us from the Hilton to the Port.

 

Our town car was waiting for us when we disembarked the Mariner and took us back to the Hyatt at the MCO airport (got the rooms for $70 night at easy click travel dot com).

 

Most of the limo companies offer a 3 way transfer. I believe the cost for all 3 was around $220 including the grocery stop.

 

Would do it again in a heartbeat.

 

You will love the Mariner! Have fun!

[DonnaK]

RCCL just quoted me a cost of $64 per person r/t for the shuttle for my Mariner trip in August. That's considerably more than $25 each way, especially for a group.