Rental Car return at Port Canaveral

[kurdav]

Planning on renting a car in January to get from Orlando to Cocoa Beach for the day before cruise and then returning next day to Port Canaveral.   Give me an idea of your experience with returning a rental car to the Port.  I know Budget has a shuttle service.  Does it drop at the port or some other place?

[SteerageJoe]

Yes,

 

All these car rental companies shown on the map offer shuttle services to the cruise terminals.

 

I prefer to drop the family and luggage at the terminal,  then go back to return the car and hop on the port shuttle. 

Edited September 14, 2022 by SteerageJoe

[Ashland]

40 minutes ago, SteerageJoe said:

Yes,

 

All these car rental companies shown on the map offer shuttle services to the cruise terminals.

 

I prefer to drop the family and luggage at the terminal,  then go back to return the car and hop on the port shuttle. 

This is exactly what we did with the extended family this past April. We rented with Budget and it couldn't have been easier.

[Capt_BJ]

what the office will be like, calm or a mess, depends on 'port load' for the day .... how many ships are in ....

 

Some days PC hosts just one and the rental offices are easy peasy. Some days the port host 5 or 6 or ..... and then WATCH OUT ......

 

the schedule link here https://www.portcanaveral.com/Cruise/Cruise-Lines-Schedules typically shows the schedule for about 6 months and is updated kinda sorta regularly . . . 

[phissy]

On 9/14/2022 at 5:00 AM, Capt_BJ said:

what the office will be like, calm or a mess, depends on 'port load' for the day .... how many ships are in ....

 

Some days PC hosts just one and the rental offices are easy peasy. Some days the port host 5 or 6 or ..... and then WATCH OUT ......

 

the schedule link here https://www.portcanaveral.com/Cruise/Cruise-Lines-Schedules typically shows the schedule for about 6 months and is updated kinda sorta regularly . . . 

Exactly this !
Last fall, BUDGET was a mess. After getting off ship, Two long lines waiting for shuttle bus to rental office. One small shuttle every 20 minutes. Finally get to rental office…..NO Fastbreak at this location. Stand in line with all, even those w/out reservations.  
Cruising out of Port Canaveral this fall.

Renting car at MCO to  hotel,overnight. Next morning to Port rental office.

Enterprise, Not as cheap as Budget but worth it to avoid this office.

[EBFURR]

We have done that multiple times but not in the last couple of years. Our experience has been that it's really easy and definitely worth it. I have had a couple of problems with their shuttles on occasion. They don't seem to be super predictable and dependable. On one occasion I got tired of waiting for their shuttle and just called a cab. These days I would use Uber instead. Uber costs from any of those places to the port is going to be in the $10 or less range so worst case scenario you drop the car and get Uber. 

[Karyllynne]

On 9/14/2022 at 12:41 AM, SteerageJoe said:

Yes,

 

All these car rental companies shown on the map offer shuttle services to the cruise terminals.

 

I prefer to drop the family and luggage at the terminal,  then go back to return the car and hop on the port shuttle. 

You answered my question before I even asked - thanks!  We’re driving a rental to Port Canaveral and I wondered if I could drop luggage off at the terminal before turning the car in.  Shuttle would be much easier without luggage, I think!

[volk904]

We have done this several times.  The car rental companies will take you to the ship but I would drive to the port drop my luggage with the porters and then go turn your car in. This way you only have your carry on to take on the car rental shuttle.   Also remember those car rentals are by the day.  If you go over 24 hours they may charge you for another day.