Car rental return Port of Miami

[emilygrace]

Tried a search....not working for me. Does anyone know what car rental agencies have drop off places at the cruise terminal? We are arriving at the crack of dawn and cannot board until 2 or 3 pm at the earliest (ship does not dock until noon), and since there doesn't seem to be a luggage storage service at the pier someone suggested renting a car for the day. It would make my research so much simpler if anyone could tell me what rental agencies have offices right there.

 

Thanks for your help....as you can see, I've never cruised out of Miami.

[Bequia]

Does anyone know what car rental agencies have drop off places at the cruise terminal?

 

There are no car rental agency drop off places at the cruise terminal. There are no car rental offices at the cruise terminals either.

Avis has a downtown location 5 minutes from the port, Enterprise has a location at the downtown Hyatt and I believe Hertz has a location in one of the downtown hotels as well. All others are 20-25 minutes away at the Miami airport.

[bandman10]

Renting a Car: At this point in time there are no car rental companies with offices at the pier proper. Nearly all will pick up and drop off at the port. Logistically it makes a great deal of sense to use an operator with facilities close to the port to avoid the traffic, crowds and hassle connected with going to the airport for car rentals. The major players, the location of the renting office, and their numbers to call for pick up and/or reservations are: Alamo/Airport/305-633-6076; Avis/Airport/305-341-0936; Budget/Sheraton Biscayne Bay Hotel (0.96 miles from port)/305-871-2722; Dollar/ Airport/866-434-2226; Enterprise/Radisson Hotel Miami Downtown (1.09 miles from port)/305-633-0377; Hertz/Hertz Downtown Miami, 354 SE First St. (1.96 miles from port)/786-425-2515*; National/Airport/305-638-1026; Thrifty/Airport/305-944-5110.

 

*Hertz has regular shuttle service from Port of Miami terminals to their rental office, every half-hour, Wednesday and Friday through Monday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

[LynnA]

Thanks for the information.

[emilygrace]

Well, it looks like we're flying into FLL and renting a car and dropping it in Miami. Budget has the best rates, but doesn't have a downtown location, so I'd have to return the car to MIA and get a shuttle to the pier. I called and asked and they do not have a shuttle to the port. They said for security reasons they cannot do that.

 

I also called Avis (they have the second best rate for a one way) and they do have a downtown location but he said they do not shuttle customers to the cruise terminal. He said it is about an $8 cab ride.

 

Hertz does have a shuttle, but their rates are like $50 more per car for the same amount of time. That's a lot to pay for a shuttle!

[Bequia]

I'd go with Avis. The cab is less of a hassle then the shuttle, money well spent. ;)

[emilygrace]

I think you're right there, Bequia! I'll probably reserve with Avis, but at least you don't have to pay up front to reserve a car, so I can play around with it and keep comparing prices for a few months. This is for a January cruise, so it's high season in Florida then!

 

FYI, Alamo has a downtown office and will shuttle you to the pier, but they don't have any cars available for our date.

[SUNANDSAND]

We have a car reserved for our Oct 1st cruise and will be picking it up at Miami airport and returning to thr south beach location in Miami. We reserved with Thrifty and got a great rate and they also siad they have a shuttle to the pier. I hope that is correct...if not we will be taking a cab to the pier.

[lcds1]

I have a cruise the end of October...Flying into FLL..sailing out of MIA.

When I called Avis..they told me they do shuttle to the port.

Who knows what the "truth" is??????

[tinktink78]

Does anyone know what hotel the Avis drop off is near?

[WrenchHeadCruiser]

Does anyone know what hotel the Avis drop off is near?

The 2 closest the Royalton Apart-Hotel, 131 SE 1st St, Miami, FL 305-374-7451 .10 miles and Courtyard Miami-Downtown, 200 SE 2nd Ave, Miami, FL 305-374-3000 .26 miles

The Hyatt is about .33 miles away (Enterprise is here), Inter-Continental is abot .40 miles and the Holiday Inn is about .54 miles.

 

Hope this helps

 

Happy Cruising

[racegrrl]

I have a cruise the end of October...Flying into FLL..sailing out of MIA.

When I called Avis..they told me they do shuttle to the port.

Who knows what the "truth" is??????

 

I just called Avis & Enterprise - neither have a shuttle to the port. Will keep going down the list.

[tinktink78]

I heard a "rumor" that car rental companies were either no longer allowed to shuttle into the port, or they were no longer going to shuttle into the port due to security reasons. :rolleyes:

 

Either way, when I drop off the rental car downtown I am getting a cab. It is just less hassle! I'd rather pay the $8.00

[Bequia]

Either way, when I drop off the rental car downtown I am getting a cab. It is just less hassle! I'd rather pay the $8.00

 

Your a smart cruiser tt78, your right no hassle, no waiting, no lines.

[emilygrace]

Yes, the guy at Budget told me that for security purposes they are no longer allowed to shuttle people to the port. So I guess for once the rumor is correct. I think we'll be using Avis and drop it off downtown and cab it to the pier.

[CruisesOnMyMind]

What's the difference between a rental company dropping a ticketed person at the port verses a cab? Am I missing something?

[racegrrl]

What's the difference between a rental company dropping a ticketed person at the port verses a cab? Am I missing something?

 

DH & I were wondering the same thing . . . . sounds more like the cab driver's union had a say in this "security protocol." :rolleyes:

[CruisesOnMyMind]

racegrrl you are probably right! Unions do have their pros and cons. Now if the rental companies could work with the cabs to give an extra appealing price all would be forgiven in not allowing the car rental companies access to the piers.

[Mainea]

I copied this fron the Port of Miami web site. Im going on a cruise in January, just booked a flight into West Palm Beach and renting a car to drive to Miami. Booked a car with Dollar who told me that they provide transfers from MIA to the port.

 

 

 

Rental Cars:

Several car rental agencies are permitted to do business at the seaport and provide courtesy shuttle service to their locations off the port. We suggest you contact your preferred company directly for the most up-to-date information.

[WrenchHeadCruiser]

From what I have learned by calling several car rental companies is that they CAN provide shuttle service, but due to the heightened security and the fact that the port security sees the busses as a greater risk than taxis; the port security has caused great delays for the shuttles busses and this has caused many car rental customers to get irritated; and they take their frustrations out on the car rental companies, not the port security... Therefore they have decided (unilaterally it would seem) to discontinue shuttle services to the port of Miami.

[t53864]

Does this happen to the shuttle service provided by Hotel?

 

BTW, which hotel will provide free shuttle service to port?

[WrenchHeadCruiser]

Does this happen to the shuttle service provided by Hotel?

 

BTW, which hotel will provide free shuttle service to port?

 

I would think so... A shuttle bus is a shuttle bus. I would suggest calling any prospective hotels and asking them what their policy is, also ask if it will be changing in the near future. Enterprise told me they had shuttle service when I booked with them but I had failed to ask if they would have it when I would be traveling... They canceled the service just weeks after I booked.

[Bequia]

The car rental agencies are ecstatic to discontinue providing shuttle service to the port. The equipment, labor, insurance, fuel and port fees add up to a big chunk of their bottom line. The hotels will soon follow. It just doesn't make economic sense for them to provide the service anymore either. Tourism is booming in SoFla, hotels are at or near full occupancy. They realize they'll be booked whether or not they provide a shuttle. ;)

[trintrav]

I am told that Alamo will shuttle you from their airport location to the port.

[t53864]

Called Buget (M3M) & Avis (M6I).

 

No shuttle services are provided.