Dollar rental car - FLL & Port of Miami

[DvsDave]

I just got back from my cruise and I am going to review my experience with using a one way rental with Dollar rental car.

 

We arrived at FLL and went to the Dollar rental car on site. It took about 10 minutes to sign the paperwork and get the car.

We drove to Miami airport to drop off the car at Dollar rental. Even using our GPS system we could not find the business and had to follow signs. The drop off went very smoothly.

The bus to the Port came in about 20 minutes and the total time from our plane landing at FLL to the Port of Miami was 2 hours and 15 minutes. That worked out great.... but....

 

Coming home, our flight at FLL was at 12:30. We got off the boat at 8:30 and we waited by the area that the rental car buses come by (this was confirmed by the Carnival rep and also a security officer). At 9:15 I called Dollar and was told the bus was on its way. At 9:30 I called back and was told my reservation was cancelled because we were a no show!!

 

Since time was a factor, I saw a taxi-van by the bus stop and asked what his price for 5 people to go to FLL and it was $72 with no wait. This took 40 minutes. There were many taxis outside the port terminal but only a couple were vans.

 

Being fare to Dollar, there was a traffic jam as we left the Port complex, and I am sure that the bus was stuck in that traffic. When we got to FLL it took about and hour and a half to check our luggage and go through security so if you do the rental car thing, I would make sure you have many hours to spare.

 

Though we saved alot of money using Dollar to go to the port, I don't think we will do it again.

 

 

 

Dave

[signman]

As I understand, you were planning to get off your ship in Miami, shuttle to the Dollar rental location at MIA, then immediately drive to FLL and return the car there.

 

Just one question................WHY?

 

Now understand that I always rent a car when my cruise returns to Miami, but I also schedule my flight for 8 PM in the evening from FLL, so I can make use of the car and justify the time and effort to rent.

[DvsDave]

As I understand, you were planning to get off your ship in Miami, shuttle to the Dollar rental location at MIA, then immediately drive to FLL and return the car there.

 

Just one question................WHY?

 

Now understand that I always rent a car when my cruise returns to Miami, but I also schedule my flight for 8 PM in the evening from FLL, so I can make use of the car and justify the time and effort to rent.

 

 

It was $32 (total) to rent a car... for 5 people. Comparing to a Carnival transfer it saved $120 each way.

But its not much of a savings if they don't show up at the port.

[cmmarch]

I just got back from my cruise and I am going to review my experience with using a one way rental with Dollar rental car.

 

We arrived at FLL and went to the Dollar rental car on site. It took about 10 minutes to sign the paperwork and get the car.

We drove to Miami airport to drop off the car at Dollar rental. Even using our GPS system we could not find the business and had to follow signs. The drop off went very smoothly.

The bus to the Port came in about 20 minutes and the total time from our plane landing at FLL to the Port of Miami was 2 hours and 15 minutes. That worked out great.... but....

 

Coming home, our flight at FLL was at 12:30. We got off the boat at 8:30 and we waited by the area that the rental car buses come by (this was confirmed by the Carnival rep and also a security officer). At 9:15 I called Dollar and was told the bus was on its way. At 9:30 I called back and was told my reservation was cancelled because we were a no show!!

 

Since time was a factor, I saw a taxi-van by the bus stop and asked what his price for 5 people to go to FLL and it was $72 with no wait. This took 40 minutes. There were many taxis outside the port terminal but only a couple were vans.

 

Being fare to Dollar, there was a traffic jam as we left the Port complex, and I am sure that the bus was stuck in that traffic. When we got to FLL it took about and hour and a half to check our luggage and go through security so if you do the rental car thing, I would make sure you have many hours to spare.

 

Though we saved alot of money using Dollar to go to the port, I don't think we will do it again.

 

 

 

Dave

 

Thanks for the info. Are the taxi vans readily available? We are also 5 and need to get to FLL for flight at 12:45pm. I was thinking of pre-arranging limo service but if the taxi vans are plentiful maybe I will just do that.......?? Thanks.....hope your cruise was great!

[DvsDave]

Thanks for the info. Are the taxi vans readily available? We are also 5 and need to get to FLL for flight at 12:45pm. I was thinking of pre-arranging limo service but if the taxi vans are plentiful maybe I will just do that.......?? Thanks.....hope your cruise was great!

 

Haven't had a bad cruise yet!

 

The taxis are immediately outside of customs, you can't miss them.

 

 

Dave

[timgwen]

Dave,

 

Did you get a free ride from MIA to the port of miami or did you have to pay for it? When i phoned Dollar, they told me they did not offer free shuttle service.............

[DvsDave]

Dave,

 

Did you get a free ride from MIA to the port of miami or did you have to pay for it? When i phoned Dollar, they told me they did not offer free shuttle service.............

 

 

Yes it was free. Dollar and Thrifty share the shuttle. It was very efficient.

We dropped off the car and the bus was around the corner, less than 50 feet away.

 

But like I said, coming home we did not see the shuttle and had to take a cab to Ft. Lauderdale.

 

Dave

[andy50]

Dave , I have the exact same plans in two weeks. Got a heck of a deal from Dollar.Are the shuttles marked with Dollar on them? How do you think I could avoid what happened to you. Thanks, Andy

[cotomom]

wow, I'm shocked to hear this! We're doing this in a little over a week! They sure as heck better NOT cancel my reservation! :(

[newlyweds2be]

I have a question about drop off, and maybe I just need some re-assurance: I'm looking online, and can save a lot more money if I drop off at the Airport Dollar location (MIA) versus the Port of Miami Dollar location (MIAP01). What I think I'm hearing is that I CAN drop off at the airport location and still get a shuttle to the port---am I right?? I don't HAVE to book the Port of Miami location, correct? Can someone please clarify this for me! Thank you!

[Sailagain]

We flew into FLL on March 15th got a rental car from Dollar and drove to our pre-cruise hotel in Maimi. On Sunday morning we returned the car to Miami Airport and took Dollar's free shuttle to the Miami Cruise Port. On our return, we caght the Dollar shuttle (again free) at the cruise port at about 9:30 and went back to Miami Airport to pick up our rental car and after breakfast and a stop at the beach, headed to FLL for our return flight. There were 4 of us plus many, many peices of luggage and this worked out much cheaper than taxis/vans/limos. Including both rentals we paid about 105.00 total (including tips) for the shuttle driver.

 

We will certainly do it this way again.

[Sailagain]

I used my cell phone to call Dollar from the ship the night before to confirm my reservation and to determine wht time the shuttle starts at the cruise port on Sunday morning.

 

I believe the shuttle is white and is marked both Thrifty and Dollar.

[DvsDave]

Dave , I have the exact same plans in two weeks. Got a heck of a deal from Dollar.Are the shuttles marked with Dollar on them? How do you think I could avoid what happened to you. Thanks, Andy

 

 

Yes they say Dollar and Thrifty on them.

 

I think my problem was I should have taken a later flight and given myself more time to leave.

 

Dave

[DvsDave]

I have a question about drop off, and maybe I just need some re-assurance: I'm looking online, and can save a lot more money if I drop off at the Airport Dollar location (MIA) versus the Port of Miami Dollar location (MIAP01). What I think I'm hearing is that I CAN drop off at the airport location and still get a shuttle to the port---am I right?? I don't HAVE to book the Port of Miami location, correct? Can someone please clarify this for me! Thank you!

 

 

Yes this is correct. The Airport is only a couple of miles away (~4 miles).

 

You drop off the car and the wait for the bus is around the corner of the building. (There is a sign on the wall that says shuttle to Port) (there is another waiting area that has a sign that says shuttle to airport)

[jsnun]

We used Dollar on March 28 - when I made my reservation with them I requested the shuttle to pick us up at 9:00 a.m. which they said was not problem, however we waited 1 hour and 15 minutes for the shuttle! I called them 3 times to ask where the shuttle was and for 75 minutes was told "it just left the building". The Hertz and Alamo shuttle came 3 TIMES while we waited.........needless to say one of them will get my business next cruise!

[newlyweds2be]

Thanks for clearing that up for me!! Just one more question: Am I going to have any trouble with the KISSE discount code? Does anyone know where it came from because I'm getting a heck of a discount with it?!

 

Thanks in advance!

[JoeSmooga]

KISSE is from Good Housekeeping Magazine... you won't have a problem with it.

 

Joe

[seaweed5]

I know this has been asked before, but I can't find the answer. Is there a drop off fee going from Ft. Lauderdale to Miami pre-cruise and Miami to Ft. Lauderdale post-cruise since they are one-way rentals?

 

Thanks!

[jsnun]

I used the Kiss promotion without a problem and I was not charged a drop off fee at the airport.

 

The only thing I had to "pay extra" for was gas because we didn't have time to stop to top of the gas tank - but I can't blame a traffic jam on Dollar!

[seaweed5]

Thank you!

 

I used the Kiss promotion without a problem and I was not charged a drop off fee at the airport.

 

The only thing I had to "pay extra" for was gas because we didn't have time to stop to top of the gas tank - but I can't blame a traffic jam on Dollar!