Port Canaveral/ car rental question

My family of 4 are going on celebration vacation/cruise in May 2018 out of Orlando. We are flying up on Thursday and our cruise on the liberty is Sunday. This is our first cruise and time in Orlando. We plan to go to Disney world for the little one for two days, but stay at a hilton restort. We want to rent a car, but unsure how to do it when our cruise is for 5 days. Anyone have experience with renting a car for a few days then renting it back to get back to the airport. Do car rentals offer a discount since we only need it for an hour when we get back on following Thursday? Also any advice on things to do in Orlando that does not cost as much as Disney and will keep the little one entertain. Any advice for the cruise and excursion is welcome as well, as we are going to Nassau and Princess Cay.

Thanks!:)

Rent the car before your cruise, turn it in the day of cruise in Cocoa Beach (there are several close to port), take the free rental car shuttle to port.

Arrange for a shuttle for when you return from cruise from port to airport. There are numerous reasonable priced shuttles from Port Canaveral to MCO.

We rented a car at the Orlando airport and returned it at the port. When you return in at the port, they have a shuttle that will take you to the boat. When we returned from our trip, we booked a shuttle through Go Port Canaveral to take us back to the airport.

When we were there last May, we rented from Hertz at the airport, returned it right at Cocoa Beach and took the free shuttle back to port. Then after the cruise, I took the same shuttle to pick up another car, and then returned it to the airport. I really liked that there were none of those one way drop off charges!

Rent the car before your cruise, turn it in the day of cruise in Cocoa Beach (there are several close to port), take the free rental car shuttle to port.

 

Arrange for a shuttle for when you return from cruise from port to airport. There are numerous reasonable priced shuttles from Port Canaveral to MCO.

I will have to look the other shuttles because carnivals shuttle will cost more than renting a car for the day for the four of us.

We rented a car at the Orlando airport and returned it at the port. When you return in at the port, they have a shuttle that will take you to the boat. When we returned from our trip, we booked a shuttle through Go Port Canaveral to take us back to the airport.

I was looking at them originally to book the sleep snooze cruise package, but it did not work out for us since we will be there 3 days prior and need to get around.

When we were there last May, we rented from Hertz at the airport, returned it right at Cocoa Beach and took the free shuttle back to port. Then after the cruise, I took the same shuttle to pick up another car, and then returned it to the airport. I really liked that there were none of those one way drop off charges!

Did it cost alot just to rent it from the port to the airport. Or did the cost balance out compare to shuttles.

Did it cost alot just to rent it from the port to the airport. Or did the cost balance out compare to shuttles.

We actually had it the 12 days prior as we had done Disney World before the cruise.(was a celebratory sweet 16, 20th anniv, and last family vaca as oldest is going to college trip). But for the day after the cruise where we just drove to the airport for a night flight was only like $50. There are 5 of us, so that was way better than a indiv price shuttle.

Yes, but there are sometimes when convenience just outweighs cost. IMHO, standing around to wait for a rental car shuttle to take you to the rental office, waiting in the line to rent a car, then doing the same thing at the airport to drop off the car is too much to save a few dollars.

A shuttle service (never use a Carnival shuttle) will be waiting when you walk off the ship, take you directly to the airport departure level where you just walk right in.

Too me, that is like taking a flight with 2 stops just to save a few bucks when a non-stop flight is available, especially if I am traveling with my family.

Made a comment but realized already answered

I am probably going to look at other shuttles and compare it to renting a car. Paying $120 (what carnival charges) is not worth it to me for the convenient of a shuttle. If other shuttles are reasonable price, I would not mind taking a shuttle especially for an hour drive.

We've rented a car at MCO (Orlando airport) & kept it for a few days, then returned it to an agency near the port. It worked well for us, very easy. But yes there will be lines to get the car as well as to return the car. There are shuttle companies from Port Canaveral to MCO that cost much less than Carnival's shuttle, sorry, I cannot remember the shuttle company's name. A rental car back to MCO is doable, but waiting in line to get the car might be an issue if you have early flights.

My family of 4 are going on celebration vacation/cruise in May 2018 out of Orlando. We are flying up on Thursday and our cruise on the liberty is Sunday. This is our first cruise and time in Orlando. We plan to go to Disney world for the little one for two days, but stay at a hilton restort. We want to rent a car, but unsure how to do it when our cruise is for 5 days. Anyone have experience with renting a car for a few days then renting it back to get back to the airport. Do car rentals offer a discount since we only need it for an hour when we get back on following Thursday? Also any advice on things to do in Orlando that does not cost as much as Disney and will keep the little one entertain. Any advice for the cruise and excursion is welcome as well, as we are going to Nassau and Princess Cay.

 

Thanks!:)

Try Priceline. We have used the name your price option few times while in Florida. We got great deals with them.

I am probably going to look at other shuttles and compare it to renting a car. Paying $120 (what carnival charges) is not worth it to me for the convenient of a shuttle. If other shuttles are reasonable price, I would not mind taking a shuttle especially for an hour drive.

We used CorTran shuttle - $20/pp - highly recommmend. A great family owned and run business.

Try Priceline. We have used the name your price option few times while in Florida. We got great deals with them.

I never consider them. Thanks!

We used CorTran shuttle - $20/pp - highly recommmend. A great family owned and run business.

I see they have high reviews on trip advisor too. Thanks!

We rented a car at the Orlando airport and returned it at the port. When you return in at the port, they have a shuttle that will take you to the boat. When we returned from our trip, we booked a shuttle through Go Port Canaveral to take us back to the airport.

I agree this is the best way ..