Port Canaveral Taxi Warning (888 Service)

Just got off the Carnival Miracle yesterday. We were in Port Canaveral last Friday and had booked a car through Budget for $33. The ship docked at 7a but the rental companies weren't open until 8. We didn't get off the ship until 10 to 8 so that we could wait for the courtesy shuttle. The first set came and were all filled pretty quickly so we waited for another shuttle.

Two drivers with 888 vans pulled up and told us that they would take us to the rental cars for $15 because there would be no more shuttles coming. :rolleyes: Then another guy came over and said that the rental companies were already out of cars so we would have to use their service if we wanted to get out of the area. :mad: I was livid at this point as the guy was doing an excellent job of scaring the non-English speaking tourists. My husband and I basically were encouraging everyone to wait for their shuttles because these guys were just being shady. A second round of shuttles pulled up five minutes later.

Bottom line, when you arrive in Port Canaveral if you have a rental car reservation just ignore the 888 guys and call your rental company if you have any questions.

Thank you very much for the info! Where are the port authorities? Like the airport, they need to have a permit to be allowed to pick up at the dock

I did not see any port authorities but one of the Budget drivers told me that the 888 taxi service is owned by the same guy that owns the port so they can pretty much do whatever they want. I doubled over laughing after the van driver told me it would be $150 from PC to the Orlando outlets ONE WAY!

I did not see any port authorities but one of the Budget drivers told me that the 888 taxi service is owned by the same guy that owns the port so they can pretty much do whatever they want. I doubled over laughing after the van driver told me it would be $150 from PC to the Orlando outlets ONE WAY!

not the guy that owns the port! The port is 'owned' by the state :p

but allegedly one of the elected port commissioners owns 888 taxi :(

and 888 IS the 'approved' taxi service for the port . . .

daily operations are run by the CEO while the commissioners "make policy"

I would encourage you to send a letter to the port CEO,

J. Stanley "Stan" Payne, Chief Executive Officer

At

Canaveral Port Authority

445 Challenger Road, Suite 301

Cape Canaveral, FL 32920

similar actions by 888 taxi have been reported here before; as have other nefarious actions with regard to the port versus off site parking operations.

Hi,

Yes, there used to be the usual array of cab services at Port Canaveral, but a couple of years ago the guy with the Port Authority connections got a sweetheart deal that locked out everyone else out but the 888 cabs. He pays an exclusivity fee to the Port Authority. A classic "Good Old Boy" setup play in the name of "improving the professionalism of the taxi services for cruise passengers", or something like that.

It caused a bit of controversy at the time, but apparently not enough. I feel for the independents and smaller cab companies. It's a rotten deal for the consumer in my opinion.

Here is one news story from 2011:

http://www.wftv.com/news/news/9-investigates-cab-contract-at-port-canaveral/nDLnJ/

Johncn

Thank you very much for the info! Where are the port authorities? Like the airport, they need to have a permit to be allowed to pick up at the dock

In answer to your statement, NO, Taxi's do not require permits to pick up at the Cruise lines at all. Customers are led to believe this which causes a no competition sinairio and customers are robbed, REGULARLY. Call transportation company's in the area and you'll find they can pick you up if your reserve your fare with them at better prices and better, honest drivers. Good luck on your Cruise and I will be happy to supply Cruise Mates with information on going prices, services that DO HAVE INSURANCE and are legally operating, or any info desired from an Independent Company here in Port Canaveral.....Port Canaveral Taxi, Bill

In answer to your statement, NO, Taxi's do not require permits to pick up at the Cruise lines at all. Customers are led to believe this which causes a no competition sinairio and customers are robbed, REGULARLY....

I'm all for independent taxi operators, and think they were hosed by the Canaveral Port Authority. But, what this poster - who just registered and has no prior posts - says here is total crap. There actually is an exclusive taxi contract with the company and the Port Canaveral Authority as discussed in this thread. View the news articles links that are posted. Do a board search.

Bottom line: The exclusive contract results in higher fares, and locks out independents for pick ups...but not drop offs...at the cruise docks.

I'm not sure what this poster's particular angle is, but passengers are not being robbed at Port Canaveral...at least not literally. ;-)

Johncn

There you have my point. I own Port Canaveral Taxi. I can pick up pre arranged customers at the Cruise Lines when ever they call. I must show the Cruise Ship they are on, their name and number if available. 888 has a contract with the Port however, completely disallowing competition is against the law in the Sherman act and also in Florida Fare enterprise laws. It is designed to make you believe you must use only 1 service but keep in mind that this is America and free enterprise is what makes it work and protects customers from being robbed, which I quoted Cruise Mate bloggers as reporting. 150.00 from Port Canaveral to MCO, ( Orlando Airport), is double price. I realize it was not gun point but the end cause still reflects being overcharged wrongly. We charge 80.00 for the same run. Yes, I realize you believe what your saying but it is not true. I have a copy of their contract and I will bring this information to your review tomorrow. That you for replying, I appreciate your concern and hope you have a wonderful Cruise!

There you have my point. I own Port Canaveral Taxi. I can pick up pre arranged customers at the Cruise Lines when ever they call. I must show the Cruise Ship they are on, their name and number if available. 888 has a contract with the Port however, completely disallowing competition is against the law in the Sherman act and also in Florida Fare enterprise laws. It is designed to make you believe you must use only 1 service but keep in mind that this is America and free enterprise is what makes it work and protects customers from being robbed

Hi,

Well, I guess I didn't know that, and although the perception is widely held that independents such as yourself can't pick up passengers, I guess the key is "pre-arranged" passenger pick ups are OK. Huh. I thought you were implying actual robberies, not figurative ones. ;-) Well, I learn something new everyday.

I always use independent cabs, and live in Cape Canaveral. I have friends who have made their livings as drivers, and I won't use 888 because I think the sweetheart deal they have should be (but is not) illegal.

Thanks for your post. Please feel free to tell us more, and good luck to you.

Johncn

All commercial vehicles taxi's, shuttles, limos etc. must have

a Port Canaveral permit sticker on the window of the vehicle

to pick up passengers at the cruise terminals.

AAA or 888 has the contract to sit at the terminals.

Other cabs can not unless they have a pre-arranged pickup.

Who is going to pre-arrange a taxi lets say from New York City????

Most passengers pre-arrange transportation through reputable

companies like Cocoa Beach Shuttle, Travelynx or Executive

vip limo.

I would like to talk to you about transportation. email suespony1966@gmail.com to william porter

All commercial vehicles taxi's, shuttles, limos etc. must have

a Port Canaveral permit sticker on the window of the vehicle

to pick up passengers at the cruise terminals.

 

AAA or 888 has the contract to sit at the terminals.

 

Other cabs can not unless they have a pre-arranged pickup.

 

Who is going to pre-arrange a taxi lets say from New York City????

 

Most passengers pre-arrange transportation through reputable

companies like Cocoa Beach Shuttle, Travelynx or Executive

vip limo.

Yes, you are correct. The permit in which we are speaking of is an inspection sticker. The independent Taxi services here are reputable, keep in mind that at one time Independents were the only services operating at the Port with only one minimal complaint in many, many years. After the independent services were there for the hard times and built a reputable Cruise Lines transportation system that, as I said worked very well, we were given the shaft for our investment of time, labor, vehicles etc when the Port sold to a single transportation system. You wouldn't of heard of a Taxi system buying exclusive contracts then, they came after we built it.

I would like to talk to you about transportation. email suespony1966@gmail.com to william porter

Hello, I sent you an email to the listed one on your message, I will be happy to give you the prices of this area, quotes, or general information you need. Thank you, William Porter

All commercial vehicles taxi's, ...AAA or 888 has the contract to sit at the terminals....Other cabs can not unless they have a pre-arranged pickup. Who is going to pre-arrange a taxi lets say from New York City????

 

Most passengers pre-arrange transportation through reputable

companies like Cocoa Beach Shuttle, Travelynx or Executive

vip limo.

I'm not sure what makes those companies "reputable" as compared to independent taxi drivers. Certainly they are bigger. That is not always better.

You know, when I go on a cruise, I use the CruiseCritic forums to research the ports in Curacao, Aruba, Belize, Mexico, etc....and there are usually some reliable independents that are popular, have a history of good service with cruisers, and who do either transport, or combos with tours or activities. I read other cruiser's reports on their experiences, and go from that.

In other words, forums like this are usually HOW I find the transportation my family and I use. I guess, then, arranging transport ahead of time is only unusual for domestic destinations for me....lol. I usually have a wide range of independent companies to deal with or rent a car in the US, and so generally don't have to research as hard.

If the Port Authority is going to lock out the indpendents - as they have tried to here - maybe it is a good workaround to develop some informal "reputation ratings" of the locals who do this kind of work. So long as the cabbies are licensed, and have a HISTORY of success with cruisers, I'd be happy to arrange ahead of time....just like 9 out of 10 ports of call I visit in the Caribbean and Mexico. ;-)

Anyone who ends up using WilliamPorter, for instance, could post their experiences for starters....

Just a thought.

Regards,

Johncn

This is a FABULOUS idea and what it is all about from the beginning. My Taxi service is Port Canaveral Taxi. My webpage is AAAPorterPointsTaxi.com. There are other Company's I recommend, AA 5th Ave has an excellent line of service that also provides Town cars and the customer comes first. A1-21 is owned by one of the oldest Taxi owners here, Izzy is a great guy and provides excellent service. Cheap Taxi is another that I recommend, the name does not describe the vehicles. Ray is a good man, insured, licensed and secure. There will be Taxi company's here that are not truly company's as there are in any area, "Gypsy Cabs" is their known notorious name. They run for less because they pay out less, no insurance, no actual license etc. Shop around and find the service you like. Being competitive can't hurt a thing because it appears your being overcharged with the present set up. Using this sight as a reference is a very good idea by keeping a closer association with Cruise mates and the services they use.

I will be taking my first cruise soon. The boyfriend and I are driving from Michigan and are trying to figure out the best place to park. We might get a hotel room before the cruise as it's a long drive but we aren't sure of that yet. I know some hotels offer free parking and shuttle service and parking at the port is $90 for our cruise length, which seems high. Any tips?

I really can't help you much on that one. They have parking at the port and like you said, Hotels or Motels here in Brevard. Possibly the Econolodge on US 1 by 528. They have a very large parking area and would probably work with you cheaply. Just a guess though...

I will be taking my first cruise soon. The boyfriend and I are driving from Michigan and are trying to figure out the best place to park. We might get a hotel room before the cruise as it's a long drive but we aren't sure of that yet. I know some hotels offer free parking and shuttle service and parking at the port is $90 for our cruise length, which seems high. Any tips?

I just used cruiseparkingat portcanaveral, it was right off exit 46 off the beach line (528)and it was 3.99 per night, and a free shuttle to and from port. The ride to the port was 10-15 minutes. Your car is parked in a fenced in area. You book on line and they give you a confirmation #.

It got great reviews on cruise critic and I would use them again.

Good luck!

I just used cruiseparkingat portcanaveral, it was right off exit 46 off the beach line (528)and it was 3.99 per night, and a free shuttle to and from port. The ride to the port was 10-15 minutes. Your car is parked in a fenced in area. You book on line and they give you a confirmation #.

 

It got great reviews on cruise critic and I would use them again.

 

Good luck!

Thanks! That's very helpful.

Mr. Porter - what is your fee for 2 adults 1 child from Country Inn & Suites to the port and back after the cruise?

Had an interesting experience after reading about the 888 Taxi Service and the monopoly they have on the terminal. I read the post by Bill Porter and called him directly to pre-arrange a ride from Port Canaveral to a self-booked Kayak trip in Cocoa Beach (incidentally $40.00/per person less expensive than the excursion price).

We had a group of 8 people that needed a ride and although Bill Porter (321-698-2508) could not accommodate us he referred us to Rocky @ Fifth Avenue Transportation (321-412-1684) I arranged with Rocky prior to the trip to meet us at the terminal at 11:00 as the boat arrival time was set for 10:30am. When we left the boat a little early we were immediately hounded by the 888 crew asking where we were going and what we were doing. Rocky called me directly to see if we were running early so we would not be sitting around. We arranged to meet Rocky just outside the fence area near the entrance to Ron Jon and the hotel. As soon as we started walking toward the gate area we were followed and hounded by the "lot guy" for 888 asking what we were doing.

He followed us through the gate area where he continued to watch us. Rocky arrived and picked us up and was immediately hounded by the heavy set "lot guy" that he needed to pay the $3.00 for picking us up from the cruise. (mind you we were completely outside the gate area and on public property) After being hounded by this guys for several minutes, Rocky decided to pay the $3.00 to avoid holding us up any longer. I can't believe this sort of thing goes on in our own country.

Avoid the use of 888 Taxi Service, they are a complete rip-off and will tell you that you need a "round trip" and will lock you in to their over-priced rates.

Let me tell you these guys are top notch, trustworthy and treat you very well. Rocky has some very clean and nice vehicles for hire and you will not be disappointed. They also will not hound you for additional fees or round trips etc... Folks these are the independent business men who are competing against a monopoly. They deserve your business, period.

Great info OP! Thanks for posting this. I'll be contacting Mr. Porter.

copied from the Port Authority web page:

Taxi Service – On Demand Transportation

The Port has one contracted taxi company to provide all on-demand service.

Taxi Company

888 Taxi – Telephone Number is 321-868-8888. There is a high demand for taxi cabs during peak debarkation hours. At times, taxis may not be readily available. Please be patient and prepared to wait as other taxi cabs return to the cruise terminals throughout the debarkation morning rush. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding.

Commercial Entry Lane

All commercial passenger vehicles must enter from the traffic signal at SR 401 and Charles M. Rowland Drive. Signage will be posted to help guide drivers to the correct destination.

Trip Fees Commercial Vehicles will be assessed with every entry to cruise terminals at Port Canaveral. Rates are per vehicle and may be paid with Visa, MasterCard or Prepaid Trip Tickets.

Taxi - Metered Vehicles $ 2.50

Limousine - Up to 9 Passenger $ 3.00

Van - Up to 15 Passenger $ 5.00

Any Vehicle 16 to 28 Passenger $10.00

Any Vehicle 29 to 44 Passenger $12.00

Any Vehicle 45 or more Passenger $15.00

only one company can sit at the terminal and wait for a fare....

if you call an outside they must "provide proof' you called AND pay an extra fee to come in ... any outside dropping you at the terminal must pay a fee to get in

shuttles pay a fee too

I've heard of some companies trying to pass this fee to riders as "per person" ....

agree with me about what?

these are the facts

want to argue, contact the port authority . . .

{p.s. I hear UBER is active here . . . sounds right up your line}

Yes, you are correct. The permit in which we are speaking of is an inspection sticker. The independent Taxi services here are reputable, keep in mind that at one time Independents were the only services operating at the Port with only one minimal complaint in many, many years. After the independent services were there for the hard times and built a reputable Cruise Lines transportation system that, as I said worked very well, we were given the shaft for our investment of time, labor, vehicles etc when the Port sold to a single transportation system. You wouldn't of heard of a Taxi system buying exclusive contracts then, they came after we built it.

Interesting. What about summoning an Uber ride to/from?