FLL - Rental Car Return / Luggage Drop off at Port / Order ?

Hi

Sorry for the convoluted title, but I wasn’t sure what to call it

We are renting a car to drive to Fort Lauderdale for our cruise.

We will return the car to Ft Lauderdale Airport

The morning of the cruise, does it make sense to drive to the pier, drop the luggage, then drive to the airport to drop off the rental car, then take a cab to the pier with just our carry on bags and check in?

OR

Does that take too much time and should we just drive to the airport to return the rental car with all our luggage, then just cab to the pier to check in? We both overpack so expect to have at least 3 large suitcases and 2 smaller rolling carry on bags.

Let me know what you think makes the most sense

Thank you

Noreen

Why not, as discussed here many times, drop your car off at one of the near port (off airport) sites? You will likely save a good chunk of money (it was a 25% reduction for us last year) and there will be a free shuttle to the port.

Drop your car rental off at an off site location then take their comp shuttle to the port. You can also taxi or Uber this would be the easiest option for you as there is absolutely no need to go to FLL. I would keep my luggage with me regardless of how I choose to get to the port.

FYI...You might want to also consider pricing your rental with Costco if you're a member.

Best of luck and enjoy your cruise.

Why not, as discussed here many times, drop your car off at one of the near port (off airport) sites? You will likely save a good chunk of money (it was a 25% reduction for us last year) and there will be a free shuttle to the port.

Hi

We have to return the car to the airport. We aren’t keeping it and will fly home after the cruise.

Just trying to figure the ligistics of what order to drop off car vs luggage

Sorry I wan’t clear in my initial question

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Drop your car rental off at an off site location then take their comp shuttle to the port. You can also taxi or Uber this would be the easiest option for you as there is absolutely no need to go to FLL. I would keep my luggage with me regardless of how I choose to get to the port.

 

FYI...You might want to also consider pricing your rental with Costco if you're a member.

 

Best of luck and enjoy your cruise.

Hi

We will be returning the car to the airport. We won’t have it after the cruise as we are flying home.

We did a one way car rental.

I guess my initial question was not clear.

Just trying to figure out logistics of dropping off car vs luggage first

Thank you

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Hi

We will be returning the car to the airport. We won’t have it after the cruise as we are flying home.

 

We did a one way car rental.

 

I guess my initial question was not clear.

 

Just trying to figure out logistics of dropping off car vs luggage first

 

Thank you

 

 

 

 

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Sorry I'm still a bit confused....I'm assuming (from your post) you'll only have the car before your cruise ?

Sorry I'm still a bit confused....I'm assuming (from your post) you'll only have the car before your cruise ?

Yes exactly.

We are renting the car and driving it to Florida, dropping it off at the airport and then going on the cruise

At the end of the cruise we will fly back home.

So it’s the logistics of embarkation morning.

We can drive to the pier to drop our big bags with the porters, then drive to the airport to return the car, then back to the pier by cab for us to get on the ship

Or we can stop at the airport first to drop the car, then take us and our bags by cab to the pier to board.

Thank you and sorry for the confusion

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Sorry I'm still a bit confused....I'm assuming (from your post) you'll only have the car before your cruise ?

We drove from our hotel to the port to drop off our luggage once. From there, we returned the car to the airport rental agency and then took a cab back to the port.

I thought I read recently that there are no free shuttles anymore from car rental agencies at FLL back to the cruise port.

Also, the day we drove into the port there were only a couple ships in port, so no long lines to get into the port.

I don’t think we would have bothered if there had been lots of ships, as that would have meant worse traffic to get in there.

Yes exactly.

 

We are renting the car and driving it to Florida, dropping it off at the airport and then going on the cruise

 

At the end of the cruise we will fly back home.

 

So it’s the logistics of embarkation morning.

We can drive to the pier to drop our big bags with the porters, then drive to the airport to return the car, then back to the pier by cab for us to get on the ship

 

Or we can stop at the airport first to drop the car, then take us and our bags by cab to the pier to board.

 

Thank you and sorry for the confusion

 

 

 

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So you're doing a one way rental from NJ to Fort Lauderdale...still confused "why" you have opted to return the car to FLL and not to an off site location near the port?

Those that have not encountered long lines to get into/out of Port Everglades are very lucky.

I still think you would be better off to return your rental and then go to the port. But at this point I hope whatever you decide will work out for you.

We drove from our hotel to the port to drop off our luggage once. From there, we returned the car to the airport rental agency and then took a cab back to the port.

I thought I read recently that there are no free shuttles anymore from car rental agencies at FLL back to the cruise port.

Also, the day we drove into the port there were only a couple ships in port, so no long lines to get into the port.

I don’t think we would have bothered if there had been lots of ships, as that would have meant worse traffic to get in there.

No there are no rental companies that provide shuttles from FLL to the port any longer (the comp shuttles are from off site locations).

You were very lucky there wasn't much traffic in/out of Port Everglades...that isn't always the case as you know.

I was just not understanding why the OP "had" to return the car to FLL...that's the question here. Many of us will avoid that hassle if possible and why we use an off site location for our returns pre-cruise.

We drove from our hotel to the port to drop off our luggage once. From there, we returned the car to the airport rental agency and then took a cab back to the port.

I thought I read recently that there are no free shuttles anymore from car rental agencies at FLL back to the cruise port.

Also, the day we drove into the port there were only a couple ships in port, so no long lines to get into the port.

I don’t think we would have bothered if there had been lots of ships, as that would have meant worse traffic to get in there.

Good point about the number of ships - I don’t want to spend a long time just to get in to drop luggage then have to wait again in the cab to get back.

Thank you

So you're doing a one way rental from NJ to Fort Lauderdale...still confused "why" you have opted to return the car to FLL and not to an off site location near the port?

 

Those that have not encountered long lines to get into/out of Port Everglades are very lucky.

 

I still think you would be better off to return your rental and then go to the port. But at this point I hope whatever you decide will work out for you.

HI

When I was on the car rental website, not being familiar with FLL, I figured it’s easiest to drop off at the airport. I know the airport isn’t too far from the port.

I’m starting to lean that way too - just drop the car, then cab to the port with our luggage rather than the 2 trips to the port.

Thank you

HI

 

When I was on the car rental website, not being familiar with FLL, I figured it’s easiest to drop off at the airport. I know the airport isn’t too far from the port.

 

I’m starting to lean that way too - just drop the car, then cab to the port with our luggage rather than the 2 trips to the port.

 

Thank you

Not sure what rental company you're using but returning it to FLL actually isn't the easiest with traffic in/out of that busy airport...

Yes it's close to the port but more than likely you may have an option of a return rental office location (and you're pricing should be no different) that will be even closer.

Sorry just trying to help you out a bit to make the return easier and get you to the port ;)

Either cancel your booking and re-book, or change the drop off location. It shouldn't be a problem...we did it with our Hertz booking that we saved 25% by dropping near the port.

Has nothing to do with you not needing the car after your cruise.

Hi

Ok I am checking other drop off options

I found pier 66 hotel and marina.

Prices are higher and I don’t see the size we originally booked (large SUV like Chevy Tahoe)

I think maybe because we are only a few weeks away prices are higher.

If that drop off sounds right let me know and I will keep checking

We are picking up locally rather than pickup at the airport at home. We are using Avis since they had a local pickup.

Thank you.

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Hi

 

Ok I am checking other drop off options

 

I found pier 66 hotel and marina.

 

Prices are higher and I don’t see the size we originally booked (large SUV like Chevy Tahoe)

 

I think maybe because we are only a few weeks away prices are higher.

 

If that drop off sounds right let me know and I will keep checking

 

We are picking up locally rather than pickup at the airport at home. We are using Avis since they had a local pickup.

 

Thank you.

 

 

 

 

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That drop off location is good...call the customer service number you have for Avis and ask about using that drop off location instead of FLL.

Hi

 

Sorry for the convoluted title, but I wasn’t sure what to call it

 

We are renting a car to drive to Fort Lauderdale for our cruise.

 

We will return the car to Ft Lauderdale Airport

 

The morning of the cruise, does it make sense to drive to the pier, drop the luggage, then drive to the airport to drop off the rental car, then take a cab to the pier with just our carry on bags and check in?

 

OR

 

Does that take too much time and should we just drive to the airport to return the rental car with all our luggage, then just cab to the pier to check in? We both overpack so expect to have at least 3 large suitcases and 2 smaller rolling carry on bags.

 

Let me know what you think makes the most sense

 

Thank you

Noreen

Noreen, I have not read all the responses.

Why not simply drop the car off at the airport.

Then use Uber to get an SUV to drop you off at the port.

Seems very easy to me.

Keith

Noreen, I have not read all the responses.

 

 

 

Why not simply drop the car off at the airport.

 

 

 

Then use Uber to get an SUV to drop you off at the port.

 

 

 

Seems very easy to me.

 

 

 

Keith

Hi

That’s what we will probably do.

I was trying to figure out if it made sense to drop the luggage first.

There were some suggestions for dropping the car at a return place closer to the port but online that was extra to do so

Thank you

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Hi there,

We are going to be doing the same thing in May and are considering the same issues. Dropping a rental at FLL isn't bad and is so convenient based on previous experience. We will probably taxi to the port so we don't have to wait for or meet an Uber. Taxis are always plentiful and the cost is similar. We are planning one trip to the port so only one opportunity for sitting in traffic. Should make the rest of our morning more relaxing, as it should be.

Thanks for those that actually answered the OP's question rather then trying to solve a problem that didn't exist (changing drop off location)! :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

At Port Everglades I dropped luggage, wife and kids off then returned car on my own and came back. They checked into the cruise first and I met up with them later.

Mind you, this was on Royal and I don’t know if other cruise lines will allow that.