Which car rental companies in FLL?

[Bruin Steve]

Looks like we'll rent a car post-cruise for the day...since our flight home isn't until 6:55 pm...

 

So, if we want to pick up near the pier...and drop off at FLL airport...which rental car companies are preferable? Walkable from the ship? Free shuttle from the ship?

 

Thanks...

Edited December 18, 2013 by Bruin Steve

[bilyclub]

National/Alamo only one with free shuttle to/from FLL. The others are all out of offices not at FLL, but close to PE, with most of them having shuttles.

[Florissouri]

Budget has a location outside the Eisenhower/17th Street port entrance across the parking lot from the Renaissance Hotel. Walking would be a bad idea, but they have a shuttle as does Dollar and Thrifty.

 

[Ashland]

Thrifty is the closest one just outside the PE gate and they do have a shuttle (you can but I wouldn't walk)...We opt to use that location (pickup & or return) to avoid those FLL airport fees ($$)...Then a taxi from there to FLL is only approx $12.00...This is quick and easy to do.

[Bruin Steve]

Budget's rates came out way high...like $79 and up...

Thrifty looks like a bargain...I made a reservation for a Ford Focus or similar, pick up at Port Everglades, return at FLL...for only $29...with fees and taxes, it comes to $38 and change...

 

Not bad...we'll be able to use it to hold our luggage while we kill time until our 6:55 pm flight home...

Now we just have to figure out what to do to kill about eight hours in the Fort Lauderdale area...

Edited December 18, 2013 by Bruin Steve

[Ashland]

Budget's rates came out way high...like $79 and up...

Thrifty looks like a bargain...I made a reservation for a Ford Focus or similar, pick up at Port Everglades, return at FLL...for only $29...with fees and taxes, it comes to $38 and change...

 

Not bad...we'll be able to use it to hold our luggage while we kill time until our 6:55 pm flight home...

Now we just have to figure out what to do to kill about eight hours in the Fort Lauderdale area...

We recently rented a Ford Focus (a red hatchback type) from Thrifty at that location..for just under $100.00 for our 3 days pre-cruise..plenty of room for our luggage...

 

We've rented from them before and have always gotten the best rates...However picking up at FLL and returning to PE...that's where we've encountered the FLL airport fees...that we avoid by just using the PE location.

 

Sounds like you did well...Enjoy Fort Lauderdale...we always do.

Edited December 18, 2013 by Ashland

[MADflyer]

If you are disembarking from Oasis or Allure, the good thing about booking Alamo/ National is that they are the only rental company that have a fixed spot and they almost always have a large bus waiting that you can board immediately and then it leaves when it fills up and is replaced by another bus.

 

The waiting area is not covered and many of those booked with other companies were attempting to board our bus in September as some of them had been waiting over an hour in line with their bags.

 

The thing is that most companies have to pull up to the side and then come over to this line and collect 'their' passengers and then move to their vans.

 

While I have returned to Budget on several occasions and like the location, when picking up I much preferred Alamo.

 

I have not used Thrifty but that location would seem fine, although I have never noticed their vans as pictured circulating, but am glad if they are doing anything to relieve the lines I observed in September.

[Bruin Steve]

If you are disembarking from Oasis or Allure, the good thing about booking Alamo/ National is that they are the only rental company that have a fixed spot and they almost always have a large bus waiting that you can board immediately and then it leaves when it fills up and is replaced by another bus.

 

The waiting area is not covered and many of those booked with other companies were attempting to board our bus in September as some of them had been waiting over an hour in line with their bags.

 

The thing is that most companies have to pull up to the side and then come over to this line and collect 'their' passengers and then move to their vans.

 

While I have returned to Budget on several occasions and like the location, when picking up I much preferred Alamo.

 

I have not used Thrifty but that location would seem fine, although I have never noticed their vans as pictured circulating, but am glad if they are doing anything to relieve the lines I observed in September.

 

The Alamo/National websites don't show a location at the port...just the airport. Do they shuttle you to the airport location to pick up the car? With Alamo, it looks like I'd save about $6...with a compact or economy vehicle for about $33...but would a ride to the airport and dealing with the airport location counters be more of a hassle?

[MADflyer]

The Alamo/National websites don't show a location at the port...just the airport. Do they shuttle you to the airport location to pick up the car? With Alamo, it looks like I'd save about $6...with a compact or economy vehicle for about $33...but would a ride to the airport and dealing with the airport location counters be more of a hassle?

 

Yes. Alamo and National are the only ones with shuttle service to the airport. A copy of booked contract with one of them (I had in Ipad) is required to board the bus.

 

Hertz has small van to Crown Plaza hotel. Budget has large van to shopping center on 17th next to Renaissance Hotel and Avis has large van to the Hyatt Pier 66 hotel.

 

I had just personally never noticed this Thrifty location, but it looks like it is right at the 24th Street entrance and would work fine as well.

[Twickenham]

We used the Thrifty location the other way - returning then shuttling to our cruise ship. It was a madhouse in that everyone was returning their cars at the same time, but I was mighty impressed by how the employees handled the situation and processed us as fast as humanly possible. A bit of a wait for the shuttle, but as the traffic in/out of the port was insane as well, not really their fault.

Steve, be sure to sign up for their Blue Chip program. It really does speed up the rental process.

[capriccio]

Now we just have to figure out what to do to kill about eight hours in the Fort Lauderdale area...

 

Lots of suggestions on the Fort Lauderdale tourism web site: http://www.sunny.org.

Edited December 18, 2013 by capriccio

[jaybur]

We are renting pre-cruise from Alamo for a couple of days, picking up and returning at the FLL airport. I was expecting to have to grab a cab to get to the port. Is there an Alamo shuttle FROM the airport to the cruiseport?

[MADflyer]

We are renting pre-cruise from Alamo for a couple of days, picking up and returning at the FLL airport. I was expecting to have to grab a cab to get to the port. Is there an Alamo shuttle FROM the airport to the cruiseport?

 

Yes. Have your printed receipt from Alamo or National to board the bus. The transit drop-off and pick-up are at same location, so you just need to wait for the driver to assist all passengers off prior to boarding.

[jaybur]

Thanks, MADflyer. Good to know...