Dawn - want to rent a car in Port Canaveral

[mablinki]

Need help! I will be traveling w/ my husband and daughter aboard the Dawn the last week of August and would like to rent a car once I exit the ship.

 

We plan to travel to Universal Orlando and get the tickets ourselves before hand here in NJ. Is this a wise decision or would it be best to spend the money and do the Dawn excursion package.

 

I will probably be able to obtain tickets before we cruise, so it would be just a matter of renting a car. How does it work? Does a shuttle come to pick you up at the pier and then how far is the car lot once you have exited the ship? Any advice would be appreciated. Tks.

[ktpc2005]

I went on the Dawn two years ago and my family rented online from Enterprise. Thecar rental place sent a taxi to pick us up for free and took like a 15 minute drive to their office. We used it to travel in the area and goto the beaches and other attractions. I did see shuttles for some other car rental places that stopped outside the port. You should shop around online to see what available.

[mablinki]

Thanks! I appreciate your help. I want to get all of the planning out of the way before we leave. I'll contact the agencies and see what they have to offer.

[Kell4321]

We used Budget or Dollar, but all the companies are close and provide a shuttle right outside the ship. Very easy!

 

Have fun!

 

Kelly

[jay007]

Need help! I will be traveling w/ my husband and daughter aboard the Dawn the last week of August and would like to rent a car once I exit the ship.

 

We plan to travel to Universal Orlando and get the tickets ourselves before hand here in NJ. Is this a wise decision or would it be best to spend the money and do the Dawn excursion package.

 

I will probably be able to obtain tickets before we cruise, so it would be just a matter of renting a car. How does it work? Does a shuttle come to pick you up at the pier and then how far is the car lot once you have exited the ship? Any advice would be appreciated. Tks.

When we last cruised on the Dawn we Rented from Hertz which was located in Cocoa Beach. At the time they had the best deal going. They had free pickup from the cruise port. They were about 15 minutes away. However, they close down at 3:00/4:00. No problem , it worked out fine since they allow you to just "Drop-Off" the car and key. They provided us with the number of a Cab on call...Which we called from our Cell Phone as we left from SeaWorld. We had a "FULL" day at Seaworld as well as a much less expensive alternative to the ship tour.

 

In Miami, we rented from Alamo ... There is a FREE Cruise Port Pickup that brings you to the Airport Rental Center (20 Minutes away). We were able to once again maximize our day and save some money as well.

 

Since it is 2 years later I will need to verify rates again as well as if the shuttle service still exists.

 

This time we will probably once again go to SeaWorld. In Miami, we have not decided but, we will most definitely be renting a car again.

[Tomct]

Because the car rental rates fluctuate so much, just make the rounds of calls to check rates, and make sure you get information on the shuttle arrangements. I forgot which company we used, Hertz or Alamo, but on the short drive, I noticed at least three of them within a few blocks of each other, about 10 min. away. At the time, we chose the one that stayed open the latest, 6 or 7, and arrived back at their facility as the last shuttle was set to leave. They waited for us, and then two more groups showed up, so they loaded up the van, drove us to the ship, and returned for the others.

 

As noted, they provided a list of taxi's to call, but told us the cab companies know when they close, and are usually there waiting.

 

As for picking up the shuttle from the ship, it could not have been better. We exited the ship, and as most passengers turned left towards the large parking lot to find busses, friends, etc., we made a short walk through a small tunnel to our awaiting shuttle van.

 

We had a great day at Animal Kingdom that day, and as long as you are comfortable with the driving, directions, time concerns, etc. it is certainly the way to go to maximize your time in the Orlando area.

[mablinki]

Many thanks to all of your answers. I think it is definitely the way to go. Now we just have to all agree on which park since there are so many in Orlando, but I thiink it will be Universal. I would assume that they are all in the same proximity.

 

Will let you know how I made out on my return. Looking forward to going out of New York for once. Have always gone out of Florida in the past. Thanks again, all!