Car rental ? FLL pickup, closest to POM return

[sfzumbalove]

Sailing on the Glory 7/12. We are a group of 10 and need to rent 2 cars at the Fort Lauderdale Airport at about midnight on the 10th, and return them on Saturday before we cruise. The plan is to drop off everyone, and the two drivers will return the cars to the closest car rental company and take a quick cab back to the port.

 

Suggestions for the closest return option that will allow for a picking at FLL in the middle of the night?

 

THANK YOU!

[Corby114]

Hertz, Budget, and Avis have downtown Miami locations that are relatively close to the Port Of Miami. A cab back to the Port Of Miami is very inexpensive. I have read numerous posts on Cruise Critic that states the downtown Hertz location is a disaster because the process returning a rental vehicle to that facility involves getting on a very long line inside of the building and for some unknown reason that is the only rental car facility in the State Of Florida that employees don't use handheld computer scanners when a vehicle is returned. Normally I rent from either Alamo, National, Dollar, or Thifty and return the vehicle at the Rental Car Center which is located directly across from Miami International Airport. I then use their free shuttle service to the Port Of Miami.

[JohninDC]

Your other option is to rent from National, Alamo or Thrifty and return the cars to the MIA airport location -- then all 10 of you and bags ride the FREE shuttle to POM.

[CruznisMagic]

Sailing on the Glory 7/12. We are a group of 10 and need to rent 2 cars at the Fort Lauderdale Airport at about midnight on the 10th, and return them on Saturday before we cruise. The plan is to drop off everyone, and the two drivers will return the cars to the closest car rental company and take a quick cab back to the port.

 

Suggestions for the closest return option that will allow for a picking at FLL in the middle of the night?

 

THANK YOU!

 

I have the same issue, 6 of us will arrive a FLL. If we buy the transfers to POM the cost is about $180 rd trip.

Is this what your saying, rent a car in FLL and drop it off near the port? What about getting back to FLL ? Sorry I'm a little slow :confused:

[sunsetme]

I have the same issue, 6 of us will arrive a FLL. If we buy the transfers to POM the cost is about $180 rd trip.

Is this what your saying, rent a car in FLL and drop it off near the port? What about getting back to FLL ? Sorry I'm a little slow :confused:

 

rent a car fll and return it downtown, then get SAS to take you back to FLL.

[JohninDC]

I have the same issue, 6 of us will arrive a FLL. If we buy the transfers to POM the cost is about $180 rd trip.

Is this what your saying, rent a car in FLL and drop it off near the port? What about getting back to FLL ? Sorry I'm a little slow :confused:

 

Even if you rent a mini-van 6 plus bags will be a squeeze in one vehicle (especially if any in your group pack like my wife!:o). You can drop rental cars off at the MIA airport and ride their free shuttle (National, Alamo & Thrifty) to POM.

This is an option if you are arriving a day early - I would not bother with rental cars if you are flying in the morning of your cruise; book shared shuttles and pray that your flight is not delayed.

 

After your cruise a rental car (Miami to FLL) only make sense for flights departing later in the afternoon (2:30 or so or beyond into the next day); for earlier flights you do not have time for the delays involved with car rental pick-up, drive, gas, drop-off.

 

Good luck!

[Acrusa]

Does anyone know of a car rental agency that will deliver and pick up at our horel in Miami?

[Acrusa]

" Hotel "

[sunsetme]

where in Miami? The downtown locations are walkable from certain hotels.

[JohninDC]

Does anyone know of a car rental agency that will deliver and pick up at our horel in Miami?

 

Most of the airport area hotels offer free shuttle service back to the airport where you can pick up a rental car.

 

As mentioned above, most of the downtown hotels are either walking distance to a car rental agency or a cab will be under $10.

 

Enterprise, more than some of the others, will generally send a car to pick you up or drop you off.

[Bookworm1971]

Hertz, Budget, and Avis have downtown Miami locations that are relatively close to the Port Of Miami. A cab back to the Port Of Miami is very inexpensive. I have read numerous posts on Cruise Critic that states the downtown Hertz location is a disaster because the process returning a rental vehicle to that facility involves getting on a very long line inside of the building and for some unknown reason that is the only rental car facility in the State Of Florida that employees don't use handheld computer scanners when a vehicle is returned. Normally I rent from either Alamo, National, Dollar, or Thifty and return the vehicle at the Rental Car Center which is located directly across from Miami International Airport. I then use their free shuttle service to the Port Of Miami.

 

We used Hertz, picking up at FLL and returning at the location near POM. Dropping it off was quick. So quick that we were barely out of the car with our stuff before one of the guys working in the lot was in it and speeding off to another part of the garage. We waited in a line with the people renting cars for maybe 15-20 minutes before the clerk working the "Hertz Gold" desk called anyone who was returning over. We were back at the pier on their shuttle within 45 - 60 minutes.

 

Picking up in FLL was a bit of an ordeal. There were a number of clerks standing around doing nothing but they insisted we use the automated kiosk and talk to someone over video conferencing. Then we went out to our assigned vehicle and it wouldn't start. Back in to get a new vehicle and this one was FILTHY with alot of minor damage. At this point I just took pictures of the car and we left because I couldn't be bothered to go back in yet again to get a clean car. Gone are the days where the rental car employees did the walk around and had you sign off on any mark the vehicle had before you left the lot. At least with Hertz in FLL.

[FreestyleNovice]

Had great experiences with Sixt Miami downtown. Nothing like above. Smaller branch, less cruisers, best service! ;)

[crewsnews]

Just take two cabs with 5 people in each cab. Cost about $80 per cab, and you won't have to wait in any lines, sign stuff, or make random stops. It's also the fastest way to get from A to B.

[sfzumbalove]

Thank you for the advice. We will rent and return downtown and take SAS back to FFL after the cruise!