Morning of cruise question

[surran12]

The night before the cruise we will be staying at the residence inn near the port with my family of 4 and my in-laws. Also if it helps to know my mother in-law is fairly disabled, she can sort of shuffle around the house and kind of do stairs with help, but mostly travels in a wheelchair. My FIL will have his car there and will be keeping it at the hotel as part of their cruise and stay package. We also have 4 shuttle passes from the hotel to get to the port, as well as I will have a car rental from Alamo.

The morning of the cruise I was thinking we will run 4 or 5 people to the port in the car and then take the hotel shuttle back to the port for myself and catch up to them. If I do it this way I will turn the car back into Alamo the night before. I was wondering how others might play this scenario out? Should I keep the car and use the Alamo shuttle? Should we all just take hotel and car rental shuttle? Thanks for any advice you can give. I'm just trying to finalize this last logistical piece for our trip.

[moki'smommy]

What I would probably do...I trust family of 4 includes at least 2 adults (driver + one other). To move luggage as little as possible....Load up passengers in cars with the luggage. Take passengers to the terminal and the porters there will take the luggage. If MIL doesn't have her own wheelchair (I'm guessing she does, but...) they will get her a terminal loaner.

 

FIL goes back to hotel and takes hotel shuttle back to the terminal. Driver of Alamo car takes Alamo car back and rides their shuttle back to terminal. Everyone meets up in terminal.

 

IMHO, this provides easiest situation for luggage handling and not shuffling MIL more than necessary provided that the kids are old enough to walk on their own and the able bodied adult can handle kids + MIL She won't have to deal with luggage as porter will have taken it before driver departs. Let the driver deal with the carry on bag(s) as she will have enough to do with MIL in chair and 2 kids. They can all do security and either get in line for check in or just wait for you guys to get back. It makes life a little simpler because there is only one meet up point.

 

You will definitely find it easier in the morning to do the main transfer in the rental car and then return car rather than dealing with hotel shuttle for loading luggage, doing head counts, etc. Save shuttle passes for the way home after cruise.

[jeffmarshall911]

I agree with above, good logistical moves there.

 

One note, day of cruise rental returns can be hectic. I'm corporate so I pull in and walk away from the rental direct to the bus (no waiting for car check in). If FIL wants to meet you at Alamo on the way back to the hotel then you avoid the whole potential bus fiasco there and no one is solo in transition.

 

/Jeff

[moki'smommy]

I agree with above, good logistical moves there.

 

One note, day of cruise rental returns can be hectic. I'm corporate so I pull in and walk away from the rental direct to the bus (no waiting for car check in). If FIL wants to meet you at Alamo on the way back to the hotel then you avoid the whole potential bus fiasco there and no one is solo in transition.

 

/Jeff

 

Jeff, that's a good point. It would put 2 on the hotel shuttle, but if they have 4 passes....no big deal. We've never had an issue with car return--that goes very quickly. Now car pick up after a cruise can be another animal altogether.

[surran12]

I greatly appreciate the information and advice and am planning to do it as you both suggest. Thank you very much.