Car rental

[amyhobbs]

Has anyone ever rented a car to drive to the cruise port from home? I'm wondering did you return the car before embarking and then get a new car after you debarked or did you keep the car the week and pay for parking? We live in Oklahoma but may drive to NOLA, and needed a big enough vehicle for everyone but don't know what our options may be!

 

 

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[Purvis1231]

We have rented a car to drive to Florida and it was cheaper to keep it and park at the port for the drive home. But I would check with the rental car companies but I suspect you will get a better deal from your home on a two-way rental over two one-way rentals.

Have fun!

[DisneyDatknee]

We have done it, but not for a cruise. We drove down last minute in a rental car from Budget to Miami for a surprise family visit as the airfare was high since we were booking within 5 days. It was $50 for a Chevy Malibu and it was a great car. We picked it up at 6 PM the day before we left and dropped it off at 5 PM the next day so we didn't have to pay for an extra day. We flew back home.

 

You can definitely do it, just compare and use discount codes! Minivans/etc will be higher though and extremely high during peak travel days.

[satxdiver]

Most car rental companies charge a surcharge if you rent the car for a one way rental. That surcharge is usually quite hefty. I would guess that it will be cheaper to rent the car and return it to the same place plus pay to park it than to do what the OP is asking. Check out the prices for both alternatives and then make your decision.

[FanofFlorida]

I've rented a car before and after out of Miami from National, and shuttled to and from the cruise port from the rental center

 

I agree to look for discount codes. You can save a ton

 

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[amyhobbs]

Great!! Thanks for the tips!! I'm going to ask my TA also!!

 

 

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[Strophic]

I have never rented a car for this purpose, I think in most cases you would be able to find cruise parking for cheaper than the cost of a car rental.

[swedish weave]

I have never rented a car for this purpose, I think in most cases you would be able to find cruise parking for cheaper than the cost of a car rental.

 

Parking in this area is 16 to 18 dollars per day and a car rental one way is 39 dollars. Parking is more expensive if the cruise is more than two days.

[amyhobbs]

We're definitely going to try to rent a car, just don't know what to do with it while we're cruising! But I am checking around with the TA and rental places, I was really wanting to see if anyone has done it!

 

 

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[Strophic]

Parking in this area is 16 to 18 dollars per day and a car rental one way is 39 dollars. Parking is more expensive if the cruise is more than two days.

 

$39 dollars??

 

I guess I don't get the good rates until I turn 25, I have always thought of car rentals as being in more of the $150 range.

 

We are parking our car in a secure lot for $50 for 7 days, not sure how much things vary outside of Port Canaveral.

[swedish weave]

We're definitely going to try to rent a car, just don't know what to do with it while we're cruising! But I am checking around with the TA and rental places, I was really wanting to see if anyone has done it!

 

 

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Check the one way rates. It may be less expensive to drop the car off and rent another when you return from your cruise.

 

The rates may vary depending on the origin and destination.

[rccampbell]

We did this last year, although not as far of a distance. Flew into West Palm Beach, rented mini-van, drove it to Alamo in Port Everglades, turned the car in, rode the shuttle to the ship. When we came back from the cruise, rented another mini-van, drove it to West Palm, turned it in at airport. The 24 hour rental each time was cheaper than a week of parking+rental. We split the cost between 2 couples so it worked out very well.

You have to remember that if you pay to park the rental, you are also paying the daily/weekly rental fee on the car too.

We used our AARP discount too.

[amyhobbs]

That sounds like what we're wanting to do, we'll be splitting it also! Thank you rccampbell!

 

 

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[teknoge3k]

We always spend a few days in the port city before and after a cruise. We fly in, get a rental car and have a car before the cruise. Then we return the car the morning of the cruise and catch an Uber to port. Then once we return, we catch an Uber to the car rental agency and rent another car. No need to pay for the car + parking for a week while we're cruising.