The Best of 'I Work in Port Canaveral'

[sandsand]

From what I've read on here it's better to take a shuttle to the port than to drop off passengers and return a rental. They'll be 6 of us with a Thrifty rental van. We're staying at the Radisson so we have 2 shuttle options. Which do you think will be best?:

 

1) Have 1 person return van to Thrifty early a.m. and be dropped off at Radisson then later everyone take the Radisson shuttle?

 

2) Everyone go to Thrifty together and use their shuttle to port?

 

Option 2 seems simpler but 1 would be less loading/unloading of luggage. And I'm not sure if the Radisson shuttle and Thrifty shuttles wait in the same dropoff lines or if either one is quicker.

[psblin99]

I would do #2. I think the thrifty shuttle runs more often than the Radisson. Also the shuttles dont wait in line as long as the private vehicles.

 

Also see the post about Thrifty's new drop charge.

[twinlges]

I was thinking about the same thing, should I use the rental's shuttle or the hotel's shuttle? We're staying at the Radisson and renting a car at Hertz--from the airport and returning at the port--any idea about distances--from the Radisson to Hertz and Hertz to the port? I'm also doing the reverse on the way home...We arrive in MCO on Friday, the ship leaves Sunday, and on the way back we get in on Sunday and leave MCO on Monday! Is there anything I shouldn't miss with my 3 teenage daughters--or should we just relax by the pool and go and watch the ships in the port go out (we'll never be awake early enough to see "our ship come in"!!) I'm also concerned about my hotel choice--the pool looks nice is the hotel nice? Thank you thank you thank you for this really informative thread!

 

Katie

[psblin99]

You can see Hertz from the hotel which is a great property with a great pool. Go to the port Sat about 4 and you will see 2 ships sail right by you. Eat at one of the places there (all Good) and get ready for your cruise.

[snelsonbrown]

FOR YOU INFORMATION ON DOLLAR CAR RENTAL:

Dollar Car Rental is now associated with Thrifty Car Rental - Thrifty has a drop off fee of $15.00, BUT Dollar, as of today, does NOT have a drop off fee.

The GM did not know how long the "no drop off fee" would be on Dollar rental.

Always

Shirley

[jtfchi]

Thank you for all the info

[JoeSmooga]

So with the Dollar/Thrifty allignment, can anyone confirm if Dollar renter's can utilize the Thrifty shuttle for transportation to/from the port?

 

Joe

[psblin99]

You can they share a building. Beware of the $15 each way drop charge.

[JoeSmooga]

You can they share a building. Beware of the $15 each way drop charge.

 

Cool, thanks. I am doing a Dollar pick up of a minivan in TPA and drop in Port Canaveral... NO drop fees anywhere in the res. Used promo code KISSE if it matters.

 

Joe

[psblin99]

Cool, thanks. I am doing a Dollar pick up of a minivan in TPA and drop in Port Canaveral... NO drop fees anywhere in the res. Used promo code KISSE if it matters.

 

Joe

I tried the same code this morning and it did not show until the very end.

[JoeSmooga]

I tried the same code this morning and it did not show until the very end.

 

I found why it was an offer that was too good to be true. When I made the res., I simply tapped in "Cape Canaveral" for the drop off location. Not a problem. After closer scrutiny of my confirmation note, the address for dropoff stated "670 S. Apollo Blvd., Cape Canaveral FL". That's a bit misleading, as that address is actually in Melbourne (but not the MLB airport drop address). Needless to say I have cancelled out. Buyer beware :)

 

Joe

[psblin99]

I found why it was an offer that was too good to be true. When I made the res., I simply tapped in "Cape Canaveral" for the drop off location. Not a problem. After closer scrutiny of my confirmation note, the address for dropoff stated "670 S. Apollo Blvd., Cape Canaveral FL". That's a bit misleading, as that address is actually in Melbourne (but not the MLB airport drop address). Needless to say I have cancelled out. Buyer beware :)

 

Joe

 

Joe that is 20 miles from here. I cannot imagine that you could not drop in CC.

[mamaza]

You can they share a building. Beware of the $15 each way drop charge.

 

I know when checking rates through one of the big online TA, I found that even when you include the $15 charge that most the rental agencies come up about the same. Budget for now seems the lowest but Thifty even with the charge is not too much more. In fact, some agencies look to charge more but without the added charges, they even out. It's all a game.

[psblin99]

I know when checking rates through one of the big online TA, I found that even when you include the $15 charge that most the rental agencies come up about the same. Budget for now seems the lowest but Thifty even with the charge is not too much more. In fact, some agencies look to charge more but without the added charges, they even out. It's all a game.

 

A game it is! It just seems that the DC catches some by surprise and I want all to be aware. On any given day any of them can be cheaper. I have 4 cars reserved in the near future with 3 different companies.

 

Preston

[snelsonbrown]

Here is another link that may help those coming into Brevard County and can use a little help.

Always

Shirley

 

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g201/lockardaw/CapeCanaveralArea-1.jpg

[mamaza]

This should really be on one of the first pages along with the original "I work in Port Canaveral."

[snelsonbrown]

This should really be on one of the first pages along with the original "I work in Port Canaveral."

I agree for a lot of hard work went into this and everything is condensed together - its a shame stuff isn't allowed to be edited so that it can be upgraded etc as new things happen and old stuff is deleted.

Shirley

[jeannejj]

I booked a round trip for my family (5)from MCO to Cape Canaveral for August. They no longer give 10% for mentioning CC. Also, transfer from airport to hotel is private, but from port to airport return is not. If you book private shuttle for that portion of the trip, it's an extra $25.

 

Just so no one gets surprised. :rolleyes:

[psblin99]

I booked a round trip for my family (5)from MCO to Cape Canaveral for August. They no longer give 10% for mentioning CC. Also, transfer from airport to hotel is private, but from port to airport return is not. If you book private shuttle for that portion of the trip, it's an extra $25.

 

Just so no one gets surprised. :rolleyes:

 

Yes Arts stopped around the 1st of the year. Cocoa Beach shuttle still offers the 10%.

 

Preston

[jbrambach]

Thanks for condensing the info.

 

BTW, the link for Shirley's giftbaskets is not working.

[Rock Chick]

Hi we're English and not familiar with the car rental/shuttle stuff. It's our first time in Florida.

Our cruise package includes a Dollar rental car for the few days either side of our one week cruise out of Port Canveral in September. Our TA said we can drop the car off at Cape Canaveral and be shuttled to and from the port for $100.

 

We are staying in a hotel on International Drive before and after the cruise.

 

Our questions are:

 

Is the $100 drop off at Cape Canaveral our only option?

If so, should we get our luggage loaded onto the ship before we take the car to Cape Canaveral?

Do we need to book the car parking space and shuttle service prior to our cruise?

 

Thanks

 

Carol

[psblin99]

Hi we're English and not familiar with the car rental/shuttle stuff. It's our first time in Florida.

Our cruise package includes a Dollar rental car for the few days either side of our one week cruise out of Port Canveral in September. Our TA said we can drop the car off at Cape Canaveral and be shuttled to and from the port for $100.

 

We are staying in a hotel on International Drive before and after the cruise.

 

Our questions are:

 

Is the $100 drop off at Cape Canaveral our only option?

If so, should we get our luggage loaded onto the ship before we take the car to Cape Canaveral?

Do we need to book the car parking space and shuttle service prior to our cruise?

 

Thanks

 

Carol

 

Carol I am a little confused where the $100 charge comes from. If I understand you will be flying into Orlando and picking you Dollar car up at the airport. Then staying in Orl before coming to the port for a cruise.

 

If this is correct you can drop at Dollar here and they will take you to the ship with your luggage. It is messy to drop it first.

 

Sometimes dollar charges $15.00 to drop here but I have never heard of $100. You can then have them pick you up at the ship and do the plan in reverse.

 

It make no sense to keep the car while you cruise.

 

Hope this helps,

 

Preston

[Rock Chick]

Thank you Preston for your reply. I agree it makes no sense to keep the car whilst we cruise. I've no idea what the $100 charge is for neither. I assumed it was car parking charges.

 

Are you advising us to hand the car back to Dollar and then renting it out again after the cruise? The car rental is part of our package and we were told this was 'free'.

 

Carol

[psblin99]

Thank you Preston for your reply. I agree it makes no sense to keep the car whilst we cruise. I've no idea what the $100 charge is for neither. I assumed it was car parking charges.

 

Are you advising us to hand the car back to Dollar and then renting it out again after the cruise? The car rental is part of our package and we were told this was 'free'.

 

Carol

 

Carol I did a one way rental from here to the airport 2 weeks ago and it cost $30.00. The only parking here is at the port and the cost is $15.00 a day.

 

I would question the travel agent as you know nothing is ever free.

 

Preston

[Rock Chick]

Thank you. I phoned the Virgin TA and she said that the $100 charge is to shuttle a car load of passengers to and from the port. I reminded her that there are only 2 of us and she said its a standard deal that Dollar does with Virgin, regardless of the number of pssengers. Obviously that's not the best option for us.

 

So it seems we can drop off the car and arrange our own shuttle with whichever shuttle company we choose.

 

So how do we arrange a shuttle to the port? Is it something we have to organise in advance or can we sort this out on the day after dropping off the car? Likewise how do we arrange to be collected after the cruise?

 

Please forgive our ignorance but we're first timers.

 

Carol