Close car rentals near Port of Miami

[Shanafan]

Can any locals please tell me which car rental companies will pick up from the port of Miami or that have a shuttle to their car lot? We have a 3 pm flight in Fort Lauderdale but don't want to have a taxi take us from the port of Miami to FLL and sit for several hours. Would like to rent a car in Miami after we leave the ship and drive to Fort Lauderdale to have lunch and then to the airport. Any suggestions?

 

I have also posted this on the Florida departure boards, but we leave this Sunday so I thought I would try here as well.

[Shanafan]

Anyone??? :D

[gemz]

Thrifty has Miami pier service but you have to catch the shuttle to the airport location (free) which is maybe like 20 min max?

[paradise08]

Thrifty has Miami pier service but you have to catch the shuttle to the airport location (free) which is maybe like 20 min max?

Hertz has a car rental lot about 2 miles from the port. They do have a shuttle at the port to take you there. Although we did not use the car rental when we left the ship, we did use it for a day from FLL to Miami and dropped it off there. The address is 354 Southeast 1st Street and their phone number is 786-425-2515.

[CaribbeanCrush]

We also used Hertz on our last cruise. Pre-cruise. It was a $6 cab ride for the two of us from Hertz to the port.

[Shanafan]

Thank you all for the replies. I will make some phone calls and hopefully be able to reserve a car!

[negc]

Can any locals please tell me which car rental companies will pick up from the port of Miami or that have a shuttle to their car lot? We have a 3 pm flight in Fort Lauderdale but don't want to have a taxi take us from the port of Miami to FLL and sit for several hours. Would like to rent a car in Miami after we leave the ship and drive to Fort Lauderdale to have lunch and then to the airport. Any suggestions?

 

I have also posted this on the Florida departure boards, but we leave this Sunday so I thought I would try here as well.

 

Have you checked the websites of the various auto rental companies for a list of the locations of their offices? I believe at least one has a location at the pier and some others provide a shuttle to take you to their rental office. Enterprise has a counter in the auto lobby of the Hilton Miami (formerly the Radisson) but that would involve taking a cab to the hotel. I agree with your determination of not sitting at FLL for several hours waiting for your flight. We had that unfortunate experience a year and a half ago and it is not something I would wish on my worst enemy.:)

[FLACRUISER99]

This hertz location has a free shuttle to and from the port.

Miami Downtown HLE354 Southeast 1st Street Miami, Florida 33131

United States Phone: 786-425-2515 Fax: 786-425-3195 Location Type: Corporate Hours of Operation: Mo-Fr 0700-1800, Sa-Su 0800-1600

[juniorsmom]

As long as you have a reservation (after your cruise) you can call Hertz, the southeast 1st location and they will pick you up and bring you to the office to get your rental.

[Shanafan]

Thank you for all the replies.

 

After a bit of research using the tips above this is what I found:

 

Avis $44.44 for intermediate size car, must take taxi less than one mile from port and taxi should cost 8-10 bucks. (this is the one I chose)

 

Alamo $28.90 free pick up shuttle.....takes you 30-45 minutes to go to airport for pickup. (not worth it to me for the free shuttle)

 

Hertz $88.00 with free shuttle

 

Is is possible to walk from the port to Avis? Not being cheap but sometimes you can walk faster than a car sitting in traffic, let alone the hassle of loading the bags in the trunk and getting them out a couple minutes later.

[FLACRUISER99]

Is is possible to walk from the port to Avis? Not being cheap but sometimes you can walk faster than a car sitting in traffic, let alone the hassle of loading the bags in the trunk and getting them out a couple minutes later.

Its a long way fron the ship to the port entrance. Way to far with luggage.

[Tikibird]

So do the car shuttles just cruise continuously around the various ships the same way they circle airports? So you don't have to go looking for them?

 

Or do you have to book the shuttle in advance?

[Conanc]

When we booked with Hertz last week, we chose Port of Miami for our pickup location. They said that the shuttle comes around every 1/2 hour. We had no wait at all. They brought us to the downtown location at Southeast 1st Street.

 

Nancy

[cruisy susy]

Paradise 08: thank you for Hertz rental office info in Miami..we are doing the same thing in April '10...flying red eye into FLL early on a Sunday and driving rental around to site see and then turning it into Miami office and shuttle to ship. Would you or anyone else recommend a good breakfast spot and things to see or drive by in FLL /Miami? Thanks!! Cruisy Susy

[Conanc]

Hi -- Sorry I can't help with specific breakfast spots. We always stay near the pier area so have not had breakfast here before.....just lunch or dinner, but maybe head over for breakfast at a cafe on Las Olas: http://www.lasolasboulevard.com/dining.htm or somewhere on Fort Lauderdale Beach Boulevard.

 

Take 1A -- the scenic route -- to Miami. Be sure to leave time to check out South Beach area before heading to the Hertz car rental office.

 

Enjoy!

[cruisy susy]

Thank Conanc....We will take 1A ..we are getting into FTL on a red eye at 5:30am so will have plenty of time. I tried "Mr Breakfast.com" and got a list of a few places I'm going to check out...I'll post here if we find a good place after the cruise! Cruisy Susy.

[luvtcrz]

Thank you so much for all of the info. I googled this info. and it popped up with Cruise Critic. I should have known :). Will also try the Hertz office on 1st Street.

[FLACRUISER99]

Thank you so much for all of the info. I googled this info. and it popped up with Cruise Critic. I should have known :). Will also try the Hertz office on 1st Street.

Please post your result because everthing is changing at MIA. They are going to open a car rental center similar to FLL and I heard the a rumor that the Hertz downtown location was going to close or discontinue the port shuttle. http://www.miami-airport.com/cip_rcc.asp Edited August 30, 2010 by FLACRUISER99

[daemoth]

Just called the Hertz downtown location to see if the shuttle is still around for my mid-January cruise. It is.

[new-to-cruise-02]

*bump* are these still the best port of Miami options?

 

Looking to rent a car after our cruise and I was looking at Miami airport, but if there is a closer place to rent from, would obviously like to do so.

 

thanks!

[JohninDC]

If you search these boards you are sure to find a thread newer than this 2+ year old discussion. ;)

 

Hertz downtown still offers free POM shuttle service. Avis is also close to POM but no shuttles (taxi should only be about $10+tip). National, Alamo and Thrifty offer POM shuttle service to/from their MIA airport location. Good luck! :)

[vanessaz]

any new updates...traveling with my 11 & 9 yr old...need car from miami port to fll but also to sight see for three days.

 

thanks everyone for helping!

Edited January 23, 2016 by vanessaz

[JohninDC]

any new updates...traveling with my 11 & 9 yr old...need car from miami port to fll but also to sight see for three days.

 

thanks everyone for helping!

 

Well the taxi from POM to Avis will now cost you about $13 and National, Alamo & Thrifty still offer free shuttles between POM and their MIA airport location. If you get a good deal from someone else at MIA a taxi from POM will cost $27+tip