Shuttle question- I'll try not to repeat

[shelby]

I've read many shuttle questions on line here and I can't see my answer. I hate to ask the same question already posted.

We are flying into Orlando Airport the day before our cruise. We will need to get back to the airport the day of disembarkment at 11 am.

We are trying to secure transportation and are shocked by the prices! We had no idea.

1st off there are 5 of us 2 adults/3 kids.
Our hotel is in Orlando.

We see our choices this way:

1. Travel to the hotel by hotel shuttle (free) the day before the trip. Travel BACK to the hotel the morning of the cruise and pick up a RCCL shuttle to the port- $32/person times 5.
Then back again the day we leave. - do we have to worry about using this service with a flight time of 12:15?

2. Rent a car at the airport and park it at the Port? That would run us 80-100/week and hubby read the port parking is $85!? Is this right - I don't remember it being this high last time.

3. Cancel our hotel in Orlando(priceline-can you cancel those?) and getting a shuttle from airport to an airport in C. Canveral that will shuttle us for free to the port.


That still leaves us with how to get from port to airport the last day ON TIME....


We are having a hardtime digesting over $300 just to get there!

Help?

[Chef Ken]

I see you are not getting many answers. Try posting this in Port Chat. Otherwise, there is a shuttle service for about $ 50.00, here is a link:
http://www.shuttleportcanaveral.com/

Don't rent a car for the week and park it there, too spendy. You may be able to change your priceline tickets by paying a penalty. You will have to weigh that against the other costs.

Looks like Greyhound is about $ 32.00 if you buy tickets in advance.

Sorry there isn't more help for you. If you decide to change your ticket, be sure to watch your travel times.

Ken

[cousins]

We had the same problem in another state. I looked on line for the local taxi services, called them directly. RCI wanted $25 pp round trip to the port. The local taxi company said they'll have shuttles there for $14 pp. If for some reason we get off and can't get on the cheap shuttles all the taxi companies in that area charge about $30 for the trip to the airport (plus tip) but it's still cheaper than the $5o per couple...we have 4 of us and not sure if one taxi will do it...but even 2 cabs would be cheaper. He have a 1:15 flight and were told by RCI as long as we get a flight at 12:30 or later we'll be fine (the airport at Newark would be more crowded than Orlando, I would assume) I was also told- tell the desk when you get on ship- you have an early flight, and you can carry your own luggage off at the first call when you get into port which I believe is around 8:30ish.

[Sonny V]

You can get a van to shuttle you from Orlando to the port for $240 round trip. You can have up to 10 people for that price. Doesn't matter if there is 5 or 10 people. Here is a link to rates SHUTTLE RATES.
Price line has no refunds unless you bought the insurance and have documented proof of your covered reason. Most shuttle services will pick you up at a hotel.

Hope this helps,

Sonny

[Jim C.]

Wouldn't it be cheaper to rent a car for 2 days on each side of the cruise? Pick up a rental (Mini Van) at the airport. Stay at the hotel.. drive the rental to the port, drop it at the rental car place and they shuttle you to the ship.. Then do the same thing in reverse coming back. I am basically doing this and was surprised at how reasonable the rental car fees were.

[Chef Ken]

Originally posted by Jim C.:
Wouldn't it be cheaper to rent a car for 2 days on each side of the cruise?

Actually one-way rentals are not cheap. They usually charge you to get the car back to the office where you picked it up. They won't hold it for you.

Unfortunately it isn't like Target where you can buy something in one and take it back to another. They keep inventories of cars and the titles are assigned to that office.

Ken

[biomedbob]

I don't know if the rental rate have a big difference because of the season, but last September our rate was $48.00 to the port and $53.00 back.

This was on Budget, but the other majors are comprable.

Drop your family and luggage off at the ship, drop the rental car (five minutes away) and ride their shuttle back to the ship.

Reverse the procedure on your way home.

[Jim C.]

Chef Ken-

That's what I thought too. But for our Mariner cruise coming up in May (you could see itat the bottom of this post if the tickers were working)
I got a Mini Van one way for $61. On the return leg we are going to Disney for 3 days and will have the car longer and it was still only $164. I think that normally they charge for the one way, but in this case, the customers coming off the ships are reutrning the cars for them, so its no big deal.

At $53 a head for a shuttle from the cruise line, its a no brainer to rent the car . Even more so when you need it for a couple of days.

[shelby]

Ok We looked at rental cars and can get one from the airport and drop it in CC and shuttle to the port for a total of $60.
One thing though is we don't feel comfortable messing with a rental when leaving as we have a 12:15 flight. Really nervous about missing the plane.
RCCL shuttle will book round trip only for like $180 for the 5 of us. So if we do the rental we have to rely on some other service on the way back and I am cautious about that. I want a ride there when I disembark so we can get right to the plane.

If we did not book the flight with RC will their shuttle be considerate about getting us to the airport in a timely manner..or are we looking at a long curb delay..or a line waiting for a shuttle.

Can anyone tell me about their experience using a RCCL shuttle?


Also- catching an early flight- shoudl we carry off our luggage or let them take it? Will they get it out first? Or will I get off early only to stand in a line looking for luggage?

[Sonny V]

They tag the luggage for early and later disbarkment. They will call your tag color, then you will leave the ship. Just let you cabin steward know you have an early flight and he will make sure you get the right tags for your luggage. You put the tags on your luggage before you set it outside your cabin on the last night.

Sonny