There are plenty of car rental options in Cape Canaveral, and at the nearby Orlando airport. Some car rental offices are even conveniently located within just a half-mile of the cruise port. Here’s what you need to know.
Do You Really Need a Rental Car When Cruising From Port Canaveral?
Why would you need to purchase a rental car from these various rental companies ahead of your Port Canaveral cruise?
Well, if you’re cruising out of Port Canaveral and not driving your own transportation directly from home, to the port, you’re probably flying into the Orlando Airport (MCO) in Florida. However, the Orlando airport is about a 45-minute drive away from the port. As such, you’ll need to rent a car to drive between the two.
Likewise, if you decide to stick around for a few days and explore Cape Canaveral either before or after your cruise (which I highly recommend, as there’s so much in the vicinity to do and see), you’ll need a rental car, as it’ll be the easiest way to get around the area.
Ready to explore your options? Here are some of the area rental providers with the best rates, customer care and quantity of vehicles.
Orlando International Airport Rental Cars
Renting a car at the airport is a very convenient option, as you can go straight from the plane and baggage area to your rental car, and then drive on to Cape Canaveral.
Once there, you can park at one of the many options at or near the port, for the duration of your cruise. After your cruise is over, you can pick up your car, drive back to the airport, drop off the vehicle at the rental office and fly home.
If you rent a car at Orlando International Airport, you’ll have a few options. The following providers host car rental counters at the airport:
- Alamo
- Avis
- Budget
- Dollar Car Rental
- Enterprise
- Hertz
- Sixt
- National
- Payless
- Thrifty
Depending on the car rental provider you choose, the car rental counter will be located either on Level 1 of Terminal A or B, or on Level 4 of Terminal C. When booking, pay close attention to the location of your chosen provider’s car rental counter.
While the price of renting your car at the Orlando airport will differ heavily depending on how long you rent the car for, your pick-up date, what kind of car you rent and which rental provider you choose.
It’s entirely possible to rent a car from the airport for an entire week for under $100, if you use a third-party booking provider like Kayak, which allows you to compare and contrast similar rates from all of the airport-based providers.
Car Rental Providers at Other Nearby Airports
While the Orlando Airport (MCO) is definitely the busiest, most popular spot to fly in for a Port Canaveral cruise, there are other options if you want to fly in elsewhere.
If you do choose one of these other airports, here are the best rental providers for cruise ship passengers, at those airports, that you’ll find.
Sanford Airport
Sanford Airport (SFB) is about an hour’s drive away from the port. Much like MCO, Sanford offers on-site rentals from a range of providers, including:
- Alamo
- Avis
- Budget
- Dollar
- Enterprise
- Hertz
- National
If you compare and contrast prices from the various providers, you can easily find car rental rates starting at around $55 per day. Again, though, exact price will depend on vehicle availability, the type of car you rent, how long you rent it for, rental date and which rental provider you choose.
Worth Reading: What Airports Are Near Port Canaveral Cruise Port?
If you do not like the options at the airport terminal, there are also some car rental locations around Sanford Airport that will pick you up at the airport and ferry you to their office, where you can then pick up your car.
Just be sure to check out the pick-up service policies and allowable pick-up distance of any off-airport location, to verify availability.
Melbourne Orlando International Airport
Then, there’s the Melbourne airport (MLB), which is only about 30 miles from the port, but you won’t find as many commercial flights flying in here. Still, if you find yourself at MLB, you can rent cars from the following providers, thanks to a central rental car counter near the airport’s baggage claim:
- Alamo
- Avis
- Budget
- Dollar
- Enterprise
- Hertz
- National
- Thrifty
Across these various providers, you can find rentals going for as little as $45 per day.
Car Rental Providers Near Port Canaveral
However, you may want to book a car with a rental location closer to the terminal. This is a particularly good option if you, say, don’t want to just go straight from the airport to the cruise ship, and back again.
Maybe you want to, instead, as I suggested above, stay a few days in the area before or after your cruise.
If you get your rental car from a provider’s office near the port, you’ll be able to take a rideshare service from the airport, to the rental car office, pick up your car and drive around with ease for a few days. Then, on embarkation day, you can drop the car off and, in some cases, even walk right to the port from the rental office.
In contrast, if you want to explore Port Canaveral after your cruise, you can walk from the port to your chosen rental car office, pick up your car, and then head to your hotel. When you’re ready to go home, you can drop the rental car off and take a rideshare to the airport.
If you don’t feel like walking, many of these rental car providers also offer shuttle services.
So, what are your options if you want to make an advance reservation with a provider with nearby locations close to the port?
Enterprise, National and Alamo – 0.5 miles from Port Canaveral
All three of these providers share an office just half a mile from the port (710 Mullet Road), and they do offer a shuttle service that runs about every half an hour, starting in the morning and running until mid-afternoon.
Alamo offers midsize and standard SUVs, economy vehicles, compact vehicles, full-size vehicles, and minivans, and you can find rental prices starting at around $60 per day. The Alamo office is closed on Tuesdays, but after-hours returns are offered, as is accelerated check-in.
With prices starting at around $75 per day, National offers economy vehicles, compact vehicles, midsize vehicles, full-size vehicles, SUVs, and minivans. National is closed at this location on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, but after-hours returns are available.
Enterprise is likewise closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at this location, with after-hours returns available. With prices starting at around $60 per day, this office offers midsize SUVs, economy vehicles, compact vehicles, midsize vehicles, cargo vans, pickup trucks and minivans.
Hertz (8963 Astronaut Boulevard) – 1 mile from Port Canaveral
Another nearby office, this Hertz location, is open 8 a.m.–3 p.m. every day except Tuesday and Wednesday (as such, if these days and hours of operation do not work with your cruise, you may want to choose another provider that’s open Mon – Fri).
You can find cars as cheap as $70 per day. Vehicle options include SUVs, cars, trucks, and vans. There is a shuttle that runs between the office and the port.
Budget (8401 Astronaut Boulevard) – 1.6 miles from Port Canaveral
One of the closest Budget locations, this office offers a free Budget shuttle and free pick-up service to and from the port. It’s open every day of the week.
You can find pretty good deals at this office, with rentals available at around $40 per day. Pick from electric vehicles, economy cars, compact cars, full-size vehicles, sports cars, pick-up trucks, SUVS and more.
Avis (6650 North Atlantic Ave) – 2.6 miles from Port Canaveral
Also, open every day of the week and offering a shuttle to ferry you and your luggage to and from the port, this Avis office offers SUVS, electric vehicles, sedans, luxury cars, convertibles, trucks and vans. Much like the nearby Budget office, you can find vehicles here starting at about $40 per day.
Tips for Saving Money on a Rental Car Before Your Cruise
Before finalizing your reservation with any of the above car rental providers, there are a few things you can do to ensure you’re getting the best deal possible (and thus saving the most money possible, so you can spend it on your actual cruise!).
Check the Rental Agreement
Always check your rental agreements’ terms of service and, if you have further queries, contact customer service and ask to speak with someone from the provider’s customer service center. If you don’t, you may find that you rack up penalty and excess fees related to your booking.
For example, some providers require a minimum length for your rental, like a minimum three-day rental, so even if you thought you were getting a two-day rental, you may end up paying for three days. Or, you may incur mileage charges if you drive the car more than permitted.
If you’ve already booked your rental, you can usually view the agreement online, when you view your upcoming reservations. Use your reservation reference number to look up any valid info, if you do not have an account with a password.
There are a variety of renters fees that you might end up paying unnecessarily, when renting a car in the United States.
For example, if you want to put both your drivers license and a family members’ driver’s license on the rental agreement, you’ll pay more for any and all additional drivers (and when you’re using the car for such a short period of time, having two drivers on the agreement isn’t really necessary).
Additionally, you may also face extra fines if you bring the vehicle back without filling up the gas tank. While this is an extra step in your travel day, filling up the rental car before returning it can save you cash and help you avoid surcharges.
Likewise, you’ll pay extra for one-way rentals as well. While a one-way rental may seem like it makes more sense than paying for parking for the rental car during your cruise, compare and contrast the prices before your time of reservation. You may find that parking the car is indeed more affordable than a one-way rental.
Look for Coupons and Extra Deals
You can sometimes find a coupon code and extra deals by joining the rental car provider’s loyalty program ahead of time. Make sure you do this before you make your reservation and receive a reservation confirmation.
You’ll typically receive deals, a best rate guarantee or a discount code in your email inbox, so be sure to check your junk e-mail folder in addition to your inbox.
Even if you don’t receive a discount, you may be able to receive other extra perks through your loyalty program, such as a free bonus rental day or a free upgrade.
No news of a promotion, upgrade offers or rental deals in your inbox? You may also find them when you log into the provider’s website using a profile number, valid membership number or valid membership ID.
Additionally, if you’re a frequent renter, being a loyalty program member can help you accrue points (like Avis Preferred Points) that you can use for discounts and upgrades like a free day with future rentals.
Rethink Modifications and Optional Items
Lastly, most car rental providers will offer you some extra items that you might not actually need. Rethink purchasing GPS services (your phone will suffice) or cars with fancy entertainment systems.
Read Also: Port Canaveral Cruise Parking – What You Need to Know
You might likewise choose a less-extravagant vehicle. While the sports car or convertible might be tempting, you’ll definitely pay more than you would for a small sedan.
The only optional items that might be 100% necessary are safety or size-related necessities such as booster seats or child car seats, or a larger car to fit all your luggage.
