car rental in galveston

[sea_u_onboard]

I've been reading your posts and can feel your frustration. We're going on Voyager Sunday, and I gave up on the rental car solution in Galveston long ago. I'm used to Port Canaveral where there are several reasonably priced rental agencies, open on Sunday, provide free transportation to/from the cruise terminal, and charge no drop off fee. In addition, you can get a hotel room for one night on the weekend, even during Spring Break.

 

Thanks for taking the time to relate your experiences. I'm sure it will help people. Good luck, and I hope it all works out.

 

Bob

Thank you Bob. I'm not giving up. I may never need a rental car again in Galveston - but I can guarantee this - if Enterprise Corporate doesn't come through I will never rent from Enterprise again and I will relate my story on my website. There are so many inconsistancies with this branch. I think if any other rental car agency set up shop and offered a shuttle service Enterprise wouldn't last long. I would wager that a LARGE percentage of their customers are cruise ship passengers.

[sea_u_onboard]

Here is the response from Enterprise:

 

Thank you for your e-mail.

 

Please first of all allow me to apologize for the disappointment this decision has caused. However, given the fact that the rental branch in Galveston has discretion in this matter, I would not have the authority to reverse their decision. We appreciate your comments and will take them into consideration for future policy review at that branch. We can assure you that it is never our intention to disappoint a valued customer, and we appreciate your taking the time to share your thoughts.

 

In closing, we believe the best ways we have to measure our success and identify areas within our company that are in need of improvement, is through comments we receive from our customers. Let me assure you that your feedback will be used to help us in achieving our goal of becoming the car rental company of choice.

 

Regards,

 

Bob

Enterprise Help Desk Team

[MangoFamily]

We just returned from the Carnival Ecstasy out of Galveston. We flew to Bush and rented a car from Enterprise, 4 door Toyota Corolla, for about 112. bucks for 8 days. We had 2 extra days to stay in Galveston before flying back to Seattle, so having the car was nice. It was actually cheaper to rent the car than to pay for shuttle/limo service for 3 of us. We paid 35 bucks to park it at EZ cruise, directly across from the pier for the cruise duration. Returned car to Bush when we flew home. Still made out ahead by not paying 40 bucks each person, each way, for shuttle to and from Galveston, and having a car was nice as our cruise was delayed by about 5 hours due to fog.

[traveldna]

True - Enterprise is the only game in town and they close at noon on Saturday in Galveston.

 

I have a cruise booked for a Saturday departure - flying into Hobby. Pickinng up the car and dropping it off before noon - hoping they transport to the pier. No drop off fee and very reasonable (under $30).

 

For the return we are coming back on a Thursday - again - hope they pick us up at the pier. Still no drop off fee but the price went up to about $45. Total was under $70 for the round trip and I control my timeframe to an extent.

 

I called the 800 number to make the reservation.

 

Here is the response from Enterprise:

 

Thank you for your e-mail.

 

Please first of all allow me to apologize for the disappointment this decision has caused. However, given the fact that the rental branch in Galveston has discretion in this matter, I would not have the authority to reverse their decision. We appreciate your comments and will take them into consideration for future policy review at that branch. We can assure you that it is never our intention to disappoint a valued customer, and we appreciate your taking the time to share your thoughts.

 

In closing, we believe the best ways we have to measure our success and identify areas within our company that are in need of improvement, is through comments we receive from our customers. Let me assure you that your feedback will be used to help us in achieving our goal of becoming the car rental company of choice.

 

Regards,

 

Bob

Enterprise Help Desk Team

Well... That is rather unsatisfactory! I will take note of this because we rent cars about 5 weeks a year. I think you should post this because Enterprise is known for their perceived customer service. They Advertise This!!! While I try to be as economical as possible, I have learned through the years that sometimes it is worth spending a few dollars more to support ethical businesses.

 

By the way, I want to thak you for your informative website seauonboard.com. It was extremely helpful and a true gem especially for a 1st timer like me. I wish we were sailing on the same Ecstasy cruise so I could thank you in person with an "Illinois" magnet but I just want you to know how much I appreciate your website.

[sbnuggie]

Okee Dokee, back from our Conquest Cruise out of Galveston and here to report on Enterprise.

 

As detailed in the thread earlier, some people are charged drop fee's for one way rentals some are not. We were not. As I posted earlier in the thread, when I called Galveston office they said no drop fee but have to setup reservation direct iwth Hobby location. Call Hobby location they quote $50 drop fee. Soooo, called 1-800 number setup reservation, in email confirmation no drop fee (I didn't ask and they didn't tell me).

 

Show up saturday afternoon at the Hobby rental location with printed copy of email in hand showing no drop fee mentally preparing myself for a fight, lady checks me in, doesn't say anything about a drop fee, takes all my info down, walks me out to our minivan and were off.

 

Use the car then drop it off at the Galveston office on Sunday Morning, there is a yellow drop box right in front of the front door. Called Jeff's Taxi service which is on the front window of the Enterprise office and he shows up in about 5 minutes. While waiting for him I photo the exterior of the vehicle for CYA purposes. I finish as he pulls up. Says that it is common for people to drop rentals off at Enterprise on Sunday, I was the third person he had picked up today but comments I was the first he has seen photograph the car when done. Drives me to the port and it was about $15 fare.

 

Simple and easy and cheap, the lesson here for doing a one way rental is to call the 1-800 number and setup the reservation through them and have them email you a confirmation to avoid the local office trying to gouge you for these unneccessary "drop fee's".

[sea_u_onboard]

Well... That is rather unsatisfactory! I will take note of this because we rent cars about 5 weeks a year. I think you should post this because Enterprise is known for their perceived customer service. They Advertise This!!! While I try to be as economical as possible, I have learned through the years that sometimes it is worth spending a few dollars more to support ethical businesses.

 

By the way, I want to thak you for your informative website seauonboard.com. It was extremely helpful and a true gem especially for a 1st timer like me. I wish we were sailing on the same Ecstasy cruise so I could thank you in person with an "Illinois" magnet but I just want you to know how much I appreciate your website.

Sorry I missed your post until now - thank you for the compliment.

 

I did keep my one way from Hobby to Galveston - although I was told $10 for the taxi. I figured I would have to pay to get from the office to the port - their motto isn't "We'll drop you off". But it will be the last time I use Enterprise for any business or travel. After I return from my trip in July I'm going to write a letter to the corporate office and include pictures of all the hotel shuttles pulling in and out of the port. I didn't think about it until we were leaving the port last Saturday - but I will have this second chance and I won't forget. I think it's important to show that many other local businesses don't seem to have problems picking up and dropping off at the port. Don't recall if I posted this but I was told they "weren't allowed" to come to the pier and this is also what they told the corporate office. Truely the impression I got was they couldn't be bothered because if they did it for me they would have to do it for "all the cruisers". What a shame when the cruisers probably make up 98% for their business at that office. What our money but don't want to give the service. Someone could really make a killing offering reasonable transfers.