Car rental in Victoria

[cruisesusie]

We'll be in Victoria in September and would like to rent a car to drive to Butchart Gardens. I read a post on Cruise Critic from someone who said they rented from Budget and were picked up at the pier. There are 3 Budget locations in Victoria - if anyone has done this and knows which location is the closest to the pier, I would appreciate any info.

 

Thanks,

 

Susan

[pizzalady1]

We'll be in Victoria in September and would like to rent a car to drive to Butchart Gardens. I read a post on Cruise Critic from someone who said they rented from Budget and were picked up at the pier. There are 3 Budget locations in Victoria - if anyone has done this and knows which location is the closest to the pier, I would appreciate any info.

 

Thanks,

 

Susan

 

Last year we rented from Enterprise but they had major issues--they would only pick up one person per car at the port and it took close to an hour for the one person to return to the pier to pick up the second person.

 

Next year we will be renting from Budget at 757 Douglas St, 250-953-5218. I talked to them and they said they are the closest Budget to the pier and will pick up two people for a car, plus they are a little closer to the pier than Enterprise was.

[scottbee]

We'll be in Victoria in September and would like to rent a car to drive to Butchart Gardens. I read a post on Cruise Critic from someone who said they rented from Budget and were picked up at the pier. There are 3 Budget locations in Victoria - if anyone has done this and knows which location is the closest to the pier, I would appreciate any info.

 

Thanks,

 

Susan

 

By the time you've done the car pickup you could have just taken the local bus ($2.50/ea way) to Butchart Gardens.

[cruisesusie]

Thanks Pizzalady - just the info I was looking for.

 

Scottbee - we're planning on going to the Butterfly Gardens after Butchart so a car is much more convenient for us.

 

Thanks,

 

Susan

[porsena]

I don't know what I can say here, so I'll try to tread carefully. You should be extra cautious when renting from Budget in Victoria. Both Victoria locations have the same ownership as Vancouver locations. There was some quite negative coverage on TV and in the press a few months back related to renters having to pay to fix damage that was present at the time of rental and being overcharged to boot.

[pizzalady1]

I don't know what I can say here, so I'll try to tread carefully. You should be extra cautious when renting from Budget in Victoria. Both Victoria locations have the same ownership as Vancouver locations. There was some quite negative coverage on TV and in the press a few months back related to renters having to pay to fix damage that was present at the time of rental and being overcharged to boot.

 

Thanks for the head's up. Is there car rental agencies close to the pier besides Budget and Enterprise? Our problem is that we will be there on a Sunday, so some agencies may be closed.

[scottbee]

Thanks Pizzalady - just the info I was looking for.

 

Scottbee - we're planning on going to the Butterfly Gardens after Butchart so a car is much more convenient for us.

 

Thanks,

 

Susan

 

Butterfly Gardens is on the same road (and same bus line) as Butchart Gardens, maybe a shade over 1 mile apart. I can't imagine a taxi being more than $6-7, or it's a 20ish minute walk.

[porsena]

National and Avis both have offices on Douglas, downtown. National's is behind the Empress hotel.

[pizzalady1]

National and Avis both have offices on Douglas, downtown. National's is behind the Empress hotel.

 

Thanks for the info.

 

Just today I called all the agencies close to the cruise terminal. We will be arriving on a Sunday, so that presents its own problems.

 

National: only 2 people work on Sunday so they can't do a pick-up.

Avis: won't pick-up

Hertz: does not seem to have a downtown location

Enterprise: as explained in an earlier post, they only transport one person and it is pretty far away

Budget: will pick-up from the pier on a Sunday, need to call when you are ready to go.

 

Guess we will stay with Budget but check back closer to the sailing date for updated info

[andynalex66]

When in September are you going? We are in the end of Sept on a sunday as well and in the interest of getting to a bunch of spots thought the car rental was best. Hope budget works out....

[Langley Cruisers]

...You should be extra cautious when renting from Budget in Victoria. Both Victoria locations have the same ownership as Vancouver locations. There was some quite negative coverage on TV and in the press a few months back related to renters having to pay to fix damage that was present at the time of rental and being overcharged to boot.

 

Such a shame to hear this. in the early 80's, I worked at Budget in Victoria for 5 years and back then, it was nothing like you have described. Victoria's franchise locations were owned by one major shareholder and several other minor shareholders. They were good businessmen, good people. We ran a good, honest business. However, things change as most things do. :( Oh well.

[Putterdude]

There was a media frenzy over a year ago about Budget's operation in Vancouver. I don't recall the Victoria operations being mentioned. I have used Budget in Victoria a large number of times over the years, have found them to be a first class operation and truthfully have never considered using any other company. However, whenever you rent a car from anyone you should carefully examine it before driving off and have any damage, scratches, chips, noted on the contract or the form for this purpose and have an employee sign or initial it.

As for which Budget location I would contact, it would be the one at 757 Douglas St.

 

[Putterdude]

As a footnote to my previous post, transit is an option to get out to Butchart Gardens if you are in the city for a good part of the day. However, many cruise ship stops are in the evening and with bus skeds being a bit thin in the evening hours there really is not time to use the bus....for that matter there often isn't even time to pick up and drive a rental car, you best stick with a ship's tour.

[fairbourne]

Thanks for the info.

 

Just today I called all the agencies close to the cruise terminal. We will be arriving on a Sunday, so that presents its own problems.

 

National: only 2 people work on Sunday so they can't do a pick-up.

Avis: won't pick-up

Hertz: does not seem to have a downtown location

Enterprise: as explained in an earlier post, they only transport one person and it is pretty far away

Budget: will pick-up from the pier on a Sunday, need to call when you are ready to go.

 

Guess we will stay with Budget but check back closer to the sailing date for updated info

 

We rented with Hertz and their office is about 10 minutes drive away so without thinking we took a cab there. On the return they very happily offered to take us back to the ship and told us next time to call them and they would equally happily come and fetch us. So may be worth a call. :)