Dollar vs. Thrifty - Shuttle Promptness at Port?

[misgnomer]

We are planning on renting at every port (except we're not sure what to do for Kona- anyone know if there's a company that will pick you up at that port?)

 

I've been reading: http://www.hawaiidrive-o.com/cruises-rentals.html

 

which is telling me that with Dollar, they automatically go to the cruise ship to pick up passengers. With Thrifty, it says you have to call 30-45 minutes in advance.

 

Does anyone have experience with either of these companies?

 

If you went with Dollar, were they actually there when the ship docked? Did it take them awhile to get there?

 

If you went with Thrifty, how did you call from the ship? Were they promptly waiting when the ship docked if you did call?

 

Are there other companies that are better options that have a good ship pick-up service?

 

thanks in advance!

Naomi

[Omega1]

We were on the PoAm at the end of July and rented cars from Dollar in Hilo, Kahului and Kona. We walked off the ship and waited no more than 5 mins for the shuttle - with no queues at the rental office. The exception was Kona where Dollar have a desk in the hotel opposite the jetty - a 2 min walk.

Overall, a good experience with good quality cars.

[Nancyquilts]

We rented from Dollar at the King Kam, but I think they share a desk (and personnel) with Thrifty there. That is where you want to rent - the airport is a long taxi ride away. We probably would have rented from Thrifty, but couldn't find the right info for that location. Just be sure it lists something like "for cruise passengers" on the site rather than the airport. The King Kam is about half a block - if that - away from the tenders. Do book ahead - we were the only ship in port and there were no cars left for walk-ups. Nancy

[Budget Queen]

In Kona, you ONLY want to consider a car rental from the King Kam hotel. Why bother wasting time going back and forth elsewhere?? I rented from Dollar there and was on my way in 20 minutes.

 

All elsewhere, I rented from Thrifty. Shuttle bus, ALWAYS arrived without me calling, and they were on a continous loop back and forth.

[CC Help Michell]

Dollar and Thrifty are sister companies (in Hilo, either shuttle will take you to the car rental agency, as they are booths next door to each other in a long string of agencies -- in Kauai (we had a bad experience there overall, as seen in my trip review) the Dollar driver looked at us like we had three heads when we asked whether he could take us to Thrifty! However, we realized that the Dollar and Thrifty locations in Kauai aren't close together, so perhaps that explained it).

 

Anyway, on any given day, whether the shuttle for your particular rental company happens to be there at the dock when you are ready to head out is something of a crapshoot. Before our trip I programmed into my cellphone the local numbers for the agencies we were using -- and as the ship was docking I called to be sure the shuttle would be there/was on the way/was running laps.

 

We didn't rent in Kona, but the advice here on the boards is overwhelming -- book at the King Kam Hotel to be on your way in a reasonable time.