Skaqway car rental on line

[Boxer Lover]

We are going to be in Skagway in June and I wanted to rent a car thru Avis. Can I rent on line or do I have to wait until May when their office opens. Also, even though you rent a car is it still a first come first serve basics? If they run out of cars, then what?

 

Thanks for information.

[judynorth]

You should book now if you want a car. Then you should call Avis in Skagway when it opens and make contact with the agent there. I would advise that you get to Avis early to pick up your car rather than wait until you see the town. Avis opens before the shops do. I don't know if they over book but I wouldn't be surprised if they did.

[Budget Queen]

Yes, you most certainly can reserve Avis online. I suggest you do so, if you want a car.

[amazingcm]

I booked my car on line weeks ago. Then last week I booked a car in Anchorage I got a email confirmation back from Anchorage but did not get one from my Skagway booking.. I printed off the confirmation from the website but no email confirmation. I got to wondering and called the 800 number and they had no reservation for me in Skagway.. So make sure you have your confirmation number in a email confirmation. I will be calling them also the second day of May... grace

Coral Princess

5/26/08

[TampaJules]

What about Sourdough? I have no problem with Avis, but I try to support local owned businesses when I can. Are they ok? Do they have many cars? We get into Skawgay at 6 am. I don't think I'll be up and out to the rental place that early. If you book online (and pay?) shouldn't they hold a car for you, no matter what time you get there? Assuming we got out to them at 9 am... will they say, oh sorry, we are out of cars.

:confused:

[Budget Queen]

What about Sourdough? I have no problem with Avis, but I try to support local owned businesses when I can. Are they ok? Do they have many cars? We get into Skawgay at 6 am. I don't think I'll be up and out to the rental place that early. If you book online (and pay?) shouldn't they hold a car for you, no matter what time you get there? Assuming we got out to them at 9 am... will they say, oh sorry, we are out of cars.

:confused:

 

I have nothing good to say about Sourdough. I first dealt with them in 1999 and then two more times (limited to them due to my Skagway timing). They always had filthy cars, which I accepted. But the last time, the car was a mechanical nightmare- Taurus only getting 10mpg, no power up the hills and Sourdough couldn't have cared less. They also "claimed" all their economy cars were "sold out". However, I saw the owner drop someone off and then parked the economy car in his lot where it stayed all day. I had gotten a quote on the economy car and when I finally got a hold of him- several calls and emails required, they then claimed the car was "gone". Felt is was kind of a bait and switch.

 

There were a few reports in 2006 on breakdowns. I did not hear of any last year, so maybe they have improved. But I will always use Avis if available from this point.

[TampaJules]

:confused:

Hmm. Well I'd hate to be stuck with a dirty\non-working car. I'd be nice if someone posted a good\bad review from more recently to see if they have improved... Of course this "year" hasn't started yet but some info from last year would be nice...

 

So if I go with Avis, I don't pay up front, they just hold it and I may or may not get a car.... Bleh. I hate when things are wishy washy. I want a yes, you will have a car - that works, and is clean. And whatever time I get there it will be ready. I'm so used to a huge metropolitan area where you can pretty much get anything, now. There would never be a shortage of cars here! So, approx how many cars does Avis have up there? Anyone know? And do people normally not rent them? As in, is it not very common for people to rent a car - instead of doing the planned excursion trips?

[JC in CA]

I just reserved a car through Avis for our June trip. Can someone tell me how far the rental car facility is from where the ships dock- I am assuming it is a walk-able distance- is this right? I put a reservation time of 9 AM- would it be wiser to have an earlier pick-up time?

thanks for any info!

-JC in CA

[Poconolady]

:confused:

Hmm. Well I'd hate to be stuck with a dirty\non-working car. I'd be nice if someone posted a good\bad review from more recently to see if they have improved... Of course this "year" hasn't started yet but some info from last year would be nice...

 

So if I go with Avis, I don't pay up front, they just hold it and I may or may not get a car.... Bleh. I hate when things are wishy washy. I want a yes, you will have a car - that works, and is clean. And whatever time I get there it will be ready. I'm so used to a huge metropolitan area where you can pretty much get anything, now. There would never be a shortage of cars here! So, approx how many cars does Avis have up there? Anyone know? And do people normally not rent them? As in, is it not very common for people to rent a car - instead of doing the planned excursion trips?

 

We rented from Avis last spring and had absolutely no problem since we had pre-booked online. The office is very walkable from the port. I suggest that you go to Avis and get processed for the car upon their opening. You can leave it on their parking lot until your group is ready to use it. The problem that I can see is that since there are apt to be five or six ships all in port at the same time, there are always people who walk in to the office and want to rent a car without a reservation, the Avis people are apt to tell them to come back after the main rush of reservations to see if any cars are left, and then rent them "your" car if you haven't been in to get yours processed. The Avis office is VERY small in a renovated old house on a side street (we aren't talking about a big airport type operation here!). I don't know how many cars they have--but the number isn't huge. Compared to the number of people who go on organized excursions, the number of car renters is small. I advise pre-book online, have the driver get to the office early to process the paperwork and then you can enjoy the day on your own timetable. You are only in port one day--don't blow it by losing your car! Oh-yes the car was very clean and in good shape.

[judynorth]

Poconolady, I agree with you. More than likely, you will be off the ship early. The car rental office is not at all out of the way so just go there first thing (they open at 8 am), get your car, and then begin the drive when you want. If you are at the Princess dock it is about a 5-10 minute walk into town. There is a shuttle and the driver took us to the Avis office. Other ships dock closer to town. There is only one gas station in Skagway so be prepared to wait in line to fill up before you return the car if you wait until late in the day to return.

[Budget Queen]

The Avis office is located between Broadway and Spring, on Third. Across from the Westmark. The gas station- also the laundry mat- is located on Second, between Broadway and State. http://skagway.com/citymap.html

 

IF You are "worried" about having your car, then CALL them direct from your prior port, and also that morning to confirm.

[JC in CA]

Budget Queen- thank you for the map and exact location!

I think I will change my reservation time to 8- and go take care of that early.

thank you everyone!

-JC in CA