Jeep help please!

[Alwaysonvacation]

Two Questions...

 

1.) What is the earlies that you can rent a jeep? Will we be able to walk off the ship right at 8:00am and be able to get one?

 

2.) Has anyone had any luck returning a jeep later than 5:00pm? Even 6:00pm would help a lot.

 

Thanks for the help!

Alwaysonvacation

[lais]

Two Questions...

 

1.) What is the earlies that you can rent a jeep? Will we be able to walk off the ship right at 8:00am and be able to get one?

 

2.) Has anyone had any luck returning a jeep later than 5:00pm? Even 6:00pm would help a lot.

 

Thanks for the help!

Alwaysonvacation

 

We rented a Jeep right off the ship. you can probably google "jeep rentals in Aruba" and get info. We did return it after 6pm no problem. It is really easy. There is only so far that you can go on Aruba and you will probably be back early. We had alot of fun. Did the entire Island on the back road (It really wasn't that easy on the off roads) and it was alot of fun. Had time to go to a local resort and hang out on the beach before returning to the ship but our ship left at 10pm so we had no worries. Very small Island. Very easy to rent a Jeep. Go for it.

[traveling4two]

Stay away for the Thrifty Car Rentals..... Their Wrangle Jeep's are junk.

We rented from the Renaissance Hotel close for Cruise travelers BUT the vehicles are JUNK

We had to request a second Jeep as the first had ripped out plastic window so that you could not secure anything within the vehicle.

2nd vehicle even worse..... No working Air-conditioning, Engine light stayed on 10 minutes after leaving hotel for the duration of our drive, wipers so worn and ripped at ends they would not clean window during rain.

Holes in the roof, dripping rain on legs and head. Plastic windows so yellow and scratched you could not see out of them for side mirrors.

 

When I returned the vehicle after 2.5 hours of a 24 hour rental and spoke to Irene Sunday (Thrifty employee) she stated she knew of the vehicle problems and just shrugged her shoulders. She would not reduce my rental charge.

 

When we returned home, we noticed she did not discount our rental by 10% due to using of American Express Card as book on the web site.( Charged 97.99 instead of 86.21)

See could see other rentals from Budget and other firms, much better condition with glass windows and overall appearance.

 

I will be contacting Thirfty customer service on this issue.

[kruznkanuk]

Both of the 2 car/jeep rental places open on the pier where we were there in Nov had a 5 pm deadline for returns. Their staff were not there after 5 and they indicated they would charge for an extra day if we did not get the car back before 5. I was a bit annoyed, as usually you get 24 hours for a one day rental rate, but for the sake of one hour difference did not bother arguing. It was pouring rain that day and most of the rental places had not bothered opening their kiosks so I figured if I got insistent we might be without a car. If you are renting somewhere other than the cruise pier I suspect the rules will be different.

[Arubalisa]

If you are renting somewhere other than the cruise pier I suspect the rules will be different.

An option is to take a taxi, about a 10 minute taxi ride to the airport. Car rental agencies at the airport though charge a 12% premium (sort of like a tax) in that they are located directly onsite at the airport.

[mauimary]

Be careful and rent from a major car rental-there is a lot of junk!! we picked the vehicle with the best tires!! We also tried to bring the jeep back early and there was no one at the kiosk to return it to. The guard at the gate told us to leave the keys with him and just park it on the street!! yes your read that right. We did not do that as we did not want to find ourselves owners of a junk jeep in Aruba. If we ever rent again we will do it with a major company-not a local one. They will all try to steer you in as you walk off the dock. Just be aware and watch it.:)

[Arubalisa]

If we ever rent again we will do it with a major company-not a local one.

FWIW, "major" car rental companies on the island are franchises. We have had poor experiences with Hertz and Avis. Corporate here in the U.S., basically says they have no control. :rolleyes:

[traveling4two]

I was told the same thing from Thrifty U.S. corportate office ... basically saying "They have no control over any of the island franchises".

 

After several calls to Thrifty's Customer service in Tulsa, they finally offered a full refund due to the Aruba franchise not cooperating with the Tulsa office.

 

Again.. I would hesitate booking a jeep or any other vehicle without seeing it first in Aruba.

 

We have rented all over the Caribbean Islands and never had this kind of trouble or lack of customer service at the rental site.