I was told by a travel agent that rental car companies in New Zealand do not allow their cars on the ferries between the north and south islands. You drop the car off and pick up another on the other side, all with the same rental contract.
I am rentaing a car in Christchurch and dropping it off in Auckland. I was trying to avoid paying to take the car on the ferry, but didn't want to pay two drop off charges on two contracts. If what the travel agent says is true, that saves me a lot of money. Is this true?
Reply to this Rental companies generally do keep their cars to either the North or South Island only. I'm pretty sure the info you've been given is accurate.
Which rental company were you considering using?
Let me know if you have time to meet up in Auckland :-)
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In response to: Msg #151240 We haven't selected a company yet. I usually book on line with whichever company gives best value. Thanks for the confirmation.
We would love to meet you while in Auckland. We are also meeting up with
Ferdi and Talita who I followed on their way from South Africa through Southeast Asia to New Zealand, where they immigrated to. Maybe we can all do lunch or dinner together, depending on when you are available.
We enjoy meeting fellow travelbloggers, and recently had
Slowfeet by our home, and will also have
D MJ Binkley in early August on their way to Ohio and then overseas. We'll have to keep in touch closer to the date...the end of October.
Reply to this Let me know your definite Auckland dates when they're decided, and we'll organise something. There's other TBers in the area that we can hopefully coax out as well ;-)
Reply to this Hi Bob,
In 2008, when we were in NZ we rented a car on the north island and returned it on the south island. We do not remember having a big drop off fee. We had the car for a month.
We were in Italy a couple of years ago and Dave noticed in the rental car agreement that it said the car was not covered if damaged on a ferry. He didn't mention that to me until we returned from the island of Elba. I imagine that was a smart decision as I would have worried.
Can't wait to see you soon!
We met Rachael Trotter recently while she was in SF...hopefully she will meet you while you are in NZ.
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In response to: Msg #151223
Car transport company's in NZ offer free ferry an insurance on some cars. Lot of cars and vans fron Chirtschurch to Auckland, you just need credit card and pay for the gas.
Reply to this I would rather not pay to take a rental car on the ferry, thus saving $175 or so, if I can exchange cars within the same rental car agreement and without incurring two drop off charges (i.e., once in Picton and once in Auckland). So insurance is not the issue. Sorry about not being clearer.
Reply to this We did this in October. Jo mentioned a firm to us (Omega) which didn't charge extra for picking up and dropping off at different locations. We got an unbelievably good price after I called up the company and asked what they could do. They offered us the daily special for NZ$22 per day (for an older 2001 model). We picked up the car in Auckland and dropped it off in Wellington. Omega then drove us free of charge to the ferry and when we reached Picton our next car was waiting for us. We dropped this car off in Christchurch after touring around the South Island and then the company took us to the airport.
Very very good service. Highly recommended!
Reply to this Bob,
Can't wait until you are blogging around NZ. Looking forward to reading your impressions.
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In response to: Msg #152402 Until your response I assumed based on previous comments that all rental car companies allowed you to drop off a car at one end and pick one up at the other end, all under one contract. Thanks for providing me with the name of a rental car agency that definitely does allow this. I will check them out.
And for Dave and Merry Jo, I am certainly looking forward to blogging this trip. There isn't much for a travelbogger to do when not on the road other than bothering the moderators on the various forums.
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