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Car rentals with RCI points
Can someone clarify using RCI points for car rentals? Do they have a webpage explaining the program in more detail?
A RCI representative told me yesterday:
RCI points do NOT apply to the car rental surcharges, taxes and insurance. She said since some car rentals include some of those fees in their rental agreements it is likely to be better not to use points because I would be paying twice for those items.
We have flights to arrive in Dublin, Ireland 22 April 2009. We cruise back to the USA on 19 June 2009 from Dover, England.
The RCI rep stated even though they advertise Avis & Budget Rent a Car, the only options will be Avis. The only countries available were England, Scotland, France, Germany, and Spain. In England the only locations are Heathrow, Gatwick, Birmingham or Manchester. The only locations for Scotland are Edinburgh or Glasgow. All cars must be returned to the same location.
Maximum car rental length is 28 days.
So we'd have to find alternatives for Ireland. We used Thrifty Rent a Car in Dublin last month. At least $300 for 6 days because they require all the insurances unless you have a letter from your credit card company stating their rental car insurance benefit covers Ireland (most don't). They didn't charge a drop charge for a Dublin city pickup and Dublin airport return. Enterprise wanted about $100 extra to p/up in Dublin city and return the the airport. So I am hoping to find a decent deal to pick up at Dublin airport and return near a ferry port before going Northern Ireland -> Scotland of Dublin -> Wales. But then I'd have to take a train to either Glasgow or Birmingham to get the Avis covered by RCI points. Then the maximum rental would be 28 days and returned to that location.
Then train to Gatwick airport to pick up another car to be returned there.
The RCI rep estimated the smallest car would cost at least $1200 for about 28 days. The amount of RCI points was about 105,000 for $1000 car rental.
Any advice would be appreciated.
A RCI representative told me yesterday:
RCI points do NOT apply to the car rental surcharges, taxes and insurance. She said since some car rentals include some of those fees in their rental agreements it is likely to be better not to use points because I would be paying twice for those items.
We have flights to arrive in Dublin, Ireland 22 April 2009. We cruise back to the USA on 19 June 2009 from Dover, England.
The RCI rep stated even though they advertise Avis & Budget Rent a Car, the only options will be Avis. The only countries available were England, Scotland, France, Germany, and Spain. In England the only locations are Heathrow, Gatwick, Birmingham or Manchester. The only locations for Scotland are Edinburgh or Glasgow. All cars must be returned to the same location.
Maximum car rental length is 28 days.
So we'd have to find alternatives for Ireland. We used Thrifty Rent a Car in Dublin last month. At least $300 for 6 days because they require all the insurances unless you have a letter from your credit card company stating their rental car insurance benefit covers Ireland (most don't). They didn't charge a drop charge for a Dublin city pickup and Dublin airport return. Enterprise wanted about $100 extra to p/up in Dublin city and return the the airport. So I am hoping to find a decent deal to pick up at Dublin airport and return near a ferry port before going Northern Ireland -> Scotland of Dublin -> Wales. But then I'd have to take a train to either Glasgow or Birmingham to get the Avis covered by RCI points. Then the maximum rental would be 28 days and returned to that location.
Then train to Gatwick airport to pick up another car to be returned there.
The RCI rep estimated the smallest car would cost at least $1200 for about 28 days. The amount of RCI points was about 105,000 for $1000 car rental.
Any advice would be appreciated.
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