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winnerwinnerihr

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Posts posted by winnerwinnerihr

    Rental car in port

    in St. Kitts & Nevis

    Posted

    There is not much posted here about rental cars as a cruise passenger in St. Kitts so I thought I would post about my experience on March 22.

     

    I was one of the first 30 independent travelers off Allure of the Seas once the ship was cleared. I rented from Avis. It is located about a five-minute flat walk from where the ships dock. The office can be found across the street from the pedestrianized shopping mecca that is the Port Zante complex (to the right as you walk towards Basseterre town). It is easy to see the "Avis" sign. The facility is spacious and has good air conditioning, a water dispenser, and toilets. Take care when crossing the road as there is no pedestrian signal (also see comment about the local drivers below).

     

    I am an Avis Preferred Plus member. I rented a compact car (Hyundai Accent or similar) and received a complimentary upgrade to a Hyundai Tuscon SUV in excellent condition with 8,600 miles on the odometer. The check-in was prompt and friendly. I paid for the St. Kitts temporary license in U.S. cash - $24.00. An Avis employee came out to inspect the vehicle with me, and notated all scratches. The fuel was only 7/8 full and I was told to fill it up to the same level prior to return (which is almost impossible to do, so I ended up giving them more gas than actually needed).

     

    The vehicles are right-hand drive and vehicles drive on the left side of the road, similar to the U.K., Australia, New Zealand, etc. The speed limit signage is in miles per hour. I first headed to Romney Manor/Caribelle Batik. The roads heading westbound from Basseterre are narrow and full of potholes. Vehicles often stop or park on the side of the narrow road making it impassable for two vehicles. There are sometimes wild goats on the road who do not seem to fear traffic. The local drivers (who seem to love to deck out their vehicles) are even more wild and drive as if they were on the Autobahn and could take flight off the island if they slammed the accelerator harder! I have quite the lead foot myself but as an example, traveling 35mph in a 20mph zone with very clear "NO PASSING" signage on the very windy road near the Rose University College of Veterinary Medicine I was passed by a local motorist going at least 50mph who nearly slammed into the oncoming traffic with such a maneuver. It definitely was not the laid back islander type of driving I had expected (as seen in other islands I have visited such as Aruba, St. Thomas, Hawaii, French Polynesia, Cook Islands, Canary Islands, Madeira, etc.).

     

    The road to Romney Manor includes some hairpin turns, especially near the entrance. There is adequate free parking in a large parking lot. I was able to arrive at Romney Manor/Caribelle Batik before any other vehicles or tours and had the place all to myself for about 15 minutes! I next went to Brimstone Hill Fortress and the road there also includes several hairpin turns. Be sure to honk when rounding those corners. At one particular harrowing turn there was an attendant who ensured there would not be collisions. To enter the fortress parking area (grassy area next to the Visitor's Centre) one has to go through several very small archways, with only a few inches of clearance on either side of the vehicle. There were only a few vehicles in the parking area when I arrived so at the top of the fortress there was almost nobody and I had most of it to myself. When I left there were many more tour vans.

     

    I had a delicious lobster lunch at El Fredo's and there was ample parking right in front of the restaurant.

     

    After lunch, I drove to South Friars Bay. This area is slated for redevelopment and all the beachfront establishments have been shuttered in preparation. As a result, there was hardly anyone else on the beach. The roads east of Basseterre are, in contrast to those in the west, very well maintained and the stretch of Dr. Kennedy Simmonds Highway which begins near Frigate Bay is like driving on any other urban road in North America.

     

    There is a Sol gas station just east of Basseterre near the roundabout of Pond Rd and Bay Rd. This is a full-serve gas station (perhaps all Kittian ones are and you are not allowed to pump your own gas?). The prices are Eastern Caribbean Dollar (EC$) per gallon. Return to the Avis was easy and service was prompt.

     

    When in St. Kitts again I would still opt to rent a car but driving there is definitely not for the fainthearted. It worked well for me as I had a party of five so despite the cost of the temporary driver's license, a car rental was still significantly cheaper than a taxi or a tour, with increased freedom to explore and set my own schedule.

     

    Hope this helps someone!

     

     

     

    Thanks so much for all the great info!

     

     

    Sent from my iPhone using Forums

    Rental car in port

    in St. Kitts & Nevis

    Posted

    We used avis and they were great and easy to find. St kitts was very simple to get around last time we were there. Good roads. They drive on the left instead of the us way of on the right. It was so nice

     

    Sent from my SM-G955U using Forums mobile app

     

     

     

    Thanks for the reply. We honeymooned there but haven’t been to the island in 15 years. I would imagine a lot has changed. I’d rather explore on our own and don’t need to return to he fort, batik shop etc.

     

     

    Sent from my iPhone using Forums

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