Confirmed Car Rental - can price change?

[lifeasme123]

I have found with reservations through third party vendors (Priceline, Expedia, etc), no changes can be made or it voids the contract, even here in the lower 48.

 

If reservations made through car rental direct, they will sometimes make changes at no additional cost.

 

I have no idea what the rental car companies in Alaska charge or their rules and regulations as I've never rented a car in Alaska.

 

Others on this board are giving you good advice, only you can decide which route you want to go, and how much you are willing to spend.

 

I am 100% fully aware and understand that since it is my trip, only I can decide where I want to go, how and the budget. The post is to ask if anyone has had the experience, and what happened. I am not asking anyone to dictate my itinerary but to offer insight from their experiences.

 

I am going to call the car rental company and ask for a noon pickup instead of the 10am pickup. That should not change the contract....well I sincerely hope not!:)

[lifeasme123]

Whenever I have had to do that it essentially became a new reservation! We periodically visit family in Denver that has high car rental rates especially if it's only for a few days. Recently we have been getting discounts through the airline.

 

Yikers...changing the reservation from 10am to noon may result in a new reservatoin? :eek:

[mapleleaves]

Nevermind...I put in the wrong dates. It is about $600 for a R/T week rental from ANC.:(

 

 

Did you use the 510 International Airport address? not the airport itself.

 

I don't know when you're travelling but I just looked at the first week in June and it was $217 for a Toyota Corolla.

[lifeasme123]

Did you use the 510 International Airport address? not the airport itself.

 

I don't know when you're travelling but I just looked at the first week in June and it was $217 for a Toyota Corolla.

 

Ah...didn't know that! Thanks mapleleaves! Anyway, that location has the same office hours as the one I am already booked at. I was hoping for something opened until late so I can take the 6pm bus out of Seward.

[lifeasme123]

I called the car rental...i was able to change the time pickup to noon. Additionally, they let me move the pickup location to downtown.

Edited January 4, 2016 by jen70

[mapleleaves]

Pick up the car the next morning. What are you going to do with it at 10pm anyway? and what chance that you'll be packed, have b'fast and be on the road before 9am the next day?

 

BTW, did you explore the options for getting your other person to Anchorage on Sat morning ? That would enable you to spend you to spend the first few days in Seward and would make better sense or your overall itinerary.

 

There's at least one transfer company that leaves Seward at 8am.

[lifeasme123]

I think I am going to drive th erental car company bonkers. lol Called them back and asked for the reservations to be at the original location at the suggestion of the bus company.

[lifeasme123]

And I got an additional 5% discount on top of that price!!!

[frugaltravel]

Recipe for disaster: making all your multiple changes by phone.

 

GET IT IN WRITING!!! Whether that means you just go to the company's website to verify it and print it out or if you ask them to send you an EMail confirmation, you absolutely need to get the changes IN WRITING.

[lifeasme123]

Recipe for disaster: making all your multiple changes by phone.

 

GET IT IN WRITING!!! Whether that means you just go to the company's website to verify it and print it out or if you ask them to send you an EMail confirmation, you absolutely need to get the changes IN WRITING.

 

I ALWAYS as for email confirmation, which they sent to me.

[lifeasme123]

Pick up the car the next morning. What are you going to do with it at 10pm anyway? and what chance that you'll be packed, have b'fast and be on the road before 9am the next day?

 

BTW, did you explore the options for getting your other person to Anchorage on Sat morning ? That would enable you to spend you to spend the first few days in Seward and would make better sense or your overall itinerary.

 

There's at least one transfer company that leaves Seward at 8am.

 

There isn't any company leaving out of Seward on Saturday morning. I checked. It's either Friday or Sunday. Please let me know if you know of any.

 

Agree..it does make better sense to spend a couple of days in Seward then make our way to Anchorage. For now we are going to spend one day - drive from Girdwood to Seward to see the Sealife Center and Kenai Fjord...I think that is planned for sunday.

 

Right now we are scheduled to pick up the rental at noon. I have booked the bus transfer - 830am Friday out of Seward.