Ketchikan and Juneau Car Rentals

[carol459]

We will be in Alaska in Mid September and are contemplating car rentals in Ketchikan and Juneau for sightseeing.

My question: Do the rental agencies provide shuttles from the cruiseport to their rental lots?

Thanks for any input.

 

Rick

[NancyIL]

In Juneau, Rent-A-Wreck will pick-up cruise passengers near the dock and take you to their office to do the paperwork. http://www.juneaualaska.com/rent-a-wreck/

[allentownahoy]

The same thing is true of Alaska Car Rentals in Ketchikan. I strongly believe renting a car is the way to go if you want to control what you see and how long you spend there. Why pay $36 per person for a tour to Totem Bight which is basically free- 5.00 donation suggested when with a car you can go to Totem Bight, Saxman and everything in between and beyond along the coast.

 

In Juneau renting a car enabled us to spend as much time as we wanted at Mendenhall, take another road for a back view of Mendenhall, then head 40 mies up the coast with many scenic stops (including a whale sighting from shore). We always made sure to plan on returning the car well before we were due back on board and then explored in town near the ship.

 

It makes sense to pay for excursions that you can't do onyour own such as whale watches and flightseeing but otherwise I say go for the car.

Ruth

[fti]

I am planning on renting a car in Juneau next month. Right now I have a reservation with Alamo at the airport but the public bus goes from downtown to very close to the airport and that is also the direction I am heading (Mendenhall). It is definitely more of a hassle than Rent a Wreck but I have not heard back from Rent a Wreck yet. After my time hiking neaer Mendenhall (where the shuttle and public buses don't drop you off), I have the flexibility to drive to Auke Bay or Douglas Island. The price with Alamo is good so I am satisfied.

[mistyflannigan]

Budget has a downtown office in both Juneau and Ketchikan, so you should be able to walk from the cruise terminal.

[fti]

Budget has a downtown office in both Juneau and Ketchikan, so you should be able to walk from the cruise terminal.

 

Actually Budget's "in town" office is less than 1 mile from their airport location, where they have a second office. Their office "in town" is only open until 5pm but you can drop off at the airport 24 hours a day. This office is the service office for the airport office (stores excess cars, cleans & washes them, etc) but they also let you pick up here. But note that it is not anywhere near downtown or the cruise ships. You would need to take the public bus or a taxi.

 

John

[qiangf2]

In Juneau, Rent-A-Wreck will pick-up cruise passengers near the dock and take you to their office to do the paperwork. http://www.juneaualaska.com/rent-a-wreck/

 

Two thumbs way up for Rent-A-Wreck

[fti]

Two thumbs way up for Rent-A-Wreck

 

I just EMailed them again since I haven't heard from them after my request through their website.

 

John

[qiangf2]

I just EMailed them again since I haven't heard from them after my request through their website.

 

John

 

you probably want to call them. I never emailed them before. But I didn't have problem getting hold of them over the phone.

 

BTW, the lesson learnt from my last trip: make sure you call them 20-30min before you are ready to get off the ship. That's about how long it will take them to come to dock to get you.