Jeep Rental Rates - Mr. Pipers looks high, thoughts?

MadCityMom · Post by **MadCityMom** » Mon Nov 09, 2015 2:17 pm

We need 2 - four door Jeeps for Jan 2-9 and Denise at our villa rental company was kind enough to get us reservations with Mr. Pipers. All reviews look good but they are coming in at $731 EACH for the week which just seems WAY HIGH ($1462 total)! I'm used to paying $500-550/week per Jeep. Aqua Blu has 1 four door that week for $566 incl tax. THOUGHTS?? We are paying all expenses for 6 adults and 2 kids to celebrate our anniversary and it's getting to be like funny money with the growing expenses. And time is running out and so are our options... Thanks!

Pia · Post by **Pia** » Mon Nov 09, 2015 2:42 pm

Switch - Aqua Blue are wonderful to work with and almost a $200 saving buys a lot of cocktails/meals out etc

jpm · Post by **jpm** » Mon Nov 09, 2015 5:23 pm

Amalie on St. Thomas has 4 door jeeps for $615. You would have quite a savings picking up the car on St. Thomas and only having to pay the car barge fee each way rather than the van to the ferry plus ferry price/person and per piece of baggage. Amalie is a pleasure to work with.

MadCityMom · Post by **MadCityMom** » Mon Nov 09, 2015 10:23 pm

Thanks for the suggestions. We need two Jeeps and our groups arrive two hours apart so might rent the Aqua Blu for my group and Amalie for the second. I don't know that I'm ready for the drive to Red Hook and the car barge but my husband who is waiting for the later arrivers could get the Amalie car while he waits and that might work perfectly!!

He's a little worried about the drive to Red Hook in the dark (second flight arrives 4:15pm) but we've been passengers on the drive and it's not that hard right?? Can't wait!!

Exit Zero · Post by **Exit Zero** » Mon Nov 09, 2015 11:16 pm

Sunset on Jan 2 is 5:55 pm so you shouldn't have to be driving to Red Hook in the dark -- if you don't have a car reserved already that is sure to be a busy! week so I would get a car locked in ASAP.

http://timebie.com/sun/stthomasvi.php

MadCityMom · Post by **MadCityMom** » Tue Nov 10, 2015 3:37 pm

Exit Zero thank you for the sunset info! That made the difference. I've made a reservation request with Amalie for one Jeep in STT and another request with Courtesy in STT (Aqua Blu's was gone). Courtesy has one, but haven't heard back from Amalie and have gotten voicemail when I call. Hopefully they will have one. I'd much rather spend the extra couple hundred bucks on drinks and food!

MadCityMom · Post by **MadCityMom** » Tue Nov 10, 2015 5:42 pm

Good points. On the plus side, no cruise ships that day. Husband flies in earlier with me at 2:30 pm so was thinking he'd get the car and wait for the last two of our party who fly in at 4:15 p.m. and I'd head with the rest of the group to STJ get one car and head to the villa. Thought logistics might be easier than renting 2 cars in STJ with the last half of the group with the second driver (my husband) arriving after 5pm. Could I get the two cars (photo of husband DL) in STJ when I arrive but then leave the second car for him to pick up...or what?? Maybe we'll just have the last two travelers (newbies) make their own way to Red Hook and the ferry to SJF...Husband thought it would be nice to wait for them

Getting complicated..

jimg20 · Post by **jimg20** » Tue Nov 10, 2015 9:56 pm

Then there is also this option. Everyone take people ferries. The people ferries run until midnight. If the second group gets in at any time that day, they can still get to STJ. The first group signs out two cars. You'll want two people on the contract for each car. Your husband can be added to the contract the next morning.

It's vacation. Try not to make things too complicated.

JIM

MadCityMom · Post by **MadCityMom** » Tue Nov 10, 2015 10:07 pm

Thanks for all of the suggestions. We can't fit six in the STT Jeep so that won't work. And we have 2 under 10, and another 2 in their 20s (under 25). 4 of us over 25 who are potential drivers. We'll make it work though. We're celebrating our 10th wedding anniversary and treating family (4 newbies who will go with the flow). I currently have 4 Jeeps booked (3 STJ and 1 STT) so I have options before I narrow down to 2.

cocosmom · Post by **cocosmom** » Wed Nov 11, 2015 5:23 am

I say let the last two travelers make their own way to STJ. It is really a no brainier to get there. Just walk out of the airport and the taxi vans are waiting. You all can settle in and wait for their call. No car barge, night driving worries. You will get used to STJ villa drive before it gets dark when you have to pick them up. We did the car barge our first trip and if you can back up easily it was a breeze just worry about the time of day you do that with the late group.

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