Renting a car for the day-Budget or other?

Hi

searched the board here and saw several posts from folks who rented a car from Budget at the cruise ship terminal...they seemed to have a good experience. Did you reserve in advance or just show up at the stand? (it seems online you can't reserve that far in advance...so just curious about availability or any other tips on this).

Besides Budget---did you see other car rental vendors?

Looking forward to doing this---seems like the best way to get to the southern end and see several beaches and do our own tour. Appreciate any advice/experiences on this.

Thanks!

John in NC

John in NC where nothing could be finer - I'm always urging people to rent cars rather than take organised tours. Nothing upsets me more than to be on a coach whizzing past a staggering view, a bliss-out beach or gorgeous little church and not being able to stop for a swim, a walk or a photo. And then the crowded coach does stop outside a boring trinket stall. That's what organised tours are all about.

HOWEVER . . . Martinique. I did rent a car, from Avis or Hertz, can't remember, but it was a brand new Opel which was comfy and as big and as easy to drive as a Jaguar. But driving in Martinique was a nightmare - getting out of Fort-de-France was shockingly difficult. I somehow thought it would be like Papeete or Noumea but it's far, far bigger, a major city, with huge volumes of traffic. And once we did escape and drove the (north) coast road there was nowhere to stop or park.

We're going back in November on a Seabourn trip and our ship calls at Le Marin - we're renting a car again and hope the south shore will be less congested.

HOWEVER . . . Martinique. I did rent a car, from Avis or Hertz, can't remember, but it was a brand new Opel which was comfy and as big and as easy to drive as a Jaguar. But driving in Martinique was a nightmare - getting out of Fort-de-France was shockingly difficult. I somehow thought it would be like Papeete or Noumea but it's far, far bigger, a major city, with huge volumes of traffic. And once we did escape and drove the (north) coast road there was nowhere to stop or park.

 

We're going back in November on a Seabourn trip and our ship calls at Le Marin - we're renting a car again and hope the south shore will be less congested.

Thanks for the information Fletcher....I was looking at heading to the South End anyway -- hitting the one black sand beach and maybe 2 others on the southern tip - and explore one village. The distance doesn't look too far, but I have heard about leaving Fort-de-France/traffic. We will be there on a Tuesday--so hoping not too bad. :)

How was the traffic in the afternoon/coming back? the same (bad?)

John in NC

We visited Martinique on a Wednesday. Traffic was bad all the time along the coastal road, much less busy inland. Returning to Fort-de-France we just stopped the car outside the Avis/Hertz office and caused the most enormous honking hooting traffic jam until someone from the office came out and took the car away. There was absolutely nowhere to park.

We visited Martinique on a Wednesday. Traffic was bad all the time along the coastal road, much less busy inland. Returning to Fort-de-France we just stopped the car outside the Avis/Hertz office and caused the most enormous honking hooting traffic jam until someone from the office came out and took the car away. There was absolutely nowhere to park.

Wow. Sounds like "fun"....at least I will be prepared for this and lack of parking.

Did you visit the black sand beaches up north---or any other towns?