Car/Van Rental in Skagway

[dobiemom]

Tina and Yukon were ABSOLUTELY correct! Gary was a huge help. Just in case anybody else is interested - Gary told me that no one is in the Skagway office until about May 10th. They will have some mini vans for the Summer Season you just can't reserve them in the Avis online system. Avis seems a little more pricey than Sourdough. I have yet to hear from Sourdough so we will see what happens from here.

I've emailed Sourdough a couple times and got prompt (within 24 hours) responses.

[Purpleprincess4]

I've emailed Sourdough a couple times and got prompt (within 24 hours) responses.

 

Yes, I should have updated that. They sent me a detailed email within a day or two. Sourdough seems very professional! :)

[travelt]

How far in advance can you reserve a van? We will not be there until June of 2011, but I want to make sure we have one reserved.

[coo359a2]

For the 2010 cruise year, Avis opened their bookings Nov 09. I had to make the booking through the Anchorage Avis office instead of using their internet web site. I'd mark my calendar to try calling their office sometime in Nov.

[travelt]

For the 2010 cruise year, Avis opened their bookings Nov 09. I had to make the booking through the Anchorage Avis office instead of using their internet web site. I'd mark my calendar to try calling their office sometime in Nov.

 

So I should call Anchorage office for Skagway reservations? I will mark my calendar for November. Thank you so much for the help!

[coo359a2]

So I should call Anchorage office for Skagway reservations? I will mark my calendar for November. Thank you so much for the help!

 

The Avis website didn't allow me to reserve a mini van at Skagway. So I called the Anchorage office, talked with Gary who helped me make my reservation for a Skagway pickup. Even then, we had to make the reservation as a full size sedan until Gary determined how many mini vans would be put in Skagway for the season. I think that by December Gary had our reservation updated to show we were renting a mini van. I've checked with him several times since then just to make sure our reservation is ok. Just call me a worrier who likes to double check all reservations periodically.

 

I would check the Avis website next November and make a reservation through the site. If it didn't allow you to reserve the size car you wanted, I would call Gary to have him process the reservation. I would probably also check with the Anchorage office to make sure the reservation was correct. Remember I like to double check my reservations. I will be calling the Skagway office after it opens sometime in mid May just to make sure they have me down for a mini van.

[travelt]

I am just the same way about reservations! I am a big planner, so I want to make sure I have everything in line that I can. Thank you so much for the advice.

[coo359a2]

Enjoy your 2011 cruise. I can't wait for ours - just over 40 days to go:D

[gkrnjlr]

As for Sourdough rentals......I realize that the cars aren't new. Just how "worn" are they?

 

Still clean? Just have miles on them?

 

Thanks!

[Yukon]

As for Sourdough rentals......I realize that the cars aren't new. Just how "worn" are they? Still clean? Just have miles on them?

 

A regular on the Skagway highway, I see tour buses broken down fairly regularly - I've never seen a Sourdough (or Avis) vehicle broken down. Sourdough upgraded their cleaning and maintenance 2 years ago - there were certainly complaints before that time.

[gkrnjlr]

A regular on the Skagway highway, I see tour buses broken down fairly regularly - I've never seen a Sourdough (or Avis) vehicle broken down. Sourdough upgraded their cleaning and maintenance 2 years ago - there were certainly complaints before that time.

 

Ah, good to know! Thanks!

 

I did just reserve a car through Avis for the day we'll be there (6/9) and all the compact cars are sold out, but the Grand Am (size) is $106 for the day. I'm curious what Sourdough's is and if Sourdough also offers car seats!

 

Thanks again for the quick reply!

[Ron AKA]

Talked to Gary at Avis in Anchorage today. Yes, as advised by an earlier poster, he was very helpful in organizing a car for us. Refreshing to get that kind of personal service in a computerized world of car rentals.

 

They plan to get down to Skagway around May 3rd, and open the office on May 5th.

 

And yes to get through the phone "press number X", just call this number 907-243-4300, as recommended earlier, but don't press any suggested number and just stay on the line. That gets you through to Gary's office in Anchorage.

[InternetAgeTraveler]

Ah, good to know! Thanks!

 

I did just reserve a car through Avis for the day we'll be there (6/9) and all the compact cars are sold out, but the Grand Am (size) is $106 for the day. I'm curious what Sourdough's is and if Sourdough also offers car seats!

 

Thanks again for the quick reply!

 

Their prices and other information is here

 

http://sourdoughrentals.com/Suggested_Route.html

 

You'll have to email or call them to find out about child car seats....

[InternetAgeTraveler]

Since I contributed to this thread, I wanted to check back in since we just rented from Sourdough last week.

 

First, I will say I was a bit nervous having read the various threads about them. But overall, we were pleased with the experience.

 

Booking was good. I called them originally to book and got a live person, they took my information and gave me a tracking number. I also communicated with them via email and they typically responded. I called a week before just to be sure the booking was ready and Darla confirmed we were set.

 

We had booked a van and when we got there, I looked around their parking lot and noticed they had quite a few vans. They apparently recognize that this is a gap in the Avis availability. I looked in the different vans to see how clean they were and they all appeared in good shape.

 

The paperwork went quick and I took the van back and parked close to the cruise ship while everyone was getting ready. The van we were given had 115K miles on it. While for a rental this may be high but it is less than both of our primary vehicles.

 

We had no problems driving, the doors and windows all worked. Even the A/C worked (yes it got warm enough during our drive to need it). I didnt compute the exact gas mileage but it took just over 10 gallons to fill it up.

[Yukon]

I didnt compute the exact gas mileage but it took just over 10 gallons to fill it up.

 

If you went to Emerald Lake that makes it about 15 miles per gallon :)

[gymbomominNC]

Since I contributed to this thread, I wanted to check back in since we just rented from Sourdough last week.

 

First, I will say I was a bit nervous having read the various threads about them. But overall, we were pleased with the experience.

 

Booking was good. I called them originally to book and got a live person, they took my information and gave me a tracking number. I also communicated with them via email and they typically responded. I called a week before just to be sure the booking was ready and Darla confirmed we were set.

 

We had booked a van and when we got there, I looked around their parking lot and noticed they had quite a few vans. They apparently recognize that this is a gap in the Avis availability. I looked in the different vans to see how clean they were and they all appeared in good shape.

 

The paperwork went quick and I took the van back and parked close to the cruise ship while everyone was getting ready. The van we were given had 115K miles on it. While for a rental this may be high but it is less than both of our primary vehicles.

 

We had no problems driving, the doors and windows all worked. Even the A/C worked (yes it got warm enough during our drive to need it). I didnt compute the exact gas mileage but it took just over 10 gallons to fill it up.

 

 

Thanks so much for posting this update. We have reservations w/ Sourdough in a few weeks and I was a little nervous reading previous postings. I don't mind an older vehicle as long as it's clean and everything is in working order.