Car rental in Cozumel

[Smartypants72]

It's been almost 2 years since I was last here but even longer since I've rented a car here. From what I remember there were a couple different companies right at the pier renting cars. Has anyone done this recently? What were the prices for the day? I recall it was $35 or $40 the last time I was there (I think?). Tried posting this on the Coz. board but got 0 responses! I'd appreciate any feedback thanks!

[steve4040]

I don't have personal experience with this . . . but I have read several posts on here about people who rented cars and then were "set up". They were invovled in accidents, and the police and rental car people demanded exorbitant prices to pay for the damages, threatening to cause people to miss there ship.

 

These types of discussion were popping up here about a year ago. I haven't seen anything recent, so maybe the problem has been resolved. Again, no personal experience myself, but just passing on a paraphrasing of info I read here on Cruise Critic.

 

I hope things work out for you.

[cahill85]

I am on the Valor July 5 trip. I reserved a car through the cozumelinsider.com website. I reserved a jeep wrangler through AVIS.

They have info about renting a car etc. on that web site with some good information.

 

I will let you know how it goes in a few weeks.

[Nunu]

We rented a car from a small company on a side street in Cozumel 4 yrs. ago. Had a blast driving around the island and stopping where we wanted. I think it was about 50 bucks all in for the day.

[mdxter]

I am on the Valor July 5 trip. I reserved a car through the cozumelinsider.com website. I reserved a jeep wrangler through AVIS.

They have info about renting a car etc. on that web site with some good information.

 

I will let you know how it goes in a few weeks.

 

I have also rented a jeep from Avis for August and very anxious to hear from you about your experience driving in Cozumel when you get back.

[tandemcruzr]

We have rented cars in Cozumel, both on cruises and on land vacations. On the cruises, we rented a jeep with friends and drove around the island. We rented at the pier, International Pier I believe. It was expensive with the full insurance (which is what you want if you don't want to experience the story in the post by steve4040.) Note that the jeeps are not 4-wheel drive. That feature has been disabled.

 

For our land vacation, we rented a VW bug from Rentadora Isis for a lot less money, but you still want to get full insurance (no deductible.)

 

Go to tripadvisor dot com and search for Isis. You will find many threads about the friendly service provided my Margarita and her family at this local business.

 

You can also search for car rentals and will find recommendations about other rental agencies.

 

Another piece of advice - don't rent a scooter. Too dangerous.

 

Driving in town requires attention. Many streets are one way with stop signs. The directional arrows and some of the stop signs are painted on the corner of a building at the intersections. And watch out for the locals on scooters passing you on the left and/or the right at stop signs and traffic lights.

 

We will be visiting Cozumel again in January, 2010 and will rent a car to drive to the east side of the island away from the cruise ship crowds.

 

You can get a very detailed map with loads of information from mapchick dot com.

 

(We have no business interests in any of the referrals above. We're just tourists who have had good experiences.) :D

[mamajules]

Last July we rented a jeep through Executive at the pier (we were at Punta Langosta downtown). It was $75 for the day with full insurance. Not bad for 4 people to split. I agree driving downtown takes attention, and the scooters are buzzing past you everywhere! We had someone navigate for the driver. If you're at the International Pier, there's rental offices there also, and you're south of downtown. Real easy to head around the island to the other side from there. This was the second time we rented in Cozumel, and no problems either time, easy to get around the island. Absolutely love getting away from the crowds to the eastern side of the island, and of course stop at Coconuts.

[julieclair]

We were there in May, and rented with Avis, at the International Pier (or maybe it was the Puerta Maya pier -- I get them confused since one is now closed due to the hurricane a few years ago -- anyway, it was not the downtown pier). We booked it in advance, online at the Avis website. We booked a regular car, not a jeep, since we wanted the air conditioning.

 

I think the final cost, with insurance, worked out to about $50-$55. Call your credit card company before you leave and ask about insurance coverage in Mexico, and if there are any special rules you have to follow to make sure you don't void the insurance. :eek: For example, with our credit card, the name on the rental contract had to be the same as the name on the credit card -- so since my husband's name was on the card, he also had to be the renter and principal driver of the car. Depending on what your credit card company says, that will determine how much (if any) additional insurance you need to purchase from the car rental company.

 

We had a fabulous day! Easy driving, visited the Mayan Ruins at San Gervasio, had lunch at Coconuts, enjoyed the beautiful scenery as we drove along the coast on the "other side" of the island. I think we will probably rent a car every time we are in Cozumel from now on. We loved the freedom of going where we wanted, when we wanted! :)

[tandemcruzr]

We were there in May, and rented with Avis, at the International Pier (or maybe it was the Puerta Maya pier -- I get them confused since one is now closed due to the hurricane a few years ago -- anyway, it was not the downtown pier). :)

 

Puerta Maya reopened last year in the fall. If you are on a Carnival ship, you most likely will be at Puerta Maya.

 

I agree, renting a car gives you much more freedom than a ship's excursion at this port.

[iancal]

We had a great time on our own in a rented VW bug. Like other, went around the island, stopped to swin at a few spots. Drove thru town. There are not many gas stations so make sure you have gas before leaving town.