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Car Hire With A Debit Card Now Available In Lithuania

February 21, 2019 Debit Card Car Hire News, Lithuania Comments Off on Car Hire With A Debit Card Now Available In Lithuania
Car Hire With A Debit Card Now Available In Lithuania

Located in Northeastern Europe next to the Baltic Sea, Lithuania is the largest of the three Baltic states. Unlike many countries Lithuania doesn’t have mountains or jungles, however, the medieval towns and luscious green landscapes certainly compensate for this. If you are a beach lover, you will love the sandy beaches of Lithuania that are surrounded by some of the largest sand dunes in Europe!

We are pleased to announce that we can now offer Debit Card Car Hire in Lithuania.

Paying With A Debit Card

Unfortunately, we cannot accept every type of debit card, to find out if your card will be accepted, please get in touch with us.

Some Locations In Lithuania

Other services available in Lithuania

Young Driver Car Hire: If you are over the age of 21 and have held your licence for at least 2 years we can off young driver car hire to you.

Senior Driver Car Hire: If you are over 80 and below 99, we can offer senior driver car hire to you for only 10 EUR per day.

Unlimited Mileage Car Hire: If you plan on driving long distances to see as much of Lithuania as possible, no need to worry about going over your mileage limit, we offer free unlimited mileage.

Adding an Additional Driver: If you are going to be doing a lot of travelling by car why not share the driving and add extra driver for just 6 EUR a day.

If you are interested in any of the services above, please contact us directly, you can call us on +44 (0) 113 88 00 748, email us to sales@thealternativeagency.co.uk or chat with one of our team online using the function to the bottom right.

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Driving In Europe After Brexit

February 20, 2019 Europe, UK Comments Off on Driving In Europe After Brexit
Driving In Europe After Brexit

Its looking more and more like the United Kingdom will be leaving the EU without a deal in under six weeks. If this was to happen, what does this mean for motorists from the UK or indeed visitors to Britain?

No major long term changes have been announced, so we have been taking a look at the initial impact of what will happen on the 29th March 2019.

British residents with a UK Licence

If you are a UK licence holder residing in Britain, you do not need to change your licence on or before the deadline for Brexit, in fact it will not affect you at all unless you are planning to drive in Europe.

To do this you may need an IDP, International Driving Permit. As part of the EU, we did not need any additional documentation to be able to drive within the EU and the EEA. When we leave, you may need to check to see if an IDP is needed. This can be done at over 2,500 post offices, it is a simple process and currently costs £5.50. (More information here) We already have to go through this when visiting countries like the USA, Japan & Brazil and the process will be similar.

Please bear in mind, if you are planning on driving through more than one country, you may need more than one IDP.

EU Residents with a UK Licence

If you have recently moved from the UK to reside in the EU then the biggest change for you is the process of changing your licence. Once the UK is no longer part of the EU, you may lose the right to automatically exchange your UK driving licence for a licence from the country you now live in and there is a possibility you may have to take a new driving test. To avoid this, you can apply to exchange your licence before the deadline date of 29th March.

If you then decide to move back to the UK in future, you will need to exchange it back to a UK licence. This is easily done via the Post Office & DVLA.

EU driving licence holders

As far as we are aware, nothing will change for EU licence holders when driving in the UK. For most, an International driving permit is not required but as with anything where there could be a grey area. We advise that you speak to the relevant authorities to check before driving in the UK.

Insurance & Green Cards

One of the biggest changes for UK licence holders could be the changes to insurance policies. Many policies would cover you for EU travel for a certain amount of time without having to do anything. This will change, with the probable ‘No Deal’ looming and if the EU & UK reach no separate agreement, drivers of vehicles registered in the UK will need to carry an insurance Green Card when driving within the European Union and other countries like Iceland, Norway, Serbia and Switzerland. To get a green card, or to check if one if required, speak to your motor insurance provider.

When renting a vehicle abroad, remember that driving licence requirements can and do vary. If you are booking in advance in the UK, ask your rental provider or broker to confirm the requirements of the countries that you intend to visit. REMEMBER, It is the driver’s responsibility to know the rules of the country they are visiting. If in doubt, check with the local authority before you travel.

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Top 5 Must See Places In Croatia

February 20, 2019 Croatia Comments Off on Top 5 Must See Places In Croatia
Plitvice Lakes National Park, Croatia

After an increase in enquiries over the last 6 months, Croatia is quickly becoming one of the most popular countries for a short break among our customers. As such we have decided to do a run of articles on the country. Places to visit, things to see, driving tips and laws and more. Keep an eye out for them.

Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik is found in South Croatia, next to the tranquil Adriatic Sea. One of the highlights of Dubrovnik is walking around the medieval walls that date back to the 16th Century. The historic town has also featured in the Game of Thrones and you can visit several spots that are seen in the show. One popular excursion is visiting Lokrum island, which can be reached by a short ferry trip. Upon arriving you can wander around the Botanical Gardens that were planted in the 19th century, watch out for the Peacocks and rabbits that roam the island freely. Finally, there is a cable car that takes you up a mountain high above Dubrovnik where you can enjoy the spectacular view of the ancient town.

Plitvice Lakes National Park

Plitvice Lakes National Park, in central Croatia is a national park containing 16 interconnected lakes, set in a picturesque forest. The park itself covers 300 square kilometers, the lakes stretching over 8 kilometers combined. Despite the lakes only dropping 135m in total from top to bottom the largest waterfall found there is 70m tall. There is a range of routes you can complete ranging from 3km to 18km, don’t worry there are buses and ferry’s that can help you see as much of the magnificent scenery as possible, without the long walks. You can also enjoy a picnic or rent a small rowing boat and easily spend a full day here, maybe even two!

Blue Cave of Bisevo, Croatia

Blue Cave of Bisevo

This cave is not the easiest place to visit but the enchanted blue waters are definitely worth the journey. Despite only spending about 15 minutes in the actual cave most tours will visit another cave on the island, the Green Cave, which is similar to the blue cave. Another breathtaking place to visit that most boat trips will take you to is Stiniva Cove, the best beach in Europe 2016, voted by European Best Destinations. The dark blue sea is so clear that you can see the bottom even when at depths of 15 Meters. Different companies offer different packages, some boat trips will only last a short time whereas others can last up to 10 hours, so make sure you research before and do what is most suitable for your trip.

Pula Arena

Once home to gladiator fights, this ancient monument was built in the 1st century, making it the oldest of its type in Croatia. All made from local limestone the amphitheater was believed to hold 20,000 spectators in its prime. Now the Arena only holds 5,000 spectators but still hosts many events including the Pula Film Festival, Opera and many more, so there is something for everyone. You can go underneath the arena and walk down tunnels where Gladiators once walked through leading you to the subterranean gallery where wounded or dead Gladiators were put on show after battle. If you want to spend the whole day there be sure to explore the old town of Pula, there are many other historic wonders hiding there, including the Temple of Augustus and Arch of the Sergii.

The Golden Horn Beach, Croatia

The Golden Horn

This beach is to many people the best beach you can find in Croatia. It is found on the island of Brač, which is a one-hour ferry journey from Split. The Golden Horn stretches nearly 600 yards and is best known for its unique shape and crystal-clear blue water. Here you will be able to take part in a variety of water sports activities including sea kayaking, windsurfing and scuba diving. If you don’t like the big crowds there is many other remote beaches on the island. Don’t be mistaken the island of Brač has a lot more to offer than just beaches, for example visiting Vidova Gora, the highest point on the island at just under 780 meters high. Vidova Gora can be reached by foot but if the weather is too warm to walk its easily accessible by car and you won’t want to miss the panoramic views from the top. If you are feeling more adventurous then you can take part in a 3-hour guided rock climb even if you’re a beginner.

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Free Delivery & Collection In Lanzarote

February 14, 2019 Spain Comments Off on Free Delivery & Collection In Lanzarote
free delivery lazarote

If like many when you travel, you book a package holiday that includes transfers between the airport and your hotel or villa, then you are probably not interested in hiring a car from the airport when you arrive.

In many resorts, if you then decide you want to go exploring it means a trip back to the airport to collect a car or be faced with a hefty delivery charge. Not in Lanzarote however, we have managed to secure a deal with a large supplier on the island. They will offer free delivery to any address, yes that is free of all charge.

So why spend your valuable time in the long queues at the airport when you can laze around by the pool or enjoy family time at the beach while the rental car is delivered to you.

Things You Should Know

This offer is only available from one supplier and unfortunately they do require a credit card in order to rental a vehicle. If you do not hold a credit card and want to pay for your rental vehicle with a debit card then we can help, however you will need to collect from the airport.

The supplier will require a deposit of €660EUR at the start of the hire, this will be frozen on your credit card until the end of the rental.

Young drivers can take advantage of this, if you are aged 21+ you can hire a car in Lanzarote with free delivery. Providing you have help your licence for 2 years or more. If you are 20, you can still hire but there is a daily fee i’m afraid of £18EUR.

If you would like to discuss this further or would like a quote, please contact us directly. Booking online does not guarantee you will get free delivery. Call us on 0113 88 00 748 or email us on sales@thealternativeagency.co.uk.

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Debit Card Car Hire In Morocco

February 13, 2019 Car Hire Tips, Debit Card Car Hire News, Morocco Comments Off on Debit Card Car Hire In Morocco

We’ve had a debit card option available in Morocco for some time now, however up until now we have only been able to help from Marrakech Airport, which was a huge limiting factor in the number of people we could help. Since making a new arrangement with our suppliers though we are now able to arrange debit card hire from almost all the major airports, including Morocco’s most famous and populous city Casablanca, as well as its capital – Rabat.

Airport Locations

  • Rabat Airport
  • Fez Airport
  • Marrakesh Airport
  • Agadir Airport
  • Oujda Airport
  • Tangier Airport
  • Ouarzazate Airport
  • Essaouira Airport
  • Nadar Laroui Airport
  • Casablanca Airport
Downtown Locations

  • Casablanca
  • Rabat
  • Fes

What cars are available to rent with a debit card?

The only restriction when hiring with a debit card is that you cannot rent premium / luxury vehicles – other than that you can take your pick at any of the vehicles available:

[table id=303 /]

What other services are available at these locations?

We have quite a few services here that we can offer in conjunction with a debit card hire:

Low deposit car hire – on most of these vehicles we can offer a very low deposit of only 2000 MAD (Just £160 / €185), which is just held on your debit card on arrival and released back to you on return. This is much more affordable than a lot of our contemporaries, many of whom have deposits up to 30000MAD (around £2500!).

Young driver car hire – we can offer debit card rentals to anyone over the age of 21 with a licence held for at least a year. Young driver fees are also minimal to none at this location too, so don’t expect to have to bear a huge cost just for being under 25.

As part of being able to hire a car in these locations with the use of a debit card then we had to agree to some conditions in regards to which debit cards we were allowed to accept. They were very specific as to which cards could be allowed, if you wish to find out if your card will be accepted, please contact us.

If you are planning to rent a car in Morocco and don’t have a credit card then please make sure that you contact us directly so that we can ensure you get the right supplier. Simply call our experienced and knowledgeable reservation agents on +44 (0)113 880 0748 or emailing them at sales@thealternativeagency.co.uk.

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Young Driver Hire In Switzerland With No Extra Cost

February 7, 2019 Switzerland, Winter, young driver Comments Off on Young Driver Hire In Switzerland With No Extra Cost
Car Hire With Zero Deposit

That’s right, we’ve managed to team up with one of our suppliers in Switzerland to arrange something extremely rare in the car rental industry – car hire for young drivers with no extra fees or surcharges! You don’t even have to have held a licence for a full year – the only requirement is that you are over 21 and have held your licence for 6 months.

With young driver fees often reaching up to 25-30 CHF per day, it’s not rare for them to double or even triple the cost of your car, making it extortionately expensive for anyone under the age of 25. We decided to rectify this issue with an affordable car hire option for younger drivers – no strings attached.

Where in Switzerland is this offer available?

We have numerous branches that we can arrange this from, at both airport and city locations:
[table id=311 /]

Am I able to hire without a credit card?

Yes, we can arrange a debit card rental from any of the airport locations as of writing, and are currently working on arranging this for the downtown locations too. We also offer a very low deposit from this location, just 200 CHF (approx. £153 / €175) held on the debit / credit card on arrival and released back to you at the end of the hire. That’s a far cry from the standard 1500 CHF deposits you get with most suppliers!

Can I take the car cross-border?

With this option you can take the car into almost all EU countries for no extra fee. These include:

[table id=312 /]

Just make sure you let us know when booking so we can make all necessary arrangements.

Is there an extra charge for winter ready vehicles?

If you’re hiring in the winter months (November to March) all cars will come fully equipped with the winter pack as mandatory by law in Switzerland, so they will already be fitted with the correct tyres for harsh weather conditions. If you’re going up to the Alps for a skiing holiday too you can also hire snow chains or a ski rack at the desk.

Please ensure you contact us directly for this option too as it’s not available to book on the website – you can contact us via email to sales@thealternativeagency.co.uk or call us on 0113 88 00 748.

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Car Hire With A Debit Card In Fiji Now Available

February 6, 2019 Debit Card Car Hire News, Fiji Comments Off on Car Hire With A Debit Card In Fiji Now Available
car hire fiji with a debit card

We are happy to announce that we are now able to offer debit card car hire on the main island of Fiji, an tropical paradise in the South Pacific.

The Fiji Archipelago consists of over 300 islands – known as “The Soft Coral Capital of the World”, it’s abundance of impressive coral reefs and marine wildlife make it a front runner for scuba diving and snorkelling holidays. Fiji is also popular for its pristine white sand beaches and tropical temperatures year-round, so there’s still plenty for the less adventurous of us!

Which locations can I hire from?

We can help from a few branches on the largest main Island of Viti Levi – namely the capital city, Suva, both in the airport and city centre. We can also help from the popular tourist city Nadi, again both from the airport and city.

How large is the deposit hold on the card?

We have luckily managed to arrange a very low deposit option, so the deposit hold would just be 500.00 FJD (only around £183 / €207). This would be the same on all car groups, from the mini size to the SUV’s and 9-seaters.

Other Services Available At These Location:

We have quite a few other offers available in conjunction with this option:

Young driver car hire: We can offer this for anyone over the age of 21 with a licence held for 2+ years. The best part though is that we can offer this with no young driver fee – so you don’t have to worry about paying double the cost just because you are under 25!

One-way car hire: As long as the car remains on the main island, we can arrange a rental with different drop off locations, between the two main cities and Coral Coast.

As always, please get in touch with us directly for these options as they are not available on the website, you can call us on 0044 (0) 1138800748 or email us to sales@thealternativeagency.co.uk.

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Debit Card Car Hire in Malaysia Now Available

January 30, 2019 Debit Card Car Hire News, Malaysia Comments Off on Debit Card Car Hire in Malaysia Now Available
Low Deposit Car Hire in Malaysia

We are happy to announce that we have now managed to secure a debit card rental option with one of our suppliers in Malaysia, with multiple locations spanning across the mainland and the island of Borneo.

Travel and tourism is booming in Malaysia, they are currently ranked 9th in the world for most visiting tourists! This is not surprising when you consider the number of beautiful beaches, tropical islands and coral reefs, and that it’s also home to several World Heritage sites, such as the historic cities of Malacca and George Town.

Where in Malaysia can I rent with just a debit card?

We have locations at almost all the major cities on the mainland and Borneo, take a look below for the full list:

[table id=307 /]

Do I have to have a large deposit held on my card?

Not at all! The deposit amount on all vehicles is just 500 MYR – which converts to just £92 or €106 at today’s exchange rate. This is just held on your card for the hire and released after returning the vehicle.

What are the age requirements?

The driver just has to be at least 23 years old to rent in this location, with no young driver’s fee to be charged either. If you have any other questions, or with to arrange a rental in Malaysia with a debit card, please contact us on 0113 88 00 748 or at sales@thealternativeagency.co.uk, as it is always best to discuss you requirements with us before booking.

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Exclusive VW & Skoda Lease Deals

January 24, 2019 UK Comments Off on Exclusive VW & Skoda Lease Deals
VW & SKODA LEASE DEALS

If you are in the market for a short term lease or longer term rental then we have a fantastic package for you. We have teamed up with Volkswagen and Skoda to bring you exclusive monthly lease deals.

With a minimum term of just 3 months, these packages are ideal for those waiting for a new car to be delivered from the manufacturer, company car drivers awaiting their new choice or even employers looking for a GAP vehicle for a new employee.

All rates are per calendar month and include VAT and fully comprehensive insurance. The mileage cap is a good one at 2,000 miles per month and if you were to go over this, its just 15p per mile. This is a full drive away package unlike the typical lease deals that mean you have to insure the vehicle yourself.

There are various collection points around the UK or delivery can be arranged subject to a small charge if over a certain distance from the nearest location.

The Vehicles

The vehicles available are the same ones that you will find on our No Credit Check Leasing Page

Skoda Fabia Leasing

Skoda Fabia £509

VW Golf Leasing

VW Golf £539

VW Passat Leasing

VW Passat £569

Skoda Octavia Leasing

Skoda Octavia £555

Skoda Octavia Estate Leasing

Skoda Octavia Estate £585

VW Tiguan Leasing

VW Tiguan £649

Trim levels can vary but this will be confirmed with you when booking the vehicle. Remember, the above prices are inclusive of Insurance and VAT. These vehicles are not available to book online. You can complete the enquiry form here, call us on 0113 88 00 748 or email us on sales@thealternativeagency.co.uk

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New Car Hire Deals In Jamaica

January 23, 2019 Jamaica Comments Off on New Car Hire Deals In Jamaica
jamaica car hire deals

We have teamed up with a new car hire supplier in Jamaica and this means we have access to much better deals when it comes to hiring a car on this beautiful Caribbean Island.

One of the benefits of using a local company rather than a big international brand or franchise is that they can set their own terms and policies and do not have to follow the rules put in place by a CEO that is sitting behind a desk in a lovely office a thousand miles away. These smaller business owners know their market and tailor their business to suit the people who need and want to hire from them. Below are some brilliant examples of this:

Free Additional Driver

You can add a 2nd driver to your rental free of charge, you can also add a 3rd driver to the policy for just $3 USD per day. So if you intend to take in the sights or party like you are supposed to in Jamaica then having the option of another driver can be valuable.

Pay With A Debit Card

The vast majority of car hire suppliers require a credit card for the rental payment and deposit hold. This can exclude a lot of potential customers and this supplier has identified that by accepting debit cards, they could increase their target market. No need for a credit card here, just a valid debit card in the name of the main driver.

Low Deposit Car Hire

For the majority of rentals, the most costly part is the deposit. Although in most circumstances this amount is not taken from your card, its just held (frozen) similar to checking into a hotel. Some suppliers require a deposit upwards of $1,500 USD which to a lot of people is not affordable. The standard deposit here with all vehicles is $750 USD, this can be reduced even further with additional insurances to $250 USD.

Young Driver Car Hire

The standard age restrictions apply with most suppliers in Jamaica. Typically if you are under 25 or over 75 then you will struggle to hire a vehicle. However, with our supplier we can offer car rental to those the age of 21 and 22 with just a small additional fee of $6 USD per day, 23 and 24 year old’s can be insured with no extra charge at all providing you have held your driving licence for 12 months or more.

Collecting A Hire Car In Jamaica

All of the above are available from 3 depots in Jamaica. Norman Manley Airport, Sangster International Airport and Kingston Town. Delivery can also be arranged to private addresses or hotels.

None of the above deals are guaranteed when booking online, we cannot be certain you will be matched with the correct supplier unless you contact us before making a booking. You can call us on 0113 88 00 748, email us on sales@thealternativeagency.co.uk or chat with our reservations team online.

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