Free Car Hire

Virgin Holidays Cruises are giving FREE car hire on all of our Orlando Stay & Cruise Holidays*. The cars are all brand new with air-conditioning to keep you cool on sunny days. Having a boot to stash all your bargains in can also come in handy! With a hire car, Florida is yours for the taking.

View our Orlando Stay & Cruise Holidays

What’s included in your FREE car

• An air-conditioned car with automatic transmission, unlimited mileage and a radio
• Third Party Liability Insurance up to $1m

Included Car Insurance

Third Party Liability Insurance provides you with cover for damage to another vehicle, in the event of an accident. It doesn’t cover you for damage / repairs to your own rental vehicle if you are involved in an accident. We recommend you take out additional cover either when you arrive or before you travel, by purchasing one of our packages below.

Upgrade to Fully Inclusive Insurance Package

In addition to the Third Party Insurance cover it includes:

• Collision Damage Waiver (covers your own rental car for damage)
• All pre-payable airport fees and taxes

Upgrade to Platinum Insurance Package

In addition to the above Fully Inclusive cover it includes:

• Additional Drivers
• A tank of fuel

10 Reasons to Book your Car with Virgin Holidays Cruises

• 1. Fastway to the Freeway - exclusive check in options to beat the queues
• 2. Fantastic Early Booking Offers
• 3. SAT NAV from £7 per day - Don't want to get lost?? Then hire one of these great little units to get you around without using maps!
• 4. FREE Tank of Fuel on Platinum Packages
• 5. Great Value options to pre-purchase your insurance
• 6. Choice - Choose the make & model of your car when you arrive rather than a specific pre-allocated car
• 7. 24-hour Roadside Assistance included
• 8. Dedicated Virgin Holidays area at Orlando airport
• 9. Virgin Holidays commitment to great Customer service
• 10. ATOL protection and the reassurance of holidaying with Virgin Holidays, the largest tour operator to Florida

Mileage Chart

Clearwater		156	75	268	130	333	429	98	185	284	171	106	227	20	158	56	23	381
Cocoa Beach	156		145	178	248	267	364	46	302	203	288	51	137	165	276	182	135	315
Crystal River	75	145		289	204	406	503	99	256	314	244	88	247	100	231	137	79	454
Fort Lauderdale	268	178	289		141	92	190	196	116	30	108	213	47	249	146	214	264	141
Fort Myers	130	248	204	140		205	303	188	57	157	44	197	126	111	22	76	126	254
Key Largo	333	267	406	92	205		98	284	146	55	173	302	135	314	212	280	329	49
Key West	429	364	503	190	303	98		382	243	160	271	399	232	412	309	377	427	49
Kissimee	98	64	99	196	188	284	382		244	220	230	23	154	107	217	124	77	333
Marco Island	185	302	256	116	57	146	243	244		105	18	251	157	166	63	131	181	194
Miami	284	203	314	30	157	55	160	220	105		125	238	70	265	163	240	280	112
Naples	171	288	244	108	44	173	271	230	18	125		238	149	153	162	118	168	221
Orlando	106	51	88	213	197	302	399	23	251	238	238		171	115	225	132	85	350
Palm Beach	227	137	247	47	126	135	232	154	157	70	149	171		238	150	196	208	184
St. Pete Beach	20	165	100	249	111	314	412	107	166	265	153	115	238		139	37	32	363
Sanibel/Captiva	165	280	236	146	22	212	309	217	63	163	42	225	150	139		105	155	260
Sarasota	56	182	138	214	76	280	377	124	131	240	118	132	196	37	105		62	328
Tampa	23	135	79	264	126	329	427	77	181	280	168	85	208	32	155	26		377
Vaca Key	381	315	454	141	254	49	49	333	194	112	221	350	184	368	260	328	377

Note that all miles given are approximate.

Car Hire Frequently Asked Questions

What Driving Licence do I need?

A full British driving licence is required. If you have the new photo-card style licence, please remember to take both parts with you not just the photo-card. If you have a USA or Canadian licence you will not be able to rent a car thought Virgin Holidays and Alamo.

What happens if I have points on my licence?

Points are fine as long as the licence is valid and in date

Do I need a Credit Card?

Yes, you need a credit card in the lead driver's name. The credit card is for security purposes and will be used for authorisation and any additional products that are purchased.

Can I use a Debit/Switch card?

A Switch/Maestro card is not allowed. A Visa/MasterCard Debit card is accepted.

Do I need to pay a Deposit?

Alamo will swipe your credit card for $0, this is for security. No actual deposit amount is taken. Although locally purchased items such as fuel etc will be charged to the card.

Can I leave a Cash Deposit?

Yes, it will be approx $100 per week plus any additional items you have purchased. You will not get back cash when you return the car. Alamo will send a USD cheque to your home address. You cannot use the Online check in service if you wish to leave a cash deposit.

Is there an Excess if I have an accident?

If you have upgraded to Fully Inclusive or Platinum Package then there is no excess if you have an accident or damage the car. If you have taken the Basic/Exclusive Package then you will be liable for the cost of all the damage to the car up to the full value of the car.

What is Choice?

Choice is available at 42 Airport locations (including all our Virgin Gateways). Choice allows you to select the make, model and colour of the car you want from a row which contains the car category you have booked eg Intermediate, Full size etc. At locations where Choice is not available a specific car of the type you booked will be given to you.

What is Online Check in?

Online check in allows you to enter all the information Alamo need before you go. When you arrive you can then skip the counter and head straight to the garage to the row of the car type you have booked. You can then choose your car, drive to the barrier, taking your rental agreement that you received at the end of the Online check in process, your driving licence and the credit card you used with you to show at the booth when leaving the garage.

Online Check in can be used where Alamo offer "Choice". If you are picking up at a non Choice location or a downtown depot you will not be able to check in online. Simply go to www.alamo.com/offer/virgin and enter the Alamo reservation number or the Virgin Booking reference number you'll find on your voucher.

What will I need to use Online Check in?

You will need your Alamo Reservation number which is on your car hire voucher or your Virgin Holidays Booking Reference number. You will also need a Credit Card in the lead drivers name and the Drivers license for the lead driver and any additional drivers.

Are upgrades available through the Online check in?

No, not at this time. If you want to upgrade prior to departure, you will need to contact Virgin Holidays

Will the car fit my party and luggage?

We recommend sizes of car based on party sizes. This does NOT take into account the luggage you have. Each car has a guide to the number of passengers and luggage it will take. This is approximate and a guide only. Your idea of a large suitcase may be different to Alamo's so you should carefully consider the size of car you may need before you go as upgrades cost more locally than to pre book before hand.

What make and model car will I get?

Cars are booked by group so you book an Economy size car, an Intermediate SUV size car etc Within each group Alamo provide an example of what that car might be eg Chevrolet Aveo or similar. This is NOT necessarily the make and model of the car you will receive it is purely an example.

What types of packages are there?

Virgin Holidays & VHC (Complete Packaged Holidays or Flydrive)

Basic/Exclusive Package - This is where you have taken the car that is included in your holiday or fly-drive but NOT purchased our Fully Inclusive or Platinum package on top. Includes Third Party Insurance only and all other Insurances as well as compulsory taxes and fees will be payable locally.

Fully Inclusive Package - Includes comprehensive car insurances and all taxes, airport fees and surcharges. (Taxes still applicable on anything extra you purchase locally)

Platinum Package - Includes comprehensive car insurances and all taxes, airport fees and surcharges plus up to 3 Additional Drivers, a tank of fuel, underage driver fees and child seats. (Taxes still applicable on anything extra you purchase locally)

Fully Inclusive Package - This is the standard package and includes comprehensive car insurances and all taxes, airport fees and surcharges. (Taxes still applicable on anything extra you purchase locally)

Platinum Package - Includes comprehensive car insurances and all taxes, airport fees and surcharges plus up to 3 Additional Drivers, a tank of fuel (Taxes still applicable on anything extra you purchase locally)

VHC Platinum

If you are booking a customer a 1,2 or 3 day hire then you should advise the customer to upgrade to the Platinum package. This is approximately an extra £5 per day but includes the tank of fuel. A tank of fuel is approx £30-£60 and they have to pay for a complete tank locally even if they haven't used a full tank. It is much better value to purchase the Platinum and will stop complaints from customers who feel they didn't use much fuel but still got charged for a full tank.

What is the Minimum Age to hire a car?

The minimum age to hire a car is 21. If you are aged between 21 - 24 years inclusive then a young driver fee will be applicable.

What is the Fuel policy?

If you have taken the Platinum package then this includes a tank of fuel and this will show as a 0 cost against the Fuel on the online check in process.

If you have not taken the Platinum package then Alamo will ask you to pay for a tank of fuel in advance plus taxes and fees that are applicable on top of this. This amount is based on the approximate car size you are booking. This saves you having to find somewhere to fill up the car before you return it as you can then return the car empty. There are no refunds for unused fuel left in the car when you return it.

Why are there Taxes and Fees charged when I have taken a Fully Inclusive or Platinum package?

Anything that is payable locally or not included in your hire is subject to tax and airport fees on top of the cost eg a tank of fuel will have tax and recoup fees added to the cost as well. If you have taken our Fully Inclusive package and then add on extras eg Sat Nav, Additional drivers or Child seats to your booking when checking in Online, there will be tax added to the cost of these items. If they are included in your package and you have prepaid for them then the tax is already included as well

I haven't taken a Fully Inclusive or Platinum Package, what compulsory charges will I have to pay?

You only have basic Third Party insurance included in your hire. You will therefore have to pay all the compulsory Airport fees, taxes and surcharges that are applicable to your booking. This will vary per state and depends on the length of your rental and car booked. CDW insurance (see insurance coverage below) is optional but recommended. If you don't have CDW then you are liable for the full cost of the car in the event of an accident

What Insurance coverage do I need?

All our cars come with Third Party Liability (SLI) of up to $1m. This only covers you for damage to a third party's car in the event of an accident not your own hire car. This means you are liable for up to the full cost of any damage to your own hire car if you do have an accident. To cover the cost of any damage to your own hire car you would need Collision Damage Waiver (CDW). Our Fully Inclusive and Platinum packages include this. If you have NOT purchased one of these packages then you can purchase CDW when checking in through online check in. It is not compulsory but we recommend customers take this to covers themselves fully.

How many Additional Drivers am I allowed?

If you have taken our Platinum package, up to 3 free additional drivers are included. Extra drivers over this are allowed but will be at an additional cost.

If you have not taken the Platinum package then you can add as many additional drivers as you require but they will be at an additional cost.

What if I have Sat Nav to collect?

At Orlando you can collect your Sat Nav from the Virgin Pitstop in the garage or at the rental counter inside the terminal. At all other locations you will need to collect from the Alamo booth or counters

What if I have a Child Seat to collect?

The Online Check In process will not be finalised if you have a child seat to collect. At Orlando, you should head straight to the garage. An Alamo or Virgin Rep will then meet you and complete the online check in process for you and show you where the child seats are.

At all other locations you will still need to head to the counter in the terminal where they will check you in and provide your child seat. This will only take a few minutes, as all your information is stored in the booking already from the online check in process.

What happens if I purchase "optional items" locally and do not want them?

The customer has 24 hours to return the "optionals" and the charges will be removed from the rental contract.

Do I have Breakdown Cover?

24/7 Roadside Assistance is included in all our car rentals.

What is the response time to breakdown calls?

Response time in Florida is no more than 1 hour. Response time in the rest of the USA and Canada is no more than 2 hours if the breakdown occurs with 100km of a major city or Alamo location.

What is Roadside Plus?

Roadside plus is an additional insurance policy that Alamo can provide. It is OPTIONAL. Some of the items are covered already in our Fully Inclusive or Platinum package.

If you have taken our Fully Inclusive or Platinum package then Roadside Plus provides only the following additional cover:

• Replacement of Keys if you have lost them
• Unlocking the car if you have locked the keys inside the car
• Changing a flat tyre
• Delivery of fuel if you run out

As these items are down to customer responsibility they are OPTIONAL and we don't include them in our packages. If customers are worried they might do one of the above then they can take Roadside Plus when they are checking in online for an additional cost.

What is the Toll Pass?

Alamo offer a Toll pass, they charge an admin fee of $2 per day up to a maximum of $6 total plus tax on top of all toll charges.

In Orlando there are some tolls that are "cashless". If you go through one of these then Alamo will automatically charge the credit card they are holding on file the toll fee plus the $2 for that day. As there are many tolls in Florida it is a good idea to pay the $6 admin fee and then go through the Sunpass lane for all tolls and have them charged to your credit card instead of using the cash lanes.

How much are One Way fees?

One ways are not permitted on Economy cars.

In Florida you can pick up and drop off your car at any Florida depot free of charge. It is also free to pick up and drop off within California or Nevada or between California, Nevada and Arizona.

Any other one ways incur a one-way fee. This varies on the distance between the pick up and drop off point.

How are the Car hire prices calculated?

Alamo work on a 24-hour basis. If you have collected your car at 1700 then you will need to drop it back at 1700 at the end of your rental or an additional day will be charged locally.

What is the Grace period when returning my car?

Alamo work on a 24-hour basis. If you have collected your car at 1700 then you will need to drop it back at 1700 or extra days/hours will be charged by Alamo locally.

Alamo will give you a 2-hour Grace period to return your car in case you are stuck in traffic etc. Using the above example, if you return the car at 1830 instead of 1700 you will not be charged any extra fees.

What happens if the car category I booked is not available?

Alamo will guarantee a free upgrade to the next available category.

What about right hand & left hand controls and spinner knobs?

Left hand controls are available on all size vehicles. Right hand controls are available on Full size cars only. Spinner knobs can be installed anywhere on the steering wheel, typically 2 o'clock or 10 o'clock. All of these options must be booked in advance through Virgin Holidays and the Alamo Special Services Department

How are late bookings made (prior to departure) with Alamo?

If the booking is made 24 business hours (exclude weekends) prior to arrival into the USA, the Duty Office will be making the booking with Alamo (via website).

Port Transfers

Orlando - Port Canaveral
Cars can be picked up and dropped off at the Enterprise location at Port Canaveral. It is dual branded Alamo/Enterprise. There are no one way drop off fees between Port Canaveral and any other locations in Florida. A shuttle bus will then take them to the Port from the depot and v/vM

Miami
Cars can be picked up and dropped off at Miami airport and a shuttle bus runs between the port and the airport. Alternatively cars can be picked up and dropped off at Miami South beach but customers will then have to take a taxi (at own cost) to the port which is about a 5-10 min taxi ride away.

Fort Lauderdale
Cars can be picked up and dropped off at Fort Lauderdale Airport only. A shuttle service between the airport and port operates when cruises are in.

Driving FAQs

Things you should know about driving in the USA.

http://www.virginholidays.co.uk/extras/postbooking/driving/index.shtml