The Las Vegas Thread and MSE guide

becksta

Thanks for the advice Ferf1223. Will have a look at car hire prices as I would prefer to drive and take my time. I'm from sunny Portsmouth so am used to driving in fair size cities etc. Also, have driven a little in Europe so hopefully won't find it a problem.

Following Steve's post about the Grand Canyon I have been researching air tours to the South Rim and think it has been whittled down to Scenic or this one - http://www.grandcanyontourcompany.com/airsouth.html. Now I think its the same as one that viator.com promote but the price appears to be a bit cheaper on the link above. Does anyone have any experience of doing this tour? I think the only different between Scenic and this one is that Scenic fly out of Boulder City and this one from North Las vegas???

Becky

sew109

November/December

I have always found https://www.dollar.co.uk to be the cheapest car hire in the US by a country mile if anyone finds somthing cheaper be pleased to know

tingtong

sew109 wrote: »

I have always found https://www.dollar.co.uk to be the cheapest car hire in the US by a country mile if anyone finds somthing cheaper be pleased to know

https://www.auto-europe.co.uk

Stew68

Becksta,

I've had a look at that link and the tour does seem to be different to the one I did with Scenic, it looks like they give you more time at the rim (perhaps missing out the imax). I think it may also be cheaper and as you said you fly from Vegas rather than Boulder City. I think if I had seen this one before doing the Scenic one i'd have done it.

Still have to say though that Scenic were very good.

Stew

trets77

April

Katykat wrote: »

I have a quote of £480 for a Thmas Cook flight (5 of us) On the booking page, it asks if you have a promo code. I've checked on the Vocher code site and there is a link to Thomas Cook, but it just takes me to the TC website. when I fill the details in, it gives me the same price. Is there really any discount codes, or is it just a ruse to get you to book, hoping that you wont back out when you are so close to booking?
Could I also ask- If I booked (eg Luxor) for say $120pn on a refundable web price, and they offered non refundable, pay up front prices at $60pn closer to my departure date, could I transfer to this rate? If, so would it just be a case of ringing them with my booking details and asking for the new , special rate?

i doubt that transfering to the cheaper offer would be a problem , however once you have a NON REFUNDABLE offer your stuck with it .

Thanks for the advice Ferf1223. Will have a look at car hire prices as I would prefer to drive and take my time. I'm from sunny Portsmouth so am used to driving in fair size cities etc. Also, have driven a little in Europe so hopefully won't find it a problem.

I have always found www.dollar.co.uk to be the cheapest car hire in the US by a country mile if anyone finds somthing cheaper be pleased to know

Driving in USA is easy compared to UK. if you have never driven a Automatic , then you might need to swat up on how to change gear ect , but after 5 mins of driving one from a manual ,you will wonder why bother with Manuals at all , it is so easy.

main thing to remember in USA is the "Turn right on red light rule" and not to pass school buses with flashing lights on.

as for who you hire with , most of the brokers ( airline network , Carhire 3000) ect will use the likes of Dollar ect. the good thing about brokers like these is that you pay everything up front. no nasty surprises after a long flight . if you book direct through dollar be very sure everything is included in the price :- CDW with Zero excess for example. if the price is a lo cheaper than the likes of Airline network then i would be suspicious that they are waiting to spring something on you when you collect. i always use www.travelsupermarket.com as a good guide to prices .

you can often pay for the fuel up front as well , or you will have to pay for it when you collect. you can refuse personal insurance as i assume you will have adequate travel insurance going to America. i never take out breakdown cover but thats your call.

becksta

Thanks Trets. What are the pros and cons of booking car hire whilst out there? As I'm there for 10 nights it would be easier to decide when to hire the car. Are the prices much different if you don't book via the internet before you go?

Baz_2

ferf1223 wrote: »

You have to be a resident of Japan to get those fares - on the main page it asks if you are - if you choose no, it sends you to the other national sites...even if you try to get around it, the credit card you pay with has to be lodged against an address in Japan.

A lot of airlines restrict ticket sales this way.

Maybe, but they will issue the ticket with a UK credit card and a UK address.

I guess its whether you think there's any risk or not.

If they dont want you to do it, then they would restrict you booking it.

stoneman

May

becksta wrote: »

Thanks Trets. What are the pros and cons of booking car hire whilst out there? As I'm there for 10 nights it would be easier to decide when to hire the car. Are the prices much different if you don't book via the internet before you go?

I can't think of any pros to booking while out there except if you don't want the car for the whole time you are there. then you can decide on the spot. I have often priced up car hire from here and via U.S. sites, and it has ALWAYS been cheaper to book from here. It is almost impossible to work out the exact price you will pay when you pick up the car as there are so many compulsory add ons that do not show up on your invoice, and you only get the full price when you pick up.
I also got my wife to cost up the same car we booked at the same dealer at the facility in Vegas, and they wanted nearly a third more than we paid back here.

stoneman

May

trets77 wrote: »

Driving in USA is easy compared to UK. if you have never driven a Automatic , then you might need to swat up on how to change gear ect , but after 5 mins of driving one from a manual ,you will wonder why bother with Manuals at all , it is so easy.

Maybe driving in the U.S. is easier as a rule, but driving in Vegas requires you to have your wits about you at all times. not because of the Vegas drivers, but the California drivers, they must be the worst bunch in the U.S. Absolutly no idea at all, and bullies to boot. Heres a tip, if you want to get from one lane to another, DON'T INDICATE, just get over, because if you signal and there is a Cali driver behind you, he or she sure as heck will close the gap up and not let you in.
Vegas drivers are the fastest in any area of the U.S. I have been to, and watch the junctions, they head the U.S. in red light accidents.Saying all that, there is no way i would ever visit Vegas without having a car with me at all times, just so much you will miss out on. just getting up in the mornig and going out to breakfast to IHOP for a start, then there is the Walmart shop, gun store, playing golf, driving out to Mount Charlston in the summer to escape the heat, and the same again to ski in the winter, being able to get to Lake Mead on whim to watch the sun go down, and just the sheer fun of driving up and down the roads to the west of the strip to see all the cool shops.

trets77

April

stoneman wrote: »

Maybe driving in the U.S. is easier as a rule, but driving in Vegas requires you to have your wits about you at all times. not because of the Vegas drivers, but the California drivers, they must be the worst bunch in the U.S. Absolutly no idea at all, and bullies to boot. Heres a tip, if you want to get from one lane to another, DON'T INDICATE, just get over, because if you signal and there is a Cali driver behind you, he or she sure as heck will close the gap up and not let you in.
Vegas drivers are the fastest in any area of the U.S. I have been to, and watch the junctions, they head the U.S. in red light accidents.Saying all that, there is no way i would ever visit Vegas without having a car with me at all times, just so much you will miss out on. just getting up in the mornig and going out to breakfast to IHOP for a start, then there is the Walmart shop, gun store, playing golf, driving out to Mount Charlston in the summer to escape the heat, and the same again to ski in the winter, being able to get to Lake Mead on whim to watch the sun go down, and just the sheer fun of driving up and down the roads to the west of the strip to see all the cool shops.

The strip and surrounding area can be a little daunting i agree but a medium sized UK city at 8am on a Monday is 10 times worse IMO . i would just be alert to the conditions , but don't let it stop you hiring ..no way

. however the worst place i have ever driven is Boston ..it beats even London.

The old saying about the time from traffic lights turn green to the guy behind you beeping their horn is about 0.5 seconds :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: thats a Boston Minute i guess.

our last Car hires have both ended up being Dollar but Via Brokers ( airline network and Carhire 3000) the only thing we were forced to pay on collection was fuel @ LA , we payed for fuel in advance with Airline network when we collected @ Mirage car hire desk . never had any other charges and had Zero problems when hiring in USA via Brokers .