cruise america zero damage plan

Provisioning Kit - Optional Item

Per Person Kit - Optional Item

Petrol / Propane for Cooking and Heating (All fuel is at your expense.) Your vehicle at departure will contain a minimum one-quarter tank of petrol (gasoline) and adequate propane for appliance use. You may be charged a deposit for fuel included at departure, depending on local circumstances. Return fuels at the same level for refund of deposits. At the Rental Center, you will be given directions to the nearest fueling stations. There are no warranties concerning fuel consumption rates while en route. Child Restraint Seats & GPS - Not Provided by Cruise America You must supply your own child restraint seats for transfers and while en route. GPS devices are not available to rent. You must bring your own or, alternatively, you can easily purchase one locally. Food, Bottled Water and Other Camping Items Please ask for a map or directions to nearby supermarkets for you to stock up on food and bottled water. Payment of Deposits / Charges: Security Deposit A basic refundable security deposit of USD $500 and the use of a credit card to pay for all local charges and deposits is required at departure. Upon vehicle return, all extra charges are balanced against the security deposit and a credit will be issued to cover the refund. Cash is not accepted for security deposits or any additional charges at departure.

Burning Man Departures Please note that all Burning Man departures from select locations will require a increased Security Deposit of USD $1,000, in order to ensure our vehicles are returned in the same manner they are offered, ordinary wear and tear excepted. The Security Deposit of USD $1,000 (increased from “normal” Security Deposit of $500) shall automatically be collected at departure, for ALL rentals departing on the following days and from the following locations: 2024 / 2025 / 2026 Departure Dates: 21 August to 27 August 2024 / 20 August to 26 August 2025 / 19 August to 25 August 2026 Security Deposit: USD $1,000 Locations: All locations in California, Nevada, Washington, Oregon & Utah.

No Exceptions will be allowed

Mileage Charges Your itinerary will determine estimated travel miles. If you have not pre-paid to your tour operator for mileage packs, estimated travel miles are payable at departure. Upon vehicle return, any additional miles/kms over prepaid miles are charged at the per mile/km rate. There are no refunds for unused miles. Mileage Rates at Departure / Return: USD $0.3 9 Per Mile Kit Charges Vehicle Provisioning Kit USD $125 per kit Per Person Kit USD $75 per kit Generator Charges If you choose to operate the gasoline-powered 110-volt generator, extra charges will accrue at $3.50 per hour as determined by an installed running time meter. Or, unlimited usage may be prepaid or purchased at departure at a rate of USD $8 per rental day. The generator is not required for normal vehicle operation. Camping Chairs Camping chairs are available for USD $12 per Rental. However, due to the cyclical nature of our business, we cannot guarantee availability of camping chairs 100% of the time. During high volume rental periods, we may be unable to provide chairs. In this case, we will provide clients with instructions on where to find reasonably priced alternatives. One-Way Rental Fees One-way fees between rental locations within the USA are allowed and will vary in cost from $350 to $750 depending on pick up location and routing. Your tour operator will advise the rate applicable to your one-way choice at the time of booking. Taxes All rental charges are subject to sales tax by law. In some cases, taxes will not have been collected on items pre-paid to your tour operator, therefore these unpaid taxes will be collected directly from you at departure, at rates prevailing at the Rental Center at time of departure.

Cancellation Conditions (round trip rentals) 46 days or more prior to departure - USD $200 16 to 45 days prior to departure - USD $600 8 to 15 days prior to departure - USD $850 1 day to 7 days prior to departure - USD $1,050 Departure day / No Shows * - Full Rental Charges * Reservation “no-shows:” A client failing to arrive on departure day or who declines vehicle at departure is classified as a “departure day” cancellation.

Cancellation Conditions (one way rentals) 46 days or more prior to departure - USD $600 16 to 45 days prior to departure - USD $1,000 8 to 15 days prior to departure - USD $1,500 1 day to 7 days prior to departure - USD $1,900 Departure day / No Shows * - Full Rental Charges * Reservation “no-shows:” A client failing to arrive on departure day or who declines vehicle at departure is classified as a “departure day” cancellation.

Amendments - Reservation Changes The first change only is at no charge. This first change may involve several aspects of the reservation (party size, items prepaid). The second and subsequent changes are at USD $50 per aspect, per change. As usual, reservation changes are subject to availability and Flex Plan Reservation Change Rules where the higher flex rate shall apply.

Vehicle Departure - Leaving the Rental Centre: Time of Departure - Regular Renters Vehicle departure time begins at 1:00 PM (13:00 hours), however please note, if you are departing on a Saturday, times may vary as some locations close earlier. This policy is similar to the “check-in” policy at a hotel. Your actual departure time will vary. There are no refunds for late pick-ups. Time of Departure - Early Birders With pre-purchase of Early Bird Departure Special, vehicle departure time runs between 9:00 AM (09:00 hours) and Noon. Vehicle Acceptance You will be required to sign a Vehicle Acceptance / Service Satisfaction form listing the condition of the vehicle, to ensure you depart in a vehicle cleaned to your standard which is in good working order, with complete kits, adequate propane tank, empty waste tanks and an appropriate gasoline level. Be sure to have any items corrected prior to departure if you are not happy. While En Route: We Provide a Travelers Assistance Hotline 24-hours a day 7-days a Week ... For concerns that clients may have, whether mechanical breakdowns, service problems, or holiday impairment, the client MUST call the (800) 334-4110 number. A call to the departure rental center is not recommended. Please note that availability of a toll-free number for Travelers Assistance on a 24-hour 7-day a week basis is unique to Cruise America. If the client calls Travelers Assistance they should have the Renter Assistance Guide in hand. The Travelers Assistance representative will refer to specific pages within the guide.

Renter Assistance Guide The Renter Assistance Guide discusses operation of all features of motorhome operation. Important instructional information is included in the Renter Assistance Guide. You are responsible for reading the Renter Assistance Guide thoroughly. This Guide will also advise what to do in the case of an accident or any damage that may occur to the motorhome, as well as tips regarding the use of included safety equipment. This is the first place you should look if there is a problem

The Renter Assistance Guide (English or German) is included with each motorhome rental, please Contact US so we may send you a copy.

Accidents / Collision In the event of an accident, you must notify Travelers Assistance immediately from the scene of the accident (see phone number above). You will be given instructions on how to proceed. You must also obtain a police or bench report. If you are unable to obtain a police report at the scene of the accident, you must go to the local police station and obtain a bench report. We will accept either report. Ferry Restrictions Ferry reservations can be dificult to manage during high season. We recommend you make a reservation for at least a 30 foot vehicle on the ferry, irrespective as to the size of the motorhome reserved, to avoid problems due to possible upgrades.

Travel Restrictions Coverages are invalid if problems occur in the following areas and all recovery expenses are at the client’s own cost. Violations of these restrictions void damage waivers and may subject you to liability for all vehicle damages including to tires, towing charges and other related expenses as a result of a breakdown associated with operating in these areas. Clients should consult with departure location personnel for complete information on travel restrictions and local circumstances at the time they collect their motorhome. Alaska, Yukon and Northwest Territories & Newfoundland Travel on all public and/or numbered roads is permitted. Travel on non-public roads, unpaved back roads, trails and the like – commonly called ‘logging roads’ or on any surface subjecting the vehicle to unreasonable damage or road hazard is prohibited. Clients may receive further information from Cruise America regarding seasonal travel restrictions as well. We reserve the right to restrict travel, dependent on current road conditions. Death Valley and other Desert Areas Vehicles are allowed to operate in Death Valley and other desert areas, however, extreme caution must be observed . Clients visit these areas at their own risk and are thus responsible for all recovery and other charges. During certain periods these areas are not habitable and could pose a danger to the driver and passengers. Manhattan, New York City Due to restrictions on vehicle heights, propane gas and parking, vehicles with propane are not permitted in Manhattan and are not permitted to travel through any underground or underwater tunnels. Mexico Travel the United States border into Mexico in a Cruise America vehicle is strictly prohibited. Winter Warning Vehicle operating systems are not fully operable during subfreezing temperatures. Check the Renter Assistance Guide for winter operations but be aware that in Canada and northern US cities, vehicles are likely to have anti-freeze in holding tanks meaning that vehicle water facilities will not be available to you. Click here for more information 34kb PDF Refueling and Servicing You must turn off engine and all ignition sources including gas appliances, refrigerator, hot water heater, stove, furnace, etc. each time you refuel. You are responsible for checking and maintaining engine oil, fluids, tire pressure, and coolant levels at each refueling, as well as reporting mechanical failures immediately. You may be held responsible for mechanical damage if you fail to do so. Breakdown Assistance and Repair Reimbursement During a motorhome vacation some aspects of the vehicle or coach systems may fail or be impaired. Our objective is to get you back on the road as quickly as possible. If a mechanical breakdown should occur, Cruise America will assist you to secure over-the-road maintenance from reputable service providers. All repairs require authorization by phone from Travelers Assistance at (800) 334-4110 who will document your problem on a customer service log. Tools for vehicle repair are not provided.

Your expenses for authorized repairs will be paid directly by Cruise America or you will be reimbursed upon presentation of receipts. Any vehicle service expense over USD $75 requires a call to Travelers Assistance 1-800-334-4110. If the cost is under USD $75 you may have the service completed, but you must keep the receipt for reimbursement. Rental centers are authorized to reimburse receipts up to USD $75 without a customer service log. Engine battery jump-starts require Travelers Assistance approval in advance. Travel Expense Reimbursement In the event the vehicle is in breakdown repair for 12 hours or less, through no fault of yours, our responsibility to you is limited to a refund of the daily rental rate or portion thereof. Radio, air conditioning, refrigerator, generator, microwave, appliance and cruise control malfunctions are not considered breakdowns and no refunds are available for repair time to these items. In the event of a mechanical breakdown that is immediately reported to Travelers Assistance and requires the vehicle to be in repair for more than 12 hours, certain living/transportation expenses are reimbursable.

Living / transportation expenses are not covered in cases of radio, air conditioning, refrigerator, generator, microwave, appliance, and cruise control malfunctions since these are not necessary for basic operation of the vehicle. Expense reimbursement is void in case of collision, accident, or failure to call Traveler’s Assistance immediately. These provisions provide up to USD $30 per day per person for lodging and up to USD $30 per day per party for transportation expenses. Total provisions are limited up to USD $3,000 per tour. You must present all receipts for a refund of expenses.

Damage to Vehicle / Your Financial Responsibilities: Damage to Vehicle - Breach of Terms & Conditions of Rental Contract - Your Responsibility If the Rental Contract is breached or if you fail to secure a police report, or if you engage in prohibited uses, you are responsible for any and all loss of or damage to the vehicle from any cause, regardless of fault and all related expenses. Damage to Vehicle - Your Responsibility The Customer only has responsibility for up to only $1,500 deductible per incident regardless of fault for vehicle loss or damage per occurrence, provided they abide by the Terms & Conditions of the Rental Agreement, report promptly in case of an accident or vehicle damage, and avoid prohibited uses. Insurance: ** New Information - Insurance **   (Effective for all departures 01 February 2025 and later) Auto Liability Cruise America maintains third party liability protection coverages on its rental vehicles of USD $10,000,000 against claims of bodily injury and property damage brought against the company as a result of the operation or use of its vehicles. This covers Cruise America as a company only.Basic minimum statutory auto liability coverage is included in the rental rates on a secondary basis. All coverages are subject to the Terms and Conditions of the Rental Contract.

In both the United States and Canada, the company provides Auto Liability coverage for your clients on a secondary basis for bodily injury, property damage and personal injury protection (PIP) as required by the inancial responsibility laws of the state or province in which an accident may occur , for claims made against the client and/or authorized drivers. The liability coverage is void if the rental vehicle is not operated safely in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations and in compliance with all terms and conditions of the Rental Agreement. Supplemental Liability Insurance (SLI) – Included with USA Rentals SLI provides excess liability coverage up to a total of USD $500,000 combined single limit of coverage per occurrence against claims made by third parties for bodily injury, death, and/or property damage caused by operation of the vehicle. EXCLUSIONS APPLY. A partial list is contained in the Rental Contract. Please check at departure.

Damage Responsibility As a result of including insurance in the pre-paid rate, we have been able to vastly improve both the coverage for your client and the simplicity of the transaction. Your client only has responsibility for up to only USD $2,500 deductible per incident regardless of fault for vehicle loss or damage per occurrence, provided they abide by the Terms & Conditions of the Rental Agreement, report promptly in case of an accident or vehicle damage, and avoid prohibited uses. Cruise America also offers a product to our mutual clients called “Zero Damage Plan.” Zero Damage Plan (ZDP) can be purchased at the rental counter and enables renters to reduce their responsibility for loss of or damage to the vehicle from $2,500 to zero ($0). ZDP provides peace of mind to many of our clients that have expressed an interest in an option for further reducing their damage responsibility while on rent. ZDP is available for a nominal nightly fee and can be purchased in advance if elected accordingly or at the rental counter. The current price is USD $19.95 per day up to a maximum of 30 days (USD $598.50). For longer rentals there is still coverage but no additional daily fee. Coverage Summaries – USA Departures Provided you abide by the Terms and Conditions of the Rental Agreement, report accidents and/or damage promptly, and avoid prohibited vehicle uses, your coverages include:

• Auto Liability: Statutory and excess Supplemental Liability Insurance up to USD $500,000.  
• Vehicle Damage / Loss: Per occurrence or incident, only USD $2,500 of responsibility. You are covered for amounts in excess of USD $2,500 under most conditions.  
• Trip Reimbursement: Travel Expenses incurred as a result of mechanical breakdown up to USD $3,000 per tour.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Effective for all departures from 01 February 2025 and later

Auto Liability Coverage Scope: In both the United States and Canada, Cruise America provides statutory auto liability coverage for the rented vehicle/equipment. This coverage is designed to protect the renter against third-party claims for bodily injury and property damage. Coverage Limits: The limits of this liability coverage are set according to the financial responsibility laws of the state or province where an accident occurs. This means that the coverage amount can vary, reflecting the minimum required by local laws.

Responsibility for Loss or Damage to RV Renter's Financial Responsibility: When the vehicle/equipment is used in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Rental Agreement, the renter’s liability for loss or damage to the vehicle from any cause (regardless of fault) is capped.

Damage Responsibility Cap: The maximum amount the renter would be responsible for is USD $2,500 (plus applicable taxes) per occurrence. This cap provides renters with a clear understanding of their maximum financial exposure in case of damage or loss of the vehicle/equipment.

Permitted Use: It is crucial for renters to use the vehicle/equipment within the boundaries set by the Rental Agreement to ensure this cap on liability applies. Violations of the agreement could potentially lead to greater financial responsibility for the renter. Supplemental Liability Insurance (optional) What is Supplemental Liability Insurance (SLI) ?: SLI is an optional insurance coverage for renters of vehicles, in this case, RVs from Cruise America. It offers additional liability coverage beyond the basic liability limits that come standard with the rental. Here’s what it covers:

Excess Liability: SLI covers the difference between the basic liability coverage provided by Cruise America and up to a USD $500,000 limit for damages related to bodily injury (including death) and property damage to third parties.

Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Protection: It also covers damages caused by drivers who are uninsured or underinsured, up to the USD $500,000 limit, filling the gap between the statutory minimum and the limit of the SLI coverage.

Electing Coverage: SLI can be pre-purchased based on the various options given in the 2025 Tour Operator Contract / Questionnaire or directly at the rental counter. Clients can also choose to add SLI coverage when they sign their Rental Agreement.

Cost: The cost of SLI is based on a nightly fee, applied to each full or partial night of the rental. The specific fee is to be determined (TBD) and will be detailed in the Rental Agreement.

Not Mandatory: Purchasing SLI is optional and is not a requirement for renting an RV from Cruise America.

Zero Damage Plan (optional) What is the Zero Damage Plan (ZDP) ?: ZDP is a plan available to renters of Cruise America RVs that absolves renters from the financial responsibility for damage or loss of the rented vehicle/equipment, assuming compliance with the terms of the Rental Agreement and applicable laws. Specifically, it means: No Financial Responsibility: Should the RV or any rented equipment from Cruise America be damaged or stolen, the renter who has opted for ZDP will not be responsible for the costs of repair or replacement, given that the damage or loss did not result from prohibited uses. Exclusions Apply: It is important to note that ZDP only covers damages or loss not resulting from prohibited activities or uses as outlined in the Rental Agreement or contrary to any applicable laws. Cost and Coverage Limit: ZDP can be added to the rental for a daily fee of USD $19.95, with a maximum chargeable period of 30 days, totaling USD $598.50. For rentals extending beyond 30 days, the coverage continues without additional daily fees. Election Process: Renters can elect to include ZDP in their rental package either in advance, as per the options available in the 2025 Tour Operator Contract/Questionnaire, or directly at the rental counter at the time of pickup. Voluntary Purchase: Opting for ZDP is entirely optional and not a prerequisite for renting an RV from Cruise America, whether in the United States or Canada.

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Vehicle Return: Vehicle Return Time - Regular Renters Vehicles are to be returned by 9:00 AM (09:00 hours) and in no case later than 11:00 AM (11:00 hours). Vehicle Return Time - Early Birders With pre-purchase of Early Bird Departure Special, you must return vehicle to Rental Center between 9:00 AM (09:00 hours) and, in no case later than, 3:00 PM (15:00 hours) unless you are returning on a Saturday. Please note Saturday times may vary, as some locations close earlier. Vehicle Return Late Fees / Charges A fee of USD $25 per hour will be charged for each hour that the vehicle is overdue without permission. You agree to return vehicle in the same condition as it was received, excluding normal wear and tear. Depending on local conditions, a cleaning and/or waste tank evacuation fee may be assessed at vehicle return up to USD $150. You will also pay for damages or loss of equipment. There are no refunds for early returns.

Tolls - Parking / Traffic Violations Please be aware that the implementation of All-Electronic Tolling is becoming more and more prevalent in many popular areas of the USA and Canada. "All-Electronic" Tolling means the traveler using these roads has no option to pay local tolls with cash. Instead, a picture of the vehicle's license plate is taken and used to assess toll charges. Clients of Cruise America are responsible for the payment of these charges. THE FOLLOWING IS AN EXPLANATION OF HOW CRUISE AMERICA WILL HANDLE THESE CHARGES. In some cases, a process called "Reassignment" is allowed and is utilized by Cruise America. In this process, Cruise America transfers the client's information, including name and home address, to the relevant tolling authority. The relevant tolling authority bills the clients directly and no further correspondence with Cruise America takes place. The client must resolve the outstanding tolls and/or fees directly with the tolling authority. The advantage for the client in this process is the avoidance of any administrative charges by Cruise America. For all other cases, Cruise America will pay the tolling authority or road agency directly. We will add a USD $15 administrative fee and charge the client's credit card used for the rental. Please note our administrative fee is per rental, not per violation. Special Note: Please be aware of the difference between automated tolling and services such as Fastrack and EZ Pass lanes. Using Fastrack and EZ Pass lanes without the corresponding transponder will result in punitive fees in addition to the regular toll rates. Fees in these cases can often be as high as USD $25 - USD $100 per violation. It is the client's responsibility to avoid using these lanes under all circumstances in order to avoid such fees. Finally, fines for parking, red light, speeding and other trafic violations are treated similarly to the above, however, the administrative fees charged by Cruise America in these cases is USD $50 per rental. Parking / Traffic Violations You are responsible for reporting and payment of all parking/traffic violations at rental return. Your credit card will be charged for any charges/fines/penalties issued to Cruise America in addition to an administrative fee of up to $250 as a result of your not reporting a parking/traffic violation at return. Return Transfers Transfers are not included in your prepaid rental charges. Return transfers are your responsibility. Only with pre-purchase of Early Bird Departure Special are return transfers to designated hotel areas or airport included with the fee. A late return will void our responsibility to you for return transfers. Return transfers are normally accomplished up to 4:00 PM (16:00 hours).

Shortening of Rental Period If a renter shortens their hire period by more than a week - it may be treated as a cancellation of the whole booking and a re-booking. This depends on when the amendment takes place and how many days of hire are being cancelled. Please ensure you always have travel insurance in place.

*Terms and Conditions are Subject to Change at any time*

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Cruise America – zero damage plan – worth it?

RV Q & A

Beautiful_Universe_ :

Hi dear Reddit family

The ZDP is $12 a day from about $200 a day that we are paying for the RV

We are taking it a 30′ to Burning Man for 7 days

From San Francisco to Reno to Black Rock City

Not sure if we need it

I also have my regular Geico auto insurance – will call them and ask

=================

Zero Damage Plan (ZDP) When you rent a vehicle from Cruise America or Cruise Canada, you are responsible for any and all loss or damage to the vehicle from any cause regardless of fault to a maximum of $1,500 per occurrence. When you purchase our Zero Damage Plan (ZDP), which is not insurance, you are relieved of the financial responsibility if the rented vehicle is damaged or stolen. Benefits of Zero Damage Plan: •Covers all vehicle damage to rented vehicle provided that the renter is not in violation of the Rental Agreement. •No need to file a claim with your personal auto insurance. •No deductible for you to pay Cruise America or Cruise Canada. ZDP does not apply if: (1) the renter uses the vehicle in violation of the rental agreement; (2) the renter fails to remove the keys or lock all doors and close windows and the vehicle is stolen; (3) the renter fails to notify us and the police immediately after loss; and (4) the renter fails to pay charges under the Rental Agreement; or (5) as allowed by the applicable state or provincial law. Before deciding whether to purchase ZDP, the renter may wish to determine whether their own vehicle insurance provides coverage for rental vehicle damage or loss and determine the amount of deductible under their own insurance policy. ZDP is not insurance. The purchase of ZDP is not mandatory and is optional. You need to accept or decline the plan.

built_FXR :

How much is the zdp?

learntorv :

Going to Burning Man? Get it.

And double check you can take the RV to burning man. I thought a lot of rental contracts specifically say you cannot.

Source: Cruise America – zero damage plan – worth it?

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The Best Way To Rent an RV For Beginners (And What It Costs)

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Air travel in a state of chaos (security lines are painfully long and the on-time arrivals rate hasn't been this bad since 2014). Hotels aren't exactly welcome either as formerly complimentary offerings like free breakfast buffets have been removed from many properties, and most hotels cut back on services like daily housekeeping .

In light of that, this year might be the perfect time to hit the open road in a recreational vehicle.

Yet for beginners, the world of RV rentals can seem strange and overwhelming. What’s a “Class C” motor home? Do you need a generator? And how does insurance work? In this article we’ll break down the basics of renting your first RV.

Types of RVs

RVs come in all shapes and sizes. Some you drive, while others you tow behind your other car (usually a truck). And within those two categories are multiple subcategories.

Class A motorhomes have all the amenities, but can be tough to drive. They often do not require any special license, though you should have practice driving large vehicles.

Driveable RVs

Class A: This is akin to driving something as large as a bus, and is not for the faint of heart.

Class B: This is comparable to driving and maneuvering an oversized van.

Class C: This is the most likely option you'll go for as a novice RV driver, and is generally not any more difficult than driving a truck.

Besides often being easier to drive, towable RVs can be convenient because you can detach and leave them parked at the campground, while having the freedom to take your car out to explore the area during the day.

Towable RVs

5th Wheel: This needs to be attached to a tow vehicle via a gooseneck extension.

Toy hauler: Most SUVs or pickup tow vehicles can tow these.

Popup: Most normal, passenger cars can tow these.

Where to rent an RV

RV rentals generally come in two buckets. You might rent from a big company like Cruise America, which typically has more standard offerings, but is less likely to provide you something really unique or personal. Or, you might rent from another, individual RV owner through a site that operates an Airbnb-for-RVs model, like RVshare.

No matter which style you go for, most online RV rental agencies let you compare prices, dates and models. However, unlike car rental companies, which all provide the same basic services in similar ways, the RV rental world is more of a Wild West.

Expect each company to offer different pricing and mileage rules — and rules might vary by individual vehicle, too. There are different rules around minimum rental length, and some let you drive the RV one way, while others require you make a roundtrip journey. Some RV owners will deliver the vehicle to your home — and some will drive it to your campground for you so you don't have to drive it period.

Here are three of the most popular RV rental options, including the pros and cons of each.

RVshare: the biggest (and usually best) peer-to-peer RV rental company of them all

RVshare is basically the Airbnb of RV rental companies, and it claims title to the largest online community for RV renters and owners, having logged more than 3 million nights that renters have spent sleeping in an RV rent via RVshare.

When it comes to picking the perfect RV rental, RVshare's large size is a big plus, as the company has plenty of options to pick from, pretty much no matter where you're renting. You’ll find more traditional motor homes here than its competitor Outdoorsy, but you'll still find those #vanlife-ready ones, too.

Photo courtesy of CAMP/Stacie Hess via RVshare.

At one point, RVshare even offered a Barbie-themed RV for some lucky campers to spend the night in.

How renting from RVshare works

Unlike a company like Cruise America where the type of RV you get is fairly standard no matter where in the country you book, every RV experience through RVshare is unique, given that you're driving an RV owned by a regular person, not a big company.

RVshare has tons of search filters to narrow down what might otherwise be more than 1,000 listings.

It does mean you're going to have to sort through listings to find what you're looking for — and in popular RV areas, there might be more than 1,000 listings to sort through (though that's not necessarily a bad thing).

RVshare has detailed search settings that make it pretty easy to filter by location, features and RV type. Among the robust search filters include dates, group size, vehicle size, price and whether pets are allowed. You can filter for amenities like a toilet, shower or refrigerator, generator, hot water supply. You can also narrow them down by cancellation type (flexible, standard or strict, as determined by the owner).

RVshare also has a few unique rental options, including:

Instant book: This lets you book instantly without waiting for the owner to respond.

Stationary rental: This lets you experience an RV without having to drive it, or worry about where you'll camp. With these rentals, you'll stay right onsite at the owner's property.

Delivery: When you book an RV for delivery , then the owner can either meet you with the RV where you're at, like a nearby airport or your house. Or, they might deliver it to a custom location so you can get out of driving it completely, like the campsite. Some owners even offer services like waste dumping, set up and tear down as part of the delivery.

Stationary rentals and delivery aren't possible with all vehicles, and it might incur an extra fee. But, it can be ideal if you want an RV (purely for the novelty, or perhaps it's a necessity for something like a remotely-located music festival) and don't want the headache of driving and setting it up.

Once you've found the vehicle you want, you'll meet the owner, go through a quick demo, and you're on your way.

To return the RV, you'll usually be responsible for dumping the tanks and filling it with gas, though individual rules can be negotiated with the owner.

Many major RV rental companies including RVshare and Outdoorsy allow for delivery, though it also varies by owner. Outdoorsy says that 70% of its listings offer delivery.

How does RVshare insurance work?

RVshare insurance is transparent and straightforward, When you rent from RVshare, the company's standard insurance package will be automatically included in your price quote, assuming that RV is covered by the RVshare Protection Plan.

The RVshare Protection Plan is offered through Crum & Forster and covers up to $300,000 in comprehensive and collision coverage based on the value of the RV plus free 24/7 roadside assistance, free towing and free tire service in all 50 states and Canada. Exact pricing varies based on the type, length, and stated value of the RV, and it's clearly stated as a separate line item on your statement.

RVshare also sells add-on, upgraded coverage at the time of booking.

A Disney-themed RV listing on RVshare.

Why we love RVshare

Huge selection: RVshare has the biggest selection, making it the most likely you'll find one in your budget and in a size you feel comfortable driving. And hey, if you don't want to drive it, RVshare's destination delivery option is a delightful way to get that camping experience without the stress of parallel parking a small house.

RVs range in size, style, location and amenities. Head to the Orlando area and you might rent the " Mega MouseHouse 44' Disney Themed Luxury RV ." Find giant buses, smaller trailers and hip Airstreams.

An Airstream available for rent in Southern California via RVshare.

One-way rentals, stationary rentals and more: RVshare also offers multiple rental options beyond the standard roundtrip booking. Stationary rentals are great if you don't actually want to drive it, while one-way rentals might align better with your vacation schedule.

Customer support and security: It's easy to read reviews, sort by policies and browse photos so you know exactly what you're in for. If the RV isn't what you thought it was, it's easy to get in contact with customer service. You can jump on the phone or chat online, both available 24/7. There's also an email customer support form .

Should you run into actual troubles with your RV on the road, every booked reservation through RVshare includes Roadside Assistance, provided by Questx Tow Network.

It's also financially secure. RVshare verifies accounts and performs fraud checks, and payments are conducted though a secure payment platform.

Reasons to take pause before renting from RVshare

Hidden fees are certainly annoying, but post-trip fees can be even worse. While RVshare doesn't have much in the way of hidden fees (fees like insurance and service fees are clearly listed upfront), there is a chance you could get hit with one of many post-trip fees. RVshare allows owners to add on post-trip fees at their discretion. Some shouldn't come as a surprise to renters and are pretty tough to argue with, such as late fees or refueling fees. But some can be pretty vague, like the cleaning fee. RVshare says that RVs naturally get dirty out on the road and that "returning an RV with a normal amount of dirt is acceptable and will not result in any additional charges."

But, it also says that exceptionally dirty RVs can be charged a cleaning fee based on the owners' discretion. If you rent from a dirt stickler, that could be a surprise fee, which isn't exactly a nice memory to end your vacation on.

What's more, post-trip fees get hit with a second, administrative fee. Not only will you owe money back to the owner if you incur one of them, but RVshare tacks on a 15% administrative fee to the renter.

Photo courtesy of Cruise America.

Cruise America: consider it the big box store of RV rentals

You’ve probably seen Cruise America RVs on the highway, covered in gaudy advertising. This ubiquitous rental agency likely owes its success to one important factor: simplicity. But hey, that might not be a bad thing.

Cruise America offers only four motor home options (Compact, Compact Plus, Standard and Large, plus a truck camper alternative called the "Adventure Travel Trailer"), making it a good starting place for daunted beginners.

How renting from Cruise America works

No matter which location you rent from (and there are over 120 around the nation), you'll get a standard rental, so a Compact RV Rental in Connecticut will largely be exactly the same as one in California.

Even between sizes, the interior amenities seem to be similar. While the Large RVs have the most amenities (e.g., there's no generator with the Adventure Travel Trailer, even though all the larger rentals offer one), all Cruise America rentals have air conditioning, a fresh water toilet, shower and refrigerator.

Cruise America’s pricing policy includes lots of add-on fees, so understand the complete cost before booking. Cruise America charges you per mile driven, so these might not be the most economical option for a long road-trip (they may be better suited for a trip where you stayed parked for many days in a row). Like most RV companies, the insurance costs extra, which is unsurprising.

This is Cruise America's Kitchen Kit, which you only get for an additional fee.

But this fee is surprising: the Kitchen and Personal Kit fees.

Cruise America charges you to rent basics like bedding and cookware from them. You'll almost certainly have to add on the Kitchen Kit, which includes plates, utensils, cookware a broom, and so on, and the Personal Kit which consists of towels and linens.

How does Cruise America insurance work?

If you purchase Cruise America's optional Zero Damage plan, you'll only be responsible for $2,000 in the event of vehicle damage or loss. For any additional costs, you'll be covered under most conditions.

A standard size RV from Cruise America.

Why we love Cruise America

It's a standard, expected experience. You head to one of the more-than 125 rental locations during their rental hours, and you'll meet with a staffed employee to pick up your vehicle.

Since each RV is largely the same, you can ensure a consistent experience — no worries about a photo on a peer-to-peer listing misrepresenting what the RV actually looks like. You know the RV will be ready when you are, a human will help answer your questions, and it'll be what's advertised.

Plus, Cruise America often runs sales that vary by time of year, but often include early booking discounts. Because Cruise America may need to reposition fleets if one location is short on rentals, while another might have too many, Cruise America is also the most likely to offer one way specials . If that one way aligns with your travel plans, you might see incredible savings — and you're less likely to find such deals through peer-to-peer rentals given that the RV usually needs to go back to its owner.

Reasons to take pause before renting from Cruise America

The extra costs for things like linens and cookware are annoying, especially since you'll likely need that stuff anyway.

Cruise America vehicles are also pretty generic. If you're looking for that Instagram-influencer life, this might not be the RV company for you.

And while more than 125 locations around the nation is a lot, that still won't cover RV rentals everywhere. If you're heading someplace off-the-beaten path, then there might not be an RV where you are. Or, you'll have to rent from a more major area and then drive a long way to your campsite of choice, which could cost you more than you intended in gas. It might be better to find an RV through a peer-to-peer site nearer to your destination, which you access through a standard vehicle, cutting down on how much gas your RV guzzles.

Outdoorsy: a hit and miss RV, peer-to-peer rental platform

Similar to RVshare Outdoorsy is a peer-to-peer RV rental platform, making it more like Airbnb than a traditional rental service. This means it offers tremendous selection, from brand-new motor homes to funky vintage vans.

However, it also means that the products, terms and fees vary from owner to owner, requiring more comparison shopping and fine-print reading than a traditional rental. For example, some owners don’t allow pets (at all), while others do (with variable fees).

And because you're renting from an individual, the rental experience can vary widely.

How renting from Outdoorsy works

You'll start by browsing for the perfect RV in Outdoorsy's search tool, which allows you to find the right RV based not just on location, dates and size, but also using robust filters for amenities (water tank, indoor shower, toilet, oven, etc).

Because RV owners can have tricky, varied rules, Outdoorsy makes it easy to find a rental that'll mesh with your travel plans. You can opt in to only showing rentals that are pet-friendly, tailgate-friendly, festival-friendly or that allow smoking,

Outdoosy rental options include:

Instant book: This lets you book instantly without waiting for the owner to approve your request.

'Bring it to me': Opt in to this, and the owner will drop off your vehicle at your house, airport or wherever else you want to meet up. Typically this comes with an extra cost ($10 per mile is pretty common, though it varies by owner).

'Set it up at my destination': Hooking up your RV to the campground can be tricky for first-timers. RV has a clear option where the owner will set up the vehicle at your campsite, RV park or other destination. While you'll have to pay the delivery fee with most rentals, this option can save you money for one big reason: Outdoorsy discounts your insurance since you won't actually be moving the vehicle.

How does Outdoorsy insurance work?

Speaking of insurance, Outdoorsy has a partnership with Assurant to offer liability protection, covering situations including backup accidents, vandalism, fires, stolen RVs and more.

When you rent, you'll be able to choose from three protection packages with varying degrees of coverage, dubbed Peace of Mind, Preferred, or Essential. Each plan has varying physical and liability protection. Typically you'll still have to pay the deductible (which ranges from $1,000 to $4,000), but insurance covers the rest.

A custom van in the San Francisco Bay Area from Outdoorsy.

Reasons to love Outdoorsy

Most RV owners agree that Outdoorsy has a better commission and fee structure than RVshare, which means they might pass on those cost savings to you, in theory generating a lower-cost rental than what you'd get on RVshare.

No two vehicles are identical, and rentals often have a unique, owner touch. If you love #vanlife, Outdoorsy is probably the site for you. It has neat listings, like custom, luxury boutique camper vans. You'll find cool amenities — we've seen heated mattresses and top-notch speaker systems. Some rentals come with kayaks and paddle boards included.

Reasons to take pause before renting from Outdoorsy

Outdoorsy's customer experience is the most questionable. If the owner doesn't reach out to you ahead of time to give you information on what to expect and how to check-in, don't expect the general Outdoorsy customer support to help you either. Outdoorsy relies on owners to do all that work, but a lackadaisical owner might not — and might leave you hanging.

A NerdWallet staffer had a bizarre experience once when renting from Outdoorsy, where the owner accepted the rental, but never reached out to them between the time the rental was approved and the date of the rental. The staffer reached out to both the owner and Outdoorsy to inquire about check-in details. The owner never responded, and Outdoorsy customer service simply said, "get in contact with the owner."

The staffer ultimately showed up for the rental time at the rental location, and found the RV parked in the driveway — covered in cobwebs. The owners were MIA. Upon calling Outdoorsy customer service again at check-in time, Outdoorsy said they would refund the reservation — only if the owners didn't show up within two hours (they didn't). It was a bizarre experience — and a hassle to remake travel plans at the last minute.

Outdoorsy still needs to work out the kinks with questionable owners, whether it's better vetting upfront, or more proactive customer service.

How much does it cost to rent an RV?

Like any travel expense, the cost of renting an RV will depend on several factors, including seasonality (with summer rentals being more expensive), location and mileage driven. That said, you can expect to spend at least $100 per night for a small RV with few bells or whistles.

Here's a rough estimate of baseline rental costs (provided to NerdWallet by peer-to-peer rental site RVshare), but again, understand that prices can widely vary based on exact rental:

Class A: $150-$250/night (10+ years or older); $350-$450/night (newer).

Class B: $100-$200/night (10+ years or older); $200-$350/night (newer).

Class C: $100-$200/night (10+ years or older); $225-$400/night (newer).

Travel Trailer: $50-$125/night (10+ years or older); $125-$200/night (newer).

Fifth Wheel: $60-$150/night (10+ years or older); $150-$300/night (newer).

This baseline cost might sound appealing compared with the price of, say, renting a car and staying in budget hotels. But the real cost of an RV trip includes many more line items, including:

Fuel. RVs consume a lot of gas. The standard Cruise America vehicle gets 10-12 miles per gallon, so a 1,000-mile trip will require 83-100 gallons. Here's the typical miles per gallon that you can expect per RV type:

Class A: 6-10 miles per gallon.

Class B: 18-25 miles per gallon.

Class C: 8-12 miles per gallon.

Towing a trailer or fifth wheel: 8-12 miles per gallon.

Damage deposit: Most rentals require a refundable damage deposit between $500 to $1,000.

Mileage fees. Unlike rental cars, it’s rare to find an “unlimited mileage” rate for an RV. Cruise America charges $0.35 per mile for most rentals, which likely adds more to the total price than fuel — a 1,000-mile trip costs $350 in mileage fees alone.

Generator fees. Generators provide power to air conditioning, appliances and electrical outlets. They also usually cost extra on some rentals. Some vehicles include a flat per-rental fee, while Cruise America charges $3.50 per hour of use.

Campground fees. You might think RV living means the freedom to camp anywhere, but usually you’ll want to stay in a campground or RV park to take advantage of the amenities. The cost of these facilities can vary widely depending on the facility, from $5 to over $100 per night. Otherwise, you might go the boondocking route, where you just park your RV anywhere it's legal to camp overnight (which can include Walmart parking lots) even, or you might be able to find a free place to stay through a service like Harvest Hosts, though that requires its own membership fee. Here's a general overview of overnight fees, depending on the type of campground you stay at:

Overnight campsites with RV parking and hookups: $20-$50 per night.Luxury RV resort: $60-$100+ per night.State Parks: $5 to $50, depending on the park and hookups.

Cleaning fees. Most RV rental services expect you to return the vehicle’s interior in the same condition you found it. Failing to return a clean vehicle can incur a fee — $250 for Cruise America.

Extras. Camping equipment, bedding, cookware and dozens of other road trip essentials are often provided as “extras” for an additional fee. For example, Cruise America charges $110 per “kitchen kit” and $60 per person for sheets and pillows.

Insurance. You may be able to use your own auto insurance, but if your policy doesn't cover RVs, then you'll want to have separate RV insurance. Learn more about RV insurance here.

Overall, while it may be cost-effective depending on your needs, renting an RV certainly isn’t cheap. It’s a fun, different way to take a road trip, but it’s generally not a great way to save money on your next vacation. Being realistic about these costs ahead of time can help determine an overall trip budget.

Do you need insurance for an RV rental?

The short answer is yes — but that’s where the simplicity ends.

Your existing auto insurance policy might provide some coverage for an RV rental, but this varies from insurer to insurer (and state to state, and policy to policy). We recommend calling your insurance company before renting an RV and asking specifically what is covered, what isn’t, and what you’ll need additional coverage for. Write down any terms you aren’t familiar with, and don’t be afraid to call your agent back with follow-up questions — this is what you’re paying them for.

Each rental company offers its own coverage for vehicles, usually running from basic to premium. More premium coverage will include lower deductibles and greater liability thresholds. The right plan for you will depend on:

What your current auto insurance covers.

Your risk tolerance.

Which vehicle you rent.

Note: Although some credit cards offer auto rental collision damage insurance, many (including the Chase Sapphire Reserve® ) exclude motor homes from this coverage.

Should I consider buying an RV vs. renting one?

Depending on how much you love the RV life, it might be a better investment in the long run to buy an RV outright. Add up the costs above that you’ll pay to RV rental companies like cleaning fees, mileage fees and those “extras” (do you really want to get charged $110 for a kitchen kit every time you hit the road?). Multiply that by how many times you anticipate an RV trip in your lifetime, and those costs might start to make you feel carsick.

In that case, you might find it cheaper to buy your own RV to avoid the pesky fees. Plus, if you buy your own RV, you can fill it with whatever cookware you’d like.

Whether you rent or buy, there are some costs you’ll have to pay either way, including:

Campsite rental fees.

RV insurance.

Vehicle generator fees.

If you rent, you might find yourself on the hook for other fees to the rental company including:

Fees per mile driven.

Items for rent inside the RV, including cookware and bedding.

Additional fees like environment fees.

That said, if you buy, you’ll still be subject to some other expenses, including:

Registration and taxes (the Department of Motor Vehicles has its own tool to calculate registration fees and taxes for motor homes ).

Maintenance.

If you want to buy outright and you intend to finance your RV purchase , our RV loan calculator is a straightforward way to estimate how much an RV will cost you over the course of the loan:

If you get bitten by the RV bug and find yourself road-tripping multiple times a year, you may find it better to own your own RV.

The bottom line

Whether taking an epic road trip, getting into nature for a long weekend (but not too into nature) or testing the waters before buying your own, renting (or even buying) an RV can offer a fun escape. Just don’t necessarily expect it to be cheap or simple.

We covered the basics of finding and insuring an RV in this guide, but we didn’t touch on the practical aspects of RV life, such as finding dump stations, learning to back up and maintaining ventilation. Make sure to familiarize yourself with this know-how before hitting the open road. It’s always a good idea to ask a seasoned motor home veteran for their hard-won practical knowledge.

The perks of renting an RV are plentiful: You will spend more time with your traveling companions, enjoy more flexibility during your travels and can potentially save money compared to staying at hotels. Renting an RV is safe, practical and can be a good learning experience, and a great way to ease back into travel .

Different RVs provide different experiences — be sure to choose an RV to rent that will fit your needs and budget while also providing the right amount of space to accommodate your group. Driving an RV is not the same as driving your car, and you can expect poor gas mileage. Be aware that RV parks don’t all provide the same amenities and that there may be unexpected expenses to plan for, such as RV fees or insurance.

The cheapest way to rent an RV is to borrow one from a friend. If that isn’t possible, you can find RV rental options for cheap on peer-to-peer marketplaces like RVShare, RVnGO and Outdoorsy. Keep in mind that even if your RV rental isn’t as cheap as you’d like, you can offset travel expenses by cooking your own food, hiking and staying at affordable RV parks. Here’s more advice on how to save on road trips .

You already know that gas is cheaper in certain parts of the country than others. Figuring out how much it will cost to fill up an RV depends on the type of camper you’re driving; for instance, smaller RVs might squeeze out 10-15 miles per gallon, but larger RVs have been known to only get 4-6 miles per gallon. Keep in mind that RVs can have gas tanks that can hold up to 150 gallons.

The perks of renting an RV are plentiful: You will spend more time with your traveling companions, enjoy more flexibility during your travels and can potentially save money compared to staying at hotels. Renting an RV is safe, practical and can be a good learning experience, and a great way to

ease back into travel

The cheapest way to rent an RV is to borrow one from a friend. If that isn’t possible, you can find RV rental options for cheap on peer-to-peer marketplaces like RVShare, RVnGO and Outdoorsy. Keep in mind that even if your RV rental isn’t as cheap as you’d like, you can offset travel expenses by cooking your own food, hiking and staying at affordable RV parks. Here’s more advice on

how to save on road trips

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are some of the best travel credit cards of 2024 :

Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

No annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

on Chase's website

1x-5x 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases.

60,000 Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

1.5%-5% Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.

Up to $300 Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) - worth up to $300 cash back!

on Capital One's website

2x-5x Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day. Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options.

75,000 Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel.

Where You Make It

Cruise America Review: Why You Shouldn’t Rent From Them

Hey! This site is reader-supported and we earn commissions if you purchase products from retailers after clicking on a link from our site.

There is nothing better than cruising on the open road in your RV. You get to experience unique areas of the country, take in picturesque views, and spend quality time with the ones you love. A successful road trip is one without worry or inconvenience. You should be able to go at your own pace and experience life the way it should be.

Table of Contents

About the company, pros and cons of cruise america, the rv rental process at cruise america, cruise america available rental inventory, cruise america pricing, cruise america insurance coverage, cruise america roadside assistance, cruise america cancellation policy, cruise america customer service.

Half the battle is booking your trip and interacting with the company that rents out the RV. In this article, we provide insights into the quality, operations, customer care, and rental experience with Cruise America . There are both good and bad things about the company, but ultimately, you’re better off going with a company like RVshare or Outdoorsy – two of our favorite RV rental companies .

Cruise America was founded in 1972 by a Florida native by the name of Robert Smalley Sr. He wanted customers to reap the benefits of an RV without experiencing the hefty price of purchasing one outright.

Cruise America is the country’s biggest RV rental companies with over 132 locations and 300 employees combined in the United States and Canada. The company is still family-owned because Smalley’s sons are fulfilling the positions of both the CEO and President.

While the sons lacked experience coming straight out of college, they learned from their father and have grown the company into what it is today. Their strategy is categorized as aggressive and proactive. The leadership tries its best to anticipate what the market says and then correct small issues before they become disastrous problems in the future.

While the Cruise America RV brand is well-known throughout the country, a big knock is that the company is growing faster than it can handle.

The shortened staff has weaknesses in the areas of maintenance and customer service. The maintenance team needs to work extra hard to have the vehicles ready for the next reservation, which can sometimes backfire. When it comes to customer service, an overwhelming amount of cause can sacrifice the joyous interaction that customers seek when renting an RV.

Because the company has a significant market share and presence, it can offer a better price than most of its competitors upfront. There are also promotions that customers can enjoy at certain times of the year, along with individual insurance advantages.

Here are some more benefits when renting from Cruise America RV:

• Competitive prices on the market due to a massive inventory and presence across the nation
• Special offers for early bookings for customers
• There are both 1- and 2-way travel options
• There is a $0 deductible option if the vehicle gets damaged
• Wide range of availability because of the massive fleet

Here are the drawbacks of the customer experience with Cruise America RV:

• If there are a lot of people renting at once, customer service can be extremely lacking during peak times
• There are limited models of RV (only three compared to 5-10 options with competitors)
• There are few unique options at the counter
• No airport or extra transportation options are available
• The company is closed on Sundays

The RV rental process with Cruise America contains a simple and straightforward interface. When you are on the rental page for the website, you can check the potential pricing by merely typing your city, state, departure, and arrival dates.

There are sections to browse the different types of RVs, and it lists what is included with each. You can also browse from a list of rental locations, which notify you of the inventory selection. The downside is that the choice is somewhat limited in most parts of the country. You are not guaranteed to always find the model you want because of your location.

The rental page also gives you a quick snapshot of the different rental deals, including half-price miles, 20% off in Canada, enjoying a free night on the company, and other one- and two-way specials. The company also offers you free insurance, a 110-point inspection, and 24-hour emergency services.

Once you fill out your information, select the RV you want, and pass a background check, the company gives you a pickup delivery time and location. This time does not always get honored, however. There have been multiple cases of people who did not receive the RV on time and were heavily delayed for their trip.

The pickup and drop-off time windows are also very narrow. You can only drop off the vehicle between 9 and 11 am, and there is a late fee of $25 per hour if you do not return the RV during this time window. Customers are also held liable for any mechanical damage because of “negligence” during operation, which ends up turning into a “he said, she said” battle if it comes down to it.

The main thing that Cruise America needs to fix here is to budget more time in between rental centre appointments. That way, people are guaranteed to leave when they plan to. An increase in maintenance and customer service staff can also help keep customers satisfied during peak times of the year.

The rental inventory with Cruise America is somewhat limited. Many customers also complain that the RVs are never stocked with any necessities, even toilet paper, and coffee pots. Below are the following options for RV rentals with Cruise America:

• Large RV: holds a maximum of 7 people and is a traditional motorhome with self-sustaining features for a family-sized unit
• Standard RV: holds a maximum of 5 people
• Compact RV: allows for a maximum of 3 people, with a rear kitchen and all amenities featured in a larger unit
• Truck Camper: this rental option is connected to an F-150 truck, which makes it easy to transport for beginner-level renters

While Cruise America’s prices are manageable because of the size of the fleet, some extra fees are not included in the rent price. There is a generator fee of $3.50 per hour that is collected at the end of the trip, which can add up and bill you twice. If the interior of the vehicle is still dirty, the company has the right to assess a charge of $250.

The renter is also required to empty the holding tank before returning the RV, which could mean an extra charge of $50 if this is not done. An environmental fee is also tacked on at the end. Overall, there are a lot of backend charges that cause headaches later, but here is a list of prices for the different models:

• Large RV: approximately $90 per night
• Standard RV: between $80 and $165 per night
• Compact RV: between $65 and $150 per night
• Truck Camper: between $55 and $140 per night

The insurance coverage for renters might be one of the high points of the company. The company provides coverage policies in the three different sections, which are over the smallest amount of automobile coverage against a 3rd party.

The details in the rental agreement are highlighted by Supplemental Liability Insurance, which provides liability insurance under $1,000,000 for rentals in the United States. There is also a maximum responsibility of up to $1,500 in the event of vehicle loss or damage. Lastly, there is a plan for expense reimbursement of up to $3,000 if there is a breakdown mechanically.

Cruise America offers a 24/7 roadside travelers assistance number that all people can call. While they can be timely and responsive to your needs during the slower seasons, the busy times are a different story. There are unfortunate stories about people who had to wait up to 5-6 hours for a tire repair because the company did not want to replace it right away with a higher-priced tire.

The cancellation policy is consistent and fair for customers with Cruise America, compared to its competitors. You can cancel and receive a full refund if you cancel at least a week before the start date. Any less notice than seven days will result in the forfeit of the initial reservation payment. There is also no refund on any one-way RV rental cancellations.

During the busy seasons, the customer service teams are often overwhelmed with a massive influx of bookings, which takes away from meaningful interactions. The staff is trained to be polite and courteous, but that is not always the case. They are sometimes inconsistent with delivering your RV on time, which limits your enjoyment.

As you can see, Cruise America has the infrastructure and fleet to deliver competitive prices with its listings. But turnover and staff support inconsistency hurt the company from a service standpoint. There are insurance coverages that help protect the renters, but there are many other hidden fees that can raise the cost of your trip, which gives you an unexpected financial surprise at the end. If you want to opt for a more traditional RV rental company, I think El Monte is a better deal than Cruise America.

If you want a more personable and smooth booking process with actual RV owners instead of a corporate company, check out  RVshare  or  Outdoorsy . Because an individual owner backs each RV listing, you are more likely to find better quality in the experience. The customer service team is also very competent and offers you unique solutions. You deserve to rent stress-free – good luck on your adventure!

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Mike leads research, writes, and keeps the site up and running. He's worked on upgrades to an old class A Winnebago, vans, and other homes - wherever they are.

Escaping the norm of everyday life & experiencing our amazing world.

Cruise America RV Rental Review

For awhile we have talked about renting a Cruise America RV and going camping. Well, what better time than while our traveling options are extremely limited? That way we can still get away for a bit and explore somewhere new, all while still feeling safe and have many of the comforts of home. 

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While researching different places we might be able to rent an RV from, we came across Cruise America. One of the reasons they stuck out to us was because they would allow us to bring dogs. Now, my Wrigley does not travel well at all, but mom has 2 little ones that we thought about taking.  So, we did our research and booked an RV for an adventure. We ended up not taking the dogs with us this first time because my brothers’ family was joining us and we felt that was just too much for our first trip.

About Cruise America

Cruise America has 45 years of experience with renting RV’s and locations in 33 states (unfortunately none in Iowa, but there were other locations we could choose from).  They also have different sized vehicles to help with different sized groups. For this trip, we rented the largest one. If it was just mom and me, then we’d rent a smaller one. You also do not need a special license to be able to drive one. All you need is to be 21 or older with a valid driver’s license.  All the drivers must be present when picking up the vehicle and be listed on and sign the rental agreement.

While you’re on the road, you are responsible for checking the tire pressure, oil, transmission fluid, engine coolant, and windshield wiper fluid whenever you stop for gas. If you need to refill anything, keep your receipts because they will reimburse. There’s a traveler’s assistance number you call if you get in an accident, anything breaks, or get a flat tire. Again, if you need to have repair work done while you’re on the road, they will reimburse for this (you just need approval before you go over $75).

How Much Does it Cost?

When it comes to the actual pricing for the rental, you’ll have a flat nightly rate, and then a fee per miles you drive. Right now the fee is $0.35 a mile. You can get the zero deductible plan for an additional $14.95 a night as well, while supplemental liability insurance is already included in the rental.  You can also then purchase a kitchen kit for $110 or a personal kit for $60. On top of these charges you will have tax and an environmental fee.

If you use the generator, there is a fee of $3.50 an hour, which will be calculated when you return.  On our trip, we didn’t use the generator once. You’ll really only need it for running the air conditioning in the back, the microwave, or outlets. We simply didn’t use these while we were traveling (we still had the air conditioning in the front cab part), and we stayed at a campsite with a full electric hookup.  You can also be charged up to $250 if you do not clean your vehicle, and $50 if you do not empty your waste tanks. Finally, if you are late returning the vehicle the website says there is a fee of $25 per hour. However, when we got our vehicle, they told us that the cost would be one nightly rate and the $25/hour.

All of these charges may change though, so make sure you check out their website for the specific details.

Driving the Cruise America RV

As far as driving goes, it’s definitely different than driving your car. Personally, I did not drive it once. I thought I would, but after a while I decided I definitely did not want to get behind the wheel.  The ride was loud and bumpy. You felt everything and heard everything in the back moving around. One of the big things to remember is your vehicle is longer than you’re used to. They recommend that when you’re making a turn, you pull forward so your back tire is past what you’re turning around, and then start turning. This made things a little awkward sometimes as you might cross lanes or stop traffic. By the end of the trip, I realized that perhaps we didn’t have to pull forward as far as we were, but better safe than sorry. 

The height is also something to be aware of. Our Cruise America RV was 12 feet tall. There are some roads that may have bridges that are lower than this.  Do not be that person that doesn’t pay attention and runs the top of the camper right into the bridge!

If you’re unsure about where you’re going, you could use an app like Smart Truck Route to make sure you’re on roads that meet your height requirements. Speaking of being on the right roads, I know technology is everywhere right now, or so it seems.  During this trip, we didn’t go far off the beaten track but were still out of range a couple of times. That is why I was super happy I had printed out our directions as a backup, instead of just planning on using the map on my phone!  

Sleeping Areas

Getting to the camping part.  Since we rented the large RV, that is what I’ll talk about. Our RV could sleep 7 and had 4 different beds. For this trip, my mother and I shared the bed in the back, which surprisingly worked okay. We both usually like our space. There were cabinets for storage on both sides and above this bed. There were rods so you could hang clothes up. Luckily, I knew that so we brought a few hangers.  I would rather have more shelving instead of the rod, but that’s just me. There was a little curtain you could close to make this space more of a bedroom and offer some privacy.

The dining table then folds down into a bed, and the bench seat pulls out to a bed. One of these is supposed to be able to sleep 2, but I really only see that happening if they’re smaller kids, or they really like to snuggle. When I would lay on the beds while putting my nieces to sleep, I could fit on the table/bed, but on the bench/bed, while I could fit, I always felt that the middle was falling in. The fourth bed is above the cab and can sleep two adults as well.

For the amount of time we rented this, the beds were comfortable enough.  I would recommend possibly bringing one of those mattress toppers to add another layer to your bed and make it more comfortable though, especially if you’re going to be in there awhile.  To get to the bed above the cab you had to do some stepping on the seat for the table to pull yourself up. It wasn’t horrible though, and even the little girls could almost do that themselves (although we didn’t let them).

Personal Kit

We brought our own bedding items, but you can get the personal kit which includes: bath towels, dish towels, pillow, pillowcase, sheet, sleeping bag/comforter, and washcloths. I would make sure you check your items before you leave the rental center because it would really stink if you got all the way to your first campsite only to find out you were missing a comforter or something. While we were sure they washed these items, with all of the virus stuff going around, we just felt more comfortable bringing our own.  Also, going back to when we picked up the RV, even though we were told it was disinfected before it was turned over to us, we still went around and wiped everything down with disinfecting wipes, just for peace of mind.

Bathroom Setup

In the large RV, the toilet/sink is separate from the shower. In the bathroom, there is a toilet, cabinets, and a sink.  The toilet is raised off the ground, so we were glad we had a step stool for the kids. Something we didn’t learn about until the day before we went to pick up our RV was that we needed toilet treatments . My brother was able to swing by a store on his way to meet us at the campground and pick some up though.  This helps to break down the waste from the toilet!

The shower was across the hallway and a decent size. In all honesty, we ended up using ours for storage, and no one ever showered in it. You wouldn’t need that storage space, we just knew we weren’t going to use it as a shower. The campground we were at actually had very nice showers so we all used those instead. However, I would assume that the water pressure would be similar to the sinks, which was decent. While there is a sliding door on the shower, you can also then open the bathroom door, and in that position, it makes a little private area with the door on one side and a curtain to the back bedroom area on the other. That way someone would have privacy getting in and out of the shower.

All the Tanks

The large RV has a 40-gallon freshwater tank, but we were hooked up to water at our campsite, so that was not an issue for us ever. The water heater tank was 6 gallons. If someone was going to shower we would have to turn the water heater on and wait a few minutes before there was good warm water. Then there was a 25-gallon sewage tank, and a 22-gallon grey water tank (sink/shower water). There was a control panel in the kitchen area that would tell us the levels of all these tanks. Someone had told us that they may not be 100% accurate, but halfway during our stay, it was showing that our tanks were nearly full. Since we didn’t want to find out what happened if the waste tanks overflowed, we ended up taking the RV up to the dump station.

Keeping Things Cold

The refrigerator ran off propane.  Even though we did refill it, we really wouldn’t have needed to because the needle never moved on the gauge. The fridge and freezer were a good size. There were 5 shelves, 2 crisper baskets, and 4 door shelves in the fridge. The freezer had 2 shelves and one door shelf. These doors would clip shut, but sometimes it got left open. One day while we were sitting outside I noticed water coming out of the openings above the propane tank/behind the fridge. I went to check the fridge and it had been left open. So that was helpful knowing if the doors were left open, it would begin to defrost, and the water would come out those slots. We tried to keep things like water bottles in the cooler with ice. That way we didn’t have to be opening and closing these doors often.

Kitchen Space in Cruise America RV

The kitchen space had 3 drawers and 2 cabinets under the countertop. There was a small sink and a 3-burner stovetop. We used the stovetop once I think. Most of our meals were cooked either over the grill, or I had prepared before we left and only needed to be heated up in the microwave. I also had brought my griddle from home, so we hooked that up in the kitchen a couple of times, and then we moved it to outside to our prep table and ran an extension cord to the electric box. Above the sink, there was another cabinet that had our plates, bowls, and mugs secured in them.

We got the kitchen kit to limit the large items we would need to bring.  This included: a broom, can opener, carving knife, coffee cups, colander, cooking fork, cooking spoon, cookware, dinner forks, dinner knives, dinner plates, flashlight, mixing bowl, paring knife, soup bowls, soup spoons, spatula, steak knives, tea kettle, teaspoons, and tumblers. I would recommend you go through this kit before you leave. Prior to the trip, I had asked how many of each item we would have and they said enough for 7 since that was what our RV could sleep.  When we had everything cleaned and put together in the end we realized we had only gotten 6 of the items that were individually used. So, check before you leave.  Better yet, take a picture so at the very end you know exactly what is theirs and what is yours.

Special Tips

A tip that was shared with us was to keep a bowl in the sink so that when we were doing dishes you would simply have the water go into the bowl, and then dump it outside. Another tip that I can now give after going on this trip, is that there are portable waste containers that you can hook up to your vehicle. When it’s full, you simply pull it by hand or hook it up to a hitch, and take it to the dump station. That way, if you’re staying at one site for a while, you don’t have to move the camper to dump. If you were moving sites more often this may not be a problem, but if you’re staying put for a while, it could be annoying.

Storage Space in the Cruise America RV

The amount of storage space was great. In addition to the cabinets I’ve already mentioned, there were also cabinets all along the top in the living space. If you need to, you could even store something under the pull-out bench as well.  In the back of the Cruise America RV, there is a large storage compartment. It is a good amount of space. We were able to fit everything we needed to back there, with room to spare.  Have access doors on three sides also made it helpful when we were at camp. We would put different things by different doors so we could easily access them. 

Logistics – Fun Times!

Now for some logistical items. They will send you some videos to watch prior to picking up your RV that will detail all of this.  If you’re a beginner at this, I definitely recommend getting a site with full electric and water hookups. That was very helpful!  I had brought an extra hose (the camper does come with one) which came in handy. The layout of our first site was a little off, so our water and electric hookups were on the wrong side of the vehicle and further away than the hose allowed. We were able to maneuver it enough to get the electric hooked up, but for the water, we just used my hose, which was much longer. I would definitely do that again. I also saw some electrical extension cords (not your typical extension cords), which could have been very useful as well.

The power cord (shoreline) is hooked into the generator while you are driving.  Once at a full hookup site, you would unplug it and plug it into the electrical box at the site. Make sure the breaker is turned on in the box. Our box had a couple of outlets, so we were able to also plug in a regular extension cord to use other items outside (our RV did not have an exterior outlet).  This part is fairly straight forward and not too tricky.

The water hookup was pretty simple as well. With the exception of the hose they provided being kind of short, it all worked just fine. You connect the hose to the vehicle, then you connect it to the faucet and turn it on. It was very helpful having a wrench for this to make sure the hose was connected tightly.

Bring Gloves for the Waste Dump!

When it comes time to dump the waste, that’s pretty straight forward as well. Remove the cap to the dump drain, making sure that both valves are closed first. There is a hose in a compartment above the waste drain. You pull that out and connect it, then put it into the hole in the ground. You will first open the black waste valve (the larger handle) to empty that tank.  Then you’ll open the grey water tank (smaller handle) to help flush out all that icky stuff.  The grey water tank is the water from the sinks and shower, the black water is from the toilet. Once it’s empty, you close the two valves and then detach the hose. Luckily there is usually a hose by the dump station so then we would hose off the hose before putting it back in its compartment, and then close the cap.

When you’re getting gas or propane, you have to make sure that the gas appliances and pilot lights are off. This would be things like the furnace, water heater, fridge, and the range. Since the only thing we had going while we were driving was the fridge, we simply had to make sure that was switched off.

The air conditioning will operate if you’re plugged into an electrical box at a campground, or your generator (turned on).  The biggest complaint about the ac would be that it was rather loud. The furnace operates using propane to heat the air and power, the same as the ac, to circulate the air. Honestly, we never used the heater so I can’t speak to how well that operated but it seems pretty straightforward.

Returning Your Cruise America RV

When it comes time to return your RV, there are a couple of things to note. First off, for us, it had to be returned by 11 am.  This means turning the keys over. You will have to make sure it’s dumped, refilled, and cleaned before you return it.  We were able to dump our waste at our last campsite and refilled on the way back.  I had been told that we needed to allocate about 4 hours to all of this and that the rental center recommended that you stayed nearby on your last night to make that easier. Well, I was told this after our plans had been made. I wasn’t able to move our last night to anywhere close to the center, but I did find something half the distance back so that cut our drive in half on the last day.

As far as cleaning goes, the last night we packed everything up.  We cleaned the dishes and separated ours and theirs. My brother brought his car, so they loaded their stuff that night, so the morning was easy peasy. When we arrived at the rental center it was just my mother and I.  She unloaded everything while I started cleaning. We used our wipes for most of it, along with some Sparkle spray.  You have to clean the toilet as well, so I was glad we brought gloves. I also brought some wet Swiffer floor sheets which worked great at the end to clean the floors. They also do want you to wash the outside of the vehicle. We hosed down at the last dump station and were blessed to not get dirty on our way back.  Overall, I think we were there for about an hour unloading and cleaning.

Would I Recommend Cruise America?

So, overall, would I recommend renting a Cruise America RV? Yes, I would. We are thinking of booking again for the spring! It’s a great option to get away without all the stress and finances that go behind purchasing one. And, if I can figure out how everything works on it, then I have high hopes for you! With everything that has been going on this year, their reservations have been filling up fast, so if you’re thinking about it, I would recommend reserving sooner rather than later. The guy at the rental center said that we were lucky we rented when we did. Not only were they fully booked, but the pricing had gone up, but we still got the cheaper rates!

Other than what I’ve listed above, here are some other various pros and cons of renting a Cruise America RV. 

PROS of Renting a Cruise America RV

• Ability to see nature and the world around us.
• Flexibility. This year due to the virus, sites were filling up fast. However, having the RV allows you flexibility with where you can stay. It’s nice to have the full hookup, but you definitely don’t need it all the time.
• Don’t have to unpack and pack every time you move locations.
• Easily able to stay inside away from bugs (we don’t get along) but still have windows/door open with the screens and be somewhat a part of what is going on outside.
• Easy to learn how to operate.
• Great to have a table set-up inside for any bad weather days.
• USB plugs in the coach area.
• Plenty of storage space.
• Power to charge your electronics, especially if you’re working remotely 😉
• They do have a setup for kids car seats, you just bring your own.

CONS of Renting a Cruise America RV

• Bumpy. As I mentioned the ride wasn’t horribly smooth, but neither was it when it was parked. There are no levelers on this RV, so, for instance, when someone got up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom, the whole RV would shake.
• Doesn’t move quickly.  If you’re in a hurry to get somewhere, this may not be a great option.
• Unable to drive everywhere.
• Parking can be tricky.
• Parking for the night in a tight campsite can be especially tricky (it’s a miracle we got into our last spot).

So, have you rented a Cruise America RV before? What are your thoughts? If you’re thinking of renting one and have any questions, I would be more than happy to try to answer and give you my input. Happy camping!

Don’t forget to follow me on  Instagram  or  Facebook  for even more photos and details about my journeys! If you enjoyed this post, please pin it and check me out on  Pinterest  as well! Thanks for reading!

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12 Comments

Michel Pontarelli

Let’s go again!

Thanks for this! We were considering hiring an RV for a trip this summer…although to be honest all the extra fees make it really hard to work out how much it would actually cost.

This year the prices for hiring one up in Canada were sooo high that it was easier/much cheaper for us to just stay in hotels and campsites and use our own car. I would totally consider this next summer though if it’s not crazily expensive.

liapontarelli

I know this company has a Canada branch. If you’re thinking of it for next year, I would start looking soon and paying attention to the promos they might be having (especially over the winter as traffic slows). We had a promotion that gave us a free night.

This looks like a fantastic RV to rent for a road trip – I’ll keep them in mind when I plan on in the states!

A great thing about them is they have rental locations all over, so you can start your trip wherever you want!

I think I’d prefer one of those rooftop tents but traveling with an RV seems like such a fun, different experience!

That would be fun too. We saw an interesting one at the campground we stayed at!

This is a helpful review! I’m wondering how well the privacy curtain that goes around the inside of the front windshield works to block the view from the outside at night? I know sometimes you can see from dark to light through fabric pretty well. I rented an Rv last month that had a very ineffective privacy curtain. Thanks for your insight!

It took a minute to figure out the best way to do it, but overall it worked great. It was definitely a thick enough curtain.

Great! Thank you!

Marie Gartenzaun

Thank you for sharing your remarkable journey and encouraging others to embark on their own audacious adventures with Cruise America. Your article is a roadmap to turning dreams of RV travel into unforgettable realities.

Thanks for info

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25 ft. rv specifications.

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• 2-Wheel Drive
• Power Brakes
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• 55 gal./208 L Fuel Tank
• 12.2 gal./46.2 L LP Gas Tank
• 40 gal./151.4 L Fresh Water Tank
• 6 gal./22.7 L Water Heater Tank
• 24.5 gal./92.7 L Sewage Tank
• 24.5 gal./92.7 L Grey Water Tank
• 51 cu ft./1.4 CM Outside Storage Space
• Length: 25 ft./7.6 m

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• 55 gal./208 L Fuel Tank
• 25 gal./94.6 L Sewage Water Tank
• 22 gal./83.3 L Grey Water Tank
• 93 cu ft./2.3 cu m Outside Storage Space
• Length: 30 ft./9.1 m

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Cruise America Review: What We Really Think

Cruise America, as a corporate rental company, strongly contrasts with popular peer-to-peer rental service providers like RVshare and Outdoorsy. And looking for the best RV rental service, you are likely wondering whether Cruise America is a good place to rent an RV from.

To figure out whether renting an RV from this company is worth it, we need to cover a lot of details, including rental options, fees, penalties, insurance, and whatnot. They are important for our points that we will present to you in the end, as well as for your understanding of what Cruise America is.

Let’s begin with the rental options offered by Cruise America.

Cruise America Review

The primary rental options offered by Cruise America is the traditional round-trip rental where you rent an RV, drive it to your destination, spend your vacation, drive back, and pay the fees. This rental has a minimum duration of 7 days.

Aside from this, however, Cruise America also offers one-way and long-term rentals. Let’s overview them a little more in-depth.

The other big player in the RV peer to peer rental space is RVShare and Outdoorsy you might want to check out our in-depth review of them here and here .

One-way rental

With one-way rental, you can pick up an RV at one Cruise America location and drop it off at another, without having to drive the RV back to the location where you took it from.

One-way rentals can be cheaper than round-trip rentals, with the rates sometimes being as low as $1/night. However, there is a drop fee associated with one-way rental – usually between $250-650 – as well as some other fees that we are going to talk about a bit later.

With peer-to-peer RV rental, people very rarely rent-out their RV for one-way trips. The vast majority of the rental offers are round-trip. Thus, the one-way rental option certainly is a plus for Cruise America.

On the other hand, Cruise has “more than 120 rental locations” in the United States and Canada, which is very little given that they are servicing almost the entire North America. So even though one-way rental has some nice benefits, you will be rather limited with drop-off locations.

It should be also kept in mind that Cruise America won’t always able to provide RVs for one-way rental due to certain RV number requirements at each location.

Long-term rental

Cruise America also offers long-term RV rental. In fact, they offer this type of rental for both temporary housing needs for individuals and for business uses. The pricing for these rental options is set on a case-by-case basis, so you’d need to contact Cruise America and provide them with all the details of your trip so that they could set a fee.

As a corporate rental company, Cruise America has its own RV fleet.

One very common complaint with Cruise America is their poor selection of RVs. And indeed, even though they do offer RVs of different sizes for rental, they only have a couple of Thor Majestic class C motorhomes, which are basically reinforced variants of Thor Four Winds RVs.

Cruise America has 4 RV rental options to offer – Large, Standard, Compact, and Truck Camper. These options differ by their amenities and comfort, and we think we should briefly overview them so that you know what you are dealing with.

Cruise America seeks to always maintain their RVs in good condition for rental, so you could be sure that you are getting a problem-free RV from them. Even if mechanical breakdowns do occur while on the road, Cruise America has an assistance and reimbursement program, which we will cover a bit later.

Before moving on to overviewing the RV offers, we’d like to note that Cruise America provides quite a lot of information on their RVs. Compared to offers available on peer-to-peer rental websites, it may be much easier to make an informed decision with Cruise America.

Cruise America doesn’t dive too deep into the specs of their RVs – which they maybe should – but they do provide you with some crucial information in regard to floorplans and key amenities.

Large RV Rental

The RV in this offer is a 30 feet class C motorhome, the Thor Majestic 28A. This motorhome offers up to 7 sleeping spots. Among the amenities provided with this RV are:

• Air conditioning.
• Shower & freshwater toilet.
• Gas cooktop.
• 4KW generator.

A thing that Cruise America also lists among the comfort features of this plan is pet friendliness. This actually is a feature of all the rental plans, and it is among the things that we like about Cruise America. With peer-to-peer rental, not everyone is going to allow you to bring along pets.

Cruise America also allows towing with their 30 feet class C motorhomes. However, there are certain limits to towing:

• Cruise America doesn’t provide hook-up services or towing equipment.
• The towing weight needs to be within 2,500 pounds of tow weight restrictions.
• A daily towing charge is imposed if you tow a vehicle to Cruise America’s RVs.

Keep in mind that before rental, Cruise America requires that you declare the intention to tow prior to departure from a rental center.

Cruise America also allows customers to attach a bike rack to the receiver hitch free of charge. The customer needs to again let the rental center know about the intention of mounting a bike rack so that the RV’s locking pin can be removed.

Standard RV rental

With Standard RV rental, you get a 25 feet Thor Majestic 23A class C motorhome.

The amenities are very similar between the Standard and Large RV rentals. One difference should be noted though – at the moment of the review’s writing, Cruise America provided customers with generators only in the US, so do keep that in mind if you want to rent an RV from them in Canada.

Aside from that, 25 feet RVs sleep up to 5 people.

Compact RV rental

With the Compact RV rental option, you are getting a 20 feet Thor Majestic 19G motorhome. The RVs in this plan offer up to 3 sleeping spots.

Like it was with the Standard RV rental plan, Cruise America only provides US customers with RV generators. And aside from some differences linked to the smaller size – like smaller water or fuel tank sizes – the Compact RV rental doesn’t differ from the previous two options.

Truck Camper RV rental

With the Truck Camper rental, Cruise America basically provides you with a Ford F-150 truck with a truck camper mounted on top. Aside from the much smaller size, one crucial difference in this option is that the RVs don’t include a generator, as well as can’t be used for towing.

On the other hand, the interior amenities in the Truck Campers are very nice, essentially corresponding to those of the previous rental options. And like the Standard and Compact RV rental options, you are getting 3 sleeping spots out of this thing.

RV rental rates

Compared to peer-to-peer renting, Cruise America certainly offers a couple of good things for the money. However, there are also some downsides that you should know about. Cruise America’s payment system is a bit convoluted compared to peer-to-peer renting, and there’s a lot to know about.

One thing that we and many other people dislike about Cruise America is the variety of fees they impose, as well as the variety of upsells they offer.

Aside from that, what we personally don’t like is that Cruise America has all the fee info scattered throughout their website instead of having it easily accessible in one place. Not only that, but we actually had to go to third-party websites to get some of the fee information.

Overall, here’s what you will have to pay for when renting from Cruise America:

• Reservation deposit.
• Nightly fee.
• Mileage fee.
• Environmental fee.

In addition, there are some charges that you may or may not need to pay:

• Generator fee if you use the RV generator.
• Early Bird Departure Special fee.
• Optional kit fees.
• De-winterization fee.
• Towing fees if you use the RV for towing.
• Certain penalties for failing to comply with the rental conditions.

As you can see, Cruise America has many service fees, and this is a big reason why people prefer to opt for peer-to-peer rental services. If you will indeed be renting an RV from Cruise America, we’d advise you to find out about all the possible fees directly from them since we may have missed something, and things may change over time.

Cruise America requires that all the payments be made with Visa, MasterCard, and American Express credit cards. In the US, they also accept Discover Cards. The credit card needs to bear an imprint of your name that matches the driver’s license. The cardholder is required to be listed on the contract as the primary renter or an additional authorized driver.

Upon the return of the vehicle, Cruise America accepts stored value/prepaid/gift cards.

Now, let’s overview all the aforementioned charges one by one.

Mandatory fees

The very first thing you are going to pay for with Cruise America is deposits. Cruise America requires you to make two kinds of deposits – a $300 reservation down payment and a refundable $500 security deposit.

The reservation down payment will be applied toward the rental charges. As for the security deposit, it is used to cover any excess charges that occur during the trip. Upon return, extra charges are balanced against the security deposit.

If you didn’t use up the $500 security deposit, Cruise America will issue a credit to cover the refund. If you aren’t using a credit card, Cruise America will issue a check and send to your home address. Cruise America doesn’t do cash refunds.

Speaking of cash, the $500 security deposit needs to be paid with a credit card. If you are using any means other than a credit card, the security deposit charge will be $1,000. Keep this in mind in order to avoid quite expensive surprise costs.

A thing to note is that for certain rental applications like Bonnaroo or Burning Man, Cruise America may impose increased charges at their own discretion. In addition, they may require you to make a full prepayment in advance for rental events like auto race events, music festivals, or gatherings in remote areas.

Per-night fees

Cruise America imposes per-night fees which vary from season to season. On average, it seems that the nightly fee is around $90-100. It may be lower or higher depending on the season.

Given that Cruise America rents out RVs for at least 7 days, your fees per night will likely quite easily exceed the $300 down payment deposit.

Cruise America calls their daily rental rates Flex Rates since they vary over time, and sometimes quite significantly. If you book an RV early and there are plenty of them available, the daily rental rate will be lower for you.

If you need a change after booking and confirmation (aside from changing party size and adding pre-paid items), the rate will be recalculated using the most current Flex Rate. This Flex Rate will be compared to the Flex Rate that you’ve booked an RV with. The higher rate of the two will be selected as a new Flex Rate.

Mileage fees

Aside from a nightly fee, Cruise America applies estimated mileage charges to your rental in advance. Mileage charges are per night based on 100 miles for round-trip rentals and 250 miles for one-way rentals. In other words, you will be charged 100 miles per day with round-trip rental and 250 miles per day for one-way rental.

At the end of the rental, you will be refunded if you’ve driven fewer miles than you’ve paid for. Conversely, you will be charged $0.35 per mile if you have exceeded the estimated mileage.

Cruise America offers pre-paid mileage packs as well – the 100-Mile Package for $28, 500-Mile Package for $140, Unlimited Miles Package for $750, and Unlimited Miles Plus Package for $1000.

The Unlimited Miles Plus Package includes unlimited mileage, one personal kit for each passenger, one vehicle departure kit, and unlimited use of the RV generator for 21 days. Past 21 days, Cruise America will charge you with $29 per day. The same applies to the Unlimited Miles Package.

All the costs above are excluding taxes. Since these will likely depend on the area you will be renting the RV from, it is difficult to say how much tax you will have to pay.

Environmental fee

Cruise America imposes a $5 environmental fee per rental. As Cruise America writes, this fee’s purpose is to offset a “wide range of environmental expenses” associated with the proper disposal of shop waste, filters, tires, batteries, etc.

Optional fees

Generator fees.

Cruise America also imposes a generator fee of $3.50 per hour. This fee will be collected upon return based on the onboard running time meter. There is also an option of purchasing unlimited generator usage at an $8 daily rate.

Keep in mind that the generator is not required for normal RV operation, so you don’t have to operate it while traveling. A generator will be required only if you decide to run the RV electrical appliances while on the road. You can power all the appliances at campgrounds with electrical supply systems.

Early Bird Departure Special fee

Cruise America offers an optional Early Bird Departure Special for a $350 fee. The Early Bird Departure Special allows you to depart from a rental location as early as 9 AM instead of the regular 1 PM.

You will then need to return the vehicle at the specified date between 9 AM and 3 PM. Regular renters need to return the vehicle by 9 AM and in no case later than 11 AM.

The Early Bird Departure Special needs to be reserved at least 30 days in advance and prepaid. In addition, keep in mind that Sunday departures/returns aren’t allowed.

Optional kits

Cruise America also offers a couple of optional kits for borrowers. These kits are the Vehicle Provisioning Kit and the Personal Kit.

The Vehicle Provisioning Kit includes kitchen-related items like bows, forks, knives, plates, and many other things. The Personal Kit includes items like bath & dish towels, pillows with pillowcases, etc.

The Personal Kit costs $60 per person, while the Vehicle Provisioning Kit costs $110 per vehicle. All items must be returned clean to Cruise America.

De-winterization fee

In locations with colder winter weather, Cruise America winterizes their motorhomes from around mid-October to late March. When winterized, you cannot use the RV’s water and holding tanks. Due to this, if you chose to have the motorhome de-winterized, you will need to pay an up to $40 fee.

Towing charges

If you plan to tow a car or boat behind the motorhome, keep in mind that Cruise America imposes towing charges of $25 per night.

Aside from the charges we’ve described above, there are certain penalties that borrowers will need to pay should they fail to comply with the rental terms.

These penalties include, but aren’t limited to, the following:

• Housekeeping charges of up to $250 for returning an RV uncleaned.
• Reservation changes are charged at $50 per change from second and subsequent reservation changes. The first change is free of charge.
• Dump charges of up to $50 for not emptying the RV holding tank prior to returning the vehicle.
• The RV is overdue after 11 AM on the return date. If you fail to return the vehicle on time, you will be charged a fee of $25 per hour after 11 AM of the return date.
• You are responsible for any damage or equipment loss, except mechanical wear. The penalty for damage or equipment loss is limited to $1,500 per occurrence or incident.
• $200 – 46 days or more prior to departure.
• $600 – 16-45 days prior to departure.
• $850 – 8-15 days prior to departure.
• $1050 – 1-7 days prior to departure.
• Full rental charges – departure day and no-shows.

Cruise America rental deals

Cruise America from time to time offers rental deals and discounts. For example, for departures between September 4, 2019, and December 31, 2019, from any of Cruise America’s North American rental centers, a mileage rate reduction of 50% applies. Another deal is 300 free miles for departures by December 31, 2019, in the US.

Offers are typically not combinable with others, but they do offer some remarkable value. These were examples of deals available as of June 2019, but Cruise America will surely introduce others in the future as well.

How Cruise America handles RV maintenance & breakdowns

Overall, it seems that Cruise America keeps a good eye on their RVs. They appear to be quite strict when it comes to RV condition, so you could be sure that the RV you are renting from them is in a good state.

But for cases when the rented RV breaks down, Cruise America offers nice support to the clients.

Roadside assistance & repair reimbursement

In the event of mechanical breakdown on the road, Cruise America provides the around-the-clock Travelers Assistance Hotline. For authorized repairs, your expenses will be reimbursed by Cruise America. Alternatively, Cruise America may directly pay for the repairs.

According to the conditions of Cruise America, any vehicle service expense over $75 requires authorization from Travelers Assistance, where your problem will be documented in a customer service log.

For repairs costing under $75, you may have repairs done, but you will need to keep the receipt with you for reimbursement. Rental centers will reimburse receipts under $75 without a service log. If a repair service costing over $75 isn’t documented by Cruise America, you will not be provided with a reimbursement.

Aside from that, engine battery jump-starts require approval from Travelers Assistance, so keep that in mind.

Long service time reimbursements

If as a result of a breakdown the RV is in repair for 12 hours or less through no fault of yours, Cruise America may refund you a portion of the daily rental rate. If the repair requires more than 12 hours, certain living/transportation expenses may be reimbursed by Cruise America as well. However, you will need to immediately report the breakdown to Cruise America.

Cruise America provides up to $30 a day per party for transportation expenses and up to $30 a day per person for lodging. Total provisions are limited by Cruise America up to $3000 per tour. To receive reimbursement, you will need to provide all receipts for your expenses.

In certain cases, Cruise America does not reimburse for repairs, transportation, and lodging. Cruise America does not cover expenses associated with the breakdown of the RV generator, AC unit, refrigerator, microwave, appliances, and cruise control since these aren’t needed for the basic operation of the RV.

In addition, Cruise America doesn’t reimburse damage caused by collision or accident. Plus, failure to call Travelers Assistance immediately after a breakdown will make the reimbursement void.

There are certain travel restrictions as well. The areas that fall under Cruise America’s restrictions are:

• Death Valley and other desert areas.
• Alaska and Manhattan, New York City, in the US.
• Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Newfoundland in Canada.

If issues occur in specified areas, Cruise America coverages will not apply. In fact, you may be held responsible for all vehicle damages associated with driving the RV in the restricted areas.

Aside from that, Cruise America prohibits entry of their RVs to Mexico, so be mindful of that.

How Cruise America handles tolls and traffic violations

Cruise America also has specific procedures with regard to tolls and parking/traffic violations.

Cruise America has a policy for All-Electronic Tolling. If you didn’t know, with All-Electronic Tolling, the picture of a vehicle’s license plate is taken and then used to determine who will be billed.

In some cases, a process called reassignment is utilized by Cruise America. The company basically transfers your information to the relevant tolling authority. Then, you will have to handle the fees yourself.

For other cases, Cruise America will pay the tolling authority directly. However, Cruise America will impose a $10 administrative fee on you and charge the credit card you used for rental. The administrative fee is per rental.

For other tolling services like EZ Pass lanes or Fastrack, it will be your responsibility to use a corresponding transponder in order to avoid any fees or penalties.

Parking/traffic violations

Cruise America handles parking and traffic violations in a similar manner to tolling. However, in cases where they pay the fines for you, you will be charged a $35 administrative fee per rental.

At rental return, you will be responsible for reporting and paying for any parking or traffic violations. If you fail to report a parking/traffic violation at return, Cruise America will charge an administrative fee of up to $250.

Cruise America rental coverage

A very nice thing about Cruise America is that they offer coverage options for their customers in case of accidents or mechanical breakdown. We’ve overviewed mechanical breakdown coverage above, but there’s more to the coverage provided by Cruise America.

All in all, Cruise America offers:

• Up to $1 million Supplemental Liability Insurance (SLI) against claims made by third parties for property damage or bodily/injury caused by the operation of the RV. There are certain exclusions to the SLI, a part of which is contained in the rental contract.
• Expense reimbursement of up to $3,000 in case of long service times, which we overviewed earlier.
• Responsibility of up to $1,500 for vehicle damage or loss per occurrence. If you do not abide by the terms of the rental contract and fail to promptly report any incident, you will be fully responsible for the damage or loss of the RV.

RV departure & return at Cruise America

The RV departure time at Cruise America begins at 1 PM. For Early Birders, as we mentioned above, the departure starts at 9 AM and ends at 12 PM.

A common point of complaint among users of Cruise America services is that it can take several hours before you actually leave the rental center. Early Birders may be able to avoid waiting for hours, but they aren’t insured from it as well.

As for RV return, regular renters are required to return the vehicle by 9 AM and no later than 11 AM. As we mentioned above, Cruise America imposes a $25 fee for each hour past 11 AM. At the same time, no refunds will be made if you return the vehicle early or if you pick it up late.

For Early Birders, which we again mentioned earlier in the material, the return time is between 9 AM and 3 PM. Failure to return the vehicle in this time frame will incur an hourly $25 penalty.

Keep in mind that departure and return times on Saturday may vary because some Cruise America locations close earlier.

Customer interaction

Customer interaction is another area where Cruise America is notorious. If you look around for user reviews, you will find that quite a considerable number of people have complained about the customer support of Cruise America in various areas, starting from the quickness of service and ending with the inability of the company to resolve issues.

A testimony to this may be Cruise America’s frankly quite low BBB rating , which indicates how the company is expected to interact with customers. There have been so many complaints about Cruise America that BBB has even put alerts on the company profile page, indicating noticeable issues with customer service.

What we really think of Cruise America

With everything above in mind, we’d like to present to you the advantages and disadvantages of RV rental with Cruise America, as well as what we really think of Cruise America.

So, the advantages are:

• A good amount of information provided on the RVs.
• Well-maintained RVs.
• One-way and long-term rentals available.
• Pet-friendliness.
• Reimbursements for mechanical breakdowns and long maintenance.
• Quite advantageous deals.

What we didn’t like about Cruise America.

• The plentitude of fees makes rental quite pricey.
• Poor selection of RVs.
• The customer interaction isn’t always spot-on.
• Quite uneasy to find fee information.
• The minimum rental period is 7 days.

As a corporate RV rental company, Cruise America isn’t going to provide you with much flexibility. They have a mechanism that works and doesn’t really take into account your specific needs, unlike peer-to-peer rental platforms.  You have limited options when it comes to fees and RV selection. Their customer service also isn’t spot-on.

On the other hand, they do have some benefits like one-way rental, a comprehensive reimbursement policy, and occasional deals. So we can’t say that Cruise America is a bad place to rent an RV from.

In the end, we’d say that those who want to quickly rent an RV may want to go for Cruise America since it has an established policy that is designed to ensure hassle-free rentals. But if you want flexibility and don’t mind spending a lot of time finding the right RV, you’d want to go for a peer-to-peer platform.

If you’d like to see how Cruise America is rated against other RV rental companies you might want to check out our review of the best RV rental companies .

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Renting an RV was far more expensive than I thought it would be. Here are 15 costs to consider before you book.

• I rented an RV for the first time and found it was a lot more expensive than I thought it would be.
• I spent almost $2,000 for gas, tolls, and the RV rental, driving over 1,000 miles from New York to Maine and back.
• My friend and I spent an additional $369 on campsites during the five-day trip.
• The RV rental company also charged us for mileage, insurance, and generator use.
• While fees like these are mostly standard, first-time RV renters may not have thought about them before.
• Visit Insider's homepage for more stories .

RV travel doesn't usually conjure images of luxury and glamour. For the most part, it's associated with budget travel .

However, after recently spending five days driving almost 1,100 miles from New York to Maine and back , I was shocked to find that road tripping in a rented RV can really add up.

Over the course of our trip, my friend and I spent almost $2,000 on the RV rental , gas, and tolls alone. But those weren't the only costs we accrued.

Here are 15 costs we came across that you should consider before you embark on an RV trip of your own.

The RV itself cost $225 a night. Four nights added up to $900.

At 20 feet in length, 12 feet in height, and 7.5 feet wide, the " compact RV " from Cruise America is the smallest motor home the rental company had. 

The cost of mileage quickly added up.

Cruise America charged another $0.35 per mile driven . We drove 1,094 miles, which added another $382.90 to our rental charges. 

While charging for mileage is standard, you'll want to take this into consideration if you're planning a long trip.

There's a fee for using the generator.

Cruise America, like most RV rental companies (though not all), also charges a generator fee : $8 per day or $3.50 an hour. Luckily, we only used it for a few hours on our first day since we were plugged into the electricity at campsites and bought a USB cigarette lighter charger for our phones while driving. 

That fee only set us back $10.30.

However, it's worth noting that the generator runs on gasoline, so using it is a double whammy in terms of cost, as it also eats into your fuel.

There's also a mandatory "supplemental liability" insurance fee.

We paid an optional "zero deductible" insurance fee of $14.95 a day; we weren't messing around as first-time motor-home drivers.

Until I got the bill, I didn't realize that this was on top of a mandatory $15.75 daily "supplemental liability" insurance fee.

Basically, the extra $14.95 upgraded us from a $1,500 deductible policy to a zero-deductible policy , meaning that instead of being responsible for any damage to the vehicle of up to $1,500, we had no financial responsibility for the RV getting damaged or stolen on our watch. 

If you don't want to schlep cookware and bedding, you can rent kits, but they cost extra.

Since we were bringing clothes, towels, bedding, food, and water, my friend and I decided to splurge on the $110 kitchen set, or "Vehicle Provisioning Kit," that Cruise America offered, so we could keep luggage to a minimum.

While it allowed us to carry a whole lot less, the kitchen kit was somewhat insufficient, in my opinion, as it lacked bowls. Cruise America notes on its website that items included in the set may vary between locations, but personally I feel like bowls are pretty standard kitchen items, and if you're choosing not to pack certain things it would be helpful to know what you're going to get ahead of time.

If we'd had a car to drive to the rental place, I would have just packed my own cookware and saved the $110.

For another $60 per person, there's also a "Personal Kit" that includes bedding and towels. In the midst of a global pandemic, however, I preferred to bring my own sheets.

We faced a state-mandated daily New Jersey surcharge on rentals.

As part of the RV rental, we had to pay a "daily NJ surcharge."

Looking into this, I found that all motor vehicle rentals in New Jersey of 28 days or less require a $5 a day "domestic security fee," according to the New Jersey Treasury, which cost us another $20 total.

Colorado appears to be the only other state with such a surcharge, as Cruise America's website lists a $2 per day "Colorado road safety fee."

While Cruise America is transparent with these fees, they may come as a surprise to first-time RV renters, so it's worth doing your homework ahead of time.

There was a $7 "environmental fee."

Cruise America's website describes this environmental fee as "designed to offset a wide range of environmental expenses," including "costs associated with the proper disposal of oil, filters, tires, batteries, and shop waste."

While this added to our cost, it was a small price to pay and didn't bother us.

If you don't return the RV with fully emptied tanks, you'll face a dump fee.

If you fail to completely empty your tanks before returning the car, you'll be charged an $85 dump fee.

There's also a cleaning fee of up to $150 if the vehicle isn't returned "in the same condition as it was received." Bypassing that was easy since, a) the RV wasn't really as clean as we would have liked when we got it, and b) we sanitized the hell out of it ourselves.

While prices vary between rental companies, these fees seem to be pretty standard.

You could have to pay a late fee if you don't return your RV on time.

RVs are subject to late fees just like those you might face if returning a rented car after the time it's due back. Our Cruise America location charged a late fee of $25 per hour if you returned your RV past 11 a.m.

You'll probably have to put down an upfront deposit.

While I got the deposit back, it's an upfront charge to keep in mind when budgeting. The deposit for our RV rental was $500.

RVs, especially older models, will guzzle gas.

Don't underestimate how much gas motor homes use — especially since items like the generator also use fuel.

We stopped to fill up four times over the course of 1,094 miles, and spent $235.42, which is almost $0.22 per mile driven.

We had to return the tank half full as received, otherwise, Cruise America would have charged $5.50 per gallon. The compact RV had a 40-gallon fuel tank, so it wouldn't have been cheap.

A lot of the amenities inside RVs run on propane, which you may have to refill at some point.

RVs use propane for their refrigerators, stoves, and hot water, so, depending on how long you're renting for, the number of hot showers you take, and how often you cook on the stove, you'll probably have to refill the propane tank at some point. 

Refilling a 30-pound propane tank costs between $80 and $100 at  Camping World , which sells camping gear and RVs at 120 locations across the US. And according to RV Blogger , which cited data from the US Energy Information Administration , refilling your propane tank at a refilling station can cost between $2.50 to $4 a gallon.

Since we only used the stove once and took one hot shower (we used the camping facilities or took cold showers), we didn't have to pay for propane.

Our campsites, which were quite nice and near popular tourist spots like Portland and Acadia National Park, cost between $60 and $110 a night.

While you could probably spend the night for free in a Walmart parking lot or "boondocking" — which means usually free camping in the RV community by not using water and electrical hookups provided at RV parks — as novices, we wanted the safety net of a campsite and friendly neighbors we might need to ask for help.

Campground costs depend on the amenities they offer (some have pools and ocean views) and their proximity to popular attractions, but, according to Camper Resort , they generally cost at least $45 a night and up for RVs.

Tolls are more expensive for larger vehicles and certain RVs.

In New York/New Jersey, the cost of a regular vehicle passing through the Lincoln Tunnel without an E-Z Pass is $16 — but a six-wheeled motor home can cost as much as $66, according to Port Authority NJ .

Thankfully, our RV was small, but we still ended up spending $21.50 on tolls driving from New Jersey to Maine and back. Due to COVID, however, many of the tolls we passed though said they'd send charges via mail, rather than have a person sitting in the toll booth, so the grand total might be higher.

You'll probably have to buy a few things you forgot to pack.

While I congratulated myself on my foresight when I thought to pack dish soap, paper towels, and toilet paper, we ended up buying things like a lighter for the stove, a candle to be able to eat outside, hand soap, gallons of water, firewood, and a cigarette lighter charger, which also added up.

• I took a 1,000-mile road trip in a 150-square-foot RV, where no space was left unused. Take a look inside.
• 11 common struggles of living in a van you should consider before committing to the lifestyle
• A couple turned an old school bus into a gorgeous tiny home, and now they live in the 185-square-foot space full-time
• A nurse working to fight the coronavirus in California lives in a 75-square-foot van with his wife and 2 cats
• I spent a single night in a camper van with my husband and have a newfound appreciation for people who do it full-time

This is an opinion column. The thoughts expressed are those of the author(s).

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Motorhome Holidays USA

• All year round

Enjoy the USA’s incredible diversity on a motorhome holiday, with the flexibility of venturing where you choose, stopping when you desire, and on a journey tailored to your chosen pace.

We’ve provided some useful information on the rentals available and you will find our full selection of motorhome itinerary routes in the carousel.

"Rentals are permitted for a minimum period of 7 nights and a maximum of 35 nights. Vehicles cannot be driven on non-public or unpaved roads, underground (due to propane regulations), into Manhattan or Mexico. Failure to comply will invalidate your insurance."

"Drivers must be 21 years or older and possess a valid driver's licence. A major credit card and passport are required for identification prior to rental. There are no charges for additional, qualified drivers but all must be listed on, and sign, the rental contract. Cruise Canada cannot provide child or infant seats."

"Depot hours are generally 9am to 4.30pm Monday to Saturday, however they can vary by location and season. All depots are closed on public holidays. "

"Motorhomes should not be collected on arrival following an international or long domestic flight into Canada; an overnight prior to pick up is not mandatory but is highly recommended."

"Vehicles may be returned between 9am and 11am, unless booked on the Early Bird Departures option which entitles returns until 3pm. Any late returns after 11am will be subject to a late return fee."

USA Motorhome Holidays

• Northwest USA by Motorhome

• Northern California by Motorhome

• Southern California by Motorhome

• Attractions of The West by Motorhome

• Three State Triangle by Motorhome

• Grand Canyon & Las Vegas by Motorhome

• Utah & The Canyons by Motorhome

• Death Valley & Lake Havasu by Motorhome

• Phoenix to Las Vegas by Motorhome

• Arizona & New Mexico by Motorhome

• Journey Cowboy Country by Motorhome

• Florida Plus by Motorhome

• Disney and More by Motorhome

• Florida’s Beaches & The Keys by Motorhome

• Northeast Cities and More by Motorhome

• The Great Lakes Music Tour by Motorhome

• New England Circle by Motorhome

• Minnesota Wildlife by Motorhome

• Rhythms of the South by Motorhome

• Texas and Louisiana by Motorhome

• Alaska Highlights by Motorhome

• Route 66 & Highway 1 by Motorhome

Georgia's Southern Charms by Motorhome

Kentucky & Tennessee by Motorhome

Mountains and Music of Tennessee & North Carolina

Special Offers:

50% Discount on Mileage Packages – USA 100-Mile Package, 500-Mile Package and Unlimited Mileage Package, Canada 100-Kilometer Package, 500-Kilometer package and Unlimited Mileage Package. Applicable at all locations and on all vehicle classes. Departures May 1st to December 31st 2024, when booked by June 30th 2024.

Up to 15% discount on Winter 2024/25 rentals when booked by July 31st 2024, 10% discount when booked by August 31st 2024 and 5% discount when booked by September 30th 2024.

Up to 15% discount on Summer 2025 rentals when booked by December 31st 2024, 10% discount when booked by January 31st 2025 and 5% discount when booked by February 28th 2025.

Up to 15% discount on Winter 2025/26 rentals when booked by July 31st 2025, 10% discount when booked by August 31st 2025 and 5% discount when booked by September 30th 2025.

Up to 15% discount on Summer 2026 rentals when booked by December 31st 2025, 10% discount when booked by January 31st 2026 and 5% discount when booked by February 28th 2026.

Extended rental discounts on Summer 2024, Winter 2024/25 and Summer 2025. 5% off selected rentals of 21 nights or more and 10% off selected rentals of 31 nights or more.

PLEASE NOTE: Early booking discounts are not valid at franchise locations and are subject to availability, terms and conditions. Call for full details.

Rental Locations

RV hire for collection and drop off are available in Boston, New York, Newark, Pittsburgh, Washington, DC, Orlando, Cincinnati, Miami, Tampa, Fort Myers, Charlotte, Atlanta, Baton Rouge, Nashville, Chicago (& Northwest), Minneapolis, Missoula, Denver, Houston, Dallas, Albuquerque, Phoenix, San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Orange County, Las Vegas, Reno, Salt Lake City, Portland, Bozeman, Billings and Seattle.

What’s Included?

We appreciate that it is not always clear which items you need to pre-book and what extras you may have to pay for locally. As standard, any rental with Cruise America / Cruise Canada includes:

• Statutory Liability Coverage
• Supplemental Liability Insurance up to $500,000 USD (USA Rentals) or Primary Coverage up to $1,000,000 CDN (Canadian Rentals) – NOTE: applicable on rentals until February 1st 2025, when this becomes optional and not included in rate.
• VIP Coverage ($2,500 damage responsibility per incident – regardless of fault)

Supplementary Liability Insurance

On rentals from February 1st 2025, Supplemental Liability Insurance of up to $500,000 USD (USA Rentals) or Primary Coverage up to $1,000,000 CDN (Canadian Rentals) is optional and not included in the base rate.

Campgrounds

By booking a Cruise America/Cruise Canada vehicle, you receive discounts at KOA, Harvest Host, Hipcamp and The Dyrt campgrounds. To avoid disappointment, especially at popular campgrounds such as national parks and if travelling over peak periods, we strongly suggest you prebook your campgrounds in advance. You’ll find a fob on your motorhome keyring, which can be scanned on arrival at a campground, and the discount retrospectively credited back to your card. A list of all campgrounds can be found on the Cruise America app.

What’s Payable Locally?

Where applicable, damage security deposit, fuel, generator use, one way drop off charges, extra mileage, any additional insurance, preparation fee, personal kits, vehicle provisions kit and local sales tax on all items are payable locally. Mandatory ‘Colorado Road Safety Fee’ surcharge on Denver bookings only.

Mileage options

You must pre-purchase some mileage package as part of your rental. In the USA, you can choose a 100 mile package, 500 mile package or unlimited mileage package. In Canada, you can choose a 100 kilometer package, 500 kilometer package or unlimited kilometers package.

Package plan

A cost effective way of including everything in one package, it includes unlimited mileage, one vehicle provisioning kit, one personal kit for each passenger and unlimited use of the vehicle generator.

ZDP – for extra peace of mind

Zero Damage Plan (ZDP) enables renters to reduce their responsibility for loss of or damage to the vehicle from $2,000 to zero ($0). ZDP provides peace of mind to many clients and can be pre-purchased with us.

Familiarisation Tour

A tour of the vehicle and its working parts (approx 25 minutes) is required to acquaint you with the operation of the vehicle before departure. This tour is only given during office hours and may be by video.

Early Bird Departures

Take advantage of the opportunity of being first in line. Vehicle departure starts at 9am and is completed by no later than noon for Early Bird Departure clients. You can also return the vehicle up to 3pm on the drop off day rather than in the morning. Transfers from and to designated hotels are also included for Early Bird Departure clients. This facility must be booked at least 30 days in advance of collection and other restrictions apply at certain depots.

One Way Rentals

If you choose to collect at one depot and return to another there are one way charges payable locally. Not all one ways are allowed. Please ask what charges are applicable to your rental.

Our Motorhome Selection

We have a choice of three motorhomes – C21 Compact Plus Motorhome, C25 Standard Motorhome and C30 Large Motorhome. Offering various sizes, layouts, and differing facilities, there is the perfect option for your needs.

• C21 Compact Plus Motorhome
• C25 Standard Motorhome
• C30 Large Motorhome

Western USA Holiday Packages

Take a look at our featured holiday itineraries covering the states of Oregon, Washington State, California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, South Dakota, Nebraska, Colorado and New Mexico.

Eastern USA Holiday Packages

Take a look at our featured holiday itineraries covering the states of Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Washington DC, Pennsylvania, New York State, New Jersey, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Minnesota, Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Vermont and New Hampshire.

Deep South Holiday Packages

Take a look at our featured holiday itineraries covering the states of Alabama, Tennessee, Louisiana, Georgia, Mississippi and Texas.

Transcontinental & Alaska Holiday Packages

Take a look at our featured holiday itineraries; one cexploring the idyllic state of Alaska and the second being a transcontinental itinerary which follows historic Route 66.

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Motorhome Holidays in Canada

Get in touch.

Our team of travel professionals focus on providing you with the very best advice when it comes to planning your holiday to the USA and Canada. They have experienced the destinations, hotels, tours and excursions for themselves, so if its expert advice and guidance backed by faultless customer service that you are looking for, you couldn’t’ be in safer hands. We will listen to your wish list of ideas as well as add our own personal recommendations to create a unique itinerary, personalised just for you.

For a quotation based on your preferred travel date and to check availability please contact one of our team of professional consultants who will be happy to assist you.

Our website features just some of the itineraries we offer. Tell us what your ideas are and we will create the holiday for you

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Our team of experienced travel professionals are here to help. We'll help you with itinerary planning and provide you with a quotation.

TRAVEL AGENTS 0333 323 9033 DIRECT CLIENTS 0333 323 9099

0113 398 3003

Private Consultations

We appreciate that you all lead busy lives so we are happy to chat through your holiday plans either by telephone or email or, we would happily arrange a face-to-face meeting in our private office suite here in Leeds or in your home or office at a time/date convenient to you. We could also set up a video-meeting if that's your preference. A tailored holiday itinerary to suit your requirements can be complex so face-to-face discussions are often advantageous.

• 0333 323 9099 --> North America Travel Service
• The Kennedy Building, 48 Victoria Road, Leeds, LS11 5AF
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Hotel ratings.

RV Renter's Resources

Ready to get started? Whether this is your first trip or you're just looking for a refresher, here's everything you need to make your next trip with a Cruise America RV fun for the entire family.

Remember these helpful hints when you first pick up your RV rental and you're on your way to a successful RV vacation adventure.

RV Orientation

Before you tour the roads and highways of North America, this instructional video will show you the "ins and outs" of a Cruise America RV rental. Watch the video in other languages:

Dansk | Deutsch |  Espanol | Francais   Nederlands | Portugues | 普通话

Renter Assistance Guide

Our Renter’s Assistance Guide gives you tips on safe driving, entering and leaving campgrounds, and operating your RV. You will receive a copy before you leave the rental center. 

Download PDFs

Frequently Asked Questions

Got questions? We've got answers! Visit our FAQ page for quick and detailed responses to our most commonly asked questions. Click here to learn more and get the information you need!

Convenience Kits - Reservations Required

Vehicle Provisioning Kit - $125

Personal Kit - $75 Each

• Bath Towels
• Sleeping Bag/Comforter
• Wash Cloths

Troubleshooting Videos

Our troubleshooting video library can help you solve many of your problems on the road.

You'll find the following helpful videos:

• 120V AC Power
• Emergency Start
• Power Outlets
• Rooftop A/C
• Water Heater

Getting Started

How Much Does Renting an RV Cost?

The cost of renting an RV is a significant consideration when planning your RV vacation. Nightly rates can vary during peak vacation months such as July and August. 

Understanding RV Rental Costs

RV Rules While Driving

Driving a Cruise America RV is easier than most people thing. Before you get going, learn the dos and don'ts of RV driving.

Rules of the Road

RV Driver's License

To drive a Cruise America C Class RV, you must possess a valid driver’s license, a major credit card, and be 21 years old.

See License Requirements

Half Price Miles

One Way Specials

Fourth of July Special

More trips. exclusive deals..

Get new trip ideas, itineraries & the latest RV deals every month.

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Cruise America RV rentals

quote: Has anyone rented one specifically interested in the Baton Rouge location or Kingswood Texas location.

quote: Your car insurance will cover the RV so you don't need their supplemental coverage.

quote: Your car insurance will cover the RV so you don't need their supplemental coverage. This is definitely not universal and you should check your policy before relying on it.

quote: Do you get the insurance when you rent a car from Budget, Enterprise or Avis?

quote: We used RVShare with no problems I’d pick them over Cruise America just because of those annoying logos

quote: Or really good advice if his auto policy covers the RV rental. Totally different? Exactly the same thing. Using an existing insurance policy to cover an asset you are renting. Duh. What a bunch of putz's.