currency
Any special IdeaMerge discount we apply is applied to the entire, tax-inclusive rate.
(Thus we effectively discount the tax as well.) And we do not require you to pay in full earlier than normal
to receive this discount.
Our motorhome and campervan rental
rates (apart from any special IdeaMerge discount) and policies match those of our vendor and therefore the rates
are calculated in Euros (EUR).
This means we do not inflate our rates to cover ourselves against the threat of
our home currency, the US Dollar (USD), declining versus the EUR.
Moreover, we do not impose a credit card transaction
fee.
And we do not truncate the exchange rate
(which is another way companies can favor themselves).
Furthermore, we use the
minimal retail exchange rate — alias the
"credit card" exchange rate
(as published
on www.oanda.com) —
to change from the vendor's currency into our currency
(USD) for actual charging.
Finally we present all this math in the detailed confirmation
voucher that we e-mail to you soon after booking the rental. …
In these and other ways we carefully save our clients from suffering
hidden costs.
reservation & downpayment
In accord with the automobile rental industry standard,
reservations may be made for a vendor's particular vehicle category
(what we might call a vendor's "group") only, not for a specific vehicle.
Which is to say,
although the various images, model numbers and vehicle specifications presented
throughout the IdeaMerge motorhome rental pages — especially on the
vehicle-specification pages — are carefully selected to accurately
and precisely indicate the vehicle that you will get, the vehicle model
(and layout) you get might not be identical to what is indicated by said
information.
In the very unlikely event that
a vehicle in the reserved category is not available upon the pick-up date, the
rental company reserves the right to substitute a comparable or larger vehicle
with the same equipment and the capacity to accommodate the number persons you have delineated (in terms of, say, adults and children) as being in your party. In this case there will be no additional charge for a larger
vehicle. However, the higher ancillary costs associated with a larger
vehicle — such as ferry charges,
tolls, and fueling costs — are to be borne by the customer.
In accord with the vendor's cancellation policy,
IdeaMerge charges a 30 percent downpayment
upon confirming a customer's reservation (i.e. upon actually booking the rental).
This downpayment is non-refundable.
balance
IMPORTANT: The balance is charged or due 35 days prior to the pick-up
date. (If a reservation is placed within that time window, the whole
amount will be charged or due straightaway.)
We require such early prepayment(s) because our choice vendor
imposes considerable cancellations fees.
Necessarily reflecting that schedule of fees,
IdeaMerge's cancellation policy is as follows ...
cancellation fees
Cancellation 31 days or more prior to pick-up date: 15 percent* of rental amount.
Cancellation 30 to 16 days prior to pick-up date: 30 percent of rental amount.
Cancellation 15 days to 1 day prior to pick-up date: 100 percent of rental amount.
No-shows or cancellation on the pick-up date: 100 percent of rental amount.
changes
Any change to a booking — especially of the rental duration, and
whether requested before, during
or after the pick-up — is subject to
authorization by the rental company. Do not expect to be able to make
such changes upon the pick-up occasion.
rental duration
The minimum effective rental durations are:
5 days for rentals commencing in the low season
(unless the rental involves Easter weekend, in which case a minimum
7 nights will be charged at mid-season rate),
5 days for rentals commencing in the mid season without unlimited km
(unless the rental involves Easter weekend, in which case the minimum
is 7 nights),
7 days for rentals commencing in the mid season with unlimited km,
15 days for rentals commencing in the high season.
See the "Rates & Reservations" page for the season dates. The
IdeaMerge online reservation software checks against said minimums.
age and license
The minimum age limit for renters and other drivers
is only 21 years, and there is no maximum
age limit.
However, said drivers must have possessed their valid, non-provisional drivers
license for at least one year prior to the pick-up date.
Drivers must of course possess a valid drivers license
relative to the weight of the vehicle.
Most domestic licenses suffice for operation of the vehicles presented on
the IdeaMerge Website, for most of the vehicles are rated at 3500 kg or less.
Relative to vehicles exceeding this threshold, our online
software will usually elaborate —
but you the driver or drivers are obliged to check your licenses and the vehicle's
specs page in this important respect (the latter by clicking on the vehicle
image on the "Rates & Reservations" page or during the online reservation
process). Also see en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Driver's_license and, say,
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UK_Driving_Licence_codes.
Regarding the vehicles rated at over 3500 kg
(i.e. 3.50 metric tons):
Almost all typical (i.e. class C) USA drivers licenses, for example,
suffice in this respect.
(In fact such licenses usually cover vehicles up to 13,000 kg.)
The same is true of, say, typical "old" British licenses
(i.e. class B issued prior to 1 January 1997).
But the typical new "European Union drivers license"
(i.e. class B) limits its holder to vehicles of 3500 kg or less; and as such,
a holder of an EU license must possess a class C license to operate in Europe
one of the European motorhomes which are rated at over 3500 kg.
On the pick-up occasion the vendor will not release a rental vehicle
to a party unless a driver among them is licensed to operate such vehicle.
IdeaMerge is not responsible if such licensed driver is not present
to operate the vehicle upon the pick-up occasion and throughout the duration
of the rental. No refunds will be extended to the client if such absence precludes
the actual use of the rental.
See our "Resources" page for a discussion of the international driving
permit. Our Italy vendor does not require this document but they do
recommend it.
The vehicle may be driven only by the renter or by the additional,
qualified drivers specified on the rental contract. There is no charge for these
additional drivers. The additional drivers do not need to be present
upon the pick-up occasion.
Regardless of who is driving the vehicle,
the renter is liable for the operation of the vehicle.
breakdown cover, and insurance
For starters, the fleet of vehicles is modern, and they are upgraded every two years.
Clients are supported by the vendor's
helpline. The client should obtain the vendor's permission with respect to
any repairs (whether to the vehicular operation or to the operation of the
living facilities) costing more than EUR100. In many cases the vendor will pay for the
repair directly. Any repair expenses that do happen to
be incurred by the client and which are not the client's responsibility
will be refunded to the client by the vendor when the client returns the
vehicle along with the relevant invoices — which invoices should delineate
the parts replaced and be "made out" to the vendor.
See our "Insurance, etc."
page for details concerning the included insurance.
The motorhome rental agreement is a contract between the customer
and the vendor and of course involves the customer in certain
responsibilities relative to the vehicle. These responsibilities
are analogous but far from identical to those typically associated
with a car rental. Motorhome rental customers typically bear more
such responsibilities than do car rental customers. The nature of
the motorhome rental industry is such that replacement motorhomes
are usually not guaranteed (although in many cases such may be
effected), as is the case with this vendor and
virtually every motorhome rental company. Instead timely service of
the rental motorhome is guaranteed and in certain cases limited
hotel stays and replacement car rentals will be covered.
The customer remains responsible for returning the motorhome to the
rental depot, as contracted, unless relieved of this responsibility
by the rental company (i.e. the vendor).
geographic limitations
The included insurance is effective in the following countries:
Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia-Herzigovina, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Croatia,
Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France,
Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg,
Malta, Netherlands (i.e. Holland), Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia,
Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Wales, N. Ireland).
However, special permission must be obtained from the vendor for travel
into those of these countries — other than Switzerland —
which are not members of the
European
Union.
You are welcome to transport your
rented vehicle by ferry and/or the Channel Tunnel.
The vehicles are not allowed into Albania
and "Yugoslavia" (i.e. Montenegro and Serbia, including
Kosovo and Vojvodina). Nor are the vehicles allowed into Iraq
and Morocco.
Regardless of itinerary, clients must agree to park the vehicle in supervised areas
only (such areas are common in Europe) or to stay in/with the vehicle.
If the vehicle is stolen, the vendor is not obligated to procure
another for the client. … Generally speaking, a replacement vehicle cannot
be guaranteed; yet in all cases where a replacement vehicle would
benefit the client the vendor will do its best to procure one for the
client.
Again, see our "Insurance, etc."
page for more details concerning the included insurance.
pick-up and return
An EUR1500 security deposit will be authorized on the customer's Visa or MasterCard credit card
when the customer picks up the vehicle; i.e. the vendor makes an imprint of the client's
card and obtains an authorization code, thus blocking/freezing this amount for the
rental period without actually charging it. This amount — minus the cost of
any damages (up to the relevant insurance deductible of EUR1000 for collision
or EUR1500 for comprehensive) and traffic or parking tickets — will be
credited to the customer's card within about a week after the customer returns the vehicle.
Althought clients can reduce the collision-damage deductible to EUR250 by
purchasing collision-damage waver (CDW) for EUR8 per day), the value
of the security deposit remains unaffected.
The vendor provides storage of clients' luggage at their depot free of charge (but at the
clients' risk). Likewise for the duration of the rental clients may park
a car or two at the depot free of charge.
A thorough explanation and demonstration of the rental vehicle will be provided
upon pick-up. This orientation, together with completion of the relevant
paperwork, requires approximately one hour.
The vehicle will be delivered with an ample amount of motor fuel in the tank;
you should try to return it with this same amount.
The water tank, propane tanks,
and toilet chemical repository will be full; but you will not be
charged if they are returned less than full.
The interior and exterior
will be clean, and the toilet tank will be empty of waste. Likewise the vehicle
should be returned clean inside.
(The rental company will clean the outside.)
Vehicles returned in an unclean condition will be
subject to the cleaning fees of EUR35 for the interior,
EUR20 for un-emptied waste-water tank.
Dogs are allowed in the vehicles, but
the client should return the vehicle thoroughly cleaned of dog hair and odors
lest the vendor levy a special cleaning fee.
Upon the pick-up occasion the vendor provides clients with an
atlas and a
handbook listing good parking areas and campgrounds in Europe.
The rental depot address
and contact numbers are: Via Cristoforo Colombo 2339, Rome 00124;
tel. (+39) 06 509 14212, fax 06 509 0338. (See our "Locations" page,
at left.)
Airport shuttle transfer — via 8-seat minibus
from/to Fiumicino international airport
(alias Leonardo da Vinci) costing EUR45 each way,
or via minibus from/to Ciampino international airport costing
EUR65 or EUR75 for 2–3 people or 4–7 people respectively
— is available during the vendor's official
business hours: Monday–Friday 9:00 to 13:00 (i.e. 9 am to 1 pm) and
16:00 to 19:00 (4 pm to 7 pm) and on Saturday 9:30 to 19:00 (except
August through February, when on Saturday the depot closes at 12:00 noon).
The pick-up process requires 40–60 minutes; the return process only 10 minutes.
Standard pick-up occurs at the Rome rental depot from Monday–Friday 16:00 to
18:00 (i.e. 4 pm to 6 pm). Saturday pick-up, regardless of time, entails charge for the preceding Friday night.
Standard return occurs at the Rome rental depot Monday–Thursday
in the morning (by 12:30 am at the latest) and Friday 9:00 am to 10:00 am.
Again, a non-standard pick-up time entails an extra night's worth of cost,
at least; the same is true of a non-standard return time.
We say "at least" because a Friday post-10:00-am return
or a Saturday return or a Monday morning pick-up entails
charge for the (extremely popular) adjacent Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights altogether! … Generally the
vendor accounts for cost as such so that most vehicles can be prepared during regular
business hours and delivered to a client on the same day that the vehicle
is returned by the previous client. Thus the vendor doesn't lose out on
renting that vehicle for that night. Cost is computed per night.
The Fiumicino airport is 16 km from the Rome rental depot,
and this airport is
served by main rail lines. Taxi fare between the airport
and the rental depot is EUR35–EUR45; the trip takes about 20 minutes. The Ciampino airport is about
double that distance away.
Between the city center and the
depot the distance is 23 km and the taxi cost is EUR36–EUR52. The
hotel nearest the rental depot is the beachside
Hotel Ping Pong
at Lungomare Paolo Toscanelli, 84 Ostia Lido, Rome.
Pick-up and/or return at a location other than the rental depot
entails a charge of: EUR30 + (the greater of EUR100 or
EUR1.50 per kilometer) = EUR130 minimum. In particular,
pick-up and/or return at
Florence (Firenze) entails a fee of EUR450 each such occasion,
and Milan (Milano) entails a fee of EUR900 each occasion.
Such one ways must involve Rome as either return or pick-up location
and are usually available only for rather long-term rentals during the low
season.
If return occurs after the reserved return time, a charge
of EUR30 (up to the daily rate) will be levied for each extra such hour; and the customer will assume
responsibility for claims made against the rental company by subsequent renters
due to delay. Again, any extension of the rental duration requires prior
authorization by the rental company; and no refunds are offered for early return of the rental vehicle.
a slight disclaimer
IdeaMerge takes special care in representing
our vendors (i.e. the actual rental companies) so as maximally to
benefit you, our clients. Thus we present such information using
various careful emphases and an overall style which is decidedly
complementary to (i.e. in contrast with) the legalistic style
that of course constrains the actual terms and conditions
of our vendors. The information on the IdeaMerge Website is
therefore designed to resonate effectively and thoroughly with but
not be simply identical to those terms and conditions, which
terms and conditions nevertheless override the information presented by
IdeaMerge and are naturally subject to change without notice prior to the
rental pick-up occasion, on which occasion at the rental depot
the client will be obliged to sign and thus agree to them.
See the bottom of this page for a link to Freedom Holiday's terms and conditions.
freedom holiday's terms and conditions
Click here for Freedom Holiday's terms and conditions.
warning
Although motor travel in Europe is not generally considered prohibitively dangerous, there are, of course, associated risks — including death. For quantitative measures of these risks, please see the Association for Safe International Road Travel (ASIRT) http://www.asirt.org.
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