Being on a waitlist is no way to start off your holidays.

Who wants to begin a vacation being uncertain about your transportation plans?

If your trip to Jamaica includes a vision of you driving around our stunning island, setting your own pace while experiencing the warmth of the sunshine at the beach or driving along a misty mountain road, you could be making the mistake of throwing your entire trip off schedule if you haven’t taken the simple steps to make sure you’ve got a confirmed booking for a rental car.

If you’ve ever experienced a vacation when you had to wait upon arrival at the counter to find out if you had a rental or not, you know how frustrating that can be.

Getting off the waitlist

Not to mention that aside from your vacation starting out on a sour note, you may miss whatever you have planned for your first day simply because you didn’t plan ahead.

Missing one thing may mean missing another or having to compromise and, next thing you know, your dream vacation doesn’t unfold quite the way you had hoped.

Not to worry, here are a few pointers from Island Car Rentals that may help you plan your car rental to ensure your pickup is as smooth as possible, especially during the busy peak season.

Peak seasons in Jamaica

Peak seasons in Jamaica start from around December 10 and right through to the first week of the new year.

Another high point is right before and after Easter and also at least two weeks before the Jamaican Independence/Emancipation holidays which occur during the first week of August.

Avoiding the holiday headache

1.  Book months in advance

Once you are fairly confident that you will be making a trip, you can get immediate confirmation when you book online. 

Even if you have not decided exactly when you are arriving, at least put a date in. 

That way, when we are monitoring our numbers, your booking will already be in before the close-out date. 

You can always change the date of your arrival when you have your flight details confirmed. 

If you are unable to make the modification online, simply call any of our reservation numbers listed on our website.

2. Make an early booking  

If you are going to need a specialized vehicle such as a minivan, it is even more important to make an early booking.

The probability of actually getting a vehicle is greatly increased if your booking date is not too close to the main holiday dates such as December 25 and 26.

Of course, this is not always possible or practical but if you can make it work for you, the earlier the better.

3. Keep in touch

Once you have been told you are on the waitlist, keep in touch with our reservations department as sometimes certain categories are reopened and they can advise you of the situation.

Sometimes they even manage to change a reservation from unconfirmed to confirmed.

4. Be open to downgrades if unconfirmed

On arrival, if you are still unconfirmed, be prepared to accept a downgrade.

You may have had your heart set on a luxury Honda Accord or Toyota Camry but they are all booked out. 

Be practical. 

Bearing in mind the number of persons you have in your party, if you can get going without much discomfort in a mid-sized Toyota Corolla or even the compact Toyota Yaris, take it. 

You can always request that an exchange be done if your preferred choice becomes available while still on the island and you have many more days to go on your vacation.

5. Carry extra cash for last-minute upgrades

Similarly, consider paying a little more for an upgrade if that’s what is available at the time.

You’ll get on your way faster and you may even be able to get a deal on the upgrade if you are willing to bargain.

6.  Become an Island VIP

Generally, we try to accommodate our VIPs. 

Learn more about how you can earn one of our loyalty cards by reading up about it on our website.

For all bookings, visit Island Car Rental's website.

Also, stay connected with Island Car Rental
Instagram:@IslandCarRentals
Facebook: @IslandCarRentals
Twitter: @IslandCarJA


Island Car Rental Locations:

Reservations Centre & City Office
Mon. - Fri. 8:30 am - 5:00 pm (EST) Closed on Public Holidays
Sat. & Sun. 8:30 am - 3:00 pm (EST) Closed on Public Holidays 
17 Antigua Avenue, Kingston 10
1 (876) 929-5875
1 (416) 628-8885
1 (954) 573-9838
1 866 978 5335 (Toll Free USA)
Email: icar@cwjamaica.com

Norman Manley Int'l Airport
5:00 am - 10:00 pm (EST) Daily Inclusive of Public Holidays
Kingston (In Airport terminal)
1 (954) 573-9836
1 (876) 924-8075
(876) 924-8389

Donald Sangster Int'l Airport
8:30 am - 10:00 pm (EST) Daily Inclusive of Public Holidays
Montego Bay (In Airport terminal)
1 (954) 573-9837
1 (876) 952-7225
1 (876) 952-5771