Frequently Asked Questions & Answers
The most common questions about camper and motorhome rental in New Zealand and Australia
We have categorized the initial questions and proceeded subject-related according to our request page. All questions that you feel have not yet been covered in the course of your inquiry can be found below.
However, if a question still remains unanswered, please send us a message to
This is not important for the rental company. In any case, the invoice is intended for your personal documents and the company generally does not need it. The booking confirmation, however, is important for the rental company as all relevant data is found on it. Based on the booking number of the company, they can allocate the provided vehicle, including related services.
For you personally, it might be of great importance to whom the invoice was issued to. For example, when it comes to travel cancellation insurances, it only applies if the correct policy owner`s name is listed on the invoice.
No not really. Most companies don't care. It is of course a relief with regard to the allocation of the booking confirmation and the booking retained in the system, but ultimately the companies proceed according to the booking number that is specified on the booking confirmation. Since the travel data on the booking documents and the travel data found in the system match, it is basically only important for the company that any outstanding amounts have been or will be paid.
Yes! Only drivers who are registered as drivers in the rental agreement are insured! In case a person is driving whose name is not listed on the rental agreement and who has not signed these papers, this constitutes a breach of contract. In the event of an accident, all costs are to be beared by the tenant or the joint tenants, as all insurance claims have expired in consequence of the breach of contract. The people whose names are listed on the rental agreement and who have signed become liable towards the rental company.
Yes! The cardholder must also have signed the rental agreement. Otherwise, the rental companies will not be able to debit any costs that have evolved during the trip from your credit card. This can happen, for instance, with a received parking ticket, which was been sent directly to the rental company. Another example provides the return of the vehicle at a different time, place or condition as to what has been agreed in your rental contract.
Yes! There is an exception to this, however, if you do not have one of your own or only a prepaid credit card. For example, young backpackers can also use their parents' card. A written declaration of consent from the parents must be handed over for this. However, this exception is handled differently from company to company and must be inquired from case to case. Don’t hesitate to contact us if you feel addressed!
It is your responsibility to ensure that your credit card has sufficient funds. Consider that even if there is enough money on the account, there is always a withdrawal limit that you should discuss with your bank in advance. It is best, to inform your bank that a specific payment is due on day XY and that it is taking place abroad. Please note any fees that may apply for credit card payment abroad, whether it is for the one-way fee, for additional extras or a deposit. The exact amount depends of both your bank and the rental company.
No! Prepaid credit cards - credit cards, which first you have to transfer money to and which only allow you to be in funds of your deposited amount - are not considered valid by rental companies. In order to be able to guarantee adequate security, a "proper" credit card is required for every rental.
In addition, the communication with the rental company (tour operator) runs via your email address.
The telephone number helps us to get in touch with you quickly for further inquiry. Many questions can be discussed more easily on the phone than by email. Don't worry, we won't bother you! We will help you if you allow it. During a counseling interview we can clarify your needs and shorten the process to find the right vehicle.
During the counseling interview, we first clarify those questions that have remained open on the request form. Are your travel dates already fixed or is there still scope? Do you already know which route you want to take, or are the pick-up and drop-off points chosen randomly? Do your flight times match your planned pick-up date? Which vehicles do you have in mind? What is your budget? What insurance type do you need?
If you have provided us with a telephone number in the course of your request, we will transmit it to the rental company within the booking process. Should the company have to contact you for any reason, the fastest way to get in touch with you is via your phone number. In this respect, a phone number is also useful en route.
The insurance rate to be paid by the customer always depends on the age of the youngest tenant listed on the rental agreement. There is also an age limit on the part of the rental company as to which vehicle classes can be driven at which age.
Yes! Absolutely. Please use the age they will have when you pick up the vehicle. Not all vehicles can accommodate every type of child seat. The position where children of different ages can sit is also predetermined for some vehicles. Without the age of the children, we do not know which vehicles work for your family constellation.
Spring:
You know it from at home. In spring not only the flowers of trees and plants start to blossom, but also the desire to be outdoors increases immensely. When it comes to winter in your home country, New Zealand wakes up from hibernation and you can literally feel and see it everywhere. In this pre-season, the prices are much cheaper, but the temperatures and hours of sunshine per day are lower or less.
Australia is huge and extends over an area of different climate zones, so it is hard to say when is the ideal time to travel. We have described the individual climate zones in our overview article about Australia. Depending on whether you want to lie on the beach and pursue a tan, or rather go on hard hike after the next, you should choose the right region that guarantees the best weather during your trip.
The prices are cheapest from May to September. Compared to main season, you often only pay a third to a quarter of the prices. In between, there is the Lions Tour, which always takes place from the beginning of June till mid- July. During this time, camper / motorhome rentals are also expensive due to the high demand.
During the Australian school holidays, which start after Christmas, many campsites and other tourist offers are significantly more crowded and expensive than usual. However, the Aussies also have their holiday resorts. If you stay away from these, you will not feel the vacation rush as strong. Besides this, there is less of a peak season and off-season in Australia, but travels between December and February are usually more expensive than outside of that time.
Ja absolut! Es geht auch ohne Heizung, aber man muss wissen, auf was man sich einlässt.
Tours such as whale watching or parachute jumps should be booked in advance. Especially in the peak season. Depending on the season and popularity, it is enough to call a few days before.
As soon as you have received your vehicle, you can book the ferry. Of course, you can do this by yourself, however, you also have the option to book it through us.
As early as possible! There are many people who hope for cheap last-minute prices. This may work with other products, but with campers / motorhomes in Australia and New Zealand the chance of spontaneous price reduction is very low. Usually it rather becomes more expensive, or if you wait too long the desired vehicle is no longer available.
CamperOase is currently the only agent who does not charge any fees for data changes (others charge € 50). However, we do not know how long we can maintain this additional service. Basically, you should know your arrival and departure times before booking and coordinate them with the opening hours of the rental companies.
There are several factors to consider when choosing your itinerary and direction, such as temperatures, rainy seasons, availability of certain attractions etc.
We have developed very detailed itinerary suggestions for Australien and New Zealand for you, which will give you a good overview and will help you decide on a suitable route. Basically, it is important to think about how much time you want to spend driving each day and to compare it with the planned total distance. Driving, finding a place to sleep, tidying up in the morning etc. take a few hours of your time every day. If you then want to experience something spontaneously as well, you shouldn't plan too much ahead.
You need:
Most companies require that everyone who intends to drive the vehicle is personally present during pick-up. Because only those who have signed the contract, are registered as drivers and have their documents available can drive the vehicle later. If someone drives without being registered as a driver, all insurance claims expire! In rare, well-founded cases (this is only the case with few companies), one of the drivers can send their documents in advance and be entered in the contract without being personally present during pick-up.
You will receive the rental contract and the terms and conditions from the rental company on the spot. You should at best be already familiar with the terms and conditions. Nevertheless, it is advisable to read both forms once again unhurriedly and then countersign them.
If the vehicle is defective, you should report it to the rental company immediately. The rental company will then determine how you should proceed. Impurities should be removed. BUT you shouldn't be too picky. Depending on the vehicle category, signs of wear such as scratches or quirks, as well as partial stains on upholstery and the like, cannot be avoided.
Please have a look at your booking documents! Business hours vary from depot to depot and are also related to agreements that the rental company has with previous and subsequent tenants. Please coordinate your flights or activities before picking up or dropping off the vehicle so that this is easily possible within the opening hours.
As a general rule, this is not possible! Some, mainly smaller rental companies, occasionally make special arrangements with customers that have a good reason why they cannot come within business hours. A fee for the additional effort will then be due.
No! A vehicle can only be picked up in the rental company's depot, as there are a few formalities to complete. Many companies have their depots in close proximity to the airport. However, there must always be some time for the handover. Getting out of the plane and straight into the vehicle unfortunately doesn't work.
Australia: No, Australia does not have this service. Here you have to organize your way to and from the airport yourself.
This service does not exist in Australia.
Most rental companies have an online check-in system. You can use this to announce your flight number. If your flight is delayed, your company can find out this information via the flight number themselves. It is also important that you provide contact details via which you can be reached on the way. Your landline number is of little use here! Of course, you should take the initiative to inform the company about your late arrival in case you have the possibility.
If it is foreseeable that you will be late for vehicle drop-off, you must inform the rental company as soon as possible. The consequences of a delay are regulated in the general terms and conditions of the rental company. As a rule, high fines are to be expected because the company has to prepare the vehicle for the next tenant or the next customer is already waiting. You will also be charged for the costs incurred by the subsequent tenant because they will have to provide either a replacement vehicle or an overnight accommodation.
A delivery to another location must always be agreed with the rental company beforehand and recorded in the contract. Since your vehicle is already planned for a subsequent tenant, the following costs are very high for you and are usually not related to the benefit you could get from the change. The follow-up costs are regulated by the terms and conditions of the respective rental company. In most cases, the company denies an alternative drop-off location.
As a general rule, the vehicle must be left swept clean and must not be heavily soiled from the outside. Specification of Customer Name and Credit Card Details
Specification of Customer Email Address and
Phone Number
For instance, you will often receive an email shortly before the start of your trip, informing you about the process of vehicle pick-up or providing you with a link to check-in prior to your arrival.
Therefore, from time to time, please always make sure to use an email address that you check on a regular basis and whose email inbox is exceeded. In addition, check your spam folder for emails from New Zealand or Australia.
This help is particularly advantageous for the customer. But it also makes our work much easier. For this reason, we are always grateful if you give us a phone number when making your request.
Once these questions have been clarified, the following conversation is mainly about the trip in general. All of our consultants have already been to the countries, made their own experiences in the camper / motorhome and thus guide you on a very personal level. They can provide you with many tips or simply stir up your anticipation by telling you a few personal highlights.
The conversations are also important to us. With the right information, we can offer you adequate vehicles that meet your expectations much more easily. It also adds to our everyday work. While some only want to know the most important facts briefly, others will take their time and chat. In any case, it is always a human encounter, as the customer gets a voice and is not limited to an email in the mailbox.
We are not an automated booking engine. Behind our offers are real people who have already travelled in your position. We give great thought to your trip and the more information we have gathered, the better we can operate. Being able to help you through our work, provide you with one or the other insider tip and perhaps even help to make your trip an unforgettable experience – that’s what makes us happy.
It is a great advantage if you get a prepaid card in addition to or instead of your German number for the specific travel destination and notify the rental company about it.
In the event of damage or accident, agreements with the rental company, the garage, the towing service, the police, etc. are necessary. You will be called back with a local telephone number. Garages or a towing service do not call you on a foreign telephone number, as it causes high costs for the caller. In the past, this has often caused communication difficulties and the rental companies` request for local telephone numbers gets more and more emphasis.
Specification of Customers Age on the Form
If we know your age, we know what we can and cannot offer you. For example, there are some providers who rent significantly cheaper at the age of 21 and over!
In addition, for us it is also an indication of our offer compilation, provided we have no further information from you. In most cases, a young tenant aged 18-22 has fewer financial resources than a middle-aged person who has been in the business for several years. The demands on comfort and quality often shift with age as well.
Questions Concerning the Period of Travel
It is windier in spring and autumn than it is in summer. Depending on where the wind comes from, the temperature can drop or rise rapidly. The winds "cold southerlies" and "hot north-easterlies" are known for this phenomenon. But don't worry, once the sun is there, it's warm enough. Only as soon as the sun is gone, it is still really cold at night, especially in the southern part of the South Island!
Summer:
Most people travel through New Zealand during summer time, which means from December to February. The advantages during this time are undoubtedly the temperatures and the holiday feeling, but also the long days with sunrise at 6 o'clock in the morning and sunset around 9 o'clock in the evening. However, this travel time is of course the most expensive by far. The demand is greatest and so are the prices. This affects the entire tourism industry.
Autumn:
Autumn offers incredibly great colors and is similar to spring in terms of temperatures and wind. The weather itself is more wayward and the days are getting shorter. In addition, the nights can be significantly cooler, especially if you are in the southern part of the South Island. But even in autumn - from April on - you can enjoy major price reductions and of course less crowds.
Winter:
Winter is a wonderful time to travel! Many are not aware of this! In addition to clear, fresh air, winter also offers warm days enabling you to wear just a t-shirt and shorts. As soon as the sun shines and you can catch the sun's rays, it is also very pleasant in winter. If the sun is not shining, it can be freezing.
The advantages in winter are clearly the super cheap rentals, which cost about a quarter of the summer prices. In addition, you travel undisturbed and don't meet many tourists. And best of all: the contrasts! Winter offers a lot for landscape photographers, because you have the snow-capped peaks with an interesting transition to the lush green forests, the yellow grass areas, the turquoise lakes and the already mentioned clear air. A disadvantage are the short days and the temperatures as soon as the sun is gone. You surely need to ask yourself whether you want to exchange summer for winter at home. Still, we were all exceptionally excited about our winter trips.
From October, there are staggered monthly increases in prices until mid- December.
The main travel season and thus the most expensive travel time spans from mid-December to the end of February.
March and April both offer fall in prices again, whereby the price difference from February to March is by no means as distinct as the price difference from March to April marking the transition to the quiet and therefore also cheap travel time.
Yes, you absolutely can! But not without heating and you need to know what you are getting into.
Really, technically it works but it is a question of comfort nonetheless. We stayed on the South Island of New Zealand in August and slept in a jogging suit in a sleeping bag under a woolen blanket. We were not cold. As long as you are in your nest, it is warm. It only gets cold when you have to get out in between, or when you have to torture yourself into your clothes in the morning time. A parking heater is of course much more pleasant and since rentals are not as expensive in winter, the little luxury may be feasible considering your travel budget.
An important point to consider is the humidity. DBecause it is significantly colder outside than inside, the windows mist up easily and condensation forms. You have to ventilate well so that your vehicle won`t turn damp. If you catch a rainy winter, it can certainly be uncomfortably cold. However, we have never had a rainy winter on our trips so far and are positive about traveling during this time. An auxiliary heating also helps to get the clothes dry again.
Conclusion: Camper / motorhome holidays in winter are possible and wonderful, we recommend a vehicle with auxiliary heating for a better feeling of living and a dry interior zone. But you can also travel without heating.
In winter, however, vehicles with auxiliary heating do not cost much more than Hitop campers.
Especially if the diesel tax is already included in the all-inclusive price!
We generally advise against pre-booking your entire trip including campsite rental. In New Zealand in particular, you have all the options to adapt your travel route to the island weather. You should travel flexibly and according to the weather as much as possible. You can also simply call and book campsites a few days before arrival, or just stop by. Of course, in the main season you have to live with the fact that you don't always end up in exactly the place you planned to. On the other hand, you have the privilege to remain flexible, which is very advantageous considering the rapidly changing island weather.
If you take the booking procedure into your own hands, you have to assign your vehicle to the category "Campervan" on the website of the ferry company.
The vehicle length is also queried and has a significant influence on the ferry price. In addition, you will be asked for the license plate number of your vehicle. Neither we nor you will be informed of this by the rental company, since the vehicle occupancy can change until the end (vehicle cancellation / optimization of fleet capacity).
Advantages when booking via the CamperOase:
Your personal CamperOase customer advisor will book the ferry for you.
There are two major ferry companies that offer approximately 4-6 crossings per day. The availability is generally very good for the period between April and November, so that you can also book on the spot spontaneously. During the peak travel season between December and March, we recommend booking a flexible ticket in advance. The longer and higher the rented vehicle, the more restricted the availability the closer you get to the desired date. It is usually sufficient to book the ferry ticket up to two months before the seeked crossing.
In New Zealand, the main season now spans from October to the end of March. Experience has shown that the companies are always fully booked during this time, so that there is no reason to reduce the prices. The opposite is the case. The scarcer the availability of vehicles, the higher the prices. It is therefore always advisable to book as early as possible if the desired travel time is between October and the end of March.
The availability of the large 4-6 bed motorhomes is the quickest to be depleted. For December, the availability for motorhomes is only limited. The cheapest or most popular rental companies are of course booked out faster than others.
Experience has proven that the availability for two-bed shower-toilet campers will be significantly restricted starting in June. Hitop Campers and Sleepers follow later in the year. However, availability here will also be significantly lower from July / August.
In Australia, the peak travel season and therefore the availability shortfall depend on the region and type of vehicle.
Our recommendation is clearly to book as early as possible!
You can only rebook if the availability of the rental company allows it. The companies always try to book out their vehicle fleet so that there are as few time gaps as possible. This means, requests for a booking change can be denied as early as one day after the booking has been made, either because it is not favored or not possible. The closer you get to the rental period, the more difficult it will get.
Questions Concerning Camper Pick-up and Drop-off Points
On the go tips for Australia as well as our itinerary suggestions for New Zealand are always a good start to get informed.
Sometimes the rental is cheaper in one direction than in the other. In New Zealand, this is usually not as important and most cases differs only by the sum of the one-way fee.
Anyway, this expense factor is not high enough to change the desired travel direction.
The price differences in Australia are significantly more dynamic depending on the travel direction, supply and demand.
It's best to get prices for both directions and then decide which overall package is the best for you.
Questions Concerning Pick-up and Drop-off Procedures
The vehicle will generally not be released if it has not been paid in full. A credit card is required in advance even with full payment. No prepaid credit cards are accepted! The rental company needs the credit card as a guarantee that they can easily debit any additional costs that occur during your trip. Costs arise e.g. in the event of incorrect delivery (delivery location other than agreed, late delivery), a dirty vehicle, parking tickets, fines, etc.
Depending on the agreement, the final payment still has to be made. This amount will be drawn from your credit card. (Pay attention to account cover and debit limit!)
You then inspect the vehicle together with an employee of the depot and receive a short briefing. The duration of the instruction depends on the size of the vehicle and the service level of the company.
NOTE: be sure to have a good night's sleep and appear concentrated for the instruction! A lot of user errors result from poor instruction, which is sometimes caused either by the rental company, but often also by insufficient attention from the customer.
In the article “Camper / Motorhome Pick-Up - the Check" we look at the collection procedure in great detail, give a few valuable tips and also provide a small checklist.
In rare, unpredictable cases and availability permits, the rental company may have to offer you another vehicle. This can occur in the event of natural disasters, such as an earthquake, or if the vehicle you booked was damaged during rental that it still needs to be repaired or is no longer available. In such case, the rental company will inform you of the problem. All of our partners have regulated such cases in their terms and conditions in such a way that you can be provided with an equivalent or better replacement without breaking the contract and obliging you to accept this alternative vehicle. If an equivalent or better replacement cannot be provided, you will be offered an inferior replacement if possible. If this is the case, the rental company must reimburse the difference in rental costs. As a customer, you do not have to agree to this proposed solution, which means that the rental company is obliged to reimburse you for the payments you have already made. Further financial claim against the company cannot be asserted.
In the article Camper / Motorhome Pick-Up - The Check we look at the topics mentioned above in great detail.
We are not aware of any cases in which the rental company provides a vehicle other than the vehicle you have booked without notifying you!
If there is a fundamental problem causing you to want a significantly better, younger, more comfortable vehicle since you have paid "a lot of money" for it, mostly this problem is resulted from having rented an old vehicle. At the point of booking, the price is very important to most customers. They see a – what they consider - high price of the cheapest vehicle and feel like this is already expensive enough. They definitely don't want to spend more! They read our emails, in which we point out the age of the vehicle and raise all concerns when booking. When collecting the vehicle a few months later, they only have the price paid in mind and compare it emotionally with the quality they receive. They have forgotten that a new vehicle might have cost twice as much and now end up being disappointed.
Therefore, we would like to point out again that a counseling interview is very useful and can prevent inconveniences that you may not have considered before.
In addition, we often find that much of the information we provide is not read. And at this point, we have to clarify that you as the customer are responsible for what you ultimately book. In the article "Quality Versus Reality" gwe look at this important topic in more detail.
New Zealand: Most companies offer a pick-up service here. However, each company organizes it differently. Large companies have a shuttle service that arrives at the airport at fixed times. So here you just have to wait for the next shuttle. Other companies will pick you up if you let them know ahead of time. Important: The call may only be made after you have left the airport, as the entry procedure, customs, possible shoe cleaning and other regulations sometimes take a long time until you have made it outside. No employee can wait for you that long. After your call, it will then take 10 to 30 minutes for you to be picked up.
The return trip can be planned in advance with the rental company during pick-up.
You can find out how the company you have booked handles this service on the company`s details page (Camperoase.de> Destination> Rental Companies> Selection of the Rental Company) at the bottom below the map showing the location of depot.
In New Zealand, as well, this service is no longer offered by most rental companies. But there are exceptions. You can find the necessary information on the company`s details page (Camperoase.de> Destination> Rental Companies> Selection of the Rental Company) at the bottom below the map showing the location of depot.
Hint: Many hotels offer a shuttle service!
If you have booked with a company that collects the full payment before the rental begins, your vehicle will be held for you even for a few days and will not be sublet to anyone else.
Companies that have only received a down payment, do not hear anything from the customer and cannot reach them in any way, will not be as reluctant once an opportunity might arise. Therefore, if you are really late for any reason, definitely report to the rental company and let them know that you will still come.
Very few companies give you a pick-up time that must absolutely be met. They plan the individual handovers in such a way that not all customers come at the same time and do not want this process to be confused. If you fail to meet the deadline, you will be charged an additional fee. This results from the general terms and conditions of the company.
The rental costs for the unused part of the trip, whether due to late vehicle pick-up or early return, are generally not reimbursed.
If you do not inform the rental company about your delay, they will report the vehicle as stolen after a certain time. In this case, all costs incurred are added to your bill.
The tank must either be full or filled up to the agreed mark (details are to be found on the protocol of the vehicle handover that you countersigned). The same applies to gas cylinders.
The waste water tank and the toilet (toilet cassette) must be emptied.
Since the agreements on vehicle delivery can vary depending on the rental company, these regulations embedded in the general terms and conditions of the respective rental company must as well be respected. You will also be informed of this when you pick up the vehicle. If you are not sure, ask the company`s employees or get in touch with your CamperOase customer advisor.