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Making every mile count: Reviews & How-To's for RVing & Roadtripping

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How to rent an RV from Cruise America

MT asked how I wanted to celebrate my birthday. Without thinking, I said, “I’d love to rent an RV and drive to the Grand Canyon.”

Two hours later, we had reserved an RV through Cruise America .

Estimated reading time: 12 minutes

Table of contents

Pros & cons of renting an rv from cruise america, visit your cruise america rental location and bring a tape measure, wait, what about gas, save money by bringing your own stuff, how to save on campground fees, start thinking slow, learn as much as possible about your rv, take a video of the walkaround and ask lots of questions, take a breath and start driving, pack up and hit the road, stay at a nearby campground and call ahead.

There are two main reasons we chose a Cruise America rental RV:

  • They’re everywhere . That meant we could rent an RV from the Chicago-area location less than half an hour from our house.
  • Value for the price . We didn’t know it beforehand, but our rental period (9/26 – 10/11/19) just happened to be when Cruise America was offering discount rates.

There are 126 Cruise America locations across the US and Canada. Because of that, we figured we’d be in good shape if we had trouble with our rig or needed to swap with another one while on the road. Fortunately, that was never an issue.

After we made our reservation, Cruise America’s generous cancellation policy allowed us to do some additional research. We quickly discovered they’re the least expensive option for renting an RV, even at Cruise America’s normal rates.

However, Cruise America rigs are also the most bare-boned. So if you’re looking for luxury, you’ll have to go with an RV dealer. You could also check out Outdoorsy or RVshare to rent an RV directly from a private owner.

Which RV model to rent?

We considered the 20-foot Compact model , but they appeared to cost the same or more than the Standard model. And the Large 30-foot model was just too much rig for us.

UPDATE August 2021 : Cruise America has added another model to its rental lineup, the 21-foot Compact Plus . It has the same 7.5-foot width as the Compact model, but is just a bit roomier. The Compact Plus is currently available at only a few locations as they roll out this unit.

Remember, it’s not just the people or pets. Everyone’s stuff is also along for the ride, so choosing the right size for your family’s comfort and needs is crucial.

In the end, we chose to rent the 25-foot Standard model . It was perfect for the two of us and our dog, Nola. Cruise America says the Standard can sleep 5, which is also the number of seatbelts. However, I wouldn’t want to test that on a 2-week trip unless everyone gets along really well.

To help you decide, we recommend that you visit your Cruise America rental location in advance. Bring a tape measure . Walking through the different rental RVs beforehand allows you to take measurements, notes, photos, and video. These will help you choose the right model for you, and also plan for your trip . Two weeks before our trip, we called our rental location, The Truck Shop near O’Hare Airport, and asked if there was a good day to visit when it wouldn’t be too busy. When we arrived, there was only one Standard model on the lot, and it was waiting for repair parts.

That rig was in rough shape! We were told that it was three years old and that Cruise America only keeps rigs in their fleet for about three years before they’re sold or refurbished. I don’t know how many miles that rig had on its odometer, but it had been well used. Even so, we decided we could live with a rental unit like this for two weeks, provided that everything was in working order.

Incidentally, we asked whether we could improve our chance of getting a newer model, such as picking up on a certain day or bribing someone. (No, we didn’t bribe anyone.) We never got a clear answer on this, but we did choose a Thursday pickup. We also arrived early, which may have helped us get a Cruise America RV that only had 21,680 miles on it and was manufactured a mere 6 months earlier. Everything was super clean and nothing was broken. Whew!

OK, what does it cost to rent an RV?

Cruise America’s RV rental rates fluctuate by season and location. Here’s what we paid:

  • $75/night for 14 nights
  • The normal rate is $.35/mile
  • $10/night for the Zero Deductible Plan

If you think about it, that’s about what you’d pay for most hotels/motels on a driving trip. But with an RV, you don’t have to unpack every time you stop for the night.

Cruise America rental contract

Cruise America doesn’t advertise the mpg ratings of their rigs, probably because they don’t want to scare anyone. We kept a trip log and found that we averaged 7-9 miles per gallon . Why so low?

  • RVs are not aerodynamic.
  • 40 gallons of water = 333.6 lbs
  • 55 gallons of gasoline = 343.75 lbs
  • Plus the contents of the 24.5 gallon sewage and grey water tanks
  • Cruise America only offers gas RVs, and they get worse mileage than Diesel RVs.
  • The Ford V8 and V10 chassis are designed to pull a lot of weight, with little concern for efficiency.

Ultimately, we spent around $1,100 on gas alone. Your mileage will, of course, vary.

Filling up in Albuquerque cost $73.78 for 30.125 gallons.

Cruise America offers two provisioning kits that include things like kitchen supplies, sheets, and towels. We didn’t use these because we were able to pack our RV at home. However, they could be useful if you have to fly somewhere to pick up your RV.

Finally, there are campground fees . These vary quite a bit from place to place. We paid as little as $10 and as much as $55. Price is a factor of location—whether it’s a federal, state, or private campground—as well as the type of hookup, full or partial. A “full hookup” includes Electricity, City Water, and Sewage.

On our trip, we dumped the black tank (sewage) and grey water tank (sinks and shower) every 2-3 days. I’m sure we could have gone longer than that, but we were trying to shed weight whenever possible.

With that in mind, we could have saved some money by choosing “partial hookup” campsites that didn’t include sewer hookups. That’s because most campgrounds have a dump station at the entrance/exit. Partial sites with electricity and city water are great if you need to run the air conditioning, or if you want to take a shower.

Choosing where to camp is a subject for another post, but we recommend visiting KOA , Good Sam , and especially RV Parky . KOA offers a Cruise America discount .

You’ve reserved your rental RV, now what?

Start planning your journey. This will help you make decisions about packing and other logistics. If you’re planning to visit a major destination such as the Grand Canyon, make your campground reservations as soon as possible . And be sure to allow plenty of travel days to reach that destination.

Traveling in an RV is slower than in a car. Period. Everything just takes longer. Go ahead and plot your journey in Google Maps. Then, for every 3 hours of estimated travel time, add another hour to allow for “RV Time.” There are a lot of factors that go into this:

  • On interstates, you’ll want to join the trucks in the right lane and travel about 5 miles under the limit. Sure, you can go 75-85 miles per hour, but it’ll be miserable for everyone and your gas mileage will suffer greatly.
  • If it’s windy, you’ll have to slow down and you’ll get tired faster.
  • You’re on vacation, right? You’ll want to stop and see stuff along the way.
  • Stopping to get gas always seems to take at least half an hour.
  • You’ll eventually discover that driving on slower/smaller highways is a lot more fun!

We figured out that driving roughly 250 miles per day was a good target. Keep in mind, though, that MT never drove, only I did. You may be able to cover more distance per day with a second driver.

This could also be an entire post, but there are some great resources on the Cruise America site to get you started. I recommend watching all their videos now , and then watching them again just before your trip.

Be sure to also install the Cruise America app and download the videos in the app. As of this writing, the app itself isn’t terribly useful, except for those orientation and troubleshooting videos. You may find yourself without good cell service on your trip, so download those videos in advance in case you need to reference them.

Of course, here’s the answer to your biggest question: How to Dump the Tanks of your Cruise America Rental RV .

There’s also a Renter Assistance Guide that you can download as a PDF in a variety of languages. This guide will also be provided in your RV and it’s handy when you’re trying to figure out how the refrigerator operates.

Cruise America Rental Contract cover image

Pick up your RV

You’ll need to call 3-5 days in advance to schedule a pick-up time for your RV. Arrive early and allow plenty of time. You’ll have to watch the Orientation Video again and sign a lot of paperwork. So that you can focus, we recommend that you not bring pets or small children along.

You’ll then be walked out to your RV, which may be wet and gleaming from the truck wash. Our technician had the engine running and the air conditioning going at full blast. He walked us around the RV, noted any existing damage, and quickly explained how things worked.

On the second day of our trip, we discovered some damage that hadn’t been noticed during the walkaround. However, we reviewed the video that MT shot and sent screenshots to Cruise America to prove that we hadn’t caused the damage.

Picking up our RV from Cruise America at The Truck Shop in Franklin Park, IL

After about an hour of orientation, you’ll drive off the lot and into traffic! Go slow, take your time, and don’t be embarrassed if you have to pull over to take a breath. If you’ve never driven a moving truck or other large vehicle, you’ll need time to adjust to turning corners and to learning how tall and wide you are. As the orientation video says (in an Australian accent), “You’ve got a second story to think about.”

We drove back home so we could pack, and planned a route through Chicago that would keep us on wider thoroughfares as much as possible. When we reached the narrow streets of our neighborhood, I just kept reminding myself of all the UPS trucks and garbage trucks and moving trucks that traverse these avenues on a daily basis.

A tip I learned for staying centered in a lane is to keep scanning the side-view mirrors . Because of the height of the truck, your tendency will be to stay too far away from vehicles on the right side of your RV. You’ll learn to trust that you have more room than you think .

Cruise America does not provide back-up cameras , but we didn’t find this to be much of an issue. You’re going to be backing up less than 1% of the time, and you will always have assistance from a family member or campground host. Also, many campgrounds offer pull-through sites.

Our Cruise America rental RV parked in front of our house.

A great place to start is with our post about 5 Things to Pack for your Cruise America Rental RV . Make a list in advance of everything you think you’ll need or want on your trip. Then go through that list and note the items you could live without. If you leave those extra items at home, you can save both weight and storage space.

Also be sure to watch Ep 6: Organizing Tips for Your Rental RV . MT shows you all the little real-world organizing tips she developed on our first trip. Hint: cubbies and bins!

Our only remaining piece of advice is to aim for a nearby campground to stay at on your first night . We didn’t hit the road until around 6:30pm, which meant driving through Chicago rush-hour traffic. We finally reached our target campground in Iowa at around 11pm, so it would have been smarter to choose a campground closer to home.

Luckily, we’d called ahead to reserve a spot, and explained it was our first-ever RV trip . The Rock Island KOA gave us a great pull-through site that was easy to locate in the dark. We only used the fresh water and electric hookups because we knew we’d hit the road early the next day.

I slept well that first night, despite fighting a cold. Pro tip: pack some cough medicine .

Nola looking out from the passenger seat of our Cruise America rental RV.

Thanks for reading! And be sure to check out our related articles and videos below:

  • 5 Things To Pack For Your Cruise America Rental RV
  • How to Dump the Tanks of your Cruise America Rental RV
  • Organizing Tips for Your Rental RV

*NOTE: We have no connection with Cruise America or any other company mentioned in this article. We’re just happy customers.

Questions about our rental experience? Scroll down and leave a comment.

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Published by Dave

I'm an actor and violinist based in Chicago. We rented an RV for a trip to the Grand Canyon, and now my wife and I are working to hit the road in our own RV. Join us to learn what we learn along the way! View all posts by Dave

Really interesting!!!

I didn’t realize until I read this, that maybe what’s missing in my life is an RV road trip…! This is a great post: all the questions that popped in my head were answered (and very honestly!) and you immediately take what can be very overwhelming and make it very manageable/reasonable. And it’s truly about the journey – and enjoying what opens up in front of you… Looking forward to more pictures and more stories, advice and encouragement to embark on this one-of-a-kind adventure.

Thanks, David! I have at least 4 more posts planned to cover other aspects of the journey. Driving a small apartment across the country really does change how you look at things. 🙂 Happy New Year, and hope to see you soon!!!

Very informative (and a little daunting). Drove a similar size rental RV w/friends for a fishing trip but didn’t sleep in the vehicle. This has also been on my wish list so I look forward to future posts. Thank you.

Thanks, Paul! My family camped and fished when I was a kid, and we later had a boat on Prince William Sound in Alaska, but I always enviously watched the RVs driving down the highway!

Hope Cruise America uses your story in their promo. Alice

I saw a comment from “David F.” and thought to myself, “Hey, when did I leave a comment?” Turns out, I hadn’t.

Love this! Thanks!

Thanks Jan!!!

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Cruise America

Cruise America

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Photo of Cruise America - Newark, CA, US. Remember bandage if you get a cut

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Review Highlights

gordon w.

“ I purchased a former rental from Cruise America and the manager Ravi and his team at the Newark location is awesome! ” in 4 reviews

Brajesh F.

“ . When we returned the RV at the end of our trip, loose ends were resolved in that same helpfu l, generous way ” in 5 reviews

Mel W.

“ I got in line and was met by a gal (but forgot her name- not sure if it was Missy or Misty ?). ” in 5 reviews

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5623 John Muir Dr

Newark, CA 94560

Balentine Dr & Mowry School Rd

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351 reviews

Photo of Atek P.

I had a great experience renting from this place. Hassle free check in and check out process. They were nice in letting go of the half of propane even though I was wrong in not refilling it and did not know where to look for it. Vehicle condition was decent and staff was friendly about miss on my part. Will def rent again.

Photo of Will C.

PLEASE READ IF CONSIDERING BUYING !!! So I bought from this location almost a year ago , when I tell you that this place is an absolute scam rip off artist it's horrible . So I bought an RV ( refurbished) and it has been issue after issue , I'm exhausted and SUPER disappointed that they would sale this to me with all the issues . So let's start from here , when I bought it both batteries ( coach battery & Engine battery ) was both over 4 years old , first time it got cold both died . $360 for both Next , complete water system in the coach failed , multiple water line breaks , Coach water pump was leaking in multiple locations , when investigated they didn't run the water lines correct and it looked as if they had the same issues prior $ 1700 RV has been kept in a indoor garage ,,, took it out for the first time in the rain to take a drive ,,, ALL 3 skylights ( over bed , over driver cabin bed & bathroom ALL leaking severely ). After investigating it was never siliconed correctly, they did a half a$$ job sealing it just to make it ready to go , it was an absolute mess on the roof , service person was amazed on how bad the job was ... $1200 First time using the gas , turned gas on and it was leaking , entire gas system needed to be replaced , turned it on and all I could smell was gas ,,, replaced everything $500 . We have put barley 1k miles on this thing and it is an absolute mess .... I wish I could speak to someone higher up but I'm sure they don't care .... I urge ANYONE looking for a used RV run for your life in the opposite direction from this place ...

cruise america rv parts

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Photo of jan b.

this place sucks. services members are terribly slow and not willing to work with customers in anything close to a timely manner. I had an appointment to pick up my RV at 11 and now I am being told I will be waiting here till 2pm. do yourself a favor don't rent here.

Photo of Carrie G.

After reading all the bad reviews, a lot of which seem to be from other locations, I guess my advice is to insist on getting a newer vehicle and inspect everything before driving off. We had amazing customer service (shout out to Robbie in the Newark, CA office!) at pick-up. He was very informative and helpful with all kinds of tips and information. We were in and out quickly and even got to take off in our vehicle an hour early. The guy who showed us everything on the rv told us that the sensor in the black water (toilet) tank was not working right, it was empty but always showed at 1/3 full bc it likely had a piece of toilet paper blocking the sensor. That was fine, at least we knew about it. Also the propane tank always read emptier than it was even when it was full. The steering wheel also pulled to the left but it corrected itself when we put air in the tire. We explained these issues when checking it back in and the guys were very nice about it and didn't try to say it was our fault. The rv had about 20k miles and everything else was working great and nice and clean. We really enjoyed our road trip of about 1400 miles thru Oregon and the Northern California coast. Rv'ing is glamping in my opinion!! You roll up to your campsite, lock the doors and you're ready to go explore and have fun! No unloading and setting up for hours only to have to break it all down again. Just arrive and enjoy. Hungry? Double burner propane stove is ready to cook whatever you want. There's a microwave if you're lazy. 2 sinks, hot shower, comfy bed. Fridge and freezer with lots of room. We were eating ice cream in the middle of a forest! Yes, it's expensive to rent an rv, but if you're going on vacation and planning to spend time in nature, THIS IS IT FOLKS!!! I never want to camp like a peasant again!! My tips- Download Google maps so you have details when offline. You'd be surprised how little phone/ internet coverage America has outside of the cities. Look around inside the rv before buying supplies. We found a broom and cups, bowls and plates we didn't know about. Most things in the rv are run by propane. The generator is $3.50 per hour to run but that's only used for the microwave when you're not plugged into power. Make sure you feel/ hear the fridge door "click" into lock mode before driving off lol! Secure stuff before driving and put something under the microwave plate so it doesn't jiggle and make a lot of noise when moving. Also secure everything including the spare tire for a quieter smoother ride. Buy rainex for your windshield and windows and take this step for better visibility when driving. Your windows will get gross on the roads and this is a safety hazard. Have someone get out of the rv to help with parking bc there's no rear camera.

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Photo of Lily M.

This review is for the Newark, CA location. I noticed some other reviews left here were for other locations besides the one for this listing. I have rented twice from this location (Compact Plus model) and have had positive experiences both times. The staff are friendly. They walked me through every single thing that has an on/off switch you'd need to use for living in and upkeeping the RV during a trip. They switch everything on to ensure it works, including both the heater and AC. They explain how the waste valves work. They make sure the water tank and propane are full. The RVs are very clean and on both of my trips I had no issues with anything malfunctioning. (Compare this to my rental from another RV rental chain "The Mountain" where the rep was personality-less and I had to ask her how to turn stuff off/on, the rear cam immediately stopped working, fridge barely worked, side mirror was broken, and more!) An RV has a lot of little parts that can go wrong but I think Cruise America did a good job of maintaining the rentals I had. The only annoying thing is that they do not refill the gas so it's whatever the last person returned it with. I got mine 1/4 full so had to immediately get gas nearby. However they were upfront about this and only expected the return to be 1/4 full at the end of my trip.

Photo of Joel A.

Sadly I can't give a half star but our experience with Cruise America can only be described as completely awful . If you are looking to rent an RV, I would choose almost anyone else you can find- literally build an RV yourself if you have to instead of using them. Cruise America pulled off the rare feat of making our 7 hour trip a 12-hour nightmare both ways. The RV we got should have never been allowed off the lot and the only logical reason it could have possibly passed their inspection is either complete laziness, outright stupidity, a greed for money despite putting in no effort, or most likely a mixture of all 3. The alignment was so bad in this truck that it tore the right wheel to shreds. When we called for help, we were basically given a shrug emoji and told to fend for ourselves because, and I quote the employee here, "it's Sunday". So, if you are taking a trip, make sure it's not on a Sunday because that is apparently a reason to not give a shit anymore for employees all over the country, despite running a retail travel service where people are constantly traveling on Sunday. We were fortunate enough to make it home on the spare; by the time we got back, it was on it's last legs. Basically, we were given an unsafe truck to hurtle at 70 MPH down the highway with no oversight from the inspection team and zero help from the company once their shit product failed. It was most likely my worst retail renting experience of my life. Do not use this company ever, I guarantee you it will be a terrible time and whatever you do do not use the bathroom in these, as it doesn't work. Here is a list of things you can do besides using one of these terrible RVs from the worst RV-rental company in America: 1) Fly yourself- I mean literally flap your arms like wings 2) Walk even if it takes you 6 months 3) Get shot out of a cannon and pray you land at your destination 4) Don't go on your trip- missing it will be better than dealing with these chuckleheads 5) Get a root canal and have your periodontist travel you in your chair to the destination during the procedure 6) Get yourself in a human centipede situation and run down to your destination 7) Strap yourself to the front of a train and hope for the best Seriously, this company is the fucking worst. DO. NOT. USE. THEM.

Photo of Michael K.

Cruise America has business practices that should not be allowed within this country. They take a $500 deposit and then miraculously there are surcharges and fees that take up nearly that entire amount. And you have no way of arguing them because they already have your money and their customer service is non-existent. I had the absolute worst experience renting an RV that I have had on vacation ever. The RV I had was new but it was like driving a wooden wheeled car across railroad tracks for 700 miles. Then on top of that, they charged me for 2 days over what I used the RV for because we returned it early because it was such a horrendous experience. So they could double dip and rent it out again and make money on the same days I was not getting refunded for. they charges "housekeeping" fees of $350 even thought my wife and I wiped down that entire RV before turning it in. When asked for proof of what was dirty, there only response was to give us $150 certificate to be used within the next 2 years. I would never use it because I would never rent an RV. And if I did, I would not do it through them. It took me 2 weeks just to get a response form their billing department. The just over another week before I got their response that they will not be refunding me anything. Do yourself a favor and rent an SUV or something and pitch a tent in some haunted woods. Trust me you will have a better experience and cheaper because you will not have them scam your deposit out of you. I will never do business with them ever again and recommend anyone thinking about it to think of alternative ways to travel for your vacation.

Photo of Avital G.

TL;DR I would really not recommend using them. First you should note they provide the most basic of units; our unit did not even had Bluetooth so we could hear the GPS. Two hours into our trip, the left mirror broke, meaning, it started spinning on it's access with no way to secure it. Have you ever tried driving a huge 30 foot truck with no way on knowing what is happening on your left? I would recommend against it. I called roadside assistance and requested help, they would not send someone over despite the risk to my family; I had to drive over 40 miles to a small town and had to fix my mirror with duct tape. The next day I called and asked for a replacement unit, they asked me to wait 30 minutes (without leaving the camp) and did not call me back, I called again, they asked for 15 mote minutes, and did to call back; this went on for 4 hours, finely at 11 am, I decided I will not wait anymore and started driving; they never called back. I called the next day asking for a manager, they promised one will get back to, it never happened. A few other thigs - The furnace did not work, try to imagine a family of 5 in Oregon at night, 35F / 2C without heating. Milledge was terrible, 15 Gallons per 100 miles The truck itself was so loud, it was almost impossible to talk in it when you drive. All and all, very far from a pleasant experience for a trip that we planned for two years, saved our money to for years and for a unit that cost thousands.

Photo of Claire T.

I was not happy with my Cruise America rental. So many things went wrong it was kind of ridiculous! I made many calls to travel assistance. This was my third rental in the past three years. The previous rentals were mostly trouble free. I don't know what's happening over there, but things have seriously gone downhill. First, the water ran out on Day 2. When I called assistance to find out why air instead of water was coming out the tap, he said the tank was dry. He asked if I had checked the gauges and I had not. When I picked up the camper, the agent told me the gas was full and the LP gas was 3/4 full. I don't think she mentioned water. But why on earth would you rent a camper with gas and propane and almost no water AND NOT INFORM THE RENTER? I had told the agent I was going off the grid and would not have access to gas, propane, electricity or water. Not only that, there is probably a hose on the Cruise America property; filling the water tank would be the simplest thing to do! Luckily, I was able to backtrack a bit before I left civilization and fill it up, but this created a several hour delay in my trip. When I checked the water gauge I also looked at the others. I was alarmed to see that the black and grey water tanks read as full, which could not be true since this was still Day 2 of my trip. Online I saw several articles explaining how untrustworthy those two gauges are so I decided they were wrong. By this time it was too late to seek out a dump station. For the next few days I used water mainly to wash dishes. On day four, I took my first shower and the grey water backed up into the shower stall. Let me remind you that I am one person on the fourth day of my trip. The agent made a show of pointing to the open sewage cap to prove the tanks were empty but that was obviously not even CLOSE to being true. That day and the next day I had to let my dirty dishes pile up in the sink. And of course I couldn't take another shower. I was camping in an environmentally sensitive area where it's not allowed to dump any kind of unclean water. The following day I went to find dump facilities on my way to another primitive campground. Again, this added an unnecessary delay and detour from my planned trip since I should not have had to dump the tanks until I got back to town to return the camper. Unfortunately, for the last 2.5 hours of the drive there, a disgusting sewage smell permeated the camper, making the drive quite unpleasant. But we're not done yet! On the last day of my trip, the refrigerator failed. The indicator showed the letters F and A. The travel assistance agent had no idea what that meant. But I figured it out since the ice in the freezer was half melted. He instructed me to cycle the refrigerator off and on five times. This did not work. I had decided to end my trip early for several reasons, and this capped it off. I didn't want all the food in the fridge to spoil. As it was, I did lose a few items. And I developed a bad taste in my mouth for this camper experience. When I returned the camper, I told the agent how unhappy I was and that I wanted 50% off my entire rental as compensation. He said he could offer $500 off. When I got home, I read the contract again and realized I did not get my $300 edited deposit back! I filled out their online form twice, emailed them directly and sent them a physical letter via snail mail and have received absolutely zero response. I've filed a BBB complaint against them.

Photo of Dan E.

Cruise America provided a masterclass in how to handle customer service. Problems and incidents are periodically bound to happen but I simply cannot state strongly enough how well their senior leadership handled the issue. In today's world where everything is automated call centers - Cruise America provided me and my family with extremely dedicated, diligent human support. Sure - the RV is great. Equipment worked perfectly, driving was smooth, trip was amazing. But the thing that really made this 5 star was the customer service when we ran into self inflicted issues. Kudos to you, Michael - and kudos to Cruise America for providing top notch vacation time for our family.

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Cruise America   Reviews

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Reviews 4.1.

7,121 total

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Great Service at Cruise America Mesa, Arizona

Cruise America Mesa, Arizona, is a delight to visit because of David S. in reservations and Karin R. at the rental desk. I can't say enough about these two people. I've rented from C.A. probably three dozen times now, and they are so friendly and go above and beyond every time. Karin makes sure everything is perfect with our RVs. She tries to accommodate every request and does so with genuine kindness. David is so prompt when returning calls, answers every question, and is so pleasant to talk with. Other employees are okay too, but not like David and Karin. I think those two really lead by example and lift the whole company up with their efforts.

Date of experience : April 11, 2024

I had to delay

I had to delay, then cancel my reservations. Customer Service was amazing. I canceled on the 4th & received my refund on the 6th. Thank you for making it so easy & I will definitely rebook in the future!!!

Date of experience : April 04, 2024

Rude and curt agent…

The agent Derek Whitley was curt and rude. He was not helpful at all. He should signs of exasperation every time I asked a question. I even heard him, over the phone, saying in a hushed tone, “Oh my God!” As though he was fed of my queries. He should be taken off the phone and given more training. I have always gone with cruise America for many years but I am having serious thoughts of cancelling and going with Candream due to Derek and who knows more rude agents when I call in next.

This review is based solely on reservations

This review is based solely on reservations, the delivery and experience of the camper has yet to occur: Kiki was a pleasure to deal with, responded clearly, promptly to my queries and changed the city of pickup (had originally reserved pickup from another state/city) without any issues. A+

Date of experience : March 28, 2024

Filthy unit and poor customer service

Could not pick up until 1pm wanted it earlier so paid extra to have RV ready when I arrived. On day of pickup was asked if I could come later because they were not ready yet. When I arrived RV was not ready. RV was dirty and propane tanks bone dry. I was in a hurry and took it for a propane tank fill myself. Camper should have been clean and ready to go with at least some propane in the tanks. We cleaned the RV as soon as we could but could not get the cigarette smell out of the trailer. First evening we could not get the city water to run in the camper. Support was of no help. I called back next day and got a more knowledgeable person who suggested checking out the aerator on the sink. Sure enough, it was clogged with sediment. We ran the lines to try and clear as much of the scale as we could. First chance I could, I attempted to clean the exterior of the camper and realized that much of what was there was caked and baked on without a pressure washer I would not get it clean. I called Cruise America to let them know of the poor quality I received the camper in and got nothing but arguments from their representative. I asked for a supervisor and was told one would call me back. None has called as of yet. I will not be renting from them again.

Date of experience : April 12, 2024

1 star is way too much

1 star is way too much. They rip you off at check-out. I wouldn't recommend Cruse America to any Family/Friend. Thieves, I did a scratch on the side, I stopped by 2 RV repair shops to ask for an opinion and a tentative repair price.. it went between 350 to 500 USD. When I checked out at CA, they deducted the full amount of 2500USD... I couldn't believe it, there was nothing I could do.. they said it would cost over that... of course, they have deals with repair shops and will tell me that it costed the amount they want it to be... if they repair it at all.

Date of experience : April 08, 2024

Reply from Cruise America

Hi Daniel, Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We appreciate your input and are grateful for the opportunity to address your concerns. It appears that you haven't contacted our Customer Relations team regarding this issue. Rest assured, one of our agents will reach out to you promptly to discuss this matter further. We apologize for any inconvenience caused and are committed to resolving this issue to your satisfaction.

Heath was very helpful

Heath was very helpful and found me a RV that fit me needs even though it was short notice and we had specific need.

Date of experience : April 05, 2024

My experience was AMAZING!

My experience was AMAZING! Robby was in incredible. I needed to find an RV to watch the eclipse and all the RVs had been sold out for 10 months. I called at exactly the right time when there had been a cancellation and Robby got right on it to grab it for me as well as give me a wonderful discount! He said as so helpful and friendly. I am so so grateful that my family vacation will be even better now!

The adventure trailer promotion code on…

The adventure trailer promotion code on the website does not work, I had to call the agent to make the reservation. They also could not fix the problem and just gave me the same percent off but if I need to make changes etc it’s still very inconvenient.

Date of experience : April 01, 2024

4th booking and great customer service

We just booked our 4th rental and I received a discount code after the fact via email. I called and spoke with Robert Sinteral who immediately gave us the discount, emailed us the updated booking receipt while we were on the phone and answered my questions with professionalism. Robert is a great asset to your company and deserves praise! Thanks Robert!

Date of experience : March 22, 2024

Knowledgeable agent

Greg was very knowledgeable and made the experience easy.

Heath was so awesome and helpful !

Heath was so awesome and helpful !! Great company so happy.

Date of experience : April 10, 2024

The sales guy Eric Marvin Hautea was…

The sales guy Eric Marvin Hautea was great , polite , well prepared and knowledgeable!! Thank you Eric !!

Date of experience : April 02, 2024

Everything was easy the people I spoke…

Everything was easy the people I spoke with were very informative and polite this was my first time so they were extra helpful

Representative was thorough, polite

Did not have to wait on hold for long to speak with someone. Representative was thorough, polite and answered all our questions.

Date of experience : March 20, 2024

Tiara was super patient and straight…

Tiara was super patient and straight forward.

Date of experience : April 06, 2024

The booking representative was very…

The booking representative was very helpful and efficient when making my booking. The staff at the pick-up / drop-off location at North Miami FL are very courteous and knowledgeable of the rental RVs. Thank you

Date of experience : March 01, 2024

Heath was very informative and helpful…

Heath was very informative and helpful with the whole process. Due to high demand in the area he provided additional options and ideas to help me find a solution. Thank you.

Date of experience : March 09, 2024

Best customer service I’ve received in years.

Best customer service experience I’ve had in years!!!! There is no comparison between this experience and what we received looking into other RV/Van rental companies. It was above and beyond in every regard.

Date of experience : March 16, 2024

Heath was great

Heath was great! He was responsive, gave expert help and options to make sure we got the RV and package that best fit our needs. I previously reserved a RV online and now wish I would have gone through Heath. It's rare to prefer a phone reservation over the convenience of online, but the experience was that good. Also, sending contact information and stating that we can reach out with any questions or help, awesome customer service.

Date of experience : January 29, 2024

Hi Brent, We really appreciate your review and recommendations. We are glad to hear Heath from our Reservation Department was very helpful and responsive. We are excited to hear about your trip and as well when calling in for your next trip!

IMAGES

  1. A Peek Inside a Cruise America RV Rental

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  2. Everything You Don’t Know About RV Living

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  3. A Peek Inside a Cruise America RV Rental

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  4. Compact Plus RV Rental Model 20.5'

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  5. Compact and Standard RV from Cruise America

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  6. Cruise America

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VIDEO

  1. Our Cruise America RV Rental Review

  2. Cruise America RV Trailer Vegas Tom Tours

  3. Motorhome Cruise America RV (parte8)

  4. Motorhome Cruise America RV (parte10)

  5. A tour of our Cruise America RV

  6. HOW Many Seatbelts in a Cruise America RV?! // 2023

COMMENTS

  1. Buyer's Resources (FAQ)

    Yes we will rebate up to $3,000 of your time and miliage rental charges back to the original credit card used in conjuction with your RV rental from Cruise America. You will have up to six months to take advantage of this rebate offer. It as simple as providing a copy of your rental agreement to your sales consultant at time of purchase.

  2. If you actually BOUGHT an RV from Cruise America, would like to hear

    I'm planning to buy an RV from Cruise America, a refurbished 2015 Thor Majestic 28a, with 106K miles on it, for $26K. E450 with V10 engine, basic but more than adequate. ... shower screen parts, and a window flyscreen, Cruise America were great with assistance and delivery anywhere in the states, provided we could supply the original fleet ...

  3. Cruise America Motorhome Refurbishment Process

    America's largest RV Rental Company is also a great place to shop for your own recreational vehicle. Our Motorhome Sales Centers are located across the US an...

  4. RV and Camper Interior Parts and Accessories

    LED Strip Lights. From big-ticket necessities like air conditioners and refrigerators to accessories for every room, etrailer has everything you need to outfit your RV or camper. For the RVer replacing worn-out parts like faucets and light fixtures, our experts are happy to make the best recommendations for your setup.

  5. How to rent an RV from Cruise America • Odometer Dave

    Cruise America's RV rental rates fluctuate by season and location. Here's what we paid: $75/night for 14 nights. $.17/mile (3790 miles = $644.30) The normal rate is $.35/mile. $10/night for the Zero Deductible Plan. If you think about it, that's about what you'd pay for most hotels/motels on a driving trip.

  6. Estimated mpg on Standard Class C-25

    Average speed is 65MH. I believe a standard class C 25 foot from Cruise America is going to be a gasser, not a diesel. Mine is a e450, 24.6 ft. THOR 23u. 8 to 9 mpg common. Seen as high as 11, as low as 6.75.

  7. RV Rental

    Buy an RV Locations RVing 101 Blog Check Pricing. State/Province Use the up and down arrows or start typing, then use the up and down arrows to select an option from the list. City. event. Departure Date (Press Enter key to display the calendar below) event. Return Date (Press Enter key to display the calendar below) redeem. Promo Code ...

  8. Cruise America

    Cruise America - Frederick, 4180 Busch Pl, Frederick, CO 80504. RV Trader Home; Find RVs for Sale ; Advanced Search; Saved Searches; Saved Listings; Find Parts, Gear, & More; Dealer Search; Sell My RV; RV Values ... and/or other third parties. RVTrader.com is not responsible for the accuracy of the information. Please refer to the RV Trader ...

  9. Cruise America

    Cruise America - Everett in Everett, Washington. Find New and Used RVs for Sale in Everett, Washington. Cruise America - Everett, 12201 Highway 99 South, Everett, WA 98204 ... Search Find RVs Sell Research RV Reviews RV Dealers Parts RV Parks Blog RV Values . Menu. Find a dealer. Search Dealers . Login as a Dealer Advertise Your RV Inventory ...

  10. CRUISE AMERICA

    351 reviews and 196 photos of Cruise America "We recently rented a 30' RV from Cruise America's "San Francisco" Location...More like San Jose, but that's my fault for not looking on the map prior to the rental. The reservation process was simple and everyone I encountered on the phone and at the location was friendly and helpful. Our RV was an older unit with 130K miles and if I can recommend ...

  11. Cruise America

    Cruise America is North America's Largest RV Rental Company with over 125 locations in the US & Canada.

  12. Cruise America Reviews

    Cruise America is the leading RV rental and sales provider in North America with more than 130 locations. Established in 1972, there is a long standing history founded by family and more recently transitioned to employee owned company allowing each and every talent to grow within in the organization.

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    Burevestnik, a popular name in Russian culture, was also the name given by popular vote to a nuclear-powered cruise missile (9M730) not long after it was unveiled by President Vladimir Putin during his State of the Union address in March 2018. ... Available contracts for the "293" rocket going back to 2013 regularly mention parts called ...

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    Find company research, competitor information, contact details & financial data for SORSHA RUS LTD. of Elektrostal, Moscow region. Get the latest business insights from Dun & Bradstreet.