Discovery Campervans New Zealand

StarRv Terms and Conditions

Conditions for Campervan & Motorhome Rental (New Zealand)
Travel 01 April 2020 - 31 March 2021

This document contains a summary of some of the Rental Conditions. For full detailed Conditions refer to the Rental Agreement on pick-up.

Branches

Vehicles can be collected and returned to the following branches:

  • Auckland & Christchurch

Branch Opening Hours

(allow 1 hour for collection)

Location Dates Hours
Auckland
Christchurch

1 April - 31 March
Mon-Sun
8:00am - 4:30pm



Branches Closed:

Christmas Day
New Years Day
Good Friday

Vehicle Introduction and Show Through

On pick-up, our staff provide guests with a thorough vehicle show through with all the necessary information guests need to know about the interior and exterior features of their RV. This ensures guests are comfortable and confident with their vehicle before they start their road trip

To ensure guests have a thorough vehicle show through before starting their road trip, they will need to pick up their vehicle from the branch by 4pm.

Included in Standard Daily Rate

  • Unlimited Kilometres
  • Vehicle Insurance
  • 10% GST (Goods & Services Tax)*
  • Kitchen Kit*
  • Personal linen kit with linen exchange service
  • General Equipment*
  • Extra Driver/Renter
  • Drop & Go*
  • Gas Bottle Exchange Service*
  • Valet Service*
  • 24 Hour Roadside Assistance
  • Maps & Campground Guides

*Goods & Services Tax (GST)

GST is a New Zealand Federal Government imposed tax. GST is included in all StarRv rates and is currently 15%. StarRv reserves the right to amend GST upon Government intervention.

*Kitchen Kit

Kitchen kit: plates, bowls, knives, forks, spoons, bottle opener, can opener, mixing bowls, colander, saucepans, frying pans, cooking utensils, chopping board, kettle, teapot, toaster and tea towel. Electrical appliances are supplied in vehicles that have 240V.

*Linen Kit

Complimentary bedding (including sheets, blankets, pillows, pillow cases and towels).

Linen Exchange Service: guests may exchange their personal kits during their holiday at any Star RV Branch with a 48 hour prior notice

*General Equipment

Pegs and clothes line, dustpan & brush, fire extinguisher, bucket, hose and broom.

*Valet Service

Guests may visit any Star RV branch whilst on holiday to have their RV cleaned, oil and water checked with a 48 hour prior notice.

*Gas Bottle Exchange Service

Every 14 days of hire guests can visit a Star RV branch to exchange their used gas bottle for a full gas bottle

*Drop & Go

Simply return the vehicle neat and tidy and we’ll take care of the rest including vehicle, cabin and bathroom cleaning.

Value Pack - Stress Free

*Star Pack

A bundled extra which provides the highest liability cover option and basic items necessary for a great road trip; includes ‘The High Road’ ($0 liability and only a $250 bond), unlimited windscreen and tyres, undercarriage/overhead damage (covered for accidental damage), GPS, initial set of toilet chemicals, pre-purchased gas bottle, camp chairs and table and baby or booster seats (with prior request).

Protection Package

Personal Injury

The RV has third party insurance cover and it is likely that any other vehicle involved in an accident also has third-party insurance. Depending on the circumstances of an accident, the guest may be entitled to claim for their personal injury against the third-party insurance of the party responsible for the accident. The extent of such third-party insurance varies in different States and Territories and Star RV strongly recommends that all passengers take out their own Personal Injury Travel Insurance.

Property Damage

The RV is insured for damage to it and damage to the property of a third party. However, the guest is responsible up to the amount of the applicable liability for damage to third party property, or to the RV. The guest is also responsible for the cost of the daily rate for the period the vehicle is being repaired. There is no refund for unused portion of the rental period. The Liability applies to each claim, not RV.

The liability is applicable regardless of who is at fault and must be paid at the time the accident is reported to Star RV by telephone on a credit card, not on return of the RV. Star RV reserves the right to charge the guest for any RV damage including Third Party property damage not reported but identified on return of the RV.

Liability Options

Standard Liability

(If you opt out of the Stress Free Package)

The hirer is responsible for the first NZ$7,500  of ANY ACCIDENT COST of damage to Third Party property or to the rented vehicle, including single vehicle accident (does not include single vehicle roll over), windscreen and tyre damage, overhead and underbody damage, towing and recovery costs, theft, fire, break in or vandalism. This is applicable regardless if the hirer has purchased private travel insurance.

The liability is applicable regardless of who is at fault and must be paid at the time the accident report is completed, not at the completion of the rental. The liability will be refunded if StarRv is successful in recovering the cost of the damages from the Third Party. Please note that Third Party claims can take months to resolve.

The Standard Liability can be reduced by purchasing one of the following Reduction Options:

- Cost per Day Liability Fee Bond Payable
Standard Included in Rental $7,500 $7,500
LRO2 The High Road $49 (max $2,450)l $0 $250
Stress Free Option $65 (max $3,250) $0 $250


Bond

The Bond payment will depend on the Liability Option chosen. If the guest chooses to take The Standard option the total Bond of $7,500 will be debited to the credit or debit card immediately.

If the guest chooses to take ‘The High Road’ the Bond is payable to StarRv by an open signed credit card imprint with an authorisation for $250. The credit card holder must be present to sign for the Bond when they pick-up the RV and is liable for any damage to the RV.

The Bond is fully refundable provided terms are met. The RV simply needs to be returned on time and full of fuel to the Star RV branch location booked. Credit card refunds including bond refunds can take up to 14 working days depending on the guest financial institution.

If there is damage to the RV on its return or any other terms of the rental contract have not been met, the Bond will be used to cover the cost up to the amount of the relevant Liability. If the terms of the Rental Contract are not met and the Bond is not sufficient enough to cover the damage, extra costs will be charged.

If a guest is continuing on with another Star RV booking, the Bond can be transferred to the next booking within New Zealand.

Exchange Rate / Currency Variations

All transactions are conducted in New Zealand dollars. Due to exchange rate fluctuations, there could be some variance in the amount refunded compared to the amount initially charged. Refunds by credit card can take up to 14 working days depending on the guest’s financial institution.

Long Hire & Early Bird Discounts

Guests who love road trips as much as we do and travel for more than 21 days receive 5% off daily rates. This is also available to guests with multiple bookings that total 21 days or more.

Planning early pays off! When booking 180+ days in advance receive a 5% Early Bird discount.

The Early Bird Discount and Long-Term Discount can be combined to get an even better road trip deal.

Road User Charge Recovery Fee

The cost of using New Zealand’s roads is recovered from road users via levies in the price of some fuels or through road user charges (RUC). The Road User Charge Recovery Fee will be calculated and collected on return of the RV based on the kilometres traveled during the hire. The fee per 100km is as follows:

2 berths s/t: $7.60

4 Berth and 6 Berth: $8.02

We reserve the right to amend the Road User Charge Recovery Fee upon Government intervention..

Drivers Licence and  Minimum Age

For the safety of our guests a current and full motor vehicle driver licence is required to be shown at pick-up and the driver needs to be present. If the driver licence is not in English then we require accredited English translation or an International Driver Permit. For travel in the Northern Territory an International Driving Permit is required along with the foreign driver licence. Drivers must be over the age of 21, have a full motor vehicle driver licence that has been held for at least two years and the licence must be valid for the entire booking duration.

Multiple Rentals

We love to reward our long-term road trippers so consecutive rentals, within a 3-month period, in United States of America, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, France, the United Kingdom and Ireland on StarRV, Apollo, Cheapa Campa, Hippie, Canadream and Bunk Campers can be combined to obtain a long-term discount. If drop-off of one RV and pick-up of a new RV occurs on the same day then a day will be charged for each RV. Multiple rentals are considered separate rentals under the one-way fee and minimum rental period conditions.

Change of Drop Off Destination

If the customer wishes to change the drop off destination, they must first obtain authorisation from the Reservations or Scheduling departments.

Subject to the change being approved, an additional charge or a relocation fee may apply.

Vehicle Category

We understand guests’ needs are different and therefore our vehicles can be requested by category, however not by make or model. We always do our best to accommodate requests, however should the vehicle booked be unavailable due to unforeseen circumstances, we will substitute the booked vehicle with an alternative available at time of pick-up, at no extra cost. Any changes made to the booked vehicle and agreed to by the guest do not entitle the guest to a refund.

In the event of no alternative vehicle being available to the guest, StarRV's liability is limited to a refund of the hire charge or in the case of mechanical failure (unless caused by the guest) the remainder of the hire period.

Customer Self Check

Guests have the ability to register online in advance on apollocamper.com/registernow. By completing the required pick up information ahead of the pick-up date guests will experience a smoother and quicker RV collection process.

Apollo Connect is our custom-built app available for our guests travelling in Australia and New Zealand. The free app provides our guests with all the necessary information needed to make their Apollo journey even better. The App is designed to:

  • Enhance guest’s holiday experience by providing ‘how-to videos’ prior to pick up, so that they become familiar with their vehicle before arriving at the branch, and prepare any questions they may have.
  • Educate our guests on how to use the vehicle and safe driving practices.
  • Provide Apollo contact details to extend their holiday, contact roadside assistance, email any other enquiries and find answers to FAQ’s.
  • Provide information on campgrounds while on the road and allow for campgrounds to be booked.
  • Search and book great deals on attractions and activities through ApolloClub.
  • Find helpful information on branch locations, nearby petrol stations, dumping stations, supermarkets, ATMs etc.
  • Guests can download the app on Google Play or the App Store.

Transfers /Getting To and From the Airport

Branches are conveniently located near major airports, making pick-up and drop-off easy for our guests.

StarRv offers transfers free of charge with the Yellow Bus transfer service between Auckland Airport to our Auckland Branch. Guests will need to show their printed confirmation of their reservation to the driver. Bookings are not needed. More information on Auckland transfers can be found on: https://www.apollocamper.co.nz/campervan-hire-auckland.aspx

Free Christchurch transfers are with our own bus service which guests need to call the branch on arrival to arrange pick up once they have cleared customs. More information on Christchurch transfers can be found on: https://www.apollocamper.co.nz/campervan-hire-christchurch.aspx

Rental Duration

A road trip allows guests to travel at their own pace. To ensure our guests get the most of their holiday a minimum five-day booking applies, when pick-up and drop-off is from the same branch location. Minimum booking periods may also apply during peak periods such as Christmas, Easter, Bathurst motor racing, etc.

One-way Bookings

Road-trips don’t always finish where they started, some of the best adventures don’t. If a guest drops-off at a different branch location from which they picked-up, a minimum booking period applies and $150 one-way fee applies. The minimum booking periods for one-way bookings are between 7 and 21 days dependent on destinations .

Travel Restrictions

Not all RVs are suitable for all driving situations, so it’s important the right RV is chosen for the travel planned. For the safety of guests, certain travel restrictions are in place. Star RV, at its discretion may restrict RV travel in certain areas due to adverse road or weather conditions, and the distance to nominated destinations in relation to the length of the rental period.

Our RVs aren’t equipped for the rougher terrain and cannot be driven on unsealed roads. Well maintained access roads which lead to recognised campgrounds and are less than 12 kilometres long are allowed.

For the safety of our guests, RVs cannot be driven on Skippers Road (Queenstown), The Crown Range Road/Cardrona Valley Road (between Arrow Junction to Cardrona), Ninety Mile Beach (Northland), Ball Hut Road (Mt. Cook) and North of Colville Township (Coromandel Peninsula).

Guests who travel to restricted areas without permission will void all Liability cover in the event of damage or accident, and may be subject to a penalty fee of $300 charged on each occasion identified.

Kilometres

For the safety of guests please don’t underestimate the time it will take to get from one point to another. While our RVs include unlimited kilometres we recommend travelling a maximum of 300 kilometres per day or the equivalent of 4-5 hours driving. We encourage our guests to take a break from driving at least every 2 hours.

Returning the RV

The motorhome is a home away from home and for comfort, we recommend it’s kept tidy throughout the road trip. The vehicles need to be returned to the branch as they were taken, with the interior cleaned and holding tanks emptied. The vehicle exterior does not require cleaning unless it’s covered with excessive dirt or mud, making it difficult for our team to see its return condition. Drop and Go included in StarRV rental rate.

Repairs

We understand that while on holiday the vehicle may require small repairs. So not to disrupt the road trip any further, if the damage was not caused by the guest, repairs up to $100 can be completed without authorisation and will be reimbursed. If repairs over $100 are needed, the Apollo Assist team should be informed prior to repair being completed.

All vehicles are enrolled in the New Zealand Automobile Association and 24hr mechanical emergency roadside assistance is available if needed simply contact Apollo Assist at 0800 234 567.

Infringements, Tolls & Fines

Star RV will pass on any charges the guest receives for traffic infringements, toll way or parking fines during their road trip. No one likes unexpected surprises or additional administration fees, so we’ll only pass on to guests the exact amount of the fine or charge received.

Effective from 11 November 2019 Star RV will be introducing a $75 admin fee on top of the fine to process any tolls received.

Animals

Service animals are allowed to travel in our vehicles with written permission from Star RV at time of booking

Smoking

Our vehicles are a smoke free zone, smoking is not allowed in any of our motorhomes.

Payment at Branches

For security reasons, Star RV accepts Credit card and Debit card for charges paid on RV pick-up and drop-off. We do not accept cash at Star RV branches. The Bond is payable at pick-up by Credit card or Debit Card and cannot be paid with a pre-paid Credit card.

Credit and Debit cards

StarRv accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Diners Club and Union Pay. The following fees apply for the rental and any additional products (irrespective of chosen account e.g. savings, credit, etc.):

Visa/MasterCard Debit/Credit card            2.0%
Amex/Diners                                          4.5%
Union Pay                                               2.8%

Fees are subject to change without notice

Credit Card Surcharge - Discovery Rentals

Credit card fees are payable when using Visa or Mastercard as these are subject to change Find out the current rates for your card here Credit card fees are not refundable

Travel Insurance

For peace of mind, we strongly recommend that all guests take out the highest level of private travel insurance.

Additional Products & Services

To be requested at time of reservation or upon vehicle collection and paid by customer on day of vehicle collection:

  • Outdoor Table* - $24 per rental
  • Outdoor Chair* - $17 each per rental
  • Heater/Fan - $15 per rental
  • Toilet Chemicals*- $2.50each
  • Baby/Booster Seat* - $35 per rental
  • Satellite Phone  - $20 per day plus call charges (Must be pre-booked at least 7 days prior to pick up.)
  • Drop & Go* - $75 Simply return the vehicle neat and tidy and we’ll take care of the rest including vehicle, cabin and bathroom cleaning.
  • First Aid Kit - $50 (A First Aid kit is supplied in every RV. If the seal is broken or the kit is not returned the kit becomes the property of the guest and fee is charged.)
  • Extended Roadside Assistance - $4 per day capped at 25 days(This includes opening vehicle on lock out, lost key replacement up to $120, emergency towing up to 25km, jump start, flat tyre change using spare located in the vehicle, fuel delivery up to 20 litres. Non-mechanical issues are not covered and guests may be required to take the vehicle to a repairer.)
  • Windscreen and Tyre Protection Plus Extended Roadside Assistance (WAP) - $7 per day capped at 25 Days This includes 1 windscreen, 2 tyres and the Extended Roadside Assistance. This value add is not available for the Vivid Camper.

* Items are included in the Star Pack

Cancellation and Amendments

You must put any request to Cancel or Amend in writing or we cannot action.  The date of the email will determine the following Cancellation fees:

  • If cancelled up to 31 days prior to pick-up = Loss of Deposit or 20% (whichever is greater)
  • If cancelled from 30 to 14 ;days prior to pick-up = 20% or $350 (whichever is greater)
  • If cancelled from 13 to 1 days prior to pick-up = 50% of Rental + $100 (minimum $350)
  • If cancelled on day of pick-up or No-Show = 100% of Rental (minimum $350)
  • If vehicle is returned early there is no refund available for the unused days and a No Show is considered as 100% Cancellation.

Original pick-up date or the earliest confirmed pick-up date is used to calculate the cancellation fee. 

Amendments: If a bookings travel dates are amended within the cancellation fee period to be outside of the cancellation fee period and is subsequently cancelled, the cancellation fee for the original booking will apply. 

$50 per change. This applies but is not limited to changing the client name, vehicle type, reducing the number of rental days, changing the pickup dates or locations. If rental is shortened, no refund will be given on the initial deposit.  In addition, if an amendment is made inside 14 days of pick up, the rental will be charged at the number of days originally booked. A relocation fee may also apply if the collection or return location is amended.  Where the hire is being extended, the amendment fee will not apply.

If the amendment results in changing vehicle brands your deposit may not transferable.

Amendments may result in the daily rental rate to be recalculated at the rate applicable on the date of the amendment for the entire rental period.

Any amendments within cancellation time period is subject to the supplier providing permission to amend the travel dates, or cancel the reservation and having to re-book.

Change of rate scheme including special rates. If the rate scheme or vehicle category is changed, this is considered a new booking and cancellation fees may apply to the original booking.

If a bookings travel dates are amended within the cancellation fee period to be outside of the cancellation fee period and is subsequently cancelled, the cancellation fee for the original booking will apply.

Other Things You Need To Know

StarRV reserves the right to refuse any rental at our discretion.

While on their road trip guests are responsible for:

  • Damage caused where the terms of Rental Contract have not been met of the guest (other than when a third party damage admits fault and provides full contact and licence details).
  • Damage caused by negligence and/or wilful conduct.
  • Damage caused to the vehicle in any way by part or total water submersion or salt water. It’s true, our vehicles can’t swim.
  • Damage caused to the vehicle when using the RV in contravention of any legislation or regulation controlling vehicular traffic
  • Damage caused due to a single vehicle roll over. except where the Stress Free Pack or Single Vehicle Rollover has been purchased and applies.
  • Damage or loss caused to any personal belongings.
  • Damage caused due to use of incorrect or contaminated fuel.
  • Damage to the slide out of the RV.
  • Damage to the undercarriage or overhead of the RV except where the Stress Free Pack has been purchased and applies.
  • Damage to the awning of the RV.
  • Our RV’s are equipped with a tracking device. Apollo reserves the right to send warnings to guests that are driving in contradiction to the terms and conditions or traffic rules and regulations. Guests that continuously ignore the warnings may incur in a penalty fee of $300 charged on each occasion identified.

Rates/Terms/Conditions are subject to change without notice.

Enjoy the adventure, wherever it takes you.

Disclaimer

Illustrations and text in any of our documentation, brochures or website are subject to change. Images are a representation only of the vehicle depicted. Variances in the vehicles offered for rental may occur due to substitutions made by StarRV or modifications and/or upgrades to the vehicle design made by the manufacturer.