The most common feeling people describe before their first campervan hire is a vague nervousness that they cannot quite explain. They are not nervous about driving. They have been driving for years. They are nervous about the unknown: what happens on the day, what is actually in the campervan, what to do if something goes wrong at midnight on a quiet road in Connemara.Most of those worries dissolve within an hour of collecting the campervan. But it helps to know what the process looks like before you arrive. This guide covers everything from booking to return, based on exactly how the hire works at Craic N Campers.Browse Our Full FleetStep 1: BookingYou can book online through the booking engine on our site, or call us directly. Phone bookings take a 250 deposit to secure the dates. Online bookings take 50% of the total hire cost at the time of booking.If you book by phone, Joe at our Roscommon depot or Christopher at Greystones depot will walk you through the options: which campervan suits your group, which dates work, what to consider for your route. Most first-time hirers find that a five-minute phone conversation answers every question they had. The balance is due a couple of weeks before your start date.Once you have booked, the dates are confirmed and the campervan is held for you.Step 2: Choosing your security deposit optionThis is the part of the process that generates the most questions, so it is worth explaining clearly.We offer three security deposit tiers. Each one sets your excess the maximum you would be liable for in the unlikely event of accidental damage and the lower two tiers carry a daily charge to bring that excess down.Standard Cover 2,000 excess: no additional daily charge.Mid-Level Cover 1,000 excess: an additional 15 per day.Premium Cover 500 excess: an additional 50 per day. This is also our most comprehensive tier on top of the lower excess, it includes cover for damage to mirrors, windscreen and tyres.In short: the more you pay per day, the lower your excess and the more youre covered for. Premium Cover gives you the most protection of the three.All deposits are fully refundable if the campervan comes back in the same condition it left.You choose your deposit option when you book. You can change it right up until the online check-in two days before pickup. Many customers take time to think it over and adjust their choice once they have read the full details.Think of it like choosing an excess on a car insurance policy: the lower your excess, the more you pay per day for that lower risk. Most customers on shorter trips choose Mid-Level Cover a middle ground between no daily fee and full peace of mind. Customers doing longer or more remote trips more often choose Premium Cover, since it carries the lowest excess of the three and is the only tier that also covers mirror, windscreen and tyre damage the kind of wear-and-tear that becomes more likely the further and longer youre on the road.Step 3: The online check-in (two days before pickup)Two days before your hire begins, you receive an email with a link to the online check-in. This is where the trip actually starts to feel real.In the online check-in you will: upload a photo of your driving licence, confirm your personal details, finalise your deposit tier choice, and add any extras you want, such as a table and chairs. A bike rack comes as standard with every hire, so theres nothing to add there.By the time you arrive at the depot, the paperwork is largely done. The online check-in takes about ten minutes.Step 4: Pickup dayArrive at the depot at your agreed time. Plan for about 30 minutes for the full pickup process. It is thorough but relaxed.When you arrive, you will sign the rental agreement and confirm your return time. A member of the team will sit down with you and be realistic about return. This is worth taking seriously: we dont offer Sunday drop-off, and our minimum rental is three nights, so a Friday pickup means a Monday morning return. The return time is agreed at pickup, and being late when the next customer is waiting is the one thing that causes the most friction in the hire process.After the agreement is signed, the security deposit is taken.Then comes the demonstration. A member of the team will take you through the entire campervan: every system, every switch, every compartment. You will learn how to turn the gas on and off, how the water system works and how to fill the fresh water tank, how to set up the sleeping areas, how the heating works on electrical hook-up and on gas, how to use the toilet and where to empty the cassette, and how to hook up to an electric pitch at a campsite.This sounds like a lot. In practice it takes about 20 minutes, and by the end you know the campervan well enough to feel comfortable. Its worth giving this demonstration your full attention every campervan also has QR codes on board linking to quick refresher guides for each system, so you can check back any time during your trip if something slips your mind. Members of the team have done this demonstration hundreds of times and are very good at it: calm, patient, and good at reading whether you need more time on any particular system.After the demonstration, you load your bags, and you are on the road. Most people say this is the moment the holiday actually begins.Step 5: During the hireThe campervan is yours. Go where you planned, or change the plan. Both work.If something slips your mind while youre away how to reset the heating, how the waste disposal point at a campsite works the QR codes on board are the quickest way to find the answer, the same ones covered in your pickup demonstration. Our out-of-hours number is there for genuine emergencies during your trip.Every hire includes full 24-hour breakdown cover across Ireland, Northern Ireland and the UK. If the campervan has a mechanical issue, you call the breakdown number, not us. But it is included, it is real, and it covers you throughout the trip.Step 6: Returning the campervanYou receive a text message the day before your return to confirm the time. Arrive at the agreed time.When you return, you unload first. Then the campervan is inspected together with a member of the team you are present for the whole check, and nothing happens out of sight. If there is no damage, the security deposit is released. If there is minor damage, it is discussed at that point.A few days later, we send a personal thank-you email. If the deposit is being returned, it is confirmed in that email. There is also a link to leave a review. No obligation, but it genuinely matters to a small business, and we read every one.What is inside the campervanEvery hire includes:Fully equipped kitchen: hob, oven, grill, fridge, freezer, crockery, glasses, cutlery, pots and pansA hot showerA private toiletThe main sleeping area12V power inverter for charging phones and devicesCentral heatingCab air conditioningWhat you need to bring:FoodPersonal toiletriesClothesBed linenThe question everyone asks: is it hard to drive?Shorter than you think to get used to. Most of our fleet is automatic, which makes a significant difference on Irish roads though it is a mix, so do check when you book if this matters to you. Width awareness takes a day. After that, most customers report it feels normal.The one thing worth knowing: in Connemara, Kerry and Donegal, some roads are single-track with passing places. You slow down, one of you pulls in, the other passes, everyone waves. It is not stressful once you accept it as the pace of the west of Ireland.Getting startedBrowse our full fleet to choose the right campervan for your group. If you are picking up from our Greystones depot and arriving from Dublin Airport, the Dublin Airport pickup guide has the full directions and journey time. Our FAQ page has answers to the most common pre-hire questions.If you are still unsure about anything, call us. First-timer questions are what Joe and Christopher answer most days, and they are genuinely good at it.Browse Our Full FleetThe post First Time Hiring a Campervan in Ireland? Here Is Everything You Need to Know (2026) appeared first on Craic N Campers.