You've spotted the green-and-purple vans on every Queenstown and Cairns road since the Alpe brothers launched JUCY in Auckland in 2001. It's now a budget-to-mid campervan brand running 9 airport depots across Australia and New Zealand, from the 2-berth Crib to the self-contained 3-berth Chaser.
Drive any stretch of road in New Zealand or Australia and you'll see them: the lime-green-and-purple campervans that look like they lost a bet with a paint shop. That's JUCY. Auckland brothers Tim and Dan Alpe started it in 2001 with 35 cars (their dad founded Maui), and the loud livery was a deliberate stunt to get noticed. It worked. JUCY now runs nine airport depots, six in Australia (Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Cairns, Adelaide, Perth) and three in NZ (Auckland, Christchurch, Queenstown), sitting squarely in the budget-to-mid tier. After COVID forced the group into receivership in November 2020, Polar Capital bought the AU/NZ rental business; the corporate parent rebranded from JUCY Group to Travvia on 1 October 2024.
JUCY uses different model names in each country, which trips people up. In New Zealand: the 2-berth Crib (a Toyota Estima, no toilet), the 3-berth Chaser (a Toyota Hiace with a fixed toilet and shower), and the 4-berth Condo (Hiace or Nissan Caravan, bunk-style double beds). In Australia: the 2-berth Coaster (a newer LDV diesel auto), the 4-berth Crib+ (Estima with a rooftop penthouse, no toilet), and the 4-berth Condo. Above those sit the Chill'd line (Cloudbreak, Malibu, the 6-berth Big Kahuna) and Star RV Polaris motorhomes. The self-contained caveat matters for NZ freedom camping: only the Chaser, Condo and Big Kahuna are certified. The cheap Crib isn't, so plan on holiday parks for showers and toilets.
JUCY runs nine airport depots, six in Australia and three in New Zealand. Every branch sits minutes from the terminal, with a free green-and-purple shuttle and one-way hires between most.
JUCY runs nine airport branches across two countries. Australia has six: Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Cairns, Adelaide and Perth. New Zealand has three: Auckland on the North Island, plus Christchurch and Queenstown on the South Island. The former US operation (Los Angeles, San Francisco, Las Vegas) is permanently closed after COVID, so there are no JUCY depots outside Australia and New Zealand. Every branch sits at or near the airport with a free green-and-purple shuttle.
Only some. JUCY New Zealand certifies the 3-Berth Chaser, the 4-Berth Condo and the Chill'd 6-Berth Big Kahuna as fully self-contained, each with a fixed toilet, so they qualify for freedom camping under NZ's green-warrant rules (the old blue certificate is being phased out from December 2024). The entry-level 2-Berth Crib has no toilet or shower and isn't self-contained, so you'll need holiday parks, campgrounds or public facilities. Always check the warrant matches the council bylaws where you plan to stop.
At pickup JUCY pre-authorises a bond equal to your standard excess. On the default Risk Taker plan that's $3,000 for a Crib or Crib+, $5,000 for a Coaster, Condo or Chaser, and $7,500 for the Big Kahuna (AUD in Australia, NZD in New Zealand). Pay extra and it drops: Essentials at $50/day brings both to $1,500, while Comprehensive at $65/day takes the excess and bond to $0. A $125 claims fee applies per incident on every tier. The hold releases 7 days after pickup.
Yes. One-way rentals run between most JUCY branches, though a relocation fee may apply, so check the quote for your exact pickup and drop-off. For New Zealand trips spanning both islands, the campervan crosses the Cook Strait on the Interislander or Bluebridge ferry between Wellington and Picton. JUCY doesn't include the ferry in the rental, so you book and pay for the vehicle-plus-passengers sailing yourself, and crossings sell out in peak summer. Book the ferry early once your one-way itinerary is locked in.
You'll generally need to be at least 21 years old with a full, valid licence held for the rental period, which is standard across JUCY's Australia and New Zealand fleet. If your licence isn't in English you must carry an International Driving Permit or a certified translation, and you'll show a credit or debit card at check-in for the bond. A young-driver surcharge can apply to under-25s on some vehicles, so check the exact age terms for your chosen van and depot before booking.
CampervanPlanet is a comparison site: you search your pickup city and travel dates and we show live JUCY availability alongside other operators. Pick the Crib, Chaser, Condo or another model, choose your excess-reduction tier, and book the rental through the secure checkout. JUCY then handles your van at the airport branch, including the free shuttle and the bond at pickup. Comparing in one place makes it easy to weigh JUCY's budget pricing and mixed reviews against rivals before you commit, with no booking fee added by us.
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