I've been 7 times to Jamaica, but only finally felt capable of driving there the last 2 trips. And that was after alot of asking taxi drivers questions about why they did certain things - honking horn, flashing headlights, etc.
If you've never been, I wouldn't recommend it on a first trip. The left-hand side of the road driving was the LEAST thing I had to get used to.
Even if your husband is used to that, the big problem is adjusting your driving techniques to the way they drive there. I hear the closest comparison in Europe is driving in Italy.
For instance, drivers will pass at any time without regard to other cars on the road. Even if there's 10 cars in a line, they will just pass and if a car comes they force their way back in the line.
Route taxis suddenly stop to pickup people along side the road - or jump back into traffic flow after a stop.
Also people, dogs, goats, etc walking along the road, or worse in the road. And having to either swerve to dodge small potholes, or brake hard to go thru them very slowly.
Add to that the roads are very poorly marked (except the main highways) and almost no street lighting for night driving except in biggest towns.
If your first trip, I would really suggest taking a taxi from the airport to Negril - to get a sense of it first - should only be about $US60-80 for a family of 4-5.
Then if you still want to rent, rent from an agency in Negril - or have a rental car delivered from MoBay airport if you plan to use it to get back to the airport at the end of your trip - only adds about $US30. That is what I did since I only wanted the car my final week.
OK, now that I've given you all the reasons not to rent - I agree renting a car is the best way to see the sights OUTSIDE of Negril.
If you just need to get around Negril - there is no need to rent with the cheap route taxis at just $100J/person.
If you want to take in several day-trips, though, you are right - you could easily spend more on tours than on your hotel. Renting a car makes it WAY more economical.
I used Island Rentals - no office in Negril, but as I said they deliver from MoBay airport. Reason I used them was they offer 24hr breakdown service anywhere on the island (which I never needed), they have newer cars, and they are reputable. You can pre-arrange everything using their website:
http://www.islandcarrentals.com/Home.aspx
A car like a Toyota Yaris (seats 5, Auto transmission, A/C) is about $US215/week. I worried I might need 4WD, but I found I could go everywhere without it - worst roads I hit were to Accompong (very broken up).
Just like VtDave said, I also got a World MasterCard for renting a car in Jamaica - got it specifically to avoid having to buy the CDW. Very few credit cards cover CDW in Jamaica - if you have to buy, it will usually about double the cost of the rental car.
And to answer your question, a credit card is the only practical way to rent there - otherwise they will want a HUGE cash deposit.
For planning my trips before I got there, I found this road map very helpful - http://www.jamaicancaves.org/jamaica-road-map.htm
But once there, I would suggest your first stop be a Texaco gas station for one of their island maps - invaluable and only about $US5-7 if I remember right.
A few other tips:
1)Plan your trips so you don't have to drive at night - very poor lighting and the dogs, goats, cows can really freak you out - plus you can't see the killer potholes until you are on them.
2)Fill up the tank once you hit 1/4 left. They do the pumping - there is no self-service. Many take credit cards, but ask first.
3)Many roads out in the country are narrow and winding up-and-down hills. When rounding curves, you tap the horn a few times in case a car is coming the other way - and do it liberally.
4)Petty theft is a big problem. Put everything in the trunk to avoid "opportunity theft" when you leave the car.
5)Best tip someone gave me about asking for directions...don't ask how to get to your final destination, instead ask how to get to the next town shown on your map. Many Jamaicans don't drive and won't know how to get to a far off place - but you can bet they know the area within 5-10 miles of their homes very well and which roads go to what nearby towns. I found this to be true several times, and it worked every time.
