San Diego hotels closest to marine terminal

[Islander000]

I'll be flying in from the East coast a day ahead of time for a Mexican Riviera cruise on the Oosterdam in December. What hotels are close to the terminal and offer free transfers to the pier?

[RevNeal]

The closest and best hotel to the Pier in San Diego is the Holiday Inn. It's right across the street from the ship terminal -- close enough to walk, if you like. :)

Here's a picture of it from the ship at departure time:

http://homepage.mac.com/revneal/.Pictures/oost06/sandiego/oost9a.jpg

And a view FROM the Hotel of the ship terminal with the Oosterdam in:

http://homepage.mac.com/revneal/.Pictures/oost06/sandiego/oost1.jpg

For more pictures, check out this site:

http://homepage.mac.com/revneal/oosterdam2006/Menu86.html

[crystal808]

Just be sure to book the one across from the terminal...there is a 2nd HI ("on the Bay", I think) which DOES have free shuttle service to the terminal, and is nice enough, but it's about 5-8 minute drive away. Probably a little less $$ than the one the good Rev. refers to, but not as "convenient".

Enjoy your trip!!

Paul

[OKCruzer]

We stayed at Holiday Inn on theBay last October when we did the Sea of Cortez cruise on Ryndam. It is almost across the street from the ships. Had a beautiful room on the bay side, request this when booking--no price difference we were told---it had balcony and we could see all the ships as they arrived and left. We spent 3 days in San Diego before our sail and had no problem walking whereever we wanted to go. We even walked across the street when time to go to the ship. The hotel does offer a free shuttle we were told. Enjoy, the cruise was fantastic.

[Krazy Kruizers]

We have stayed many times at the Embassy Suites - they offer free shuttle service every hour on the hour. It is close to the cruise terminal.Within walking distance is Midway, Seaport Village, Horton Plaza, The Fish Market.

[Bengoshi]

The Holiday Inn in Rev. Neal's great picture, posted above, is the Holiday Inn On the Bay. (Beware other hotels claiming to be "bayside." Some are some distance away.) As I recall, the HIOTB also has a shuttle service to San Diego Airport.
The Embassy Suites, as recommended by Krazy Kruizers, is also very convenient, and looks quite nice.
Farther away, but not far from the airport, and with a free shuttle to the foot of Broadway, which is where the Cruise Ship Terminal is located, is the Hilton Airport Hotel on Harbor Island. My wife and I, residents of San Diego County, are putting together a reunion to take place in San Diego in early October, 2007. We concluded that the Hilton offers a very nice combination of convenient location, price, restraurants, and free shuttle.

[duck tune]

We have always stayed at the Holiday Inn right across from the Cruise Ship Terminal and requested a Bay View room. It is convenient and fun to watch the ship come in to dock. We have had inconsistent experiences there so had been considering a change. There is an extra charge for the Bay View room and it varies with the time of year - $174 plus tax in March. We sailed on the Oosterdam in March and met a fellow Mariner who recommended the Best Western Bayside Inn so we are going to stay there the night before our December cruise and see what happens. Best Western is $119 and includes continental breakfast and is only a couple of blocks east of the Holiday Inn. The gentleman who recommended BW said they had a free shuttle and would also come back and pick him up at the pier upon return and take him to airport free of charge. We usually stay over a couple of days after a cruise so won't know if that is true.

[RuthC]

Just be sure to book the one across from the terminal...there is a 2nd HI ("on the Bay", I think)
That one is the Holiday Inn Bayside.
It's so easy to confuse the two names, but at least they aren't the same name.

[RevNeal]

As others have said it's Holiday Inn On the Bay. Just make sure you get the one with the Harbor Drive address. :)

Here's their website: http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/hi/1/en/hd/sanem?&

The Hotel could do with some work ... some updating and refreshing ... but it's not bad. A good, basic hotel, with an unbeatable view for ships departing at night and ships arriving in the morning. My prior link, in my main post above, will take one to a photo album where you can find a lot of shots taken from a bay-view room's balcony. Such accommodations are VERY MUCH worth the cost for the view they afford.

[kryos]

Such accommodations are VERY MUCH worth the cost for the view they afford.
... Especially when you set your alarm for 6:00 a.m. or so ... and watch the ship you will be embarking in a couple of hours sail into harbor from its prior cruise. Awesome sight ... and makes the slightly higher cost of a hotel in such close proximity to the cruise pier worth every penny.

My favorite memory? The cruise pier is so close to the hotel that you can actually hear the bells that sound before an intercom announcement on the ship. Later on in the morning, as I lay in bed in my hotel room, I could hear those bells going off every few minutes ... obviously they were disembarkation announcements ... and I remember thinking "poor SOBs ... their cruise is over and mine is just beginning!" :)

Blue skies ...

--rita

[crystal808]

That one is the Holiday Inn Bayside.
It's so easy to confuse the two names, but at least they aren't the same name.

Yep, across from the terminal is "on the Bay", and the one I stayed at was "Bayside". You can see how I could get confused!! :eek: (Obviously, still am!) :D

[RevNeal]

... Especially when you set your alarm for 6:00 a.m. or so ... and watch the ship you will be embarking in a couple of hours sail in to harbor from its prior cruise. Awesome sight ... and makes the slightly higher cost of a hotel in such close proximity to the cruise pier worth every penny.


Absolutely, Rita. Like THIS view!

http://homepage.mac.com/revneal/.Pictures/amstandrynd/amster5.jpg

Of course, it's also cool to watch as ships depart the night BEFORE ... as when YOU set sail on the Amsterdam for the South Pacific (I was pea-green with envy that night ... had much to confess ... but I had a BLAST taking photos from the balcony):

http://homepage.mac.com/revneal/.Pictures/amsterdamdeparts/amstdepart9e.jpg

And, one HAS to admit, the view sure beats all heck out of the distant, fuzzy San Diego webcam!

http://homepage.mac.com/revneal/.Pictures/amsterdamdeparts/amstdepart9h.jpg

Wow ... what a sunset you had to sail off into! GLORIOUS!!! This is one of my favorite photos ... with the Ryndam in the distance, ahead of you, and your Amsterdam in the foreground. 2600 happy passengers on two damships sailing into bliss.

http://homepage.mac.com/revneal/.Pictures/amsterdamdeparts/amstdepart9j.jpg

And, of course, there was the TRUE consollation of knowing that, just the very next morning it would be my own ship "coming in!"

[Bengoshi]

Very much appreciate your posting of great photos. Thank you.

[lougee1043]

this is where we stay -- its not the ritz but it more then suits our needs --in the heart of little italy and the cab fare you need to get to the terminal is more then paid for by what you will save on the hotel room

http://www.lapensione.signonsandiego.com/3.html

[Suite 16]

Our family stayed at Hampton Inn Downtown after our Oosterdam cruise. We had 4 rooms, reasonably priced, and breakfast was included. We were about two blocks from the pier, and shuttle service was provided. When we arrived back in San Diego, we called the Inn and the van was sent for us immediately. A few days later, when we left, the van took us to the airport. One of our rooms faced the harbor, so we could see ships arrive and depart from the pier - also had a nice view of the tall ships docked there. We found the Inn to be clean, and the staff friendly. Also, this is a Hilton family hotel.

[Onbec]

No one has mentioned the Holiday Inn downtown. For the dates we need it is the only H.I. with rooms available ( conferences booked the others).

Does anyone have any feedback concerning this hotel?

Thanks

Dick

[Navy_Chief]

Nice pictures Greg, I remember Harbor Drive well :D Did you happen to be there when the "Californian" (145 foot sloop) was being sailed into the Maritime Museum (They take about 30 people out at a time)? They put a little "show" on for the tourists as they come back in to mooring. They like to set off two deck guns. Each shot with a 30 pound charge. Watched it "wake up" a bunch of people on an X ship once :D Hardly anyone on deck when the first shot sounded. Everyone was topside for the second :)