Pre Cruise Night before HAL hotel Fort Lauderdale

Our HAL package for our E/W Caribbean Cruise includes pre cruise overnight at Westin Fort Lauderdale.

This hotel have some poor recent reviews on Trip Advisor.

Does anyone know if you can request an alternative hotel ?

Many thanks

Make sure you are looking at the correct westin. Many folks think it's the one on the beach. Generally speaking, it's not that one. The westin that they normally use is in the boonies but it's pretty ok, For my cruise, they have a few to choose

from going up in price.

I believe HAL also uses the Hilton Marina, which is on the Waterway and a stone's throw from the port entrance. They would charge a higher rate if you requested the Hilton because of the more desireable location. The Hilton is a short walk from a drugstore and restaurants as well as being located by a water taxi stop.

It has been my experience when using HAL provided hotels that they offer two in each port, with different rates, depending on which one you choose.

I believe HAL also uses the Hilton Marina, which is on the Waterway and a stone's throw from the port entrance. They would charge a higher rate if you requested the Hilton because of the more desireable location. The Hilton is a short walk from a drugstore and restaurants as well as being located by a water taxi stop.

 

It has been my experience when using HAL provided hotels that they offer two in each port, with different rates, depending on which one you choose.

I stayed at the Hilton Marina pre-cruise on my last trip and enjoyed it so much that I have booked it for the next.

I've picked the marriott beach resort for mine. It's on the pricy side at $270 for the two nights I'm staying there. That said, if I booked it on my own the rate quoted is $499 per night. I'm excited about staying in a hotel that is right on the beach.

I've picked the marriott beach resort for mine. It's on the pricy side at $270 for the two nights I'm staying there. That said, if I booked it on my own the rate quoted is $499 per night. I'm excited about staying in a hotel that is right on the beach.

Hi Cruz Chic! The Marriott is a very pretty hotel from our experience there. However, fasten your seat belt when it comes to eating meals there, they are somewhat pricey.....but the food is very good, especially the breakfast.

Hope you are not using HAL transfers from there, we had a bad experience. I would take a cab next time.

Hi Cruz Chic! The Marriott is a very pretty hotel from our experience there. However, fasten your seat belt when it comes to eating meals there, they are somewhat pricey.....but the food is very good, especially the breakfast.

Hope you are not using HAL transfers from there, we had a bad experience. I would take a cab next time.

Appreciate the info. I figured it would be pricey. I just did the glacier skywalk in the middle of nowhere so I've been broken in with high prices :D. I always think Calgary is high then I find something much worse. I've taken many Hal transfers and they have been pretty good. Your experience was ridiculous. I thought I was going to die on my last ride in a taxi in Fort Lauderdale. The dude didn't turn on the meter and took back streets to the hotel. I will likely take the transfer to the hotel but will probably catch a cab going to the ship. Good to see you posting:).

We have stayed at the Westin Ft. Lauderdale. Very nice hotel with wonderful beds.

BUT, this place is a business hotel. Not close to any attractions. Actually it is in small business park beside the Interstate.

It is often used because as a business hotel, it is quiet on the weekends and they offer very attractive room rates on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights. No restaurants within walking distance. We had a car but if you don't have one there are not many options.

If you are just going to spend a night and jump on the ship it will be fine. If you are in town a few days early and want to see the sights then I would strongly suggest an alternate hotel.

As others have said, this is NOT the Westin Fort Lauderdale Beach...which we have also stayed at when it was a Sheraton and enjoyed it very much.

We think that cruise line hotel rates are greatly inflated. If you can change, you would be better off booking on your own, staying on the beach or on 17th, and taking a short cab ride. We paid less than half what HAL was charging but this was on an opaque hotel site but we did not HAL transfers nor did we want them. Lots of buses lined up in the morning to take people to the various ships.

Once we used the HAL hotel and transfer - never again! There must have been 300 people waiting to get their luggage loaded unto the buses for several different cruise lines. Everyone had to be 1st, tempers were flaring, kids were screaming or running amok, and they really could have used more security to try to keep people a bit calmer. We just walked away and took a cab. We now privately book hotels a bit off the beach and not right by t he airport that have free breakfast and a free shuttle to the pier which we prebook for the time we want to leave when we check in. Have found these to be usually cheaper than the HAL hotels.

We like the Haytt.

Once we used the HAL hotel and transfer - never again! There must have been 300 people waiting to get their luggage loaded unto the buses for several different cruise lines. Everyone had to be 1st, tempers were flaring, kids were screaming or running amok, and they really could have used more security to try to keep people a bit calmer. We just walked away and took a cab. We now privately book hotels a bit off the beach and not right by t he airport that have free breakfast and a free shuttle to the pier which we prebook for the time we want to leave when we check in. Have found these to be usually cheaper than the HAL hotels.

I'm sorry that happened. I know that irisheyes had a really bad experience too. It's a shame because I've done Hal hotels almost exclusively and it's generally been pretty good. No situations like you describe. I'm not saying in any way it didn't happen just to clarify. I do agree that most of the time you can do better on your own.

The buses we saw, about four or five, looked like retired Greyhound buses on their last legs. I suspect that they keep them in service specifically for this.

The buses we saw, about four or five, looked like retired Greyhound buses on their last legs. I suspect that they keep them in service specifically for this.

I just took a tour up to the glacier skywalk in jasper park on Brewster. I had heard the buses were very nice. I guess I got a bad bus because it was no different than any greyhound I've been on, Hal transfer included. There has been nothing wrong with the buses unlike the cabs I've been in and feared for my life.

Does the Hilton Marina allow you to park and leave a car there?

Once we used the HAL hotel and transfer - never again! There must have been 300 people waiting to get their luggage loaded unto the buses for several different cruise lines. Everyone had to be 1st, tempers were flaring, kids were screaming or running amok, and they really could have used more security to try to keep people a bit calmer. We just walked away and took a cab. We now privately book hotels a bit off the beach and not right by t he airport that have free breakfast and a free shuttle to the pier which we prebook for the time we want to leave when we check in. Have found these to be usually cheaper than the HAL hotels.

Sorry that you had a bad experience.

We did HAL hotels only 2 times -- many, many years ago -- Rio de Janeiro and Copenhagen and thankfully they turned out alright.

Now we book our own hotels and air.

The Westin is no different than any other hotel.

It has its good and bad, as you have seen in the reviews. If you're only there for one night, I think you can deal with it. Don't expect five star hotels if HAL is offering the package.

Does the Hilton Marina allow you to park and leave a car there?

They do, but it's $21 a day. Do a search for Port Everglades parking or look on the Fort Lauderdale port of call board for less expensive parking options.

Does the Hilton Marina allow you to park and leave a car there?

They charge $21 daily for parking. :mad:

Appreciate the info. I figured it would be pricey. I just did the glacier skywalk in the middle of nowhere so I've been broken in with high prices :D. I always think Calgary is high then I find something much worse. I've taken many Hal transfers and they have been pretty good. Your experience was ridiculous. I thought I was going to die on my last ride in a taxi in Fort Lauderdale. The dude didn't turn on the meter and took back streets to the hotel. I will likely take the transfer to the hotel but will probably catch a cab going to the ship. Good to see you posting:).

Yes, the location of the hotel kind of isolates itself, so eating there becomes kind of a necessity. You can walk a few blocks and take the shuttle trolley for a small fee ($1 each way?) over to shopping areas, which we did to buy toiletries and other necessities at the grocery store. Didn't see any great restaurants in that shopping area though from what I remember.

I know taxi rides can be bad too at times, as well as the HAL transfers, but I guess "if the skeeties don't get you, the gators will", as I always say Just go with what you think will work and hope for the best! :)

Yes, I get on here from time to time and check what is being discussed and chime in on occasion.......hope you have a great time on your upcoming cruise!

The beach is lovely at that hotel, you will like it. Hope you have good weather!

Our HAL package for our E/W Caribbean Cruise includes pre cruise overnight at Westin Fort Lauderdale.

This hotel have some poor recent reviews on Trip Advisor.

Does anyone know if you can request an alternative hotel ?

Many thanks

With their park and cruise package ..... We stay at the Holiday Inn Express, Ft Lauderdale Airport/Cruise Hyw 84 954-828-9905

It's reasonable, was clean and has breakfast included. It's across the street from a shopping center with a large Publix grocery store.

The package includes a shuttle to the port. You can take a taxi back or like we did, pay for the shuttle back to the hotel. It was convenient and waiting when we disembarked.

__________________

I stayed at the Hilton Marina pre-cruise on my last trip and enjoyed it so much that I have booked it for the next.

Hi - just wondering how you got to the hotel from the airport. We are staying 2 nights at the Hilton Marina pre-cruise. The hotel tells me they don't have a shuttle from the airport. Any suggestions?? thanks

Hi - just wondering how you got to the hotel from the airport. We are staying 2 nights at the Hilton Marina pre-cruise. The hotel tells me they don't have a shuttle from the airport. Any suggestions?? thanks

The last time I took the HAL airport transfer. However, it was not only chaotic, but involved a long walk toting luggage. This time I will take a taxi from the airport, and the HAL transfer from hotel to port.

Hi - just wondering how you got to the hotel from the airport. We are staying 2 nights at the Hilton Marina pre-cruise. The hotel tells me they don't have a shuttle from the airport. Any suggestions?? thanks

We've stayed at the Hilton Ft. Lauderdale Marina several times and have always taken a taxi, as it is not a great distance. Walk out of baggage claim and turn left and you will see the taxi stand where there is an attendant keeping things moving along in an orderly fashion. We've never waited more than a couple of minutes and the fare is always less than $20. Very easy.

Thanks so much. A taxi it will be :)

Via my Samsung Galaxy S4

Hi - just wondering how you got to the hotel from the airport. We are staying 2 nights at the Hilton Marina pre-cruise. The hotel tells me they don't have a shuttle from the airport. Any suggestions?? thanks

When we fly into FLL we just take a taxi to our hotel. It seems to us to be much better than finding a shuttle that might sit and wait for more people. It isn't very expensive and is much faster to just get in the taxi line and be on your way. is