San Francisco Hotels

Any info on Hotels that are close to the port or have shuttles that will take us to the ship in San Francisco? Or maybe a park and sail offer. :-)

It's not close to the cruise terminal but The Chancellor on Union Square is highly rated on Tripadvisor. I left my luggage at the bell desk for the day after a 3 day repositioning cruise. Friends stayed there and really enjoyed it. An older hotel, small rooms and basic but location is excellent. It cost $12 taxi from pier to the hotel

We stayed at the Sheraton Fisherman's Wharf pre-cruise and the Marriott Fisherman's Wharf post-cruise this past February. Both hotels were clean, friendly and reasonably close to the pier. In fact, if you travel light, you could certainly walk to the pier (but it would be a few blocks).

I got both of these stays for reasonable rates using Priceline.

I would definitely stay at either hotel again in the future.

We stayed at The Tuscan Fishermans Wharf. It was great and a really good price through hotel.com They had a wine get together each evening in the lobby for free. Great stay

Lots of info on the West Coast Departures board, here:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=413

where I expect the Mods will move this...

I scored a great deal for the Omni San Francisco. We set sail Jun 1 and I got an email from them after booking saying...stay 1 night 10% off, 2 nights 15% off and 3 or more 20%. We are staying 3 nights so I ended up getting a $475 night hotel for $204. It is in the financial district, about a mile from the port.

As you've noticed by now, unfortunately, the answer to all of your choices is "no or probably not."

(1) The beautiful, new SF Cruise Terminal is located about midway between the foot of Market St (Embarcadero Center/Ferry Building) and Fisherman's Wharf along a wide flat sidewalk following the Bay. There are hotels at both ends, but not at the immediate area of the pier. However, it's probably 1/4 - 1/2 mile and FLAT - so it's walkable with good wheeled luggage.

(2) Perhaps because so few ships depart from SF (Thank you, 19th century Passenger Services Act!) - I don't think any hotels offer that specific shuttle. ...of course some luxury hotels offer complementary car service, but that's another thing entirely.

(3) Cheap parking? In San Francisco? not likely.

However, we're still a great city to visit. I hope you enjoy your stay.

We booked a hotel by the airport since we fly in late, when I was shopping for hotels I found some of them have a community bathroom which I was told by hotels is common. Just be sure to ask if you have a private bathroom.

There is plenty of transportation options online.... super shuttle type transportation or UBER. I had one fee at 50.00 for 4

I've been doing some research for our August Alaska cruise. We live about 75 miles from the Pier and we also were interested in a park and cruise hotel. The parking we found in the city would have run $28 per day in the parking garages. I found one cruise and park online called the Citi Garden Hotel on Airport Blvd. They don't offer a shuttle but there are cabs available. The rates I looked at were $139 per day plus between $25 and $30 for the cab service each way. The hotel reviews didn't rate it very high but it would just be one night. I think we're gong to take one of the shuttle services that picks us up at home and then returns us to our door after the cruise. The prices I'm getting run about $140 each way so it won't be much more than getting a hotel and cab or paying for the parking in the parking garages downtown. :)

Edited to add: The $139 price included parking for up to 14 days. Additional days were $7 per day.

"The parking we found in the city would have run $28 per day in the parking garages. I found one cruise and park online called the Citi Garden Hotel on Airport Blvd. They don't offer a shuttle but there are cabs available."

Yeah - Airport Boulevard varies between boring and sketchy - and close to $50 cab fare to pier 27.

You've got it right, better to leave the car at home.

Thanks for the confirmation MarkBearSF. When I saw the address was Airport Blvd and then read some of the google reviews of the area it didn't take us long to decide that a door to door shuttle was our best route. :D

I have a friend that lives in Vallejo and without thinking she offered to pick us up and give us a ride. It wasn't until I reminded her that she drove a 2 seater Mazda Miata and that we'd have 4 bags for our 10 day cruise that she realized oops, that won't work. :eek:

Back to the Fisherman's Wharf area, we always stay at the Argonaut. Excellent service, nice rooms and it's even Nautically themed to get you in the cruise frame of mind...

We stayed at the Sheraton Fisherman's Wharf pre-cruise and the Marriott Fisherman's Wharf post-cruise this past February. Both hotels were clean, friendly and reasonably close to the pier. In fact, if you travel light, you could certainly walk to the pier (but it would be a few blocks).

 

I got both of these stays for reasonable rates using Priceline.

 

I would definitely stay at either hotel again in the future.

I'll second the Sheraton Fisherman's Wharf, we stayed there in March after a California Coastal cruise.

It's near enough to walk to the pier - and only a short taxi ride if you have lots of baggage.

Any info on Hotels that are close to the port or have shuttles that will take us to the ship in San Francisco? Or maybe a park and sail offer. :-)

For Park and Sail - 55 Francisco Street. You can book online and print out the confirmation. We just show it to the attendant when we get there. Many people stay at the Best Western Tuscan which is down by Fisherman's Wharf. We are 3 hours from the pier so we drive and park. Not worth it to get a hotel room - San Francisco is quite pricey. We usually get there early and leave our luggage in the car. We walk down to Pier 39 and have breakfast. By the time we're done it's time to get in line and wait for boarding. We've never had any trouble parking at 55 Francisco St. Safe and convenient. 55 Francisco is just down the street from the pier. Easy walk.

I've been doing some research for our August Alaska cruise. We live about 75 miles from the Pier and we also were interested in a park and cruise hotel. The parking we found in the city would have run $28 per day in the parking garages. I found one cruise and park online called the Citi Garden Hotel on Airport Blvd. They don't offer a shuttle but there are cabs available. The rates I looked at were $139 per day plus between $25 and $30 for the cab service each way. The hotel reviews didn't rate it very high but it would just be one night. I think we're gong to take one of the shuttle services that picks us up at home and then returns us to our door after the cruise. The prices I'm getting run about $140 each way so it won't be much more than getting a hotel and cab or paying for the parking in the parking garages downtown. :)

 

Edited to add: The $139 price included parking for up to 14 days. Additional days were $7 per day.

You can park your car for free at the Best Western El Rancho in Millbrae and take a cab or super Shuttle to the Pier. We've done this on certain occasions. We pay $18/day at 55 Francisco Street for parking. We're 3 hours from San Francisco, so we drive - leave early in the morning, works for us.

Ellair, I'll check out the Best Western to see if it works for us. It would cost us $28 per day at 55 Francisco street (ACE parking) because of the size of hubby's truck. The other vehicle we have access to is my in-laws but theirs is a full size sedan and on their website it says $28 per calendar day for full-sized, vans, trucks and SUVs. The web site says compacts are $18.

The folks car is technically a full size but hubby amazes me in some of the small places he's able to park it. What size vehicle were you able to park there for the $18? Thanks in advance for the info :) I know it's going to cost us to get to the pier but I'm trying to do it in the cheapest way possible.

As you've discovered, parking is expensive in downtown San Francisco. There are park and fly hotels, but those are located near the airport which is a hefty taxi fare from the cruise terminal. Have you considered renting a car one-way? You can drive to the city, drop your luggage at the hotel and then return it to the rental agency. Most of the rental car companies have facilities in the downtown area.

I can also vouch for the Omni. It's located at the corner of Montgomery and California and is a short cab ride to the port. It's our favorite place to stay in San Francisco.

Ellair, I'll check out the Best Western to see if it works for us. It would cost us $28 per day at 55 Francisco street (ACE parking) because of the size of hubby's truck. The other vehicle we have access to is my in-laws but theirs is a full size sedan and on their website it says $28 per calendar day for full-sized, vans, trucks and SUVs. The web site says compacts are $18.

 

The folks car is technically a full size but hubby amazes me in some of the small places he's able to park it. What size vehicle were you able to park there for the $18? Thanks in advance for the info :) I know it's going to cost us to get to the pier but I'm trying to do it in the cheapest way possible.

We drive a Ford Edge. It's an SUV, but midsize. We paid $18/day.

Citi Garden Hotel was recently on TV :cool:

http://www.sfexaminer.com/sanfrancisco/reality-tv-lashing-leads-to-welcomed-renovations-at-citigarden-hotel/Content?oid=2917953

I forgot to mention this, but directly across the street from 55 Francisco is another parking lot (4 stories), that also caters to people cruising. The sign on the building said $18 a day. I don't know the address, but it's directly across from 55 Francisco. Hope you can park there. BW El Rancho may work for you as well as parking is free, and they have a shuttle to the airport to get the Super Shuttle to the ship. Cheaper than paying for the parking and you can spend the night at the hotel. They have a very good restaurant on the premises and their rooms are comfortable.

One more thought on the price increase. San Francisco has instituted a minimum wage increase and the increase reflects the $28.00/day. No way will we pay that price. It will now be cheaper to stay at the BW El Rancho in Millbrae, free shuttle to airport to catch the Super Shuttle to the pier. If BW changes their free parking policy, then we'll look for cheaper ways or not cruise out of San Francisco. Princess needs to negotiate a price for parking at 55 Francisco, otherwise they will lose business.

Princess needs to negotiate a price for parking at 55 Francisco, otherwise they will lose business.

Not gonna happen anytime soon. Local politics.

It took 20+ years to build the Pier 27 cruise terminal and it took an America's Cup Race to do it. The home team won, but is looking elsewhere for the rematch because the politics.

Plus, our "City Family" has a "(green) transit first" policy. Anything and everything to get you out of a car is priority.

Stepping off soapbox...;)

This parking increase has really got me bugged. I just realized that the minimum wage kicked in and this could be the increase in parking. Well, DH and I plan in the future to park in Vallejo, take the ferry to Pier 41 then walk down to the ship. Round trip for the two of us is $52 and parking is $5/day. We paid the $18 rate a while ago at 55 Francisco, so we're good to go this time around. On our way home June 1, we're going to stop in Vallejo and check out the Ferry and the parking. Per their website, there's a parking garage there. I can see Princess losing a lot of business due to the expensive parking arrangement now. Not only Princess but a lot of businesses such as restaurants are closing up. Also expensive hotel rooms reflect the minimum wage increase.

This parking increase has really got me bugged. I just realized that the minimum wage kicked in and this could be the increase in parking. Well, DH and I plan in the future to park in Vallejo, take the ferry to Pier 41 then walk down to the ship. Round trip for the two of us is $52 and parking is $5/day. We paid the $18 rate a while ago at 55 Francisco, so we're good to go this time around. On our way home June 1, we're going to stop in Vallejo and check out the Ferry and the parking. Per their website, there's a parking garage there. I can see Princess losing a lot of business due to the expensive parking arrangement now. Not only Princess but a lot of businesses such as restaurants are closing up. Also expensive hotel rooms reflect the minimum wage increase.

Personally, I don't think the change in minimum wage has anything to do with it. It's really a supply and demand issue - there is a premium on parking in downtown San Francisco, and few new public parking garages are being built. The nice hotels in San Francisco are now charging more than $50/night for parking and the Embarcadero Center charges $33/day for parking. As for the hotels, most of them are unionized and the employees are under contract so they wouldn't be impacted by the change in the minimum wage.

I'm glad you found an option which may work for you. I think the ferry ride across the bay should put you in the right frame of mind for your cruise! :)

Personally, I don't think the change in minimum wage has anything to do with it. It's really a supply and demand issue - there is a premium on parking in downtown San Francisco, and few new public parking garages are being built. The nice hotels in San Francisco are now charging more than $50/night for parking and the Embarcadero Center charges $33/day for parking. As for the hotels, most of them are unionized and the employees are under contract so they wouldn't be impacted by the change in the minimum wage.

 

I'm glad you found an option which may work for you. I think the ferry ride across the bay should put you in the right frame of mind for your cruise! :)

We're parking at 55 Francisco St., because we've prepaid our parking a long time ago at $18/day. I did however email Princess about the price increase. Maybe they can negotiate with ParkWhiz to lower the price. However, I think Vallejo will work out fine for us. That saves us the traffic between Vallejo and The Embarcadero traffic - which is a nightmare. That's why we go early to beat the rush. Just gotta work out the kinks that's all. But the increases is unnerving! :mad: