Pre-cruise Hotels thru X

[shofer]

We are booking a winter cruise on Reflection and want to fly from Chicago to Miami a day early. Princess offers a hotel package pp which we have utilized twice and found it very convenient.

 

Does X offer the same? We haven't been since 2006 when we did a RT LA to Hawaii and used the Hyatt hotel in Long Beach thru X.

 

Thanks,

Sue

[Orator]

We are booking a winter cruise on Reflection and want to fly from Chicago to Miami a day early. Princess offers a hotel package pp which we have utilized twice and found it very convenient.

 

Does X offer the same? We haven't been since 2006 when we did a RT LA to Hawaii and used the Hyatt hotel in Long Beach thru X.

 

Thanks,

Sue

 

Yes they do, but I've been able to book "their" hotels at a much lower price. Example: I was told that the Majestic in Barcelona was not available. It was available when I contacted the hotel directly. The price I paid was less than half of the price listed by Celebrity. Don't know if my experience was unique or typical, but I would check before booking.

[cruisestitch]

Yes they will offer pre-cruise hotels but for domestic travel it isn't probably necessary. You can book hotels and do your own cab to the ship for a lot less than they charge. Not necessarily so if you are going out of the US, when the ease and convenience of having their hotel-to-ship transport may be worth the extra cost.

[Bruin Steve]

I've used Celebrity's hotel package in Venice and Barcelona in 2003 and in Vancouver after my Alaska Cruisetour in 2004...And I've once used Royal Caribbean's pre-cruise hotel in Miami ...

 

But, most often, I will pass on the hotel "deal"...

 

It IS convenient in that you don't have to deal with any of the logistics...IF you are also using their air package...They will take you plane to hotel, hotel to ship...The prices can be "all over the place"...but usually higher rather than lower...At a minimum, you are paying for the hotel, the transfers and a "premium" to the cruise line...And, remember, they've got to set up these prices months in advance...

 

If you do it on your own, you can not only make a better deal on the hotel, but you can make a cancelable reservation and then keep watching for a better deal...And taxis airport to hotel and hotel to ship don't cost all that much--plus, you have the convenience of not waiting for the bus to fill up...

[CHEZMARYLOU]

We've always gotten a better deal by booking on our own.

 

Mary Lou

[Phxazzcruisers]

There are a lot of Hotels in Miami very near the terminal. I would look for a good deal and book it yourself, especially if you have any loyalty membership to a specific brand. Transportation is easy. Enjoy your cruise

[Gonzo70]

Everytime I've looked X was charging more than double what I could get booking the same or similar hotel on my own. Booking your own hotel is fast, easy and almost always MUCH cheaper.

[Fblack]

We normally book hotel rooms on our own, but used Celebrity to book our one night stay in Miami last year. Based on the time of year we were cruising, hotels in Miami (even via Last Minute sites) was more expensive than with Celebrity. This may be because we had a party of 3 plus I wanted queen beds not doubles. Most hotels only had double beds except for the Downtown Miami Hilton. And Celebrity had the best price. Plus transfers to the ship the day of the cruise. We took a taxi any way. Bottom line, find a hotel you like and compare prices.

 

As for the Downtown Miami Hilton, nothing special but fine for one night especially with our late arrival from the West Coast. We just checked in, ate dinner and headed for bed.

[biker1972]

Remember that when you look at the hotel stays and transfers provided by X, their prices are listed as per person. Only advantage that X offers is the convenience of not having to do research. Even careful bidding on Priceline can score you a major 4/5 star hotel downtown Miami at large savings over X.

[eandj]

If you go to the Florida departure board, you will find tons of info re hotels in Miami. Depending on how long you will be there precruise, what you'd like to be near and do for the day/evening and your budget, you will find an array of choices.

 

Skip the cruise transfer/hotel package and you'll not only save money but have a chance to pick the place that fits your needs.

[iancal]

We are fairly independent travelers.

 

We have never booked cruise line hotels, or transfers for that matter. Every time we have looked at the pricing/location we have found that we could get the same product for half the price-often the same hotel. I am certain that there are exception to this but we have not experienced them.

[Lin336]

This past January we sailed on the Eclipse out of Miami and made our own pre-curise hotel reservation. We stayed at the Holiday Inn Port of Miami & would stay again when sailing out of Miami.

 

The location was great - Bayside Marketplace across the street. As for the hotel itself - the staff was very nice & accommodating and our room was on one of the floors that had been renovated. The lobby was still in the process of being updated.

 

Before we booked, we read some of the reviews and really weren't expecting very much but were pleasantly surprised at how nice everything was and again, can't beat the location.

[richstowe]

Very strange. The quote they gave me for Choice Air is really pretty good for Montreal to Puerto Rico.

The hotels offered are both over $400 per night. Yikes! It includes transfers but still.

Don't want to commit to the air so far out although it is tempting.

Hotels at over $400 are not tempting.:eek:

 

I guess it's a crap shoot each time.

[CathyCruises]

We got the Intercontinental Miami, right on the water 5 minutes from the port, for $120 on Priceline. I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

 

We were forced to take Celeb's hotel in Barcelona one time, paid over $500 for one night at the Majestic in a tiny room with a view of the air conditoners. :eek: Next time, we booked a gorgeous room right on Las Ramblas at Hotel 1898 for less than half that. Learned our lesson. . .

[Redtravel]

I have often stayed in hotels before my cruise. I have booked through Celebrity when the price was right. I have also, booked myself when the Celebrity price was too high. In Miami, there are many options.

[Jborosara]

One note in favor of X sponsored pre-cruise hotels....

 

they come to pick your bags up in the room of the hotel for you about 1030 am the morning of departure - you do not see them again until you are in your room on the cruise ship. this was - in San Juan - a MAJOR factor in our decision to book the Sheraton OSJ through X. Also know that in many ports, many hotels require a two night minimum in season if you try to book directly with them - meaning you end up paying the double rate anyway.

 

having said all of that - when we go to San Juan next winter, we are flying in two days early and i booked myself through the Sheraton OSJ because i wanted to choose my own room.

 

downsides to X pre-cruise hotel - two for me (1) clearly we were assigned the rooms that are difficult to sell - we had a view of an alley and a concrete wall... (2) we did not use the transport to the terminal - we wanted to walk around OSJ for a bit and the cruise transport is a bus that leaves at 1pm. The Summit didn't leave until 830pm that night and muster was around 430 or 5 so just didn't see the need to be on board that early, especially as we wanted to see the city. Next winter, we'll be getting onboard around the same time - easy as pie to get on board quickly around 330 or so.

 

My real wish - X would offer some sort of luggage pick up/valet service at the hotels since - THAT i would use in a heartbeat - and I'd pay nicely for it too!

[Presto2]

We used a pre cruise hotel with Celebrity last year in Rome and it was fabulous. So much so that we have booked the same hotel next year in another cruise ---

 

From what we have seen they do pick hotels that are rela quality so one less thing to worry about !

[jacketwatch]

I have never found the hotels offered by cruise lines to be cost effective. :)