Hotel suggestions for Tampa

[Peter Cabot]

I think this thread is fabulous, especially since you local folks are so kind with your time to answer all of these questions in such informative detail.

 

Unfortunately, the thread is so big most people won't want to go through it to find the information they are looking for. And keyword searhcing is not an intuitive thing for most people. We are a scroll-and-scan society, not a seek-and-find society. And 62 pages is a lot to scan, so lots of folks will skip the thread and just ask the same question someone else did previously.

 

An index would be great - or maybe there's a way to break the thread down into smaller chunks by some sort of category.

 

Either way, I for one am greatly appreciative of everyone who takes the time to post their local knowledge on the board. Thanks a zillion!

[Cracker Ken]

Jessemon - You have some good points there, and you are probably right. DW and I have spent countless hours researching ports of call, shore excursions, ships, itineraries, etc on the boards. We find what we need. As a last resort, I ask. There are those who, as one person so candidly admitted, are lazy and don't want to read and look for info. I do indeed plan on putting together an index. I'll get it posted, and we'll see what happens. Those other threads this past week were all answered here many, many times. As you may recall, we have had questions asked when the answer was two posts above the question, and they never looked. I guess that's just the way some folks are. After Super Bowl weekend, lets plan to get some lunch somewhere over in Tampa one Saturday.

 

Peter Cabot - Thanks for the compliments. We appreciate it. Your points are well taken. As I said, I'll do an index and see what happens. Some days I type for hours doing reports for work (like about 6 hours on the keyboard today). Doing lots of posting at night trying to catch up with the Q&A thing gets tiring. If folks would spend half as much time looking up answers and I have at times answering them, the thread would be about 1/3 as long as it is (if not, less). One thing that got me involved in writing on this thread, was the need for accuracy and an unbiased local viewpoint, and that's what keeps me coming back for more.

 

Ken

[jessemon]

Jessemon - You have some good points there, and you are probably right. DW and I have spent countless hours researching ports of call, shore excursions, ships, itineraries, etc on the boards. We find what we need. As a last resort, I ask. There are those who, as one person so candidly admitted, are lazy and don't want to read and look for info. I do indeed plan on putting together an index. I'll get it posted, and we'll see what happens. Those other threads this past week were all answered here many, many times. As you may recall, we have had questions asked when the answer was two posts above the question, and they never looked. I guess that's just the way some folks are. After Super Bowl weekend, lets plan to get some lunch somewhere over in Tampa one Saturday.

 

Peter Cabot - Thanks for the compliments. We appreciate it. Your points are well taken. As I said, I'll do an index and see what happens. Some days I type for hours doing reports for work (like about 6 hours on the keyboard today). Doing lots of posting at night trying to catch up with the Q&A thing gets tiring. If folks would spend half as much time looking up answers and I have at times answering them, the thread would be about 1/3 as long as it is (if not, less). One thing that got me involved in writing on this thread, was the need for accuracy and an unbiased local viewpoint, and that's what keeps me coming back for more.

 

Ken

Hey Ken,

I had a thought to help with the index...why not see if the boards (Laura) let you get into the thread and clean it up. Eliminate alot of those double...triple...zillion same qusetions and answers to bring the size down.

I mean...after being a featured post on the boards...(good job on the virus thingy)

Getting together after superbowl would work. Sounds like fun.

I am sending you an e-mail by the way.

Peter...

Saw your post earlier today and thought I would let Ken respond first. He by far conributes more to this thread than anyone.

By the way...thank you for the thank you...

Jeff

[LaRue1975]

Just wanted to say thanks for all the great info posted on this thread. I am sailing on the Legend in May and while it took me quite a while to sort through this very long thread I found exactly the info I was looking for. It is worth the time and effort, definitely!:)

 

I had originally booked the Marriott Westshore but have switched to the Waterside, I am sure by DH and I will love it, can't wait!! The Tampa port looks incredible compared to others we have sailed out of, lot's to do in the area.

 

Our return flight to CA is not until 6:30 PM but I have learned that Carnival offers a place to check your luggage until 4:00 PM so we will use that service and wander around Channelside for the day, another great tip found from the review pages.

 

The biggest tip I found was a store called Total Wine and More, we will need to pick up our wine and liquer in Tampa due to the new flight regulations. This store is at 1720 N. Dale Mabry and has just about everything you could want in wine and spirits and great prices too. It looks just like BevMo out here in CA. They have a website and you can pre-order online and pick it up at the front check out counter, which we plan to do via taxi from the airport to hotel. That will save a lot of time and $$ with the meter running on the cab.:)

 

Thank you again, especially all the locals that take the time to help us cruisers out.:) Hope this post wasn't too long, I just wanted to share some of the awesome tips I have picked up so far.

[jessemon]

Just wanted to say thanks for all the great info posted on this thread. I am sailing on the Legend in May and while it took me quite a while to sort through this very long thread I found exactly the info I was looking for. It is worth the time and effort, definitely!:)

 

I had originally booked the Marriott Westshore but have switched to the Waterside, I am sure by DH and I will love it, can't wait!! The Tampa port looks incredible compared to others we have sailed out of, lot's to do in the area.

 

Our return flight to CA is not until 6:30 PM but I have learned that Carnival offers a place to check your luggage until 4:00 PM so we will use that service and wander around Channelside for the day, another great tip found from the review pages.

 

The biggest tip I found was a store called Total Wine and More, we will need to pick up our wine and liquer in Tampa due to the new flight regulations. This store is at 1720 N. Dale Mabry and has just about everything you could want in wine and spirits and great prices too. It looks just like BevMo out here in CA. They have a website and you can pre-order online and pick it up at the front check out counter, which we plan to do via taxi from the airport to hotel. That will save a lot of time and $$ with the meter running on the cab.:)

 

Thank you again, especially all the locals that take the time to help us cruisers out.:) Hope this post wasn't too long, I just wanted to share some of the awesome tips I have picked up so far.

Thank you for the nice comments. Some folks do work hard at helping here. Glad to see you enjoyed reading (tho it takes a while) this thread.:eek:

Thanks for the info on the pick-up at the wine store. It is a big store that is a chain that just moved in last year.

I will store that info in the back of my head in case anyone asks the question about wine in the future.

Jeff

[Susan in Maine]

We stayed there last Friday night January 26th. The room was great, and breakfast pre-cruise worked out very well.

 

However, a couple of qualifying issues:

 

Bahama Breeze is a VERY busy restaurant, especially on the weekends. At 6:30 on a Friday night, we would have had to wait 90 minutes or more for dinner. It's also noisy. This is fine if you're a party animal, but was a bit much for my family after traveling all day. We ended up doing take-out, and eating in our suite was great

 

Second issue is the transportation. There is only ONE van, and if you're traveling with a group, this can be a problem. There were five of us, and another group at the hotel of five or six. Because of that, they could only take one group at a time. Because the other people got a call into the hotel first, we ended up paying for a taxi to the airport. They were just picking up the first group at 9:45, and we would have had to wait for the van to go to the airport, and come back to pick us up.

 

I probably would still use the hotel, but the issue with the van really bothered us.

 

And thanks everyone for all their great contributions!

 

If you have any other questions, just ask!

[susierailroad]

Don't scold me cause I've done my "due diligence", reading the previous 18 pages, but it's late and I give up on finding the info I want.

 

Only one question: What is the daily parking rate at the port of Tampa? Thanks.

[jessemon]

Don't scold me cause I've done my "due diligence", reading the previous 18 pages, but it's late and I give up on finding the info I want.

 

Only one question: What is the daily parking rate at the port of Tampa? Thanks.

The rate is $12.00.

Hope you enjoyed the reading......

[silverlilly1]

Maybe this isn't exactly the right thread, but...

I've read about 10 pages back, but due to spending three days reading 68 pages of one carnival thread, I don't have the stamina to go back much further. We will be returning to Tampa June 3 and our flight doesn't leave until around 6 pm, so we'd like to do some shopping/looking around. Specifically, I'd like to shop for regular clothing (I'm from Canada and some of your stores are different than ours), and maybe see some interesting stores.

 

With morning debarking, will Channelside be open yet (Sunday)? Which is the better place to do this kind of shopping, Channelside or the Westshore Mall? Or is there a better place to shop (big mall)? We don't want to spend a ton of money trying to get around with our luggage, so it would be nice if it was close to or between the pier/airport. What would be the best way to get there? We will have to tote our luggage around with us. What kind of prices can I expect to pay for two to travel to the mall? (I read a taxi from the pier to the airport is $20.)

[jessemon]

Maybe this isn't exactly the right thread, but...

I've read about 10 pages back, but due to spending three days reading 68 pages of one carnival thread, I don't have the stamina to go back much further. We will be returning to Tampa June 3 and our flight doesn't leave until around 6 pm, so we'd like to do some shopping/looking around. Specifically, I'd like to shop for regular clothing (I'm from Canada and some of your stores are different than ours), and maybe see some interesting stores.

 

With morning debarking, will Channelside be open yet (Sunday)? Which is the better place to do this kind of shopping, Channelside or the Westshore Mall? Or is there a better place to shop (big mall)? We don't want to spend a ton of money trying to get around with our luggage, so it would be nice if it was close to or between the pier/airport. What would be the best way to get there? We will have to tote our luggage around with us. What kind of prices can I expect to pay for two to travel to the mall? (I read a taxi from the pier to the airport is $20.)

Between the port and the airport are two malls. One you mentioned is the Westshore Mall. There is also the International Mall. It is a more upscale mall. It is even closer to the airport but only by about a mile.

I used to know their website address but I can't remember. Try Google for malls in Tampa and see if it will come up.

Many places to eat that are different from the Chinese and pizza places in most malls.

The taxi fare is about right...

Forget Channelside...only bars really...no shopping to speak of.....

[keishashadow]

Lots of great info indeed!:)

 

Only problem with hotels is the service can tend to ebb & flow, just like the current lol. As in info more than a few months old as to service/condition of hotel can change dramatically.

[jessemon]

Lots of great info indeed!:)

 

Only problem with hotels is the service can tend to ebb & flow, just like the current lol. As in info more than a few months old as to service/condition of hotel can change dramatically.

If you go back 10 or 12 pages you will find most info is current.

Let's put it this way...it is better than getting the info from the hotels site.....;)

[di234]

Hi Ken,

Thank you for taking the time to help us all out. I use to live in Tampa from 1978-1980. We really enjoyed living there. We will be going on a cruise in July. We will rent a car and drive around to see if we can remember any spots we use to go to. Is the Sea Wolf Restaurant still around, if I remenber it was a very nice place? We lived in a development called the Plantation, I think it was near Linbaugh Ave. Does that ring a bell? I am sure Tampa has changed alot it will be interesting to see the city again. Reading about all the places in Tampa brings back alot of memories.

Thanks, Diane

[Cracker Ken]

Diane- If you haven't been to Tampa since 1980, you are in for a shock. The growth in the area you used to live in has been crazy, to say the least. I'm familiar with Plantation. I had to do stake-out work out there trying to catch building supply and appliance theives when they were building a lot of that area. That corner of the county has turned into wall-to-wall subdivisions. Traffic is bad out that way too. Seawolf went out of business when the owner got into some serious troubles with the law. The two Seawolf restaurants were indeed nice places to eat, both the one in Tampa, and in Lakeland. I've been there several times. The area where the Seawolf in Tampa was located has went down hill considerably, along with the rest of the Busch Blvd area from Nebraska Ave out to Temple Terrace. Downtown Tampa has changed a lot too. It will look a lot different. You should have a great time cruising around and looking at the way things have changed. If you go to my Yahoo photo album page (linked in my signature block) and look for the Tampa album, you will see some of the major changes. There have been changes since I took those pictures too. Hope you enjoy your trip to Tampa, and your cruise, of course.

 

Ken

[di234]

Thanks Ken for your quick reply. I enjoy reading your posts.

Diane

[LOMOND LASS]

Hi Guys

 

You have made this thread a very interesting one and forgive me if I am repeating previously asked questions ! My husband and I arrive in Tampa on 10th April, 3 nights prior to our cruise on Zenith and are looking for a reasonably price clean safe hotel that is close to public transport to see various attractions or within walking distance of attractions - we would think nothing of a hours walk as it is one of the best ways to see a place. Fellow Scots who arrive the night before the cruise are booked in to the Hyatt but I seems very pricey, I have seen the Milner and another hotel Ancaster plaza or similar which look quite central but what I think is central might be miles away! Also, I have noted people saying they have got great deals on for example AAA. Do you know if this is only available to US residents or indeed any other US site for good rates for hotels?

 

Hope your eyes are not too sore ! and thanks in advance to anyone who takes the time to give me input.

 

Awra best, awra time (All the best all the time)

 

Jan (Lomond Lass - last part used extremely loosely I can just about remember when!)

[LOMOND LASS]

Hi Jeff

 

Thanks for posting on the Zenith Roll Call for 13th (lucky for some) April. I do not know what happened to my post. Like you I kept looking for it but I think it was a case of gone gone and never called me mother - either that or it had a wee dram and did not tell me!

 

Anyway, we are looking for advice on where to stay the three nights we are in Tampa prior to our cruise e.g. Westshore sounds as if it is close to the water?. We are looking to be close to public transport for getting about since we consider it could be dangerous for locals (and probably us too!) if we tried to drive!!! We are not looking for fancy just as long as it is clean, safe and welcoming as we would prefer to keep our pennies for trips during the cruise. I noticed you mentioned the Marriot Waterside but I have also noticed a couple of other 3 stars mentioned but unfortunately I cannot properly remember the name I think one was something Ancaster Plaza and Milton or something similar. Also, do you know if UK residents can book through US sites e.g. AAA and if so could you recommend any. Is Busch gardens worth a visit by 60 year olds and could you recommend other things to see and do?

 

Thanks in anticipation of your help.

 

Regards,

 

Jan Shields (Lomond Lass - and as you will now realise I have used poetic licence on the second part of my non de plume!!)

[LOMOND LASS]

Apologies for the double post - hicc!

[LOMOND LASS]

Double OOPS Jeff! I see my original post has now arrived - wonder where it has been all this time???

 

Sorry for all the confustion and honestly it is not due to too much of the "hard stuff".

 

Looking forward to hearing from you,

 

Regards,

 

Jan

[jessemon]

Hi Jeff

 

Thanks for posting on the Zenith Roll Call for 13th (lucky for some) April. I do not know what happened to my post. Like you I kept looking for it but I think it was a case of gone gone and never called me mother - either that or it had a wee dram and did not tell me!

 

Anyway, we are looking for advice on where to stay the three nights we are in Tampa prior to our cruise e.g. Westshore sounds as if it is close to the water?. We are looking to be close to public transport for getting about since we consider it could be dangerous for locals (and probably us too!) if we tried to drive!!! We are not looking for fancy just as long as it is clean, safe and welcoming as we would prefer to keep our pennies for trips during the cruise. I noticed you mentioned the Marriot Waterside but I have also noticed a couple of other 3 stars mentioned but unfortunately I cannot properly remember the name I think one was something Ancaster Plaza and Milton or something similar. Also, do you know if UK residents can book through US sites e.g. AAA and if so could you recommend any. Is Busch gardens worth a visit by 60 year olds and could you recommend other things to see and do?

 

Thanks in anticipation of your help.

 

Regards,

 

Jan Shields (Lomond Lass - and as you will now realise I have used poetic licence on the second part of my non de plume!!)

Hello Jan,

If you have looked through this thread you will realize that when it comes to hotels...Cracker ken is the best. he has to stay in them when he is here in Tampa. He also used t be in law enforcement here.

Westshore area is not within walking distance of water. At least not safely. Way to much traffic for that trek.

Marriott Waterside is pricey but sits next to the cruise port and there are many things to do with much public transportatio. Trolly and buses.

The hotel you are calling the Milton is probably a Hilton and the other one you mentioned (no offense) makes no sense.

Busch Gardens is one of my favorites. Alot of it though is rollercoasters. But many other things to do. German hall for food beer and show. An amphitheater for variety shows. A great zoo wwhere the animals roam free. Try google.com and go to Busch gardens.

Westshore is an OK place to stay. Many places to eat. Two good malls.

Hope I have helped somewhat....;)

Jeff

[LOMOND LASS]

Hi Jeff

 

Thanks for your response. After all my bad postings I thought I had burst this thread! Anyway, someone on our Roll Call (Bob - WBUFan) has suggested the Chase Suites which look ok and the price looks fine but from the map they show it is difficult to tell if they are near transport links. My guess is it is too far out but maybe you or Ken could advise us?

 

Our Scottish friends are booked into the Hyatt Regency thro cele but it would cost us, according to our TA, about £600 for 3 nights which is way too rich for our blood so we guess celeb gets a real cut price rate.

 

Can I also ask you your thoughts on Hotwire which Bob also mentioned?

 

Many thanks and if we ever meet which I hope we might on some cruise or other, it will be our pleasure to buy you a wee dram.

 

Jan

[Cracker Ken]

LOMOND LASS - Sorry I haven't been on the thread for a bit. It has been busy around here.

 

As for the Milton Motel/Hotel - I believe this is a really old motel that used to be a Holiday Inn many years ago. The motel and the area has went downhill considerably over the years. I consider it to be in a bad area, and the surrounding area is consumed with heavy highway construction. If the one you were looking at is in East Tampa, around I-4 and 50th St, or Melbourne Ave, this is probably the same one. Actually, I don't recommend any of those motels at I-4 and 50th St. or I-4 and 40th St., no matter what kind of deal you get there.

 

Also, I also don't recommend staying in motels/hotels on Busch Blvd. in Tampa. That area has deteriorated over the years too. If you want to stay in N. Tampa, pick something that has an address from 3000 E. Fowler Avenue and up.

 

The problem in Tampa, is that mass transit is mainly city buses and taxis. The things to do in Tampa are spread out considerably. The distances, saftey and traffic make it prohibitive to stay in one place and walk. You have to either have a rental car or a taxi, for the most part.

 

As Jeff said, the Marriott Waterside Hotel is a great location within walking distance of things to do in the S side of the downtown business core, along the water front. It's next to a trolley station, and the trolley can take you (inexpensively) to the Channelside complex, past the cruise terminals, and on up to the Ybor City Latin district. It stops at the Florida Aquarium too. Back on the thread somewhere, I have links to the trolley system, Centro Ybor, Florida Aquarium and Channelside (which is where Carnival ships dock).

 

Some other very nice options that would be convenient to the area I mention above are:

• Hilton Garden Inn - Ybor City. I think it's on 9th Avenue. 2 blocks from the trolley line and close to the action in Ybor City.
  
• Hampton Inn - Ybor City. Next to the trolley line. Very convenient too. Not far from the cruise terminals. Walking distance to a lot of things in Ybor City, including some restaurants.
  
• Embassy Suites - Tampa Convention Center. It's across from the Marriott Waterside Hotel and next to the trolley station.
  
• Hyatt Regency Hotel - Downtown Tampa. Nice hotel in the middle of town, not very far from the trolley line at the Embassy Suites and Marriott Waterside area. Easy walking distance.
  
• Residence Inn & Courtyard by Marriott - Nice hotels, but not close to good places to eat, and on the other side of downtown from the waterfront.
  
• Sheraton Hotel - Downtown Tampa. This has an address on Ashley Drive.

Anything other than the above isn't a good place to stay, or else it will be a distance from the port.

 

Busch Gardens is a nice place to go, for sure, and you can spend the entire day there. Another fairly nice zoo to visit is the Lowry Park Zoo on North Blvd at Sligh Avenue. A lot of visitors overlook this place because it's out of the way. They have a web site too.

 

Don't forget to check out my Tampa photo album (and others if you wish) on my Yahoo photo album web page. The link is in my signature block below.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Ken

 

Jessemon- I haven't forgot about you. I still plan to come over there and meet you for lunch one Saturday or Sunday. I'm still living by myself while DW is living with her mother, who is recuperating from hip replacement. I'm staying quite busy around here.

[Cracker Ken]

I goofed - The old Holiday Inn type hotel in E Tampa is called the Milner Hotel or Motel, I think. Still, I don't recommend staying there. This also goes for the Days Inn on Melbourne, or the Howard Johnson on N. 50th ST. I don't know anything about Milton hotels. Maybe you meant Hilton?

 

Ken

[LOMOND LASS]

Hi Ken

 

Thanks for your prompt response. BTW did you know your first name is of Scottish origin, in fact it has connections with Royalty ? Yes, a way back when we had a King Kenneth of Scotland! We would call it your Christian name here but I know that in the world these days one has to be "politically" correct! A curiousity question your flag, if it is not too cheeky is it a country flag or has it some other connection? If this is too personal just ignore!

 

Turning back to your list of hotel! I have checked them out and to be quite frank they are too rich for our blood. I spent hours researching hotels/motels and have come up with the Econo Lodge Midtown which would work out for us about £150 for 3days and the room has micro/fridge and it appears to be close to the 96 bus route which would take us into downtown. Can Bo (short for Bob/Bobby) and I have your thoughts?

 

Thanks for your input to date and like Jeff we owe you a wee dram and look forward to paying up on some future cruise.

 

Regards,

 

bjx

[Cracker Ken]

LOMOND LASS - The flag in my signature block is the flag of the State of Florida. I'm kind of proud of my native Florida heritage. I'm a multi-generation Florida native. A kind of nick-name for Florida natives is "Cracker", and that's where I came up with my screen name. My ancestors on my father's side would be considered "Crackers" which is a term that came from the old time Florida Cowboys who used to "Crack" whips to scare cows out of the brush when driving them through Central Florida to the port in Southwest Florida for export. The term rubbed off on rural Florida pioneers of the 1800's - not just cowboys, but the folks who lived out in the country. Christian name works just fine for me. No problem. I had heard that my first name was from the UK area. My last name comes from France, however my ancestors (French Huguenots) didn't get along with the French government and state religion, so the fled before they lost their heads. My Paternal grandmothers family traces back to Ipswich, England.

 

Back on topic - If the Econo-Lodge has an address on W. Kenned Blvd, I cannot give it a high rating at all. The area has improved some. For years it was getting to be skid row (where the homeless people roam). Used to be lots of prostitution and other bad activity along W. Kennedy too. It's cleaned up some though. If you stay there, don't venture out much at night unless you are in a taxi, don't walk around at night.

 

There's a Best Western on N. Westshore Blvd that may be cheaper than those I listed before, and city buses run up and down Westshore Blvd all the time. The Westshore area is a lot cleaner and safer than the area where that Econo-Lodge is located on Kennedy Blvd - if that's the one you are looking at.

 

Ken