Cracker Ken

GottaCruise18 - Which zoo are you considering? The Lowry Park Zoo, or Busch Gardens? There are no hotels close to Lowry Park. There are some that are relatively close to Busch Gardens (like Embassy Suites or LaQuinta Inn up on Fowler Avenue). All of the places you mentioned are miles apart. The Chase Suites and Hampton Inn out on Rocky Point are about 10 miles from the port, probably at least that far to Busch Gardens, and maybe 8 miles to Lowry Park Zoo. If you were to stay at the Hampton Inn in Ybor City, you would be reasonably close to the port (1 mile), next to the street car line, and near things to do in Ybor or the Channelside area (easily accessible via street car). You would probably have to take a taxi fromt he airport to the Hampton in Ybor, and to the Lowry Park Zoo or Busch Gardens. Tampa isn't big on public transportation. You could spend a long time riding around on city buses to get almost anywhere, with connections, etc. It's either that or taxi's, and they aren't cheap.

moxie1975 - Go for the Double Tree Westshore that folks are talking about just above.

MikeNKim - It's been reported that Hertz is renting out of the Marriott Waterside Hotel on Channelside Drive. You could check by calling Hertz or the hotel. I don't know if this is something just for guests at the Marriott.

You can walk from the port to the Marriott, or better yet, hop on the street car.

Ken

Sorry for the delays folks. I'll try to catch up today.

ewanko - You may be able to check your luggage before embarkation begins, or before you go inside to get in line. If you were to get there earlier, say around 10:30-11:00, you could check your luggage with the porters, then walk around and check out Channelside for a while before getting in line. You could even do the Channelside area, take your time, and go inside to check-in after the first rush subsides. I don't know of anywhere else that could hold your luggage, unless you check it at the bell station at the hotel and come back to get it later. I wouldn't be bashful about hiring a cab to go down to the port. They do it all the time. If the street car schedule is convenient, you could go back and forth to the Channelside/port area on the street car a lot cheaper than a cab. You may even be able to use the street car to get to the port when you are ready to do embarkation. The street cars are never too full that your luggage could be an issue.

Terri102066 - The closest hotel to the Channelside area would be either the Embassy Suites-Convention Center or the Marriott Waterside. Next, and somewhat cheaper, would be the Hampton Inn-Ybor City. The street car terminal is right between the Embassy Suites-Conv Center and the Marriott Waterside. The street cars run from there through the Channelside District by all of the cruise terminals, and on up to and through Ybor City. The street car runs right by the Hampton Inn in Ybor City too (the main station is next door).

Here's something y'all can try to get a good idea of the area:

Click here: http://maps.google.com/maps

Search on this: Channelside Drive at Franklin Street, Tampa, Florida

When the map pops up, you will see the bottom of the downtown Tampa area. Click on "Satellite" in the upper right hand corner of the screen and it will give you a nice picture of the area. You can zoom in and out, move up, down, left and right, by clicking on the screen controls on the left side of the screen. There will be a bright rectangle shape object down by the channel running left and right. That's the Ice Palace, also known as the St Pete Time Forum (Home of the Tampa Bay Lightning Hockey team). Along the channel, and to the left of the Ice Palace, near a small bridge, is the Marriott Waterside Hotel. The street car terminal is in front of the hotel. The Embassy Suites is just N. of the street car terminal. The picture is older, and the Embassy Suites isn't there yet. A shadow covers most of the street car station. If you look to the right down the channel, you will see a cruise ship at dock. That's the Channelside Complex and Terminal 2. Just around the curve to the N is the Florida Aquarium and Terminal 3. Just little further N in the channel (running N and S, Ybor Channel) is Terminal 6. The ship that's sitting at a diagonal to the right of the cruise ship is a retired US Navy ship on display. This should give you a good idea of the layout.

FlashbackAlternatives - I don't recall any negative posts on the Double Tree Westshore, from anyone posting on this thread. If there is, I don't remember. Double Tree doesn't have a reputation of having trashy hotels.

The reviews on some of those web sites have to be taken with a grain of salt, just like many cruise reviews. You will see some folks rave about the hotel and praise it, then someone will pop up and trash it, same with a number of folks on the same cruise. Satisfied people rarely go to those websites and put their comments in writing.

LHP - Thanks. You actually did quite well with your descriptions.

Jessemon - Yo! You still out there? Hope all is well on your side of town.

Ken

LHP - You did good. Nice brand new hotel. I haven't heard any reports from people who have stayed there. Be sure to check back in and give us a report after you stay there. It's right by the street car station, so getting a ride to Channelside or Ybor is easy and cheap.

ewanko - Somebody mentioned a long while back that Hertz was some how hooked up with the Marriott Waterside. As Jessemon says, the rental car companies don't have any presence down near or at the cruise terminals. I don't think any of them even offer a shuttle to their rental locations. The thing with Hertz at Marriott is a good find. The Marriott Waterside is very close to the cruise terminals. You can stand out front, look to the East and see the Carnival ships at dock. I'd estimate 1/2 mile, tops. From the airport to the cruise terminals is about 8 miles, or $20-$25 cab fare. Take a look at the Tampa album on my Yahoo photo page (link below), and you can see pictures of the area.

Ken

It's about 8 miles (+ or -) from the airport to the cruise terminal. Taxi ride is $20 - $25. The best way to get from the terminal to the airport is either taxi, or a shuttle van. There will probably be a desk at the cruise terminal for one of the shuttle van outfits, Bay Shuttle (I think). We don't have anything like monorail or train type transit in this area. Just taxi's, city buses, and limo/van services. They have been talking for quite a while about light rail service from the airport to downtown, but all they (the local gov't) do is talk.

Ken

Jessemon - That's a good point. I was thinking along those lines. It's not like the car is so packed that the luggage would be in the way, and it only takes a minute to load it. I was just worried about some sort of quirky rule or risk management issue that someone might come up with.

It would be nice if we could get some more moderately priced hotels in the downtown area, like on the Channelside corner of town. The Hilton Garden Inn up in Ybor City is nice too, and it's only a couple of blocks from the street car line. Other than that and the Hampton Inn, there's nothing else reasonable until you get over to the Courtyard or Residence Inn on Tampa St or Ashley Drive. In my opinion, the best places for cruisers is the Hampton Inn Ybor or the Marriott Waterside Hotel. The Marriott is beyond the price range most folks want (including me, if I was coming in from out of town).

Everyotheryear - The Residence Inn you mention is downtown next to the Courtyard that we discussed over the last page. If you stay there, you will need a taxi or a car. You would have to walk for many blocks to find a place to eat at night down there. Busch Gardens is way up in N. Tampa, towards the NE corner of town. A taxi up there wouldn't be cheap, and it would be a pain to take a city bus up there due to connections, etc. The bus terminal is a few blocks E of the Residence Inn on Morgan or Marion St just S. of I-275. The street car stops in the S end of the downtown core at Channelside Drive and S. Franklin St. at the Tampa Convention Center. It runs from there, past the Channelside District and the cruise terminals, and on up to Ybor City. It doesn't go anywhere near the International Mall, which is out next to the airport on the far W side of town. A car might be a good idea.

Ken

Thanks HeidiHo. That's a great suggestion regarding the Hampton Innin Ybor City. I covered that, and the area, in detail back on the thread a ways, probably several times. I recommended that to someone on another thread yesterday. The street car is cheap too. Nobody has said, and I haven't tried it, but if someone doesn't have much luggage, you could probably catch the street car from the Hampton to the cruise terminal. I don't know what their policy is on taking luggage on the street cars, and it would also depend on schedules.

Ken

ewanko - It's a mile, maybe less, depending on which terminal. In any instance, it's close, but much to far to walk.

Ken

Now I know what took the place of Houlihans. :eek: Nix that idea.

Yes, the Extended Stay is OK, judging from all outward appearances and the condition of the general area. I've stayed at those places on the job before and they were OK. Nothing fancy, but still clean and such. They have a little kitchenette area for folks staying for days or weeks. These places are often popular with construction folks or other people in town for periods of time on their jobs. Insurance companies like to put people up in those hotels if they are victims of a house fire or a hurricane.

Ken

dck12ga - I'm familiar with this location. It was originally built as a Wellesly Inn, as I recall. It was remodeled into the Extenda Stay. It's back off of the road on the SE corner of Spruce and Westshore. There's a restaurant out front, can't recall the name, but it used to be Houlihans originally. Also, it's directly across the street (4 lane road) from International Plaza Mall. Just to the E, a block or two, there are some other restaurants, the most reasonably priced being LeRoy Selmon's BBQ. It's close to the airport too. The area is primarily a business district.

Ken

Terri102066 - All 3 of those locations are OK. The LaQuinta isn't a fancy place, and they have outside entry (not like the newer locations). It's kind of across the street from the International Mall, however you could get really sweaty doing the walk. There aren't any sidewalks on the main road there. The Chase and the Holiday Inn Express are separated by a restaurant called Bahama Breeze (good place to eat). The Holiday Inn Express is nice, and just as good as any of that type I've stayed at. I have stayed at this one for business before. Chase Suites is OK too. Several people have discussed Chase Suites in this thread. Rocky Point is rather quiet at night, but there are 5 restaurants out there: 1/ Bahama Breeze; 2/ Crabby Bills; 3/ Landry's Seafood; 4/ Castaways; and 5/ Rusty Pelican. 1, 2, and 3 are casual and reasonable. 4 and 5 are more costly.

The AmeriSuites is off of N Westshore Blvd, S of Spruce St. It's a few blocks to the mall in either direction, and is in the Westshore Business District. None of these are in a bad part of town.

Hope this helps.

Ken

Yo!, Jessemon - I've completed my photo album from our Trans-Atlantic cruise. It's on my Yahoo page. Enjoy. Yes, we need to make arrangements to meet up sometime over there in Tampa somewhere. I'll try to get some ideas as to when it might be a good time, and I'll get with you. If the wives can't make it, I'll arrange to meet you somewhere over there. Later,

Ken

TeacherJenn - The Residence Inn downtown is OK, same as other hotels in that brand which are usually quite good. It's next to the Courtyard by Marriott. Those two hotels are really convenient to anything, unless you have a car. At night, they are probably the only thing in the area open. If there are any restaurants close, I'm not familiar with them. These two hotels are in the business district, but on the NW edge of it. I don't recommend walking the streets in that area at night. The Channelside district isn't too far away by cab (opposite side of the downtown core). There's lots of fun and eats there. The Embassy Suites Westshore is quite nice. There are photos of it on my Yahoo photo album for Tampa. The link is in my signature. At the page of albums, go down to the album for Tampa. Once you are at the album, go to the bottom and you will see the Embassy Suites there, along with the Double Tree Westshore and lots of more interesting places in Tampa including the cruise terminals. The Embassy Suites Westshore is across the street from the Westshore Plaza Mall, a really nice mall, which has theaters, food court, stores, and some restaurants. There's also a Walgreen's Drug store just down the block at Westshore and Kennedy Blvd, walking distance. I used to work across the street from the ES and people have given good reports on that location.

Terri102066 - You can't be close to both the airport and the port at the same time. They are about 7 miles apart, separated by a lot of the city and heavy traffic. I'd recommend staying in the Westshore or Rocky Point areas, perhaps in the Double Tree Westshore on Cypress, or the Chase Suites on Rocky Point. People report that you can get both airport and port shuttles at both of these places.

Remember - Ya'll need to take time to study the thread a little bit, if nothing but the last 4 or 5 pages. Lots and lots of info there already.:)

Ken

Susan - That day won't be nearly as bad as the main Gasparilla Day. The crowds of people streaming into Tampa, and around town within Tampa are very heavy on the main Gasparilla Day. The children's event doesn't have the same draw. Still, staying out in the Westshore Business District gets you out of the middle of things, in any instance. On a Saturday morning (a normal Saturday morning, that is), the ride from the Westshore area to the port is rather quick and trouble free. Thank you for the compliment.

Ken

Susan in Maine - The area of the Hampton Westshore is almost all business district. Relatively safe, and (other than aircraft flying over from time to time) should be quiet at night. There are places to eat at the International Mall to the N. on Westshore, and to the S. on Westshore at the Westshore Plaza Mall. There are some places to eat on Boy Scout Blvd in front of International Mall, one (LeRoy Selmon's BBQ) is reasonable, the other two (Flemings Prime Steakhouse and Roys) are kind of expensive. There's a Chuck's Steakhouse on Cypress just E of Westshore, not too far from the Hampton. Across the street from the Hampton, and a block or so to the N there's a restaurant (used to be Houlihans, but it changed names), and there's a Ruth's Chris Steakhouse within a block.

As for Gasparilla Day - One word describes it: MESS! Or, how about "Chaos." Hopefully you will have a cab and they can put up with the driving issues. I have lived in the area 53 years, and I have never been to the Gasparilla Parade. Nothing wrong with it (it's good fun), just a big pile of people and cars to deal with. The cruise terminals are on the SE corner of the downtown area, but things could be hectic in that corner too. A cab driver should know the ways to get around the mess and get you to the terminal. If you happen to be driving yourself to the port (God help you!), let me know and I'll get technical with some possible ways to get there with the least worry.

Ken

starketcher - Thanks for the review. It's nice to see someone coming back to the thread to tell us of your experiences. Us locals tell y'al about the hotels and such, their locations, and something about the area, but (needless to say) we don't stay at those places since we live here. By the way, most of the Courtyards have a full breakfast buffet, but you have to pay for it. It's good, and awful convenient for business travelers, which are their main target clientel. These hotels are on the approved lists for business travel where I work, and I stay in them from time to time. They have improved their mattresses a lot too.

Ken

Jessmon - I don't think we have ever went this long without a question about Tampa. I suppose everyone is finding all their answers in the thread (they are certainly there if folks look). Of course, if there's something new that hasn't been answered, we can always help out.

Lots of crazy stuff going on over on the Celebrity board. Pod problems with Summit (and folks throwing a fit about it), alledged problems on Mercury. It's always something...

I'm still working on the ton of pics I took while on the Century Trans-Atlantic. I'll let you know when I'm done with the pics and have them posted.

Ken

Signman - We are booked for the Eastern Med Cruise, 14 days, out of Civitavechia. It goes up into the Black Sea. Our sailing date is 10/27/06. Looks like we might pass each other in the terminal.

Ken

Hello folks, I'm back from the cruise. We took a 12 day trans-Atlantic on Celebrity Century from Ft L'dale to Barcelona, Spain. Stops in Ponta Delgada, Azores; Lisbon, Portugal; and Cadiz, Spain. This was our first time across the Atlantic, and first time to Europe. It certainly won't be our last. We are already booked for a 14 night Eastern Med Cruise in Oct '07 (and others between now and then). It was a great cruise. Perfect weather in all ports of call. There was some rough weather out on the Atlantic, but it could have been a lot worse. Lucky for us, the wind was from our rear, which kept the pitching and rolling to a minimum. The Century is a very stable ship too.

Ken

Jessemon, Signman, and anyone else that happens to be looking for me - I'm leaving Easter Sunday morning on our trans-Atlantic cruise. I hope to be back on 4/29, Saturday, 2 weeks from today, if Delta pilots don't strike (looks like they may not do that). Y'all hold down the fort. I'll check in when I get back.

Ken

GarageTwoThree - Yes, that's the place. They have strings of what looks like old crab trap bouys all over the place outside. It's next to where the old Morris Bridge Road cutoff is, right at the SW corner of I-75 and Fletcher.

hlfdzn -The traffic on a weekday heading towards town from up there could be a nightmare. Too many people, too many cars, and not enough roads. There is massive construction going through downtown on I-4. One little fender bender with a blue light flashing, and traffic will be at a standstill for miles, even if the road isn't blocked. All the folks who have never seen a police car in their entire life will have to slow down to see the nice little lights flashing, and to see if they can see someone bleeding. On a weekend, as GarageTwoThree says, it's slick and easy. On Friday afternoons, the traffic in the area of the airport starts to backup by about 2:30 to 3:00PM. It doesn't get clear until about 6:30-7:00PM, depending on if there have been any tie-ups in traffic.

DebbieOinKC - From that list, I'd pick either the LaQuinta Airport, or Best Western Westshore/Airport. Those two places are close to two large malls. Westshore Plaza on Westshore at I-275 is nice. Food court, nice stores, restaurants out front, and a theater for movies. Up at the N. end of Westshore is the International Plaza, nice stores, most upscale, with some really nice places to eat in a plaza out back. There are also some places across the street too.

Ken

signman - Howard - Thanks much. No, we won't be spending any extra time over there, unless our return is delayed due to a potential airline strike with Delta. Celebrity put us on Delta since we bought cruise air. We are worried. So, we could end up with some time in Barcelona that we aren't planning on. We do have some stops in the Azores, Portugal, and Spain, before docking in Barcelona. I'll give y'all a report when we get back. This is our second time on Century. They didn't sell out this cruise, so maybe there are some upgrades available. I'd at least like to move across the hall to a cabin with a window. We don't want to move up high in the ship since we like being low in case of rough seas. We both take meclazine the entire trip and are capable of getting sea sick. I know the Atlantic can be bad at times. Hold down the fort here and I'll check in when we get back.

Ken

The hotel is located on Fletcher Avenue just W of I-75. If you take Fletcher Avenue to the West, just past 30th St, on the N. side of the road, you will find a large Target store. If you were to get on I-75 at Fletcher and head N. to the next exit, Bruce B. Downs Blvd, you can find some decent places to eat. Not positive, but I think there's a Wal-Mart out there in that area (called New Tampa). Also, there's a Bob Evan's just down the street from the Hampton Inn. In that area, it's mostly office buildings, hotels, and a couple of restaurants (Bob Evans, Wendy's, Starbucks, and a Dunkin Donuts). Also, rather oddly, there's an old bait and tackle shop out there. It's been there a long time, but it no longer fits the area. It's quiet and peaceful out there. I drive for a living too, so 20-50 miles means nothing to me either, but I wanted to make sure you knew it wasn't close to the airport (like a couple of miles).

Ken

hlfdzn - I agree regarding Hampton Inn's. We usually stay there or Holiday Inn Express. I do the same with business travel. This Hampton Inn is in a nice area. I was at a meeting next door in the office park this past Monday. However, this is not anywhere near the Tampa Intl Airport. It's on the far opposite side of town from the airport, as far away as you can get, and still call it Tampa. This is basically at the NE tip of Tampa. Tampa Intl Airport is on the far W. side of town. I don't know the exact miles from the airport, but it's probably around 12-15 miles. The map may show an airport S. of this location and not too far away, but that's a small airport called Vandenburg Airport. There is a Hampton Inn near Tampa Intl Airport. It should be listed on N. Westshore Blvd. There's also a Hampton Inn and a Holiday Inn Express at Rocky Point, which is also relatively close to the airport. Hope this helps.

Ken

pretty_in_pink - You might consider the Double Tree on W. Cypress. Several people have mentioned a park and ride option there. The Chase Suites on Rocky Point Drive is another possibility for that. Make sure you call these places on the phone an talk with them about your needs to verify the park/ride, or should I say park/sail option. These aren't close to the port, but close enough, and near the airport. There's a lot of info on both of these places not far up the thread.

imacrusing - The Sheraton on N. Ahsley Drive is a nice place. Recently remodeled and changed over to Sheraton. They have very nice bed mattresses at Sheratons. The place is right on the river in town. Not far from the port. You would have to be kind of high up in the hotel to be able to see the ships coming in. If on a lower floor, it wouldn't be possible. I stayed there one time when it was under another name, and all I could see were buildings across the street. In any instance, it's a nice hotel worthy of the Sheraton name.

Ken

$12 per day, payable in advance when you drive into the lot. They accept cash or credit cards (all except Diners Club).

Ken