Pre cruise stays?

We have always stayed in a hotel for a few days before our European cruises but it occurred to us for our upcoming cruise from Rome we might want to stay in a rental apartment instead. Looking online at a well known rental service, we were amazed at how reasonably priced they are compared to hotels! Are there any reasons (problems) why this isn't a good idea? Thanks for any information on this topic!

You may want to ask this in the Rome sub-forum.

I don't mean Rome specific, we travel from other European ports also.

We have always stayed in a hotel for a few days before our European cruises but it occurred to us for our upcoming cruise from Rome we might want to stay in a rental apartment instead. Looking online at a well known rental service, we were amazed at how reasonably priced they are compared to hotels! Are there any reasons (problems) why this isn't a good idea? Thanks for any information on this topic!

The last three times we were in Rome we stayed in an apartment and I can't think of a reason why we wouldn't do it again. Better price, more room, and more convenient.

This might be a good question to ask on Trip Advisor Travel Forums. They don't make them easy to find - from the home page, you need to click on the three dot 'more' symbol to get to them. Ask in the Europe forums about experience with the specific rental agency you plan to use and you should get plenty of answers.

We have always stayed in a hotel for a few days before our European cruises but it occurred to us for our upcoming cruise from Rome we might want to stay in a rental apartment instead. Looking online at a well known rental service, we were amazed at how reasonably priced they are compared to hotels! Are there any reasons (problems) why this isn't a good idea? Thanks for any information on this topic!

In Rome we stayed in a flat last month, literally @ the forum. Couldn't have asked for a better location.Less than USD200/nite for 2 full baths and kitchen. Car service appeared right outside the door and got us to the ship. Was great.

I have rented apartments in Europe many times. (London, Paris, Prague, Vienna, Barcelona). I have always been satisfied, and the apartments have always been as described on the rental site. I much prefer apartments to hotels. I use hotels for short stays (a day or two), but for longer stays I rent apartments.

Carolyn

We have chosen apartments or villas pre cruise and for general vacations (enjoying a wonderful countryside villa in Mallorca at present!).

The only downside we have found is that if you are only staying one or two days it doesn’t seem worth (time, money, cost, effort) of buying basic items most of which you will not use. Our general rule has been 3 days or less hotel. More than 4 days look at all alternatives.

We do like to look at ‘different’ options. Last year when cruising from Southampton we booked an apartment over a 16th century pub in the New Forest, it was a holiday in its own right.

Advantages pre and post cruise of apartments/villas include...

Often more space for less cost.

Self catering is a great contrast to the fine dining on board your cruise.

Most include private laundry facilities (most welcome on extended holidays).

Added freedom of doing what you like when you like...

Often you feel more immersed into the local culture and cuisine.

OP, the only thing I would add is that most apartments/villas do not have ‘stock’. Maybe just one dishwasher tablet, one laundry tablet, no washing up liquid, coffee maker but coffee not provided....You do need to factor into your luggage a few extra items to prevent having to buy full packs of things on arrival.

We love staying in apartments when visiting Europe but find it works best if staying at least 1 week in the same place. One does have to take the time and effort to conduct their own due diligence and carefully read/evaluate third party reviews. In a few cases we have actually contacted previous guests (when possible) to get a person to person evaluation with the good and bad.

If you choose wisely it can be an amazing experience.

Hank

Thank you all for taking the time for your replies and comments. It's sometimes hard to do things for the first time and you have helped us decide to try it.

Selecting an Apartment can be as tricky as a hotel if you aren’t going with the chain hotels, so search with due diligence, and if you are staying for a few days, a Euro hotel will probably work better. We’ve done the cruise line pre stays (usually don’t stay after - ready to head home), but found it much better (price, location, fun) to find on our own.

The problem with apartments is, as posted earlier, you need to stock up, so know what you’ll need to do. That’s why we stay in hotels - my wife thinks going on vacation doesn’t mean her doing the cooking, cleaning, etc. Some apartments have services.

For either hotels or apartments, online reviews can be very misleading. I got an inexpressive hotel in Istanbul and boy was that a mistake. We don’t stay in US-style hotels in Europe, but this was well below basic but had great writeups. And the problem with using the online hotel/apartment apps and websites is, you’ve contacted with them, not the hotel/apartment company directly and if there are issues when you get there, many times, they just tell you to work it out with who you booked with, which of course doesn’t work too well onsite.

For us, a Euro-style hotel or B&B is how we do it, and usually stay 2 to 5 days. As an example of why we pick hotels instead of apartments, along with being shorter stays, I once suggested we get an RV to travel around on vacation; my wife explained she didn’t see it as a ‘vacation’ when we bring the laundry, kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, etc for ‘us’ (somehow inferring I wasn’t much of a help!) to clean, cook and take care of. So much for that idea.

Den

Now I'm confused! :confused:

Now I'm confused! :confused:

Go ahead and book an apartment. Use one of the large sites, and as for cooking and cleaning, you don’t need to do any of that if you choose not to. As far as having a problem when arriving, we have not experienced that. You will be able to be in contact with the owner or manager of the property before you arrive to make the necessary arrangements. We have also had our contact book the transfers from the airport and to the ship.

We've used two of the major online vacation rental sites many times. I don't understand the comments about cleaning and cooking. You don't cook in a hotel and certainly don't need to cook in an apartment although it's nice to have a fridge and microwave. And I really don't need my bed made daily or the towels changed daily, don't do it at home.

We love apartment rentals but as others have said, for 2 nights or so it is just easier to check into a hotel.

enjoy

Two night pre-cruise stay, best decision ever!!!!!

We had a beautiful apartment with a balcony overlooking the fountains in Piazza Navona, pure magic. In all of our travels it remains our favorite. The cost for triple the space, best location and view ever .... was right in line with the better hotels in the area, but couldn't possibly be compared.

http://www.appartamentobenincampi.com

Puzzled as to why others feel a hotel would be easier?

Now I'm confused! :confused:

Im sorry if I threw in a confusion factor and added too much unneeded info. An Apt is great; we stay in Hotels just because of the ease. And of course as soon as we look deeper at Apts, we may very well give them a go.

What I was trying to add was insure you understand what is part of the deal and that you have reliable reviews. You can’t beat what posters here recommend since they have actually stayed in them.

Enjoy! Den

Im sorry if I threw in a confusion factor and added too much unneeded info. An Apt is great; we stay in Hotels just because of the ease. And of course as soon as we look deeper at Apts, we may very well give them a go.

 

What I was trying to add was insure you understand what is part of the deal and that you have reliable reviews. You can’t beat what posters here recommend since they have actually stayed in them.

 

Enjoy! Den

That's OK! It's good to hear all input on a topic!

Two night pre-cruise stay, best decision ever!!!!!

We had a beautiful apartment with a balcony overlooking the fountains in Piazza Navona, pure magic. In all of our travels it remains our favorite. The cost for triple the space, best location and view ever .... was right in line with the better hotels in the area, but couldn't possibly be compared.

http://www.appartamentobenincampi.com

Puzzled as to why others feel a hotel would be easier?

We were thinking of an apt. in Piazza Navona, do you remember the name of the apt.?

I would not do that, I like a hotel. However have had many friends that love this.

I would not do that, I like a hotel. However have had many friends that love this.

We are thinking of doing it because the cost difference is very large. We could stay more days in the city before the cruise.

We have rented apartments several times when travelling with extended family. It works out much cheaper when several rooms are required. In Copenhagen and Cornwall UK six of us stayed together and for our up coming trip to Iceland we have rented a house that will accommodate all ten of us. We use a well known online site whose name begins with Air, and have been very happy with all the accommodation.

As for cooking, our usual plan is to buy food for a continental type breakfast and eat the rest of our meals out. If we were only staying a couple of nights we would probably eat breakfast out as well. Sometimes we get take away for dinner if we have had a long day of sight seeing. It works for us and we plan to book an apartment for the two of us next time we cruise.

We've got this place booked for four nights pre-cruise in Venice. To be honest, the thought of a hotel never crossed our mind. We've used a Bnb site before and no problems

The last three times we were in Rome we stayed in an apartment and I can't think of a reason why we wouldn't do it again. Better price, more room, and more convenient.

My best friend offered us his place in St John's Wood while we are in London for free. It really comes down to not wanting to cook breakfast. I enjoy the hotel doing the cooking, cleaning the dishes and evening happy hours.

We were thinking of an apt. in Piazza Navona, do you remember the name of the apt.?

There is a link in post #15 to the apartment.