Any advie regarding using the Sheraton Puerto Rico hotel as a pre-cruise extension?

Hi,

Guess I was wrong about RCCL offering the Sheraton Old San Juan. Instead, apparently the one they use is the Sheraton Puerto Rico. Looks nice enough but I'm not real impressed with the location. I believe given a choice between that and the La Concha, I think I'll go with La Concha. I was leaning more towards the Sheraton Old San Juan since it's so handy for walking around the area for shops and restaurants, etc. The beach and pool areas, though, at La Concha look fantastic. Too bad (apparently) that it's not real suitable for swimming there.

Thanks for any additional suggestions....

Hi,

 

Guess I was wrong about RCCL offering the Sheraton Old San Juan. Instead, apparently the one they use is the Sheraton Puerto Rico. Looks nice enough but I'm not real impressed with the location. I believe given a choice between that and the La Concha, I think I'll go with La Concha. I was leaning more towards the Sheraton Old San Juan since it's so handy for walking around the area for shops and restaurants, etc. The beach and pool areas, though, at La Concha look fantastic. Too bad (apparently) that it's not real suitable for swimming there.

 

Thanks for any additional suggestions....

Why would you need to use RCI to book your hotel ? Absolutely no reason to. We've booked directly with the Sheraton Old San Juan and loved the location. Will book with them again for my next pre-cruise for Sept.

Except that some of the cruise lines or land tour companies also include transfers, and possibly a better hotel rate. So far, the rate for La Concha quoted by my TA appears to be better than what I can get doing it myself. Still working on it.

Except that some of the cruise lines or land tour companies also include transfers, and possibly a better hotel rate. So far, the rate for La Concha quoted by my TA appears to be better than what I can get doing it myself. Still working on it.

Not necessary to feel the need to include transfers...taxi's are quick, easy, cheap and well regulated by pricing zones in San Juan.

Join Starwoods and check pricing for Sheraton Old San Juan then....this holds true with any hotel group like Hilton, Marriott etc.

Why would you need to use RCI to book your hotel ? Absolutely no reason to. We've booked directly with the Sheraton Old San Juan and loved the location. Will book with them again for my next pre-cruise for Sept.

Yeah..I see your point after doing more research on this. What I don't care for is that Royal will not commit to a room category. TA says they will reserve a room that is the "run-of-the-house", which, at least for the La Concha, is probably the cheapest city-view room. They only put in their rooming list 3 weeks prior to the cruise, and then by that point an upgrade may not be available. I like to know what I'm getting. (Similarly, on a side note, I dislike these tour company airline packages where they can't guarantee you a seat until closer to the trip).

The rate I come up with at La Concha as a Marriott rewards member, going directly through their website, appears to be cheaper then the quote Royal gave my TA. I think that, as you said, the best way it to just book it directly with the hotel, thereby guaranteeing the room category. Didn't expect Royal's price to be more than what I can get on my own. Don't the cruise lines get discounts for booking blocks of rooms and then, if need be, giving them back to the hotel? Assuming they do that sort of thing.. (?)

Yeah..I see your point after doing more research on this. What I don't care for is that Royal will not commit to a room category. TA says they will reserve a room that is the "run-of-the-house", which, at least for the La Concha, is probably the cheapest city-view room. They only put in their rooming list 3 weeks prior to the cruise, and then by that point an upgrade may not be available. I like to know what I'm getting. (Similarly, on a side note, I dislike these tour company airline packages where they can't guarantee you a seat until closer to the trip).

 

The rate I come up with at La Concha as a Marriott rewards member, going directly through their website, appears to be cheaper then the quote Royal gave my TA. I think that, as you said, the best way it to just book it directly with the hotel, thereby guaranteeing the room category. Didn't expect Royal's price to be more than what I can get on my own. Don't the cruise lines get discounts for booking blocks of rooms and then, if need be, giving them back to the hotel? Assuming they do that sort of thing.. (?)

When I was having trouble finding something affordable I called Royal and determined what I found was very cheap in comparison - they had a radiation resort only which was $1,100 per person for two nights and no other options! I think this was Cdn$, but either way pretty steep.

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Yeah...you could say that. In my book $1,100 pp is definitely not cheap! Gotta confess my ignorance here in saying that I've never heard of a 'radiation resort' before. The taxes are what really kills you. Never stayed at a hotel in San Juan before. The last time we cruised out of there we flew to SJU on embarkation day - hesitant to do that again being that we were lucky to even make it onboard the ship - had a 5 hour flight delay out of PHL.

Yeah...you could say that. In my book $1,100 pp is definitely not cheap! Gotta confess my ignorance here in saying that I've never heard of a 'radiation resort' before. The taxes are what really kills you. Never stayed at a hotel in San Juan before. The last time we cruised out of there we flew to SJU on embarkation day - hesitant to do that again being that we were lucky to even make it onboard the ship - had a 5 hour flight delay out of PHL.

Sorry a typo, Radisson resort!

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lol....

Very rarely if ever is the cruise line rate at a hotel better than you can get on your own through the hotel directly or another booking site. Often times it’s wildly higher when they price it out per person with transfers that you can do cheaper and more quickly in a taxi rather than waiting for everyone to pile onto a bus.