Boston overnight

[Edziu]

We are sailing on the Jewel from Boston. Can anyone suggest a place to stay?

 

Any info on the port would be welcome.

[knittinggirl]

We stayed at the Boston Hilton (about 10 minutes from the pier and 2 minutes from the airport) on the way out, and the Westin Waterfront?about 15 minutes from the pier. I really liked Boston because we didn't have an hour drive after flying all day. DH was really impressed with the Westin. At the Westin, we purchased the hop on hop off ride for a tour of Bostin.

[Aviator of the Seas]

This is where I stayed pre and post cruise in Boston. Rooms are VERY SMALL, but it's a great value and in the middle of everything. In fact, the hotel sits right at the finish line of the Boston Marathon.

 

http://charlesmarkhotel.com/

[negc]

All major hotel chains are represented in the downtown and the greater Boston areas but prices, especially in the Fall, can be quite high. Check out your favorite hotel brands for any specials that they may be offering or try Priceline. Not sure how they set up the regions in Boston, but Back Bay, Financial district, waterfront might be good choices. There are also a few very good boutique hotels like the Lenox in Copley Square that you might be able to book at a reasonable cost. If you have specific hotels in mind, post a question on here and someone is sure to help you. If your roll call thread is an active one, someone there might be able to help you. We are on the repo cruise from Boston this October and it is a very active thread with plenty of Boston area posters who are knowledgeable about hotels,restaurants etc. in the Boston area. Jewel is our favorite ship and you should have a wonderful cruise on her.:)

[xxoocruiser]

If budget is a concern check the hotels around Logan Airport. Many have free breakfast, free shuttle to/from airport and free shuttle to the subway into Boston.

 

Check the Comfort Inn and Suites at Logan Airport, It's been newly remodeled as of May 2010.

[138east]

What exact date do you need a hotel room? What is your budget? How many people? Are you going to want to sightsee in Boston before you cruise?

 

Boston hotel rooms can be expensive. Staying at an airport hotel is an option, but most of the "airport" hotels are actually in Revere, Saugus, or Chelsea and not super convenient for running in and out of downtown Boston and the wrong direction away from the port. Don't get sucked into anything that says it is in South Boston. The Comfort Inn has been getting good recommendations recently. There can be very good deals on Hotwire and Priceline, but don't bid on anything less than a 3* hotel. The Westin Waterfront is frequently on Hotwire at <$150 - 4* in the Waterfront area. The 3 1/2* hotel in Back Bay is usually the Sheraton. We have been recommending these two Hotwire choices and folks have been very satisfied with the deals they have gotten.

[jayjo]

Price line has awesome deals on Boston Hotels. Just recently got a 4 star "Boston Downtown Convention Center" hotel for $125/night. Anyplace four star in the area 1 or 2 in the name your own price section would be great for a sailing. The Renassaince was a great hotel. If price is no issue, the Seaport Hotel is near the port.

Make sure you have some time to see Fanueil Hall or the North End. Boston is a wonderful city!

[138east]

jayjo - you got a great deal. Over the years I've stayed in 10+ Boston hotels and would stay in any of them again. IMO the actual hotel doesn't really matter as long as it is a 3* or 3*+ hotel in one of the downtown areas. That's why Priceline and Hotwire are the way to go in Boston. I know some folks don't feel comfortable bidding on an unknown hotel, but that is not really a problem in Boston. Prepaying is the way to go. Hotwire is particularly good (you may pay a little bit more) because the hotel amenities are listed and it is easier to identify which hotel or hotels it might be.

[Funky Girl]

Hi, Just booked today for sailing the NCL Spirit our of Boston 7/16!!! Also booked a hotel and here is what I did and why and think I made a good choice. I booked at the John Hancock conference center for $129 w/o taxes etc. Best our travel agent could do was a Hampton Inn for $160 and my online search showed nothing else cheaper than $150. Anyway, today I talked to Aaron at NCL and he is from Boston! In fact lived 3 blocks from the John Hancock and he said I got a great price, and the hotel while older is nice and clean and in a great location for getting around Boston. Public transportation right across the street, and with in walking distance to many things. Not too far from the Port nor airport.

[windjamming]

Boston is a very small city, is extremely walkable, and has a very good public transportation system. Wherever you stay, you will not be far from anything else. In addition to the suggestions here, the East Coast Departures board will also have some good ideas.

[LovesCruising]

Last October I got the Parker Omni House from Priceline for $100 - 2 people - loved the location and the hotel

[KeywestK]

Hotel rooms in Boston are expensive. Use Priceline or Hotwire for your best deal.

[Cheryl H]

We did the Jewel New England cruise in 2008. I was shocked at how much hotels run in Boston. Here's what we did.

 

I researched hotels on Priceline by going to http://www.biddingfortravel.com Then click on Massachusetts, Boston area. Then you can look over which hotels are usually awarded for bids. We usually try to bid on a 4*. There are winning bids listed.

 

We won the Seaport Hotel for our first night's stay. It was really nice and very close to the pier. No tipping here...it's all included. We even tried to tip our bellman and he refused. They had a treasure chest here that they let our 3 year old pick a prize out of. The children's museum is just down the street. So the next morning we took a 5 dollar cab ride down to it. Then a cab back to get our luggage at the hotel and on to the Jewel.

 

 

When we came back for our cruise, I had bid on a 4* at the airport and won the Hilton at the airport. The Hyatt and Hilton are there together. There's a free shuttle at the Hilton. We checked in after our cruise. Then we took the free shuttle over to the water taxi stand at the Hyatt. (the bus driver gave us a card with a number to call for the shuttle pick up when we returned).

 

Here's the exerpt from my trip report on our extra day at Boston......

 

We took a taxi from the ship terminal over to Hilton at Logan Airport. We won this on Priceline. We liked the close location for a quick getaway for tomorrow morning. Anyway, we arrived at the hotel.

 

The hotel clerk did have a room available even though it was very early in the morning. We were grateful and there was no extra charge.

 

So our luggage is in our room and we're ready to see Boston! We take the free shuttle over to the Hyatt. There's a water taxi terminal at the Hyatt. The shuttle driver gave us a card with the hotel's transportation number on it (for when we return). We walk down and there's a water taxi right there. We bought round trip tickets to go across the harbor to Long Wharf. (our son was free). Round trip is $17. One way is $10. It was a lovely ride and there were lots of sailboats out.

 

The taxi pulled up to Long Wharf. We saw the Legal Seafood and headed directly for that. This was the best fish & chips we had all week. Plus our waiter gave us lots of information on Boston.

 

We had decided on Old Town Trolley since we heard they have many trolleys so there are really no long waits at any stops to reboard. This was true. After our lunch, we walked back around to Atlantic Avenue to the trolley boarding station. The trolley was a great way to see the entire town. We were very impressed. We got off first at the navy yard in Charlestown. We followed the brick path back to the USS Constitution. We went through security and our bags were xrayed. This is free. We got in the line that was for a guided tour. The tour was very nice. A young navy man led our tour. He was very good to explain how the soldiers fought, the conditions they were in, what they ate, how it was cooked. We also went below and saw the sleeping quarters. Please try to take the guided tour otherwise, you'll just walk around the top deck and get off without finding out any history. It is still free even with the guided tour.

 

After that we walked across to the USS Cassin Young. It's a destroyer built during the 2nd world war. We walked around top deck. Also we could go in a few of the areas and see laundry, the radio transmission area, the kitchen, etc.

 

We walked back to the trolley area, and sure enough it was only a few minutes and here came our orange & green trolley. Next we got off at the Old Statehouse. We were given lapel pins to wear. We went upstairs and met a man dressed like Ben Franklin. He was demonstrating handwriting instruction. Very interesting. His writing was so precise it looked like it came from a printer. He explained the different sorts of letters (for instance the letter S is written different ways). We also walked to the lower level (restrooms here). Note: if you go in the wrong door here at the statehouse, you will enter the subway.

 

We reboarded the trolley for the rest of the tour. I would have like to have had more time to get off in the shopping area. There were several nice shops here.

 

We finished up back at stop #1. The trolleys stop at 5:00 pm. Stop #1 is right on Atlantic Avenue. We walked across the street and under the glass canopy to enter Quincy Market. This was a big food court with no where to sit down. We quizzed a policeman and he sent us outside and around to a tex-mex place called Zuma's. We had some mexican here (husband tired of seafood). Zuma's is in the lower level. On the upper level was a neat jewelry store with mostly semi precious stones. They had a lot of pretty jewelry that was priced under a hundred. I wish we had more time to shop there.

 

We did not make it into Fanieul Hall. After dinner, we headed back across the street to the water taxi area. We phoned the number on our tickets and a water taxi was sent right over. Our water taxi driver let our son "drive" the taxi across Boston Harbor. That was really nice. We got some pictures of him holding the steering wheel.

 

We got back over to the Hyatt area. We phoned the Hilton and they sent over the free shuttle bus.

 

I was really impressed by Boston. I'd like to go back.

 

Edited to say that the Hilton is connected to the airport...but we weren't sure where to go, so we just rode in their free shuttle around to the correct airline.

[ajmac01]

Living only an 1/2 north of the city we go into town a lot for dinner and shows. It is probably the best walking city in the country. You can get any where on foot and the T will take you every where as well. We have friends that quite often will use priceline to get a room for the night in the city. They always do 3* or better and always get a great price at a great hotel. If you have never been to Boston before you will love it. My avatar just happens to be The Public Gardens where the swan boats are.

[mtchg]

...is the favorite of all of our wonderful cruises, and up till now the Jewel is our favorite ship. Stunningly beautiful IMHO.

 

Previous post mentioned roll call member help on hotel advice. Our roll call REALLY helped us out. Someone spotted a mistake for the original Ritz (different hotel now) right across from the Commons and a couple of blocks from the genuine Cheers bar. A room that normally sells for 480 per nite...went for 48 dollars to us and a few others until website was corrected. I can't guarantee this will happen; but seek help through the roll call.

 

We spent two nites in Boston; were blessed with great weather (it was late October/earlyNovember)...and walked the Freedom Trail.

 

And the cruise itself; wow...it would be hard to beat it...but we are trying.

 

Will soon board the Independence of the Seas for 14 niter thru the Med. So, will Indy replace Jewel as our favorite ship? We shall see.

 

 

 

Mitch

[Grand Prix Racer]

I stay in the Holiday Inn in Brookline just next to Boston. It is a very nice hotel with, a business center, pool a full bar and restaurant<i is right on the "T" stop or a cab ride away. Prices 130-160 per night

[eal]

Last October I got the Parker Omni House from Priceline for $100 - 2 people - loved the location and the hotel

 

 

Born and raise in Boston proper. Love, love, love the Omni Parker House. Perfect location. Lived there while our townhouse was being renovated, four months!!!!

[badgr17fan]

Did the Jewel - Boston New England/Canada cruise last Sept. Stayed at the Hampton Inn - Cambridge. Absolutely loved the location, free breakfast etc.

 

About 100yds from the Lechmere T station across the river. Next to Science museum and the wonderful Boston Duck tours.

 

Nice mall a block away w/ PF Changs, Cheesecake Factory etc. Hop the T, 2 stops to Quincy market and everything else you'd ever want.

 

We took the T everywhere including the silver line directly to the port.

[LovesCruising]

Born and raise in Boston proper. Love, love, love the Omni Parker House. Perfect location. Lived there while our townhouse was being renovated, four months!!!!

 

If we ever get back to Boston again would definately stay again!