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DH thinks I was smoking crack when I booked our cruise/flight/hotel...

LastofSeptember

By LastofSeptember,
in Carnival Cruise Lines

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LastofSeptember

LastofSeptember

Posted
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We booked our 03/07/05 cruise MONTHS ago (last May), I don't know what I was thinking, but some of my decisions are starting to cause me major stress!!!

1. We're flying in the day of. (WHY GOD WHY?)

2. Our flight keeps getting changed having us arrive later and later!

3. Because of the fact that we're going over a major spring break weekend, all of the hotels I had to choose from for after the cruise were either REALLY expensive, or really cheap, Anybody that knows me, knows I will always choose cheap... well I looked up info on our hotel last week (no point in rushing this right?) People are talking about how this hotel is really bad, and not to go out at night!! (Day's Inn Civic Center/Miami)

 

Anyone have any info on this hotel, should we be scared for our lives? We don't want to go and sit in our hotel room all day because we're scared LOL! Go ahead yell at me for my poor planning, but tell me if you've heard anything about this hotel that is good? Maybe I am hearing exaggerations??

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phlydude

phlydude

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If the airline has changed your flight more than 90 minutes past the original departure time, you can call them and ask to be changed to a different flight without the change fee being applied.

 

As for the Days Inn, it is in the hospital district. Doesn't look to be the best place in the world to stay... 0 of 4 on Expedia recommend the hotel.

 

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g34438-d85047-Reviews-Travel_Inn_Hotel-Miami_Florida.html has mixed reviews. Looks as though its just a place to sleep and not much else.

 

The old saying "you get what you pay for" applies pretty well to hotel rooms among other things. Sure, you can sleep there but don't expect much else.

 

Holiday Inn and Intercontinental are 2 hotels close enough to the pier, have the Bayside marketplace there and South Beach a stone's throw away. Might cost you $100 to $200 per night but for the amenities, the convenience and quality, it might be worth looking into.

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betsyrossapk

betsyrossapk

Posted
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I believe this is also known as the Days Inn Downtown/Port. I looked it up on Trip Advisor for you. I don't think you are going to be any too happy about what you find. The reviews are not very good & they do make mention of the unsafe neighborhood, apparantly near a prison, Yikes! Hopefully you can change your reservation.

//wwwhttp:.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g34438-d85003-Reviews-Days_Inn_Downtown_Port-Miami_Florida.html

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palmtre2

palmtre2

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I did the same thing with the hotels - DH wanted to stay in the south beach area of Miami pre-cruise and I went for cheap (cheap in SoBE takes on a whole new meaning) AFTER I booked it (art deco hotel- the Edison) I went to tripadvisor and discovered the hotel was firmly planted between two of the hottest clubs in existence and they actually issued earplugs at the front desk. I swallowed my pride and paid the cancellation fee and moved further north to Miami beach. It didn't turn out to be so cheap after all.

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CanTex

CanTex

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Try a travel bidding site and you might pick up a really good deal on a much better hotel (I don't think I can mention the site here, but it's the most advertized one). We recently stayed at the Hyatt Regency in downtown Miami. It was expensive to park our rental car there, but the excellent room rate more than offset this (and we got a very nice room with a great view).

 

I highly recommend you go to biddingfortravel.com for advice if you want to go this route.

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CanTex

CanTex

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Try 3* downtown and you can usually pick up the Hyatt for less than $50.

 

 

 

Are you willing to try priceline? You could get a much better hotel for a lower price. A few sites to check out www.biddingfortravel.com and www.betterbidding.com They both will help you with strategy. I would recommend a 3* Downtown. Not sure about price but those sites will give you a great start.
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tef43

tef43

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Try 3* downtown and you can usually pick up the Hyatt for less than $50.

Key word here is "usually." Remember the OP is traveling over spring break. I just checked Hotwire for those dates and the prices are running double over what I usually see.

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addicted2traveling

addicted2traveling

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LastofSeptember-We stayed at that Day's Inn. It is true, you probably wouldn't want to walk around there at night, but honestly there is nothing to see right there anyway. We just took a cab to Bayside for dinner. The hotel is kinda old and the staff not too friendly but it was clean. We would not go back, but mainly because we have started to use Priceline. So if you are stuck there, I don't think it's the end of the world. It is just one night, right? They do have a free shuttle from the airport and then to the port the next day which is a bonus.

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zydecocruiser

zydecocruiser

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Just a note on the hotel cruise shuttles - those are only TO the ship, don't know of any that will pick you up. There may be some.

 

Days Inn is a popular budget choice. I'll be staying at the dumpy one north of the airport about a week after you. But it's a bed and they offer a shuttle from the airport and also to the pier.

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rburns44

rburns44

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I have also stayed at the Days Inn Civic Center before I knew better. It is in a pretty bad part of town. We got there late one night and had to walk to get something to eat. There were several of us but I wouldn't walk alone. There is a Cuban restaurant on site ( at least in 02 there was). Don't want to add to your worries but we had to change rooms because there were ants all over. After I got home I wrote to the head office. Yep- you guessed it- they sent me a certificate for a free night at the same hotel! Needless to say I threw it away!

But the free shuttle to airport and ship is handy!

 

Becky

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judyf

judyf

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I think it's too late for me now, it's spring break! This was one of the few with vacancies when I booked it months ago...Go on, save yourselves!!!

I guess I better look and see if I can find somewhere else though, thanks for the input so far.

 

You will be fine. Plan things to do and just use the hotel to sleep if it's not that great. It's a vacation in warm Florida how bad can it be!

 

Don't stress go with the flow.

 

I have the same feeling as you and we are cruising Easter Break too. I wonder why I booked the air I did! First I had good non stop flights on Southeast, well we all know the story that they went out of business months after I felt good to have my air all set especailly during spring break. On Dec. 2nd I find out I now have no air! URGH! To make a long story short I now have connecting flights that go into West Palm Beach Airport and it's an hour drive to Ft. Lauderdale and we don't arrive till 11:45 pm the evening before cruise and I have to work that day so my alarm will ring at about 4:30 am. It's going to be a long, long day!

 

I think we all start feeling that way at one point or another. BUT we're going on a cruise!!!!

 

Let us know how it all works out!!!

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