Looking For Advice/Comments on Princess Cruise Plus Hotel Packages

[kicker]

We have a day-before cruise hotel booked through Princess (Embassy Suites, Fort Lauderdale). Wondering if anyone has used the Princess package in Fort Lauderdale.

 

There's no doubt we could have saved a few bucks staying somewhere else, but the hotel looks nice, and if the transfers work well, I think its a good choice. I guess its not so much the hotel as the transfers I'd like comments on. Lots of info on here about the hotel (mostly positive), but nothing about the transfers.

 

Any info will be appreciated. Thanks.

 

PS: This thread might belong on the Florida departure board, but I thought I might get more responses here.

[whatcruiseisnext]

Embassy Suites is a great hotel. The problem with the transfers is that you go later to the pier. You arrive "in the height " of the mass of people. Quite a madhouse. Take the Princess transfers from the airport to the hotel. You usually have to wait until the bus fills before they take you, though. You will be met by Princess reps holding a Princess sign and your name will be on a printed roster they have. As far as the trasfer too the pier. Just take a taxi. It is quicker, easier and far less hassle.

[Stevesan]

Embassy Suites is a great hotel. The problem with the transfers is that you go later to the pier. You arrive "in the height " of the mass of people. Quite a madhouse. Take the Princess transfers from the airport to the hotel. You usually have to wait until the bus fills before they take you, though. You will be met by Princess reps holding a Princess sign and your name will be on a printed roster they have. As far as the trasfer too the pier. Just take a taxi. It is quicker, easier and far less hassle.

The taxi is only @ $15 from Embassy Suites to Port Everglades, where your ship docks.

[Vanilla]

We have had transfers offered by the cruise company (Princess and RCCL) in the past, and I might do it again - however, for Fort Lauderdale - it is so easy and so close to the airport/cruiseport/hotel that we just do it on our own now.

We ALWAYS stay at Embassy Suites on 37th street. There is a little mall behind Embassy with a grocery store and some nice restaurants on the same street as Embassy.

Embassy has a nice swimming pool/hot tub, and a coy fish pond that is around the hotel and runs into the lobby of the hotel . Also, a managers reception (wine/beer/mixed drinks/soft drinks/snacks) in the restaurant area that is free. Their morning breakfast is included in your price and is anything you want. They also offer a shuttle to the pier at whatever time you wish. Their transfer is cheaper than with cruise companies. Also, if you book your hotel with a cruise company you are paying them twice the amount for a room, because the price you see published is per person.

The airport is about 10 -12 minutes to the hotel and cost us about $12 in June. The hotel to the pier is about 5 minutes. After the cruise, there are more than enough taxis's waiting at the dock to take people to the airport - you will have no problem.

Enjoy your cruise!

[Psychedout]

A word of caution about Princess bus transfers, read the contract, they are non-refundable. I dd not read the fine print and found out on our last cruise I could not get my money back as we did not need the transfer from the ship the LAX

 

Hugh

[ssbeagle]

If you don't want to use cruise transfers, cancel them before you go and you could probably get your money back on it if you've made final payment already. If you haven't yet, then I would do my own transfer using a taxi or even hiring a rental car for the day. I know Avis and Hertz have a bus that will take you to the port from the airport rental place. Usually what I do is see what hotels Princess is using and make my own reservations there. It's a lot cheaper and the hotels are usually quite nice.

[FawnRiver]

We did the precruise hotel and transfers through Princess for our last cruise and did it again for the next. We liked it, we were picked up at the airport after our flight landed and they took us to the hotel. The following morning, we went to the pier, no problems. We had a great time, there was a great group of people on the bus with us. It was a short drive and we didn't have to handle our bags (except whatever we wanted to carry on). We did have to wait a few minutes to board the bus and then again to check in, but it wasn't any great issue. We were still on board just after noon.

 

Its included with the cost of the hotel, so why waste another $10 or more for a taxi.

[dbeckett]

We've been to Fort Lauderdale a couple of times and have always used the Princess transfer. Only time there was an issue was when we both flew into Miami and there was no transfer - Princess did refund the cost.

 

As for Fort Lauderdale last time I was the only one on the Air Canada flight going to the hotel (we always arrive early just in case a suitcase goes missing) so they packed me off in a taxi. Derek arrived from the UK to find a 60 seater bus waiting for him - the company had the wrong day when the Brits were arriving (next day) so he came from Miami on that.

 

Heading to the ship - we went down to confirm luggage at around 11 and were on the ship by noon. No real issue with crowds of people. Embassy Suites had the cases set a side in one room so it was easy to pick out yours.

 

The transfers are already booked for the next time we go out of Fort Lauderdale in 2013

[caribill]

I know Avis and Hertz have a bus that will take you to the port from the airport rental place.

 

Not any more. Per the FLL airport this spring "Currently only National and Alamo offer their customers complimentary shuttle service to Port Everglades."