Cruise from Boston with parents and 10 year old daughter, is Waltham, MA ok to stay

[hobokenbeachbum]

Hi,

 

I'm so excited about our first cruise. We are leaving from Boston on 7/21 but we wanted to come 7/20 and stay somewhere closer than our NJ drive. I saw an embassy suites in Waltham, MA - does anyone know if that is a safe area, and how long it would take to get to the port sunday morning? It will be me and my husband, my 11 year old daughter and my parents (73 years old). Also, is there public transportaion near the Embassy suites to take to boston to do something - not sure what - saturday during the day? We are on a tight budget so any ideas where to go, where to eat etc. would be helpful. Thanks.

:o

[Keith1010]

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

 

May I suggest you post this on the East Coast Departures Board where you will get a lot of input. This link will take you right to that board.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=415

 

Keith

[Scrapnana]

Smart idea coming in the day before. Are you driving or flying? You will usually find some hotels near a port that will shuttle you to the port if you have no car and some have deals that you can leave your car at the hotel and they will take you to the ship.

 

Have a wonderful first cruise and welcome to Cruise Critic!

[hobokenbeachbum]

Have a great day.

[1025cruise]

I've driven by that hotel. Nothing wrong with the area.

With regards to public transportation, you would need to drive to a T stop. I think the Riverside station would be the closest.

[sail7seas]

I don't think Waltham a good idea. It isn't convenient to anything. I would not recommend it.

Come to Boston. Hunt around, there are plenty of hotels in all price ranges. Whatever your preference you can find one.

 

[hobokenbeachbum]

I need a room for 5 so the Embassy Suites in Waltham is around $160 a night including taxes and includes breakfast and managers reception (not sure what this is), therefore, I thought it was a great price. I looked in Boston and prices were closer to over $200 or more plus parking. I don't know the Boston area so I'm skeptical about some of the lower priced hotels that are in Boston. I think about the area I live in and I know the hotels that are cheapest are in the scariest parts of the city, so I'm afraid to book something without knowing exactly what the area is like. There is an Embassy Suites in Boston with a similiar nightly rate, but it didn't accomodate 5 people. So I'm not sure what to do....

[Traveling Library]

The Embassy Suites in Waltham is fine. You will need to drive to public transportation to Boston but the area is safe. The managers reception is usually two alcoholic drinks/soda and popcorn. Across the street from the Embassy Suites (you should drive since it is a very busy intersection) is a Bertucci's which is a nice and very reasonably priced sit-down pizza/Italian food restaurant. They are a local chain and have the best rolls around and I'm fond of their pizza.

To get into Boston you could either drive to the Green Line (Riverside Station) or the Red Line (Alewife Station). You pay to park at either location and then take the T (that's the public transportation system) into Boston. http://www.mbta.com/

There also is a train (Fitchburg line) but I'm not sure if it runs on the weekend.

[sail7seas]

I need a room for 5 so the Embassy Suites in Waltham is around $160 a night including taxes and includes breakfast and managers reception (not sure what this is), therefore, I thought it was a great price. I looked in Boston and prices were closer to over $200 or more plus parking. I don't know the Boston area so I'm skeptical about some of the lower priced hotels that are in Boston. I think about the area I live in and I know the hotels that are cheapest are in the scariest parts of the city, so I'm afraid to book something without knowing exactly what the area is like. There is an Embassy Suites in Boston with a similiar nightly rate, but it didn't accomodate 5 people. So I'm not sure what to do....

 

 

Try calling the Boston Embassy Suite to see if they will put a cot in the room for your 11 year old.

 

What a shame to bring her to Boston and she won't see anything. There is so much you can see in Boston, on foot, for free that would be so much fun for all of you and education for DD.

 

JMO......

 

[Gingee]

You may be on our cruise. Is it Glory? A lot of us are staying at Marriott Copley. If you do the comparison price thing, you can get a room for $112. That's what we did. Come over to our roll call and you can find out more.

[sail7seas]

You may be on our cruise. Is it Glory? A lot of us are staying at Marriott Copley. If you do the comparison price thing, you can get a room for $112. That's what we did. Come over to our roll call and you can find out more.

 

 

That is a MUCH better choice. :)

 

Waltham is not Boston...

 

[hobokenbeachbum]

I checked the Marriott Copley and the price is $349 plus $20 for a cot. We are on the Glory - 7/21. Unfortunately I don't know how to do the comparison price and roll call??:confused:

[sail7seas]

I checked the Marriott Copley and the price is $349 plus $20 for a cot. We are on the Glory - 7/21. Unfortunately I don't know how to do the comparison price and roll call??:confused:

 

 

It seems to be a rather active Roll Call.

Here is a link to your Roll Call:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1668346

 

Good luck. Hope it helps.

 

[jeph]

I've been there a couple of times in recent months, helping an elderly friend who was having glaucoma treatments at an eye clinic around the corner from the Embassy Suites. If you stay there, I highly recommend dinner at Naked Fish, just across route 128 / I-95. Generously portioned seafood with a Latin inflection, and great cocktails. And if you and/or the kids are into the history thing, maybe you'll want to check out Gore Place, a sprawling Federal-era mansion about three miles southeast of the hotel.

[hobokenbeachbum]

Thank-you. Naked Fish sounds great. I'll look into Gore Place too. Thanks for the tip. Have a great day!

 

:D

[zekekelso]

To put this in Jersey terms, you are asking if Short Hills or Princeton is safe. Yes, Waltham is safe.

 

If you don't want to go into Boston, there's a lot of histor to visit in the area (Lexington, Concord, etc.) If you do want to go into Boston, the commuter rail is very convienent (though service is spotty on weekends, so pay close attention to schedules.)

 

Not saying this is the perfect choice, but it'll work.

[RSLeesburg]

I used to love at the Chateau (lived just around the corner from there).

 

The drive to Alewife is the easiest, I think - you have that nice parking garage.

 

Also, if you can keep the car at hotel, you could also arrange for a shuttle to the port. A little cheaper than taxi, and spares you from driving it yourself (I hated driving into Boston ;).

[hobokenbeachbum]

To put this in Jersey terms, you are asking if Short Hills or Princeton is safe. Yes, Waltham is safe.

 

If you don't want to go into Boston, there's a lot of histor to visit in the area (Lexington, Concord, etc.) If you do want to go into Boston, the commuter rail is very convienent (though service is spotty on weekends, so pay close attention to schedules.)

 

Not saying this is the perfect choice, but it'll work.

 

Thanks. I had no idea and just wanted to be sure. I've lived for a short period of time in Jersey City and most of my life I've lived in Hoboken. If you know NJ you will know parts of these cities are nice and some parts had/have burnt out houses that you wouldn't want your worst enemy to go near. But I know where to avoid. Which is why I was concerned. I love Short Hills and Princeton so now I know I don't have to worry. Thank-you.

[hobokenbeachbum]

I used to love at the Chateau (lived just around the corner from there).

 

The drive to Alewife is the easiest, I think - you have that nice parking garage.

 

Also, if you can keep the car at hotel, you could also arrange for a shuttle to the port. A little cheaper than taxi, and spares you from driving it yourself (I hated driving into Boston ;).

 

 

Thank-you very much. I don't think we can keep the car at the hotel. Depending on the time we get there we may take public transportation into Boston on Saturday and then Sunday drive and park near the port. I have to find out parking information to leave my car there for 7 days.

[Seago2]

Ok, Sail is right. Staying in Waltham is soooo not Boston. I have to jump in and say that the Alewife T station is basically a post-apocalyptic landscape and the farthest thing from experiencing Boston- unless you see some Bruins hats- that you can get. Keep looking. You want a place where you can step out and start walking and enjoying the city. It doesn't have to be expensive. Run the neighborhoods or hotels by us or the East Coast Departures board.

 

This would be like saying "We're from Ohio and sailing out of Manhattan and want to see a lot of the city before we sail. We found a great hotel in Paramus. Thoughts?" :rolleyes:

[hobokenbeachbum]

Ok, Sail is right. Staying in Waltham is soooo not Boston. I have to jump in and say that the Alewife T station is basically a post-apocalyptic landscape and the farthest thing from experiencing Boston- unless you see some Bruins hats- that you can get. Keep looking. You want a place where you can step out and start walking and enjoying the city. It doesn't have to be expensive. Run the neighborhoods or hotels by us or the East Coast Departures board.

 

This would be like saying "We're from Ohio and sailing out of Manhattan and want to see a lot of the city before we sail. We found a great hotel in Paramus. Thoughts?" :rolleyes:

 

Thanks. Any suggestions on hotels in Boston that are not expensive? I've been finding mostly $280 a night or more. Which is just too expensive for us. :confused:

[Seago2]

I'm seeing Boston Omni Parker House Hotel for $223 for that night and a Holiday Inn Express in Cambridge (I've stayed there) for $219. I know it sounds expensive, but if you're gong to spend, say, $170 anyway, you're really only looking at fifty bucks to save between now and July, right? Is your goal to get into Boston the day before, check in, sightsee, etc, sleep, wake up, sightsee, then drive to the cruise terminal and park and get on board? Then you're really going to want to be close to the city. Cambridge has the added attraction of Harvard right there and it's a really quick T ride into the city, but still- as someone said before (maybe Sail) the streets are narrow and winding and often one way. You're not coming from far and you can park at the hotel, so I would definitely pick Cambridge over Waltham- for many reasons, Alewife T station being one of them ;). However, given the choice, I would do anything I could to stay in the city. I just found that Omni Parker House (above) on the on line TA that has an "X" in it. You could obviously look around for that "perfect" place but if you just want a better location and a fine place to stay for not much more money I'd stay there.

[Seago2]

Courtyard Marriott Downtown has two rooms available that night at $229 each.

 

Residence Inn Boston Cambridge has a 2 room studio with two queens and a sofa bed for $299 a night that would fit all 5 of you.

 

Ok- I didn't realize/forgot that there are five of you so the Omni Parker house that I posted before would obviously be double the $219 price, still not bad for Boston. But this Residence Inn Cambridge would be great and it's still available. There is so much to do in Cambridge when your feet are ready to fall off from walking in Boston. Harvard Square is very cool to relax and people watch, you can watch the rowers in the Charles River, you can go to the Coop and get Harvard merch if you want to, you can get something to eat at Au Bon Pain and sit outside, you can go to Harvard Yard- incredibly impressive place to be. There is also a cool toy store there that your 11 year old might like. Recommend.

[spunkyhungry]

I agree with the other posters. I'm from MA, and Waltham is okay but nothing special. It's basically a working class suburb 25-30 minutes from Boston.

[sail7seas]

Boston is an expensive city. Accept it. NYC and Boston prices are not very different. But we both have lots to offer. :)

 

We are very tourist oriented and you are talking busy time in the middle of summer.

Keep searching and hopefully you'll find a price you like better but at some point you just have to accept the northeast is pricey. You can eat at less costly places and skip the lobster to try and save a bit of money.

 

Some places to which you will travel will be pricey and some will be more economical. You chose a pricey city this time.