Post Cruise Hotel and Tour Packages

[SurferJoe57]

Anyone has any experiences or opinions with the relative merits of booking a post-cruise hotel package through HAL vice 'on your own?'

I'm looking at March 2016, debarking in Rome, and wanted to stay a few days. The Parco dei Principi Grand Hotel & SPA goes for $251 on Expedia, but $859 for two on HAL's post-cruise booking site. What am I missing here?

[CruiserBruce]

It probably includes transfers, but it is still almost always a better deal if you book on your own.

[mollyanne]

It looks like a beautiful hotel but I would book through the hotel directly and skip Expedia. Use your savings to book a private car to get you there. Rarely will the cruise lines offer good pricing on hotels but many people just want to "one stop shop".

 

If your plans for Rome are firm I would book now while the dollar and Euro are almost equal. Who knows what the rate will be next year?

[cormike1]

We are doing the Barcelona to Venice next Sept. and wanted to be at the hotel HAL uses pre and post just for all the transfers involved. Everything is paid ahead of time and we don't have to worry about money, schlepping our luggage, etc. We will be picked up at the airport, taken to the hotel, picked up at the hotel and taken to the ship and reverse at the end. I am on vacation and convenience wins out lol. Yes it is expensive but I have no worries about how to get where and how much.

[Cqis]

I agree with Cormike3.

[Ky Colonel]

We are doing the Barcelona to Venice next Sept. and wanted to be at the hotel HAL uses pre and post just for all the transfers involved. Everything is paid ahead of time and we don't have to worry about money, schlepping our luggage, etc. We will be picked up at the airport, taken to the hotel, picked up at the hotel and taken to the ship and reverse at the end. I am on vacation and convenience wins out lol. Yes it is expensive but I have no worries about how to get where and how much.

 

... I also agree with cormike1 - we have done it both ways (after pricing out and comparing each option through our superb TA) but have never allowed price to be the determining factor - after all, we are talking about our vacation which we prefer be as hassle-free and convenient as possible ...

 

Rod

[Essiesmom]

I was traveling on Oosterdam with a friend, ending in Rome. She wanted to spend 3 days post cruise in Rome. She wanted to just make it easy and book the hotel and tours through HAL. My TA found us a hotel much more central, transfers and tours, and saved us $700pp.

In Venice, my TA booked us into Hotel Bonvecchiati and transfers. Same hotel HAL uses, but we paid less. The next year, I booked my own hotel and transfers. EM

[Ricktan]

We are doing the Barcelona to Venice next Sept. and wanted to be at the hotel HAL uses pre and post just for all the transfers involved. Everything is paid ahead of time and we don't have to worry about money, schlepping our luggage, etc. We will be picked up at the airport, taken to the hotel, picked up at the hotel and taken to the ship and reverse at the end. I am on vacation and convenience wins out lol. Yes it is expensive but I have no worries about how to get where and how much.

 

I agree! We are also doing Barcelona-Venice in Sept we booked our air,pre-cruise hotel and post cruise hotel through HAL. The convenience is what sold me!

 

Tanya

[SurferJoe57]

Appreciate all the feedback. Expedia (and the hotel itself, quoted in Euros, which is on par with the $USD at this writing) quotes $237/per night (prepaid, add $50 for cancelable) vice $429 PER PERSON PER NIGHT from HAL. Granted HAL includes transfers (the port to the hotel, which isn't expensive; and the hotel has an airport shuttle) and gratuities.

 

I did call HAL and politely inquired as to what I might be missing...surely there was something included in their rate. Long wait, eventually the agent, who was very professional, said simply that the HAL rate is tantamount to a last-minute walk up rate. You could theoretically book the room at the last minute, vice the advance purchase/super saver/favorable Euro rate.

 

Planning this one a year out, there's seriously no reason to not take the savings. Thanks to everyone.

[mollyanne]

Appreciate all the feedback. Expedia (and the hotel itself, quoted in Euros, which is on par with the $USD at this writing) quotes $237/per night (prepaid, add $50 for cancelable) vice $429 PER PERSON PER NIGHT from HAL. Granted HAL includes transfers (the port to the hotel, which isn't expensive; and the hotel has an airport shuttle) and gratuities.

 

I did call HAL and politely inquired as to what I might be missing...surely there was something included in their rate. Long wait, eventually the agent, who was very professional, said simply that the HAL rate is tantamount to a last-minute walk up rate. You could theoretically book the room at the last minute, vice the advance purchase/super saver/favorable Euro rate.

 

Planning this one a year out, there's seriously no reason to not take the savings. Thanks to everyone.

 

So do I understand that you are booking on your own? If so - you go, Joe!!:D

[fire eater]

Hullo Joe,

My husband and I have used HAL for airport/hotel/ship transfers in Europe and were very pleased with the organisation. We have long flights coming from Oz and appreciate being able to let someone else do the work.

 

On another note - before we flew to Rome last year, we booked two walks with Walks of Italy, a wonderful company with lots of choices. We were a small group - a couple from Canada and the guide and us. Can heartily recommend them.

Give my love to the Pantheon! 😊

fe

[GradUT]

Everyone has a different travel style. Some like to pay for convenience; some like DIY to save money (and to avoid tour groups).

 

If you are a DIY person like me, you can have a great post-cruise trip in Rome and save a lot of $$$ (or Euros). Your ship will arrive in Civitiveccia and you can walk from the port to the train station in 10-15 minutes. Take the train to Rome's Termini Station (about 45 minutes) and then choose a good budget-priced hotel within walking distance of Termini Station. (We stayed at the Aberdeen Hotel--nice (but small) room, delicious breakfast, amazing staff). We spent a couple of days of DIY touring using free Rick Steves audio tours for our MP3 players--very good commentary and we could go at our own pace.

 

Our 2-night stay for 2 people, including hotel, transportation, admissions and meals was well under 400 Euros.