Booking hotel through Princess?

[Robin122]

So, we are departing from Houston and since I don't know the area, I am considering booking through Princess.

 

I am wanting to make sure I understand this correctly...

They will meet us at the airport and take us to the hotel, right?

Is hotel tax included?

They will also pick us up from the hotel the next morning and take us to the port, right?

What kind of time window do they usually have? We are the type of people who like to get there as early as possible for boarding as soon as they open it up. (Vacation starts when we set foot on the ship! We also like MDR lunch instead of the crowded buffets.)

 

Any other benefits to booking hotel with the cruise line?

 

Thanks!

Robin

[Pam in CA]

Houston is a bit of an anomaly in that Princess uses the Marriott in the airport area. We were met at luggage claim and then told to make our own way on the train to the Marriott. We must have looked blank because another rep offered to lead us to the train and the hotel.

 

You are assigned a bus and time. They are not flexible because everyone has been assigned so switching two people means switching two others to another bus.

[Robin122]

Thanks for responding, Pam. We are looking at the Four Seasons hotel package instead of the Marriott.

[cherylandtk]

The Four Seasons is downtown, not close to either airport. So your package would be fly in, take a transfer (bus or shuttle depending) to the hotel, be picked up by the bus on departure day, and ride to the port.

 

The Princess transfer buses are used in the morning to transport pax from the ship to the airports or post cruise hotels. Then they turn around to transport the next cruisers from the airports and hotels to the ship. You won't be arriving early to the ship on such a transfer. The couple of times we have used the hotel packages the pickup was at noon or one-ish.

[Coral]

I have used Princess hotels a few times and you will not be one of the first to port. The busses have left between 12-1.

 

One time we were told to pick up our bus numbers at 9 am (or whatever time). I went down about 20 minutes early and they had started early giving out the numbers so we were on the 3rd bus.

[RocketMan275]

Had a Princess hotel in Mar 2014.

Worked great.

Can only comment on flying into Bush International and not into Hobby.

 

We had a late around 10 PM arrival. Did not wish to arrange cabs to hotel while handling bags, etc.

 

Princess did not meet us at airport. Wasn't surprised due to late arrival time. The hotel is the Marriott so it's maybe 200 yards from baggage pick up. Really wasn't a big deal. The people at the Marriott guest desk explained everything. Gave us bag tags. Told us when to be downstairs. Very smooth.

 

We were told to put tags on bags and leave them in the room. Princess loaded them onto cargo truck.

 

Got up. Had breakfast. Was waiting on Princess rep when she arrived. Hint: be there early to get on the early busses. Early bus was about 1100.

 

Sure, you can save a few bucks by booking off airport but you will have to pay for cabs to/from. The convenience was worth a few bucks for us.

 

FWIW, I would guess there were over 100 guests cruising Princess at the hotel.

[pris993]

If you don't care how much you spend, book through Princess. Otherwise, check the rate you can get on your own, usually way better. Likewise, the cost of a taxi to the port, is worth checking. Even if you are not familiar with port... it is easy to get information on line.

 

I tell you this from years of experience, we always book our own air and hotel. Handle ground transport our selves too.

 

Just did a cruise out of NYC... flew in to JFK... cruise was out of Red Hook port not on Princess. I actually found I could check out info on the port on line and view the port - route from the airport on youtube ... very helpful.

 

Read on cruise critic about car services... decided I would simply do a taxi form the airport to and from the ship... worked out very well. We had a sedan each way, cheaper than a car service, from our hotel to the port and ship to airport...

 

Got a airport hotel for one night for $156... a senior rate... a real.

[Robin122]

Thank you all for your replies! I have shared the information with hubby and he wants to arrange a limo (towncar) transfer. He does not do well in situations like have been described (uncertain wait times etc) due to his autism.

 

I appreciate all the helpful information provided! It is great to have such quick responses!

[cruisequeen4ever]

A limo transfer will start your vacation off smoothly and luxuriously! [emoji106]

[piper28]

I did the Four Seasons when flying out of Houston when we did our cruise out of there. The pricing actually was not all that unreasonable when you factored in the transfers, and what a pain it is to get to the Houston port.

 

Our transfer from the airport to the hotel actually ended up being just the two of us with a driver in a a suburban. Hotel to ship was via bus (actually had I think 2 buses that were used to handle everyone).

 

I don't normally do princess hotel's, but at least this time it wasn't a bad choice, so it never hurts to look and compare costs.

 

This particular Four Seasons isn't a bad hotel, but it's also not really what I'd expect of a Four Seasons. I'd certainly never pay four seasons rates for it, so if it's priced high, I'd avoid it. I'd say it's pretty similar to a Hyatt or something like that.

[pris993]

Thank you all for your replies! I have shared the information with hubby and he wants to arrange a limo (towncar) transfer. He does not do well in situations like have been described (uncertain wait times etc) due to his autism.

 

I appreciate all the helpful information provided! It is great to have such quick responses!

 

Sounds like you know what you want and need.

 

We only did a ship transfer once years ago, in Rome after flying all night, never again. We were tired and the ship kept passengers on the transfer waiting for hours... Gone back to Rome many times since, always get a hotel for the night and a private car transfer to the port, not cheap but worth it.

[LeeW]

You could also get a hotel at or near the airport and then come back for a cruise line transfer in the morning. Much cheaper than using a Princess hotel.

 

For several times we used Princess hotels the bus wasn't going to get to the ship until after 2 PM. Even if they pick up your luggage from the room they usually have you identify it so it goes on the same bus as you. So we identified our luggage to the Princess rep and took a cab to the ship. Have also had them just put all the luggage in a trailer.

[Retiring cajun]

we will be staying at Marriott! Houston cruise. price with Princess transfer was very reasonable..

[caribill]

Thank you all for your replies! I have shared the information with hubby and he wants to arrange a limo (towncar) transfer. He does not do well in situations like have been described (uncertain wait times etc) due to his autism.

 

I appreciate all the helpful information provided! It is great to have such quick responses!

 

If you are not going to use Princess xfer to the ship, then there is no reason to book the hotel through Princess as their pricing (which is per person) includes the transfer.

 

If you are arriving at IAH, then I suggest using the airport Marriott which is a short underground train ride away from the luggage claim.

 

Unless you have a great desire for the downtown Four Seasons, why take all the time (and extra cost) of a transfer to that hotel which is about 20 miles from IAH?

[Robin122]

If you are not going to use Princess xfer to the ship, then there is no reason to book the hotel through Princess as their pricing (which is per person) includes the transfer.

 

If you are arriving at IAH, then I suggest using the airport Marriott which is a short underground train ride away from the luggage claim.

 

Unless you have a great desire for the downtown Four Seasons, why take all the time (and extra cost) of a transfer to that hotel which is about 20 miles from IAH?

 

 

That is exactly what we did. :) Marriott at the airport and limo (towncar) transfers to the port the next morning.