Left luggage at port in Boston.

[muffin]

We arrive at port in Boston in early morning and fly out at 6:30 pm. We want to do some sightseeing for the day. Grey line tours?  Big problem is luggage. Is there a left luggage area at the port, or does anyone know of hotel  close to port who would keep our cases(2) for several hours. We would be happy to pay. Any ideas out there? We can’t be alone in this. Will check with Greyline to see if they will keep at office.  Thanks. 

[Crewbie]

Hi, muffin,

We had the same considerations earlier this year as you've posted for. These two threads below helped me scope some of the options and hopefully may help in your planning to what fits your needs.

 

In agreement with what @Dobby36 said in your other thread, we enjoyed our time with the water taxi experience. It may not be the most direct, cheapest, or efficient option, but we were very pleased with the service, storage, and the small bonus amount of sightseeing from the water. Arrangements were straightforward, we were picked up on time with luggage then stored at their large locker at the wharf, and we were able to enjoy a few hours on a trolley tour before returning for a very punctual transfer to the airport dock to which you board the airport shuttles circulating the terminals. Hope that your search and trip go well!

 

 

[Oviedo32765]

Look into using Bounce - usebounce.com

Bounce is a luggage storage service and will locate storage near you.

Be sure to check the hours of the storage location because not all locations are open late or 24 hours.

[Nitemare]

Another option is the Rowes Wharf/Airport water shuttle.  You can go there and leave your luggage and pay for water shuttle transfer to the airport later in the day, and then explore the city on your own without your bags.  Boston will keep you occupied for the day, it's quite walkable and has strong transit downtown if you want to explore towards the edges like Fenway Park or cross the river into Cambridge

[princeton123211]

10 hours ago, muffin said:

Big problem is luggage. Is there a left luggage area at the port, or does anyone know of hotel  close to port who would keep our cases(2) for several hours.

Any major hotel, with a few exceptions, will store your bags for a while for free and a decent tip to the porter. I've stored bags at Boston Harbor Hotel on Rowes Wharf and the nearby Intercontinental many times. If anyone were to give you a hard time (which they wont) just say you are getting coffee or breakfast at the hotel restaurant. On the other side of town the Fairmont Copley Plaza has always been very accommodating storing my luggage as well for the day even if I'm not staying there. 

[muffin]

Thank you all so very much for your help!  Much appreciated. Will check a bit further and know we have options. Cruise critic members to the rescue! 

[travelloverontario]

I know this is an older thread.. but I have a question.

 

If storing luggage at a hotel, do I tip when I drop off the luggage or when I pick it up?

 

Thanks 🙂

[princeton123211]

18 hours ago, travelloverontario said:

If storing luggage at a hotel, do I tip when I drop off the luggage or when I pick it up?

 

Thanks 🙂

If you are not staying at that hotel and they are doing you a solid I would tip when you drop off and when you pick up. The tip on the front end might be what gets it done in the first place. 

[travelloverontario]

28 minutes ago, princeton123211 said:

If you are not staying at that hotel and they are doing you a solid I would tip when you drop off and when you pick up. The tip on the front end might be what gets it done in the first place. 

Thanks.

I think if I am tipping twice, paying for transport to the wharf area, and again to the airport, it may be just as easy for me to go with the 'cruiseship special' through the watertaxi.

[princeton123211]

42 minutes ago, travelloverontario said:

Thanks.

I think if I am tipping twice, paying for transport to the wharf area, and again to the airport, it may be just as easy for me to go with the 'cruiseship special' through the watertaxi.

They are just different sort of days. Personally I would just tip $5 dropping them off and maybe another $5 picking them up if it's not the same bellman. Nothing huge.

 

The water taxi gets you to the airport but via a dock near the Hyatt and then you need to take another shuttle to the terminal. It's a novelty-- its not serious transportation.

 

An Uber/Lyft from downtown directly to your terminal will be much faster and efficient door to door and give you more time to enjoy Boston. There's a reason they have a "cruise ship special"-- because no one who lives in Boston actually uses it to get to the airport. 

[travelloverontario]

8 minutes ago, princeton123211 said:

They are just different sort of days. Personally I would just tip $5 dropping them off and maybe another $5 picking them up if it's not the same bellman. Nothing huge.

 

The water taxi gets you to the airport but via a dock near the Hyatt and then you need to take another shuttle to the terminal. It's a novelty-- its not serious transportation.

 

An Uber/Lyft from downtown directly to your terminal will be much faster and efficient door to door and give you more time to enjoy Boston. There's a reason they have a "cruise ship special"-- because no one who lives in Boston actually uses it to get to the airport. 

Thanks for the info!!

 

I don't have uber /lyft, but I guess I could get one for this trip. One problem with that is that I would need to use data, which is a pain through my Canadian carrier. Perhaps if the cruise terminal has free wifi I could use that.

Do you know roughly the cost of an uber from ship to downtown? And how much from downtown to the airport?  (By downtown I mean the waterfront/aquarium area)

 

Thanks

[princeton123211]

24 minutes ago, travelloverontario said:

I don't have uber /lyft, but I guess I could get one for this trip. One problem with that is that I would need to use data, which is a pain through my Canadian carrier. Perhaps if the cruise terminal has free wifi I could use that.

Do you know roughly the cost of an uber from ship to downtown? And how much from downtown to the airport?  (By downtown I mean the waterfront/aquarium area)

 

Uber will be $20-25ish depending on exactly where you get it from and time of day. Alternatively if you do use a hotel to store bags they can call you a traditional taxi. Taxis in Boston are significantly fewer these days, as they are most places, because of Uber/Lyft. A hotel would also offer wifi.