Booking hotels with Princess

[Kelan]

I'm looking to extend my post-cruise stay in Vancouver. I just saw online that Princess can book you a hotel for a very good price. Four Seasons Vancouver for $149 ???.. Is this real... Has anyone booked these specials trough Princess? Do you get better deals in Hotels just for being a cruise passenger? Thank you!

[Rob & Beckys mom]

I'm looking to extend my post-cruise stay in Vancouver. I just saw online that Princess can book you a hotel for a very good price. Four Seasons Vancouver for $149 ???.. Is this real... Has anyone booked these specials trough Princess? Do you get better deals in Hotels just for being a cruise passenger? Thank you!

 

 

That's $149 per person. May still be a good price for that hotel, but I would look around online.

 

Jan

[Toto2Kansas]

I'm looking to extend my post-cruise stay in Vancouver. I just saw online that Princess can book you a hotel for a very good price. Four Seasons Vancouver for $149 ???.. Is this real... Has anyone booked these specials trough Princess? Do you get better deals in Hotels just for being a cruise passenger? Thank you!

 

As already stated, that is a per person price. It sounds great when you first look at it, until you realize it is much more expensive then booking it yourself since that rate will be doubled for two occupants.

[Nana G]

The rate quoted also includes Princess transfers if that is an issue.

[ggprincess2004]

We have always found that we can get better rates dealing with the same hotel directly than we can with Princess. Between AAA, AARP and other organizations that you may be able to "use" for rate quotes, we do our hotel bookings, and also happen to prefer to book our own air. Also, while Princess will not officially provide transfers to the ship from the hotel if you do not book the hotel through them, we have been able to use the Princess hotel to ship transfer when we have wanted to by just asking the agents at the hotel.

The first time we embark at a new port for us, we try to stay at a hotel that Princess uses, and have a little mental safety net by being able to access the transfers - they have always offered just to load our luggage on the "luggage truck" and take it to the ship, even if they are uncertain about the seating on the transfer busses.

We have learned to fly in at least a day ahead, and prefer to take direct flights whenever we can.

That may be more info than you wanted, but I thought it might be helpful to someone.

[Spikesgirl]

We usually book our pre/post hotel through Princess. It's much easier to be picked up at the airport or dock and transported there without having to fiddling aound with trying to find a taxi and/or hotel in a strange city. It's also nice to have your luggage transported without having to mess with it.

 

You might be able the rooms cheaper on a travel site, but I like the convenience of not having to deal with anymore details than necessary.

 

Charlie

[Kelan]

Thank you for all your comments. Will look for other deals, and also will call Princess to see what they can offer me.

Regards,

Kelan

[dosi]

You also have to consider distance from the airport to the hotel and from the hotel to the pier. For our upcoming cruise out of San Diego everything is very close by. Cab fares are relatively low and I save a bundle by booking on my own. HOWEVER, on our cruise on the Diamond in February I did quite well booking with PCL. They picked us up at LAX and put us into a cab to our hotel in Redondo Beach. We had two nights at a fabulous hotel that was located in a very convenient area. There was so much to do within a one mile radius we never needed a cab or any type of transportation. Then on embarkation day PCL picked us up in a bus and drove us to San Pedro. When I broke this all down, looking at the cost of a cab in LA and distances we had to travel, the PCL package was a slammin' good deal.

[4cats4me]

We usually book through Priceline or Hotwire based on some good

tips from this forum.;)

[kruisey]

You also have to consider distance from the airport to the hotel and from the hotel to the pier. For our upcoming cruise out of San Diego everything is very close by. Cab fares are relatively low and I save a bundle by booking on my own. HOWEVER, on our cruise on the Diamond in February I did quite well booking with PCL. They picked us up at LAX and put us into a cab to our hotel in Redondo Beach. We had two nights at a fabulous hotel that was located in a very convenient area. There was so much to do within a one mile radius we never needed a cab or any type of transportation. Then on embarkation day PCL picked us up in a bus and drove us to San Pedro. When I broke this all down, looking at the cost of a cab in LA and distances we had to travel, the PCL package was a slammin' good deal.

I agree the Princess Redondo beach plus transfers are a good deal.Our flite from Vancouver to LAX was cancelled the airline transferred us to another airline.I rang Princess and told them about the cancelled flite.At LA Princess met us and took us to a private cab and prepaid the fare to the Hotel.:)

[haggis]

Having just come off the Island Princess with a pre cruise stay in Las Vegas, I am more than satisfied with the Princess package. Our 3 night stay in LV cost us £300 each which included being met and transported to the Luxor on our arrival by stretched limo and being taken back to the airport, again by stretched limo, for our flight to LAX to join the ship. We were met at LAX and bussed to a local hotel where all our documentation was completed and on arrival dockside, were ushered straight onto the ship. Our cruise cards etc were waiting on a seperate table. No lines and no hanging about. £300 is approx $550 give or take a few dollars but when you take into account of the flights etc, it seems a good deal.

Jimmy

[Coral]

I am big into Priceline and Hotwire but I have to admit, sometimes Princess hotels are a better deal.

 

One time in FLL, all the hotels were booked and very pricey (some event was going on) - I was able to get the Renaissance on 17th Street for a reasonable amount when neither hotwire or Priceline had any availability. I had grabbed it thinking I would drop it at final payment but then kept because I wasn't able to do any better.

 

I also used Princess hotels in LA and had a better price compared to hotwire and the hotel was half as much compared to the Marriott site. Priceline bids were comperable.

 

So to say "Princess's prices are always a bad deal" is not accurate. One needs to look at the entire situation and make an educated guess based on the situation.

[davejohn]

We have always found that we can get better rates dealing with the same hotel directly than we can with Princess. Between AAA, AARP and other organizations that you may be able to "use" for rate quotes, we do our hotel bookings, and also happen to prefer to book our own air. Also, while Princess will not officially provide transfers to the ship from the hotel if you do not book the hotel through them, we have been able to use the Princess hotel to ship transfer when we have wanted to by just asking the agents at the hotel.

The first time we embark at a new port for us, we try to stay at a hotel that Princess uses, and have a little mental safety net by being able to access the transfers - they have always offered just to load our luggage on the "luggage truck" and take it to the ship, even if they are uncertain about the seating on the transfer busses.

We have learned to fly in at least a day ahead, and prefer to take direct flights whenever we can.

That may be more info than you wanted, but I thought it might be helpful to someone.

 

Thanks for the tip. We booked our own room at the Crowne Plaza St. James in London and saved quite a bit. When I called Princess to ask about transfers they said I could only use it if I booked the hotel through them. I'll definitely try asking the hotel agent.

 

Princess also offers an alternative transfer from Victoria Coach Station. Even factoring in the transfer and cab fare to get there (we could probably walk if it's not raining) it was cheaper booking on my own.

 

Dave