Transfers - thru Princess or self

[ILOVEMEXICO]

Just wondering what most people do - do you have Princess arrange for your transfer to and from the hotel or do you book you own. We are sailing from Ft. Lauderdale and staying at the Hollywood Beach Marriott. If you go on your own - do you take your luggage right to your room or do you still have to drop off with Princess when you get to the ship?

We have had our transfers in the past thru Princess but were thinking about doing it on our own - how far is the Marriott/airport from the cruise dock??

[Gibby]

Just wondering what most people do - do you have Princess arrange for your transfer to and from the hotel or do you book you own. We are sailing from Ft. Lauderdale and staying at the Hollywood Beach Marriott. If you go on your own - do you take your luggage right to your room or do you still have to drop off with Princess when you get to the ship?

We have had our transfers in the past thru Princess but were thinking about doing it on our own - how far is the Marriott/airport from the cruise dock??

 

Several of the Hotels in the Ft. Lauderdale area have shuttles to/from both the airport and cruise port (they know why most people are there). I would check with the hotel and find one that has the free shuttle to the port. As always, when you get to the ship, you check all but your carry on luggage with the porters, and it will be taken to your cabin.

[MichCook]

We don't use Princess transfers. We take a cab from the Ft. Lauderdale airport to the hotel and a cab from the hotel to the cruise port. Some hotels may have a free shuttle that runs to/from the airport/hotel/cruise port...check with your hotel. I think it's about 9 miles from the hotel to Port Everglades, 7-ish miles from the airport to the hotel. Enjoy your cruise!

[DougH]

I usually get to the ship on my own as most times I'm arriving a day or two early. After the cruise most times I use the cruise line transfer as it seems easier. As I travel alone a cab is almost always more expensive.

[Pia1913]

Just wondering what most people do - do you have Princess arrange for your transfer to and from the hotel or do you book you own. We are sailing from Ft. Lauderdale and staying at the Hollywood Beach Marriott. If you go on your own - do you take your luggage right to your room or do you still have to drop off with Princess when you get to the ship?

We have had our transfers in the past thru Princess but were thinking about doing it on our own - how far is the Marriott/airport from the cruise dock??

 

The Hollywood Beach Marriott does not have shuttle service to the port. It's about a $15 taxi ride from the airport, so you'd have to add a few more dollars from the hotel to the port. Are you staying down there for a specific reason and not staying closer to the airport/port?

[DrivesLikeMario]

Absolutely do your own transfers via taxi in FLL!!! The taxis are cheaper than the cruise line transfers there. Taxis are quick and easy and you don't have to wait around for the Princess busses to fill up. ;)

[paul929207]

Usually, you can get your own transfer cheaper than thru Princess. At Fort Lauderdale, since you are close to the port the savings is smaller than at other ports.

 

When you get to the ship, you can either give your bags to the porters or carry them yourself. Keep in mind that the cabins are not always ready if you arrive before 2. If that is the case and you carry your luggage, you have to lug it around until you can get into your cabin.

[Pia1913]

Usually, you can get your own transfer cheaper than thru Princess. At Fort Lauderdale, since you are close to the port the savings is smaller than at other ports.

 

When you get to the ship, you can either give your bags to the porters or carry them yourself. Keep in mind that the cabins are not always ready if you arrive before 2. If that is the case and you carry your luggage, you have to lug it around until you can get into your cabin.

 

The only way you can carry on your own bags is if they fit through the scanner. Anything larger than 25" (non-expanded) does not.

[ILOVEMEXICO]

The Hollywood Beach Marriott does not have shuttle service to the port. It's about a $15 taxi ride from the airport, so you'd have to add a few more dollars from the hotel to the port. Are you staying down there for a specific reason and not staying closer to the airport/port?

 

Pia - the Mariott is one of the hotels offered by Princess - do you know of any other hotels closer to the port. Princess is charging 150.00 for transfers for two of us plus the cost of the hotel - transfer cost seemed high to me, that's why I was questioning how other do it. I'd rather spend the extra on the ship that for a transfer that we can do ourselves.

[GloriaF]

I must comment on Paul's post about cabins not being ready when you board -

I've never known the Princess cabins not to be ready by the time they allow boarding. I know on HAL, it is customary for the cabins not to be available until after 2 PM. It takes both Princess & HAL stewards approx the same amount of time to prepare the cabins, but the difference is HAL allows passengers to stay in their cabins on debarkation day until they wish to leave, and Princess requests all passengers vacate their cabins by 9AM. This allows the stewards to get an earlier start preparing the cabins for the next sailing.

 

Also, if you check the East Coast Departures board, sub-board Florida Departures, you will find lots of info on FLL hotels. We usually stay at LaQuinta Hollywood and they do have a complimentary shuttle to the port.

[Fairport]

$150 for transfers seems really high. We usually get to FLL a day early take a taxi to the hotel and a taxi to the port. After we disembark from the ship we take a taxi to the airport. The cost for this is less than the $150 Princess charges. We have never used Princess transfers, even in foreign ports. We always find the local transportation to be much cheaper, sometimes we have to schlep our bags a bit, but the exercise is good and the money saved we can use for something else.

[Pia1913]

Pia - the Mariott is one of the hotels offered by Princess - do you know of any other hotels closer to the port. Princess is charging 150.00 for transfers for two of us plus the cost of the hotel - transfer cost seemed high to me, that's why I was questioning how other do it. I'd rather spend the extra on the ship that for a transfer that we can do ourselves.

 

$150 for transfers alone? That's outrageous! The most it could cost you for taxis, RT, would be $40-45 + tip. Do a little on line shopping for your hotel. How much is the hotel? February is an expensive month, but you can probably do better on your own.

[golferdog]

Just wondering what most people do - do you have Princess arrange for your transfer to and from the hotel or do you book you own. We are sailing from Ft. Lauderdale and staying at the Hollywood Beach Marriott. If you go on your own - do you take your luggage right to your room or do you still have to drop off with Princess when you get to the ship?

We have had our transfers in the past thru Princess but were thinking about doing it on our own - how far is the Marriott/airport from the cruise dock??

The Embassy Suites is about a $10 cab ride from the airport and the shuttle service from the hotel to the ship cost us about $5-6 each~~very easy to do and the shuttles run every 20-30 minutes in small vans. If you get in early, you can just walk across the street for dinner at Chuck's Steakhouse (very nice menu with lots of other "stuff" besides steak.) Hope you have a great cruise

[Pia1913]

The Embassy Suites is about a $10 cab ride from the airport and the shuttle service from the hotel to the ship cost us about $5-6 each~~very easy to do and the shuttles run every 20-30 minutes in small vans. If you get in early, you can just walk across the street for dinner at Chuck's Steakhouse (very nice menu with lots of other "stuff" besides steak.) Hope you have a great cruise

 

Embassy Suites is running approx. $300/nite for February. They most likely can find something less expensive in the same area.

[mexico5]

I agree with Lady Jag! We stayed at "Renaissance Fort Lauderdale" and they offered free shuttles through Princess. Well by the time the bus filled up, we had waited in the lobby for almost 3 hours! We got onto the ship just in time for the drill, then we were moving! This was our first cruise so we did not know any better!

 

Next week we are staying at the same hotel and the shuttle to the pier is included, BUT we are just hoping in a cab!

[ILOVEMEXICO]

Embassy Suites is running approx. $300/nite for February. They most likely can find something less expensive in the same area.

 

Mariott is $149 - I'm presuming it's CAD dollars as the TA has quoted all our prices in Canadian - if not it would be close to $200 and then so would the transfers!!! I'll send an email to her to clarify US or CAD.

[Pia1913]

Mariott is $149 - I'm presuming it's CAD dollars as the TA has quoted all our prices in Canadian - if not it would be close to $200 and then so would the transfers!!! I'll send an email to her to clarify US or CAD.

 

Is that $149 per room, or per person? Princess usually quotes per person.

 

I just did a little currency conversion. If your room is $149 and your transfers are $150, that would equal almost $300. In Canadian dollars $299 converts to approx. $242.54 U.S. and that is not so terrible for the room and the transport. OTOH, if they are charging you that room rate PP, that's a whole other story.

[ILOVEMEXICO]

Is that $149 per room, or per person? Princess usually quotes per person.

 

I just did a little currency conversion. If your room is $149 and your transfers are $150, that would equal almost $300. In Canadian dollars $299 converts to approx. $242.54 U.S. and that is not so terrible for the room and the transport. OTOH, if they are charging you that room rate PP, that's a whole other story.

 

Pia - I only wish your conversion was right - I'd gladly pay 242.54 for a room for two and transfers to and from the airport. Our Canadian dollar is much less than the US - $300 US dollars cost us 373.80 as of today and our dollar went up 3 cents today.

My TA hasn't confirmed whether the quote was US or CAD. The total was $298 and the brochure I have shows the Marriott at $149 per night for two people, so then the transfers are also $149 and that is what I think is too high. I'm more than willing to pay the $149 for the room but based on comments here, I could get a cab to the hotel and then to the port and from the port to the airport for much less than the $149.

Hopefully TA will get back to me tomorrow.

[Pia1913]

Pia - I only wish your conversion was right - I'd gladly pay 242.54 for a room for two and transfers to and from the airport. Our Canadian dollar is much less than the US - $300 US dollars cost us 373.80 as of today and our dollar went up 3 cents today.

My TA hasn't confirmed whether the quote was US or CAD. The total was $298 and the brochure I have shows the Marriott at $149 per night for two people, so then the transfers are also $149 and that is what I think is too high. I'm more than willing to pay the $149 for the room but based on comments here, I could get a cab to the hotel and then to the port and from the port to the airport for much less than the $149.

Hopefully TA will get back to me tomorrow.

 

Sorry........I guess I went the wrong way with conversion. :o

[bills blasters]

We stayed at that Marriott before, and it is a wonderful hotel. I loved it. If you got it for $149. per night, that is a great price.

I would take a taxi. Those transfer prices seem way too high. I think a taxi would be under $20 total with tip.

[Plant]

Just wondering what most people do - do you have Princess arrange for your transfer to and from the hotel or do you book you own. We are sailing from Ft. Lauderdale and staying at the Hollywood Beach Marriott. If you go on your own - do you take your luggage right to your room or do you still have to drop off with Princess when you get to the ship?

We have had our transfers in the past thru Princess but were thinking about doing it on our own - how far is the Marriott/airport from the cruise dock??

 

I'd suggest you book the hotel on your own. The LaQuinta, Hollywood, FL, has a free shuttle from the airport to the hotel and from the hotel to the port. The only cruise transfers we've booked are from the port to the airport. It's likely your cabin will be ready when you board, but unless you are packing in carry on size bags, you'll need to check your bags with the porters (don't forget to tip-$2.00-$3.00/per bag).

 

Pia - I only wish your conversion was right - I'd gladly pay 242.54 for a room for two and transfers to and from the airport. Our Canadian dollar is much less than the US - $300 US dollars cost us 373.80 as of today and our dollar went up 3 cents today.

My TA hasn't confirmed whether the quote was US or CAD. The total was $298 and the brochure I have shows the Marriott at $149 per night for two people, so then the transfers are also $149 and that is what I think is too high. I'm more than willing to pay the $149 for the room but based on comments here, I could get a cab to the hotel and then to the port and from the port to the airport for much less than the $149.

Hopefully TA will get back to me tomorrow.

 

Please check (and double check!) that this price is for two people. All the hotel quotes I've seen from Princess are per person. $149.00 for transfers can't be right. From any hotel in the general area (Ft. L, Hollywood, Plantation, even Miami!) the fare shouldn't be more than $40.00 per cab and should be much less.

[ILOVEMEXICO]

Sorry........I guess I went the wrong way with conversion. :o

 

Pia - no worries - I just hope the rate is better by February. TA still hasn't confirmed if CAD or US $s but I'm going to cancel the transfers and just take cabs.

[ILOVEMEXICO]

I'd suggest you book the hotel on your own. The LaQuinta, Hollywood, FL, has a free shuttle from the airport to the hotel and from the hotel to the port. The only cruise transfers we've booked are from the port to the airport. It's likely your cabin will be ready when you board, but unless you are packing in carry on size bags, you'll need to check your bags with the porters (don't forget to tip-$2.00-$3.00/per bag).

 

 

 

Please check (and double check!) that this price is for two people. All the hotel quotes I've seen from Princess are per person. $149.00 for transfers can't be right. From any hotel in the general area (Ft. L, Hollywood, Plantation, even Miami!) the fare shouldn't be more than $40.00 per cab and should be much less.

 

Whereabouts do we check our bags withe the porters?

Total price for both of us was 298 - 149 per person which included hotel and transfers - the hotel was listed in the brochure for 149 for 2 so that makes the transfers 149 but we've decided to keep the hotel and cancel the transfers and just take cabs.

[Pia1913]

Whereabouts do we check our bags withe the porters?

Total price for both of us was 298 - 149 per person which included hotel and transfers - the hotel was listed in the brochure for 149 for 2 so that makes the transfers 149 but we've decided to keep the hotel and cancel the transfers and just take cabs.

 

Your taxi will drop you right where the porters are accepting the luggage. Make sure you tip them.

[Plant]

Whereabouts do we check our bags withe the porters?

Total price for both of us was 298 - 149 per person which included hotel and transfers - the hotel was listed in the brochure for 149 for 2 so that makes the transfers 149 but we've decided to keep the hotel and cancel the transfers and just take cabs.

 

Something still seems weird :confused: . You may find that if you cancel the transfers the price of the hotel will go up. $149.00 for transfers is just way out of line.

 

I'd suggest you call Princess and ask again about the price of the hotel and transfer. Don't count on a brochure.