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Pre Cruise Hotel


napria
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A few of you may remember that I'm new to cruising. We're booked on a cruise leaving from San Juan in March. I keep seeing very strong suggestions that we arrive to our port of call a day early. We added the $199 airfare through Silversea. Our TA let me know that we can change that at no charge if we want to add the Pre Cruise hotel through Silversea.

 

My question is the price he quoted was $436 for the Sheraton in Old San Juan, but I checked the Sheraton website and I can book any room for less, except the Suite, which I can book for the same price. Is there any reason I should book through Silversea? Thank you in advance for sharing your thoughts.

 

Anne

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Anne, it is always a good idea to arrive a day or more before your cruise as if your flight is cancelled or delayed you could miss the ship.

 

The benefits of the hotel program is that you will receive transfers from airport to hotel and hotel to ship and there will be a hospitality desk at the hotel. For some people it is worth the extra money for the convenience of this.

 

For the majority of guests they prefer to book the hotel on their own so that they can choose the hotel they want and as you noticed they can do it for a substantially lower cost even taking account the transfers.

 

Keith

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It is nice to arrive a day early. I find it takes out a lot of the stress of flying for me and makes the sail away day more enjoyable. As you have discovered the cruise lines charge a lot for the hotel and be sure to read the fine print because some of the prices are per person. We usually book the hotel ourselves. You can purchase the transfers separately from the line or just hop in a cab. I have found that most of the time the transfer is on a bus so you must wait till all are on onboard and sometimes go around the airport while more are picked up. We usually just get a cab. Have a great trip!! We will be disembarking the Muse in SJ April 4.

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The Sheraton is very close to the port. We walked with our luggage, so the only real benefit is the transfer from the airport to the hotel. Also if you change your SS flight (without adding the hotel package) there will be additional ‘change’ costs incurred. I wouldn’t be surprised if the charges plus booking direct equaled the cost of the room through SS. (So not really ‘no charge’ for the change)

 

Highly recommended to arrive a day early though.

 

 

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A few of you may remember that I'm new to cruising. We're booked on a cruise leaving from San Juan in March. I keep seeing very strong suggestions that we arrive to our port of call a day early. We added the $199 airfare through Silversea. Our TA let me know that we can change that at no charge if we want to add the Pre Cruise hotel through Silversea.

 

 

 

My question is the price he quoted was $436 for the Sheraton in Old San Juan, but I checked the Sheraton website and I can book any room for less, except the Suite, which I can book for the same price. Is there any reason I should book through Silversea? Thank you in advance for sharing your thoughts.

 

 

 

Anne

 

 

 

Yes you should arrive a day earlier to allow for unexpected delays and there is no reason to book a hotel through SS unless you get a fantastic deal.

 

 

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Napria,

 

NEVER NEVER NEVER book a hotel through the cruise line. They charge you per person instead of per room. The transfer and breakfast will cost you a fraction off the price difference.

 

According to our TA the price is for the room, not per person.

 

I'm nervous about arranging our transportation, and also the change in flights will cost us if we don't add the Silversea pre flight hotel. I'm thinking since we are taking advantage of some of the free shore excursions, I'll splurge on the pre flight hotel.

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According to our TA the price is for the room, not per person.

 

I'm nervous about arranging our transportation, and also the change in flights will cost us if we don't add the Silversea pre flight hotel. I'm thinking since we are taking advantage of some of the free shore excursions, I'll splurge on the pre flight hotel.

 

Anne, before you decide you need to just double-check with your TA that there is no misunderstanding and that it is $218 per person double occupancy booked through SS and not the agent. and that it includes all transfers and SS ground arrangements. Also double check the SS change fees if you do not take the hotel arrangement. As discussed before check whether it has actually been ticketed as you may be able to avoid a larger fee if your TA talks nicely to them ie it may just be a small admin fee and not an airline change fee.

 

Once the detailed costs have been confirmed you are in a much better position to make a fully informed decision as you will have to factor in SS change fees if you make your own hotel arrangements.

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A few of you may remember that I'm new to cruising. We're booked on a cruise leaving from San Juan in March. I keep seeing very strong suggestions that we arrive to our port of call a day early. We added the $199 airfare through Silversea. Our TA let me know that we can change that at no charge if we want to add the Pre Cruise hotel through Silversea.

 

My question is the price he quoted was $436 for the Sheraton in Old San Juan, but I checked the Sheraton website and I can book any room for less, except the Suite, which I can book for the same price. Is there any reason I should book through Silversea? Thank you in advance for sharing your thoughts.

 

Anne

 

Hi Anne,

Completely understand. Yes arrive early. Can't tell you how many time we see guests barely making it on board, even with the ship waiting for them and having no luggage to boot. You are hearing good advice on that note. Regarding the cruise hotel, I offer the following; I call it holding your hand. What I mean is, there is absolutely nothing wrong with allowing Silversea to pick you up at the airport, drive you to the hotel, have a representative in the Lobby for you to ask unlimited questions and then drive you to the ship. So for the first time, spend a little more and let them take care of you. Maybe you will like cruising and can chane the way you do things next time...

Edited by carefreecruise
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According to our TA the price is for the room, not per person.

 

I'm nervous about arranging our transportation, and also the change in flights will cost us if we don't add the Silversea pre flight hotel. I'm thinking since we are taking advantage of some of the free shore excursions, I'll splurge on the pre flight hotel.

 

Based on what you have said sounds like you should go this route.

 

I do highly recommend arriving a day or more before your cruise. As I mentioned earlier flying in the day of the cruise is risky should your flight get delayed or worse cancelled. It is nice on embarkation day to just go from the hotel to the port.

 

If you are saying that the only way to change flights is to add on the program and avoid a penalty then that sounds good.

 

Also if making your own transfer arrangements worries you this is a plus as well.

 

I would verity the pricing that it is not per person.

 

I mentioned this earlier that the majority of people don't use the hotel programs because of the added cost. However some do and often it is for things such as not wanting to worry about transfers or just wanting the added assistance.

 

Good luck with all of this.

 

Keith

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Hi

We are in a similar position.

Cruise departs San Juan on Sunday and we are flying out from the Uk on Thursday.

We arrive in San juan in the early hours of Friday and have booked our hotel for 3 nights ...

One of the maiin reasons we selected this hotel (La Terrazza de San Juan) was the fact that it has 24 hrs reception which is handy when we arrive. FWIW it rates higher than the Sheraton on Trip Advisor .... although I can be somewhat cynical when it comes to some of the reports that are published.

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I did this in March, though we stayed at the other Sheraton Hotel (casino).... funnily our Silversea transfer taxi took us to the old San Juan one in error. (I questioned his route as I could see on my sat nav he was going in the wrong direction!)

 

The taxi fare would be approx $18 to old San Juan with the advantage of not then needing a transfer taxi to the ship as the hotel is literally just across the street from the terminal.

 

We chose to use the SS service as our flights were arriving at about 1am and could do without the hassle. If there isn’t much difference in the cost, I’d always chose to use them, but would DIY if there was. Remember to add the resort fees in your calculations.

 

For our next, we are using the SS Hotel on arrival in Singapore, but departing from Hong Kong we’ve got a far better deal booking the hotel ourselves.

 

I think the choice is affected not just by cost and proximity, but the actual location itself along with arrival times. Just a case of weighing together that info and making your choice.

 

 

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Hi Anne,

Completely understand. Yes arrive early. Can't tell you how many time we see guests barely making it on board, even with the ship waiting for them and having no luggage to boot. You are hearing good advice on that note. Regarding the cruise hotel, I offer the following; I call it holding your hand. What I mean is, there is absolutely nothing wrong with allowing Silversea to pick you up at the airport, drive you to the hotel, have a representative in the Lobby for you to ask unlimited questions and then drive you to the ship. So for the first time, spend a little more and let them take care of you. Maybe you will like cruising and can change the way you do things next time...

 

What a great post. i couldn't agree more.

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According to our TA the price is for the room, not per person.

 

I'm nervous about arranging our transportation, and also the change in flights will cost us if we don't add the Silversea pre flight hotel. I'm thinking since we are taking advantage of some of the free shore excursions, I'll splurge on the pre flight hotel.

And while you're at it burn a few hundred dollars of cash. Cause that's what you're doing.

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I got a fantastic SS pre-night package in Lisbon hotel for $179 per person. Transfers from airport to hotel, hotel to ship and ship to LHR when we disembark in London for $89 per person. Sounds like a pretty good deal to me. Might save a bit on self booking hotel but doubt I could beat the transfers. Doesn't sound like I'm burning a few hundred $. To each his own.

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May I suggest to the OP you find out what you could book the hotel for yourself (check all the booking sites and directly with the hotel), and find out approximately what taxis would cost instead of transfers. Then do the math... if the amount you will save is more than the SS air deviation fee, book the hotel yourself and take taxis (I've always found taxis to be less expensive, quicker and more convenient than line-booked transfers).

 

Why do adults need their hand held?

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And while you're at it burn a few hundred dollars of cash. Cause that's what you're doing.

 

 

 

Because the cruise itself was so inexpensive, right?

 

(That’s sarcasm. Explanation provided because sometimes it gets missed in text.)

 

 

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I guess cave men don't do the romance thing...

 

You might be surprised. However, I'm not 'dating' Silversea... and don't want to be hit over the head with a $300 'club' and dragged back to their cave. ;)

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Hi Anne, I have cruised out of San Juan multiple times over the years and have always booked my own hotels.

If you check the San Juan Forum you can get some good information over there. I have never spent 400.00 on

a hotel room in San Juan.......you can find rooms much more reasonably priced than that.........:)

 

But I do agree with arriving a day early:)!

Edited by Lois R
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Because the cruise itself was so inexpensive, right?

 

(That’s sarcasm. Explanation provided because sometimes it gets missed in text.)

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

I understand the sarcasm. Still I don't care how much the cruise costs I don't want to pay two to three times the money for a vote room with transfers and breakfast. But the way, are those transfers in a bus with all the other passengers staying at the hotel or are they private as they would be if your TA arranged them?

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Hi Anne, I have cruised out of San Juan multiple times over the years and have always booked my own hotels.

If you check the San Juan Forum you can get some good information over there. I have never spent 400.00 on

a hotel room in San Juan.......you can find rooms much more reasonably priced than that.........:)

 

But I do agree with arriving a day early:)!

 

I know when I booked, I was originally shown to be staying in the Intercontinental, but they had contract issues which took a long time to resolve. I do remember doing a cross check on prices at the time, and looking to book ourselves direct. It was certainly cheaper to do so. However, the mention of resort fees and probably other unknown charges being added - breakfast not included..... and at the time...... it was the day of the Brexit vote and noticeable increases due wild to currency fluctuations, we held off booking. Eventually we were offered the Sheraton Casino (several months later) and the room rate was probably dearer than had we booked direct, paid for transfers and breakfast, but I honestly dont think there would be masses in it. I do agree though it pays to check which Ive done for our next one. Pre cruise using Silversea, post cruise our own booking for a considerable saving.

 

OP, did you manage to find out if the rate quoted was each or for the room? From my experience they always quote per person (since its a package including transfers and breakfast), but its not clear if your agent may have been putting something together outside of silversea and would explain why they've said per room. Also, as mentioned, we stayed at the Sheraton Hotel and Casino - which Silversea still shows as their San Juan offering. In truth, the location of the old San Juan Sharaton you've been offered is in a better location IMHO.

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