Review of Crowne Plaza San Pedro

I chose this hotel due to proximity to the San Pedro cruise ship terminal and the good reviews I've seen on Cruise Critic. We booked the "Park & Sail" package.

1) Arrived @ 1 PM and gave the key to valet (valet parking only). Car was still in front driveway at 6 PM. Went to the front desk and reminded them we'd be gone for 15 days and would appreciate it if our car didn't sit in front of the hotel for the entire time.

2) Elevators are key operated. No instructions from front desk. Saw some people standing in the elevator waiting for it to function normally. We were lucky, we got on the elevator our first time with a seasoned veteran and he showed us how to use it.

3) Restaurant - ordered a sandwich. Description in menu was "herbed mayo", it was Chipotle mayo and HOT. Complained to waitress - no response. Complained to the front desk - given refund.

4) Room - very nicely appointed. No micro or fridge. Coffee maker was on a shelf under the TV, in order to use it, I had to drag it off the shelf and carry it to the desk or the bathroom in order to plug it in.

5) Bathroom - There was a lighted mirror on the wall for makeup, etc. and I thought "great, can use it for a night light". I've done this in other hotels we've stayed in. Unfortunately, the wall switch turned off all the lights in the bathroom, including the "night light". The TP was sitting on the toilet tank. No TP holder in the bathroom. The anti-slip in the bathtub/shower was non-existent. I informed the front desk of this safety issue and was told that they had just "resanded" all of the tubs. I told her they must have missed one.

6) Shuttle to the pier - the front desk informed us it was "first come, first served" and gave us coupons for departure and arrival. "Be sure you have your coupon or you can't get on the shuttle". When we arrived in the AM, people were standing around all over the lobby and driveway with their luggage. The shuttle pulled up and everyone crowded around hoping to be first. The driver grabbed luggage and threw it into the back of the van, luggage owners boarded, driver boarded and drove. Coupon? I still have it. When we returned, the same thing happened in reverse (with a smaller group of people). Coupon? I still have it.

7) When we returned to the hotel after our cruise, my husband went into the lobby to turn in the ticket for our car while I waited with the luggage and waited and waited. After approx. 30 minutes my husband came out and told me to go to the sidewalk, he would get the car and bring it out himself. And I waited...After another 30 minutes he finally arrived with the car and he was steamed. He had asked for the key and told the valet he would get the car himself. When he got to the garage, the car was blocked in by other cars (of course). He waited for the cars to be moved and drove to the gate. You need a ticket to drive out the gate. He went back to the lobby, got the ticket to get out, wondering why he wasn't given the ticket when he was given the car keys. Total time to leave the hotel was more than an hour. It would have been longer, if we'd waited for the valet. People who arrived before we did were still waiting when we left.

8) Our first time at the Crowne Plaza and our last.

We quit staying there a few years ago. I see it has not changed. Unfortunately it gets a ton of short stay business. So they are always close to capacity for cruises. Most just blow it off and the hotel continues on. :(

We head to Long Beach now.

Thanks for posting.

That's not encouraging...what time did you attempt to get the shuttle to & from the ship? We plan to arrive at the ship at 10:30 and get off the ship at the same time at the end.

We've previously stayed at Doubletree Cabrillo Beach but booked the CP this time because of its more central location closer to the ship & restaurants. It's 0.8 mile from the CP to the ship & we could walk there rolling our luggage if there is a long line to get to the ship. Your parking experiences was a concern of mine & appreciate confirming it's an issue. We prefer to wait until traffic is lighter before starting our hour drive home but not to wait an hour for our car. :(

Did you eat in San Pedro or only at the hotel? Were you able to access your room at 1:00?

thanks for your review. We are an hour's drive from the port but were considering spending the night before our last cruise in SP. but we ended up not doing that and arranged for land transportation directly to the port.

During the last year we ended up doing some land trips between our house and northern California while our daughter was going to school near the Oregon border. So we did some time in hotels and liked some but didn't care for others.

That's not encouraging...what time did you attempt to get the shuttle to & from the ship? We went down to the lobby around 10. Because of our position in the crowd, be ended up on the shuttle very quickly. It all depends on where you're standing. On the way back, we were in walk off group 2, so we were off the ship before 8. I think we may have been the first or second group to catch the shuttle that morning.

 

We've previously stayed at Doubletree Cabrillo Beach but booked the CP this time because of its more central location closer to the ship & restaurants. It's 0.8 mile from the CP to the ship & we could walk there rolling our luggage if there is a long line to get to the ship. Your parking experiences was a concern of mine & appreciate confirming it's an issue. We prefer to wait until traffic is lighter before starting our hour drive home but not to wait an hour for our car. :(Yes, you could walk. It's only a couple of blocks and the length of the port parking lot.

 

Did you eat in San Pedro or only at the hotel? Were you able to access your room at 1:00?

We had dinner and breakfast (included) at the hotel and lunch at a small diner just before you get to the hotel. The breakfast buffet was OK. The diner was OK, kind of Denny's but not as "pretty".

We are Elite and were in the first group to board after BVE, etc. So we were on the ship around 11:45. Our steward was just finishing our room when we went to drop off our luggage.

We had dinner and breakfast (included) at the hotel and lunch at a small diner just before you get to the hotel. The breakfast buffet was OK. The diner was OK, kind of Denny's but not as "pretty".

 

We are Elite and were in the first group to board after BVE, etc. So we were on the ship around 11:45. Our steward was just finishing our room when we went to drop off our luggage.

Thanks...that's very helpful. :)

We're also elite & routinely arrive at 1030 and onboard by noon.

This thread is helpful. Is there a grocery store within walking distance? We like to get Diet Coke and a bottle wine to carry on?

I chose this hotel due to proximity to the San Pedro cruise ship terminal and the good reviews I've seen on Cruise Critic. We booked the "Park & Sail" package.

1) Arrived @ 1 PM and gave the key to valet (valet parking only). Car was still in front driveway at 6 PM. Went to the front desk and reminded them we'd be gone for 15 days and would appreciate it if our car didn't sit in front of the hotel for the entire time.

2) Elevators are key operated. No instructions from front desk. Saw some people standing in the elevator waiting for it to function normally. We were lucky, we got on the elevator our first time with a seasoned veteran and he showed us how to use it.

3) Restaurant - ordered a sandwich. Description in menu was "herbed mayo", it was Chipotle mayo and HOT. Complained to waitress - no response. Complained to the front desk - given refund.

4) Room - very nicely appointed. No micro or fridge. Coffee maker was on a shelf under the TV, in order to use it, I had to drag it off the shelf and carry it to the desk or the bathroom in order to plug it in.

5) Bathroom - There was a lighted mirror on the wall for makeup, etc. and I thought "great, can use it for a night light". I've done this in other hotels we've stayed in. Unfortunately, the wall switch turned off all the lights in the bathroom, including the "night light". The TP was sitting on the toilet tank. No TP holder in the bathroom. The anti-slip in the bathtub/shower was non-existent. I informed the front desk of this safety issue and was told that they had just "resanded" all of the tubs. I told her they must have missed one.

6) Shuttle to the pier - the front desk informed us it was "first come, first served" and gave us coupons for departure and arrival. "Be sure you have your coupon or you can't get on the shuttle". When we arrived in the AM, people were standing around all over the lobby and driveway with their luggage. The shuttle pulled up and everyone crowded around hoping to be first. The driver grabbed luggage and threw it into the back of the van, luggage owners boarded, driver boarded and drove. Coupon? I still have it. When we returned, the same thing happened in reverse (with a smaller group of people). Coupon? I still have it.

7) When we returned to the hotel after our cruise, my husband went into the lobby to turn in the ticket for our car while I waited with the luggage and waited and waited. After approx. 30 minutes my husband came out and told me to go to the sidewalk, he would get the car and bring it out himself. And I waited...After another 30 minutes he finally arrived with the car and he was steamed. He had asked for the key and told the valet he would get the car himself. When he got to the garage, the car was blocked in by other cars (of course). He waited for the cars to be moved and drove to the gate. You need a ticket to drive out the gate. He went back to the lobby, got the ticket to get out, wondering why he wasn't given the ticket when he was given the car keys. Total time to leave the hotel was more than an hour. It would have been longer, if we'd waited for the valet. People who arrived before we did were still waiting when we left.

8) Our first time at the Crowne Plaza and our last.

JF, did the hotel charge for shuttle?

This thread is helpful. Is there a grocery store within walking distance? We like to get Diet Coke and a bottle wine to carry on?

I checked Map Quest...there are 3 groceries approx. 4 blocks away, BUT I don't know what kind and not sure I'd want to walk in that neighborhood.

I don't know how the shuttle works at CP, but if you change to DoubleTree, you can ask their shuttle to take you anywhere within 8 miles IIRC. Much nicer hotel/staff and great shuttle service.

DT's shuttle service isn't "first come, first served", it's by appointment the morning of the cruise. No crowds, no lines. Just show up at the appointed time.

JF, did the hotel charge for shuttle?

We booked the "park and sail" package, so valet parking was included in the price.

Parking is included UP TO 15 days...after that it costs $10/day. Double Tree includes self-parking with their "park and sail" for the entire length of your cruise (we left our car there for 34 days once).

Both hotels have a restaurant (not impressed with either one). CP includes breakfast buffet in the package, DT does not.

We have a reservation at the CP for early January. I called them and voiced my displeasure at their shuttle-to-cruise procedures (which they confirmed). They said they have too many cruisers to do it any other way. Right. :mad:

I asked about getting a cab instead, and she said that taxis don't come to their hotel on cruise days. BUT she said Uber does, within about ten minutes of one's call, and the charge is about $5.00. That's certainly what we will be doing!

The hotel's shuttle charge is $5.50 per person.

Sure wish this thread had been available sooner. It will definitely help future cruisers, though.

We have a reservation at the CP for early January. I called them and voiced my displeasure at their shuttle-to-cruise procedures (which they confirmed). They said they have too many cruisers to do it any other way. Right. :mad:

 

I asked about getting a cab instead, and she said that taxis don't come to their hotel on cruise days. BUT she said Uber does, within about ten minutes of one's call, and the charge is about $5.00. That's certainly what we will be doing!

 

The hotel's shuttle charge is $5.50 per person.

 

Sure wish this thread had been available sooner. It will definitely help future cruisers, though.

That's why I posted. A lot of us us CP and I've never seen any complaints.

Consider DoubleTree. Their pricing is excellent as long as you book 6-8 months in advance.

JF, thx! I'll use map quest next time. I booked Crowne Plaza with reward pts. (Free) Double Tree looks nicer, but not sure I should switch just for a shuttle around area & more organized to port.

Now how to get to hotel from Long Beach airport.

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JF, thx! I'll use map quest next time. I booked Crowne Plaza with reward pts. (Free) Double Tree looks nicer, but not sure I should switch just for a shuttle around area & more organized to port.

I think there are pros & cons to both the DT & CP and having the DT's Park & Sail previously decided to try the CP for our upcoming cruise.

The DT is on a quiet small boat marina however the 22nd Street Landing restaurant a mile away is the only option to walk to for dinner. The CP has more restaurants within walking distance & being 0.8 miles from the ship we can walk there with our luggage unlike the DT which is 2.5 miles away.

At the DT we arrived at the 3:00 check-in time and the earliest shuttle the next day was at noon. We prefer to arrive at the ship by 10:30 so my wife drove me & our luggage to the ship & then she waited for the DT shuttle. At the end of the cruise we had a lengthy delay to get on the DT shuttle & next time one of us would take the shuttle to return in our car to get the other person & our luggage. Loading up the shuttle with passengers & their bags made for a very slow process.

That's some of the reasons why we're trying to CP this time where we can walk to & from our hotel if there are lengthy delays for shuttles. Obviously JF's experiences have me wondering if we made a wise decision but the DT currently costs $45 more for our upcoming cruise so will stick with the CP. Reading recent Trip Advisor reviews we're hopeful to have some of those positive experiences & not those JF experienced. :(

Then the next time we'll decide which is the best option for us but not necessarily the best option for anyone else. ;)

I always stay at the Best Western in San Pedro and never have any problems. We don't park a car as we fly to LA

Shuttle is always prompt and they have scheduled times, so no confusion.

Does best western charge for shuttle?

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no charge for shuttle or breakfast. Have stayed there 4 times and will again in Feb for Mexico cruise.

I really enjoy the large rooms, and friendly staff

I think there are pros & cons to both the DT & CP and having the DT's Park & Sail previously decided to try the CP for our upcoming cruise.

 

The DT is on a quiet small boat marina however the 22nd Street Landing restaurant a mile away is the only option to walk to for dinner. The CP has more restaurants within walking distance & being 0.8 miles from the ship we can walk there with our luggage unlike the DT which is 2.5 miles away. The DT's shuttle will take you anywhere you want (restaurant, grocery, liquor store) within 6 (?) miles. I didn't ask, but it didn't look like the CP would do that.

 

At the DT we arrived at the 3:00 check-in time and the earliest shuttle the next day was at noon. We prefer to arrive at the ship by 10:30 so my wife drove me & our luggage to the ship & then she waited for the DT shuttle. You arrived too late, so all the early slots were gone. The shuttles start at 10 AM.

We've never had to wait for the shuttle more than 10 minutes when we get back to the port.

 

Hope everything works out for you. :)

Here is our take on staying at the Crowne Plaza Hotel. We have been there several times over the years for a one night pre cruise.

Is it a 5 star hotel? No, but the rooms are always clean and the staff has always been friendly to us. Several times we have used their Park and Sail program to store our vehicle in the parking garage while we were gone.

Our last visit was July 2016 and upon arrival the bell hop explained the new key system in the elevators which we thought was a good security feature.

We walked three blocks behind the Hotel to the 7 day market at which we purchased two bottles of wine to take on the ship with us. Then we cut over to another side street to pick up some sandwiches at the Subway to take back to the room

People who state that they are concerned about walking around the area of the hotel always amaze me. Then They are going to get on a cruise ship to visit some cities in a third world country where kidnapping for ransom is a local sport.

For dinner we walked over to the Green Onion restaurant where we joined my daughter and her family for dinner.

We ate breakfast in the Hotel which provides a choice of Buffet or order off the menu. Not a lot of choices, but we did not go hungry.

During check in we paid the $5.00 for shuttle service and then the next morning we went down stairs a 0945 to catch the shuttle. A few other people soon joined us. We caught the first van, which started at 1000, and was at the terminal in a few minutes.

All and all we had no complaints about our stay at the CP.

Bob

Our last visit was July 2014 and upon arrival the bell hop explained the new key system in the elevators which we thought was a good security feature.

That was missing from our stay...never saw a bell hop.

Maybe the front desk thought explaining the elevators was the job of "someone" else. :rolleyes:

I always stay at the Best Western in San Pedro and never have any problems. We don't park a car as we fly to LA

Shuttle is always prompt and they have scheduled times, so no confusion.

What did you take to get from LAX to the Best Western?

Is it near any eating places?

last November there were 4 of us so we took a taxi...... $65 for 4 with tip.

In 3 wks only 2 of us so we'll just take either super shuttle or primetime shuttle. same leaving port to airport at end of cruise.

$17 pp plus whatever you want to tip driver, each way

When you pick up you luggage its right out the door to left.

last November there were 4 of us so we took a taxi...... $65 for 4 with tip.

In 3 wks only 2 of us so we'll just take either super shuttle or primetime shuttle. same leaving port to airport at end of cruise.

$17 pp plus whatever you want to tip driver, each way

When you pick up you luggage its right out the door to left.

Thank you. By "right out the door to left" I presume you mean as soon as we go out the door, turn left.

Or do you mean turn right when we go out door, then to left??