Tampa vs Miami

[chadci]

Last minute decision time. We are booking the cruise in 2 days. I found that I can get the same cruise ( ports of call etc) from Tampa difference being Carnival Legend vs Valor. I guess Legend is a smaller ship but being our first cruise I doubt we'll know the difference.

 

Is Tampa better in any way than Miami? One big thing for us is that Southwest flies to Tampa as opposed to having to fly to FLL and then transporting from FLL to Miami... also, we can catch an early morning non-stop flight and be in Tampa before 10AM.

 

My bride to be grew up a few hours south of Tampa and says if we fly to Tampa we can just rent a car and run down to Siesta Key in Sarasota to spend the day. We went there summer of '09 and it was a beautiful area and we really enjoyed our time there.

 

That said, Miami has some things we would like to visit as well... Either way we'll rent a car when we get back and go to the Everglades and do some other things as well.

 

In the end, we had planned on traveling from Miami up to the Tampa area to fly home a few days after the cruise.

 

What would you do?

[mudscraper]

Love the TPA port. Easy access by car. Usually just two ships in port.

 

 

Rich

[chadci]

Cool!

 

Where do you typically stay in Tampa? All along we had planned on driving up until about a month ago. We would have to leave right after our wedding on Friday night, drive all night and most of the day to make it to Miami.. 18 hours from Indianapolis. I realize Tampa is much closer but $200 for 2 nonstop on Southwest sounds much more appealing!

 

But I still hate flying ;)

[chadci]

We booked the Legend out of Tampa this morning. Looking for hotels and things now. A friend suggested Hampton Inn in Ybor City.

[mudscraper]

We booked the Legend out of Tampa this morning. Looking for hotels and things now. A friend suggested Hampton Inn in Ybor City.

We stayed at the Hyatt Regency downtown TPA 30/31 Oct for our 1 Nov cruise. Bid $60.00 per nite on Priceline and was successful. Very nice hotel. Could view the cruise ships from our room on Sun. morning. (room 1508).

 

Took a drive thru Ybor City. Not for us. Looked seedy.

 

 

Rich

[chadci]

 

Took a drive thru Ybor City. Not for us. Looked seedy.

 

 

Rich

 

That's kind of the impression I've gotten as well. I do want to eat dinner at Columbia but I think we'll try and limit our time there otherwise.

[andrzej5914]

That's kind of the impression I've gotten as well. I do want to eat dinner at Columbia but I think we'll try and limit our time there otherwise.

 

Being a local (sort of, Sarasota) and having tried Columbia here in town as well as the one in Tampa, I have to disagree with many here. It's not that great... period.

 

Ybor City is NOT seedy, it's just geared for younger crowds. That said, there are couple of clubs that cater to little older crowds and on occasion they have some great bands from the 80s play.

 

Channelside is geared more towards the older crowd.

 

If you really want a wonderful restaurant experience, try Berns Steakhouse. It's one of the best in the country and this is coming from a guy that grew up and lived in Chicago, the home of some of the best steakhouses in the nation.

 

After you're done with your dinner, request a table upstairs for desserts. You'll be in heaven. (You'll need reservations) http://www.bernssteakhousehouse.com

 

For hotel, do Priceline, downtown at least 3.5* or better and you won't regret it. Nothing wrong with the Hampton, but why spend $125+ when you can get a Westin or a Marriott right downtown for ~$75 or maybe less.

[chadci]

Being a local (sort of, Sarasota) and having tried Columbia here in town as well as the one in Tampa, I have to disagree with many here. It's not that great... period.

 

Ybor City is NOT seedy, it's just geared for younger crowds. That said, there are couple of clubs that cater to little older crowds and on occasion they have some great bands from the 80s play.

 

Channelside is geared more towards the older crowd.

 

If you really want a wonderful restaurant experience, try Berns Steakhouse. It's one of the best in the country and this is coming from a guy that grew up and lived in Chicago, the home of some of the best steakhouses in the nation.

 

After you're done with your dinner, request a table upstairs for desserts. You'll be in heaven. (You'll need reservations) www.bernssteakhousehouse.com

 

For hotel, do Priceline, downtown at least 3.5* or better and you won't regret it. Nothing wrong with the Hampton, but why spend $125+ when you can get a Westin or a Marriott right downtown for ~$75 or maybe less.

 

Thanks for the tips. I've never used Priceline but for those prices I'm willing to give it a shop. It's my understand that you don't know what you're bidding on, just the star, right?

 

My bride to be grew up a bit south of Sarasota but everytime we go to FL. a run up the Tamiami Trail to Siesta Key is mandated ;) Personally, I like the beach in Venice with the fishing pier better... I don't fish, but, it's usually less crowded and we both LOVE Sharkeys!

[andrzej5914]

Thanks for the tips. I've never used Priceline but for those prices I'm willing to give it a shop. It's my understand that you don't know what you're bidding on, just the star, right?

 

My bride to be grew up a bit south of Sarasota but everytime we go to FL. a run up the Tamiami Trail to Siesta Key is mandated ;) Personally, I like the beach in Venice with the fishing pier better... I don't fish, but, it's usually less crowded and we both LOVE Sharkeys!

 

We are doing a pre-cruise stay up in Tampa. We won a bid on a 3.5* downtown hotel. It is $57 plus $15 in taxes/fees for the Westin Harbour Island. The Westin is about 1 mile from Channelside and the piers.

 

You are correct. You don't know the hotel until your bid is accepted. Try 3.5 or higher *, downtown, and if your bid is accepted you'll get one of the following, The Westin, Marriott or the Hyatt.

 

www.biddingfortravel.com

 

I lived on Siesta Key for 10+ years, until about 1.5 year ago. Moved downtown.

[chadci]

Cool, thanks for the tips!

[Capt_BJ]

Bern's!

 

Oh ya

 

Bern's

 

and don't miss the dessert room . . .

[chadci]

The dessert room would be torture for me as I'm not able to really eat sweets... well, I do but I typically chew them up and spit them out... Eariler this year I weighed in at nearly 400 pounds, I've dropped 130 so far and still have a bit further to go.

 

Now a big steak... oh yeah babe, I can do that! (I'm a low carber) I think we might have plans with a friend in the Tampa area to go to Columbia, however, we will be in Tampa for 3 days or so post cruise and might just check out Berns at that time. The link above took me to a page cannot be displayed page, but, Google is my friend :)

[jrs101]

And one thing very cool about the port area in Tampa. It's not the typical closed industrial area where once you enter, you have no other option but to line up and board. In Tampa you pull up and drop your luggage to the porters and to your left, 20 metres, is the Florida Aquarium and also , Channelside, which is an open air shopping plaza with restaurants.

http://www.channelside.com/

Take care,

jrs101

[chadci]

Cool!

[chadci]

We are doing a pre-cruise stay up in Tampa. We won a bid on a 3.5* downtown hotel. It is $57 plus $15 in taxes/fees for the Westin Harbour Island. The Westin is about 1 mile from Channelside and the piers.

 

You are correct. You don't know the hotel until your bid is accepted. Try 3.5 or higher *, downtown, and if your bid is accepted you'll get one of the following, The Westin, Marriott or the Hyatt.

 

 

Just bit the amount you suggested and got the Sheraton Riverwalk :D Thanks for the tip! I may start doing this all the time, it was sorta fun and exciting!

[crusinpsychRN]

It'll be awfully cold at the beach!

[chadci]

It'll be awfully cold at the beach!

 

In late May?

[andrzej5914]

Just bit the amount you suggested and got the Sheraton Riverwalk :D Thanks for the tip! I may start doing this all the time, it was sorta fun and exciting!

 

Congrats!

 

Do read as much as possible on how the Priceline bidding works. You don't want to bid on a wrong region, or a wrong * rating, etc... or one day you may end up in a middle of nowhere or at least not where you wanted to be in Moms & Pops motel.... ;) (Not a great deal then) Priceline is non-refundable. Also consider that with the rate you're paying, you will probably not get the "best" view room, although it's a possibility.

 

That's why I suggest Priceline for 1 or 2 nights stay. I would not do it for a weeks stay in Hawaii when I want a nice beach front room.

 

Have a great trip!

[chadci]

Congrats!

 

Do read as much as possible on how the Priceline bidding works. You don't want to bid on a wrong region, or a wrong * rating, etc... or one day you may end up in a middle of nowhere or at least not where you wanted to be in Moms & Pops motel.... ;) (Not a great deal then) Priceline is non-refundable. Also consider that with the rate you're paying, you will probably not get the "best" view room, although it's a possibility.

 

That's why I suggest Priceline for 1 or 2 nights stay. I would not do it for a weeks stay in Hawaii when I want a nice beach front room.

 

Have a great trip!

 

Good tips, thanks!

 

Do hotels etc. treat people different when they book with Priceline etc.? I've never had any trouble when booking with Expedia but the rates are usually much closer. I want to call and ask them if I can have a king bed and if they offer early check in or at least we can drop our luggage off when we land ( roughly 10AM) but for the rate I paid...

[andrzej5914]

Good tips, thanks!

 

Do hotels etc. treat people different when they book with Priceline etc.? I've never had any trouble when booking with Expedia but the rates are usually much closer. I want to call and ask them if I can have a king bed and if they offer early check in or at least we can drop our luggage off when we land ( roughly 10AM) but for the rate I paid...

 

Any different? not really, but as I said, you'll probably not get the best view room, but you may get lucky....;)

 

You can always request a bed size directly with the hotel and they will be happy to note your res, but it's not a guarantee.

 

Checking in early? No different than a regular res, as long as they have rooms available.

 

Just about any hotel I have ever stayed in allows luggage storage so that's not a problem.

[chadci]

Any different? not really, but as I said, you'll probably not get the best view room, but you may get lucky....;)

 

You can always request a bed size directly with the hotel and they will be happy to note your res, but it's not a guarantee.

 

Checking in early? No different than a regular res, as long as they have rooms available.

 

Just about any hotel I have ever stayed in allows luggage storage so that's not a problem.

 

 

I don't care much about the view... although, last spring I had a hotel at Crown Plaza in Harmon Meadows, NJ, beautiful Manhattan skyline... of course my camera's panoramic stitching is not so good so my pictures did'nt come out very well.

[AngelKappie]

Hi Everyone!!!!!!! You all really helped me and I gave it a try and bid on a room 3.5 star and downtown, I bid $55 and got it, Hyatt Regency!!!! YAY!!!!! :D

 

We are going to be in Tampa Jan 15 one night, going out on the Carnival Inspiration!!!!! Can't wait!

 

Thanks so much for all the info everyone SOOOOOO happy!!!!!

[chadci]

Hi Everyone!!!!!!! You all really helped me and I gave it a try and bid on a room 3.5 star and downtown, I bid $55 and got it, Hyatt Regency!!!! YAY!!!!! :D

 

We are going to be in Tampa Jan 15 one night, going out on the Carnival Inspiration!!!!! Can't wait!

 

Thanks so much for all the info everyone SOOOOOO happy!!!!!

 

Awesome!

 

Are you going to call the hotel to ask for a certain sized bed etc? Let me know if you do... I need to, it's our honeymoon and I don't know how 2 double beds would work out :o

[AngelKappie]

Awesome!

 

Are you going to call the hotel to ask for a certain sized bed etc? Let me know if you do... I need to, it's our honeymoon and I don't know how 2 double beds would work out :o

 

LOL!!!! Well a double bed might be better for honeymooners!!! :p

Makes you snuggle up close!

 

I called them earlier about a couple of things but forgot to ask about the bed! Maybe I will give them a call to see if they can do that a head of time!

[AngelKappie]

LOL!!!! Well a double bed might be better for honeymooners!!! :p

Makes you snuggle up close!

 

I called them earlier about a couple of things but forgot to ask about the bed! Maybe I will give them a call to see if they can do that a head of time!

 

I just called the hotel and I have a King Bed!!!!! YAY! :)

Just call the hotel and see what they have you booked for! It was easy!