Shuttle Services in Mobile ? ? ? ?

[cruisergrandma]

I have a large group of ladies (40) sailing out of Mobile on September 16th. We have been checking out hotels. The Riverview Renaissance is too expensive and several others around the port are saying they have no vacancy. So, we are checking a bit further out. We are having a hard time finding anything with free shuttle service. I have checked online and found only two companies offering shuttle and one of them (Executive Shuttle) has no vacancy (?). Do you know any companies who offer this service - at a reasonable rate? One hotel offered to arrange the service for us at a cost of $40 per person! ! We could park at the port for less than that - and we may have to do just that. I have heard parking is a nightmare. Any suggestions if we have to park at the port?

 

I would truly appreciate names of local shuttle services as well as port parking info.

 

Thanks!

[Cruise, J.D.]

I have a large group of ladies (40) sailing out of Mobile on September 16th. We have been checking out hotels. The Riverview Renaissance is too expensive and several others around the port are saying they have no vacancy. So, we are checking a bit further out. We are having a hard time finding anything with free shuttle service. I have checked online and found only two companies offering shuttle and one of them (Executive Shuttle) has no vacancy (?). Do you know any companies who offer this service - at a reasonable rate? One hotel offered to arrange the service for us at a cost of $40 per person! ! We could park at the port for less than that - and we may have to do just that. I have heard parking is a nightmare. Any suggestions if we have to park at the port?

 

I would truly appreciate names of local shuttle services as well as port parking info.

 

Thanks!

 

The parking costs and/or shuttle costs make staying at a "cheap" hotel in Mobile not so cheap. I've looked at this quite a bit for Mobile. You don't save much by staying at a cheaper hotel and then paying for your parking at the terminal. Your parking at the terminal will be $60 (maybe cheaper if you are directed to the Civic Center).

 

When you factor in the included parking and the shuttle service, the Riverview park-n-cruise package is not that expensive, especially if people are sharing rooms. There are other park-n-cruise packages in Mobile that might be cheaper than the Riverview package. Hopefully someone will chime in as the only info I have is outdated.

[Mysticks1]

You can also try the Hampton Inn - Royal St. Mobile It is right across the street from the Renaissance Riverview. They also offer a parking package. You can also go to www.mobile.org for other information on the City.

[cruisergrandma]

Thanks for your help. It is getting frustrating being responsible for everybody. I appreciate any suggestions.

 

We tried the Hampton but, they have no vacancy. I tried the Mobile tourist site and everything on there is so out of date it is unreal. They are even still showing the Fantasy!

 

It would actually be cheaper for us to stay at the Drury and pay to park at the port. To get 4 people in the Riverview would be $159. The Drury is $69. Even with parking at the port they are $30 cheaper and the Drury has free breakfast. I have also read several reviews on this site saying that the shuttle from the Riverview was terribly unorganized and slow. One person who wrote in said they finally gave up and walked from the hotel to the port. We have several elderly ladies and one lady with MS - they just are not able to walk to the port no matter how few blocks it is.

 

Courtyard did not have free shuttle but, they offered to get us shuttle for $40 per person each way!

 

I guess we are spoiled by normally going out of Florida. Almost all of the hotels close to the ports offer park and cruise packages. Even if they don't there are tons of shuttle services - extremely reasonable. The one time we had to pay for shuttle at Port Canaveral - the shuttle was $4 round trip!

[futaba951]

You might try Mobile Bay Transportation. 251-633-5693.

 

http://www.mobilebaytransportation.com

 

Also check the Holiday Inn Bellingrath. They used to have park and cruise.

251-666-5600

 

Also check Wingate by Wyndham. I believe they have park and cruise.

251-661-9099

[cruisergrandma]

Thank you. I will check with them.

[Mysticks1]

You might also try some of the hotels in Spanish Fort, AL. It is just across the bay. They might not have a park/cruise package but most of them are newer and the rates there might be lower. If the Drury Inn that you are looking at is on Airport Blvd. it is not close to the cruise terminal so the Spanish Fort Area might be an option for you.

[perdido]

The Holiday Inn Express, Fairhope, Alabama. It is 12 miles from the pier and has a shuttle. You have to book rooms through Stay 123.

[1123mrk]

Last December we stayed at the Renaissance Riverview and loved it. However, their prices have gone up significantly. This December I have booked my family at the Homewood Suites by Hilton at 530 Providence Park Dr. East, Mobile. I dealt directly with the Director of Sales and Marketing, J.W. Engblom, and he was most helpful. The reviews look good, we can park for free, breakfast is included, and I believe it is only $10 per person for the round-trip shuttle to the port (which is included in the Park and Cruise rate). Hope this helps!

[Mysticks1]

Last December we stayed at the Renaissance Riverview and loved it. However, their prices have gone up significantly. This December I have booked my family at the Homewood Suites by Hilton at 530 Providence Park Dr. East, Mobile. I dealt directly with the Director of Sales and Marketing, J.W. Engblom, and he was most helpful. The reviews look good, we can park for free, breakfast is included, and I believe it is only $10 per person for the round-trip shuttle to the port (which is included in the Park and Cruise rate). Hope this helps!

 

That is very interesting. I wouldn't have thought one so far away would offer a park and cruise package. That hotel is in West Mobile which would be 15+ miles away. Lots of restaurants in that area though. The hotel is fairly new and in a very nice area next to Providence Hospital.

[emdia43]

Last December we stayed at the Renaissance Riverview and loved it. However, their prices have gone up significantly. This December I have booked my family at the Homewood Suites by Hilton at 530 Providence Park Dr. East, Mobile. I dealt directly with the Director of Sales and Marketing, J.W. Engblom, and he was most helpful. The reviews look good, we can park for free, breakfast is included, and I believe it is only $10 per person for the round-trip shuttle to the port (which is included in the Park and Cruise rate). Hope this helps!

 

 

I just tried there- they want $209 plus tax for one night.. :eek:

[1123mrk]

The Fairfield Inn by Marriott in Spanish Fort, AL also has a Park, Ride, and Cruise package. It is $129 for up to 4 people in the room, including free parking for the duration of the cruise, round-trip transportation to/from the port, and breakfast. If you call the hotel directly and speak with Vonshe (sp?) in Sales, you may get an additional discount. Good luck!

[futaba951]

http://www.mobile.org/pdf/downtown.pdf

 

If you are staying at a downtown hotel, there is a FREE electric trolley service that runs a 3 mile loop around downtown. It runs every ten minutes and one of the stops is the cruise terminal. At the bottom right corner of the map is a number you can call for info on the Moda! trolley. It is primarily to shuttle downtown workers around, but, can be used by anyone. Weekend hours may be restrictive, but, weekdays may work out for you.

[browneyes7]

I have a large group of ladies (40) sailing out of Mobile on September 16th. We have been checking out hotels. The Riverview Renaissance is too expensive and several others around the port are saying they have no vacancy. So, we are checking a bit further out. We are having a hard time finding anything with free shuttle service. I have checked online and found only two companies offering shuttle and one of them (Executive Shuttle) has no vacancy (?). Do you know any companies who offer this service - at a reasonable rate? One hotel offered to arrange the service for us at a cost of $40 per person! ! We could park at the port for less than that - and we may have to do just that. I have heard parking is a nightmare. Any suggestions if we have to park at the port?

 

I would truly appreciate names of local shuttle services as well as port parking info.

 

Thanks!

 

My husband and I always park at the Admirel Simms Hotel parking garage. I'm not sure what they charge now, but it was much less than what it would cost to park at the dock. They will also shuttle you to the port, along with your luggage. Have fun! Mobile is a very nice city!:)

[ouachita]

My wife and I were in Mobile Friday (08/06/10) and according to the local paper the Admiral Semmes has been sold to a hotelier based in Hawaii. No word yet on exactly how that will affect the operation of the hotel (prices, etc.) yet, other than the usual platitudes that accompany such sales.

 

We were planning on using the Admiral Semmes in January but since the announced sale of the hotel the online travel services tonight (08/07/10)show that there are no rooms then. I don't know if that is because of the sale, if they are booked up, or just booked up for rooms that meet our requirements.

 

We took a ride on the trolley to see what it was like and it is a very nice smaller shuttle style bus (enclosed and ac/heat) that encompasses Dauphin, Washington, Church and Royal streets with a side trip to the Cruise terminal. The shuttle does not go on the cruise terminal grounds at this time because of construction but does drop passengers off across the street from it. No information was available to us when that may change. The shuttle normally makes a round every 10 minutes or so with two shuttles running during peak hours. The driver said that very few cruisers use the shuttle. The shuttle does run by or very near most of the downtown hotels.

 

If anyone has more up to date info please post.

[cruisergrandma]

Thanks for all of the replies. We wound up booking at the almost new Microtell in Saraland. It has great reviews and the best pricing we found. We got rooms for up to 4 people, free breakfast, free parking during our cruise and round trip shuttle for $99 per room. We sail September 16th. I will let you know how it was!

 

Does anyone know of a good Mobile Bay view restaurant that is not outrageously expensive?

[kathyshaulis]

How was the Microtell in Saraland and did it work well for your parking and transportation to the cruise port?

[suezyq50]

Any additional options?

[maldenmusic]

Thanks for all of the replies. We wound up booking at the almost new Microtell in Saraland. It has great reviews and the best pricing we found. We got rooms for up to 4 people, free breakfast, free parking during our cruise and round trip shuttle for $99 per room. We sail September 16th. I will let you know how it was!

 

Does anyone know of a good Mobile Bay view restaurant that is not outrageously expensive?

How did the park and cruise package work for you?