Need advice on Boston park & stay hotels

[trident one]

T/A is recommending staying at Holiday Inn Express on Boston Street for our July 11th cruise. I think BW Adams Inn in Quincy might be better option. I know neither parking lot is really secure. Think Adams Inn has better/quicker access for us getting back to 95 after the cruise.

 

Trying to figure out what would be the best time with shortest lines to arrive at the port for boarding. Not crucial we be on ship for lunch.

 

How available are cabs in the Quincy area and are cabs readily available at the port after the cruise? I know both hotels have shuttle service but that can be hit or miss and I am not sure how much luggage you are allowed. One big problem is there will be two of us embarking on the 11th of July but, two friends will be joining the cruise in Quebec and disembarking on the 25th of July with us in Boston and driving back to NJ with us. Don't think either place would be willing to transport two people back that did not go out originally with them.

 

Does anyone know of a good private car service that we could use for debarkation day and rough estimate of what the charges would be to either hotel? Really would like to get back to our car as quick as possible and on the road.

 

Thought about parking at the port, but not sure how convenient that garage is to the ship. Depending on number of ships in port, the elevators could be a royal mess on debarkation day and none of us are really able to climb all those steps in a timely manor to bring car around to the other three, unless they have first floor handicap parking. The directions on AAA maps and Google look very convoluted. Realize a car service could cost almost as much for four people as the parking garage. I assume a service charges by the passenger and not the trip in Boston. I think most cabs these days have small trunks so know that we would need two cabs but, barring any major traffic jams might be the way to go.

 

All suggestions and advice would be greatly appreciated.

[sail7seas]

There is a good parking garage at Black Falcon Cruise Terminal. It is a very short walk from the entrance of the garage to where you will enter the cruise terminal. You could drop the luggage with stevedore and then go park. You would not have to handle your luggage that way.

 

There is an elevator in the parking garage if you find yourself on a upper floor.

 

You can go to http://www.Massport.com to read about the facilities at Black Falcon Cruise Terminal. Click 'Cruise Port - Boston' on the top of the page.

 

[take us away]

Have not had issues with hotel shuttles, or at least minimal issues which are usually related to impatient and rude passengers. Many cabs will be small vans so if you elect to take a cab (cheaper than a car service) you should have no issue with luggage. Just have the hotel pre-order you a cab the day you embark. When ordering a cab, have them mention you have xx bags and yy people. When you disembark, the shuttle should take all of you but I would leave a big tip. A cab back to the hotel may be your better option when you return with your friends if you do not park at the pier. Often, the vans are sent to the port when the ships come in so these would be readily available in the cab line outside the terminal.

[RuthC]

One thought to consider is staying well outside of Boston, where the rates for a hotel are lower, then drive to Black Falcon the day of sailing. You could stay as far out as Providence, and still be at the pier in under an hour that morning!

 

As Sail said, the garage is right there at the pier, across a street that is pier traffic only; it is outside of normal traffic area.

By using the garage you save the fares of getting back to a hotel, as well as the rigmarole of switching to your own car. So long as you won't be driving on a weekday, the traffic should be easy.

[Mickie]

T/A is recommending staying at Holiday Inn Express on Boston Street for our July 11th cruise. I think BW Adams Inn in Quincy might be better option. I know neither parking lot is really secure. Think Adams Inn has better/quicker access for us getting back to 95 after the cruise.

 

Trying to figure out what would be the best time with shortest lines to arrive at the port for boarding. Not crucial we be on ship for lunch.

 

How available are cabs in the Quincy area and are cabs readily available at the port after the cruise? I know both hotels have shuttle service but that can be hit or miss and I am not sure how much luggage you are allowed. One big problem is there will be two of us embarking on the 11th of July but, two friends will be joining the cruise in Quebec and disembarking on the 25th of July with us in Boston and driving back to NJ with us. Don't think either place would be willing to transport two people back that did not go out originally with them.

 

Does anyone know of a good private car service that we could use for debarkation day and rough estimate of what the charges would be to either hotel? Really would like to get back to our car as quick as possible and on the road.

 

Thought about parking at the port, but not sure how convenient that garage is to the ship. Depending on number of ships in port, the elevators could be a royal mess on debarkation day and none of us are really able to climb all those steps in a timely manor to bring car around to the other three, unless they have first floor handicap parking. The directions on AAA maps and Google look very convoluted. Realize a car service could cost almost as much for four people as the parking garage. I assume a service charges by the passenger and not the trip in Boston. I think most cabs these days have small trunks so know that we would need two cabs but, barring any major traffic jams might be the way to go.

 

All suggestions and advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

We stayed at the Best Western Adams Inn in Quincy last July before boarding the Veendam for the Voyage of the Vikings.

 

Hotel was fine - price was reasonable, parking seemed secure to me and it was complimentary for the first two weeks and then a fair price for the balance of our long trip. If you will not have a vehicle, guess it is not an issue.

 

They shuttled us both to the ship and back to the hotel after the trip. Yes, we had to wait a bit for the return shuttle, but in the scheme of things, no big deal.

 

In fact, there were about 14-16 of us at that hotel and the restaurant was very helpful in putting a table together for our Cruise Critic Roll Call group for dinner the night before we embarked.

 

Caveat, book early, some folks on our RC could not get a room reservation there nor a shuttle reservation when they waited til closer to the cruise.

[cruisingmimi]

Hi Mickie, thanks for your report on Best Western Adams Quincy. It's good to know you had a positive experience there as well as others cruising with you. Lots of people post looking for shuttle service to ship and free parking so it is helpful to hear your review. Unless people are planning to spend extra days sightseeing in Boston it is certainly a good option for those just looking for a pre or post cruise hotel.

[trident one]

Hi Mickie, thanks for your report on Best Western Adams Quincy. It's good to know you had a positive experience there as well as others cruising with you. Lots of people post looking for shuttle service to ship and free parking so it is helpful to hear your review. Unless people are planning to spend extra days sightseeing in Boston it is certainly a good option for those just looking for a pre or post cruise hotel.

 

Thank you all. No longer need stay and park hotel. There was a fantastic price drop on airfares for us , so we are flying in. 1 hour flight sure beats 6+ hours in the car.