Princess Hotel Agreements In SFO

[Hazegreyunderway]

Hi all,

Were taking the Grand to Hawaii in November, and typically we book our own hotel.  DW and I were discussing if Princess had any agreements with hotels for passengers as it might be a better deal through Princess, instead of booking separately.

 

Thanks

[nukesubsailor]

46 minutes ago, Hazegreyunderway said:

Hi all,

Were taking the Grand to Hawaii in November, and typically we book our own hotel.  DW and I were discussing if Princess had any agreements with hotels for passengers as it might be a better deal through Princess, instead of booking separately.

 

Thanks

Mark Hopkins Intercontinental Hotel

Situated atop Nob Hill, this hotel has one of San Francisco’s most prestigious addresses. It boasts fantastic views from every guest room and is minutes away from the city’s best.

1 night from $259
Additional nights from $139

[azbirdmom]

3 minutes ago, nukesubsailor said:

Mark Hopkins Intercontinental Hotel

Situated atop Nob Hill, this hotel has one of San Francisco’s most prestigious addresses. It boasts fantastic views from every guest room and is minutes away from the city’s best.

1 night from $259
Additional nights from $139

 

Those are per person prices, I've pasted the fine print below.

 

Note: All Cruise Plus Hotel Packages are quoted per person, double occupancy. Government fees and taxes are additional and vary by city and duration of stay. All packages include hotel accommodations, luggage handling, meet-and-greet services, transfers and the hospitality of a Princess representative. Please see your travel agent or call Princess Cruises for the most current fares, availability and for terms and conditions associated with the Cruise Plus program. Hotel properties and packages are subject to change and may not be available on all dates based on availability and participation.

[Colo Cruiser]

51 minutes ago, Hazegreyunderway said:

Hi all,

Were taking the Grand to Hawaii in November, and typically we book our own hotel.  DW and I were discussing if Princess had any agreements with hotels for passengers as it might be a better deal through Princess, instead of booking separately.

 

Thanks

Book on your own.

Princess prices a really high.

[jennybenny]

You can find better prices on your own in San Francisco.

We’ve stayed at both Hilton Union Square and Hilton Financial District. Our pricing was less than that 

[satxdiver]

We always have stayed in the Fisherman's Wharf area most recently at the Holiday Inn Express with much more reasonable prices.

[marden1970]

Hi - we're doing the same cruise on 11/3.  We booked into the Hyatt Regency for the night of 11/2 for a little over $300 includes all taxes and fees.  When I looked for staying one night on return, 11/18, the same room was over $1100!  There is some sort of computer convention in town.  We ended up booking at The Lombard Motor Inn for $168 plus taxes.  It's just a little farther away from Fisherman's Wharf but that's ok.  Good Luck!

[stoneharborlady]

In Ft. Lauderdale, we booked on our own, saving 50% over the cost through Princess at the same hotel.

[memoak]

Always compare prices before booking through Princess. 75% of the time you are better off on your own 

[skynight]

In addition to lower costs, the Princess hotel is not close to the main tourist area, Fisherman's Wharf. We stayed in the Holiday Inn Express which was withing walking distance to Fisherman's Wharf and transportation to other parts of the city. There are also other hotels in the same area.

[caribill]

7 hours ago, memoak said:

Always compare prices before booking through Princess. 75% of the time you are better off on your own 

 

Usually 100% of the time.

 

But the Princess rates also include transportation from airport to hotel and from hotel to ship.

[Mapu]

5 hours ago, caribill said:

 

Usually 100% of the time.

 

But the Princess rates also include transportation from airport to hotel and from hotel to ship.

Hotel and transportation are at a per person rate. Taking Uber, Lyft, or a taxi is not per person.

[Coral]

I have found in Europe, the Princess prices are reasonable, especially when there are long transfers to hotel and to the ship.

[flamomo]

Except for the convenience of the Princess transfer from hotel to pier, in my experience, the "Princess hotels" are way overpriced, since the price is per person staying in the room. Essentially that means for a couple you are paying double, where if you booked it on your own, the nightly rate would be for 2 persons, and likely less than the Princess cost for two.

I can book my own accommodations and pay for a cab to the pier for significantly less than the Princess plan.

[BarbinMich]

When we sailed out of SF on the Star to Alaska a few years ago, we stayed several nights pre-cruise at the Comfort Inn (corner of Lombard and Van Ness).  It was a pleasant walk to Fisherman's Wharf and points in between.  Also it's on a HOHO route, which we used to get to attractions beyond walking distance like the GG bridge, GG Park (there's so much to see, do there), etc.  This was probably our 10th trip to SF over the years so we were pretty familiar with the city and knew what we wanted to see again.  I would say SF is my favorite city (in the US) to visit!

Edited August 27, 2019 by BarbinMich

[ggprincess2004]

And now for something completely different - we no longer want to stay in the Nob Hill or Fisherman's Wharf area of San Francisco when heading out on a cruise. The city has gotten less safe and appealing, and the hotel rates are pretty nasty, coupled with the taxes on the hotel rooms. We now book for overnight at a hotel by the airport, use the shuttle service  provided by the hotel to transfer there, and then have an option of booking a car service to the pier the next morning, or taking the free hotel shuttle back to the airport and using the Princess transfer to the pier (find it at baggage claim and of course, pre-book this if it is what you select), or there is the train from the airport into the city which gets you close, but not to, the cruise pier. 

It is sad to have to take this approach, because San Francisco was a great place to enjoy several days pre-cruise, but it is just not worth it anymore.  That being said, if you want to come in a few days ahead to sightsee, there are some options besides getting a rental car to get around. Greyline tours picks up at a number of hotels close to the airport, and offers some nice options including Muir Woods, wine country, a full long day to Carmel and Monterey.

OK, ready to be flamed for this one, but this is just the conclusion that we reached in the last 2 years after many years of enjoying being close to Fisherman's Wharf at the Marriott there, or at the JW in the city. Now we opt for the Marriott by the airport.

Edited August 27, 2019 by ggprincess2004

[satxdiver]

I have spent many a day in SF and loved it.  My company used to send me to Mountain View to work and I always arranged my flights into SF instead of SJ so that I could go into the city.  SF is one of four unique American cities.  Now that I am retired and occasionally take cruises out of SF and under the GG bridge (a sight to see on its own) I stay in the Wharf area at the Holiday Inn Express (I get points) which is a block or so from the wharf area.  We have a cruise booked out of SF the end of 2020 and will most likely be staying in the HI express.  There is a car rental agency next door and the HOHO bus is a block away.  We take a taxi to the port which is very inexpensive even in SF.  I have stayed on Knob Hill which can be a lot of fun but the party is at the wharf. 

[pris993]

you can always to better booking a hotel yourself vs thru any cruise line, even if you stay at the same hotel used by a cruise line, hotel prices room, cruise prices same room per person, much higher.  

9 hours ago, ggprincess2004 said:

And now for something completely different - we no longer want to stay in the Nob Hill or Fisherman's Wharf area of San Francisco when heading out on a cruise. The city has gotten less safe and appealing, and the hotel rates are pretty nasty, coupled with the taxes on the hotel rooms. We now book for overnight at a hotel by the airport, use the shuttle service  provided by the hotel to transfer there, and then have an option of booking a car service to the pier the next morning, or taking the free hotel shuttle back to the airport and using the Princess transfer to the pier (find it at baggage claim and of course, pre-book this if it is what you select), or there is the train from the airport into the city which gets you close, but not to, the cruise pier. 

It is sad to have to take this approach, because San Francisco was a great place to enjoy several days pre-cruise, but it is just not worth it anymore.  That being said, if you want to come in a few days ahead to sightsee, there are some options besides getting a rental car to get around. Greyline tours picks up at a number of hotels close to the airport, and offers some nice options including Muir Woods, wine country, a full long day to Carmel and Monterey.

OK, ready to be flamed for this one, but this is just the conclusion that we reached in the last 2 years after many years of enjoying being close to Fisherman's Wharf at the Marriott there, or at the JW in the city. Now we opt for the Marriott by the airport.

I second your comments.  I was born in SF, worked in SF for 30 years, retired 20 years ago, now days I only go in to SF a city I once loved and enjoyed a lot when I take a cruise.   I arrange for a local taxi, I live in San Mateo, 10 miles south of the airport.   Taxi fare to the port with traffic, generally is a bit less than $100, for door to door service.  Fare from the ship home is a bit higher as around $120... a bargin for door to door service.  

 

Hotels out at airport area include an Embassy Suites with a wonderful location on the bay, with a view of SF;  Marrott right on the bay too, also a Hilton and a Hilton Inn.   There is a brand new Hilton right at the airport, just opened recently.  If you are at any of these hotel you can probably negotiate a deal with a taxi driver.   Plus you have the other options mention above.   

 

While I validate staying out of town is a good idea, I don't want to discourage cruises in and out of San Francisco... cruising under the Golden Gate Bridge is a real treat... while you are at the port in downtown SF, you have an amazing views.   Even natives like me never tire of the views from the ship around the bay.    Happy cruising. 

 

 

[debhaynes]

We will be on the Grand 11/18 .  We booked a room at the Hyatt Centric Fisherman’s Wharf for 11/17.

 

When we called Princess for booking a pre cruise stay, I was told they were sold out of pre cruise hotel rooms.

 

Deb

 

 

 

 

[muggo11]

We just stayed at a charming,funky, cool place. 22 rooms with a range of prices and amenities. Inn San Francisco. . .