Princess not using Embassy Suites, Fort Lauderdale anymore?

[shopgirl151]

Tried to get my pre-cruise stay at the Embassy Suites in Fort Lauderdale.  Was told by TA that it was unavailable (last year I was put on a waitlist for Embassy, but not offered that this year) and she has me on a waitlist for the Westin Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort.  

 

Is Princess still using Embassy and has anyone stayed at the Westin?  What is it like?  Food, etc

 

Thanks

[cruisingrob21]

Not sure if they are using them or not, it doesn't show up in their TA system for the voyages I checked in 2024.  You could always try to book independently which is typically less than booking through Princess.

 

It could be that they no longer have an agreement, or perhaps the hotel will be remodeled?  When we stayed there in Feb of 2020, the location was outstanding and eliminated the need to use a shuttle or rent a car.  The hotel itself definitely needed some TLC however; it was pretty beat up for ES standards and the price they were charging.

[Steelers36]

44 minutes ago, shopgirl151 said:

Tried to get my pre-cruise stay at the Embassy Suites in Fort Lauderdale.  Was told by TA that it was unavailable (last year I was put on a waitlist for Embassy, but not offered that this year) and she has me on a waitlist for the Westin Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort.  

 

Is Princess still using Embassy and has anyone stayed at the Westin?  What is it like?  Food, etc

 

Thanks

Forget about Princess and just book the hotel you want.  It will be way cheaper and you can get to the port on your own faster as well.

[CCFC]

We have a Princess pre-cruise stay at the Hilton Marina Fort Lauderdale, usually its the Intercontinental, Shulas or Sofitel in Miami

Edited March 9, 2023 by CCFC

[Guest ldtr]

Not sure when your cruise is, but for anyone taking the April 16 TA, there is a major music music festival (Tortuga Music Festival) on the beach area in Fort Lauderdale, not far from the port, from April 14 - April 17 and any rooms that are not booked are extremely expensive.

[JimmyVWine]

There is absolutely no advantage to booking a FLL hotel through Princess.

[Hlitner]

Have never understood why folks buy a hotel package from Princess.  It generally costs about twice the price of simply booking it yourself and paying for your transfers.  The 17th Street Embassy Suites is popular with many cruisers (from all lines) and tends to book up very far in advance.  Unfortunately, the price of the ES has also increased into the stratosphere along with many other south Florida hotels.

 

Hank

[skents]

Book the Embassy Suite yourself.  It has gotten expensive - over $220 a night last week booked through Expedia. We took a cab from the airport, $20, and an Uber to the ship, $7 plus $5 tip.  The hotel shuttle vans are charging $12 per person.

[Buckeye10640]

6 hours ago, shopgirl151 said:

Tried to get my pre-cruise stay at the Embassy Suites in Fort Lauderdale.  Was told by TA that it was unavailable (last year I was put on a waitlist for Embassy, but not offered that this year) and she has me on a waitlist for the Westin Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort.  

 

Is Princess still using Embassy and has anyone stayed at the Westin?  What is it like?  Food, etc

 

Thanks

Why dont you just book it on your own? This is where we usually stay in FLL but have never booked thru Princess

[Sanpan]

10 hours ago, JimmyVWine said:

There is absolutely no advantage to booking a FLL hotel through Princess.

I agree 

[Jadn13]

Pick a chain and gain loyalty for future discounts/vacations

[Buckeye10640]

2 hours ago, Jadn13 said:

Pick a chain and gain loyalty for future discounts/vacations

This is exactly what we do with Hilton Properties....thus generally staying at Embassy Suites or Hilton Marina if in FLL.  Between our Hilton points and status and free night rewards, if the rate is too high we use a  reward stay of some sort. 

Edited March 10, 2023 by Buckeye10640

[JimmyVWine]

2 hours ago, Jadn13 said:

Pick a chain and gain loyalty for future discounts/vacations

Or do the reverse, which is what I do.  Use up your already-accumulated loyalty points for a stay at an overpriced hotel that you really aren't using for anything other than a night's sleep between the time the plane touches down and the time you depart for the Port.

[Jadn13]

46 minutes ago, Buckeye10640 said:

This is exactly what we do with Hilton Properties....thus generally staying at Embassy Suites or Hilton Marina if in FLL.  Between our Hilton points and status and free night rewards, if the rate is too high we use a  reward stay of some sort. 

I travel for work and prices are sky rocketing all ovet, a Cbranded credit card could save thousands!
Super Smart that you already do this. 

[Jadn13]

1 minute ago, JimmyVWine said:

Or do the reverse, which is what I do.  Use up your already-accumulated loyalty points for a stay at an overpriced hotel that you really aren't using for anything other than a night's sleep between the time the plane touches down and the time you depart for the Port.

Smart! 
I wasn’t sure if the OP had any loyalty to a hotel brand and was just advising that they start.

[Rick&Jeannie]

We stayed at the Embassy Suites just last month (booked through Princess). Unless they have pulled the plug within the last 3 weeks....

 

And...we like to book via the cruise line because they handle all of the transportation transfers.  Just that much less to have to worry about.  Can it be done on your own and for less money? Of course...but we like having the "one stop shop" experience for the entire trip.  We just consider it part of the total amount. 

[SargassoPirate]

I stayed independently at the Embassy Suites pre and post cruise in January.  

 

For the Princess cruisers who booked it through Princess it looked to me to be a crowded hot mess.  Long lines to the east door waiting for the buses. 

 

I was on a Princess cruise and booked a shuttle through the hotel.  Easy beasy.  I timed it and from the time I boarded the shuttle to stepping into the ship was 35 minutes.

 

Embassy Suites has just about priced themselves out of the market, but I was using AmEx bonus stay certificates so I stayed for free.

 

Break away from the herd and book your own.

[Guest ldtr]

2 hours ago, Jadn13 said:

I travel for work and prices are sky rocketing all ovet, a Cbranded credit card could save thousands!
Super Smart that you already do this. 

Except all of the major Chains are raising the amount of points needed, greatly reducing the value of the points. Hotels that required 40,000 points per night pre covid are now requiring 80,000 points.

[Jadn13]

8 minutes ago, ldtr said:

Except all of the major Chains are raising the amount of points needed, greatly reducing the value of the points. Hotels that required 40,000 points per night pre covid are now requiring 80,000 points.

You can still find plenty to book for less. I have all the major chains and never pay 80,000 points. Booking early is key and hotel flexibility will sometimes come into play. 

[Buckeye10640]

9 hours ago, JimmyVWine said:

Or do the reverse, which is what I do.  Use up your already-accumulated loyalty points for a stay at an overpriced hotel that you really aren't using for anything other than a night's sleep between the time the plane touches down and the time you depart for the Port.

True, we usually fly early and spend a few days pre cruise so it makes it worthwhile. If we were arriving in the evening and leaving for the ship in the morning we would explore less expensive Hilton brand options (and accumulating more points!)

[2 cruises a year]

9 hours ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

We stayed at the Embassy Suites just last month (booked through Princess). Unless they have pulled the plug within the last 3 weeks....

 

And...we like to book via the cruise line because they handle all of the transportation transfers.  Just that much less to have to worry about.  Can it be done on your own and for less money? Of course...but we like having the "one stop shop" experience for the entire trip.  We just consider it part of the total amount. 

We book EZ Air and Princess Extended Stay Package.  The premium price I look at as Insurance.  Once I am at the airport, I'm Princess's Baby until I board the ship.  If anything goes wrong, Princess  will take care of it.

[2 cruises a year]

On 3/9/2023 at 11:14 AM, shopgirl151 said:

Tried to get my pre-cruise stay at the Embassy Suites in Fort Lauderdale.  Was told by TA that it was unavailable (last year I was put on a waitlist for Embassy, but not offered that this year) and she has me on a waitlist for the Westin Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort.  

 

Is Princess still using Embassy and has anyone stayed at the Westin?  What is it like?  Food, etc

 

Thanks

Embassy Suites still shows up under Extend Your Stay on the Princess website.

 

https://www.princess.com/learn/cruise-destinations/cruise-ports-and-hotels/

[Guest ldtr]

7 hours ago, Jadn13 said:

You can still find plenty to book for less. I have all the major chains and never pay 80,000 points. Booking early is key and hotel flexibility will sometimes come into play. 

I primarily use hilton, hyatt, Ihg.

 

Fort Lauderdale Hilton resort April 14, 15  80,000. Check the resorts on Bora Bora they routinely exceed that level. e Picking a random night in may I got Hilton resort waikiloa 75000, Embassy Suites Waikiki 138,000  For that matter you now have hampton inns in Savannah running 60,000 points.  These all used to be locations that one could get for around 40,ooo per night pre Covid.  Not so much any more.

 

Since they have gone dynamic rates the point totals are all over the map. Used to be you could get a nice resort hotel for 40,000 with Hilton, and could get a hampton inn for 20,000. Not so much any more.  They have also cut back on free nights.

 

I usually book atleast 6 months in advance and the points have devalued significantly in the past year.

 

I did not say that you could not find a hotel for less, only that the points requirements have pretty much doubled.  You used to be able to get nice Hilton in resort areas for 40k, now they run twice that.  Even low end Hilton hotels are now running in the 40k range that used to be 20k.

Edited March 11, 2023 by ldtr

[Coral]

I don't think Princess is using Embassy Suites anymore (not sure if they are stopping this spring or when).

 

I know this fall - they seem to be using Hilton Fort Lauderdale Marina, Renaissance Fort Lauderdale and Westin Fort Lauderdale.

[Jadn13]

11 hours ago, ldtr said:

I primarily use hilton, hyatt, Ihg.

 

Fort Lauderdale Hilton resort April 14, 15  80,000. Check the resorts on Bora Bora they routinely exceed that level. e Picking a random night in may I got Hilton resort waikiloa 75000, Embassy Suites Waikiki 138,000  For that matter you now have hampton inns in Savannah running 60,000 points.  These all used to be locations that one could get for around 40,ooo per night pre Covid.  Not so much any more.

 

Since they have gone dynamic rates the point totals are all over the map. Used to be you could get a nice resort hotel for 40,000 with Hilton, and could get a hampton inn for 20,000. Not so much any more.  They have also cut back on free nights.

 

I usually book atleast 6 months in advance and the points have devalued significantly in the past year.

 

I did not say that you could not find a hotel for less, only that the points requirements have pretty much doubled.  You used to be able to get nice Hilton in resort areas for 40k, now they run twice that.  Even low end Hilton hotels are now running in the 40k range that used to be 20k.

 

Yes the value isn’t the same as everything is being devalued  but it’s still worth it to those without loyalty to start earning points. 
**Just a note about Hilton they have a survey site that lets you earn points for taking surveys. 

Edited March 11, 2023 by Jadn13