Pre cruise hotel

[jabbawocky]

Just wondering how long before cruising can I expect to find out our allocated included pre cruise hotel for a Concierge suite . Cruising from San Juan in March. I am wanting to arrange some additional accommodation before that which may or may not be the same hotel depending on price and location.

[GOARMY]

TS:

 

You are still about eight months away from going wheels-up from your home en route to San Juan.  I am assuming your embarkation will be from Puerto Rico.  

 

First:  also assuming you have actually made a booking:  Review Regent's "Guest Statement" which has/would come to you via your Travel Agent (TA); and/or directly from a Regent representative if you do not have a TA following that booking.  

 

Your TA should be your first line of contact w/Regent and provide you with an "Invoice Date" summary.  Hopefully, that individual has a history based on actually being aboard various Regent ships.  

 

If you are dealing directly with Regent--make a phone call and ask. 

 

In any event, the Regent "Guest Statement" should show Concierge status, and specific hotel  identification as to that with one-night pre-cruise stay.  It may, or may not, be more definitive, as time rolls on.  And, if a hotel is shown, it may change.  Because:

 

Stuff changes, constantly.  This has been our experience going back many, many years with Radisson/Regent. Recent post-COVID lockdown examples: 

 

Barcelona, 2021 and 2022 sailings.  Regent-designated hotels changed two times.  Why?  because the initially-assigned Barcelona hotel remained under renovation.  Explorer, Vancouver, B.C. to Tokyo September-October '23 cruise segment booked almost two years ago. Two changes as to the Vancouver hotel. One change as to the Regent add-on 3-day post cruise hotel stay in Tokyo. So-far, so good as to Vancouver and Tokyo pre and post-cruise hotels which have stayed the same for the past 10 months. 

 

But, I constantly check for changes by going online--before calling my TA.  

 

As always:  YMMV.  

 

Recommend you do the same.  

 

Others on this Thread will provide their experiences as to timelines.  Bottom line is that the passenger(s) paying the big bucks on these Regent cruise segments should be proactive in keeping updated on potential changes.  

 

Enjoy your cruise, as we have enjoyed our Radisson/Regent experiences going back about 23 years.  (Excepting COVID)  

 

GOARMY!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[jabbawocky]

Thankyou GOARMY, appreciate your insight and advice, very helpful. 
I do have a booking with embarkation in San Juan and have already queried with Regent whom I have a direct booking with. I like to book hotels as far out as possible as they invariably become more expensive. Accommodation does look expensive in San Juan. 

[forevertravel]

In case you're interested. There is a Sheraton hotel across the street from where the Regent docks. It looks nice from the outside and you can see the ships from the hotel. All other hotels will be a taxi ride away.

[Camillus112]

The two nicest hotels near the pier in San Juan are the Condado Vanderbilt and the Caribe Hilton.  However, if you do not need a beach front hotel, Hotel El Convento is very near, right in the center of Old San Juan.  

[A Tucson Guy]

1 hour ago, Camillus112 said:

The two nicest hotels near the pier in San Juan are the Condado Vanderbilt and the Caribe Hilton.  However, if you do not need a beach front hotel, Hotel El Convento is very near, right in the center of Old San Juan.  

I remember staying at the Caribe Hilton about 15 years ago. The hotel and setting is lovely but the front desk warned us to not walk away from the hotel grounds because of crime. Always take taxis. That was enough for me- I never went back.

[PinkMEB]

My daughter and I are booked on a cruise out of San Juan on March 24. If you haven’t already done so, set up your account on the Regent website. Then go to booked cruises, click on manage booking, then click on show my itinerary. Once the pre cruise hotel is listed, it will be shown on the first day of the itinerary. Mine for this cruise doesn’t show the hotel yet. A cruise I’m taking this fall does have the hotel. Keep checking. 

[MarEll1]

23 hours ago, Camillus112 said:

The two nicest hotels near the pier in San Juan are the Condado Vanderbilt and the Caribe Hilton.  However, if you do not need a beach front hotel, Hotel El Convento is very near, right in the center of Old San Juan.  

We have stayed at both Condado Vanderbilt and Hotel El Convento. I would recommend both - very different depending what you’re looking for but we were very happy with both. 

[Camillus112]

A few years ago, with the knowledge that there was nothing to walk to from the Caribe Hilton (except for the very nice Luis Muñoz Rivera park during the daytime just crossing the street), an adjacent "street" was opened called Paseo Caribe with good restaurants and bars.  The Vanderbilt is in the Condado area...three pools, an adjacent beach, and very good restaurants.  If you stay in the Condado area, I recommend two very good restaurants (Mario Pagán, and Antonio).  As the name implies, El Convento hotel used to be a nun's convent and restorations have respected colonial architecture and decorations, while modernizing its offerings.  The hotel is in front of the San Juan Cathedral and walkable to all major Old San Juan landmarks, as well as to the pier.  Well, without luggage...😇  

[ernieb]

My DW and I will be departing on the Splendor on March 24 out of San Juan. I have checked our itinerary and see that we are booked in the Caribe Hilton for the pre-night stay. I’ve noticed above that this is a very nice hotel, but in what was possibly a rough neighborhood. Is this still the case? If so, what about the in-house restaurants? If they are not too good are there nice restaurants within a reasonable taxi ride?

Thanks

[Camillus112]

It is not a rough neighborhood, there was no neighborhood (except the park) until Paseo Caribe opened.  You can check on line regarding the Hilton based restaurants, which have always been very good.  I recently had brunch at their version of a diner/deli and the food was very good.  During daytime you can walk (crossing the Dos Hermanos bridge) to the Condado area and you will find an array of small shops and dives (Fiero talk).  However, an excellent lunch can be had at the Ola Restaurant of the Condado Vanderbilt Hotel.  You may want to explore the delicacies at their 1919 Restaurant for dinner, or at their steakhouse.  Above, I also mentioned two other restaurants you may wish to explore.  At night, please take a taxi.  I do hope you enjoy your stay in my Island!!

[TheShag]

Will be staying at Shangri-La in Bangkok prior to cruise to Bali this November. Does anyone know the details of what type of room is typically used for Regent guests? There are a number of options available. Is there a way to request a room type when I get closer to sailing date?