TryinCruisin Posted July 25 #1 Share Posted July 25 I have been researching hotels to stay in pre cruise Feb 2025. I have visited these boards and meticulously checked most of the recommended hotels. Visited Expedia, Travelocity etc. I just can't stomach the prices. Most hotels are going for 350 - 700 per night. The ones under that range have some disturbing bad review patterns. I am looking to fly in two days before my cruise to make sure I make it on the ship (winter weather delays are a thing). I know it's the high season but are these prices normal or have they jumped up a lot in a year? Which direction should I look for more affordable but not creepy accommodation? I was hoping for under 300 per night incl tax/fees. Is that just a pipe dream? I am waffling between looking a really good distance from Port Everglades for a better price or just sucking it up so I can be in a central area close to the beach, as a first time tourist. This decision and the prices have stopped my forward progress on getting things organized. I guess I am looking for words of wisdom from people who have experience with the area and pre cruise accommodation to help nudge me toward a good decision. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zqvol Posted July 25 #2 Share Posted July 25 The question is what is more important to you, location or price? If you want price get away from the airport and the port, move inland. If you want location then be prepared to pay the price. Are you going to spend a little more on Ubers or taxis or on a hotel room. Decisions, decisions, decisions. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TryinCruisin Posted July 25 Author #3 Share Posted July 25 It will come down to whether the savings on being really far away is significant enough to compensate for the extra travel expense and lack of central touristy amenities. I figure there must be frugal people out there that can say whether its worth it or if it was more hassle than savings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kluv2cruz Posted July 25 #4 Share Posted July 25 Consider… getting a charge card that comes with perks such as annual free night. More limited for Canadians, but read rewardscanada &/or princeoftravel and see what sign up bonuses you could amass quickly to help or to pay for a night or two. I personally have done well with Marriott Bonvoy AMEX. Signup bonuses are the most you’ll accumulate the quickest so choose wisely after your research! We stayed at the Residence Inn FLL Intracoastal/Il Lugano after a cruise and loved the great walkable location, included breakfast, and paid with points. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capriccio Posted July 25 #5 Share Posted July 25 Are you looking during President's Day (Monday, Feb, 17) week? The 3 day weekend plus the fact that many public schools have winter vacation that week makes the demand for cruises and pre/post cruise hotels sky high. It's all demand and supply that week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TryinCruisin Posted July 25 Author #6 Share Posted July 25 That is a great idea but I already have a usual points card and pretty much will be using them up for the flights and returns across the continent. Its just an expensive time to live in and try and do wonderful things like cruises. I figured and planned for most expenses but was woefully out in left field about how much the hotels would be in the high season. It really sucks 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TryinCruisin Posted July 25 Author #7 Share Posted July 25 My cruise is Feb 8 - 15. ; so hotels 6 - 8. I figure that Presidents day shouldn't be part of the problem. God I can't imagine what the per night cost will be for that week! The stuff nightmares are made of. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kluv2cruz Posted July 25 #8 Share Posted July 25 1 hour ago, TryinCruisin said: That is a great idea I hear ya. Well, then, book EARLY, refundable, and check often. Especially around American holidays like thanksgiving & Christmas I have found sharper prices, then you can double book and cancel the higher priced booking. Check all the usual hotel booking sites including your favourite hotels own site. Shockingly, prices vary. Decades ago, when the oldest was in grade 5, Canada had a “kids ski free” program so I excitedly splurged and bought us adults and younger son lift tickets (back when they were <$100 day) for Whistler, excited that one of the 4 of us was getting free skiing. THEN, I went to book accommodation. Ugh, nausea, angst, terror. We couldn’t come up with that kind of $$$ for a week of hotel nights. Sheesh! (And that was before I’d thought about paying for meals in a very expensive resort!) It all worked out in the end (thanks to back then, when one used to be able to bid for accommodation through Priceline and I scored the Westin), but Wowsers. Sticker shock! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lx200gps Posted July 25 #9 Share Posted July 25 6 hours ago, TryinCruisin said: My cruise is Feb 8 - 15. ; so hotels 6 - 8. I figure that Presidents day shouldn't be part of the problem. God I can't imagine what the per night cost will be for that week! The stuff nightmares are made of. I like to use Tripadvisor for initial hotel hunting, as their map view function lets me easily compare prices visually in each geographical area near Port Everglades. As you say, prices for your specific dates are very high on the closest hotel zone to PE, 17th street. A popular alternative to 17th St is Dania Beach, immediately south of the airport. Prices there seem to be lower than 17th St but still high-ish. A good alternative that we have used in the past is Plantation, west of PE down the 595, somewhat farther out but still a good option. Prices there do not fluctuate nearly as much the other areas and in high season can be much lower than the prime 17th St. strip. Plantation is well served by lots of hotels, restaurants, shopping etc. but is obviously far from the beach. I checked your dates of 6-8 Feb 2025 and indeed the prices for all the hotels in Plantation are significantly lower. Only downside is a longer Uber ride to get to the ship. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capriccio Posted July 25 #10 Share Posted July 25 I second @lx200gps's recommendations. If you haven't already, you can check out Places to Stay on the official visitlauderdale.com site (https://www.visitlauderdale.com/places-to-stay/) and enter your arrival and departure dates. You can filter by price. Many posters highly recommend using www.valuetrips.com to book the Hyatt Place Convention Center on SE 10th Street (very close to the airport and port, on free transportation to the beach and the Las Olas area) but the drawback is that VT doesn't publish next year's rates until late in the year (sometimes as late as December). As others have recommended find something fully refundable that you can book now and keep checking for cheaper alternatives. . 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TryinCruisin Posted July 25 Author #11 Share Posted July 25 4 hours ago, lx200gps said: ...A popular alternative to 17th St is Dania Beach, immediately south of the airport. Prices there seem to be lower than 17th St but still high-ish. A good alternative that we have used in the past is Plantation, west of PE down the 595, Thanks! Plantation does have the lower prices. Good to hear there are some amenities there as well. If you recommend the area I am guessing its not a sketchy neighbourhood. One of the things that worry me is that I am so ignorant of the area, I could plant myself in a bad area looking for a cheaper hotel. I will look up Dania beach today to compare prices. The beach does sound lovely if a reasonable price can be found. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TryinCruisin Posted July 25 Author #12 Share Posted July 25 3 hours ago, capriccio said: I second @lx200gps's recommendations. If you haven't already, you can check out Places to Stay on the official visitlauderdale.com site (https://www.visitlauderdale.com/places-to-stay/) and enter your arrival and departure dates. You can filter by price. Many posters highly recommend using www.valuetrips.com to book the Hyatt Place Convention Center on SE 10th Street (very close to the airport and port, on free transportation to the beach and the Las Olas area) Never heard of valuetrips.com Will have to check that out. Its a good plan to book a refundable and keep an eye out for deals. I will do that, thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare noshoobie Posted July 25 #13 Share Posted July 25 Have you considered staying in Hollywood instead of Ft Lauderdale? When we cruise out of FL we always stay in Hollywood. The Uber cost to Hollywood from the airport and to the pier is pretty reasonable. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lx200gps Posted July 25 #14 Share Posted July 25 1 hour ago, TryinCruisin said: Thanks! Plantation does have the lower prices. Good to hear there are some amenities there as well. If you recommend the area I am guessing its not a sketchy neighbourhood. One of the things that worry me is that I am so ignorant of the area, I could plant myself in a bad area looking for a cheaper hotel. I will look up Dania beach today to compare prices. The beach does sound lovely if a reasonable price can be found. FYI, Dania Beach is a bit of a mis-nomer, it's not that near a beach ;o) The Plantation hotel area is perfectly fine and is very well stocked with all the major mid-range hotel options from Marriott, Hilton, HI etc as well as malls and restaurants. I can't remember which one, but one of the hotels in Plantation used to offer both airport AND cruise port shuttles. Hopefully someone can chime in a tell us which one. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capriccio Posted July 25 #15 Share Posted July 25 10 minutes ago, lx200gps said: I can't remember which one, but one of the hotels in Plantation used to offer both airport AND cruise port shuttles. Hopefully someone can chime in a tell us which one. It was the Hampton Inn but I believe I've read here that post-covid they no longer offer either but anyone interested in that hotel should check out their website and/or call them directly. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capriccio Posted July 25 #16 Share Posted July 25 2 hours ago, TryinCruisin said: Thanks! Plantation does have the lower prices. Good to hear there are some amenities there as well. If you recommend the area I am guessing its not a sketchy neighbourhood. One of the things that worry me is that I am so ignorant of the area, I could plant myself in a bad area looking for a cheaper hotel. It is a nice suburb and that is one of the reasons all the major chains have hotels in Plantation (and why my lawyer has an office there 🙂). 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue_water Posted July 31 #17 Share Posted July 31 We are in the same boat, staying 1 night pre and 2 nights post-cruise late-March and early-April. My initial research here led me to Riverside, Hyatt Place and similar properties. That didn’t last long, I’ve since been looking at properties in Dania Beach, Edgewood, Plantstion, and now Hollywood. We are arriving quite late the night before our cruise so just a decent, clean hotel is sufficient. But some of the disturbing reviews of the various Choice hotels are concerning. We’re looking to spend more $$$ post-cruise, and are considering various options. We have the luxury of staying with friends who have a car post/cruise, and we can drive to the Riverwalk or other area. But there’s nothing like actually staying in a preferred area… We will likely book a refundable room soon, and check on Value Trips later. Also, prices are lower if you are willing to accept an assigned hotel out of 2 or 3 options with Hotwire. But these bookings are non-refundable… 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PORT ROYAL Posted July 31 #18 Share Posted July 31 On 7/25/2024 at 2:32 AM, TryinCruisin said: I have been researching hotels to stay in pre cruise Feb 2025. I have visited these boards and meticulously checked most of the recommended hotels. Visited Expedia, Travelocity etc. I just can't stomach the prices. Most hotels are going for 350 - 700 per night. The ones under that range have some disturbing bad review patterns. I am looking to fly in two days before my cruise to make sure I make it on the ship (winter weather delays are a thing). I know it's the high season but are these prices normal or have they jumped up a lot in a year? Which direction should I look for more affordable but not creepy accommodation? I was hoping for under 300 per night incl tax/fees. Is that just a pipe dream? I am waffling between looking a really good distance from Port Everglades for a better price or just sucking it up so I can be in a central area close to the beach, as a first time tourist. This decision and the prices have stopped my forward progress on getting things organized. I guess I am looking for words of wisdom from people who have experience with the area and pre cruise accommodation to help nudge me toward a good decision. One may have already explored these options, but cruise friends have stayed at Extended Stay America and Days Inn. They found them simple, clean and reasonably priced. Just trying to help 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvtoeat Posted July 31 #19 Share Posted July 31 On 7/24/2024 at 9:32 PM, TryinCruisin said: I have been researching hotels to stay in pre cruise Feb 2025. I have visited these boards and meticulously checked most of the recommended hotels. Visited Expedia, Travelocity etc. I just can't stomach the prices. Most hotels are going for 350 - 700 per night. The ones under that range have some disturbing bad review patterns. I am looking to fly in two days before my cruise to make sure I make it on the ship (winter weather delays are a thing). I know it's the high season but are these prices normal or have they jumped up a lot in a year? Which direction should I look for more affordable but not creepy accommodation? I was hoping for under 300 per night incl tax/fees. Is that just a pipe dream? I am waffling between looking a really good distance from Port Everglades for a better price or just sucking it up so I can be in a central area close to the beach, as a first time tourist. This decision and the prices have stopped my forward progress on getting things organized. I guess I am looking for words of wisdom from people who have experience with the area and pre cruise accommodation to help nudge me toward a good decision. I feel your pain. I am having the same issue finding hotels in Feb. and leaving from Canaveral. I submitted a post the other day with what I was finding and the same crazy prices you are seeing. We are driving so it's a case of how far from the port we want to search. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TryinCruisin Posted August 1 Author #20 Share Posted August 1 11 hours ago, PORT ROYAL said: One may have already explored these options, but cruise friends have stayed at Extended Stay America and Days Inn. They found them simple, clean and reasonably priced. Just trying to help Thanks for the suggestion. I have actually just made a reservation at a Days Inn. It was the cheapest I could find that was not too far away from Port Everglades. If I see something better I will change it but at the prices showing I am just hoping its clean and not full of hobo's, lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teknoge3k Posted August 1 #21 Share Posted August 1 I am a Hilton loyalist. I just looked up your dates and you can stay at the Hampton Inn on Las Olas for $232 USD (320 CAD) a night. The Las Olas area is very nice and we stay there post-cruise some. There are plenty of places to eat & shop nearby, and you could use Circuit to go to the beach from the hotel to enjoy your time. It's about $10 for an Uber to Port Everglades. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teknoge3k Posted August 1 #22 Share Posted August 1 9 hours ago, TryinCruisin said: Thanks for the suggestion. I have actually just made a reservation at a Days Inn. It was the cheapest I could find that was not too far away from Port Everglades. If I see something better I will change it but at the prices showing I am just hoping its clean and not full of hobo's, lol. I would definitely look at other options. Days Inn is going to be cheap; it's a low end budget hotel. Be sure to check out reviews at multiple sources (Google Reviews, TripAdvisor, Yelp) rather than reviews on the hotels website or booking agencies such as Expedia/Hotels.com/etc. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cienfuegos Posted August 1 #23 Share Posted August 1 The Dania Beach (county) beach is very nice. Large, clean beach on the ocean. On a barrier island a few miles from downtown. There's a public bus which ends there, and many hotels offer shuttles to the beach on a schedule or will call basis. Definitely worth looking at the area. It doesn't get anywhere near as many Spring break crowds as Fort Lauderdale or Hollywood. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PORT ROYAL Posted August 1 #24 Share Posted August 1 23 minutes ago, teknoge3k said: I would definitely look at other options. Days Inn is going to be cheap; it's a low end budget hotel. Be sure to check out reviews at multiple sources (Google Reviews, TripAdvisor, Yelp) rather than reviews on the hotels website or booking agencies such as Expedia/Hotels.com/etc. Agree… Just looked at the reviews etc… Not inviting Question for USA friends on CC…. Does FL have Guest Houses (B&B as known as by UK)? - These are usually priced lower than Hotels, and could be available at the price point @TryinCruisin is seeking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teknoge3k Posted August 1 #25 Share Posted August 1 4 minutes ago, PORT ROYAL said: Agree… Just looked at the reviews etc… Not inviting Question for USA friends on CC…. Does FL have Guest Houses (B&B as known as by UK)? - These are usually priced lower than Hotels, and could be available at the price point @TryinCruisin is seeking. Yes, there are Airbnbs in the US. You can go through airbnb or vrbo for most rentals. I was going to check one we liked in Ft. Lauderdale but can't go that far ahead to get a quote. I checked random dates in November, and it is $308 USD (425 CAD) which is outside OPs budget. Though that wasn't the exact dates and was only one Airbnb. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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