Park and sail, options for San Pedro...

[tinacolada]

We are going on a Mexican Riviera cruise May 18th on the Pride out of Long Beach and will be staying in San Pedro the night before the cruise. Since we are driving from Central California, we will need to find a hotel that has a park and cruise pkg. I have read that Doubletree, Sunrise, and Vagabond have it available. I heard bad things about Vagabond and not much better about Sunrise, so I got a price from Doubletree-Standard, 1 rm/4 persons/2 qns for $215 after taxes. This seems like much more than other posts I have read. I tried going through the hotel directly and also Expedia. Little cheaper through Expedia but still alot. I think Crown Plaza was also pricey. Any suggestions from anyone would be appreciated. Also, what is there to do in Long Beach/San Pedro the day before?

Thanks for your help!

__________________

Song of Norway, NCCL-7 day Western Carib-5/85 :)

Elation, Carnival-7 day Exotic? Mexican 7/04 :rolleyes:

Elation, Canival-5 day Baja Mexico 6/07 :p

Pride, Carnival-7 day Mexican Riviera coming 5/18/08 :D

[Putterdude]

That was about the rate we paid at the Double Tree in December, a little less but there was only 2 of us. We are $152 at the CP in May but again only 2 of us. The rates that OPs seem to be getting for these 2 hotels from Priceline are in the $65 to $100 presumably for 2 persons. Might be worth a try.

[lynneamycruise]

We got a rate of $189 at Crown Plaza...if you do the math it is not that bad of a deal....includes all parking, bottle of wine, full breakfast in the morning, shuttle to and from ship.

You pay $12 per day parking at the pier $84--This leaves $105 for room rate...not too bad including the wine and breakfast. I could not find a cheaper rate an expedia/travelocity...etc...

 

Others have got Crown Plaza on priceline for $65 to $80 per night..plus $10 for nightly parking plus the parking at the pier...pretty close to compare.

[tinacolada]

THANKS EVERYONE FOR THE INFO-I THINK I WILLL GO AHEAD AND JUST STAY WITH DOUBLETREE CUZ IT'S CONVENIENT AND LOOKS NICE AND i JUST DON'T WANT TO KEEP SEARCHING. CONSIDERING IT INCLUDES THE PARKING, IT'S PROB A DECENT DEAL. HAS ANYONE EVERYONE EVER BEEN TO THE LOCAL AQUARIUM?

[andreadan]

If you are staying in San Pedro at the Doubletree Hotel and leaving your car there, what is your plan to get to Long Beach which is about 15-20 minutes from the Carnival cruise terminal?

[melika091900]

usually the hotel offers a shuttle ....

[andreadan]

I am aware the hotel has a shuttle service for around San Pedro, but I do not know if it will go to Long Beach. Check with the Doubletree Hotel itself.

[tinacolada]

Well, I was told by DT that not only do they allow you to keep your car there for the cruise duration (even stating that some people just book a room there for the parking alone), but she also said that the shuttle will take us to the cruise port. Now you have me wondering if I specified SP port or not. To tell you the truth, I have gotten and been hearing conflicting stories about the park/shuttle cruise pkg, that I am wondering. I ended up making the reserv. thru Expedia cuz it was gonna be around $70 cheaper but the EX guy had to keep calling the hotel directly to find the info cuz he didn't know but then assured me that I didn't HAVE to purchase DT's "park & cruise" pkg unless I wanted the brkfst and champagne because they offer free parking and shuttle anyway. I got the names of both gals he spoke with there and called and asked them myself cuz I was so skeptical and the same gal told me the same thing. That anyone that books at the hotel is allowed to keep their car there-it's included with the cost of the room. Which by the way was $215 (for 4) so I hope so! I may just call up asking for general info and see what I am told. It does make me a bit nervous...

[Bucky3]

Have you looked for hotels in Long Beach instead of San Pedro? I would be sure to call the Doubletree yourself and specify that you are cruising out of Long Beach and not San Pedro. I think most people cruising out of Long Beach stay there rather than in San Pedro. I'd GUESS that it's about 10 miles from the Doubletree to the Port in Long Beach. Good Luck!

[tnf]

I called the double tree yesterday and asked if i booked a room before and after the cruise could i just leave the car parked there, the guy told me i had to book the park and cruise package to do that.

But from what i have read on here i do not have to book the park and cruise package to leave my car there?

Anyone know for sure?

[tnf]

okay, i called doubletree again today and booked a room for the night before and the night after the cruise. I did not book the park and cruise package. After everything was done i asked him if it would be okay to keep our car parked in the hotel lot, he said to book the park and cruise package i told him i did not want breakfast or the wine that comes with the package, he then said oh yes we can keep the car in the lot during the cruise no problem.

[willing292]

i know they offer free shuttle to the pier in san pedro, but long beach is a bit of a haul. the best place to stay for a carnaval cruise is the queen mary, because you can walk from the hotel to the ship.

[tinacolada]

i know they offer free shuttle to the pier in san pedro, but long beach is a bit of a haul. the best place to stay for a carnaval cruise is the queen mary, because you can walk from the hotel to the ship.

 

Well when I looked up price info to stay at the Queen Mary, it was $$$$ so I didn't even think twice about it. It sure sounds convenient though...

[Curt Jerome Wild]

tinacolada...

Let me try to help you out here and clear things up...

(and click on all of the following links for hotel pics and info)

Currently, unless they have changed in the past month, Doubletree (which is a great hotel) only shuttles to and from San Pedro (not Long Beach/Carnival)...

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=602015

 

Crowne Plaza, even though they are located in San Pedro as well - absolutely will shuttle you to and from Long Beach pier...

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=601984

For some options in actual Long Beach...

Firstly, I personally don't recommend Queen Mary at all.

It is gambling/luck of the draw if you happen to get quiet neighbors or not. The walls are paper thin (it is an old ship), so anyone that has a great time, were just lucky to have quiet guests near them.

Look into the Coast Hotel - which has parking, and shuttle to and from Carnival...

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=602024

Hyatt and other hotels in Long Beach are nice, but don't have shuttles - unless you take the public city bus...

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=604242

There's also something called The Guest House, which I haven't stayed at but has gotten a few good reports recently...

I hope this helps, and clears up some of your confusion...

[tinacolada]

Thanks CJW but now my confusion continues because I called about a week ago.....again and talked to the concierge which someone had recommended on this board. I told him about the discrepencies I had been reading on "a cruise message board" and that I needed to verify that if I hadn't booked a "park and cruise" pkg (since we didn't care about the wine and brkfst), but booked a regular room for $215, if that in fact still included the parking for duration of cruise as well as the shuttle to and from Carnivals's LONG BEACH pier, he reassured me that it did indeed include it. So someone is really mistaken or they're def not on the same page over at Doubletree! I would like to hear from someone who has actually stayed there real recently and used the parking and shuttle to the LB pier....that would be the tell tale sign! ;)