Hotel for pre-cruise stay in San Juan, PR?

Arby · #1 (**permalink**) April 2nd, 2008, 11:40 AM

We have a trip reserved on "Adventure of the Seas" in January out of San Juan, PR and may want to fly down a day early. Can anyone recommend a reasonably priced hotel down there

Possibly with a Casino

Trip · #2 (**permalink**) April 2nd, 2008, 12:47 PM

Check out the Sheraton Old San Juan Hotel, right across from the main pier, in Old San Juan.

http://www.starwoodhotels.com/sherat...ropertyID=1497

There is a fabulous pool, and a casino, and so convenient if your ship uses this pier. Didn't check the price, but boy it looks fabulous!

dina · #3 (**permalink**) April 2nd, 2008, 01:15 PM

We stayed at the Holiday Inn Express in Coronado. It was a nice tidy little place and reasonably priced. Walking distance to a beach, places to eat and shopping.

Arby · #4 (**permalink**) April 3rd, 2008, 09:38 AM

Trip, the Sheraton is either booked up or won't accept Saturday night only reservations.

Dena, how close to the RCI Pier is the Hotel? Are there things to do in the area within walking distance? How about a Casino? They do show rooms available for a reasonable price for a Saturday night. This might be a winner.

dina · #5 (**permalink**) April 3rd, 2008, 12:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arby

Trip, the Sheraton is either booked up or won't accept Saturday night only reservations.

Dena, how close to the RCI Pier is the Hotel? Are there things to do in the area within walking distance? How about a Casino? They do show rooms available for a reasonable price for a Saturday night. This might be a winner.

The cab ride from the hotel to the ship is maybe 15 minutes. There are a ton of things to do (places to eat, shop within walking distance as well as a beach. There's a casino along the main drag. Its attached to a hotel.. The Radisson (I believe). Its not big and lavish.. Just a little place.

Your welcome.

laccruise · #6 (**permalink**) April 3rd, 2008, 05:41 PM

We made a pre cruise stay at the Marriott in San Juan. It was one of the less expensive in a 3 block radius. Great stay on the beach with a casino.
We were forced to stay after due to an ice storm back home-no flights for 5 nights. We stayedfirst in the Rio Grande Eco Resort for 2 nights. Quite different. It's 45 minutes away. French chef makes all the meals. One of the nicest beaches was near by but need a rental. After the Rio Grande Plantation we stayed in San Jual at the Holiday Inn. It is 2 blocks from the beach. Its right next to the Embassy Suites and Casino. The H.I. was more reasonable but not as nice as the Marriott. Friends stayed in Old S.J.
but felt the newer hotels were nicer.

Cassandra · #7 (**permalink**) April 14th, 2008, 04:41 PM

We also stayed at the Holiday Inn Express. It's a great little place, no casino. You can see my review on Tripadvisor.com (back in 8/05) along with pictures.

As a FYI, I have a co-worker that lived in PR. If you stay at any hotel in PR that has a casino, you will pay more $$ than if you stay at a hotel that doesn't have one.

Stay at a hotel without a casino & just walk over to one that has a casino. Save the $$. The ship will have a casino anyway, so why bother with one in PR?

LynneeW · #8 (**permalink**) April 16th, 2008, 02:46 PM

The Courtyard Isla Verde was very nice and had a casino. I would definately go back again. It was in walking distance of the Ritz, which had a very nice casino.

PAKVIS · #9 (**permalink**) May 29th, 2008, 09:17 PM

I stayed at the Old San Juan Sheraton the night before my cruise this past January, 2008. Beautiful. Large rooms (more like suites). Great Restaurants, casino, pool on top floor roof. But mucho expensive. It was around $325.oo per night. After they added on taxes and sur-charges it came to around $400.00. Food and lodging is extremely
expensive in Puerto Rico. Alot of RCL passangers stay there for their
pre-cruise stays. Royal Caribbean has an arrangement with the hotel.
RCL sends a van to the hotel right before check out time the day of the cruise. The RCL reps go up to your room in the hotel and take your luggage for you and transport it to the ship for you. Then around 1:00 the same day, they send another van to pick up the cruise passangers and transport them to the ship. This can be pre-arranged by your travel cruise agent ahead of time when you are booking your cruise.
I had a room with a balcony on the 5th floor overlooking the cruise ship
dock. Beautiful at night.
My next cruise is Jan., 2009/ Panama Canal this time. Can't wait.
Cruising out of Miami this time.

blueliner · #10 (**permalink**) May 30th, 2008, 04:46 PM

I'm staying at the Intercontinental Hotel San Juan for my precruise stay in San Juan. Others I know have stayed here and raved about it.

The RCI ships that actually embark and disembark in San Juan (Adventure OTS and the Serenade OTS) do not use the terminals in Old Town, but rather the cruise terminal on the other side of the bay.

RCI cruise ships that make San Juan an itinerary stop on their cruises, use the piers in Old Town, but the Adventure and the Serenade DO NOT use the numbered piers in Old Town to embark or disembark passengers.

beaney1018 · #11 (**permalink**) June 5th, 2008, 10:26 PM

..."The RCI ships that actually embark and disembark in San Juan (Adventure OTS and the Serenade OTS) do not use the terminals in Old Town, but rather the cruise terminal on the other side of the bay. "

Does this mean I should not book a hotel in old san juan if I want to be near my cruise ship???? I am embarking with Adventure OTS out of san juan in November 2nd. If so, where should I book a hotel. I guess I need to look at a map!!!

beaney1018 · #12 (**permalink**) June 5th, 2008, 10:30 PM

As of right now we booked with the howard johnson old san juan hotel, right across from the plaza de armas in old san juan.It is very reasonable, but nothing extravagant...just a great location and clean according to the reviews i've read!! It is within walking distance to most anything in old san juan, including the ports as far as I know!! Has anyone else stayed here, or knows about proximity to cruise ports for Adventure of the seas.

blueliner · #13 (**permalink**) June 6th, 2008, 10:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by beaney1018

Does this mean I should not book a hotel in old san juan if I want to be near my cruise ship???? I am embarking with Adventure OTS out of san juan in November 2nd. If so, where should I book a hotel. I guess I need to look at a map!!!

You can still book your hotel in Old Town, but you will need to take a taxi to the ship on the other side of the bay. If you plan on staying a day or so in San Juan, then staying in Old San Juan makes sense, just take a taxi to the Adventure OTS pier on embarkation day. If you are arriving the night before and leaving right away on the Adventure OTS, then a hotel near the airport or in Coronado would make sense.

blueliner · #14 (**permalink**) June 6th, 2008, 10:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by beaney1018

As of right now we booked with the howard johnson old san juan hotel, right across from the plaza de armas in old san juan.It is very reasonable, but nothing extravagant...just a great location and clean according to the reviews i've read!! It is within walking distance to most anything in old san juan, including the ports as far as I know!! Has anyone else stayed here, or knows about proximity to cruise ports for Adventure of the seas.

The Adventure OTS does not dock in Old San Juan at the numbered piers. It docks at the Pan American Pier on the other side of the Bay at Isla Grande. The Pan American Pier is about 7 or 8 miles from the airport.

beaney1018 · #15 (**permalink**) June 6th, 2008, 09:10 PM

Thanks so much for the response...Not sure where i'll be staying now, but it's good to know that our ship won't be within walking distance from Old san juan as previously thought!!! thanks again!

ragtiki2005 · #16 (**permalink**) June 8th, 2008, 01:40 AM

I just love the Courtyard Marriott at Isle Verde. Have stayed there twice. Bob 8)

PAKVIS · #17 (**permalink**) June 8th, 2008, 09:30 AM

As I said previously, if you stay at the Old San Juan Sheraton, Royal Caribbean will send a van to pick you up and bring you to the Royal Caribbean Port. Transportation can be pre-arranged with either Royal Caribbean or through your cruise agent. They send a seperate van
to pick up your luggage and bring it right to the Port for you. Old San Juan is much nicer to walk around for your pre-cruise stay.

mikepmcm · #18 (**permalink**) June 10th, 2008, 07:55 AM

I had reserved a room at the Holiday Inn Express in Condado Jan 16th for $179 with taxes $220. I then tried to bid on a room on priceline and was able to get the Marriott San Juan for the exact same price. The Holiday Inn is rated a 3-star and the Marriott is rated a 5-star and is directly on the beach with a much nicer pool area. The Marriott is about a 10-minute cab ride to the Pier and about the same to Old San Juan. The cost of a cab ride to Old San Juan is $15 each way but you can also take the bus which is only a couple of dollars each way per person.

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