Country Inn and Suites - or Radisson

[DVC Jen]

Which would you choose and why?

Our last cruise was 6 years ago and we stayed at the Radisson. It was "OK".

Really curious to get opinions from those who have tried both or even those who have stayed at one or the other recently.

I was just checking rates at both hotels and noticed the Country Inn and Suites offers a package that covers the room, breakfast and shuttle to the port. But isn't the breakfast already complimentary???? Deceptive advertising, or am I missing something?

 

[♥sassy♥tink♥]

We have stayed at both, going on our 4th Disney Cruise in July. We are going back to the Radisson this year because their pool area is more enjoyable for the Friday before we sail. We also like having a restaurant/bar available. The CI&S is newer, but the "amenities" work better for us at the Raddison. I am using hotel points, and CI&S wanted to charge me for the shuttle, Radisson does not! It's just one night, we have not had a problem at either one and we're going on a Disney Cruise the next day!

 

[DVC Jen]

the thing about the radisson that gets me is it says free breakfast for 2 adults and shuttle for 2 adults. Well we have FOUR adults - our DDs will be 19 and 23.

I am trying to get the best deal for the best price.

Not sure we would even take advantage of the pool so that really isn't a factor.

It is more about the breakfast in the morning and the shuttle to the port...as well as how clean the rooms are and how safe the parking is since we would be leaving my car there for 5 nights.

 

[nzdisneymom]

We've stayed at both the Radisson (in 2005) and Country Inn and Suites (3 cruises, last one as recently as December 2012). We've parked our vehicle at both hotels and used the shuttle. We weren't overly impressed with the Radisson and it was further away from the port (not by much) than CI/S so we tried CI/S and liked it, so we return there.

Yes, CI/S offers breakfast for all guests, so the "free breakfast" isn't something additional you get with booking a "cruise package." We find that the cost of the hotel/parking/shuttle is less than what it would be to park at the port, so that's why we stay there. We also like staying at CI/S's when we travel other places, so you might say we're a bit brand-loyal. Our stays at CI/S at Port Canaveral have always yielded us clean rooms, helpful front-desk staff, and super-easy shuttling to and from the port. The only "complaint" we have is that the breakfast time is really really busy on sail-away days and we find it's easier to just fix a plate and return to our room to eat. And the lobby area can be a bit congested with folks bringing down their luggage for the cruises, but you'd probably find that almost any hotel (the Radisson's lobby area was a bit more spacious).

 

[kellyb2000]

We always stay at the Radisson. They've never just blown my socks off with the service, but at the same time, I had never been under-impressed with them. That is until we got off the ship last year and the return shuttle service was HORRIBLE! They apparently were trying a new system and it did not work AT ALL. My parents got lucky and caught the first shuttle and then after that it was complete chaos and we ended up calling my parents to come get us from the port. With that said, we are creatures of habit and we will probably stay there again, and just hope they fixed that problem. I know they offer a "cruise package", but all that means (at least up until last June) is you get a free breakfast. You can pay for a "normal" room and still park your car there for your cruise. We've never had any problems leaving our car in their lot.

 

[bluejasmine]

Which would you choose and why?

Our last cruise was 6 years ago and we stayed at the Radisson. It was "OK".

Really curious to get opinions from those who have tried both or even those who have stayed at one or the other recently.

I was just checking rates at both hotels and noticed the Country Inn and Suites offers a package that covers the room, breakfast and shuttle to the port. But isn't the breakfast already complimentary???? Deceptive advertising, or am I missing something?

Which one is cheaper? I looked at radisson already but will change if ci is cheaper and has cruise parking and free breakfast and shuttle. That does include shuttle back right? Lol

 

[bluejasmine]

Oh and is ci breakfast full hot breakfast or continental?

 

[mmouse37]

I know you didn't ask about it but the Marriott Residence Inn which is right next door to the CIS is our fav. I have stayed at all 3 and the MRI, at least to me, has the nicest, cleanest, best designed suites. I believe you pay for the shuttle (we do not use the shuttle as we do rental cars) but I don't think it is that expensive.

You can leave your car there and they have hot buffet breakfast complimentary with all rooms.

MJ

 

[lbgraves]

It is more about the breakfast in the morning and the shuttle to the port...as well as how clean the rooms are and how safe the parking is since we would be leaving my car there for 5 nights.

Just an FYI about any of the hotel's parking for cruise deals, see if they are in a fenced in lot and have actual security. The Radisson does NOT and our car, along with many others according to the police officer we filed the report with, was broken into while we were parked there for a 3-night cruise in 2010. They were just punching the locks in to see what they could find. They have cameras, and say that their lot is secured, but the fact is when something actually happened nothing was in place to prevent it from occuring.

 

[malacajo]

Which one is cheaper? I looked at radisson already but will change if ci is cheaper and has cruise parking and free breakfast and shuttle. That does include shuttle back right? Lol

Hey, BlueJasmine, you are on the same cruise as us! Have you gone to the meet group on here???

 

[nzdisneymom]

Which one is cheaper? I looked at radisson already but will change if ci is cheaper and has cruise parking and free breakfast and shuttle. That does include shuttle back right? Lol

Oh and is ci breakfast full hot breakfast or continental?

The CI/S breakfast is part hot, part continental. You can make waffles if you wait in the line if it's busy, and they have three or four hot items (eggs, sausage, biscuits). Cereal, danish, toast, bagels, fruit, yogurt, milk, juice.

The CI/S shuttle is both ways -to the port and back. They give you a slip with your shuttle time on it for going and you go out front about 15 minutes before so you're ready if the shuttle is early (they have two that they run on cruise days). They start shuttling over to the port no earlier than 10 a.m. - and probably not til 10:30 now that things have changed up with how early Port Canaveral lets people into the terminal areas. They also coordinate the two shuttles so that they try to have everyone on board going to the same ship when there are multiple ships, but sometimes they have to make two stops. They do a great job in loading you onto the shuttle so that if they make two stops, whichever ship is first, that's the luggage that goes on last so it's easier to get off from the trailer / back of the shuttle.

They also give you a piece of paper with the phone number to call when you return (it's also your shuttle pass) so when you get back, you go to where they tell you to meet them, call the shuttle when you're there, and they will come get you - we've never waited more than 10 minutes. There's a thing at P.C. now where they charge the shuttles every time they come through the main gate and they can't just park and wait for you, so that's why they say call when you're at the meeting point and tell them you're there and how many of you there are. They coordinate between the arriving ships (2 - 4 in port at a time).

Shuttle schedule for going to the port is first-come, first-served in terms of signing up for which shuttle time you'll get. We arrived at 6 p.m. and were on the 12:30 shuttle the next day. I've been told that if you call ahead, they can put you on an earlier shuttle if they haven't filled up yet, but we just took our chances to see how it would be. Check out is at noon, so we just hung out in the room until about 11:45 and then took our stuff down, checked out, and the shuttle was ready to load about 12:15. We were checking in on the ship by 1:00.

 

[malacajo]

Hey, BlueJasmine, you are on the same cruise as us! Have you gone to the meet group on here???

Oh I think I'm wrong about that...We are on the Sept 8 Fantasy....!

 

[kcashner]

CI&S: newer, cleaner, free breakfast for all (not in package).
Radisson: older, not as nice. Breakfast is free only if part of package. Parking is free only if part of package. Otherwise, breakfast is $10 pp. Good shuttle service; sign up time in advance.
I'd go with CI&S or Residence Inn.

 

[bluejasmine]

Oh I think I'm wrong about that...We are on the Sept 8 Fantasy....!

No i am on that cruise as well! Sorry i need to change the part of my signature thst says anniversary dream, i didnt think about the fact there is a ship named dream! Lol

Yes i did go to our meet thread! Thanks for checking and look fwd to tslking more with u!

 

[DVC Jen]

Well we went with CI&S. I was able to get a decent advance purchase internet rate. Just have to add the shuttle/cruise package to it when we get there.


Thanks for everyone's help.

 

[DVC Jen]

hmmm one more question.. if the parking lot is not "secure" how many have decided to stay there and use park n cruise for parking and shuttle instead? If you book online it is about the same amount as the "cruise package". We were told it would be 30.00 to add the cruise package onto our internet rate. 5 night cruise at 5.99 a night with park n cruise = 30.00 and it is a secure lot.

 

[moochpuppy]

We have stayed at the Radisson before each of our three Disney Cruises (most recently Jan 2010) and have been happy with them each time...no problems.

 

[eeyoremommy]

I have stayed at both. Without question, I prefer Country Inn and Suites. The last time I was there, I got upgraded to a two bedroom suite. I wasn't paying much for the regular room. We stayed post-cruise, but the Dream was leaving the next morning. Our experience with the Radisson involved a very noisy piece of equipment that ran all night long next to our room, among other problems. Many people have had good experiences with each one, but I like Country Inn and Suites when the two are compared head to head.

Breakfast is complementary at Country Inn & Stes., but it is a separate charge in a restaurant at the Radisson. Country I&S' traffic is relatively limited given its location. The Radisson has a convention center there, and that provides the fenced lot that others have mentioned. It does seem like there is more traffic in that area.

I can't speak to CI&S' shuttle. The Radisson shuttle was relatively easy.

Other things about the Radisson: We only had DH, DS, and myself. We had to pay for one child's breakfast. We got there too late to enjoy the pool.

CI&S: It was my mom, my son, and me. We had cookies in the lobby. We really enjoyed ourselves. We went to KSC and enjoyed Cocoa Beach.

Good luck.

 

[Pawleys4]

We returned yesterday from a 7-night cruise on the Fantasy... our fourth DCL cruise from Port Canaveral. On our prior cruises, we stayed at a local hotel and then left our vehicle in the terminal parking garage. This time we decided to do like many of our fellow cruisers and take advantage of the service offered by many hotels near the cruise terminals... stay at the hotel and leave the vehicle parked at the hotel during the cruise, utilizing the free shuttle service offered by the hotel. We looked at several hotels online and decided upon Country Inn & Suites (“CI&S”), mainly because of online comments from others and the fact it’s the closest hotel to the terminal. Our traveling companions stayed at a different hotel, left their vehicle at the hotel, used the shuttle, and had no problems. Our hotel stay was fine, the free breakfast was okay, and the staff was quite friendly, but our shuttle experience was a nightmare, so I would like to warn others who may be considering this service.

After debarking, we came out of the terminal and a small CI&S shuttle was there, with standing room only, completely filled with luggage. The driver said another shuttle would be by in 20 minutes, so the porter deposited our six large bags of luggage on the sidewalk and we took a bench at the location CI&S requested, perfectly willing to wait the 20 minutes. Other hotel shuttles came and went until we were the ONLY ones left to be picked up. (The Radisson shuttles looked really nice and arrived regularly.) After an HOUR AND 20 MINUTES, we were STILL sitting in the hot sun on the sidewalk outside the terminal! We had placed several calls to CI&S to no avail. Several porters and security personnel came to us and asked what hotel could possibly have left guests on the sidewalk in the hot sun that long. Many people were arriving to embark on their cruise and we were still waiting to be picked up after debarking!

When the shuttle finally arrived, we were waiting exactly where we had been told to wait, yet Dwayne the shuttle driver drove way past where we were waiting with our pile of luggage. Dwayne then told us to bring our own luggage all the way to the shuttle ourselves, saying, “The hotel only pays me minimum wage to drive. I don’t get paid to put your luggage in.” He was surly and rude. I was shocked. The terminal porters and security were watching what was going on and felt sorry for us, so they started helping us pick up our bags and put them in the trailer. They suggested we stay at another hotel next time. As my husband was telling Dwayne he should be more sympathetic to people who had been left waiting so long in the hot sun, Dwayne said, “If anyone in your party b-tches and moans, I am throwing you off this shuttle!” He then picked up two lightweight backpacks and hurled them into the trailer as hard as he could. It is hard to express in writing this man’s tone and bad-tempered demeanor.

The passengers in the shuttle were watching everything going on. When I boarded the shuttle, one of the other passengers said her party had been waiting a really long time at another cruise terminal as well. Posted in front of the shuttle in large print were two signs saying, “Tips are a big part of a driver’s income.” and “Tips are not included with the fares and vouchers.” Still, Dwayne announced to his passengers, none of whom were happy at that point, that he appreciates tips! When people exited the shuttle, he stood by the door with his hand out, and the unhappy guests handed over tips obligingly. We are happy to tip for good service and had just left a cruise ship after generously tipping the staff, tour operators, and porters, but there is no way Dwayne was getting a dime from us after being excessively late, rude, confrontational, and begging for tips!

When we finally arrived at the hotel, I went in to speak with the manager Vernedetta personally. She credited our credit card $55 from the $123 we had paid for our one-night stay and gave us each a bottle of cold water (it was obvious we were overly hot). Vernedetta was professional and apologetic in my dealings with her. I told her how rude and confrontational Dwayne was and she said she would talk with him, but I know nothing is going to be done about Dwayne because pictures of him are hanging in the hotel lobby and in the shuttle. He is very unprofessional.

Our experience with CI&S was fine in all regards, with the exception of the terrible shuttle service. We had plenty of opportunity to observe the other hotels’ shuttle services and they were much more efficient than CI&S. If you are going to be staying near the terminal AND plan to leave your car in the terminal parking garage (which looks nice), I would recommend CI&S. BUT... if you are looking for a hotel to stay where you can leave your vehicle at the hotel and utilize their “free” shuttle service, I would strongly advise against staying at CI&S. There are other nice hotels right next door which have much more efficient, professional shuttle service at comparable rates. Also, if a hotel is going to offer this service, they should have adequate sized vehicles to handle the number of patrons and their luggage. Neither of the CI&S vehicles were adequately sized for luggage, but the vast majority from other hotels were.

 

[MTmomma]

We returned yesterday from a 7-night cruise on the Fantasy... our fourth DCL cruise from Port Canaveral. On our prior cruises, we stayed at a local hotel and then left our vehicle in the terminal parking garage. This time we decided to do like many of our fellow cruisers and take advantage of the service offered by many hotels near the cruise terminals... stay at the hotel and leave the vehicle parked at the hotel during the cruise, utilizing the free shuttle service offered by the hotel. We looked at several hotels online and decided upon Country Inn & Suites (“CI&S”), mainly because of online comments from others and the fact it’s the closest hotel to the terminal. Our traveling companions stayed at a different hotel, left their vehicle at the hotel, used the shuttle, and had no problems. Our hotel stay was fine, the free breakfast was okay, and the staff was quite friendly, but our shuttle experience was a nightmare, so I would like to warn others who may be considering this service.

After debarking, we came out of the terminal and a small CI&S shuttle was there, with standing room only, completely filled with luggage. The driver said another shuttle would be by in 20 minutes, so the porter deposited our six large bags of luggage on the sidewalk and we took a bench at the location CI&S requested, perfectly willing to wait the 20 minutes. Other hotel shuttles came and went until we were the ONLY ones left to be picked up. (The Radisson shuttles looked really nice and arrived regularly.) After an HOUR AND 20 MINUTES, we were STILL sitting in the hot sun on the sidewalk outside the terminal! We had placed several calls to CI&S to no avail. Several porters and security personnel came to us and asked what hotel could possibly have left guests on the sidewalk in the hot sun that long. Many people were arriving to embark on their cruise and we were still waiting to be picked up after debarking!

When the shuttle finally arrived, we were waiting exactly where we had been told to wait, yet Dwayne the shuttle driver drove way past where we were waiting with our pile of luggage. Dwayne then told us to bring our own luggage all the way to the shuttle ourselves, saying, “The hotel only pays me minimum wage to drive. I don’t get paid to put your luggage in.” He was surly and rude. I was shocked. The terminal porters and security were watching what was going on and felt sorry for us, so they started helping us pick up our bags and put them in the trailer. They suggested we stay at another hotel next time. As my husband was telling Dwayne he should be more sympathetic to people who had been left waiting so long in the hot sun, Dwayne said, “If anyone in your party b-tches and moans, I am throwing you off this shuttle!” He then picked up two lightweight backpacks and hurled them into the trailer as hard as he could. It is hard to express in writing this man’s tone and bad-tempered demeanor.

The passengers in the shuttle were watching everything going on. When I boarded the shuttle, one of the other passengers said her party had been waiting a really long time at another cruise terminal as well. Posted in front of the shuttle in large print were two signs saying, “Tips are a big part of a driver’s income.” and “Tips are not included with the fares and vouchers.” Still, Dwayne announced to his passengers, none of whom were happy at that point, that he appreciates tips! When people exited the shuttle, he stood by the door with his hand out, and the unhappy guests handed over tips obligingly. We are happy to tip for good service and had just left a cruise ship after generously tipping the staff, tour operators, and porters, but there is no way Dwayne was getting a dime from us after being excessively late, rude, confrontational, and begging for tips!

When we finally arrived at the hotel, I went in to speak with the manager Vernedetta personally. She credited our credit card $55 from the $123 we had paid for our one-night stay and gave us each a bottle of cold water (it was obvious we were overly hot). Vernedetta was professional and apologetic in my dealings with her. I told her how rude and confrontational Dwayne was and she said she would talk with him, but I know nothing is going to be done about Dwayne because pictures of him are hanging in the hotel lobby and in the shuttle. He is very unprofessional.

Our experience with CI&S was fine in all regards, with the exception of the terrible shuttle service. We had plenty of opportunity to observe the other hotels’ shuttle services and they were much more efficient than CI&S. If you are going to be staying near the terminal AND plan to leave your car in the terminal parking garage (which looks nice), I would recommend CI&S. BUT... if you are looking for a hotel to stay where you can leave your vehicle at the hotel and utilize their “free” shuttle service, I would strongly advise against staying at CI&S. There are other nice hotels right next door which have much more efficient, professional shuttle service at comparable rates. Also, if a hotel is going to offer this service, they should have adequate sized vehicles to handle the number of patrons and their luggage. Neither of the CI&S vehicles were adequately sized for luggage, but the vast majority from other hotels were.

I think you made your point.