Share Your Radisson Stay and Shuttle Experiences

[amcnj]

Hi all. I would appreciate any info on your stay at the Radisson at the Port, and your experiences using their shuttle service. Any tips or hints would be greatly appreciated!

 

[goofysgal]

You can read about our recent experience at the Radisson on the Trip Reports board 4/14 Wonder - Debarkation.

 

[tiptoen]

Hi amcnj,
The Radisson is very nice. The pool area is also nice. We didn't eat at the resturant but I'm sure it has good food. We chose to eat next door at the itallian resturant and will do so again in October. The food was really good. As for the shuttle, We had no problems. The drivers we're friendly and on time, and helpful. Choose an early time to go to the ship as the later times get busy. You do have to park outside of the gated area when you check-out for the cruise. A good tip is to find a parking place you like either the night before you cruise or early the next morning. That way you may not have to park in an area less traveled. Have fun.
Tip

 

[IrishCowboy]

We've stayed at the Radisson on 2 different occasions on the night before our cruises. We've had a regular rooma and a jacuzzi suite and enjoyed them both. The jacuzzi room/suite was very nice but a little pricey.

The shuttle was simple and easy to use. I tipped the driver a few bucks and he/she always helped load luggage.

Returning from the ship to the Radisson/Avis shuttle can be a bad experience as there is no designated 'line' and people just jump in as soon as the shuttle pulls up.

FYI, if you are planning a fall cruise and staying at the Radisson, be sure to use the 'FALL' promo code when booking your room.

 

[mmouse37]

We stayed at the Radisson on 2/22/02 before our 7 day Magic cruise. We arrived on Friday and it was pouring....we could not use the pool so I upgraded to a jacuzzi suite and the kids used that!!!! The weather was really terrible.

On saturday the rain continued.....we could not get a Radisson shuttle until later in the morning so we opted for the Avis shuttle since we returned our car there. The driver was TOP NOTCH. We were a group of 17 and he fit us all (plus luggage) into one van and took us to the port at about 10:15. The personnel at the port (not disney but Cape Canaveral Port Authority) told us we could not get out of the van until 10:30. The driver was a bit miffed at the personnel because we had to wait with us and not able to make another run for passengers. There were bins outside to load the luggage onto so our driver started to unload. Again the PA personnel had things to say. Our driver just started putting the bags in the bins but the PA guy did not cover any of the bags (we know it was for spite) and all our luggage got soaked. We finally were allowed to get off the van and into the terminal. It is quite a walk in the pouring rain from the outer parking lot to the cruise terminal. We reported the rude PA guy and was glad to find out he was not a disney CM (that would have been really disappointing). We tipped the driver very nicely for all his efforts. He was quite thankful!!!! The shuttle service was fantastic, just the port personnel were a bit unruly.

Moral of the story....there really is no need to get to the port before 10:30, especially if it is raining!!!!

MJ

 

[plutospup]

The Radisson was a nice hotel. We had a regular room and thought it was very comfortable. The pool area is very nice. The shuttle to the port was fine. The area in front of the hotel is great for watching shuttle launches! There was no bell staff, however, to help us with our bags. The front desk staff, unfortunately, did an absolute minimum. A simple thank you would have been nice.

 

[RellingTwin]

Our stay was very nice. The kids enjoyed the pool but the mosquites were out of control!!! Bring bug spray! The room was great (King suite with whirlpool). Since we had our car DH drove all of us to the port where we unloaded our luggage, then DH drove back to the Rad, and jumped on the next shuttle back. This was easy because it was just one person, no luggage. In the meantime I checked in and got on line. DH returned, checked himself in and joined us on line to board.
The shuttle back was very easy. The porter put our stuff on a cart and walked with us to the parking area. The van was waiting, we loaded up and we were at the RAD a few min later.

We are looking forward to staying at the Rad again this Sept.

 

[bogino]

Absolutely one of the worst experiences I've ever had with a major hotel. We arrived on 04/05 at night for the 04/06 cruise. Arrived at Radisson about 10:20 p.m. Had wife and 2 kids and about 5 duffle bags and carry ons. Since it was past 10:00 there were no bell hops (Guess they don't work late there). Fine...I can deal with that. So where's a luggage cart? None around!! Desk clerk said the hotel had 4 of them and he didn't know where any of them were (this is a 200+ room facility). O.K., so we cart all this stuff to the room. If you're hungry...forget it!!! It's past 10:00 so no room service and the restaurant is closed. They only place nearby to get something to eat is a RaceTrac convenience store. Truly classy. Lastly..the airconditioner in the room didn't work. Once again, called desk clerk and once again...since it was past 10:00 there were no engineers around to take a look at the unit. Needless to say...they didn't charge me for the room. The shuttle to the ship was booked with people and lines of others waiting to go so I paid the extra few bucks and took a taxi which was a breeze. This hotel was the absolute pits!!

 

[Joe & Joanne]

Hi Folks

bogino:Sorry to hear of your unpleasant experience and it reminded me of the single most important reason I always plan to to be on the first plane out of wherever I am. I know some folks don't have this luxury, but you will find travel days are much less troublesome with first flights and early arrivals. I would dread the thought of gettting in anywhere after 10PM.

 

[digitalmom]

We have stayed at the Radisson twice now for cruises. In March 2001 for the Disney Magic we didn't get there until after 10:00pm, maybe closer to 11:00, , had to drive from north of Atlanta. Had no problem getting a shuttle at all and were even able to get on an earlier shuttle that morning thru the hotel. We had the one bedroom suite with the jaruzzi tub, it was great. We stayed at the Radisson again April 5 for the April 6th Carnival Pride. Again driving from Atlanta we didn't get there until after 10:00pm. By the time we got there there wasn't an available shuttle until late in the afternoon. The person at the desk said to come back in the morning between 9 and 10am and someone would see what they could do for us. We went back and they couldn't get us on a shuttle until 2;00pm, sorry too late for me. The girl at the desk sugguested to the lady in front of me that she try the Avis office as they have shuttles too. I followed that lady to the Avis office. The girl there asked if the woman had rented a car from them, the woman said no, that the Radisson girl told here to try the Avis shuttle. The girl at Avis said it was first come/first serve for the shuttle if they wanted to do it. Personally I felt awkward using the Avis shuttle as I did not rent a car from them and remembering from last year it was a pain to get a shuttle back as no one seems to care that there were others their first. So we went ahead and drove to the port and drove there. It was great, first we pulled up to the drop off luggage area to unload and then parked the car. I know it seems like I spent a lot of money but I did get the room for the $59.00 fall special rate, had booked room last summer at $99.00 and got them to lower the rate. I only had to tip one person for my luggage instead of two people(the shuttle driver and the porter at the port). I didn't have to worry about waiting to get a shuttle back as we were the second group allowed off the Pride. You have to remember that the Disney Magic isn't the only ship leaving Port Canaveral on Saturdays anymore, the Carnival Pride leaves Saturdays as well and returns on Saturdays. Also unless the Radisson changes, they will not take a shuttle reservation unless you have checked in to the hotel. The Radisson has gotten to be a very popular hotel for pre cruise stays so be prepared to get there early if possible. It was not possible for us to get there earlier as my kids had school that day and we don't believe in missing a day of school unless they are sick, I did pull them out early but only after they had been there long enough to be considered not absent for the entire day and after making sure that they would not be missing any tests, quizzes, etc because if they had had a test or quiz scheduled for a later day class, it would have been even later when we got there. Sorry this is long but.........I'm wordy.

 

[lampy]

We stayed one night in March 02. Check-in was slow at 2:00PM. Asked to be put on shuttle and all times were full. They said they could take me there before the shuttles at 9:30 AM, and leave rental car out front. We decided to self-park. WELL worth it. Easy in and out with no waiting. Room was loud, but clean. No ice machines working, Bell hops - what bell hops? No towels at pool. We bought a movie and it never played right, tv's broken.

Ate a great meal at Kelseys next door.

Redeemed goldpoints for the stay so it was free otherwise would not spend more than $50 for the room.

 

[jiminyC_fan]

Bogino, could I be so bold to ask how much the taxi cost? I am beginning to get a little worried for our October trip. I am the kind that likes to get to places EARLY. 12 or 1 or 2 is too late for me. In fact, we were the first on in January. Don't have to be first but don't want to be last.

 

[bogino]

I want to say that the taxi (including tip) ran somewhere around $25.00. But that also included a little detour. I forgot a few things so I asked the cab to go a little bit in the opposite direction of the port to the Walgreens. My guess is it really should run closer to $20.00, which to me is well worth it rather than fighting crowds/lines and uncertainty.

 

[dianthus]

We arrived there 4/20 after our cruise. Took the Radisson shuttle to the hotel. Since were early, only one of our suites were ready. We put the bags in our friends room & got our cars from Avis. We were at the KSC before 10AM. I did have to speak to the Asst. Mgr. to get a room in the same building with our friends. He was very accomodating, the desk clerk wasn't- but he made it right.

We ate dinner there at their Sat. night buffet, which was very good. We hung out at their pool which is lovely & left the next morning. We got the $99 "Fall" rate for a 2 King suite- very spacious.

When we arrived at the Port on 4/13, we dropped our luggage curbside & went to Avis to drop the car. The Avis shuttle left back to Port within 10 mins. - very easy.

We will definitely stay there again.

 

[jiminyC_fan]

Thanks Bogino. $20.00 isn't all that bad. If we run into problems that will definitely be worth it. Thanks for the idea.