Where to Find Moderate-Range Hotels near Boston's CruisePort

by Michael
(Canada)

Westin Waterfront Hotel in South Boston Waterfront neighborhood

Renaissance Boston Hotel

Seaport Hotel near Boston's Cruise Port

We will be leaving on a Holland America Cruise on May 28th and I am looking for an inexpensive hotel near the docks as we have heard that cab fares are very expensive. What would you suggest? Is our information correct?

Thanks, Michael

Answer: Unfortunately, Boston cab fares for relatively short trips do seem to be relatively expensive compared with, for example, New York - I'm not sure whether the actual rates are higher than other large cities, or whether the combination of traffic congestion and our narrow streets simply drive up the total fare - or whether it's a combination of both factors.

By contrast, our subway system is relatively cheap - 1-way undiscounted fare is $2 (if you get a stored value card, the fare drops to $1.70, but that probably doesn't make sense for most visits) - but with luggage for the cruise, that wouldn't necessarily be convenient.

There are three very nice business-type hotels quite near the cruise port, but their rates may be mid-range (for Boston) by that point in May. You can find more information about them here.

Of the 3, the Seaport is slightly more convenient to the cruise terminal, but the other 2 are just a couple of blocks farther, and they're all equally nice. A bus that's part of our subway system (because it goes underground through a short tunnel at one point) has a stop at the terminal, and also directly in front of the Seaport - about a 5-6 minute ride, at most.

If you opt for a cab, it should be inexpensive because the distance is so short and there's normally not much traffic to slow things down. If your luggage has wheels, you can also walk. You'll need a good map as the streets wind around - there's a good one at the bottom of this page that you can print out.

However, there are other centrally-located hotels where you may find rates enough lower to offset the cab rides. A few to try: Club Quarters and Doubletree in downtown Boston, the Midtown, Hotel 140, and John Hancock in Back Bay, definitely the Buckminster near Fenway Park (since the Red Sox are playing out of town during the whole week of May 27-28), and the Milner in the South End (but read the reviews - people have mixed feelings about it). Of these, Club Quarters and the Doubletree are the closest to the Black Falcon Cruise Terminal.

You can find all of these hotels listed on my Inexpensive Boston Hotels page, with links to Trip Advisor reviews and rates through Expedia, Travelocity, etc. - I find it pays to compare the rates from several different sources, as sometimes one will have something lower than the others.

How much are cab rides from these hotels to the cruise port? Hard to say - but count on about $20, including tip. If all the stars align and traffic is light, maybe $15.

One more suggestion: if you're flying into Logan, the Hyatt and Hilton hotels right at the airport often have attractive rates. You can take a water taxi directly from the airport to the cruise port - fare is about $20, and the ride is normally less than 10 minutes.

Have a wonderful time on the cruise!

Susan

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