Much better pre-cruise remain option: Airbnb vs lodge? (Truthful Professionals & Disadvantages)

Really should your household look at being in an Airbnb as an alternative of a lodge for one particular evening in advance of your upcoming cruise?

A single of my best ideas for any person going on a cruise is to fly in at least a single working day in advance of their cruise to shield them selves against a vacation hold off impacting their means to make their cruise ship.

When you decide to travel to your embarkation port a day early, you will want somewhere to stay. Like most men and women, I immediately began searching at inns to reserve.

When travelling with just my spouse, lodge rooms operate incredibly nicely for their value and place provided.  But when we journey with young ones, discovering the suitable resort area can be a obstacle if you want more than enough place for everybody.

For my Odyssey of the Seas cruise out of Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida this week, I was not locating a ton of wonderful solutions at a very good value for my household of four.

Absolutely there ended up loads of accommodations that provided a classic hotel place working experience with 2 beds and a one toilet, but with my kids getting more mature, sharing a resort space (and lavatory) is turning out to be much more problematic than in the earlier.

I also did not locate a terrific wide range of suite selections in lodges, and the types I did come across had been not low-cost. South Florida inns vary tremendously in price ranges, but I was seeing a suite lodge home coming in very easily in excess of $300 for every evening, specifically when which include resort charges and taxes.

Airbnb substitute

I adore reserving trip rentals by means of Airbnb or VRBO for more time keep vacations for the reason that of the facilities and area you can get.  But I had under no circumstances deemed it just for a single night time.

At initial, I was not even selected there would be any a person-evening options as I assumed the individuals listing their properties would all want for a longer time stays from their friends.

So when I begun searching Airbnb, I was surprised how a lot of fantastic choices there have been at affordable price ranges in the better Fort Lauderdale region.

In seeking by means of the listings, I observed a lot of choices.  What captivated me to the Airbnb option was we could get a put to stay that available plenty of area for us and the children, as perfectly as excess amenities. We could get a pool to love with just our household, laundry machines to be in a position to not commence the cruise off with filthy clothes, and the ideal sleeping preparations.

Of study course, there are some downsides to an Airbnb, such as the fees additional on to the expense, and there is certainly no very long-time period parking alternative.

I also freely confess I take pleasure in a nicer resort stay, so the added facilities of an Airbnb actually attractiveness to me. I’m confident there are tons of other men and women that would be good with a resort place for just a single night, primarily if you fly in late.

Airbnb professionals:

  • Large wide range of distinct varieties of stays
  • Feels far more like household
  • Much more room and bedrooms than a lodge area
  • Further facilities these types of as a pool, living space, activity area, and much more
  • Effortless laundry choice

Airbnb cons:

  • Further expenses
  • No long-phrase parking solutions
  • No shuttle to/from airport or cruise port

Supplied that I did not want to snooze in the exact area as my young ones, would appreciate an additional toilet to not compete with the young children, and like the idea of obtaining a non-public pool to delight in, I uncovered Airbnb a persuasive possibility.

Our Airbnb choice

Immediately after thinking of all options, we decided to guide a 2 bed room, 2 bath unit in Fort Lauderdale that experienced a personal heated pool and suitable on a waterway.

It also experienced out of doors seating, gas grill, and a foosball desk.

It really is located north of Port Everglades, and without targeted traffic is 24 minutes (15 miles) away. 

The Airbnb was detailed for $351 for each night, but with costs and taxes, it jumped up to a full of $533.89. I understood the fees Airbnb assesses would not be cheap, but it was a bit eye opening how a lot it ended up becoming, which is likely why a more time continue to be helps make more perception with Airbnbs so that you can increase the benefit of your remain.

The residence is particularly what we needed for just one night, with tons of living space and two bedrooms and two complete baths. 

I loved acquiring the dwelling space with lots of seating so we could lounge much much more than we could in a resort home.

The pool was fantastic, but a chilly entrance experienced pushed by the condition the night time just before so it was a little bit chilly for a swim. Even so, it was so pleasurable outdoors that we spent some time on the water experiencing the view.

Is an Airbnb worthy of it?

Does it make feeling to book an Airbnb for just one night time the future time we get the relatives on a cruise?

There are tons of decisions with accommodations or a home rental, so it truly is tricky to decide one or other solely.

I appreciate the more space a residence provides, along with reward features that can increase the remain further than anything a lodge can present (non-public pool, dwelling place, yard, and so on).

On the other hand, the excess costs Airbnb has can make locating a offer really tricky. It’s challenging to consider a scenario in which an Airbnb would be more cost-effective except if we considerably diminished our necessities for a spot. To me, element of the enchantment of an Airbnb is to look for a pleasurable spot to stay, not just a mattress and lavatory.

In destinations like South Florida in which there are so many lodge choices, the selection of rooms and costs will very likely maintain it the principal area we look for a space. When you add little ones or multigen to the equation, then Airbnbs start out to search more desirable.

I am content with our Airbnb decision for a pre-cruise remain. It might not have been the most economical deal, but the more living area and pluses you can only get with a household rental produced it a great adjust of pace for our spouse and children.