Inexpensive Cruise Excursion Idea: Getting a Hotel Room

As my 12-day cruise aboard the MSC Divina approaches, I’ve been busy figuring out what to do at each of our cruise stops. While I have a few of our day trips figured out (Barbados, Curacao, Grenada, St. Thomas), I’ve been at a loss in terms of what to do on our other stops (Antigua and Aruba). Should we just do more beach time? Should I book some more excursions through the Chase travel portal? Or should we just wing it?

Since travel with children in tow isn’t for the faint of heart, I’ve mostly been trying to find the easiest and funnest things to do that wouldn’t require much hassle or stress. And recently, I’ve been looking into renting a hotel room at a few of our stops.

The Advantages of Booking a Hotel Room

While some hotels offer “day passes” that let you spend the day using their amenities, they tend to be expensive. A day pass I looked at for one of our stops at the Renaissance Aruba would set us back $99 per person, or $400 for the four of us, for example.

With that in mind, I have been thinking about booking a hotel room at a few of our stops. We wouldn’t get to stay the night, but it would offer us some privacy and a place to hang with the kids while also giving us access to a hotel’s beach and pool. Then, when we had to head back to the ship, we could just check out and leave.

The advantages of booking a hotel room vs. booking a day pass or an excursion include:

• It can be cheaper. Some hotels bookable through the Chase travel portal would offer a real value for a day’s stay.
• It’s convenient. Checking into a room for the day would be a nice and easy way to spend the day and have fun with our kids.
• We would get access to a beach and pool. All my kids want to do is swim anyway.
• We would have more privacy. We would have a place to change clothes and get out of the sun if we wanted.

Options through the Chase Travel Portal

Since I am always flush with Chase points, I’ve been looking at hotels I can book through the Chase travel portal. Some of the options I’m considering in each of our open spots include:

Antigua:

• Halcyon Cove by Rex Resorts All Inclusive – 12,245 points per night with Chase Sapphire Reserve

*****Not only is this hotel all-inclusive, but it is near the cruise port in St. Johns, Antigua.

Aruba:

• Talk of the Town Hotel & Beach Club – 13,161 points per night with Chase Sapphire Reserve
• La Cabana All-Suite Beach Resort – 16,401 points per night with Chase Sapphire Reserve

The Bottom Line

If you’re unsure of what to do on your cruise stops and looking for an affordable option, booking a hotel room is worth considering. If you have kids who just want to swim especially, this option can be a lot cheaper than a pricey snorkeling excursion or day pass at a hotel. With a room to retreat to, you’ll also have more privacy and some space to relax before you head back to port.

Have you ever booked a hotel room as a cruise excursion? Why or why not?