Add your sail date and the links open on the night before.
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A Hampton by the fairgrounds, thirteenth. Parking for the night is free, breakfast is free, and Park, Stay & Go holds the car for up to seven nights.
Hilton's offer page says the shuttle serves select airports and cruise ports — and to verify.
It's 9.1 miles from the port by Hilton's count, farther than any airport hotel here, and there's nothing on site but the pool. A cruise blog quotes $50 round trip for two; Hilton doesn't.
Cheap and honest if the shuttle is real. Make them confirm it in writing.
Book it if
- Drivers who want free parking and a cheap night off I-4
- Dog owners
- Anyone doing the Hard Rock the night before
Look elsewhere if
- You want to be near the port or the airport. It's 9 miles from one and 14 from the other.
- You want the shuttle price published.
Your night before, from here
From check-in to the gangway, using only what Hampton Inn Fairgrounds publishes.
Free parking for the night, an outdoor pool and a fitness center, a tenth of a mile from the fairgrounds and 2 miles from the Hard Rock. No restaurant; Hilton puts Ybor and downtown 6 to 9 miles off.
Hilton lists no port shuttle of its own. Its Park, Stay & Go page promises a shuttle to select airports and cruise ports for registered guests, and says to verify; a cruise blog quotes $50 round trip for two, which Hilton doesn't. A taxi or rideshare covers the trip.
Free hot breakfast.
Hilton puts Port Tampa Bay and Water Street 9.1 miles away. Your cruise line’s documents name your terminal and check-in window.
Hilton lists its Park, Stay & Go offer here: a one-night stay with parking for up to 7 nights, one car per room. The price isn't shown, and Hilton only promises a shuttle to select airports; for a cruise-port ride it says to check with the hotel.
Night-Before Score: 37 of 100
Scored only from what the hotel publishes. Here’s how the Night-Before Score works.
Getting here, and on to the ship
Pick where you’re coming from. Solid lines are rides the hotel publishes; a question mark is a leg you’ll arrange yourself.
Hilton lists no airport shuttle. It puts TPA 14 miles away.
Hilton lists no port shuttle of its own. Its Park, Stay & Go page promises a shuttle to select airports and cruise ports for registered guests, and says to verify; a cruise blog quotes $50 round trip for two, which Hilton doesn't.
Hilton puts Port Tampa Bay and Water Street 9.1 miles away.
From TPA without a hotel shuttle
The airport says a taxi is a flat $40 to downtown and the cruise terminal on one page and a $35 maximum on another; the port calls it a 15-minute drive. Uber’s own estimate is about $28 for UberX, plus the airport’s $5 rideshare fee. Rideshare picks up at the Red and Blue Express curbsides.
No shuttle. Hilton puts St. Pete-Clearwater 25 miles away.
Hilton lists no port shuttle of its own. Its Park, Stay & Go page promises a shuttle to select airports and cruise ports for registered guests, and says to verify; a cruise blog quotes $50 round trip for two, which Hilton doesn't.
Hilton puts Port Tampa Bay and Water Street 9.1 miles away.
From PIE without a hotel shuttle
St. Pete-Clearwater is across the bay, about 17 miles from Tampa by Uber’s count. No official source gives a distance to the port. Uber estimated $36 for UberX to Tampa; Tampa Cruise Ship Shuttle charges $85 for the vehicle from St. Pete or Clearwater.
Hilton lists its Park, Stay & Go offer here: a one-night stay with parking for up to 7 nights, one car per room. The price isn't shown, and Hilton only promises a shuttle to select airports; for a cruise-port ride it says to check with the hotel.
Parking for your stay: Free.
Hilton lists no port shuttle of its own. Its Park, Stay & Go page promises a shuttle to select airports and cruise ports for registered guests, and says to verify; a cruise blog quotes $50 round trip for two, which Hilton doesn't.
Hilton puts Port Tampa Bay and Water Street 9.1 miles away.
Landing on sail morning instead? Some cruise lines and shuttle companies run straight to the terminals; compare the airports and the landing guidelines.
Shuttle departures
No shuttleThere’s no hotel shuttle to time, so a taxi or rideshare leaves when you’re ready. Your cruise documents give your terminal check-in window.
Source: hilton.comParking while you sail
Cruise parking
Park, Stay & Go: ask priceHilton lists its Park, Stay & Go offer here: a one-night stay with parking for up to 7 nights, one car per room. The price isn't shown, and Hilton only promises a shuttle to select airports; for a cruise-port ride it says to check with the hotel.
Source: hilton.comThe port’s own garage
About $15/dayThe port’s garage is at 810 Channelside Drive, across the street from Terminal 3, with overflow lots at 810 Channelside and 1331 McKay when a ship is in. Port Tampa Bay doesn’t print a daily rate on its pages; Royal Caribbean and Celebrity put it at about $15 a day, subject to change, and Norwegian says $14. Pay on entry by cash or card, or pre-pay online with a full refund before your cruise date; valet is a $20 upgrade. There’s no shuttle leg. Compare every parking option.
Source: royalcaribbean.comThe evening and the morning
The evening
PoolFree parking for the night, an outdoor pool and a fitness center, a tenth of a mile from the fairgrounds and 2 miles from the Hard Rock. No restaurant; Hilton puts Ybor and downtown 6 to 9 miles off.
Breakfast
FreeFree hot breakfast.
Address
Oak Fair Boulevard, off I-44506 Oak Fair Boulevard, Tampa, FL 33610
Hotel website
The fine print, in one place
Times, fees, rooms and the small stuff, as Hampton Inn Fairgrounds publishes it. Where it says “not stated”, the hotel doesn’t say, and a quick call will settle it.
Check-in and check-out
Minimum age
Not stated by the hotel.
Resort fee
None stated
Wi-Fi
Free
Parking for your stay
Free
Cruise parking is in the parking section above.
Breakfast
Free hot breakfast; hours not stated
Pool
Outdoor pool
Pets
Two dogs only, 75 lb combined, $75 for 1 to 4 nights and $125 for 5 or more.
Rooms
King and double-queen rooms.
Accessibility
Accessible features are listed; details aren’t.
On site
- EV chargingNo
- Guest laundryNot stated
- Fitness centerYes
- Pets allowedYes
Nearby, by the hotel’s count
- Florida State Fairgrounds0.1 mi
- Hard Rock Casino2.2 mi
- Busch Gardens6.1 mi
- Amalie Arena & Riverwalk6.5 mi
- Port Tampa Bay & Water Street9.1 mi
Distances as the hotel or its brand lists them. Bars use a square-root scale so short walks stay visible.
Also worth knowing
- Park, Stay & Go: one vehicle per room, up to 7 nights, shuttle for registered guests only
Before you book
Worth knowing
- Park, Stay & Go is one car per room, up to 7 nights, and the shuttle is for registered guests only.
- Dogs only, no cats.
- Check-in 3 PM, check-out 11 AM.
What we couldn’t confirm
- The Park, Stay & Go price
- The shuttle fare and times
- Breakfast hours
Rates and policies are as the hotel published them on September 25, 2026. Confirm anything you’re counting on when you book.
Worth a look alongside it
Wake up a short ride from the ship.
Tell us your sail date and we’ll check Hampton Inn Fairgrounds for the night before. No payment on the form.
Hampton Inn Fairgrounds FAQ
Does Hampton Inn Fairgrounds have a cruise shuttle?
Not that it publishes. Hilton lists no port shuttle of its own. Its Park, Stay & Go page promises a shuttle to select airports and cruise ports for registered guests, and says to verify; a cruise blog quotes $50 round trip for two, which Hilton doesn't.
Does Hampton Inn Fairgrounds have an airport shuttle?
Not that it publishes. From Tampa International: Hilton lists no airport shuttle. It puts TPA 14 miles away. From St. Pete-Clearwater: No shuttle. Hilton puts St. Pete-Clearwater 25 miles away.
Can I park at Hampton Inn Fairgrounds while I cruise?
Yes, but the price isn't published. Hilton lists its Park, Stay & Go offer here: a one-night stay with parking for up to 7 nights, one car per room. The price isn't shown, and Hilton only promises a shuttle to select airports; for a cruise-port ride it says to check with the hotel.
How far is Hampton Inn Fairgrounds from Port Tampa Bay?
Hilton puts Port Tampa Bay and Water Street 9.1 miles away. It sits in our The fairgrounds & Brandon band.
Can I check in early or check out late on cruise days?
Check-in is 3:00 PM and check-out 11:00 AM. The hotel doesn't publish early or late terms, so ask when you book, not on the day.
Will the hotel hold my bags?
The hotel doesn't say. Most hotels will hold bags between check-out and a late shuttle, but that's a call to make, not an assumption.
Does the port shuttle come back for me after the cruise?
Hilton lists no port shuttle of its own. Its Park, Stay & Go page promises a shuttle to select airports and cruise ports for registered guests, and says to verify; a cruise blog quotes $50 round trip for two, which Hilton doesn't.
What's the breakfast timing on sail morning?
Free hot breakfast; hours not stated. Your terminal check-in window is in your cruise documents, and the port asks you not to arrive before it.
Can I park an oversized vehicle or charge an EV?
EV charging: not on site. Clearance and oversized parking aren't published. The port lists oversized parking as an option but publishes no clearance or rate; call parking at 813-905-7678 before you bring a trailer or an RV.
Booking the cruise too?
Tell us your dates and we'll line up the ship, the hotel and the ride. A real advisor does the work. No obligation.
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