Anybody on here have a recommendation for a place to stay near the REC while testing? Preferrably something within walking distance. It’ll be my first time to this REC and I’m hoping there’s something like the Mariner’s House in Boston or the hostel in Seattle. Thanks.
I didn’t see anything like that when I was there…That area can be a little rough,the lowest forms of humanity are everywhere…
Heres the number to the REC, ask for Cynthia and see what she can tell you…She will be administering your tests and she is a sweet heart of a lady…510-637-1124
If you can afford it, I would stay at one of the hotels by the Oakland airport, there are some inexpensive ones there and commute by car…It’s not that far of a drive…
If you don’t have much luck through calling Cynthia or finding something around Oakland airport, I can recommend the Crescent Hotel at 417 Stockton St in San Francisco. 415-400-0500 Rates are $129 per night.
I put family/friends there when they come to visit.It’s a nice hotel. You can take BART to the REC and not have to deal with parking in Oakland. Hotel is 3 blocks from BART and REC is 1 block from BART on the other end.
I live like 10 minutes from REC oakland. Your best bet is going to be on Alameda or Jack London square area. From jack london square you can walk to REC. From alameda you may need to take a bus or cab but google maps makes that easy. Some of the hotels in alameda have shuttles that will take you to REC.
roger, thanks to all. Cynthia is a sweetheart. could we “promote” her to NMC, or at least have her train some of them on how to deal with mariners?
[QUOTE=tradsailor;51671]roger, thanks to all. Cynthia is a sweetheart. could we “promote” her to NMC, or at least have her train some of them on how to deal with mariners?[/QUOTE]
Amen to that…25 years with the CG, let her run it…
Agree the people in Oakland are very accommodating. Much easier to deal with. Got my first 2 licenses from there. My last upgrade was handles at the NMC and I took my test in Oakland. Wish I could have done it all there.
I would like to clarify something…I said Cynthia was fantastic and also I will add Edna to that list,But that is where I draw the line…That REC likes to make up it’s own rules as it goes…This is just my opinion based on two bad experiences…
I fought them on an issue, the whole week that I was there testing…I had to prove to them that the exam room guide was not being adhered to…I finally won that battle with help from Capt Fran and a few others…They were flat wrong and they knew it …
And just think how much fun that was while you are trying to test and study but instead you are digging into the CFR’s every night to prove your case…I will NEVER return to that REC if I can help it…If you go there, know the rules inside and out…
Once my license shows up I may get into specifics on this matter but for now thats all I am willing to say…
Public transport is excellent in the Bay Area. One option is to stay in either of the 2 downtown
San Francisco HI-USA hostels, http://www.hiusa.org/hostels/usa_hostels/california/san_francisco/
rates are approx 60/night. Then take BART, (the subway) to the 12th Street Station in Oakland. Train
ride is approx 30 minutes, fare approx $3 one-way. The REC is a 5 minute walk from the station.
Leave your knife at your accomadations, the REC is in a Federal Building and you will have to pass
through a metal detector and x-ray.
Turns out there’s a newly remodeled clarion hotel that recently opened at 371 13th. It’s reasonably priced compared to the marriott @89/night for a double. It’s small and the window in my room would’ve qualified as an oversized porthole. It was set up well for what i needed,though, a desk, bed n shower. Both edna and cynthia were great, even helping me send in my app for the ocean upgrade before i left…thecreason for which is yet another NMC fubar for another day…