Getting into San Diego late night, need a decent, not too costly hotel for one night before getting on cruise ship next day. Must be close to airport and cruise dock.

The Sheraton on Harbor Island might be an option. Big hotel and a bit anonymous. But nice view of the city and just a few minutes from the airport.

On the other hand, the airport is very close to downtown, so you might as well consider one of the hotels there. The Manchester Grand Hyatt is big but nice; the Omni at the Petco Stadium and close to the Gaslamp gets good reviews. Same goes for the Marriott Marina and the Hilton Gaslamp.

Or the Holiday Inn on the Bay. It's right across the street from the cruise ship terminal and you can get a shuttle from the airport to the hotel. It's about a mile or so from the airport.

Coming to think of it, I guess Barbara's suggestion makes a lot of sense (as always) as the H.I. Bayside is indeed right across the street from the cruise ship terminal. And as you'll evidently be arriving very late you will most likely not be able to stroll around the Gaslamp anyway.

Wow, thanks, hsv!