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Warning - Taxi Cab from Bayonne


JFontaine
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Had a miserable experience this past Sunday morning.

 

Taxi from Bayonne/Port Liberty to Newark Airport was more than $90 for a ten minute ride in a filthy, disgusting car (falling apart inside and out) with a driver wearing headphones and talking on the phone as he drove (and to complete the picture, a torn T-shirt). Surly dispatcher literally fought with passengers after she told them the price. Archie's Cabs seem to have a monopoly on this location. We have since read on-line reviews and there are other lousy experiences with them as well.

 

By comparison, some in my group used a private driver arranged in advance to go into Manhattan. The fare was reasonable, he drove a brand new Escalade, wore a suit and tie, was early, and when I texted him that I had my luggage, he drove to the pickup spot (outside the door, maybe a ten second walk) and was there waiting. A security guard did approach him to ask him to move, but when she saw me we were able to load quickly. The driver knew the backroads to the Holland Tunnel and we were in Manhattan in about ten minutes (no traffic).

 

I would avoid cabs and arrange for a private car at this location.

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The problem taxi ride was local to Newark Airport.

 

OP - could you provide more details about exactly what happened? Exact date? Number of people? Amount of luggage? Any particular details you remember about the cab? Were you by chance two couples going to the airport?

 

I don't sail again from Cape Liberty until January, but I'm more than happy to try to find the dispatcher in charge who I spoke to last year and communicate any problems folks are having.

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The details were: one passenger, one normal size luggage, one small over the shoulder bag, no wheelchair or other special needs, the date was Sunday, August 13 at 8:50 am, no weather issues, cab was a sedan with the seat falling apart in the back. One couple on line (two pieces of normal luggage) were told the same price and were upset - they said that they tried to get a Uber and none were showing in the area. They walked off to take some sort of shuttle that the dispatcher suggested at $30 a person.

 

When you read the reviews about Archie's Cabs, you will see that this is not a dispatcher issue. This is a management issue - their cars are crappy, the driver was unprofessional and the unmetered fare to EWR (tolls and tip extra) unreasonably high. I don't know if they have a monopoly in the port but that would explain it. The fare was paid to the dispatcher by credit card before the ride commenced.

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The details were: one passenger, one normal size luggage, one small over the shoulder bag, no wheelchair or other special needs, the date was Sunday, August 13 at 8:50 am, no weather issues, cab was a sedan with the seat falling apart in the back. One couple on line (two pieces of normal luggage) were told the same price and were upset - they said that they tried to get a Uber and none were showing in the area. They walked off to take some sort of shuttle that the dispatcher suggested at $30 a person.

 

When you read the reviews about Archie's Cabs, you will see that this is not a dispatcher issue. This is a management issue - their cars are crappy, the driver was unprofessional and the unmetered fare to EWR (tolls and tip extra) unreasonably high. I don't know if they have a monopoly in the port but that would explain it. The fare was paid to the dispatcher by credit card before the ride commenced.

 

Thanks for the quick response. Something has recently changed. When I checked in Feb, the taxi fare to EWR was $55-60 and the shuttle fare was $20/pp.

 

My understanding was that Bayonne Taxi ran the dispatching service and that Archie's and Campbell Taxi and other licensed Bayonne livery cars could participate in it. Quality of cars has always varied. I've personally been in a town car, a beat up van, and a regular taxi over the years.

 

Hopefully more folks will post about their recent experiences and the prices they were charged.

 

It seems that with the advent of Uber and Lyft, a lot of cruisers are just deciding to wing it. If there are no cars available, then you are at the mercy of the taxi dispatcher. That's why we always recommend a car service, particularly between NJ and NY, if folks have to make flights or trains.

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Thanks for your reply. And I don't mean to dissuade folks from using cabs. I just wanted to give them my experience.

 

There's a benefit to cabs, of course, they are there and you know how to find them. It was a very short trip to the airport, and there was no big problem. I like being able to walk up to the taxi stand, and being directed to a taxi; the idea of finding a driver in a crowded terminal is stressful to me.

 

I had never cruised out of Bayonne before and the drop-off area was the least stressful that I have seen, and nothing like Fort Lauderdale or Miami. We were the only car service being dropped off on arrival, we pulled right in to a porter (car parkers are on a separate line) and we had just a few steps into the terminal - no long lines to get into the building, easy as can be. On disembarking, we found a similar, hassle free experience, and the hired car service was very easy to locate. [We had two parties leaving the ship - one person went by taxi to Newark Airport; mom and siblings went by hired car into Manhattan - sorry if this part was confusing.]

 

I hope this information helps a future cruiser. Thanks

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Thanks for your reply. And I don't mean to dissuade folks from using cabs. I just wanted to give them my experience.

 

There's a benefit to cabs, of course, they are there and you know how to find them. It was a very short trip to the airport, and there was no big problem. I like being able to walk up to the taxi stand, and being directed to a taxi; the idea of finding a driver in a crowded terminal is stressful to me.

 

I had never cruised out of Bayonne before and the drop-off area was the least stressful that I have seen, and nothing like Fort Lauderdale or Miami. We were the only car service being dropped off on arrival, we pulled right in to a porter (car parkers are on a separate line) and we had just a few steps into the terminal - no long lines to get into the building, easy as can be. On disembarking, we found a similar, hassle free experience, and the hired car service was very easy to locate. [We had two parties leaving the ship - one person went by taxi to Newark Airport; mom and siblings went by hired car into Manhattan - sorry if this part was confusing.]

 

I hope this information helps a future cruiser. Thanks

What car service did you use? We will need transportation from the cruise port to EWR in October....We were considering using the shared shuttle ... quoted price by members on this board was $20.00 pp. Have never used Uber and worried that there would be no car available since we need to make a 12:30pm flight.

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That's a bit hard to do when you're sailing out of Cape Liberty on Anthem...and flying in/out of EWR ...suggestions ;)

 

RCCL is my favorite line, but all my cruises on RCCL have been Texas or Florida and last year Barcelona , wish they left from NYC which is still my favorite port to leave from , turn diamond plus on next cruise out of Miami , still nothing like seeing NYC skyline and Statue of Liberty

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How do you reserve a shuttle from the port back to EWR? Going on the Summit 9/3.

thanks

What time is your flight? Are you flying in the day of the cruise? If so, where are you staying overnight?

 

Shuttles cannot be reserved, so you have to go with that, book a cruise transfer, do Uber/Lufthansa, or book a car service.

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What time is your flight? Are you flying in the day of the cruise? If so, where are you staying overnight?

 

Shuttles cannot be reserved, so you have to go with that, book a cruise transfer, do Uber/Lufthansa, or book a car service.

Flying same day 9/10. Flights at 3pm.

What is cost of Uber ride to EWR?

thanks

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Hi everyone, I have been reading your posts on Cape Liberty, we are berthed there for two days on Navigator of the Seas later this year. We will be taking the ships tour on the evening we arrive, but the following day we want to do our own tour as we cannot find a ships tour that is going to the places we want to see, and none of the New York tour companies will pick up from Cape Liberty. I have heard that it can be done by taking a cab to the light railway then using the PATH. Has anyone done this and how easy is it. Would be grateful for any info. Thanks on advance

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Hi everyone, I have been reading your posts on Cape Liberty, we are berthed there for two days on Navigator of the Seas later this year. We will be taking the ships tour on the evening we arrive, but the following day we want to do our own tour as we cannot find a ships tour that is going to the places we want to see, and none of the New York tour companies will pick up from Cape Liberty. I have heard that it can be done by taking a cab to the light railway then using the PATH. Has anyone done this and how easy is it. Would be grateful for any info. Thanks on advance

 

I can understand your problem because Navigator is scheduled to be docked overnight at the Manhattan Cruiseport, not Cape Liberty Cruiseport. What do your cruise documents say?

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Thanks for sharing your experience. August of 2015 we took a cab from Cape Liberty to EWR and had the nicest driver with a clean cab. He said he lived in the neighborhood and knew the streets so he took some shortcuts to avoid traffic. He dropped us off at arrivals to avoid the loooong line at departures. It was fast and inexpensive. Wonder what happened in the past 2 years?

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Thanks for sharing your experience. August of 2015 we took a cab from Cape Liberty to EWR and had the nicest driver with a clean cab. He said he lived in the neighborhood and knew the streets so he took some shortcuts to avoid traffic. He dropped us off at arrivals to avoid the loooong line at departures. It was fast and inexpensive. Wonder what happened in the past 2 years?

I'm sure it wasn't the same driver! Cabs are hit or miss. We live 10 mikes from Newark airport, my dad used to travel a lot for work. I remember learning early on that we drop off at arrivals and pick up at departures.

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