BGarrison

On 9/14/2023 at 7:58 AM, KATHYMAC68 said:

I booked an all inclusive day pass at Breezes.

$80 food and drinks included.

I trying to get info on the taxis and pricing to get there.

Any help would be appreciated.

We went to Breezes in January 2023.  We have been to Nassau many times and are very familiar with the public bus system, so we just walk to the bus stop and take the #10 Jitney Bus.  It is only $1 pp but not the easiest transportation.  Plus, you are with all the locals as this is their public transportation system.  There are also many bus/taxis right at the port and that would probably be the easiest for someone who has never been there.  You don't need reservations, they will bombard you as soon as you go through the customs.  It is usually around $7 pp and they might wait until their bus is full before they leave.

10 minutes ago, njhorseman said:

Typically if there's a restriction it's no more than 4 hours before departure time, not 2 hours before boarding time. In this case you're flying out of LGA on AA, and American, like other airlines, typically list baggage time restrictions on their website. In this case, go to AA's website at https://www.aa.com/i18n/travel-info/check-in-and-arrival.jsp and you'll see that LGA is not among the airports where you can't check your bags prior to 4 hours before your scheduled departure.

 

You're in luck, LGA used to be a horror show, but Terminal B, where AA has its gates was fully renovated and is now a modern state of the art facility...one of the best in the USA

 

November 5 is the date of the NY City Marathon, which can  gum up traffic, but with a 5 pm flight you'll be fine.

 

Given that it's marathon day, I would book a car in advance with Carmel or Dial 7 so you can secure a reservation at a known price.. Under normal circumstances Uber would be fine but their prices may skyrocket due the complications and demand the marathon might generate.

Thank you so much for the info!

We will be back from our NCL Escape cruise to Bermuda on November 5, 2023 (Manhattan Cruise Terminal) and have a flight at 5:00 pm out of LGA.  I'm looking at UBER/Lyft or Carmel for transportation to LGA.  I've never flown in/out of LGA so I don't really know anything about the airport, but I don't want to be stuck there all day either.  Some airlines won't allow you to check your luggage until you are within 2 hours of your boarding time.  And most airports do not have many restaurants, stores, etc until you get through TSA Security.  What about LGA and American Airlines?  If we leave the pier around 10:00 and get to the airport around 11:30 (I don't know the amount of time it takes, but guessing 1-2 hours), will we be able to check our luggage in or have to wait until 3:00 pm?  

Also, any ideas for something to do (with luggage) for a few hours before heading to the airport?

We will be back from our NCL Escape cruise to Bermuda on November 5, 2023 (Manhattan Cruise Terminal) and have a flight at 5:00 pm out of LGA.  I'm looking at UBER/Lyft or Carmel for transportation to LGA.  I've never flown in/out of LGA so I don't really know anything about the airport, but I don't want to be stuck there all day either.  Some airlines won't allow you to check your luggage until you are within 2 hours of your boarding time.  And most airports do not have many restaurants, stores, etc until you get through TSA Security.  What about LGA and American Airlines?  If we leave the pier around 10:00 and get to the airport around 11:30 (I don't know the amount of time it takes, but guessing 1-2 hours), will we be able to check our luggage in or have to wait until 3:00 pm?  

Also, any ideas for something to do (with luggage) for a few hours before heading to the airport?

On 9/10/2023 at 3:02 PM, sunshine4me2 said:

We will be on NCL Escape next month.  First time sailing from NYC for us also.

Followed other CC's recommendations and booked with Carmel from MCT to LGA, and we have a 1:15 pm flight.

Booked our ride this past June.  Just checked the rates to see if they changed from June to now, and they have gone us.  I was advised, book early for best rates (glad I did)  

Up to this point, their Customer Service Department and rates were super - hopefully our ride/driver will not disappoint us next month

I'll report back after our October 15th cruise to let you know how it went.

 

Interested in your review!  We are sailing 10/29 and return 11/5 and I am looking at using Carmel.  It looks like the rate for 3 people in a Deluxe Sedan will be around $65 which is probably better than UBER.

We are on NCL Escape (Manhattan Terminal) and will be docking November 5, 2023.  What are some options for getting to LGA from the pier?  Our flight isn't until 5:00 pm so we aren't in a big hurry.  It looks like the transportation via NCL is $35 pp, but I like to stay on the ship and eat breakfast and wait for the crowds to move out.  Not sure if I have that option if we do the NCL transport.  I looked up Uber/Lyft and it looks like it will be around $80.  I don't think I want to try to do the bus or train system unless someone can tell me an easy way to go that route.  When we cruise out of Fort Lauderdale or Miami, we always use a transportation called SAS and they are the best!  Does NYC have anything like that?

Here is the new schedule (same times as 2017) for the NCL Ferry. We are going on the NCL Escape May 6th! :)

2018Bermuda Ferry Flyer.pdf

Which Catamaran Excursion do you like the best and why?

The following are options on NCL Escape:

Rising Son Catamaran Adventure

Restless Native Catamaran Sail & Snorkel

Catamaran Coral Reef Snorkel

Bermuda Triangle Shipwreck Snorkel

My understanding is that your cruise returns Sunday, May 13 and you fly out from EWR on Monday at 8:30 am.

 

Hotels at EWR will be better priced than Manhattan hotels. IMO there is no reason to go from the Cruiseport to an EWR hotel to drop luggage and then return to Manhattan for sightseeing. Instead go directly to Schwartz Travel on W. 37th St to check your luggage for the day (http://schwartztravel.com/locations.html). Schwartz Travel is conveniently located between Port Authority Bus Terminal and New York Penn Station where you can take either the airport bus ($17/pp) or NJ Transit train ($13/pp) to EWR. Of course a car service or Uber/Lyft pickup can be arranged for direct drop off at your EWR hotel.

 

For May 13 there are lots of EWR hotel choices depending on your hotel budget, whether you are willing to select a nonrefundable hotel rate, and whether you will arrive by train or directly via private ground transportation.

Thanks for the tip about the luggage storage! We might just do that instead of going back and forth to the New Jersey hotel. Can you give me more information about the NJ Transit train? Is this the "air train" that brings you from EWR to Penn Station? Where do we go when we arrive at EWR to catch this train? And will it be best to go to Penn Station after the cruise and take the train back to EWR, then do a hotel shuttle?

Where in Manhattan is your hotel? If close to Penn Station just take the NJ Transit from the airport (you wont be the only one with luggage) and you are there and wont have to mess with traffic into the city. (plus you can just grab a cab from MSG if your hotel is a bit further away).

 

I overnighted at the Marriott by EWR once when i had an overnight layover. Had to call the hotel a few times for the shuttle (well the pilots/air crew I was waiting with did) from the airport but it was pretty close. Hotel was fine. (I did get some Marriott points tossed my way after I noted in the survey that we had to call multiple times for the shuttle). Shuttle is 24hrs I believe as it is (or at least was) a air crew hotel.

I am looking at the hotels closest to Penn Station, most likely a Hilton Hotel (for points). Is the NJ Transit the "air train?"

We stayed at Homewood Suites FLL last year and they have complimentary airport shuttle. They also have a shuttle company on site that provides transportation to Port of Miami for approximately $15 pp. They do not charge for infants and small toddlers that sit on your lap. They also offer round trip shuttle and allow you to hang out at the hotel after your cruise until you are ready to go to the airport. They were very friendly, the hotel was nice and we are going back this October to stay with them. They also offer complimentary shuttle to some local places as well.

My husband and I will be flying in/out of EWR for our cruise on NCL Escape in May 2018. We are flying in on a Saturday (one day prior to cruise) and flying out on a Monday (one day after cruise). We are staying in Manhattan that Saturday night. We will probably take Uber from the airport to our Manhattan hotel (unless you recommend something better).

I am looking for recommendations on a hotel near EWR for the night prior to flying home. Our flight will be at 8:30 a.m. and I want to be near the airport (hotels with complimentary shuttle would be nice). I also need recommendations for transportation to go to Manhattan that Sunday for more sightseeing. I have noticed some hotels are near train stations...is that better for going into Manhattan?

Another option would be to just stay that Sunday night in Manhattan as well. I just need to make sure we can get to the airport by 6:30 a.m. (2 hours early). How long would it take us to get there from Manhattan?

We have been to NYC many times and have used the subway, but it is still confusing to me at times. I am a country girl in Tennessee!! ;p But I can follow detailed instructions and directions too!

We will be in St. Thomas on March 7, 2017 from 8:00-6:00 (NCL Escape) porting at Charlotte Amalie. We have 6 adults and 5 children (6 months - 7 years) and are looking for the best beach to spend several hours. I have read many reviews here but still have questions. Our plan is to go to Magens Bay based on the reviews, but then I read about Emerald Beach and someone posted you have access to their pool as well and there is no day pass required. Is that true and what is the water like there (i.e. calm like Magens?) I know Magens is not good for snorkeling, but what about Emerald?

Also, it looks like taxi to/from Magens is $7-$10 and $6-$7 for Emerald. Do we pay that for the kids as well? Their ages are 6 months, 4, 5 and 7. The baby and 4 year olds will sit on adult laps due to this being an open safari taxi.

Tortola is a beautiful island to tour and also has gorgeous beaches. For your shorter day in port you could take an island tour from one of the drivers at the dock, The safari taxi group tours are quite inexpensive at ~$25pp for 3 - 4 hrs. If you want a van or something safer for the 14 month old, the gals at the visitor center can help you with that. You can also include a beach stop for lunch and to relax for an hour or so.

 

For a nice beach day you can just taxi to Cane Garden Bay which is home to several beach bars/restaurants and most of your fellow cruisers will go there. Or Brewers Bay which has one beach bar and more rustic restrooms. Group taxi fare to either beach is $8pp each way, the child is free.

 

However, another option which is a nice way to get away from the crowds and enjoy a nice little island is to taxi to Trellis Bay, There is a very nice pottery shop in Trellis Bay (Aragorn's), and you can take the short, free ferry to Marina Cay. The ferry runs hourly from 8:30AM - 11:30PM. You can have a lunch at Pusser's Pub there and explore the island. Very nice spot and unique - nice day that!

http://www.bvicruisingguide.com/marina-cay/

 

http://www.pussers.com/t-marina-cay.aspx

 

There is also a nice pottery shop in Trellis Bay (Aragorn's), as well as De Loose Mongoose and Cyber Cafe.

http://aragornsstudio.com/pottery.htm

 

http://www.b-v-i.com/trellis.htm

How much is the taxi for children ages 6 months to 7 years old? Also, is there a website that shows the rates for things you can rent at Cane Garden Bay?

First of all, you are going to LOVE the Escape!! We just sailed on it last month and loved it so much we booked another cruise on the Escape for March 2017 (taking our kids and grandkids with us on this one) and again in October 2017 with different itinerary!

Now for transportation...we flew into FLL and took LYFT to our hotel in Miami. We considered staying at the Embassy Suites in Fort Lauderdale, but decided upon a hotel in Miami to be closer to the port and to stay with our friends. I think it took us about an hour to get to the hotel from the airport. We took either LYFT or Uber back to the airport after the cruise. The thing I love about Uber an LYFT is that you get more personalized service. They pick you up right at the pickup/drop off point and there is usually no wait (maybe waited 5 minutes max in the past) We paid $34 (with $10 off promo) for the ride to our hotel from airport and $22 (with $10 promo) from the port of Miami to FLL airport.

Embassy Suites on 17th is one of my favorite hotels! Beautiful pool area and great place to have a pre-cruise meet and greet! We stayed there last year prior to our cruise out of Fort Lauderdale. We almost stayed there this year even though we were cruising out of Miami. Ended up staying in Miami, but we liked Embassy Suites on 17th street so well that we did considering staying there even though we were cruising out of Miami. You will not be disappointed.

AdoraBelle I hope that you are felling better. I was on this cruise and I'm pretty sure that the next sailing will have the cleanest ship to sail on. I was impressed at how quickly things changed when the Captain announced that there were at least 20 confirmed cases on board. To answer the question on the key cards - they were sanitizing the card before they handed it back to you - and the cleaning solution sometimes made the cards not work. The amount of gel that came out of the hand sanitizers increased as well. Buffet was changed - you didn't touch food or drinks they handed you everything. The only disappointing change in the routine was MargarittaVille and the morning buffet/coffee drink station disappeared after Wednesday. I felt bad for the crew and all the extra cleaning that was being done but it was necessary.

Our cards stopped working and we had to get new ones...I bet it was the cleaning solution! I did not realize this was the reason Margaritaville breakfast shut down. :(

First, thank you for sharing this information. We were on the ship last week as well. We heard there were about 20 people infected with the virus. I had no idea what they went through as far as being quarantined and missing ports! That is awful! I do have to give the crew credit for making sure others didn't get sick though. They were very thorough on cleaning the ship. Everywhere I went, someone was cleaning...handrails on steps, in elevators...everywhere! I even learned the "Washy Washy" song. This was the best cruise we have even been on and we even booked another one on this same ship for March 2017. I hope everyone is feeling better and I am truly sorry you missed out on such a great cruise. Even though it isn't NCL's fault some got the virus, I would like to think they would at least comp you a discount or free cruise in the future.

Embassy Suites is awesome! We stayed there last October and had a pre-cruise meet and greet with about 30 people we met online (FB group). The hotel is beautiful and they have the best breakfast buffet (full buffet) along with Happy Hour complimentary alcoholic drinks and apetizers in the evenings. We are going on another cruise in October 2016 out of Miami and I am sad that I have read negative reviews about the Embassy Suites in Miami. We are actually considering staying at the Embassy Suites in FLL even though our cruise departs from Miami!

You can take UBER too. It is actually cheaper and nicer (cleaner cars) than taxis.

Does that $35 include food and drink?

No it did not include food or drinks.

Thanks, good to know! Im thinking it might not be worth it for a 40 minute round trip taxi ride, bummer :(

We did the day pass at Grand Lucayan in October 2013 and it is a beautiful resort! We were scheduled to port at Freeport in May 2015 but couldn't due to bad weather. I was very disappointed as I was looking forward to spending the day at the resort. It is only $15 pp and I would go again if I only had a couple hours to spend there. You will not be disappointed.

We did the day pass to Melia in May 2015 and it is a beautiful resort! I believe it is the old Sheraton Hotel. They have beautiful pools and beach area. I especially liked the zero entry pool for my grandkids who are all under 5 years old. We actually took the jitney to the resort. It is only $1.25 pp each way. There were 10 of us, so that was a deal. The only downside is that it is the local "bus" and you are riding with all through town. You also have to walk quite a bit to get to the bus stop. We did get to see areas that we normally would not have seen, but I think I'd rather just take a taxi next time.

We are going back to Nassau in May 2016 (without the grandkids) and plan to go to Breezes for the all inclusive day pass :)

We are going in October - can you fill me in on the details of the "drink pass"?

 

Thanks in advance, Edie

They no longer have this :(

I have read where others have used the party pass at the cabana. I emailed Margaritaville and awaiting a reply for more information. I'll post as soon as I hear back from them. I think this is a good deal if you drink a lot.

I received the following email from Margaritaville:

Capin Alexander <calexander@margaritavillecaribbean.com>

Hi Becky,

Unfortunately the Party Pass promotion has expired. We will be launching another promotion soon. Fins Up!