GTJ

8 hours ago, shipgeeks said:

The visitors center is just a few blocks from the tender pier. If one is fit enough to do a bike tour, walking there should be no problem.

I think that you might be confusing the Acadia Information Center, operated by the Bar Harbor Chamber of Commerce, with the Hulls Cove Visitors Center, operated by the National Park Service. The former is located a few blocks from the tender pier, but it is not the visitors center, and it is not the meeting point for the tour at issue. The latter is three miles distant from the center of Bar Harbor. While that distance is certainly walkable, particularly by persons anticipating to bicycle, I think it is misleading to characterize three miles as "just a few blocks" . . . it is a one hour walk on foot, a good portion of which being without sidewalk and on highway shoulders.

1 hour ago, LHT28 said:

At those prices   No thanks

I read through the FAQs, and there's even more costs involved. One must both purchase insurance at additional cost, and obtain a license to operate these vehicles. Getting a license for one of these things would likely be time consuming. Renting either a pedal bicycle or an e-bike would seem to be better options, given that neither insurance nor licensure are required.

3 hours ago, parentsof5 said:

I am not too sure about taking the subway and a bus at 4 or earlier in the morning that day. If it was later in the morning I might be up for it depending on how much luggage we end up toting. 

Regardless of how you will travel, you would want to plan your travel. At that hour the subway trains are operating every 20 minutes, while the shuttle bus to the airport is operating every 10 minutes. (To arrive at the airport at 5:30 a.m., you would have to get the subway train at 4:48 a.m., the trip taking just under 45 minutes.) By car, allow about 30 minutes for the trip.

1 hour ago, Got2Cruise said:

The only reason I’d go to Coney Island was if you are all have riding the Cyclone roller coaster on your must do list. The rest of Coney Island is more like a carnival back home. Maybe save it for next time. The subway ride is very long going there and back.

I would say that Coney Island is an "it depends" type of visit. If the sole reason for visiting were the amusement rides, then I would agree that most of the rides are on the level of a carnival anywhere. The exceptions are the Cyclone and Deno's Wonder Wheel. The Cyclone roller coaster is a classic, though these days there are more thrilling rides elsewhere (though maybe not so many that remain made in such a traditional way). The Wonder Wheel is also a distinct type of Ferris wheel with movable cars. But as a whole, going to Coney Island strictly for being thrilled by amusement rides is likely to be a disappointment.

Coney Island is more than amusement rides, particularly for those who are appreciative of urban history and development in New York City. This is a small minority of New Yorkers, and probably an even smaller proportion of visitors (most of whom do not know or understand New York City), who would share this appreciation for Coney Island. For those who do have this interest, Coney Island is a great place; but for others a great disappointment. Among these sights are the parachute ride, relocated to Coney Island from Flushing following the 1939-40 world's fair. The beach and boardwalk, both of which inspired Robert Moses to develop Jones Beach as a commercial-free contrast to the debauchery of Coney Island. The beach and ocean breezes were such an attraction to earlier New Yorkers, especially on sultry summer days, that it resulted in the building of six railroads (1862-78) and the Ocean Parkway (1876), all connecting the city with Coney Island; four of those railroads continue in operation today as subway lines, and the parkway remains a vital avenue. These railroads and parkway are exciting to any transport enthusiast. The development of Trump Village--by Fred Trump, the father of our 45th president--completely changed the character and physical layout of much of Coney Island. Adjacent Brighton Beach is sometimes known as "Little Odessa" on account of it being world’s largest concentrations of immigrants from the former Soviet Union. Other sights and points of interest in Coney Island include the New York Aquarium; Maimonides Park, home of the New York Cyclones minor league baseball; Nathan's hot dogs; Coney Island Museum (a cheap tourist trap at only $5 to visit); and some of the best pizza in New York at Totonno's Pizzeria Napolitana. In sum, there is a lot going on and to see in Coney Island, but only if you know where to look and can appreciate Coney Island for what it is. Just don't expect it to a well-cultivated tourist attraction.

Your hotel is on West 28th Street, between Sixth and Seventh Avenues. Best to buy a MetroCard for getting around the city. A single card can be shared.

To travel to Yankee Stadium, walk uptown to West 34th Street and Sixth Avenue (Herald Square) and travel on the uptown "D" train to 161st Street-Yankee Stadium.

For Statue of Liberty, walk to West 28th Street and Seventh Avenue and travel on the downtown "1" train to South Ferry; or alternatively from the same intersection travel above ground on the M20 bus to South Ferry. You can see a matinee on Broadway on Wednesdays, but given the 2:00 p.m. starting time, you would be hard-pressed to make it to the Statue of Liberty and back in time to see a show the same day.

Coney Island is by itself, and while there may be some other sights in Brooklyn, it will require some time to get there. If you do decide to visit, then walk uptown to West 34th Street and Sixth Avenue (Herald Square) and travel on the downtown "D," "F," "N," or "Q" train to Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue. I understand that Legoland is an amusement park upstate in Goshen, New York, a good sized journey for the day. Perhaps you're referring to something else? There are many stops along the tourist circuit in midtown Manhattan, so that would be an efficient use of time.

If you're comfortable using the subway for your departure from LaGuardia Airport, then walk uptown to West 34th Street and Sixth Avenue (Herald Square) and travel on the uptown "F" train to Jackson Heights-Roosevelt Avenue. At that station is a free express bus, route Q70, that will shuttle you to the airport.

2 hours ago, parentsof5 said:

Do you know if you did use the HOHO for one loop to get an overview how long that takes?

About ninety minutes for a single loop, depending on traffic.

5 hours ago, BecciBoo said:

Currently trying to get an amount the train/bus/whatever will cost to get from Seward back to Anchorage for flight??? Could you tell me what you paid per person for the ride?

The Alaska Railroad operates two trains from Seward on Fridays (the day on which Royal Caribbean International vessels arrive and depart).

The morning train is one that is chartered by Royal Caribbean Cruises for its guests exclusively, and tickets are purchased from the cruise line itself. Fares are set by the cruise line, but are believed to be similar to those charged by the Alaska Railroad (there is only coach on this train, no first class). This train goes directly to the Anchorage airport exclusively. Train departs Seward at 6:50 a.m. and arrives at the Anchorage airport 4-1/2 hours later.

The afternoon train is one that is one that is operated and promoted by the railroad, and tickets are purchased from the railroad itself. Fares are $119 coach, $243 first class. This train goes directly to downtown Anchorage exclusively. Train departs Seward at 6:00 p.m. and arrives downtown Anchorage 4-1/4 hours later. http://www.alaskarailroad.com

Five bus services are provided by two companies from Seward on Fridays; all are operated direct from Seward to the Anchorage airport.

Alaska Cruise Transportation has a morning departure, at 8:00 a.m., and an afternoon departure at 2:30 p.m. Travel time is 2-1/2 hours. Fare is $69. http://alaskacruisetransfer.com

Park Connection has morning departure at 9:45 a.m. and 10:30 a.m., and an afternoon departure at 6:30 p.m. Travel time is 3-1/4 hours (longer than its competitor because it first stops in downtown Anchorage before returning to the airport). Fare is $75. http://www.alaskacoach.com

12 hours ago, texbecca said:

We'll arrive at Bar Harbor at 7am on a Sunday morning. We booked an Acadia biking excursion through Viator that departs at 9am from the Acadia visitors center. Will we be able to get an Uber or cab to get us over there from wherever the ship docks? (actually I think this may be a tender port).

Bar Harbor is a tender port. While there is a free bus service between Bar Harbor and the visitor center, it does not begin operating outbound until 10:00 a.m., and for that reason you will need to utilize a taxi or TNC service. But you could use the free bus service at the end to return to Bar Harbor, and not have to pay for a return taxi ride. Schedule information is here: http://www.exploreacadia.com/route1.html.

Also note that Viator does not operate any tours. The company is merely a middleman between tour companies and their participants. In this case, the tour will be operated by Island Time Ebike Rentals Inc. If you were to book the tour directly with the tour operator, then the fee would be $165. See http://www.acadiaebikerentals.com/southwest-harbor/ebike-tours-carriage-roads. By choosing to use a middleman, Viator, Inc., you will be paying a higher fee, $187, so that this company can also make a profit (although the company does offer a "lowest price guarantee" at its discretion: http://www.viator.com/support/lowestPriceGuarantee).

If I were to do this type of excursion, then I would likely choose a rental without guided tour for $99. Some reviews of the guided tour noted a lack of added value, at least beyond having someone navigate. Given that I have a very good sense of direction myself, and I would prefer bicycling at my own pace (including making stops for the duration that I choose), a straight rental, without having to adhere to a strict timetable, would work better for me. (In this case it would likely be more efficient to utilize a rental facility in Bar Harbor itself, without the need to travel by taxi to the visitor center.)

9 hours ago, cmmaxwell03 said:

In September, we are traveling from Anchorage via the Alaska Railroad to Seward. According to Google Maps, it is an 11 minute walk from the train depot to the cruise terminal. However, if it's raining too heavily I am not sure we would want to walk and get our luggage wet. Are there any other options other than a taxi or walking?

Walking and taxi are the only practicable options.

There is a local bus service, operating without charge, but it operates in a loop fashion, stopping at the cruise terminal immediately before the railroad station. That means that you would have to ride the nearly the entire loop--about half an hour travel time--to get from the railroad station back to the cruise terminal. Nor is the equipment used for this bus service the typical transit bus but rather a smaller cutaway type vehicle (i.e., cheap body on chassis) with limited room for baggage. Additionally, with the service operating every 30 minutes, and without a specific timetable, you could be standing outside in the rain for up to 30 minutes, getting more wet compared to the option of just walking. You will find the local bus service information here: http://www.sewardcitytours.com/free-shuttle.

All the above being said, most luggage is designed to withstand ordinary rain. An 11-minute walk (which is a very reasonable estimate of the time required) should not cause the contents of your luggage to get wet in all but the most severe storms. If that is not the case, you might want to reconsider the luggage that you have.

As to the railroad's baggage service, the Alaska Railroad does regularly operate a baggage car on the Coastal Classic, and you can check baggage on the train from Anchorage to Seward. Many of the larger cruise lines will operate a parallel trucking service, for which railroad passengers in Anchorage may deposit their baggage with the cruise line, for it to be transported by truck direct to the cruise terminal, and then moved by the cruise line from the truck to the passengers' staterooms. However, Viking Ocean Cruises is many respects distinct from the other cruise lines (most notably it operates on a 20-night cycle instead of the typical 14-night cycle). While the service offered by Viking Ocean Cruises is generally perceived as superior to most of the other cruise lines, unlike those other cruise lines it does not contract with the railroad for additional charter train service to Seward. Notwithstanding some other comments here about using parallel trucking service, I would not rely upon such service being available from Viking Ocean Cruises absent a specific commitment from this particular line of it being available.

11 hours ago, mjkacmom said:

Lol of course there are laundry mats still, where would folks do their laundry who don’t have a washer/dryer?

Excluding homeowners, I would expect that most people do NOT have a washer and dryer of their own. While I have not researched the issue, it seems obvious to me. I am a co-op owner, and our house rules specifically prohibit washers in individual apartments. Our building's washers (Wascomat-style front-loading) are $1.50 for a double loader, or $2.50 for a triple loader, and our dryers are 25 cents for 6 minutes. All cashless, using reloadable chip-based cards.

I have only had one minor hiccup in doing laundry while on a cruise. We had planned to do laundry in Oranjestad, Aruba, but the facility we planned to visit was dry cleaning only. Another customer was kind enough to give us a lift to a full service laudromat, and so dropped off our laundry bags there (unexpectedly no English spoken, but I am fine with communicating in Spanish). Inexpensive and good service in Aruba . . . though uniformly the best laundry services in my experience have all been in México. Any full service in Bayonne, New Jersey, should be just fine.

3 hours ago, jack300s said:

The Ferry Terminal from Port Imperial is Pier 79. I've walked it a couple of times with luggage to ship the ship in 10 to 15 minutes.

Pier numbers are 40 higher than the corresponding street number. Pier 79, used by NY Waterway, is at West 39th Street. Piers 88 and 90, constituting the Manhattan Cruise Terminal, are at West 48th and West 50th Streets, respectively. In Manhattan, there are 20 blocks to the mile. Thus, the distance between Pier 79 and Piers 88-90 is approximately one-half mile. Typical walking speed is 3 miles per hour (i.e., 20-minute mile). Thus, one should expect to walk the distance in about 10 minutes, though with adjustments for age, disability, and/or heavy baggage.

7 hours ago, little britain said:

Do any hotels near Cape Liberty/Bayonne offer a coin laundry where we can do washing between B2Bs.

I do not understand why you would want to go to a hotel to do laundry, instead of do laundry at a laudromat. Am I missing something here? When we're on an extended trip we usually drop off our laundry at a laudromat, spend the day sightseeing, and then pick up laundry at the end of the day. Alternatively, we take an hour to do it ourselves. There are several small old laundromats near light rail stations in Bayonne (which would be convenient for dropping off and leaving by light rail train for sightseeing), as well as a large modern laudromat at South Cove Commons, a short distance outside the port.

6 minutes ago, msvca said:

If I remember correctly the Tundra Wilderness Tour stops at overlooks and other places to see the park not just for wildlife sighting. It doesn't sound like the transit bus does that. I understand you can get off the bus whenever you want and get on another bus. What concerns me is that the NPS website says if you get off a bus you may need to wait up to an hour for the next bus with available seating. There will be 5 of us including my 78 year old mother and 2 kids who would not be very happy if we get off the bus for 10 minutes to look at the scenery/take pictures and need to wait 20-50 minutes for the next bus.

The transit bus system at Denali is fairly informal. It is not like the transit bus system in New York City, where there is a strict timetable, with everyone in rush to get to work. It is about 2-1/2 hours from the park's bus depot to the far end of the bus route, and slightly less for the return trip (for comparison, the Tundra Wilderness Tour is advertised as 5 to 5-1/2 hours, slightly more relaxed but not substantially so. The transit bus makes periodic rest stops, and along the route brief stops when there is something interesting; you should also be able to request the driver to stop briefly to take a landscape photograph without the rattle from the bus. It is difficult to imagine it take ten minutes to take a photograph, and regular impromptu stop requests of that length might well be refused. If you do actually want to stand in the road and look at the scenery for an extended time, then you might need to alight and drop back to one of the following buses. To get a sense of how long you would have to wait for the following bus, check the timetable here: http://www.nps.gov/dena/planyourvisit/upload/2023-Transit-Bus-Schedule.pdf. You can see that, during the peak summer period, buses operate about half-hourly. It might also be difficult to find five open seats on a single transit bus, so you might have to split up your group onto more than one bus if you do decide to drop back. All that said, however, most people who alight from a transit bus enroute do so for the purpose of hiking for a bit, and not just standing in the road for an extended period of time, staring at the landscape. Do think about this and whether you really expect wanting to do so.

28 minutes ago, msvca said:

We would also need to get to the park on our own from the Princess Denali Lodge. If we purchased transit tickets ahead of time but there was a problem with the lodge shuttle getting us to the park before our bus left would there be an issue changing to a later bus if there was space? I was looking for a relaxing time at Denali and this seems to be becoming stressful.

This is something with which you'll need to pay attention to logistics. The Princess Denali Lodge also provides a shuttle service between the lodge and the park, hourly, for a five dollar charge per person. It is possible that the hotel could mess up its shuttle service, and so you might want to allow for additional time for that contingency. Plan to arrive in the park earlier than your scheduled transit bus, and head to the visitor center for some time prior to your bus departure. Alternatively, skip the lodge's shuttle service and just walk there. Walking is the most reliable means of transportation. It is an easy 1-1/2 miles on foot (45 minutes) between the Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge and the Denali bus depot, using the roadside bicycle path and optionally the Jonesville Connector Trail. See information here: http://www.nps.gov/dena/planyourvisit/dayhiking.htm.

2 hours ago, Brighton Line said:

 

How about a sofa?

https://nypost.com/2018/07/31/yes-thats-definitely-a-leather-sofa-on-the-subway/

 

[I]sn't there a rule that you can't impede other passengers that would cover all of that, just not enforced like fare jumping is ignored these days?

For many things New York City relies on sensibilities rather than strict adherence to adopted rules. For example, when crossing the street at a signalized intersection, the rule is that one does not cross against a red (or raised hand) signal but only cross on a green (or walk) signal. Few people follow that rule, even directly in front of police officers, and instead use the signals as mere guidance in determining safety and when to exercise greater caution. Subway and bus baggage rules are in the same category. I doubt that, in the entire history of the subway system, that any police officer has actually measured the width of a cart to ascertain if it was within the 30-inch rule. (Bringing a sofa on the subway, however, might not meet the sensibilities standard.) So if a different standard were to be employed against people with disabilities, it would seem to be discriminatory in practice.

4 hours ago, lx200gps said:

The primary issue I had with [Lincoln Harbor], and why I ended up choosing to "...ferry 'cross the Hudson" from Weehawken, was that the ferry terminal near the Sheraton was much smaller and the ferry schedule across to 39th was not nearly as good as the ferry schedule out of the huge terminal at Weehawken.

Certainly the service at Port Imperial has always been the most comprehensive, but there is enough service at Lincoln Harbor such that if other factors weigh in (e.g., cost of hotel room) it is practicable, even in the absence of greatest convenience, to use Lincoln Harbor as a base.

4 hours ago, lx200gps said:

I just assumed they would overnight at a hotel near the ferry then take it across on Embarkation Day.

The original post had the fact about the intended plan of traveling from Philadelphia on the morning of the cruise vessel departure. Nonetheless, plans can change, and doing an overnight in Weehawken can be a good plan. Best to provide all relevant information for potential choices.

28 minutes ago, msvca said:

We have an Alaska Cruisetour booked with Princess Cruises and we paid to upgrade from the Natural History Tour to the Tundra Wilderness Tour in Denali. We leave in 4 days and I just found out that our Tundra Wilderness Tour was cancelled and we are now scheduled for the Natural History Tour again. I know the road is closed and the Tundra tour was shortened but I have no desire to do the Natural History Tour. This is a once in a lifetime trip that I have been dreaming of for 30+ years which we had to move from 2021 due to Covid. I really wanted to get further into the park to see the park and wildlife.

If your motivation is primarily the geography--seeing as much of the park and wildlife as is possible from the full 43-mile road that presently open--and not so much having the driver give narration along the route, or to enjoy lunch in a box, then perhaps your best option would be to cancel the tour and instead travel on a regular transit bus to and from East Fork River (Mile 43). Indeed, I imagine many people don't want to hear the bus driver yabber endlessly. The fare for the transit bus, $32.75, is significantly less than the fare for either the Natural History tour bus, $114.00, or the Tundra Wilderness tour bus, $141.25, yet the transit bus travels the same route as the Tundra Wilderness tour bus. (Use a portion of the savings to make your own box lunch!) Checking the online availability of transit bus reservations for the immediate future, there appears to be plenty of space available. Go to http://www.reservedenali.com/tours-transits/transits to purchase tickets.

3 hours ago, quack2 said:

I am fine with Sitka. But I booked this cruise specifically for Valdez.

I fully understand the problem: Valdez and Sitka are different places, and however "nice" Sitka might be, it simply is not Valdez. If one has family or friends in Valdez, and the vessel instead stops at Sitka, no matter how "nice" Sitka might be, friends and family are not there. The cause of the problem, of course, is the cruise contract. In effect, it allows the cruise line to take its passengers anywhere (or even nowhere), as the cruise line does not guarantee anything to passengers but the ports of embarkation and disembarkation. (Indeed, even air transportation contracts are written the same way: airlines do not guarantee stopping at any particular intermediate points . . . unless one has purchased one of those rare tickets that actually permits a stopover.) I wish it were different, for if I have purchased a cruise line ticket because it is scheduled to stop at a particular port, and that port has some particular meaning or importance to me, then it is inherently unfair for the cruise line to keep my money without stopping there (especially if there are other cruises not stopping at that port are less expensive). I have no information here, but I will empathize.

2 hours ago, lx200gps said:

[S]tay at one of the of the two excellent hotels (Residence Inn or Envue, both Marriott) located right at the ferry terminal, park cheap at the hotel (compared to Manhattan prices), then take the ferry across the Hudson to the 39th Street terminal and it's a short walk north to Pier 88.

That would be a good plan as to being convenient. A similar plan could be had with the Sheraton Lincoln Harbor Hotel, also in Weehawken. All of these hotels in Weehawken are relatively modern, and the entire area is fairly homogeneous and sterile. Comfortable, but lacking in any charm or character. that said, all of these Weehawken hotels are adjacent to the light rail line, and it is an easy trip to Hoboken, or someplace else that is also more interesting, for dining or perhaps strolling.

3 hours ago, Brighton Line said:

Well for the subway or bus, you get 30 inches per § 1050.9 Restricted areas and activities. Good thing my suitcase is 28".

There's at least two problems with the regulation. First, the 30 inches strictly applies only to "wheeled carts." The 30 inches does not apply to bicycles, surfboards, grocery bags, or anything else other than a cart, and so unless a law enforcement officer wants to take the position that your suitcase is a "cart," the 30 inches does not apply. There are a few other things that the rule does prohibit, but, absent some extraordinary circumstances, there are no restrictions on suitcases. Second, it is not only what is written but how rules are enforced. If the rules are not enforced against ambulatory persons traveling on ordinary buses and trains, but are strictly enforced against people with disabilities traveling on complementary paratransit, then there may be discrimination on that basis. As noted, I think it would be an interesting case to litigate . . . there really ought to be the same rules, both as written and as enforced.

2 hours ago, princeton123211 said:

Both Pastrami Queen and Katz's are better than what Carnegie was back in the day. 

Carnegie Deli is a tourist trap.

1 hour ago, njhorseman said:

Do you really want "smoked meat"? In Canada you eat smoked meat. In New York, we eat pastrami. Unfortunately there aren't any decent pastrami sandwiches to be found close to the Manhattan Cruise Terminal.

If I could get smoked meat in New York I would run there . . . closest place I know is in Montréal. In New York City good pastrami at reasonable prices was at places like Pastrami King, in Kew Gardens, Queens, and Ben's Best, in Rego Park, Queens, both now closed. I might go to Mill Basin Deli, in Brooklyn, but that's a long trip from Manhattan. Katz's, on the lower east side of Manhattan, is good but overpriced and poor service. Second Avenue Deli (now on East 33rd Street between Lexington Avenue and Third Avenue in midtown) has also been good, at least in years past, better service than Katz's but still pricey. My understanding is that Pastrami Queen was initially established in Manhattan by the then former management of Pastrami King in Kew Gardens upon its closing, so that's a good sign. But I have not been there and cannot vouch for it as to its present management and quality.

12 minutes ago, Brighton Line said:

Customers must fold shopping carts and board AAR vehicles with only two bags or parcels totaling 40 pounds or less. A very bulky item that fills a seat or is a safety hazard is not permitted on an AAR vehicle, even if the item weighs less than 40 pounds.

This would be an interesting issue if ever litigated. Passengers using buses and subways are not similarly limited. Thus, rules imposed only on persons utilizing Access-A-Ride do constitute discrimination. Might this be a violation of the ADA implementation regulations? It would seem so.

7 minutes ago, Brighton Line said:

Even Piers Hudson River

Odd Piers East River

Pier 79 is on the Hudson River. The general rule is to subtract 40 from the pier number to obtain the corresponding street number on the west side.

My weather sensibilities are quite the opposite: the ideal winter temperature for me is 20 degrees, where it is cold enough to keep the snow without it turning to slush, and warm enough so that one can stay outside all day as it is not frigid . . . but over 70 degrees I am uncomfortable and sweat. Thus, Alaska is, for the most part, ideal for me, but when going to the Caribbean I endure, not enjoy, the weather. But I will go to the Caribbean, for it is seeing the world, even though I am uncomfortable with the weather in doing so. So I think I have some of the same type of concerns as yours, just in reverse! So if you can bear with some cool days (it will be summer, so we're not really talking about cold days . . . and some days can even be warm), but your ambition is to see the world rather than bask in the weather, then I would encourage visiting Alaska. Just be prepared and don't expect a Caribbean cruise.

It strikes me as being odd that it would be ranked as "number one." While it may be a nice park, good if you like walking in the woods, I just don't see it as a spectacular sight to rate it so highly. No easy access absent a hired vehicle. The "Irving" part is that the park is owned and operated by J. D. Irving, the large corporate conglomerate that dominates in New Brunswick, perhaps best known for its oil refining and retail sale of gasoline.

Also, it is important to know that this park is in Saint John, New Brunswick. Writing "St. John" will confuse people, possibly into thinking that you're referring to St. John's, Newfoundland.