138east

Identifying what you want to see is just a piece of the NY sightseeing puzzle. Here are some other considerations:

1) hotel costs

2) local transportation costs

3) time costs 

Are you planning to drive or fly?  Cost of parking is a big consideration if you’re driving.  Cost of transportation to and from an airport is a big consideration if you’re flying (recommended airport is Newark).

NYC hotel costs are expensive.  When sailing from Bayonne we often recommend looking at hotels in Jersey City or even Newark for time and cost effective access to both Manhattan and Cape Liberty.  Hotels in the Newport or Grove St area of Jersey City have quick direct access to both midtown and downtown NYC via PATH.  No matter where you stay, you’re going to spend time taking public transit and walking to get to the places you want to see.

If you want to see the 911 museum, you will have to book a time slot.  (https://www.911memorial.org/visit/museum). If you want to go to the Statue of Liberty and also climb to the crown, you will have to book a time slot (https://www.statuecruises.com)  This is best done directly on the web site for each attraction.  Lots of folks use the Hoho buses.  Organized bus tours of Manhattan are difficult because there are no places for the bus to wait while you visit a site.

If you can identify what you’re interested in, folks can give you lots of advice.  If you can give specific dates and a hotel budget range, folks can make suggestions.

As others have mentioned for winter sailings you always need a plan B in case of snow. Research your hotel options close to the port or perhaps your relatives could put you up for the night. Train plus hotel could also be a good choice.  Think it through now instead of at the last minute.

37 minutes ago, K922 said:

I am originally from the nyc area so I am expecting to pay less than $300 a night. It would be July 11th  2021. 3 people no car. I am okay staying near the airport.  

 

 

My advice would be to check out Jersey City first.  It appears that The Marriott Courtyard, Residence Inn, and Candlewood Suites all have coin laundries.  Other hotels like the Westin, Doubletree, Hyatt Regency, and Hyatt House offer “laundry services”.  The Newport area of Jersey City offers many restaurant options and a nice waterfront boardwalk with great views of lower Manhattan, quick PATH access to lower Manhattan, and the Newport Mall. If you can manage your luggage, you have the option of Accessible PATH trains from midtown to these hotels as well as accessible light rail trains to 34th St Bayonne and Uber into the port.  Details can be provided.

If these hotels don’t suit, post back for Newark Airport suggestions.  The airport hotels may be less expensive, but your transportation costs may be more expensive, your food options will be limited, and there is really not anything to do at the airport except the Jersey Gardens Mall.

11 hours ago, K922 said:

Hi

 

Does anyone know if there is a hotel near Cape liberty that Has Landry. We will be doing a NcL Cruise one week than a day in between and heading out on a RCC the next day. I would like to do some  Landry in between so i don’t have to pack so much. This is for next summer. 
 

Thanks

What is your hotel budget range?  Cruise date?  Number of people?  Do you have a car?

The closest hotels to Cape Liberty are about 8 miles away.  Coming from the Manhattan Cruiseport, the closest hotels are in Jersey City.  The Newark Airport hotels are a bit further away, but offer more Laundry options.  Having your car opens up the possibility of the Secaucus hotels.  
 

So please answer the above questions so we can give you the appropriate advice.

You just have to keep in mind that all these airport hotels are just that - airport hotels, not vacation destinations.  The airport itself is an isolated enclave almost completely surrounded by railroad tracks, water, and highways - no residential areas with services nearby.  The only commercial stuff is at Jersey Gardens Mall.  Overall it’s a highly industrialized urban area.

3 hours ago, LuCruise said:

Thanks for the reply.  

 

By Fairfield Inn and Springhill Suites....I assume do you mean the one at 318-50 US Highway 1 & 9?  It's next to the airport and surrounded by highways?  It has an indoor pool so that would keep our kids busy for a bit and if it has food options at the hotel (dinner too), then it's an option.  Price is right.

 

Thanks. Will also mark Courtyard Elizabeth (the Marriot).

Yes - that’s the Fairfield Inn.  It is 2 buildings from the Courtyard Newark, which does have food service for dinner.  Another property with a nice pool and full food service (no free breakfast) is the Hilton Doubletree, which was refurbished last year.

Google Earth is a great tool to bring up pictures of these properties to see how close together some of them are.  You can also get a feel for the area around any airport hotel to understand why we don’t recommend walking anywhere for some of the hotel properties.

17 hours ago, LuCruise said:

We have rebooked our cancelled Anthem cruise for December which leaves out of New Jersey.  Coming with two kids who will be 15 and 11 for that cruise. 

 

Things are up in the air now, but I thought we should book a hotel to ensure we have a spot to stay for the night if our cruise is a go.  Last time we had Embassy Suites booked, but it is all sold out.  As a note, we will not have a car and prefer a place that includes breakfast.  Not sure yet if we would arrive early afternoon or say evening where we just need a place to stay.  We don't plan on doing any touring in NYC.  Looking for feedback on the following. 

 

Hotels new Jersey Mall (seem to have restaurants and shops near by)

• Extended Stay America Elizabeth (Newark Airport)
• Country Inn and Suites Newark Airport
• Residence Inn by Marriott Newark Airport

 

Looks like there are restaurants 10-21 min walk ? (but won't want to walk far if its very cold / icy in Dec)

• Hampton Inn Newark Airport
• Hilton Newark Airport
• Crown Plaza Newark Airport

 

Looks like nothing in walking distance but nice room

• Best Western Plus Newark Airport

 

Thoughts on any of the above?  Residence Inn and Country Inn are the top of our budget, but we would book if they are worth it over the others.  (I know it would help if we knew when arriving but we won't be booking airline at this point).

 

Note that my comments of "looks like" is what I see on goggle maps, but let me know if the above is incorrect.  Thanks!

 You really don’t want to plan to walk 10-20 minutes around Newark airport to any restaurant, so I’d scratch Hampton Inn, Hilton, and Crowne Plaza.

For free breakfast add Fairfield Inn and Springhill Suites - restaurant is next door at Courtyard Newark.

For access to the mall and restaurants consider Courtyard Elizabeth and eat breakfast at IHOP across the street.  Dinner choices are Ruby Tuesday’s, Applebee’s, Johnny Rockets, and the Mall food court.  There has been no feedback about staying at Extended Stay except for booking a day room.

On 3/10/2020 at 4:47 PM, 138east said:

You can Uber back to the ship or take the Red Line at Park St (any train direction Braintree/Ashmont) two stops to South Station for a free transfer to the SL1 SilverLine bus back to the pier ($2.90/pp).

 

 

My bad.  The SL2 (usually marked Dry Dock Ave) takes you back to the port.

21 minutes ago, regg1216 said:

We will be arriving in Cape Liberty and are looking for the best option for transportation to the Double Tree at Newark Penn Station for two people.

Uber or Lyft.

I would be looking at hotels about an hour from NYC along Route I80.  There are a number of name brand hotels in the $100 range in the Parsipanny and Mt Olive/ Rockaway area for your Sat Mar 14 date.  I think are looking at a good alternative strategy which might not even cost you as much as $250 extra and certainly will limit your exposure to the much more congested NYC area.

It appears you’re in Boston on Sat June 13 docking at 9 am. My suggestion would be to take an Uber directly to the Constitution in Charlestown.  The museum opens at 9 am and the ship at 10 am.  You will beat any crowds.  Then take the MBTA water taxi to Long Wharf ($3.50/pp) and walk along the waterfront into the North End to pick up the trail and visit whatever sites are of interest to you there (This gives you a mini cruise in the Upper Harbor). Walk the trail backwards to Faneuil Hall/Quincy Market and on back to the beginning of the trail at Boston Common.  You can Uber back to the ship or take the Red Line at Park St (any train direction Braintree/Ashmont) two stops to South Station for a free transfer to the SL1 SilverLine bus back to the pier ($2.90/pp).

Using an Audio guide sounds good.  There is nothing sacred about the “Freedom Trail”.  It’s basically a tourist walking route that has been laid out so that tourists can find the historic sites that are hidden among the more modern buildings in downtown Boston.

1 hour ago, Cyrra said:

Any great park and stay hotels near Bayonne that has reliable shuttle service to the port and back?

 

Thanks bunches, trying to decide if we want to come in a night ahead and do a park and stay or drive and park at the pier for $25/day.  We have about a 5 hour drive total so either option is feasible.

What date do you need a hotel?  2 people?  Any bed size requirements?  Where are you coming from?

You’re basically looking at Newark Airport hotels and chances are the packages will run more than the cost of cruise parking for a 7-9 day cruise.

I’m not sure any of the options could be categorized as ‘great park and stay hotels’, but some are better than others. 

What exact date?  There is a difference of an hour+ in the sunset time between Sep 1 and Sep 30 - https://www.timeanddate.com/sun/usa/boston?month=9

My suggestion would be to take the SilverLine to South Station and do a free transfer to the Red Line to Park Street, which is the beginning of the Freedom Trail.  Explore anything of interest in the Boston Common first and then walk the Freedom Trail.  Explore the Faneuil Hall/Quincy Market Complex.  Continue on the Freedom Trail into the North End.  Have some Italian food and dessert and Uber back to the ship.  Details can be provided.

12 minutes ago, ringdingman said:

We will be arriving on the Summit at Cape Liberty on May 9 and need to get to the Alamo car rental at Newark airport. We'll probably take an Uber to the airport but I don't know where to tell the driver to drop us off. I see where Alamo is located at the P2 station but how do I get there? It seems from what I've read that I need to take the AirTrain to the rental location but how is this train accessed and how much does it cost?

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks.

 

The Alamo web site says they are at the P3 Airtrain Station.  Having said that, your Uber should be able to take you directly to Alamo.  A quick call to Alamo can confirm you can bypass getting dropped off at the terminal and taking the airtrain and just follow the Alamo rental car returns signs at the airport to the actual rental car location at 25 Newark Airport Bldg 25.

Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR)

25 Newark Airport Bldg 25

Newark, NJ 07114 US 

Phone: (844) 727-2984

12 minutes ago, Rockymountainsparky said:

Thanks, I thought that it would be crazy on Manhattan.

One strategy is to book a refundable hotel now and wait.  The lower Manhattan hotels cater to business travelers Sun to Thurs night and may have good deals on a Fri or Sat night. The closer you get to your date, prices may drop.  Lastminutetravel.com is a good resource to check.

Downtown is not as exciting as midtown, but it does have the 911 Memorial & Museum, Freedom Tower, the Statue of Liberty views from Battery Park, the free Staten Island ferry, Historic Fraunces Tavern & Delmonicos, and Trinity Church.  You can arrive in style to your cruise on the MTA ferry and get lots of photos of your ship.  This area is very walkable and comfortable after dark.

13 minutes ago, Rockymountainsparky said:

Thanks for replying. There are just two of us. So a king or queen would be fine. Since rates can run the gamut, we're just looking for a typical hotel like Holiday Inn or Embassy Suites. Something along those lines.

I know you said you don’t want to be in downtown Manhattan, but the reality is that the prices downtown on a Friday night are less than the prices of random hotels between LGA and Red Hook in Brooklyn.  IMO the downtown area is overall much nicer than most of the areas you would end up staying in in Brooklyn.  Holiday Inn Wall St and Holiday Inn Express Wall Street are running about $275 tax included for Oct 2.  Holiday Inn Express is 3 blocks from the Pier 11 ferry to Red Hook.  Holiday Inn in Brooklyn is going to run $350.

If you’re looking for a “typical” hotel, the downtown Wall St Area is where you’re going to find it because most of the properties are newer and are associated with chains.
 

After several years of trying the Stamford area hotels, we have settled on the La Quinta as our go to destination.  It’s a budget hotel, but we are very comfortable in the 2 queen room, particularly if we expect to hang out at the hotel.  They offer AAA, senior, and military rates. It’s a very easy on/easy off from I95.  For your date the rack rate is $95 plus tax (AAA base rate is $85.50). The 2 queen room has a microwave and frig and does not face I95.  The hotel offers free breakfast (nothing fancy), but that is adequate for our needs.  As Navybankerteacher pointed out, the Stamford Diner is connected to the hotel.  It’s an older property and does have a half flight of stairs to get to the elevators.  We try to get a room on the 1st or 2nd floor.  The rooms do have heat/air conditioning units.

I got a sense from your posts that you were looking at more high end hotels. If that is the case, then the LaQuinta might not suit your needs.

Another option if you want a suite is Hampton Inn in Stamford, which would be just under $200.  However, their website says they are undergoing renovations during business hours in June and that some of the suite balconies might not be available.  We stayed there twice and liked it, but not enough to pay almost double the price.  It’s a very pleasant location fronting on the Mill River Park instead of being right in the more urban downtown center.  If you’re interested in this, I’d call the manager to discuss the room as it’s difficult to tell from the pictures if there is a separate bedroom.

Hotel Budget? How many people?  Bed size requirements?
 

6 hours ago, BiancaV said:

Ok I’m back! Dropped the ball and made the mistake of not booking a hotel and we’re cruising in June. I looked in White Plains and surrounding areas and it’s very pricey and not much available. We’re looking for something like a Residence Inn that has a separate bedroom. Please help! I don’t know any other area besides the White Plains area and it was so convenient to not have to drive through the city to get to the cruise port.

 

Is your date June 20?  What is your budget? Are you willing to prepay? Did you look at Norwalk?  IMO White Plains is out of the way if you come down I84 to I91 to either the Merritt Parkway or I95.  Norwalk, Stamford, Greenwich, & Rye are convenient for getting on the Hutchinson River Parkway to the Saw Mill & Henry Hudson to the Manhattan Cruiseport.

11 hours ago, bigeck said:

Perfect. Thanks. 

I saw the NJ Transit and they have a route planner. Ill do that. I've also got the app now. 

Good idea for Saturday is the ferry getting into Manhatten on Saturday. That would be a change

Thanks again

The ferry could be a nice ride across the Hudson, particularly if you’re going to lower Manhattan.   Here’s the PATH site - https://www.panynj.gov/path/en/index.html

If you like ferries, the Staten Island ferry is free.

Here’s the NY subway map - https://new.mta.info/map/5256  If you go uptown on the Subway, PATH is at 33rd & 6th (Herald Square) near Macy’s.

19 minutes ago, bigeck said:

Hi there. Me again

I'm arriving at Jfk on Sat 11th April and getting the LIRR to Penn. Then, I need to get to DT Newark Penn.

Someone on the Anthem Ta roll call stated that the Path is closed that weekend. On Sunday morning I have booked EdgeNyc  at 8am. I will get back to the hotel then get a cab to the ship.

My question is, getting from Penn to Newark Penn then getting to Hudson Yards and back on Sunday morning

PATH service between Exchange Place and World Trade is replaced by ferry service on Sat & Sun.  This does NOT affect you.  You should seriously consider spending the extra money to take NJ Transit between NY Penn Station and Newark Penn Station, particularly with luggage.

It looks like there is a 7:10 train on Sun morning that will get you to NY Penn at 7:35, which gives you time to be at a Hudson Yards at 8 am.  What time is your activity finished on Sun?

Post back if you are determined to take PATH.  It’s almost a 2 avenue further walk to Hudson Yards plus it’s an overall slower trip.

Probably.  Why don’t you just call them directly and ask.

https://www.laguardiaairport.com/to-from-airport/public-transportation

https://www.nycairporter.com/ourservices/lga-to-manhattan/

Once they decide on a hotel, folks can provide more detailed suggestions for these more budget transportation options.  There are several New Yorkers who are very knowledgeable about the subway options if you can provide a specific hotel destination.

Carlos Bakery can be reached by taking PATH ($2.75)from 32nd & 6th (elevator accessible entrance on the west side of Broadway just north of 32nd St).  The Bakery is a 5+ minute walk (with luggage of course).  Cape Liberty can be reached by returning to the Hoboken Station and taking the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail Bayonne train to 34th St in Bayonne ($2.25/pp) and calling Uber or Lyft into the port ($10-12).

Be sure to read about the current Carlos Bakery experience in Hoboken.  It’s apparently not what it used to be.

7 hours ago, ericosmith said:

As I recall, there's just one road leading in so it doesn't much matter what address you use. 

Totally agree.  One road into the port - nothing much on the peninsula except for the Cruiseport terminal.  Just follow the crowd.  Most folks drop off luggage and then park.  No way to get lost using either address.

Where exactly are they staying in Manhattan for two nights