meadowlander

Will report back, assuming I remember as I have another cruise a week after the Canada/NE cruise. I only see bus 1 departing from the Village Green going to the Visitor Center at Acadia. You could take bus 3 from VG to Sand Beach, since you want to go there and Otter Cliffs, then take bus 4 to Jordan Pond. Allow for transfer times especially if on the return you have to go to the VC to get to VG. This is my first time at Acadia too. I already have a NP pass, thought I read you can buy a pass at the Village Green but not certain. If you can, you can bypass the VC leaving bus 3 as the only option from VG. The tender in May took nearly an hour from the ship to setting foot on Bar Harbor. The ride itself was 12-15 minutes but there was waiting on the ship & on the tender which added to the total time. Tender tickets were distributed at 2 different times the night prior. The first distribution line was very long, I gave up waiting after 20 minutes and this was prior to giving out the tickets. The second distribution had no line, received a 9:30 tender time. If you want to be on the island early, go to the first distribution at least 30 minutes before tickets are given out. Oli's Trolley offers Acadia tours as does Acadia National Park Tours.

If you are able to walk to a nearby bus stop it is $1.70 one way via bus route 4 or via bus 7 at a different stop close to the terminal.

I was in Bar Harbor in May & will return in September. I have yet to use Island Explorer but intended to next month. In May the cruise ship tender left us at 'Town Pier', from there it is a 5-10 minute walk to the 'Village Green' (both appear on Google maps) Bus 3 which begins & ends at the Village Green does not go to the Visitor Center in Acadia. From the IE website bus 1 does stop at the VC from VG. Both routes run every 30 minutes on the :00 & :30. Routes 4 & 5 begin/end at the VC. Routes 3, 4 & 5 have a common stop at 'North Ridge'. Routes 3 & 4 have a common stop at 'Sand Beach'. From what I have read, IE will stop along the road to pick up riders not just at the specific locations their route lists. Hopefully someone who has used IE will contribute. You will need to fill out ArriveCan be it online or via the app. You can begin the process as of today but cannot be fully completed until 72 hours prior to your travel. At our Canadian port, no departing cruiser was asked to provide proof.

There is not a covered outdoor lot, I meant to write there is a covered parking garage and uncovered outdoor lots.

1-there is a Walmart in Bayonne close to Cape Liberty, could you wait until Sunday and stop at Walmart (opens 6am) prior to going to the cruise port? There is a Walmart in Kearny NJ but I think the location in Bayonne is the best choice be it Saturday night or Sunday morning. 2-limited dining options close to your hotel. If you chose to drive to Walmart in Bayonne on Saturday prior to checking in, you will have dining choices in Bayonne. The Iron Bound section of Newark(downtown) is known for its Portuguese & Brazilian cuisine. 3-Wine Warehouse in Bayonne (opens 9am Sundays) is near Walmart & the cruise port. 4-4 Port Terminal Blvd is the address. Goldsborough Dr is the name of the street that leads to the terminal. Starbucks is 26 Goldsborough Dr, if 4 Port Terminal does not work use Starbucks and take Goldsborough Dr to the end. If you are going from your hotel directly to the port, stay to the left after paying at the NJTP toll booth. Follow the sign for 440/Chosin Few Way. Then go right onto Chosin Few Way to the end which is Goldsborough Dr. Left on Goldsborough to the end. If you go to Walmart on Sunday, you could follow as above except turn right on Goldsborough, then left at the light onto 440 towards Walmart. Or follow 440 after paying the NJTP toll. NJ is lacking on road signage, there will be signs to the terminal but do look for them. More than enough parking. There is a covered outdoor lot and uncovered surface lots. Celebrity Summit is no longer sailing from Bayonne. Adventure & Oasis remain. Handicap plates are given priority for the garage, you will be directed where to park by traffic personnel. Take the parking ticket with you on the cruise. If you are in the garage you pay for parking on disembarking before going to your vehicle. Some in surface lots have reported paying prior to boarding and some have reported paying on disembarking. Employees will be present to help at the pay machines, expect a line and another line for the 1 working elevator in the garage. I think you may need the pay stub to raise the gate at the exit. You must pass the luggage drop zone prior to parking where you are assigned. I recommend, you stop there. Some of the surface lots are quite far from the terminal, the garage is at most a 90 second walk from the terminal. 6-October 2021 I had a 12 noon boarding time. Hundreds were waiting outside the terminal and the line to enter was very long. At 11:30 I approached the employee at the entry point, he informed me that 11, 11:30 & 12 noon could join the line. I cannot say that is still the policy, most likely your brother in law will not be allowed to enter at 11am. Check at the entry point before standing in line.

Check with Country Inn and Courtyard both in Elizabeth NJ on International Drive. Lodging in Elizabeth is better than other EWR area hotels because of dining options.

Trinity's packages include the cost of parking a vehicle at the hotel and the op stated they will not have a car. To suggest they pay significantly more for the same hotel, to pay for services they have no need for while able to book the same hotel, at a much lower rate(including the cost of a ride service) on their own is ludicrous.

WJ's outside starboard eating area has a sliding glass door that connects directly with WJ. Numerous times I entered/exited WJ using that door That sliding door is the 'back door' to the outside eating area. The self service ice cream station is located in this outside area.

Did b2b on Enchantment in March and April. It was evident that maintenance had not been performed during the shutdown but that did not take away from the experience. There were issues with plumbing in bathrooms in cabins and public restrooms. I found the service to be outstanding, enjoyed the quality of food. I found the public spaces like Bolero's, Schooner Bar to be too small which was more evident on the second cruise when an additional 300 sailed. I am sure you will have an enjoyable cruise especially if the ports are the appeal to you.

My experience on Adventure in May was not what I hoped it would be. Despite that I am sailing Adventure again in September and will lower my expectations based on the May cruise. In March I sailed Enchantment and I found the service on that cruise to be outstanding, the best service on Royal except for perhaps my first cruise.

That was the sail date. I was fortunate it only took 1 hour once allowed into the terminal as it was crowded and chaotic. Only after waiting outside for 45 minutes did an employee come outside to explain the delay. The employee provided some comic relief by implying someone outside using their laptop was contributing to the computers inside the terminal not working.

NJ Transit(not Amtrak) is the rail service you would use from Newark Penn to NY Penn. PATH is also available from Newark Penn. PATH has direct service to World Trade Center in NY and service to 33rd Street in NY. The latter would involve a transfer of PATH trains at Journal Square station or Grove Street station. Access to the Statue of Liberty is available from Liberty State Park in Jersey City. You have the option of returning to Jersey City or NYC after touring Ellis/Liberty Islands. If you go to NYC, you will have to transit back to NJ on your own.

If you stay 1 night pre cruise and you fly into EWR, staying in NJ that first night makes most sense. I also recommend staying in NJ that night if you flew into the NY airports, it will be cheaper than NY hotels & you are closer to Cape Liberty cruise port. If you fly into NY, Dial 7 & Carmel Limo are the most recommended car services for transit to NJ if you do not Uber. The most recommended hotels in the Newark airport vicinity are those in Elizabeth NJ on International Drive such as Country Inn, Courtyard & Residence Inn. All are walking distance to restaurants and Jersey Gardens mall which has more dining options. EWR area hotels are isolated and limited in food options. Hotels in downtown Newark would be a better option than the EWR area hotels aside from those in Elizabeth. I recommend hotels in Jersey City for their spectacular view of lower Manhattan. PATH train stations are located close to some Jersey City hotels. PATH trains allow access to lower Manhattan (World Trade Center) or midtown(33rd Street), if you stay in NJ post cruise. NJ Transit trains travel from Newark Penn Station to NY Penn Station. PATH service is also available from Newark Penn Station.

October 2021: Had a 12 noon boarding time, hundreds of people who arrived earlier than their appointment were waiting outside. December 2021: Had a 10:30 boarding time, only 50 people waiting outside, all were let in by 10:10. May 2022: Had a 1 pm boarding time. Arrived at 12:50, no line, no checking due to adherence of scheduled times. Computers in the terminal crashed, waited 80 minutes out side due to this. took another 60 inside to be checked in. Some needed 4 hours to be processed.

Based on my experience with taxi service at Cape Liberty December 2021, I would advise Uber. Once you clear facial recognition in the terminal, you will exit the building to the left. Once outside, go right to the numbered zones for car ride services. There will be overhead numbered signs (2 -10) for the zone location. This is where you will meet Uber. There are a few benches in these zones to wait until the driver arrives. If you use taxi, after clearing facial recognition and despite signs pointing exit to the left, exit to the right towards the parking garage as this is the shortest walking route to the taxi pick up lot. Depending on the time you disembark it may be very crowded outside as there are multiple lines of cruisers paying for parking and then another line to use the elevator. Walking close to the terminal building is best to avoid the lines. Head towards the road. By the glass door entrance of the parking garage you will notice a crosswalk in the road near the glass doors, you must use this crosswalk and 1 more to get to the vacant lot used for taxi service. It was not well organized in December despite a dispatcher in the lot assigning cruisers to cabs My wait was 10-15 minutes, some had been waiting 30 minutes and were left waiting while my taxi took off. Pre covid it was better organized. On boarding day it would be best to check with traffic personnel outside of the terminal if taxi service is still located in the lot across from zone 10. Archie's Cab in Bayonne services the cruise port. Maybe check with them if they are allowed to pick up disembarking passengers, what their fee is to EWR and if they can meet you at a specific time on disembarkation at zones 2 through 10, otherwise use Uber. Expect to pay a surcharge on disembarking due to heavy demand. Likely your wait time will be longer for the Uber/taxi than the drive time to EWR.

It is doable without self assist. There should be no traffic on a Sunday from the cruise port to EWR. How are you getting from the cruise port to EWR?

CVS pharmacy has a few locations, the tests will not be free... 1619 Broadway at West 49th 1440 Broadway at 40th 241 West 57th at 8th Ave

No surprise at all. Bayonne cruises have included Bermuda in Caribbean itineraries for years.

Because you agreed with my observation, you are offended? I don't get it but whatever. My original contribution was to give info to the op as he asked, you felt a need to correct what I wrote and then you later agreed with it. If you want to argue, it wont be with me. I am trying to help not nit pick, as too many on these boards do.

Adventure's ice show does not take reservations. The suggestion to arrive early is a good one.

Glad to see you confirming what I originally wrote concerning how small the food service area is in Enchantment's diamond lounge.

For your clarification, of all the diamond lounges the Enchantment service area for food was the smallest by far and thus had less choices.

Did a b2b on Enchantment in March/April. I found the service on the 1st sailing to be the best of all my Royal cruises. I appreciated that in WJ, made to order eggs are brought to your table. The service suffered(in comparison to the first cruise) on the second cruise as 300 more guests sailed. The entertainment on the first nights of both cruises was a movie. The seats in the diamond lounge are placed very close to each other. The area for food service is the smallest I have seen on any Royal ship. The breakfast offerings were very limited the only day I checked.

The locations you list do not show as offering covid tests. From your hotel, walk to the Exchange Place light rail station. Board the light rail going to Hoboken. $2.25 1 way ticket, validate the ticket after purchase. Hoboken terminal is the last stop for this light rail route. The CVS in Hoboken is about .25 mile away, it is near Carlos Bakery (from Cake Boss). The return light rail train terminates at 8th Street Bayonne. Some CVS locations in NYC offer the test.

Correct. My test at Walgreen's was done with me in my car. CVS conducts the test in the store. Op did not state if they have access to a car or not, regardless I offered suggestions in either instance that are close to their hotel.