funcruiser2000

Have any of you ever done used any of the hotels on Staten Island that offer stay and park?

Thanks

We are on the same cruise and have booked the same tour!

Thank you so much for the information. That really helps. As we only have the one port day we wanted to make the best of it.

We are doing back to back TA crossings, leaving 7/6/18 from Brooklyn.

Has anyone done the shore excursion to Windsor Castle?

Thanks!

alex_drew - having waited for an hour or so in the pitiful Penn Station waiting area, I posted a question on the E Coast Departures board, and got a reply (not that you asked)...

In case you were unaware, Luggage Check is available for $10 per piece at Amtrak there. So, if you arrive early, you can check your bags and spend some time in the area visiting the Empire State Building and Macy's. (However avoid the "junkie McDonalds" on 8th Ave & 27th?. Although even that might be preferable to the soul-draining hell that is the subterranean Penn Station.)

 

Funcruiser, got any good recommendations in the area if they want lunch? I was thinking Tick Tock Diner for American diner food, but otherwise, only chains like TGIFridays come to mind around there.

 

And I'd recommend also checking out Dial7 (dial7.com) or Carmel (carmellimo.com) between Red Hook and Penn Station as a taxi or Uber alternative. (I would not recommend taking cruise luggage on the subway)

I also wanted to point out that Penn Station is a soul draining hell but I just couldn't do it. Thanks for stepping up. :)

I used the lot in July. It was sort of a valet parking situation. This was due to the parking lot being occupied by some type of racetrack for July 4th celebration. At the entrance to the parking lot I had to hand over my car and keys and in return I received a

claim ticket. I was a bit

 

 

alarmed at having to leave my key. Anyway, three weeks later when I returned I went to claim my car. Handed over my ticket and four minutes later my car arrived. Payment was by Visa card via a handheld scanner. The racetrack stand in the parking lot was gone and the mileage on my car had not changed. I had not worried about my car while I was away but on arrival back I did scan the lot for my car as we docked—and yes I saw it from the ship

 

 

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Thanks so much for the info. We have never cruised from Brooklyn before.

Has anyone had any recent experience with this parking lot? Is payment expected differently then what is on the web site?

Funcruiser, we will be first time on QM2 from London and will need transport to Amtrak. Would you have suggestions for that? I don't have a sense of how far the nearest Amtrak station is from Redhook. Are there plentiful taxi's available when you disembark at Redhook? I know you offered advice for Manhattan and Brooklyn waterfront, but I just thought I'd ask here in case you or anyone else might have the info I'm looking for. :) Thank you!

The AMTRAK station is actually below Madison Square Garden at 7th Ave and W. 33rd Street. It's quite a bit uptown. You should be able to take a taxi but it will be quite expensive. There is a Subway line with a stop at at Penn Station. We did that once when we were taking AMTRAK home, but we were staying at a hotel in Manhattan. Getting a taxi at Redhook shouldn't be an issue.

I've taken AMTRAK a few times. Let me know if you have any questions.

I always use a car service like Dial7 or Carmel Limo for pick ups and drop offs at the pier and airports in NY. (Google them to also find a discount code for your first ride). Like most things in NY, it;s heavily influenced by traffic. With no traffic, I'd guess 25 minutes; with heavy traffic - 45, based upon my experiences. Any NY natives care to weigh in?

 

Also, Funcruiser, what can you recommend near the Wall St. Pier in Manhattan? Are there taxis?

 

-Mark

You can literally walk across Manhattan to the Hudson River if you like. I've done it. There are taxis in the area if you don't want to walk. Very close by is the Brooklyn Bridge and the South Street Seaport. If you go left from the pier you can walk to go Battery Park and the Staten Island Ferry. You are also within walking distance of the World Trade Center, take Wall Steet to Broadway, turn right and walk to Vesey Street and turn left. If you don't want to walk cabs are fairly easy to get near the Staten Island Ferry.

Funcruiser: we will need to get to JFK from Red Hook. How long do you think it could take? We will be docking Christmas week so I would imagine traffic will be worse than normal.

I have no idea. Wish I could help. You will be traveling from Brooklyn to Queens but I honestly have no clue. Does anyone else know?

Funcruiser: What is the closest subway stop to the Cunard Brooklyn Red Hook terminal? Is it possible to walk to the subway? Is it safe to walk there? Are there any fun things to do within walking distance of the Red Hook terminal?[/quote

 

Getting to a subway stop is not easy in Red Hook. The closest one is not within walking distance. There is a new Water Taxi route from Red Hook. Did you want to go to Manhattan? The Water Taxi might be the quickest and easiest from the ship. It makes several stops on the East River including near Wall Street in Lower Manhattan, From there you can walk to The World Trade Center, 9/11 Memorial, Staten Island Ferry, Brroklyn Bridge and the Woolworth Building. Let me know is you have any questions.

Funcruiser - I've got a few questions...

- In general, from the Red Hook terminal, to nearby Brooklyn destinations like DUMBO or Prospect Park, would you recommend a taxi/Uber/Lyft or walk? The immediate neighborhood around the Red Hook pier has seemed pretty desolate, but things change so fast....

- Any advice on the new ferry to Manhattan from the pier? Also, what's the neighborhood around the Manhattan pier like? Are there taxis? (I noted from the map that it's a bit of a walk to the nearest subway station)

- What would be your best advice for a nice "walk around, browse shops, have lunch" neighborhood in Brooklyn? What about the same thing easily walkable from the Pier 11 ferry stop in Manhattan.

 

Thanks!

Mark

Mark,

Take a taxi, uber etc. to DUMBO. Ask the driver to drop you near Brooklyn Ice Cream on Old Fulton Street. You will be in Brooklyn Bridge Park. The views are incredible. Walk north towards the Manhattan Bridge if you want to explore. It's beautiful. Tons of restaurants, Starbucks, etc. about a block from the river.

If pier you are referring to is for the East River Ferry it's actually near Brooklyn ice Cream. Tickets are available at the pier. Tell them you want the Wall Street Pier. Again the views are incredible. If you are interested inexploring that area let me know.

If anyone has questions on visiting Manhattan (especially lower Manhattan) or the Brooklyn waterfront on the East River please ask. I'd be happy to help. :):)

We are on the roundtrip sailing 7/6. We are hoping to take an excursion also. All these answers are very helpful.:cool:

Thank you so much! So glad to know others do this also. I looked into flights back after 2 nights in London (booked through Cunard) and it was nearly as much as just cruising back.

I just booked a round trip crossing for my husband and myself. I would love to stay in the UK for a few days but found the trip planning part extremely stressful. It seemed crazy to spend so much money to go to a port for a few hours and then I read some of the comments. Does anyone know if any excursions are available?