CAPE LIBERTY 411 (and NYC too) Version 4!!

Are you looking for just parking(you pay to get to and from the port) or are you looking for a precruise hotel night, parking for 11 days, and round trip port transportation package?

Trinityreservations.com offers the Ramada hotel, 21 days parking, and round trip port transportation for 2 for $211 TAX INCLUDED for 11/24/18. Many cruisers use this deal. I have personally used it and was very happy.

Not familiar with Trinity Reservations....is it like a local expedia of sorts? Looking at the website now

Yes, now that I'm back from my cruise, I think that is the case. However they appear to have more then enough paystations available, with someone there to help you at each one. So there is really no need to even attempt to pay at the gate. It wouldn't save you any time, it would likely make things more complicated.

 

I was pretty impressed with the new parking garage there. Great addition to the new terminal facilities, which are such an improvement over the old ones. Those busses to the ship were such a pain!

Glad that everything worked out. I had almost forgotten about those shuttles to and from the ship.

I just wish they could have somehow built it so the garage connects to the terminal so you do not have to walk outside. I have gotten wet on more than one occasion going to and from them.

Glad that everything worked out. I had almost forgotten about those shuttles to and from the ship.

 

I just wish they could have somehow built it so the garage connects to the terminal so you do not have to walk outside. I have gotten wet on more than one occasion going to and from them.

I also like the new garage, but getting wet is not the only thing they forgot to plan for when they designed it. The traffic congestion getting to the drop off is still an issue. If they had provided a turnoff to go directly to the garage and park, I think some of the congestion could have been alleviated. Many folks I've spoken to would be willing to park and troll their luggage in order to avoid the drop off congestion even if it meant waiting for an elevator.

The other issue is that the indoor waiting room for pickups needs to be replaced. RCL was forced to get rid of it because it didn't meet the building code. Absolutely no one wants to be waiting outside in the winter for a pickup. Seats on a heated bus just don't cut it, particularly for the mobility impaired.

I've always felt the designs for Cape Liberty were done by folks in Miami who never visited the site in a winter snowstorm!

Hi. I will be on the Adventure in May and I’m thinking about driving and parking my car there while I’m on the cruise. If you park at Cape Liberty, will the porters take you and your luggage to your car when you return from your cruise?

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Hi. I will be on the Adventure in May and I’m thinking about driving and parking my car there while I’m on the cruise. If you park at Cape Liberty, will the porters take you and your luggage to your car when you return from your cruise?

 

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There have been reports of the porters taking folks to either the garage elevator or to the garage pickup area on the ground level.

I also like the new garage, but getting wet is not the only thing they forgot to plan for when they designed it. The traffic congestion getting to the drop off is still an issue. If they had provided a turnoff to go directly to the garage and park, I think some of the congestion could have been alleviated. Many folks I've spoken to would be willing to park and troll their luggage in order to avoid the drop off congestion even if it meant waiting for an elevator.

 

The other issue is that the indoor waiting room for pickups needs to be replaced. RCL was forced to get rid of it because it didn't meet the building code. Absolutely no one wants to be waiting outside in the winter for a pickup. Seats on a heated bus just don't cut it, particularly for the mobility impaired.

 

I've always felt the designs for Cape Liberty were done by folks in Miami who never visited the site in a winter snowstorm!

Yes, you are correct about the back up and congestion. I wonder if it's because they only had so much room / space in which to build the garage and terminal plus I assume they only wanted to spend so much money.

I didn't know they needed to get rid of the indoor waiting area for pick ups. Yikes.

Does anyone have any experience with the Staten Island hotels that offer cruise packages? (the Hilton Garden and the Hampton Inn) They offer airport shuttle, shuttle to Staten Island ferry for touring NYC, and shuttle to Cape Liberty. Compared to other options, it almost seems too good to be true. My main concern is the reliability of the shuttles, and the pricing seems to vary. We can't book it yet since are cruise isn't until March 2019, but I was curious if anyone has any feedback for me on this topic, and how much you paid (and what time of year did you go). Thanks.

Does anyone have any experience with the Staten Island hotels that offer cruise packages? (the Hilton Garden and the Hampton Inn) They offer airport shuttle, shuttle to Staten Island ferry for touring NYC, and shuttle to Cape Liberty. Compared to other options, it almost seems too good to be true. My main concern is the reliability of the shuttles, and the pricing seems to vary. We can't book it yet since are cruise isn't until March 2019, but I was curious if anyone has any feedback for me on this topic, and how much you paid (and what time of year did you go). Thanks.

Folks have not been posting much recently about the Staten Island options.

Are you driving or flying? How many people are you? What are the exact dates in March you would require a hotel room? Are you thinking of staying on Staten Island for several days precruise?

Shuttle services can have issues. They might not be available for late night flight arrivals. If you're flying you don't want to go back to Staten Island after the cruise.

Folks have reported taking a shuttle to the ferry, but then either having to wait a long time for pickup when returning or taking a cab back.

What exactly are your sightseeing objectives in NYC? It will take you about an hour to get to lower Manhattan and about 1.5 hours to midtown.

Look at trinityreservation.com. They offer tax included packages at Newark airport. Some but not all of their packages are listed for 2019. Crowne Plaza is showing at $226 for 2 people for a room, breakfast, and round trip port transportation. Ramada Plaza is not yet listed for 2019. It is showing at about $182 tax included this year for a hotel room and round trip port transportation.

There are a lot of factors that come into play. It's all about balancing time, money, and stress. Please answer all the questions so we can give you informed suggestions.

Folks have not been posting much recently about the Staten Island options.

 

Are you driving or flying? How many people are you? What are the exact dates in March you would require a hotel room? Are you thinking of staying on Staten Island for several days precruise?

 

Shuttle services can have issues. They might not be available for late night flight arrivals. If you're flying you don't want to go back to Staten Island after the cruise.

Folks have reported taking a shuttle to the ferry, but then either having to wait a long time for pickup when returning or taking a cab back.

 

What exactly are your sightseeing objectives in NYC? It will take you about an hour to get to lower Manhattan and about 1.5 hours to midtown.

 

Look at trinityreservation.com. They offer tax included packages at Newark airport. Some but not all of their packages are listed for 2019. Crowne Plaza is showing at $226 for 2 people for a room, breakfast, and round trip port transportation. Ramada Plaza is not yet listed for 2019. It is showing at about $182 tax included this year for a hotel room and round trip port transportation.

 

There are a lot of factors that come into play. It's all about balancing time, money, and stress. Please answer all the questions so we can give you informed suggestions.

We are going on the Anthem March 23, 2019 sailing.We will come into Newark on Friday late morning (probably- since I have yet to book airfare) It will be myself, my wife and our two children (boy 15, girl 13). The loose plan would be to take the ferry (which the hotel provides a free shuttle) and just walk around Manhattan, 9/11 memorial, maybe take the subway uptown a little further towards Central Park. We were thinking just an afternoon and then jump back on the ferry and head back to Staten Island. I have checked out the trinity website which has been mentioned multiple times on this thread. It is an option, but I am more interested in hearing about experiences with these Staten Island hotels. I haven't seen much mentioned in this thread (lately) about them.

No one has been posting about the Staten Island hotels. The ongoing Bayonne Bridge construction seems to be causing intermittent stoppages that are unpredictable.

No one has been posting about the Staten Island hotels. The ongoing Bayonne Bridge construction seems to be causing intermittent stoppages that are unpredictable.

So it sounds like you would not recommend the Stanton Island Garden Hilton or Hampton Inn?

So it sounds like you would not recommend the Stanton Island Garden Hilton or Hampton Inn?

They are nice hotels set in an isolated wooded cul-de-sac on Staten Island. I have no problems with folks staying there pre cruise. But......you want to sightsee in NYC which adds a layer of complexity to your plan. You have very limited time and I don't like the logistics for sightseeing from Staten Island, particularly if you want to go to both downtown and midtown.

When you get to EWR you have to get yourselves to the P4 Airtrain station to connect to the hotel shuttle and then drive to Staten Island and check in. The shuttle may or may not still be available to drop you at the ferry. All this takes time and eats into your sightseeing time.

I know you're on a budget, but you have to balance time, money and stress. What I would suggest is booking the Hilton Penn Station Newark (join Hilton Honors) for $121 + tax AAA rate cancellable or $130 + tax Hilton Honors cancellable up to 4 days ahead for a room with 2 double beds. Shuttle pickup would be from P4 - call ahead.

You walk across the skywalk to Newark Penn Station and take PATH to the World Trade Center area. If you later go to midtown, you can return to Newark Penn Station on NJ Transit from New York Penn Station in midtown for $5.25/pp. or you can take PATH from 33rd & 6th (Herald Square) for $2.75 transferring at Journal Square for Newark (about 40 minutes with service every 10 minutes on a Friday night until 10 pm). PATH runs 7x24.

Folks have been getting Uber rates to Cape Liberty in the $35-40 range.

I think if you add it all up, the total will be competitive with staying on Staten Island. By positioning yourselves in Newark, your transit times to and from Manhattan can be in the 30-40 minute range. By staying on Staten Island you may end up paying for a cab back to the hotel on the return trip, which if coming from midtown could easily be 1.5+ hours depending on connections.

http://www.njtransit.com/hp/hp_servlet.srv?hdnPageAction=HomePageTo

http://www.panynj.gov/path/maps-schedules.html

They are nice hotels set in an isolated wooded cul-de-sac on Staten Island. I have no problems with folks staying there pre cruise. But......you want to sightsee in NYC which adds a layer of complexity to your plan. You have very limited time and I don't like the logistics for sightseeing from Staten Island, particularly if you want to go to both downtown and midtown.

 

When you get to EWR you have to get yourselves to the P4 Airtrain station to connect to the hotel shuttle and then drive to Staten Island and check in. The shuttle may or may not still be available to drop you at the ferry. All this takes time and eats into your sightseeing time.

 

I know you're on a budget, but you have to balance time, money and stress. What I would suggest is booking the Hilton Penn Station Newark (join Hilton Honors) for $121 + tax AAA rate cancellable or $130 + tax Hilton Honors cancellable up to 4 days ahead for a room with 2 double beds. Shuttle pickup would be from P4 - call ahead.

 

You walk across the skywalk to Newark Penn Station and take PATH to the World Trade Center area. If you later go to midtown, you can return to Newark Penn Station on NJ Transit from New York Penn Station in midtown for $5.25/pp. or you can take PATH from 33rd & 6th (Herald Square) for $2.75 transferring at Journal Square for Newark (about 40 minutes with service every 10 minutes on a Friday night until 10 pm). PATH runs 7x24.

 

Folks have been getting Uber rates to Cape Liberty in the $35-40 range.

 

I think if you add it all up, the total will be competitive with staying on Staten Island. By positioning yourselves in Newark, your transit times to and from Manhattan can be in the 30-40 minute range. By staying on Staten Island you may end up paying for a cab back to the hotel on the return trip, which if coming from midtown could easily be 1.5+ hours depending on connections.

 

http://www.njtransit.com/hp/hp_servlet.srv?hdnPageAction=HomePageTo

http://www.panynj.gov/path/maps-schedules.html

OK, great info. Thank you so much for your help. Sounds like you should be a tour guide. :-)

Make a cancellable reservation NOW at the Hilton! They just opened up for next year and the price will only go up over time. I sail from Cape Liberty and watch hotel prices for myself starting a year out. I've seen a pattern with the Hilton and Marriott prices in that they start out at a good price and only go up over time. There's no downside to booking a cancellable reservation.

Make a cancellable reservation NOW at the Hilton! They just opened up for next year and the price will only go up over time. I sail from Cape Liberty and watch hotel prices for myself starting a year out. I've seen a pattern with the Hilton and Marriott prices in that they start out at a good price and only go up over time. There's no downside to booking a cancellable reservation.

OK, good idea. I think I will do that. Thanks.

Make a cancellable reservation NOW at the Hilton! They just opened up for next year and the price will only go up over time. I sail from Cape Liberty and watch hotel prices for myself starting a year out. I've seen a pattern with the Hilton and Marriott prices in that they start out at a good price and only go up over time. There's no downside to booking a cancellable reservation.

Ok, I have one more question. How safe is it around Penn Station (Newark)? Some of the reviews of the Hilton hotel have me a little worried. Is it a viable option to stay by the airport and use their shuttles to get to P4 and use the train to get to Penn Station, and then take the PATH to NYC? I know it is possible, but is it a good option? Thanks again for your help.

Ok, I have one more question. How safe is it around Penn Station (Newark)? Some of the reviews of the Hilton hotel have me a little worried. Is it a viable option to stay by the airport and use their shuttles to get to P4 and use the train to get to Penn Station, and then take the PATH to NYC? I know it is possible, but is it a good option? Thanks again for your help.

Newark is a highly urban area. The hotel is connected by a sky bridge to Newark Penn Station, so no need to wander the streets around the station. Newark Penn Station is very busy. It's a major transportation hub for Amtrak, NJ Transit trains, PATH, and NJ Transit buses.

It will take you twice as long to go from an airport hotel to PATH at Newark Penn Station and on to NYC and will cost you $11.25/pp each way on NJ Transit/PATH and $13/pp each way on NJ Transit to midtown.

A lot of cruisers have stayed at the Hilton in order to more easily sightsee in New York. There has been no negative feedback.

Hello, I am booked at the Hilton Penn Station. We have a full day to play before our cruise - plane arrives a 9 am. Our plans include climbing the SoL, heading into the city and enjoying some of central park and then coming back to the hotel in the early evening. We were hoping we could walk to a decent restaurant near the hotel in the evening. Based on the last couple of posts, is that not a great idea? Should we plan to eat in the city and then make our way back to the hotel for the night?

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Hello, I am booked at the Hilton Penn Station. We have a full day to play before our cruise - plane arrives a 9 am. Our plans include climbing the SoL, heading into the city and enjoying some of central park and then coming back to the hotel in the early evening. We were hoping we could walk to a decent restaurant near the hotel in the evening. Based on the last couple of posts, is that not a great idea? Should we plan to eat in the city and then make our way back to the hotel for the night?

 

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What time are your SOL tickets and are you taking the SOL ferry from NY or NJ?

Local folks have posted that they walk to the Ironbound District from the Hilton area. However local cabs are cheap. Personally if you're in NYC I don't see any reason to return to Newark to eat.

Newark is a highly urban area. The hotel is connected by a sky bridge to Newark Penn Station, so no need to wander the streets around the station. Newark Penn Station is very busy. It's a major transportation hub for Amtrak, NJ Transit trains, PATH, and NJ Transit buses.

 

 

 

It will take you twice as long to go from an airport hotel to PATH at Newark Penn Station and on to NYC and will cost you $11.25/pp each way on NJ Transit/PATH and $13/pp each way on NJ Transit to midtown.

 

 

 

A lot of cruisers have stayed at the Hilton in order to more easily sightsee in New York. There has been no negative feedback.

The Path from Newark goes straight to the World Trade Center , fare I believe is $2.25 each way . If you change at journal Square you can go to 34th Street (midtown). The Iron Bound is with in walking but most of the good restaurants have a shuttle.

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What time are your SOL tickets and are you taking the SOL ferry from NY or NJ?

 

 

 

Local folks have posted that they walk to the Ironbound District from the Hilton area. However local cabs are cheap. Personally if you're in NYC I don't see any reason to return to Newark to eat.

Excellent. Thanks for the help. We plan on doing SoL first from NJ. Do you think that’s the right choice? We will be ubering.

Makes sense re: eating in the city, although I understand there are nice Portuguese restaurants in the Ironbound area.

One more quick question, considering the itinerary I’ve laid out, do you think the Hilton is our best bet?

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Excellent. Thanks for the help. We plan on doing SoL first from NJ. Do you think that’s the right choice? We will be ubering.

 

Makes sense re: eating in the city, although I understand there are nice Portuguese restaurants in the Ironbound area.

 

One more quick question, considering the itinerary I’ve laid out, do you think the Hilton is our best bet?

 

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I'm still unclear as to whether you are buying tickets to "climb" the SOL. You are staying at the Hilton Penn Station as opposed to the Hilton Newark Airport, right? If you land at 9 am, you will be at the Hilton between 10 and 10:30 if you take their shuttle. Then you have to Uber to the SOL. You have 1 day in New York and you're getting a late start. Staying at the NPS Hilton will make your return to NJ a lot easier after a whirlwind day in NYC.

PATH costs $2.75.

I'm still unclear as to whether you are buying tickets to "climb" the SOL. You are staying at the Hilton Penn Station as opposed to the Hilton Newark Airport, right? If you land at 9 am, you will be at the Hilton between 10 and 10:30 if you take their shuttle. Then you have to Uber to the SOL. You have 1 day in New York and you're getting a late start. Staying at the NPS Hilton will make your return to NJ a lot easier after a whirlwind day in NYC.

 

PATH costs $2.75.

Our tickets are for noon. I thought 11 would be pushing it. Perhaps not?

We’re honestly not set on a “whirlwind” day. We’ve been to NYC before, but not to the statue. We actually thought about just spending a leisurely day at the Bronx zoo and having some great sushi for dinner, lol.

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Our tickets are for noon. I thought 11 would be pushing it. Perhaps not?

 

We’re honestly not set on a “whirlwind” day. We’ve been to NYC before, but not to the statue. We actually thought about just spending a leisurely day at the Bronx zoo and having some great sushi for dinner, lol.

 

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Noon should be just fine if your flight is on time. That means you MUST be at the ferry at least a half hour ahead - that would be no later than 11:30 am. Be sure to read about the security restrictions so that you don't have any forbidden items. If you have to pick up tickets allow a bit more time. On the NJ side you have to walk a bit out to the security check and then a bit more to the dock.

If your plane is late you can Uber to the hotel and then on to Liberty State Park,

Noon should be just fine if your flight is on time. That means you MUST be at the ferry at least a half hour ahead - that would be no later than 11:30 am. Be sure to read about the security restrictions so that you don't have any forbidden items. If you have to pick up tickets allow a bit more time. On the NJ side you have to walk a bit out to the security check and then a bit more to the dock.

 

If your plane is late you can Uber to the hotel and then on to Liberty State Park,

Thank you. Your advice is much appreciated. [emoji137]*♀️

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