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1st time family cruise out of NYC - general advice


Pie
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Looking for any advice/guidance in trying to sort all of this out -

 

Cruise Date: 9-16 Sep 2018

Manhattan Port: NCL

Flying in to EWR, 8 Sep arr noon-thirty, 3 travelers with luggage, (1 middle age walter/johhnybravo/gran torino combo, 1 couch potatoish 23 yr old daughter, a middle age overwhelmed and worn-out wife/mom trying to coordinate it all who hasn't had a real vacation in 20 years). Will prob use dial7 to get us to AP to Hotel as I just want something simple and reliable and no stress.

 

3 additional travelers arriving LGA 8 Sep - 5pm (daughter, daughter and SIL - all young and able) - need to figure out transport from AP to hotel, was thinking UBER or dial7

 

2 additional travelers (son and gf) LGA 8 Sep - 1:30 - not really arranging their stuff though but trying to keep them in mind. Staying at double tree in manhattan so far I think

 

Hotel: Have a hotel reservation in downtown manhattan for 3, but now thinking maybe a hotel in times square with room(s) for 4 adults (mom/dad/2 adult daughters) and room for 2 adults (daughter and SIL). have never been to times square so could check that off of our bucket list.

 

Money isn't too much of an issue, not looking for cheapest but also don't want to go crazy. I do like a little spoiling. Not really interested in double beds unless for 2 daughters or they could share a king or IDK. Also looking for lunch and dinner recommendations for sat and possibly breakfast Sun am, something NYish or must try - does not have to be snotty, just good food even if its a must have hotdog, burger, or pizza. Most likely we won't have a ton of time for sightseeing as we are all arriving at 2 different times. Would like to see 911 memorial. I figure we can 'see' the SOL and Ellis Island from the ship (I am a genealogy nut). Will also need to figure out transportation from port to EWR and LGA at cruise end, but prob be the same way we got from AP to hotel, again no fuss and not looking for transfers and pub transport as we'll be dragging luggage. Any must see/must eat in the short amount of time we'll be in NYC? They are going to want standard NY magnet/t-shirt/hoodies and things. This post is probably all jumbly - but that is how this trip is for me right now - so any help/advice is much appreciated.

Edited by Pie
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Let me see if I can summarize what you are doing and what you are looking for.

1). You have a party of 8. This consists of yourself and DH, 2 adult DD's, DD and SIL, and DS and girl friend.

2). So far DS and GF are making their own arrangements staying at one of the 6 Doubletrees in Manhattan

3) you are looking for 2 rooms for the other 6 people - one room with 2 queens and one room with a queen or king. Willing to pay the going rate for a hotel like the Doubletree.

4). Everyone arrives at different times on Sep 8. Cruise is the next day from Manhattan.

5). Sightseeing objectives - Times Square and 911 Memorial

6). Looking for lunch, dinner and breakfast recommendations - something NYish or a "must try". Good food even if it's a must try hot dog, burger, or pizza.

7) Will book car service from EWR to hotel. Will probably use same transportation from port to airports post cruise.

 

 

The NY Doubletrees do not offer queen beds. Some are already showing as sold out for your date. So the first question would be exactly where DS and GF are staying so that nearby hotels can be suggested. Rooms with 2 Queens can be hard to find in Manhattan.

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We typically stay in the Marriott Times square. A bit pricey, but for one night precruise perfect for touristy things. They have rooms that have 2 double beds and a sleeper sofa, or a king and a sleeper. Juniors isn't too far away (cheese cake) and neither is the subway. Plenty of food options too.

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Staying downtown (Financial District) is great for visiting World Trade Center area. Everything is compact down there. Besides the 9/11 Memorial, there is the World Trade Observation, plus the Occulus, plus Wall Street. There is also Battery Park, The Museum of Native Americans. If you “must” see Times Square then go at night to see it fully lit up. You can either take the subway or spring for an Uber.

 

 

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A few of quick thoughts:

 

1. Since it's just one night and you said you don't mind splurging a little, get another hotel room for 2 daughters so you don't have 4 adults sharing one room

 

2. You arrive 12:30 and want to see 9/11....get to hotel and either check-in or drop bags if room not ready, and head to the 9/11 memorial and museum. You said Son and GF are sort of doing their own thing, but they're only an hour behind you on arrival so maybe they can meet you there if they want. The others don't get in til 5:00, so just do your own thing that afternoon and meet up with them around 7-ish for dinner. That would give you several hours for 9/11 and then back to hotel to freshen up, and gives them time to get to hotel and check in before you all meet for dinner.

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Let me see if I can summarize what you are doing and what you are looking for.

1). You have a party of 8. This consists of yourself and DH, 2 adult DD's, DD and SIL, and DS and girl friend.

2). So far DS and GF are making their own arrangements staying at one of the 6 Doubletrees in Manhattan

3) you are looking for 2 rooms for the other 6 people - one room with 2 queens and one room with a queen or king. Willing to pay the going rate for a hotel like the Doubletree.

4). Everyone arrives at different times on Sep 8. Cruise is the next day from Manhattan.

5). Sightseeing objectives - Times Square and 911 Memorial

6). Looking for lunch, dinner and breakfast recommendations - something NYish or a "must try". Good food even if it's a must try hot dog, burger, or pizza.

7) Will book car service from EWR to hotel. Will probably use same transportation from port to airports post cruise.

 

 

The NY Doubletrees do not offer queen beds. Some are already showing as sold out for your date. So the first question would be exactly where DS and GF are staying so that nearby hotels can be suggested. Rooms with 2 Queens can be hard to find in Manhattan.

 

Thank you so much for summarizing this - perfect. I'm going to take DS and GF out of the pic to make it easier.

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A few of quick thoughts:

 

1. Since it's just one night and you said you don't mind splurging a little, get another hotel room for 2 daughters so you don't have 4 adults sharing one room

 

2. You arrive 12:30 and want to see 9/11....get to hotel and either check-in or drop bags if room not ready, and head to the 9/11 memorial and museum. You said Son and GF are sort of doing their own thing, but they're only an hour behind you on arrival so maybe they can meet you there if they want. The others don't get in til 5:00, so just do your own thing that afternoon and meet up with them around 7-ish for dinner. That would give you several hours for 9/11 and then back to hotel to freshen up, and gives them time to get to hotel and check in before you all meet for dinner.

 

Probably a good idea to get another hotel room - I didn't even think about 1 bathroom for 4 of us - YIKES!

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We typically stay in the Marriott Times square. A bit pricey, but for one night precruise perfect for touristy things. They have rooms that have 2 double beds and a sleeper sofa, or a king and a sleeper. Juniors isn't too far away (cheese cake) and neither is the subway. Plenty of food options too.

 

Which Marriott? Looks like there are a couple in Times Square. I was checking out the Marquis - it has a family connector room for mil rate of 291

- edit that, I don't think I am looking at the prices right :)

Edited by Pie
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If you're staying in Times Square, great choice by the way. Especially for one night. You all will have time to visit a few things. 9/11 memorial is great. If you do choose the museum, I'd work my way to the bottom first, I preferred to see the personal articles of the victims, instead of all the steel, and other things that was left from the disaster. That's just my choice. Really gave you an idea of what they were like.

Also, I wouldn't go to the chain restaurants, do those at home. Try the Brooklyn Diner, side street just off of Broadway. If you go for breakfast, we went for dinner. You may run into Jerry Seinfeld. He loves that place. Enjoy you visit to NYC. and your Cruise!

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Yes the Marquis. If you get a Times Square view room it literally over looks the red stairs. We took my elderly mother in law with us and she could not do all the younger people did, so she watched the view from the window.

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Yes the Marquis. If you get a Times Square view room it literally over looks the red stairs. We took my elderly mother in law with us and she could not do all the younger people did, so she watched the view from the window.

 

That hotel also has a really cool revolving bar that has that view

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  • 2 weeks later...

So it looks like for hotels we are considering The Blakely (mainly because of Black Tap), Marriott Marquis (because of location/times square) or Residence Inn Downtown (I thought it was near the shipyard and its also near 911 memorial).

 

For Food - any suggestions? DH wants to try Black Tap and pizza. We could do a late lunch around 2pm with 3 of us (DH, DW, D) (Maybe that is a safe time to squeeze into black tap?) and dinner after D and SIL and other D arrive after 5)

 

For transportation I think I am going to go with NYC Perfect Transportation (awesome reviews)

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I'm a little confused.

 

You arrive in Newark at around 12:30? You want to visit the 9/11 Memorial, I assume without the museum? And your cruise leaves the next day? Is that more or less correct?

 

Your plans aren't giving you much time to do anything at this point. I'll defer to folks who've done this a number of times, but I wouldn't expect to have bags and be at your hotel before 2:00. Two of your hotels are in Midtown, close to Times Square, Central Park, and the cruise terminal. The other one is in Downtown, and only close to the Memorial.

 

I would really seriously suggest you call a timeout, take a knee, etc., and prioritize what you want to do in a very short time in the city. If both of the Midtown hotels meet your needs, pick one and let's use that as your "anchor". It's only a few short blocks from the Marquis to Black Tap, so picking a hotel for proximity is not necessary (frankly, I'd never heard of the place until tonight...). Next, do you plan to be back in Midtown around 5:00? 7:00? 9:00? for dinner (pizza?). You will be hard pressed to have lunch (hour or more probably), take the Subway downtown to the memorial, visit the memorial, and take the subway back to Midtown before 7:00, and possibly later. So where does the burger fit in your priority list? Pizza? The 9/11 Memorial? Keep in mind that dining venues near Times Square will typically be packed from around 5:30-8:30 with the Theater crowd transitioning into the Saturday night crowd. I'm not trying to be negative, but your schedule appears beyond ambitious!

 

I've never heard of NYC Perfect Transportation. What were the quotes from Dial7 and Carmel?

 

Please post a complete plan of what you want to do. Between the residents and those of us who visit the city frequently, we can help you determine if it's reasonable. I fear your current plans, if Downtown is still in the picture, aren't.

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  • 3 weeks later...

We prefer staying around Time Square so we can walk back to our hotel in the middle of the night. Financial District at night too quite for us.

 

I think you can fit it all in if you're ready for a long day. You can drop off you bags at the hotel, get $1 pizza slices for lunch in Time Square as you make your way to the subway to go to the World Trade memorial. Plus you'll see a bit of Time Square during the day. After the World Trade area, you can make you way back north, visit the burger place and end the evening in Time Square at the Marquis or a roof top bar.

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  • 3 weeks later...

So Far: we've booked The Blakely so we can do Black Tap for dinner. We are using NYC Perfect Transportation for transport from AP to Hotel, may use them for a 3 hr tour before going to the hotel while we wait for the LGA folks to arrive. Will use them again from cruise terminal t to AP's. Still have to figure out transportation for 6 + luggage from hotel to cruise terminal, may go with NYC Prefect Transportation again depending on rate.

 

 

 

Can either do the "3 hr tour" between AP and hotel or after cruise/before hotel. not sure yet. slowly but surely coming together.

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