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Solo tips for avoiding the expenses of cruising out of NYC?


BluesCruise
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I'm considering a 10 night cruise on the NCL Gem out of Manhattan. I'd be driving up from MD. The cost of the cruise is < $700. The cost to park at the pier is $400, which is hefty when you have no one else to split it with. So, I'm looking for someplace in NJ to park, perhaps spend the night before, etc. I'd probably find an AirBnB, try to arrange a parking deal, and take the Path train and/or Uber/Lyft it to the port. Just wondering if others have found a thrifty way to get to the port in Manhattan.

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I also live in Maryland and am considering a Breakaway cruise out of Manhattan in March. Just starting my research as I have not sailed from New York in the past. My first inclination is to take Amtrak from BWI to Penn Station, NY. One way cost is $49. Penn Station is 2 1/2 miles from the dock, about a 14 minute taxi ride according to mapquest. I also read some time ago that one of the cruise lines [can't remember which one] arranges for a Greyhound Bus to the dock from downtown Baltimore. Anyone have any info on this possibility?

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I also live in Maryland and am considering a Breakaway cruise out of Manhattan in March. Just starting my research as I have not sailed from New York in the past. My first inclination is to take Amtrak from BWI to Penn Station, NY. One way cost is $49. Penn Station is 2 1/2 miles from the dock, about a 14 minute taxi ride according to mapquest. I also read some time ago that one of the cruise lines [can't remember which one] arranges for a Greyhound Bus to the dock from downtown Baltimore. Anyone have any info on this possibility?

 

I don't know about the Greyhound Bus going to the dock or not. However, at worse you could take the bus to the bus terminal which is maybe 2 miles from the port. My one cruise friend took the Bolt bus from DC to NY and took a taxi to the port.

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A bus into Manhattan early on the day of the cruise might be the way to go, and then a taxi to the port. There are numerous bus companies that make the trip from Baltimore to NYC, multiple times a day. I worry that if I take Amtrak, if there's a problem on the tracks, I might get stuck.

 

The cruise is in early December, but hopefully there won't be a blizzard. Eek!

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Unless there is a blizzard in the forecast, I would say Maryland is close enough to New York, to drive or ride to on the same day, and avoid hotel expense. There is frequent bus service to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in NYC, which is really only about a mile or so from the port. As a matter of fact, on a nice day, you could walk it in 20 minutes, rolling your suitcase along, or take a taxicab... I would recommend taking an early bus, just in case of any traffic or mechanical delays.

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...

There have been a lot of positive comments about the Hilton Garden Inn Park and Stay program (Ridgefield Park, NJ). I've booked it for later this month, so I have no first hand account to give you yet, but others have spoken of it on the NY Departure Port board. Basically you spend the night before in their hotel and can leave your car there for the week, and transportation to and from the port is included in the cost. Right off the Jersey Turnpike, so easy enough to get to.

 

Not cheap, but if you factor in the cost of NYC hotel, NYC parking, and the luxury of being able to avoid driving into the city, it's worth it. Other hotels in NJ may run similar programs.

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I'm considering a 10 night cruise on the NCL Gem out of Manhattan. I'd be driving up from MD. The cost of the cruise is < $700. The cost to park at the pier is $400, which is hefty when you have no one else to split it with. So, I'm looking for someplace in NJ to park, perhaps spend the night before, etc. I'd probably find an AirBnB, try to arrange a parking deal, and take the Path train and/or Uber/Lyft it to the port. Just wondering if others have found a thrifty way to get to the port in Manhattan.

 

If you post this on the east coast departure board you will get very good information especially from the poster 138East who likely will find you a hotel stay with parking included for up to 14 days at less than $250 if not cheaper. You can also use the search feature on that board for other parking options.

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I'm considering a 10 night cruise on the NCL Gem out of Manhattan. I'd be driving up from MD. The cost of the cruise is < $700. The cost to park at the pier is $400, which is hefty when you have no one else to split it with. So, I'm looking for someplace in NJ to park, perhaps spend the night before, etc. I'd probably find an AirBnB, try to arrange a parking deal, and take the Path train and/or Uber/Lyft it to the port. Just wondering if others have found a thrifty way to get to the port in Manhattan.

 

Bus, all day.

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Drive to Brooklyn and park there. Then take the subway to Manhattan. Brooklyn has a lot of streets where you don't pay for parking and some streets never have cleaning. Meaning you can park your car on a street and never move it and it will never be towed.

 

I'm not parking my new car on the street in Brooklyn. My parents once had a car broken into while visiting family in Brooklyn back in the 1970's, and I guess I'm still scarred, LOL.

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I'm not parking my new car on the street in Brooklyn. My parents once had a car broken into while visiting family in Brooklyn back in the 1970's, and I guess I'm still scarred, LOL.

 

And what kind of car do you drive? Please be specific (license plate number would be appreciated too).

 

 

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A bus into Manhattan early on the day of the cruise might be the way to go, and then a taxi to the port. There are numerous bus companies that make the trip from Baltimore to NYC, multiple times a day. I worry that if I take Amtrak, if there's a problem on the tracks, I might get stuck.

 

The cruise is in early December, but hopefully there won't be a blizzard. Eek!

 

Trinityreservations.com - park/sleep for 12/1/17 - Ramada Plaza for hotel and 14 days parking $163 tax included. NJ Transit train from Newark Airport Station to Manhattan is $13 plus cab to the port the next morning. I am a solo traveler and I have done this package for Cape Liberty and would recommend it. Parking is gated with attendant 7x24. Location is on the north side of the airport - relatively isolated and difficult to access for random street people. Folks come and go 7x24 and it's used by airline crews.

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  • 3 weeks later...

OP here, post cruise. I ended up traveling by Greyhound bus from Baltimore to NYC on the day of the cruise. I was supposed to leave at 7:00am, but didn't leave until 7:50am. Arrived at Port Authority by 11:30am. I got to the cruise port in plenty of time, so it worked out okay. I wouldn't take Greyhound again (because they were late and didn't care, and there were too many weirdos), but I would take another bus service. I spent $40 R/T to Uber from home to Baltimore, $36 for the R/T bus ticket, $20 R/T to Uber from Port Authority to the Port. So, about $100 total. Much cheaper than driving, tolls, parking, hotel, etc.

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  • 1 month later...
OP here, post cruise. I ended up traveling by Greyhound bus from Baltimore to NYC on the day of the cruise. I was supposed to leave at 7:00am, but didn't leave until 7:50am. Arrived at Port Authority by 11:30am. I got to the cruise port in plenty of time, so it worked out okay. I wouldn't take Greyhound again (because they were late and didn't care, and there were too many weirdos), but I would take another bus service. I spent $40 R/T to Uber from home to Baltimore, $36 for the R/T bus ticket, $20 R/T to Uber from Port Authority to the Port. So, about $100 total. Much cheaper than driving, tolls, parking, hotel, etc.
So, how was the cruise?? Were you on your own? Any reason you left out of NY rather than Miami or another FLA port? Just getting into cruising and want to find the best ones! I am from MD, also.
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  • 5 months later...
So, how was the cruise?? Were you on your own? Any reason you left out of NY rather than Miami or another FLA port? Just getting into cruising and want to find the best ones! I am from MD, also.

 

Sorry, I'm just now seeing this. The cruise was GREAT. I was only on my own for about an hour, and then I met up with people from my CC roll call. There were at least 70 solos on board, because there was no single supplement. We had a solo cruiser's dinner organized for every evening, but after a while, I found a smaller group and went to dinner with them. (It took over 2 hours to have dinner when there were 50+ of us to feed). I met some great people.

 

The reason I left out of NYC is because of the itinerary and the price. I booked the cruise about a month ahead of time. I like sea days and longer cruises, so flying to Florida wasn't necessary. Now I'm trying to find another great solo cruise, preferably somewhere in Europe.

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Sorry, I'm just now seeing this. The cruise was GREAT. I was only on my own for about an hour, and then I met up with people from my CC roll call. There were at least 70 solos on board, because there was no single supplement. We had a solo cruiser's dinner organized for every evening, but after a while, I found a smaller group and went to dinner with them. (It took over 2 hours to have dinner when there were 50+ of us to feed). I met some great people.

 

The reason I left out of NYC is because of the itinerary and the price. I booked the cruise about a month ahead of time. I like sea days and longer cruises, so flying to Florida wasn't necessary. Now I'm trying to find another great solo cruise, preferably somewhere in Europe.

That all sounds perfect. I actually went on a river cruise with Viking in May on the Danube. It was really cool. I met the 4 other solos on that trip and we all hung out. I enjoyed it so much I have already booked another one for next spring!

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  • 1 month later...
Drive to Brooklyn and park there. Then take the subway to Manhattan. Brooklyn has a lot of streets where you don't pay for parking and some streets never have cleaning. Meaning you can park your car on a street and never move it and it will never be towed.

 

This from someone who lives in Brooklyn????????

 

If you were sailing on Grandeur of the Seas out of Baltimore, would you find some side street there which is never cleaned and leave your car there for a week or so?

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  • 4 weeks later...
This from someone who lives in Brooklyn????????

 

If you were sailing on Grandeur of the Seas out of Baltimore, would you find some side street there which is never cleaned and leave your car there for a week or so?

Took Amtrak from Hartford to Penn station. Nice ride!

 

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I'm not parking my new car on the street in Brooklyn. My parents once had a car broken into while visiting family in Brooklyn back in the 1970's, and I guess I'm still scarred, LOL.

I recommend you consider Albany. The cruise express busses go directly to the Manhattan ports and parking in their lot is free. Look online.

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