Brooklyn Red Hook Terminal- Plane, Train or Automobile?

[vjmatty]

We are sailing out of Brooklyn in January on the QV and disembarking in SF. Our return flight is to Albany, NY. The plan is to leave the car in ALB so that it will be there on our return flight. We have three options in getting from ALB to Brooklyn.... Amtrak, flying to LGA or a one-way Avis rental.

 

There is not a significant cost issue with any option when factoring in taxis and other transfers. Putting convenience over travel time, I am leaning toward the car rental, thinking we can drop our bags off at the ship before returning the car to the Avis location at Atlantic Avenue. The only glitch I can see is getting to the cruise terminal with our carry-ons after dropping off the car, since it appears to be over a mile away.

 

Granted I have not spent much time in Brooklyn over the past 30 years or so, but I don't recall the level of taxis available for hailing as there have always been on Manhattan. It also seems silly to hire a car service for such a short distance and there is no Avis shuttle to the pier.

 

Is there any benefit to flying or rail over the car rental option that I am missing, and how hard will it be to get to the pier from Atlantic Avenue?

[smeyer418]

check with the Avis location many times they will drop you off nearby and if they won't Arecibo will charge less than $10 for the ride(7187836465). NY yellow taxi's are fairly readily available at court street and atlantic ave and a refusal to take you will get a cab a big fine($200 or more and a lost half day or work)- if you file a complaint-which you can do on line and have a telephonic hearing-appearance not required. Just have directions with you but since you would have just dropped your check luggage off you should know how to get back. Its real easy and fast---atlantic avenue west after passing under the highway make a left. Make the first right(at the third light) and follow that around to Bowne street make a right into the terminal...

[vjmatty]

Thanks smeyer.....I knew I could count on a local :) This is exactly what I'd hoped to hear, so we will stick with rental plans. I hate catching cabs from NYP off the island and flying less than a 3 hour drive seemed wasteful.

[bobnatt]

Actually i would take Amtrak. The train ride to NYC is on a line that hugs the Hudson River and it is one of the most beautiful train rides in the country. From Penn station just go up the escalator and take a cab which is readily available.

 

Great way to start a cruise vacation

[vjmatty]

Actually i would take Amtrak. The train ride to NYC is on a line that hugs the Hudson River and it is one of the most beautiful train rides in the country. From Penn station just go up the escalator and take a cab which is readily available.

 

Great way to start a cruise vacation

 

It is a beautiful ride..... having lived in Poughkeepsie and Albany in my younger years I know it well, in fact we are taking my stepkids on that route in April when we fly out of EWR. The only issue with it is the ALB airport and Amtrak station are far apart, and we are sailing on a Tuesday. Traffic in the Capital District during rush hour is pretty horrific for such a small city, so I'd rather avoid that method for this trip. Plus I've found midtown cabbies to get a little difficult when it comes to interborough travel.

[cayac]

If the weather cooperates, either way would work, though I'm partial to letting Amtrak do the driving... However, if there's any chance of bad weather (as in January in Albany), I think Amtrak would be better. Can't think of any worse way to start a vacation than driving 150 miles in the snow. 8-)

[vjmatty]

:o Unfortunately, if there is snow that day I am sure we will be driving through it just in getting the car to ALB....I should have mentioned we're coming south on 87 from outside of Lake Placid.

[cayac]

So that would be a five hour drive with good weather, and an eight hour drive with bad weather? You're braver than I am! Have you considered getting to NYC the day before? Or maybe Amtrak from Westport to Albany (or Poughkeepsie or anyplace north of NYC's hotel prices) on Monday, overnight at a local hotel and take their shuttle back to Amtrak Tuesday morning to NYP and a cab to Red Hook? On the way back, you could rent a car at Albany airport and return it to Lake Placid or thereabouts? (I like to follow the strategy of planning for the worst possible conditions, making anything else a piece of cake.) It sounds like a wonderful cruise!

[Dorene1]

I am sending my daughter on a cruise and I told her to take the Metro North to Grand Central (less expensive than Amtrak). How far would the cab ride be from Grand Central to where she would pick up the Caribbean Princess?

 

Thanks

 

Dorene

[smeyer418]

I am sending my daughter on a cruise and I told her to take the Metro North to Grand Central (less expensive than Amtrak). How far would the cab ride be from Grand Central to where she would pick up the Caribbean Princess?

 

Thanks

 

Dorene

 

 

She is leaving from the Brooklyn red Hook pier its about 6 miles as the crow flies BUT make sure she has the directions with her as the cab drivers are 50/50 on whether they know where it is(or they will claim they don't). It about a 20-30 cab ride.

 

I am assuming non rush hour. The directions are the FDR Drive to the Brooklyn Bridge(no toll) take the first exit and go down to the end of fulton street(not on to the highway) make a left and Take Furman Street to Atlantic Avenue and bear right on Columbia Street. make the first right at the third light and follow that around to Bowne Street and make a right into the cruise terminal.

 

During rush hour its faster(and slightly more expensive because its longer and the toll) to take the FDR Drive to the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel. Take the exit immediately after the toll(5.50) Hamilton Avenue exit make two quick lefts(you just made a U turn) and follow the signs straight down to Van Brunt street make a left and then the first right.

 

the cruise terminal is immediately behind the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel exit in Brooklyn.

 

cabs are required to take you to Brooklyn. It will meter plus toll-if any- and a 15-20% tip....

http://www.nyc.gov/tlc

[janetz]

I am sending my daughter on a cruise and I told her to take the Metro North to Grand Central (less expensive than Amtrak). How far would the cab ride be from Grand Central to where she would pick up the Caribbean Princess?

 

Thanks

 

Dorene

 

http://nyccabfare.com/ :)

[smeyer418]

http://nyccabfare.com/ :)

I put in 11 Imlay Street Brooklyn(its where the cruise terminal entrance is). and it said $27 but it takes you a long way(queens Midtown Tunnel-toll $5.50 to the BQE west to the terminal). My directions are much shorter and the nyccabfare price doesn't mention the toll- its about 4 mile longer than my directions...