Bus from Harrisburg PA to Cape Liberty NJ

[rcrdale]

I remember seeing a post about a bus line that goes from Harrisburg PA to Cape Liberty. I have searched the threads and could not find it. Does anyone know if RCI has bus service from Harrisburg to Cape Liberty or the name of a bus company that provides transportation. My DW and I are going on Explorer of the Seas March 28th 2010 for a 13 night cruise and it would probably be cheaper to take a bus then park for 14 days. Thanks in advance for any assistance you can give me.

[checkard]

Scott and Tammy

We're from Carlisle too.

 

We took a bus a couple years ago from the Harrisburg bus terminal and we'll never do it again. They made about 10 stops and wound all around back and forth picking up people. Then we pull into a restaurant. Nobody wanted to eat since we can go to the Windjammer once onboard but the bus driver said he wasn't allowed to get us to the port before 2:30. Once we got to the port the check in line was out the door.

 

When we got back, waiting for everyone on the bus to get off the ship took forever and then the trip back home was just as bad with all the stops. I think it took us about 6 or 7 hours to get back to Harrisburg.

 

You could look for a hotel with cruise and park and stay overnight before the trip and then leave your car parked there while you cruise. If the hotel offers that service, they usually provide transportation to and from the pier.

 

Or check Amtrak and then a cab to the pier from the closest station.

 

You might find it's cheaper to just drive up and park at the pier than to pay for the hotel package or Amtrak. And the bus wasn't free, I think it was around $89 pp back when we did it.

[telecruiser]

You can take Amtrak from Harrisburg to Newark for $90pp round trip.

The taxi from Newark station to the ship was about $40 I think.

[Cruise-A-Hoy]

I seem to remember that RCCL has a transfers (bus service) from Harrisburg.

 

Check with you travel agent.

 

I use to work for a Philadelphia bank that had a computer center in Crarlisle. Made many a trip down the turnpike to Carlisle from Philadelphia

[rcrdale]

checkard, I think I might know you. Don't you work for the County? lol

[NordicPrince]

You can take Amtrak from Harrisburg to Newark for $90pp round trip.

The taxi from Newark station to the ship was about $40 I think.

 

Had time to check the Amtrak Keystone and Pennsylvanian schedules

for you. Both of these trains would get you into Newark between 4 and 6 in the afternoon (assuming there are no delays, and there are always delays). So this will not help you.

 

However you could consider taking the train into New York Penn Station the night before the cruise, stay overnight, enjoy the sights and sounds of the city, and then take a taxi to Cape Liberty the next day.

 

Hope this helps. Have a great trip.

[alphakitty]

double post...whoops!

[alphakitty]

I remember seeing a post about a bus line that goes from Harrisburg PA to Cape Liberty. I have searched the threads and could not find it. Does anyone know if RCI has bus service from Harrisburg to Cape Liberty or the name of a bus company that provides transportation. My DW and I are going on Explorer of the Seas March 28th 2010 for a 13 night cruise and it would probably be cheaper to take a bus then park for 14 days. Thanks in advance for any assistance you can give me.

 

Entertainment Tours might be bus line you were thinking of.

 

https://www.enttours.com/cruise.aspx

[djneph]

When I work at RCI we sold transfers for such a service. They offered the service in the Pennsylvania area and we had a similar service in Florida, it went from Tampa to Naples and a few places in between. I want to say it was called Cruise Connections. If using a TA have them CALL RCI otherwise just call and see if they still offer that service.

 

As others have mentioned, it does make many stops along the way picking up other guests. If you have any problems with the tranfser on the day of travel you can call RCI and they will call the company to see where the bus is. I remember calling a few times for guests who thought the bus left them, but it was just a few minutes behind schedule.

 

Its designed for folks close enough to drive (3-4 hrs), but don't like flying or do not want to drive themselves.

[crusinmama06]

It's the ENT Tours that was posted above.

 

Looking at your date - the bus departs the Greyhound terminal (4th & market street in Harrisburg) at 8:30 and it looks like it stops alot of times on its way. It's $100pp

[telecruiser]

Had time to check the Amtrak Keystone and Pennsylvanian schedules

for you. Both of these trains would get you into Newark between 4 and 6 in the afternoon (assuming there are no delays, and there are always delays). So this will not help you.

 

However you could consider taking the train into New York Penn Station the night before the cruise, stay overnight, enjoy the sights and sounds of the city, and then take a taxi to Cape Liberty the next day.

 

Hope this helps. Have a great trip.

 

What am I missing? I look at the Amtrak schedule as if booking tickets, and it shows a train departing Harrisburg about every 2 hours starting at about 7:30 AM. It's about a 3 hour ride to Newark. We used Amtrak from Philadelphia to Newark last year, leaving Philadelphia about 10:30 and it was very nice.

[checkard]

rcdale

Yes, I'm a County worker. Are you?

[NordicPrince]

What am I missing? I look at the Amtrak schedule as if booking tickets, and it shows a train departing Harrisburg about every 2 hours starting at about 7:30 AM. It's about a 3 hour ride to Newark. We used Amtrak from Philadelphia to Newark last year, leaving Philadelphia about 10:30 and it was very nice.

 

Seems as if there are 2 types of Keystone train services from

Harrisburg to Newark NJ: a 654 Keystone which does not require a Philadelphia change and a 600 Keystone which does require a change in Philadelphia onto the Northeast Corridor train.

 

Being that the Amtrak web site is not exactly user friendly I looked at

Harrisburg to Newark NJ under schedules and the 654 Keystone pops up

as the route. So I gave you the 654 Keystone schedule and not the 600 Keystone schedule. At least that's how I understand it.

 

My bad. Have been wrong before, will be wrong again, don't plan on missing the ship however.

 

Next time I'll just mind my own business.

 

Good luck on your transportation issues.

[SNeffy]

I'm not sure if you're traveling with a group but when we were sailing on the Dawn out of NYC in August, we chartered bus service from New Hurst, http://www.newhurst.com/ (they're out of Pine Grove, PA). They were terrific and reasonably priced. Hope this helps:)