Cape Liberty/Bayonne 411 - New and Improved!

[megr1125]

Are there any stores in the terminal to buy wine for our cruise?

 

nothing...closest is the Wine Warehouse in the shopping center adjacent...you can not walk...it's over 2 miles...it's in the south cove plaza shopping center, next to stop & shop

[megr1125]

Do any of the regulars here have advice on a hotel near the NYC port?

 

I realize this is the NJ/Bayonne thread, but you've been my 'go-to' for advice on leaving out of Bayonne over the past few years and I know there are a lot of knowledgable posters and trustworthy advice. I thought perhaps you know NYC too being it's so close.

 

I'd like to book a hotel near the NYC port for our 2/13 cruise in case of inclement weather. If the weather doesn't call for storms, I need to be able to cancel the reservation. We're coming in from central CT and find it easiest/cheapest to drive down the morning of our cruise (as long as it isn't in the middle of a blizzard.)

 

TIA for any help

 

What is the budget?? and do you realize that if you do stay, parking is going to cost in the $50 per night ballpark???

 

you MIGHT want to look at the Hampton or Hilton Garden inn on staten island...though that might be out of the way....Hmmm....:confused::confused:

[megr1125]

What am I looking at if we use a Newark Airport Hotel vs Newark Penn Station Hotel? Looks like there is Airtran/PATH from EWR to Newark Penn Station as well...how would this fair for timing? price for transit?

 

It is an NJ Transit train...and all fares to/from EWR include a $5 PP fee to access the monorail/fare gates to get to the rail station as there is NO vehicular access to the EWR Airport Rail station...

 

I am sorry to bog you down - you are right we need Hotel first. I am just second guessing the Penn station hotel as I saw a few people comment about questionable parking security??

 

If the hotel has a parking lot under/near it is probably fine..and i think they do...

 

Originally when I searched transit from EWR to NYC - all the pages seemed to come up with a 'we don't travel there' sort of response - now I think I understand why - Newark Penn vs New York Penn and NJ transit/train/PATH etc vs NY transit/subway/etc.

 

If you were travelling 8 people with such short time would you go Penn station or airport with only 2 from the airport?

 

Thank you so much

 

not sure what you mean about 'we don't travel there..'

 

Car services will....you could also check http://www.dial7.com and http://www.carmellimo.com

[jacqserg]

Thank you so much...I am going to contact the Hotel and will be back with more questions about the trip itinerary once it is booked.

 

Thank you.

[138east]

Do any of the regulars here have advice on a hotel near the NYC port?

 

I realize this is the NJ/Bayonne thread, but you've been my 'go-to' for advice on leaving out of Bayonne over the past few years and I know there are a lot of knowledgable posters and trustworthy advice. I thought perhaps you know NYC too being it's so close.

 

I'd like to book a hotel near the NYC port for our 2/13 cruise in case of inclement weather. If the weather doesn't call for storms, I need to be able to cancel the reservation. We're coming in from central CT and find it easiest/cheapest to drive down the morning of our cruise (as long as it isn't in the middle of a blizzard.)

 

TIA for any help

 

I'd look at aa.com to see what appeals in a hotel that can be cancelled. There are a number of choices under $200. Some are special deals you have to prepay, but most of their offerings are cancellable and very price competitive.

[138east]

Thank you so much...I am going to contact the Hotel and will be back with more questions about the trip itinerary once it is booked.

 

Thank you.

 

Don't wait too long. You're dealing with Hotwire here and it could change at any moment. Be sure to book 2 rooms with 4 people each so you get the two beds.

 

What time are the folks who are driving going to arrive? Are they driving down Friday and staying over some place in the area the night before? There are usually good deals on Hotwire in the Morristown/Parsippany area.

[Mom.to.2]

What is the budget?? and do you realize that if you do stay, parking is going to cost in the $50 per night ballpark???

 

you MIGHT want to look at the Hampton or Hilton Garden inn on staten island...though that might be out of the way....Hmmm....:confused::confused:

 

I don't have a set budget. Whatever is cheapest but near the port and safe/clean. $50 to park? UGH. We're only going to keep the reservation IF there is a storm that prevents us from driving down that morning.

 

S.I. is definitely too far. Tho it would be fun to visit my old haunts. I went to college in S.I.

[SNJCruisers]

I don't have a set budget. Whatever is cheapest but near the port and safe/clean. $50 to park? UGH. We're only going to keep the reservation IF there is a storm that prevents us from driving down that morning.

 

S.I. is definitely too far. Tho it would be fun to visit my old haunts. I went to college in S.I.

If you're planning on driving down and paying for parking if there is no inclement weather, you're better off getting a hotel that has included free parking and then getting a car service to transfer you to and from the pier whether their is inclement weather or not. Otherwise you're paying at least 35/day to park at the pier and I think it might have gone up. On stay123 for your date, the Wyndham is available for 144 including tax and it includes 14 days of parking, it's another 70 + tip one way from there to the port through whichever car service the hotel has. On parksleepfly, the Radisson in Carteret is 176 inc tax and it includes 7 days of parking.

[138east]

That's also a reasonable plan. Be aware that the full selection of park/sleep hotels is not yet available for 2013. They typically don't finalize their contracts until the fall.

 

Give us more details. How many people are you? Where do you live in Central CT? How close is the train? In case of really bad weather I'd be tempted to take the train down, stay in a hotel, and take a cab to the port. My plan B for sailing from Bayonne in Feb is to take the train down to Larchmont NY, stay with my niece and take public transit to Bayonne. If truly severe weather I would suck it up, go to Newark, and stay at the airport.

 

Another option is to dump your car at Port Imperial for the week at $10/day and take the ferry across to Manhattan to stay in a hotel. What you save in parking would pay for your hotel.

[Mom.to.2]

That's also a reasonable plan. Be aware that the full selection of park/sleep hotels is not yet available for 2013. They typically don't finalize their contracts until the fall.

 

Give us more details. How many people are you? Where do you live in Central CT? How close is the train? In case of really bad weather I'd be tempted to take the train down, stay in a hotel, and take a cab to the port. My plan B for sailing from Bayonne in Feb is to take the train down to Larchmont NY, stay with my niece and take public transit to Bayonne. If truly severe weather I would suck it up, go to Newark, and stay at the airport.

 

Another option is to dump your car at Port Imperial for the week at $10/day and take the ferry across to Manhattan to stay in a hotel. What you save in parking would pay for your hotel.

 

We're definitely not staying in a hotel if the weather is drivable.

 

We're 4 people (2 are kids) coming from a suburb of Hartford. Your "plan B" made me re-think our plan to stay in Manhattan. My MIL lives near a metro north station. Should we stay with her for the night and take the train in to Grand Central? Hard to believe that's feasible the way I pack.

 

How does one (actually, 4) get to the port from Grand Central. No way we could fit all our bags and us in a taxi.

[138east]

You can book a car service. Plan B could also include cutting your luggage in half and sending stuff out to be laundered. The $35/day you save by not parking at the pier will pay for a lot of laundry.

 

I did an 11 day cruise in Feb with a 20" roller board and a backpack. When I do a 15+ day TA next year I'm taking the same luggage and sending stuff to the laundry.

[iCruise49]

Hey everyone!

 

Any issues with soot or over spray lately?

 

Thanks!

[megr1125]

Hey everyone!

 

Any issues with soot or over spray lately?

 

Thanks!

There were a couple reports of soot or maybe dust. last.week i was there.for the day...there was a ship in the drydock but no painting or sand blasting or whatever..

 

It is a toss up......good luck.....

 

 

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[CruisingChick]

My MIL lives near a metro north station. Should we stay with her for the night and take the train in to Grand Central? Hard to believe that's feasible the way I pack.

 

How does one (actually, 4) get to the port from Grand Central. No way we could fit all our bags and us in a taxi.

 

We live in CT and are on the Metro North line. We have never done it but my DH works with someone who has done this and takes the subway. Of course they are not 4 people with all that luggage.

 

There are van type taxi cabs in NYC, but not sure how you go about making sure you can get one of them.

 

Good luck.

[iCruise49]

There were a couple reports of soot or maybe dust. last.week i was there.for the day...there was a ship in the drydock but no painting or sand blasting or whatever..

 

It is a toss up......good luck.....

 

 

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Thanks megr1125!

[jacqserg]

I booked Hilton Newark Penn Station through Hilton - same as Hotwire for advanced purchase price....now to decide on itinerary. Any suggestions for a 6 hour trip to NYC?

[daju22]

We are driving to Country Inn and Suites to stay the night before our cruise.

We are driving in on route 78 from PA. Hopefully the traffic won't be bad on Saturday morning. Which roads are the easiest: route 1 and 9 to the west of the Newark airport or getting on the New Jersey Turnpike 95 south staying east of the Newark airport? We are driving in on Saturday morning.

 

To me, driving 78 to the Turnpike south looks easier. I don't know.

 

If we arrive early enough, we may go to Liberty Park to see the Statue of Liberty. Not sure if we want to park the car in the Liberty Park lot with all of our suitcases inside. Afraid it might be gone when we return. So probably will drive straight to the Country Inn and see if they have a luggage room.

 

Thank you,

Judy

[138east]

What 6 hour time frame are you looking at? Remind me - what date is this? That's not much time. Can you extend it by putting in dinner? It will be far more interesting to eat in NYC than Newark and there is absolutely nothing to do in Newark.

 

To make everyone happy I suggest you do a poll and have everyone make a wish list and try to accommodate at least one thing from everyone's list. That will make for a happier group. We did this on a two family 8 person trip and ended up at Carlsbad Caverns and 4 corners to satisfy requests. That was fine because that kept the kids happy that they had their wishes addressed.

 

Once you get a list, we can tell you what's realistic and what isn't and how to organize it.

[megr1125]

We are driving to Country Inn and Suites to stay the night before our cruise.

We are driving in on route 78 from PA. Hopefully the traffic won't be bad on Saturday morning. Which roads are the easiest: route 1 and 9 to the west of the Newark airport or getting on the New Jersey Turnpike 95 south staying east of the Newark airport? We are driving in on Saturday morning.

 

To me, driving 78 to the Turnpike south looks easier. I don't know.

 

If we arrive early enough, we may go to Liberty Park to see the Statue of Liberty. Not sure if we want to park the car in the Liberty Park lot with all of our suitcases inside. Afraid it might be gone when we return. So probably will drive straight to the Country Inn and see if they have a luggage room.

 

Thank you,

Judy

 

Turnpike.to.13A. ...easy

You do not not want to take 1&9....i drive.them often...i am used to it...and i still sometimes get in the wrong lane.

 

Follow the.jersey gardens.sign after you exit...you will see all the hotels on the left just before the mall

 

Turn left at the light...left at the next light onto glimcher realty way...the c.i. Will be right there on the right..

 

It is easy. Maybe 1 mile off the exit....

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[megr1125]

Thanks megr1125!

 

Any time...if.there was a way to know what they are doing at.the drydock it.would.be.cool.... But..it is a.totally.different entity....royal has nothing to with it nor the parking. pain in the.rear....but....the odds are very good that there will not be a problem.

 

Plus the drydock people have been good about covering damages...

 

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[jacqserg]

What 6 hour time frame are you looking at? Remind me - what date is this? That's not much time. Can you extend it by putting in dinner? It will be far more interesting to eat in NYC than Newark and there is absolutely nothing to do in Newark.

 

To make everyone happy I suggest you do a poll and have everyone make a wish list and try to accommodate at least one thing from everyone's list. That will make for a happier group. We did this on a two family 8 person trip and ended up at Carlsbad Caverns and 4 corners to satisfy requests. That was fine because that kept the kids happy that they had their wishes addressed.

 

Once you get a list, we can tell you what's realistic and what isn't and how to organize it.

 

I have put it out there to the group for requests - so far I only have WTC and SOL, Times Square - yeah we probably could do dinner in NYC.

 

We do have a guest who needs gluten free so I have been researching that as well. We are probably arriving at the hotel at 11am- then be in NYC 1230 realistically - 100 - 700. the driving group will be tired then

[daju22]

Thank you, megr1125!! This really helps. Have a great day. Copied and saved for my trip. Judy:D

 

Turnpike.to.13A. ...easy

You do not not want to take 1&9....i drive.them often...i am used to it...and i still sometimes get in the wrong lane.

 

Follow the.jersey gardens.sign after you exit...you will see all the hotels on the left just before the mall

 

Turn left at the light...left at the next light onto glimcher realty way...the c.i. Will be right there on the right..

 

It is easy. Maybe 1 mile off the exit....

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[megr1125]

Jacqs....

 

Have you thought about a HoHo bus tour? there are a few...we did grayline with some family from the UK.and they.loved it.

 

I cant post links from the phone....i can try later....or you could google.it....might have info in my blog but you would have to go back a little to.find it...

 

Once i get moving i will take a look...

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[megr1125]

Thank you, megr1125!! This really helps. Have a great day. Copied and saved for my trip. Judy:D

 

no worries.....

 

that's why we suggest the hotels off 13A...some of the others...well...you need a PhD in urban road planning stupidity to figure it out..and GPS signals often flake out up there...mine does all the time...even updated...and it is such a bleeping mess that i can't even figure out what is wrong to submit a correction

[megr1125]

OK...HoHo tour info...

 

we did this

 

the double deck bus tour

 

 

this one below was an option

http://www.citysightsny.com/

 

i would suggest that whatever you choose..IF you choose one..is to make sure they have LIVE guides as opposed to a recording..i have done some HoHos that had canned narration and it got REALLY out of sequence.....i even changed buses 3 times...finally i insisted on a refund..this was in San Francisco...