Where to Stay for Cape Liberty Port

[Jimbo]

This is a fantastic deal and an excellent discovery. It's worth every penny of the extra $8 toll from NJ to NY. I'm going to drive right by there on Thursday morning, so I will pay attention to the area.

 

We need some input from the New Yorkers about getting to the Staten Island Ferry. It's nice that the hotel will take you there, but I have a feeling that their shuttle service is really limited, so it would be nice to know the alternatives. How much is parking at the SIF and how available is it during the week? What would be the cab fare from the hotel to the SIF or vice versa. How long does the journey to NY really take? It's important to advise folks that once in NY they will be at the lower tip of Manhattan and Time Square and midtown are at least another 20 minutes away by subway.

 

Carol, If you get a chance can you check out the parking situation around the hotel, does it look safe to leave your car there, fensed in lot, neighborhood etc.

 

The hotel is changing names I think around September, October, can you see if construction trucks are parked around the hotel now and if it looks like work is still being done. I would think you would see something.

 

 

If I lived closer myself I would go inside and check out what the front desk looks like. Condition of the existing hotel right now.

 

Whatever you can check out would be greatly appreciated

 

Thanks

Jimbo:)

 

Jimbo:)

[138east]

I will see what I can do. I will be spending the night in Brooklyn and driving to NJ early in the morning. I am hoping to be able to get off of route 440 and take a look.

 

Jimbo - are you the one who stayed at the Fairfield Inn using http://www.trinityreservations.com? I hate to see the folks coming from South Carolina spend big bucks to stay at the Newark Hilton, park their car at the Newark Hilton for 2 days, and then pay for 12 days parking at the port. If you've stayed at the Fairfield, could you post some comments?

[Jimbo]

I will see what I can do. I will be spending the night in Brooklyn and driving to NJ early in the morning. I am hoping to be able to get off of route 440 and take a look.

 

Jimbo - are you the one who stayed at the Fairfield Inn using http://www.trinityreservations.com? I hate to see the folks coming from South Carolina spend big bucks to stay at the Newark Hilton, park their car at the Newark Hilton for 2 days, and then pay for 12 days parking at the port. If you've stayed at the Fairfield, could you post some comments?

 

Trying to remember the hotel was easy to find as long as you follow the direction on their web site, their website showed exactly what the signs would look like, Really neat. That helped alot.

 

There are 2 hotels there side by side, the other one is the Courtyard, Marriott.

 

Both hotels are nice, there is really nothing around them though. I wouldn't have really wanted to drive around there though the roads are crazy around there....Kinda like you know you can see it but can't get there from here kinda feeling.

 

There was a a place to eat in the Courtyard which opened around 5pm for dinner.

 

We were going to just go there to eat but didn't want to waitthat long to eat after driving up that afternoon.

 

Decided to get a Take-out Delivery place, Can't remmeber the name though but it was Italian, very good reasonable prices too and large portions. Just ask at the front desk for their take-out menus.

 

Transportation to the port, we got a limo service, can't remember the name of the company now. We paid ahead of time for a roundtrip, Going to the port was fine, as far as getting picked up. WE called when we got off the sdhip, it took forever for them to finally pick us up.

 

Once the guy picked us up and we told him the name of the hotel we needed to get back to to pick up our car, He didn't speak any english at all, he was calling people on the phone, he had no idea where the hotel was, heck we were driving past the Newark Airport south. He was lost . I said turn around and go back I will take you back to our hotel since we came from this same way.

 

I wonder if he ever made it home that night.

LOL

 

Jimbo:)

[megr1125]

Neither Courtyard up there has a regular sit down restaurant anymore...basically glorified fast food...it's the new Courtyard lobby style...(which I hate)-they are trying to rip off Hyatt Place.....

 

Both the new lobbies are fairly new....

 

Sopranos is an Italian place in Elizabeth that will deliver...YUMMY!!! You pretty much are safe with any Italian up there...and some of the Chinese delivery places are ok too!

[138east]

Thanks for the feedback. I stayed at that Marriott Courtyard once and followed their exact directions and found it with no problem. GPS is totally unreliable in that area. There's not much around, but that's true of most of the airport hotels. I just hate the idea of the SC folks coming in later at night and driving through Newark to find the Hilton. It's one thing to get lost on the airport roads, but quite another to get lost in downtown Newark. As I recall there was easy access to the turnpike and if they want to go to NY, it's a short drive up to exit 15X for Secaucus Junction.

[Crzy4cruzinchic]

Hey we should be arriving early Saturday morning and just want to go in to NY for a few hours. Our cruise doesnt actually leave out until Sunday. I will definitly check into the hotel that included parking. I guess my main concern was not wanting to be stuck on a van some driver was trying to stick way to may people on to get back and forth to the port. The car service sounds great if 100 is the average price for a round trip. Just dont want to get stuck paying that for one way. Going out of Miami is sooo much easier LOL.

MEGR ... I have been hearing that on the Oasis people are not having to actually do a mustard drill but just report to say a lounge and watch a video. When you go in a few days on the Explorer will you see if they are now doing that on all of their ships?

[138east]

Check out Meg's blog for suggested car services. Be sure you tell them how many people and how much luggage. It could run you a little more than $100, but definitely not $200.

 

The best site I've found for sleep/park is http://www.trinityreservations.com. The Fairfield Inn is showing at $106 including taxes and there is also the Wyndham. Stay away from the Comfort Inn.

 

Secaucus Junction (Exit 15X) is about 8 miles up the turnpike - the turnpike splits, so be sure to follow the signs to the Lincoln Tunnel.

 

Let us know how it all works out.

[Jimbo]

Check out Meg's blog for suggested car services. Be sure you tell them how many people and how much luggage. It could run you a little more than $100, but definitely not $200.

 

The best site I've found for sleep/park is http://www.trinityreservations.com. The Fairfield Inn is showing at $106 including taxes and there is also the Wyndham. Stay away from the Comfort Inn.

 

Secaucus Junction (Exit 15X) is about 8 miles up the turnpike - the turnpike splits, so be sure to follow the signs to the Lincoln Tunnel.

 

Let us know how it all works out.

 

Here are the directions to that hotel:

http://www.marriott.com/hotelwebsites/us/e/ewrfs/ewrfs_pdf/Fairfield%20Inn%20Directions.pdf

 

Jimbo:)

[megr1125]

Hey we should be arriving early Saturday morning and just want to go in to NY for a few hours. Our cruise doesnt actually leave out until Sunday. I will definitly check into the hotel that included parking. I guess my main concern was not wanting to be stuck on a van some driver was trying to stick way to may people on to get back and forth to the port. The car service sounds great if 100 is the average price for a round trip. Just dont want to get stuck paying that for one way. Going out of Miami is sooo much easier LOL.

MEGR ... I have been hearing that on the Oasis people are not having to actually do a mustard drill but just report to say a lounge and watch a video. When you go in a few days on the Explorer will you see if they are now doing that on all of their ships?

 

AFAIK they are not.....we still had to go outside, however we didn't need our lovely orange things!! LOL.... I think that is something new they did for Behemoth OTS.....:D

[can'tcatchup]

I have been hearing that on the Oasis people are not having to actually do a mustard drill but just report to say a lounge and watch a video.

 

Having just returned from a cruise on the Oasis, I can confirm that is true. They had many locations, most of them lounges, etc. that we were to report to. There they gave some instructions about what to do in a real emergency and showed the video. Our location (which is also where we would report to in a real emergency) was printed on our ticket card.

 

A friend of mine who has sailed on several different RCCL ships told me it was similar to the procedure on their most recent cruises.

[megr1125]

well here's hoping......that would be a neat change...of course it would have been REALLY cool in JANUARY!

[could travel all the time]

Wow! I see I missed a lot of activity on the thread -

 

A couple of things -

 

I just called the Staten Island Hotel (soon to be a Crown Plaza as per the website) because there was no availability for August which I found hard to believe. Well! The front desk said that they were closing the hotel on Friday! I asked what happened to the Crown Plaza taking over and he said that there was a change of plans.

 

I know someone here booked the hotel - please check your reservations again!!

 

Also, in regards to the Hilton Inn Staten Island - very weird. I called them a while back and they said that there was indeed a shuttle. The girl just didn't have the schedule pass May. Told me to call back a month prior to my arrival. Since it is also on the website, I am thinking that it should be the case...but who knows ..:confused:

[njhorseman]

Wow! I see I missed a lot of activity on the thread -

 

A couple of things -

 

I just called the Staten Island Hotel (soon to be a Crown Plaza as per the website) because there was no availability for August which I found hard to believe. Well! The front desk said that they were closing the hotel on Friday! I asked what happened to the Crown Plaza taking over and he said that there was a change of plans.

 

I know someone here booked the hotel - please check your reservations again!!

 

Also, in regards to the Hilton Inn Staten Island - very weird. I called them a while back and they said that there was indeed a shuttle. The girl just didn't have the schedule pass May. Told me to call back a month prior to my arrival. Since it is also on the website, I am thinking that it should be the case...but who knows ..:confused:

 

Per this article, it was just sold to its creditors at a foreclosure sale:

 

http://www.silive.com/northshore/index.ssf/2010/05/staten_island_hotel_has_new_ow.html

[could travel all the time]

njhorseman - interesting stuff.

I decided to start a new thread - I think I saw someone book that hotel recently.

[subtchr]

I just posted a pictorial review of the Country Inn & Suites here, in case anyone missed it. I can highly recommend this hotel.

[could travel all the time]

I just posted a pictorial review of the Country Inn & Suites here, in case anyone missed it. I can highly recommend this hotel.

 

subtchr, thanks for posting! Didn't think much of the photos I already saw of this hotel - but thanks to your photos this hotel is worth considering. thanks

[Blondie6672]

Be sure to ask the country inn &suites for AAA or AArp discount if they apply. We are paying 184. taxes included for king room, breakfast, shuttle to and from the port and 8 nights of parking.

 

Hi Dianne, thanks for the info....exactly what we are looking for....which CI&S location is it? I would like to call and get some additional info. Thanks.

[subtchr]

Hi Dianne, thanks for the info....exactly what we are looking for....which CI&S location is it? I would like to call and get some additional info. Thanks.

 

I'm not Dianne, but I can tell you that it's THIS Country Inn & Suites, at the Newark airport. I am the one who posted the review and photos about the hotel after staying there last weekend.

 

I was with a group trip, not a cruise, but I asked about the shuttle to the port. One drawback to me about the shuttle is that it is not a hotel-owned shuttle, it's a private contractor, and they not only pick up passengers at other hotels, but they also do not leave the CI&S until between noon and one (according to the desk clerk). We hope to be having lunch in the Windjammer long before that! But if that's not an issue for you, I thought the hotel was terrific, as you can tell from my review.

 

Have fun!

 

Sue

[138east]

Country Inns offers cruise transfers, but you can book a room without the transfers. Car Service to the port is about $50. If you're flying you can get a shuttle back to the airport for $15/pp.

[trvllover]

Does anyone know of a hotel with airport to hotel shuttle/transportation, nice rooms, a pool, a bar and restaurant? Just somewhere nice to hang out for the evening, then take a cab or car service to the cruise port?

[njhorseman]

Does anyone know of a hotel with airport to hotel shuttle/transportation, nice rooms, a pool, a bar and restaurant? Just somewhere nice to hang out for the evening, then take a cab or car service to the cruise port?

 

Almost all hotels in the immediate vicinity of the airport will have a shuttle. Here's a link to the airport's Web page listing hotels in the area. You can check on Trip Advisor for ratings and comments. Unfortunately, one of the people who regularly posts here and who knows these hotels well is away right now.

 

http://www.panynj.gov/airports/ewr-hotels.html

[138east]

Yes Meg is on a B2B or is it a B2B2B on the Explorer. She is a great fan of Marriott properties. Here's her blog.

[138east]

Sorry - http://mojitomegcapeliberty.blogspot.com/

[trvllover]

the Courtyard Newark Eliazabeth. It looks like they are right next door to each other, is that right? Any opinions on which is better? Also read that Ruby Tuesday's is extremely close, like right across the street. These both look like decent hotels. Anything else close?

 

The Residence Inn states it has evening receptions and manager receptions. Are these daily?

 

Any information you can offer would be appreciated!

[138east]

Meg's the Elizabeth Courtyard expert. Unfortunately, her mom had medical issues on the B2B2B and they had to cancel the last leg. Don't know when she will be back online to answer questions.

 

Anyway, the hotels are right in the same area. Meg likes the Courtyard, but others have stayed at the Residence Inn and been happy. The reviews of Ruby Tuesday's are not good. I think IHOP is OK. There is always take out - I wouldn't have expectations of a gourmet meal that night. Jersey Gardens Mall has a food court - no one has reviewed it, but I would imagine it is usual food court fare.

 

You're sailing 9/11? What kind of prices are you talking about? I'm seeing the Newark Airport Marriott for $113 incl tax through Kayak and Orbitz for 9/10. The Newark Marriott is more upscale with a choice of dining venues and a pool. That is a reasonable price and may be more what you are looking for.