New York HoHo Buses

[C at Sea]

Staying in New York for 2 nights before our Crown Princess cruise of Eastern Seaboard up to Quebec. Can anyone recommend a HoHo company in New York as we've decided this will be the best way to see as many sights as we can in such a short time!

[Loonbeam]

Where are you staying in NYC? Some have better pickup locations for specific hotels.

[C at Sea]

Staying at the Sheraton and Towers. Do not know New York at all so dont want anything too far away from there or too complicated!!

[financialgrl]

Was there a little under a year ago and we used Gray Tours (red tour buses if I remember correctly). My guess is that there's not much difference in the different companies or where they go. We were there 4 days and got 2 day passes. First day we did all the loops and stayed on bus to pass by sites and listen to the commentary the second day got off and between HoHo bus and cabs/subway I'd say I was happy with all we got to see.

[Loonbeam]

At the Sheraton you are only a few blocks from Times Square and there are a ton of options. Just walk up to the square and look for the people that are selling the bus tickets (as the previous poster noted, they are pretty much the same, pick the line where you like the look of the bus better).

 

I use Gray Line more often than not, they have a sales/pickup point right by the steps in Times Square (you will know what I mean when you see them).

 

Bear in mind from your hotel you could easily spend a day just exploring times square, 5th avenue, 30 Rock and Central Park (go to the Zoo!). Check the TKTS booth for discounted broadway tickets as well.

[caribill]

For great views (with commentary), take the three hour Circle Line boat tour that goes around Manhattan Island.

[boating girl]

For great views (with commentary), take the three hour Circle Line boat tour that goes around Manhattan Island.

 

We just took this tour last week; it was great but a little long for our tastes.

If you are short on time, try their 2 hour trip.

[janina]

Since you have a very short amount of time, I would use Marvelous Manhattan Tours. You can do a full day or 1/2 tour...which is absolutely wonderful. We got a full understanding of where everything was and what we wanted to spend more time doing on our next day. Their knowledge and inside stories are exceptional and definately better than the HO HO.

[AndyTheK]

I lived the first 50 years of my life in NY and spend a week or so there before or after cruises or other vacations when possible. When I saw the title of this thread I had to Google the word HoHo - was not used in 1990 when I moved away!

 

Ob OT - I agree fully with the Circle Line suggestion.

 

Shalom, Andy.

[caribill]

If you want a different, unusual NYC experience, try the following tour which must be booked in advance:

 

Gold Vault Tour Federal Reserve Bank of New York -

720-6130 33 Liberty Street, New York, NY 10045 between Nassau and William Streets, in downtown Manhattan

 

Resting 50 feet below sea level, on the solid bedrock of Manhattan island, the Fed’s vault contains billions of dollars worth of gold. Learn about the history of gold and find out about the unique role of the New York Fed in storing and safeguarding the precious metal. The tour lasts approximately 60 minutes. To accommodate for security screening, arrive 20 minutes before your tour. The tour is free, but space is limited. Up to 30 visitors can be accommodated on each tour. The New York Fed may close to the public at any time if heightened security is needed.

 

http://www.newyorkfed.org/aboutthefed/ny_tours.html

[travelbig]

http://www.newyorksightseeing.com/category.php?cat=NYCT

 

We have used this company twice, and have liked it. Last time we were there we got the 48 Hour HOHO and split the 3 daytime routes between 2 days and saw more of NYC than we ever thought we would. Look at their map on line and see where the men in the red vests stand selling tickets.

[madelinerose]

Staying at the Sheraton and Towers. Do not know New York at all so dont want anything too far away from there or too complicated!!

 

Hello C at Sea...It appears your cruise departs from Brooklyn, not Manhattan, correct?

 

If so, do you have transporation from the Sheraton NY Hotel and Towers in midtown Manhattan to the Red Hook Cruise Terminal in Brooklyn, NY? Does Princess provide a shuttle to Brooklyn from your hotel?

 

I agree that all of the tours mentioned would be a great way to see Manhattan. ;)

[C at Sea]

We booked our 2 night stay in New York with Princess so all transfers from airport to hotel and from hotel to docks is included. It wouldnt have been if we had arranged it ourselves and because we are newbys to New York we thought it would be less hassle!

[madelinerose]

We booked our 2 night stay in New York with Princess so all transfers from airport to hotel and from hotel to docks is included. It wouldnt have been if we had arranged it ourselves and because we are newbys to New York we thought it would be less hassle!

 

Good for you. ;)

[GTJ]

Can anyone recommend a HoHo company in New York as we've decided this will be the best way to see as many sights as we can in such a short time!

 

You really have no choice (at least with respect to guided hop-on hop-off tours) here since the last two companies to operate this service have merged. You're pretty stuck with Gray Line New York, part of the Coach USA system (and managed by ShortLine).

 

http://www.newyorksightseeing.com

 

Of course if you're willing to give up the guided service then you can buy an all-day "Fun Pass" that will let you hop-on and hop-off all local buses (as well as all subway trains) for a fraction of the Gray Line cost: $8.25 per person. But you will have to plan out your own journey if you do this.

 

http://www.mta.info

[Got2Cruise]

Sit on the top of the HoHo for the best view. If you are going to sit on the lower level, you won't be able to see as much and it is not as much fun. Usually those guys selling the tickets have a knack at spotting the tourists and try to convince them to take a tour. :D

[Cruisin Kay D]

GTJ == are you saying that the RED buses and the BLUE buses are same company now?? BLUE ones are at http://www.citysightsny.com == seems like their tours are alot less pricey than grayline's red buses.

 

Coming up about Aug 18 by train from Baltimore (hope it's not as hot as it is this week!) and staying at a soon-to-be-determined hotel in Times Square/Midtown area. May be using Priceline if I can't find a good rate some other way. Wanting to go to play "Million Dollar Quartet", and also one night go up to top of either Top of Rock or Empire State. Sat AM taking cab over to Brooklyn pier to Princess ship. It's been 19.5 years since Mike & I have been to NYC -- that was in January and on a big-deal business trip where we stayed in huge 2 bedrm suite in Marquis!! (Back in days of spending company money!!)

Edited July 8, 2010 by Cruisin Kay D

[CrusinAgain]

We took the Greyline last year and it looked like it was going to rain and of course it did. It poured all day and they will provide ponchos but the only way to see anything on either Greyline or City Sights is to ride up top. I would suggest they you do not buy the Top of the Rock or Empire State building thru them unless it is a beautiful sunny day, because they refused to refund us money when both were closed due to zero visibility. We had paid an extra $20 for Top of the Rock and Top of the Rock was not responsible for a refund and Greyline said they were not responsible even though we bought it thru them. Lesson learned. I don't know about City Sights but on Greyline each and every time you hop back on, you will hear the word tip so much it gets nauseating and that is alot of tipping they expect hopping off at stops so don't feel pressured to tip at every stop.

[publicpersona]

Has anyone done a New York City hop-on/hop-off booked through Celebrity or Royal Caribbean? They don't say which company they use, but describe it as red uptown and blue downtown loops. So that sounds like bigbustours. Confirm? I'm really trying to figure out what the loop stops are.

 

Also, it looks like the closest place to the cruise ship to hop-on/hop-of is several blocks from the pier. I don't suppose they make a swing by the piers when cruise ships are in?

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

For great views (with commentary), take the three hour Circle Line boat tour that goes around Manhattan Island.

I agree ..

[Got2Cruise]

Has anyone done a New York City hop-on/hop-off booked through Celebrity or Royal Caribbean? They don't say which company they use, but describe it as red uptown and blue downtown loops. So that sounds like bigbustours. Confirm? I'm really trying to figure out what the loop stops are.

 

 

 

Also, it looks like the closest place to the cruise ship to hop-on/hop-of is several blocks from the pier. I don't suppose they make a swing by the piers when cruise ships are in?

 

If you book thru cruise line they will either pick you up with the double decker or have a bus to drive you to the bus and then back to the ship. The cost is probably much more than doing it yourself

I