How to get ship from port parking in NY

[jocelysue]

What would you suggest to get form the parking at the pier ($30..00) per day to the cruise terminal itself? Would it be better to drop the family at the terminal with the luggage and then go park the car, take all the family to the parking lot & schlep back to the terminal, or leave the family at the terminal and arrange to have the luggage transported to the ship?

FYI, cruise is on the Jewel on February 27 leaving from NY.. Insight & advice much appreciated. TIA.

Another off topic subject. Is there time Sunday morning to visit Central Park and get to the port on time?

[CTCruisers]

The entrance to the parking is now before the terminals. So, what we do is drive up to the parking.

 

After you pay and then stop to have your car inspected by the bomb-sniffing dogs, you can pull over and unload the car of your luggage right there where the large elevators are located (on your right) and have your family wait for you to park the car and walk back to the elevator. Then, you can all go down the elevator.

 

When you get down to the entrance to the terminal, you will need to walk out to the curbside to give your luggage to the porters (it is only a few steps from the elevator). You just keep you carry-on bags with you as you walk back inside to check in and then board the ship.

 

Or, you could just drive past the entrance to the parking and drop everyone off in front of the terminal. Then, you would need to drive away from the terminal, take your first two lefts, and then drive past the terminal and come around again to get to the entrance for the parking. You would meet up with your family as you get off the elevator after parking the car.

 

We just find parking first and then coming down the elevator together a little less hectic.

[Crusin6]

if you get to Central Park by 8 or 9am...and park in a WestSide garage saying the west 60's or 70's...then see the park..it will be cold so not sure how nice it will be but you certainly could walk around a bit....then get back in your car and drive over to the pier and park and then all of you could just roll you luggage behind you and walk right to the ship..no problem...easy terminal with elevators...and check in by noon.

 

 

I know from experience that you probably won't be able to park your car at the pier until about 10am as many of the other cars will still be parked there from the previous cruise......but a different plan could be this....

 

park at the pier about 10 to 10:30...leave your stuff in the car and then...as long as the other pax have gone and there are enough taxis available without having to wait an hour....just grab a taxi as they drop off embarking pax...and ride over to Central Park...walk around until 12 or 1 and then grab a cab back...go to your car and get your stuff and then check in...

 

either er way...you will only enjoy the park until 1pm at the latest and you may or may hot have to pay a little more for transportation depending on weather you opt for my first suggestion or my second suggestion....

 

another thought is is......on your way driving into the city...just drive through Central Park....maybe you will find street parking and you can get out...if not and you don't want to pay for a parking garage....at least you can drive through and see the sites by by.....you can't drive through the whole park but you can drive across the park...unless the drive is closed or something....others who live right there might know that.

[Turtles06]

The entrance to the parking is now before the terminals. So, what we do is drive up to the parking.

 

After you pay and then stop to have your car inspected by the bomb-sniffing dogs, you can pull over and unload the car of your luggage right there where the large elevators are located (on your right) and have your family wait for you to park the car and walk back to the elevator. Then, you can all go down the elevator.

 

When you get down to the entrance to the terminal, you will need to walk out to the curbside to give your luggage to the porters (it is only a few steps from the elevator). You just keep you carry-on bags with you as you walk back inside to check in and then board the ship.

 

Or, you could just drive past the entrance to the parking and drop everyone off in front of the terminal. Then, you would need to drive away from the terminal, take your first two lefts, and then drive past the terminal and come around again to get to the entrance for the parking. You would meet up with your family as you get off the elevator after parking the car.

 

We just find parking first and then coming down the elevator together a little less hectic.

 

As long as you are able to get your own luggage out of your car and take it down the elevator, I too think this is the best way. We did it in October; it was very easy, and I think it would have been more of a hassle to drop off the luggage first and then have to exit the terminal complex and drive back in in order to park. When you drive in (coming from the south, as you would be if you have to exit and come back in), there's a very short left hand turn arrow that you have to wait for. Depending on the traffic, you could be waiting for a good many light cycles before you can make this turn.

 

As for not being able to park too early because folks haven't driven away from the cruise before yours -- you should ask on the Ports of Call boards, but when we sailed on the Jewel in October, the parking lot wasn't even full when our ship sailed away. I think a large number of pax don't drive to this port. We parked around 10am, maybe even earlier, and the lot was virtually empty.

 

Have a great trip!!

[Chazman]

Whatever you do, DO NOT drop the family and luggage first. You will go insane watching only one car go through that ridiculously short left green arrow each cycle as you're trying to double back on the WSH to park. Adding to the stress is seeing that big beautiful ship waiting for you when you can't wait to get back to the terminal and board her. BTW, the lot is never full - don't stress about that.

[smeyer418]

Whatever you do, DO NOT drop the family and luggage first. You will go insane watching only one car go through that ridiculously short left green arrow each cycle as you're trying to double back on the WSH to park. Adding to the stress is seeing that big beautiful ship waiting for you when you can't wait to get back to the terminal and board her. BTW, the lot is never full - don't stress about that.

 

 

The faster way to go around is make the turn north on 12th avenue and stay to you right(not make the left at 54-55th street( proceed in the right hand lanes and when the highway goes up stay on the right lane that parallels the highway make the left at 59th street and another left and come down the service road on the side of the southbound highway----almost always this is faster than waiting for the turning light that only allows 4 or so cars through per light....( I do look to see how crowded the turning lane is and if there are only a few cars I have done it that way too-but then again I have driven a cab in NYC)....