Driving to NJ

[maggie1968]

After reading many a thread :) am so confused!! Is there ANY place that is all inclusive, room, parking, and transfer to ship?????

[138east]

Yes - Country Inns in Elizabeth and Hampton Inn and Hilton Garden on Staten Island. When you do room, parking, and cruise transfer Country Inns ends up being pretty pricey - you have to call them for a rate that includes all three.

 

You're coming from Maine, so Hampton Inn and Hilton Garden are another 20+ minutes further on Staten Island.

 

Why do you have to have all three? The Newark Airport area has lots of hotels and lots of transportation that is easy to arrange yourselves. When the hotel arranges the transportation, they do it on their own schedule, not yours. I come from Mass and don't want to wait around at the end of the cruise to get back to my car and get back on the road for the long drive home.

[phoenix1181]

I have to agree with 138east here. There's nothing worse than waiting to get picked up, or for other people, when it's time to leave. (in either direction)

 

On departure day, I want to go when I'm ready & hate having no control over when we can head to the ship. When we come home, it's a long ride & back to the real world. Waiting for a ride to get to our car & handling the luggage multiple times only adds to the post cruise depression.

[trish1c]

I was curious so I looked it up. This is what the country inns web site says:

 

Sail from Newark Country Inn & Suites

 

Drop anchor for the evening at the Newark Country Inn & Suites

 

 

Country Inn & Suites Newark is located just 11 miles from Cape Liberty Cruise Port. This cruise terminal is used by Royal Caribbean International, Azamara Cruises and Celebrity Cruise Lines. Stay with us and we will arrange transportation to your cruise terminal.

 

Our Sleep & Cruise Package includes:

• Overnight cozy accommodations in one of our spacious guest rooms
  
• Two round-trip transportation vouchers to Port of Bayonne, NJ
  
• Complimentary continental breakfast buffet
  
• Complimentary high-speed Internet access
  
• Complimentary airport shuttle
  
• Eight nights of parking available for an additional $35
  

Terms and Conditions

 

• Offer subject to availability
  
• Additional restrictions may apply
  
• Contact the hotel directly for details
  

[maggie1968]

The big reason to try and do all three is to save money. We chose to book a cruise from NJ to save flight costs to FL. Considered flying out of Boston, arriving night before, that much closer to home on the way back, $200 round trip for the both of us, but concerned about flying day of cruise, and then still have transfer cost once in NJ. Perhaps best thing to do is use the package on the trip down and stay at Country Inn, then after the cruise get own transport back to hotel???? What do you think?

[138east]

I actually stayed at Country Inns last November for 2 nights. It's a nice hotel, but it's not special enough to pay the rates they charge for a cruise package. The cruise package has been running $214 plus $43 tax for a total of $257. Add $35 for 8 days parking or $70 for 12 days parking and you are paying $292 to $327.

 

Compare this to a park/sleep through trinityreservations.com or stay123.com. Stay123 often offers Country Inns for $138 tax included with 14 days parking. These sites offer other hotels such as the Fairfield Inn, Springhill Suites, Wyndham Gardens and Hampton Inn with 14 days parking in the $120-$140 range. You can arrange your own transportation through Independent Driver for $40 each way for up to 4 people and you get to pick the shuttle times. I did this last year and stayed at the Fairfield Inn.

 

Country Inns and the Fairfield were very similar. Free breakfast but no restaurant. Country Inns is located next to the Jersey Gardens Mall, so there is outlet shopping, movies, and two restaurants. The Fairfield Inn is next door to a Courtyard which has a restaurant. I preferred the Fairfield because they had a spacious lobby area to hang out with other folks, but others prefer the hotels near Jersey Gardens (no appeal for me).

[138east]

What date are you sailing? Seriously, try to get over the package issue. It's not cost effective. Pick up the phone and arrange your own transportation - if there's one thing Newark Airport does have, it's lots of hotels and transportation.

[maggie1968]

Thank you for your quick response. Will plan on just spending the money for transport :). Fairfield Inn. And we are leaving on the Explorer Dec 1st

[138east]

That sounds like a plan. Have you joined the roll call for your cruise? You may be able to hook up with others looking for the same thing. Last Feb I got a group of 7 people together and we all left the Fairfield at 10 am and paid $10/pp + tip. Coming back we all arranged for an early disembarkation time and were picked up at 9:15. I was on the road by 9:45. It wasn't fancy transportation (van to the port, small shuttle bus back) but it worked. It was fun to meet fellow cruisers before even getting on the ship. Many of us did private excursions in Samana and St. Kitts together.

 

Do you have the cars only directions through NY? This is important - you don't want to take I95 through NY. Also, you need to print out the directions to the Fairfield and follow them exactly. The Fairfield, Courtyard, and Springhill Suites are all together with one entrance. To get to the Fairfield you go all the way to the back of the hotels and swing around to the Fairfield - I didn't manage to see that and ended up going up a one way road the wrong way!

 

There's no food at the "Inn" so you have to eat next door, order take out, or drive into Newark. The hotel will help you with this.

[maggie1968]

OK.....$133 gets me a room at Fairfield, 618-50 Route 1&9 south. This the correct place, easy to get on the road for the long trip home???

[138east]

That is the correct address. It's easy to get back on the turnpike, but getting off you need the printed directions so you pick the correct road. The hotels in this area are the closest Newark hotels to the port.

 

Do you have the cars only directions for driving through NYC? Where are you coming from in Maine?

[maggie1968]

Have those. Coming from Central Maine, just outside of Waterville

[138east]

That's a long drive. But the Explorer is worth it.

[maggie1968]

Glad to hear that!!! I have cruised before, last cruise in 2006.....a few days before we got off the ship(Legend-CC) my then husband told me he was no longer in love with me, LOL...too late for my own room:). This time will be much better, got married in July and my husband has never cruised before, I am so excited to see his AWWWW with the ship. Am guessing about 7hrs to get there??? Thank you for all your help!

[138east]

Yes - I would guess about 7 hours. I don't know what time you are leaving, but I like to stop at Rein's Delicatessen at exit 65 on I84 in Vernon CT just east of Hartford. You come off the exit, make a right and go up to the next light and make a left at the Comfort Inn. Rein's is in the strip mall to the right - not easily visible from the road.

[boo214]

Have those. Coming from Central Maine, just outside of Waterville

not sure if you have them or not since the heading of your post says "I don't" so here goes.

take I-95 south to I-495 south (you will pick this up just south of the mass. border), to I-90 (mass. tpke) west to I-84 west to I-91 south to exit 17 south (w. cross pkwy, rte 15, aka the merritt pkwy). just south of the new york border the pkwy will change names and you will be on the hutchinson river pkwy south. follow to exit 15, exit is on left fork, (cross county pkwy, g.w. bridge). stay left and follow to the end to saw mill pkwy south. follow to george washington bridge (either level) and follow signs to new jersey turnpike south. from here you might want to follow the hotels directions, but for me the easiest way to go would be to get off at exit 15E (Newark, Jersey city) and follow the signs for US (truck) rte 1 & 9 south and this should take you right to the hotel. the next exit south is kind of a mess to get to US rte 1 & 9 south. have a great trip. should take approx. 7 hours.

[maggie1968]

Boo and 138East!!

[dmdicato]

Did you try the Best Western at the Newark airport? They have a park/cruise package that's a bit less expensive than County Inn.

[138east]

Please read the posts on this thread before you book the Best Western - http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1160277&page=43

[megr1125]

Did you try the Best Western at the Newark airport? They have a park/cruise package that's a bit less expensive than County Inn.

 

NO!!!!!:eek:

 

NOT nice....and the Wyndham isn't MUCH better...BUT that one is being renovated....i did take a tour......i MIGHT suggest it once they are done tearing it apart.......the WYndham was clean at least..>BUT there is nothing around and it was a MAJOR pain to get to...PLUS the parking lot, while decent size, is laid out in a way that makes it difficult to drive...can't explain it, but when there are a lot of cars and an airport shuttle or 2, you can forget about moving....

 

https://picasaweb.google.com/111807794425429187458/WyndhamGardenNewarkAirportPhotos

 

 

i would take one of carol's recommendations and check park/sleep rates at stay123 or trinity resrevations....

[zach&camsmom]

Just wanted to jump in here and ask boo214 and 138east if these directions looked good. Seems like what boo214 said. Didn't want to start a new thread. Thanks. I live in Northeast CT and am staying at the Country Inn and Suites.

 

Turn left onto I 395 SB Norwich

96.0 mi

Keep left at I 95 SB

8.1 mi

Exit right at 38 Merritt Parkway

1.0 mi

Keep left at Merritt Parkway N.y City

0.9 mi

Keep left at Merritt Parkway N Y City

49.1 mi

Keep left at Cross County Pkwy George Washington Br

4.7 mi

Keep left at Saw Mill River Pkwy S

0.2 mi

Keep left at Saw Mill River Pkwy S

2.1 mi

Exit right at Henry Hudson Pkwy S

0.5 mi

Keep left at Henry Hudson Pkwy S

5.0 mi

Exit left at 14-15 Riverside Dr

0.1 mi

Keep right onto Riverside Dr S Riverside Dr G W Bridge

0.2 mi

Continue onto I 95 SB/US 1 SB/US 9 SB G W Bridge

0.3 mi

Keep right onto I 95 SB/US 1 SB/US 9 SB

2.0 mi

Keep right onto I 95 SB

0.2 mi

Keep right onto I 95 SB Hackensack

2.5 mi

Bear right at I 95 SB/US 46 Newark

0.9 mi

Keep left at New Jersey Tpke S New Jersey Tpke S

1.5 mi

Keep right onto I 95 SB Lincoln Tunnel

10.5 mi

Keep left at I 95 SB

4.6 mi

Exit right at 13A Elizabeth Seaport

0.5 mi

Exit right at Elizabeth Seaport

0.0 mi

Keep right onto North Ave E

0.1 mi

Keep left at North Ave E Ikea Drive North Ave E Elizabeth Seaport

0.7 mi

Turn right onto Kapkowski Rd

0.3 mi

Turn right onto Glimcher Realty Way

0.1 mi

Arrive Friday at 100 Glimcher Realty Way, Elizabeth NJ

[138east]

Quite frankly I can't begin to understand these directions. Where did you get them? They are very choppy and don't always reflect the sign choices you are presented with.

[zach&camsmom]

I got them from the tomtom gps website. This is the gps that we have.

[138east]

Here's another version that will give you lane suggestions and exit numbers rather than miles. These are the directions to the port. Instead of getting off at exit 14-14A-14B-14C you would continue on to the next exit 13A for the hotel.

 

Take I95 to Milford CT and cut over to the Merritt Parkway at exit 38. Then do the following:

 

The Merritt Parkway becomes the Hutchinson River Pkwy at the NY/CT line. From the Hutch take exit 15 in New Rochelle to get on the Cross County Pkwy. Stay in the middle left lane, which will become left lane when the road "scrunches". This leads onto the Saw Mill River Pkwy South which becomes the Henry Hudson Pkwy at NYC line ($4 toll). Take the GW bridge (left side 2 lane exit - get in the right lane of the 2 lane exit). On the GW Bridge get in the middle left lane to get on I80 west to the NJ Turnpike. Follow the first set of signs to the Lincoln Tunnel (this puts you on the eastern turnpike spur), but don't get off at the real Lincoln Tunnel exit 3 miles later. Stay on the turnpike and follow the signs to exit 14a in Bayonne. Go directly across the toll plaza and take the up ramp that curves left. Stay to the right and bear right at every opportunity until you reach the traffic light at route 440. Make a left, stay left, and make the first left turn onto Port Terminal Blvd.

Coming back you follow the directions in reverse. On the GW Bridge you get in the far right lane if you're on the upper bridge and the far left lane on the lower bridge. The Henry Hudson Parkway is the very first exit at the end of the bridge. The Cross County Parkway is exit 4 and it can sneak up on you. On the Cross County get in the left lane to take the Hutch north.

[megr1125]

Alternately when you get off at 13A just follow the signs to Jersey Gardens .... you'll then make a LEFT on Kapkowski and LEFT on Glimcher...you'll see the hotels as you go up a hill before you get to the light for Kapkowski and you'll see the mall across the street