Calling all Newyorkers

[delboy1145]

My wife and I are visiting NY,March 15th for 5days and then we are cruising on the E0S. I have a few questions for anyone who has the time.

We are staying at the Westin Times Square and are flying into JFK.

whats the best way to get to the hotel, we thought yellow cab

1/ How much to time square

2/how much from time square to port Bayonne, and what time should we set off

3/How much from Bayonne to JFK or should we get the RCI shuttle bus.

4/ We will be in town for St Paddy's day, where's the best place to catch the parade and time to get there

5/And lastly the 5million dollar question what is the weather liable to be, based on resent years.

Thank you in advance from an excited Brit.

Dave

[LovesCruising]

Sorry I can't help you with any of your NY questions as Im from Jersey but sailed Explorer 2x last year so if you have any ship questions may be able to help. Enjoy your trip in NY and your cruise.

[SnowshoeCat]

I can't help you with taxi fares because I usually take public transportation. Do you already have your tickets to JFK? Any chance of flying into Newark (EWR) instead? The taxi from Bayonne to JFK will probably cost a fortune. Distance, tolls (river crossings), interstate licensing (if that's still an issue).

 

Weather can go either way in March. We left NY Harbor in a really bad storm in mid march, but it can also be nice. It's really when the season is changing. I'd say be prepared for anything. But hey, you're a Brit! You know all about changeable weather :D

 

Gosh, I'm not really being to helpful, am I? I find other people's excitement contagious, and I just want to wish you a good trip!

[delboy1145]

I can't help you with taxi fares because I usually take public transportation. Do you already have your tickets to JFK? Any chance of flying into Newark (EWR) instead? The taxi from Bayonne to JFK will probably cost a fortune. Distance, tolls (river crossings), interstate licensing (if that's still an issue).

 

Weather can go either way in March. We left NY Harbor in a really bad storm in mid march, but it can also be nice. It's really when the season is changing. I'd say be prepared for anything. But hey, you're a Brit! You know all about changeable weather :D

 

Gosh, I'm not really being to helpful, am I? I find other people's excitement contagious, and I just want to wish you a good trip!

Thanks for taking the time to reply. We already have our flights and hotel confirmed but we got a good deal so if its more expensive to get to and from we will still break even.

Also thanks Snowcat we've sailed her once and navigator and vouger in the past love this class of ship.

Dave

[baggal]

Go over to the ports of call section on Cruise Critic. The information you need about the best transportation from JFK into NYC and NYC to Bayonne will probably be there. As well as your return to JFK from Bayonne.

 

As for the weather in NYC in mid-March: anything can happen. We have had some of our most notable blizzards and snow-storms in mid-March. Or, it can be sunny and warm in the high 60's. More than likely you'll need to be prepared for layering and include a raincoat and umbrella.

 

I'll let someone else who has been to the St. Patrick's Day parade answer that question.

[yogimax]

JFK to Times Square by cab is a flat rate of $45 plus tolls and tip.

 

I would check shuttle services to Bayonne and from Bayonne to JFK. A cab from Bayonne would be enormously expensive.

 

As for weather, who knows? It could be 15 degrees or 50 degrees. It could be sunny or snowy. Totally unpredictable.

 

How much does RCL charge for the Bayonne-JFK transfer?

[windjamming]

My wife and I are visiting NY,March 15th for 5days and then we are cruising on the E0S. I have a few questions for anyone who has the time.

We are staying at the Westin Times Square and are flying into JFK.

whats the best way to get to the hotel, we thought yellow cab

1/ How much to time square

 

It is a fixed rate of $45 plus tolls and a .50 surcharge from JFK to Manhattan.

 

2/how much from time square to port Bayonne, and what time should we set off

 

By taxi the meter will be upwards of $60-$75 plus tolls both ways because NYC taxis cannot pick up fares in New Jersey. Plus, some taxis will balk at taking fares to NJ. Best to book a car service. My last ride from Manhattan to Newark (approx similar distance to your ride) cost me $85. I'd give the ride at least an hour and a half. Getting from Times Square to the tunnel will take you a while. Maybe leave at 9?

 

3/How much from Bayonne to JFK or should we get the RCI shuttle bus.

 

My guess is that will run you $100+ for a car service. Depending on your party size it may or may not be more economical to take the transfer.

 

4/ We will be in town for St Paddy's day, where's the best place to catch the parade and time to get there

 

Early! 10ish is good. I personally love 57th Street and 5th because it isnt too crowded, but ask around.

 

5/And lastly the 5million dollar question what is the weather liable to be, based on resent years.

 

Could be anything. I remember parades in the low 70s as well as wearing hats and gloves! Dress in layers. Having a pint (or two) helps. :)

 

Thank you in advance from an excited Brit.

 

Enjoy your cruise!

Dave

 

Answers inline!

[CruisinGerman]

We land from Europe and take a taxi to Manhattan. Flat fare of $45 plus tolls and tip. Also the taxi queue usually has a great variety of taxi sizes, including very large taxis and minivans so that even if you land with a lot of luggage, it is not a problem.

 

We like staying in Times Square before an EOS cruise because it is quite easy to get to Bayonne from Times Square -- the Lincoln tunnel is practically right there.

 

We usually use one of the limousine services -- a large town car or SUV from Times Square to the pier in Bayonne usually costs us about $110.

 

Transportation from Bayonne to JFK might be more expensive. We have always stayed in Manhattan a few days after the cruise, so I can't help you with this.

 

As far as the St. Patrick's Day parade, sometimes these events are viewed better on television than in person. Be sure to read the official parade website about access points, times to arrive, etc. The New York City Police Department, in their effort to protect the city against terrorism, sometimes makes it quite difficult to view any event of this type.

 

We tried to go to the Halloween Parade in Chelsea on October 31, 2011. The police had all of the streets and avenues closed off, and you couldn't even visit restaurants and other merchants in that neighborhood.

 

Same thing happens with NYE in Times Square. You have to get there between 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. and then you are locked in until midnight and you can't even go to the bathroom ......

 

So if you want to go to the parade, make sure you research the logistics very carefully.

 

Kind regards,

 

Gunther and Uta

[GXmanDC]

The taxi from JFK will be a flat $45 plus tolls and tip. Here is a link to the taxicab commission website: http://www.nyc.gov/html/tlc/html/passenger/taxicab_rate.shtml

 

I haven't traveled from the city to Bayonne, but the website says the rate is agreed upon by the passenger and the driver ahead of time. Since you are staying at the Westin, they have a great concierge. I would ask them their thoughts when you arrive. Or email the hotel ahead of time. (infor@westinny.com) I recently sent a list of questions to the concierge at a Westin in Ft. Lauderdale and they responded with helpful information.

 

I have not seen the parade in years, but here is a link to their website http://nyc-st-patrick-day-parade.org/paraderoute.aspx

 

For the return to JFK the RCI transfer might be the best option.

 

Enjoy your stay in NY and your cruise.

[njhorseman]

As others have noted, taxi fare from JFK to anywhere in Manhattan is $45.50 plus tolls and tip.

 

Do not attempt to take a taxi from Manhattan to Cape Liberty cruise terminal in Bayonne, or from Cape Liberty back to JFK. Taxi drivers are not required to make these interstate (NY to NJ and reverse) trips (except from trips from NY City to EWR) and even if they agree to make the trip, the fare isn't regulated...they can try to squeeze as much money out of you as they think they can get you to agree to.

 

The better option is to book a car service in advance. One of best known car services, which usually gets pretty good reviews, is Dial 7, http://www.dial7.com .

 

Book the car service yourself, not through the hotel concierge. Typically the hotel will be getting a kick back from the car service for the referral, meaning you will pay a higher fare than if you booked directly.

 

I would estimate car service fare from your hotel in midtown Manhattan to Cape Liberty to be in the $60-75 range, plus tolls and tip. From Cape Liberty to JFK is probably about $100-125 plus tolls and tip for a sedan. Larger or fancier vehicles will cost more.

[delboy1145]

Thanks for the advice very helpful

DAVE

[nybumpkin]

I marched in the parade four years. In my experience, the largest crowds were around St. Patrick's Cathedral, roughly between 48th Street through the mid-50's. The parade website recommends the Metropolitan Museum of Art as a good site, and I agree (although that's exactly the spot where a drunk guy dashed off the museum steps into our ranks and kissed me.:p)

 

As for temperatures - two years it was absolutely freezing. We started the parade on 47th Street between 5th and 6th Avenues, which you will see is the Diamond District. One of the shopkeepers was kind enough to invite some of us in to warm up. He borrowed my clarinet (I was marching with a Catholic high school band) and proceeded to serenade us with a wonderful rendition of "Hava Nagila.":cool: The other two years, it was pretty warm. Oh yes - the last year, the guy in the band that I was seeing asked me to "go steady" after the parade when we were at 3rd Avenue and 80th Street, wher our bus was parked. He's my DH today.:)