Bayonne - MetLife combo....

[Cotswold Eagle]

Here's a slightly out of the ordinary scenario for the North Eastern experts :)

 

I like to combine my love of cruising with my love of NFL on a late fall/early winter trip across the pond. This year I am looking at an Explorer 10 night out of Bayonne, departing on Monday 3rd December (and returning on Thursday 13th, when the Eagles are at the Linc for Thursday Night Football)

 

So I'd like to take in the Jets home game at MetLife Stadium on Sunday before leaving from Bayonne on the Monday. I'd fly in on Friday or Saturday from the UK. I'm looking for suggestions on where to stay and what transport options I have to take in the game and get to the cruise - if I hire a car what are the options for turning it in on the day of the cruise, and what are public transport options (I believe NJ rail goes to the MetLife complex)?

 

For context, I am very familiar with the States generally and am comfortable either driving or on public transport. I cruised out of Bayonne some years ago, but was driven there by a friend, so I don't really know my options for getting there. And I understand and accept the weather risks in this part of the world in December.... Thanks!

[goose30]

Assuming that you are flying into Newark Liberty. I would get a hotel at the airport and rent a car at the airport. About half hour drive North on the NJ Turnpike to the stadium and back to the airport (maybe a little longer back due to stadium traffic) turn the car in get a good nights sleep take a cab to the cruise terminal in the AM.

 

Enjoy your stay.

[boo214]

I would stay in secaucus, NJ. this puts you right near the stadium. try embassy suites. you may be able to catch a bus to the stadium from there, so you may not need to rent a car. and from there just take car service to the port.

[Post Captain]

Cotswold Eagle ~

 

The fact that you want to go to a game at MetLife Stadium need not limit your hotel choices. You can get to Metlife Stadium (aka Meadowlands Sports Complex) very easily by train from Penn Station in midtown Manhattan (change at the first stop, Secaucus Junction) or (even more easily) directly from Hoboken in New Jersey:

 

http://www.njtransit.com/sf/sf_servlet.srv?hdnPageAction=TripPlannerMdwIzodTo

 

If you are flying into EWR rather than JFK, you might want to take a look at the following hotels in Hoboken and Jersey City. All of these are highly rated, and convenient for travel from EWR, to the Meadowlands (by train), and to Cape Liberty, Bayonne (by car service or light rail):

 

W Hotel in Hoboken

The Westin Jersey City Newport

Hyatt Regency on the Hudson Jersey City

 

(An internet search on these will bring up lots of information, reviews, etc.)

 

The W and the Hyatt Regency are both right on the Hudson River, directly across from Manhattan, and have spectacular views; the Westin is set back slightly from the river but may also have great views, depending on your room location.

 

The W is less that a five-minute walk from Hoboken Terminal, where you can get a direct train to the Meadowlands Sports Complex. The Westin and the Hyatt Regency are a ten-minute ride from Hoboken Terminal via NJ Transit Light Rail or PATH train.

 

Cheers!

[138east]

Also the Sheraton Lincoln Harbor, which is on the light rail line.

 

One of these 4 hotels is currently on Hotwire for Dec 1 & 2 for $150. Chances are it is the Sheraton, but it could also be one of the other three hotels mentioned.

[Cotswold Eagle]

Hi, all. Thanks for all the useful info and opinions, especially the hotels near the train/light rail, which I will study and digest :) I'll also be checking out my roll call (assuming I do actually book the cruise), as I have found people willing to share rides etc in the past - I travel solo, so cabs etc can get pricey!

 

A couple of things just now:

 

- am I correct in understanding that there is no car rental drop off with a shuttle to the port (hence the suggestion of dropping at EWR)?

- is the public transport option to the port the light rail to 34th Street in Bayonne and a short cab ride from there?

- I didn't mention it, but on return I will probably need to pick up a rental car - best option is to get the shuttle from the port to EWR, and pick up a car there?

 

Thanks again for all your help.

[138east]

Hi, all. Thanks for all the useful info and opinions, especially the hotels near the train/light rail, which I will study and digest :) I'll also be checking out my roll call (assuming I do actually book the cruise), as I have found people willing to share rides etc in the past - I travel solo, so cabs etc can get pricey!

 

A couple of things just now:

 

- am I correct in understanding that there is no car rental drop off with a shuttle to the port (hence the suggestion of dropping at EWR)? No car rental drop off with shuttle at the port.

- is the public transport option to the port the light rail to 34th Street in Bayonne and a short cab ride from there? Yes. I have done this trip with luggage as part of a more extended trip from Larchmont NY that involved train to Grand Central Station in NYC, NY subway to the Path subway, Path to Hoboken, light rail to Bayonne, and cab to the port (some people will do anything so as not to pay $200+ to park for a longer cruise!). The Path and light rail piece of the trip was very easy. The only problem I can envision for you is calling the cab company when you get to Bayonne if you don't have a US cell phone. There is supposed to be a pay phone at the 34th St. Station. The light rail is $2.10 and the cab is about $10.

- I didn't mention it, but on return I will probably need to pick up a rental car - best option is to get the shuttle from the port to EWR, and pick up a car there? Yes - the shuttle back to the airport is $17.

 

Thanks again for all your help.

 

I am now a solo traveler out of Bayonne. I cruised with my mom before she passed away and we always drove to Bayonne, but now I cruise on my own. I've parked at the port, done park/sleeps with car service to the port, and public transit to the port. Now I take the cruise bus from the Boston area directly to the port.

 

If you can't arrange a shared ride to the port, you are going to have to spend $50-60 at some point on a cab - either from your airport hotel to the port or from the airport to a hotel away from the port. If you can get one of the 4* hotels in the Jersey City, Hoboken, or Weehawken area, you will have access to the light rail, so you won't have to pay a big cab fare to the port. This makes these hotels competitive with any Newark airport hotel - they are also much nicer and in much better urban areas.

 

I don't know what kind of cabin you book, but my advice would be to get as close to the aft elevators as possible. One thing I like about the EX is that if you are doing an inside cabin, all the insides are on decks 6-10 and they are all the same except for the deck and the number of people they sleep. The OV's are all buried on decks 2-3 - not the best location. My favorite is deck 7 because of the Library area and the central location.

[Cotswold Eagle]

Also the Sheraton Lincoln Harbor, which is on the light rail line.

 

One of these 4 hotels is currently on Hotwire for Dec 1 & 2 for $150. Chances are it is the Sheraton, but it could also be one of the other three hotels mentioned.

 

Thanks for your most recent post, as well, but just going back to this, would the search be for 4*s in Hoboken (which on Hotwire seems to come back as Hoboken - Jersey City - North Bergen)? I see a very similar rate (in GBP), which sounds like a great deal - pity I'm not in a position to book just yet :)

 

By the way, I found this map, which really helps put it all in context, so thanks to Post Captain for the link to the NJ Transit site:

http://www.njtransit.com/pdf/LightRail/sf_lr_hblr_map.pdf

[138east]

It is a good deal. On Hotwire the 4* hotels in Jersey City/Hoboken/North Bergen are:

 

1) Sheraton Lincoln Towers, Weekhawken, NJ

2) Westin, Jersey City, NJ

3) Hyatt, Jersey City, NJ

4) "W" Hotel, Hoboken

 

All of these hotels are along the Hudson River with spectacular views from the property (not necessarily your room) of Manhattan. They all have access to the light rail.

 

I don't see this offering disappearing quickly at this time of year - Dec is a long way off and the dates are for the weekend after Thanksgiving.

 

If this is not working out, on aa.com I'm seeing the Courtyard in Jersey City (close to the Westin) for $174 and Candlewood Suites in Jersey City (between the Westin and Hyatt - kitchenettes) for $180 for your dates.