CAPE LIBERTY 411 - Version 3!

[CruisingChick]

Do NOT cut your arrival that close....depending on where you are coming from, if there is an accident on the turnpike bridge, which always seems to have construction, you are SOL.....(and the 3 times i have been there to visit ships there HAVE been fender benders or other mayhem)

 

3 PM AT THE LATEST!!!! if you are on EX, they OFTEN sail early....before 5....and i THINK that they change sailaway to 4 officially at some point due to daylight savings time....

 

We are sailing on Celebrity on 10/6 of out Cape Liberty at 4 PM and they have stated we need to be checked in 90 minutes prior to sailing. So that is 2:30 PM. That to me would mean I would have to arrive by 2 PM just to be safe.

 

For me I would never even cut it that close. I am leaving my house at 9:30 AM and we only live 58 miles from Bayonne. But with traffic it could take up to 2 hours to get there.

 

This link was posted on our Roll Call for the cruise.

 

http://www.cruiseliberty.com/passenger_update_b.htm

Edited September 19, 2012 by CruisingChick

[megr1125]

Right....i am about that far and i leave the day ahead!! :eek::rolleyes::D

 

One flat, one blown out truck tire that you run over....one of 100000 fender benders and you are SOL..even if you're not involved....

[Motorman23]

Re the parking can you still park in the overflow lot on the right before the terminal? In the past you could pay at that entrance (to the overflow lot) and pull in then walk with your luggage to the terminal without having to go all the way around to the main entrance to the parking lot (past the luggage drop off) and then work your way all the way through the lot and cross the street to enter the overflow.

 

Mike

 

Anyone got any input about this?

 

Mike

[megr1125]

Anyone got any input about this?

 

Mike

 

No clue.....that's probably why no one has answered......AFAIK you have to just follow the crowds....

[138east]

I haven't ever seen them collect money at the overflow lot entrance. I think you pay at the main lot entrance, drive through it, and cross the road to the overflow lot next to the terminal. That's what I did the several times I parked there.

[lah66]

Megr and 138East,

We are at the Holiday Inn Express in Parsippany tonight, Thanks to your advice and it is beautiful! Never have I spent $58 on such a great room! Tomorrow we will have a short drive to Cape Liberty...thank you so much for your continued great advice! Lauri

[138east]

I'm so glad you like the hotel. It's a nice suburban area that offers great hotel deals on the weekends. Thanks for the feedback. You should have a easy drive to the EX tomorrow. Say hello to Bermuda for me - I just got back last Sunday and it was great.

[Motorman23]

I haven't ever seen them collect money at the overflow lot entrance. I think you pay at the main lot entrance, drive through it, and cross the road to the overflow lot next to the terminal. That's what I did the several times I parked there.

 

Thank you, I was trying to cut some time out of the parking adventure but appreciate the update. Been a few years since I parked down there, took the bus in March so we didn't have to worry about it. :)

[Spender Nui]

I haven't ever seen them collect money at the overflow lot entrance. I think you pay at the main lot entrance, drive through it, and cross the road to the overflow lot next to the terminal. That's what I did the several times I parked there.

 

That's what I did earlier this month and returned yesterday.

[138east]

Just take a deep breath and put on your patience. There are many potential points of congestion in the Cape Liberty boarding process whether it's traffic, security lines, check in lines, or whatever. If everything goes smoothly and quickly you could end up cooling your heels in the waiting areas anyway.

[CruisingChick]

The construction project is before the Henry Hudson Parkway merge onto the GW Bridge, so you will miss it completely. If you take the I287 exit from I95 in Rye, the Merritt Parkway is one of the first exits. You do a couple of lights on the service road and then get on the Hutch.

 

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 the left lane when the road "scrunches". This leads onto the Saw Mill River Pkwy South which becomes the Henry Hudson Pkwy at the NYC line ($4 toll). Take the GW bridge exit (left exit - stay to the right on the exit ramp). On the 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.

 

Don't let your GPS take you on I95. Once you are on this route, your GPS should adjust itself, but who knows. Just follow the directions. There are no trucks from I95 until you get on the GW Bridge. You will get on at the very last bridge entrance in a dedicated lane.

 

Alternative routes - there are certainly many options for getting through NYC and I have tried them all at some time or another. The Tappan Zee/GSP route takes you miles out of the way and IMO the GSP is a more risky road traffic and accident wise. You can take the East River Drive and go around the tip of Manhattan to the Holland Tunnel. You can do as my cruise bus did last week and take the Whitestone Bridge to the LIE to the BQE to the Williamsburg Bridge past the Lower East Side, Bowery, and Chinatown to the Holland Tunnel (our driver missed the I95 turn). I've had consistent good luck getting to the GW Bridge on the route I described above. The $4 toll keeps the riffraff off this route and there is NO commercial traffic. You sneak onto the GW Bridge at the last possible moment. If you still don't want to go on the bridge, you can take the HH until it ends in midtown and continue on downtown on West St to the Holland Tunnel.

 

Thank you so much for these detailed directions. We are very familiar with 95-287-Hutch to Saw Mill but never gone as far as into the city. I agree that the TZ Bridge is out way out of the way and I don't like that bridge at all.

 

My DH just told me today that a co-worker of his just dropped her parents off at Cape Liberty but could not make the left into Port Terminal Blvd. and had to go past it make U turn and come back from the other direction. Does anyone have any information on this? She said it was blocked from her making a left.

Edited September 23, 2012 by CruisingChick

[138east]

I was just there two weeks ago after my unscheduled tour of the Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn and Manhattan on the cruise bus. I think they've changed the traffic flow and added a light. Our driver had no clue as to where he was and I told him to make the first left, which was not Port Terminal Blvd. PTB is the following left, but we didn't go that far. PTB merged with our street a little further down.

 

I should have been paying closer attention, but quite frankly I was so relieved to finally be there that I didn't register the name. I will have to change my directions so others don't get confused. If anyone know the name of this new street, please post it.

Edited September 23, 2012 by 138east

[nottooshabby]

Is 10:30am an OK time to leave Renaissance hotel by the newark airport for the cape liberty port, or way too early? We are leaving on explorer on 9/30.

 

Another question, we are planning on going to NYC and will take the Penn Station NJ train to Penn station NY. We are checking in on 9/28. Do you think we could take the hotel shuttle back to Newark airport the next day, 9/29, then take the airtrain to NJ Penn Station? Do the hotels let you use their shuttle like that?

Edited September 23, 2012 by nottooshabby

[megr1125]

Is 10:30am an OK time to leave Renaissance hotel by the newark airport for the cape liberty port, or way too early? We are leaving on explorer on 9/30.

 

Another question, we are planning on going to NYC and will take the Penn Station NJ train to Penn station NY. We are checking in on 9/28. Do you think we could take the hotel shuttle back to Newark airport the next day, 9/29, then take the airtrain to NJ Penn Station? Do the hotels let you use their shuttle like that?

 

yes that is fine...and yes...BUT the airtrain is a monorail and does not go to the NJ Penn station...you need to take the monorail to EWR Airport rail station then get NJ Transit into NYC.....if that makes sense. (some people call the railroad Airtrain but technically, at least at EWR it is the monorail around the airport);)

[138east]

You are a guest of the hotel. You can use the shuttle. The train to midtown NYC from the airport station is $12.50/pp each way. If you're going to downtown Manhattan (World Trade Center) you can take the train from the airport station to Newark Penn Station for $8.25 and Path to downtown NY for $2/pp.

[Chooz2Cruz]

megr.............Thanks again for all your great info. One last question. I booked parking at Doubletree, they just took a 1 day deposit on Paypal. Did not receive any type of confirmation. Should I have? ok............sorry, one more question......I called independent driver and booked them to the pier. He just took my name and time to p/u at doubletree--are they absolutely reliable? Don't want to be standing there w/o a ride. Again, no confirmation of any type, but he did give me his #. Any reason to worry? Thank you, again.

[megr1125]

i would call the Doubletree and ask for a confo # or an email.

 

Indep Driver is no frills so they are probably OK...i have not used them...but i think 138/Carol did....

[nottooshabby]

yes that is fine...and yes...BUT the airtrain is a monorail and does not go to the NJ Penn station...you need to take the monorail to EWR Airport rail station then get NJ Transit into NYC.....if that makes sense. (some people call the railroad Airtrain but technically, at least at EWR it is the monorail around the airport);)

 

 

Got it. THanks!

[sweet angel]

We are former North Jersey folks, but had been living in South Jersey. Last year we simply drove up and parked at the port.

 

Now we are Floridians and will need to fly into EWR the night before our 4/7/13 cruise, book a room and transfers. Am I to understand that the Hamtpon Inn and Hilton in Staten Island provide a shuttle to and from EWR AND a shuttle to the port? And they are both okay enough for a one-night stay?

 

The last couple times we flew out of EWR we did stay and park at, I think, the airport Hilton and Marriott Garden Suites? That may not be right...I don't remember.

 

I'm just trying to make this as simple as possible. Just need a restaurant...no sightseeing necessary.

 

Help!!

[njhorseman]

We are former North Jersey folks, but had been living in South Jersey. Last year we simply drove up and parked at the port.

 

Now we are Floridians and will need to fly into EWR the night before our 4/7/13 cruise, book a room and transfers. Am I to understand that the Hamtpon Inn and Hilton in Staten Island provide a shuttle to and from EWR AND a shuttle to the port? And they are both okay enough for a one-night stay?

 

The last couple times we flew out of EWR we did stay and park at, I think, the airport Hilton and Marriott Garden Suites? That may not be right...I don't remember.

 

I'm just trying to make this as simple as possible. Just need a restaurant...no sightseeing necessary.

 

Help!!

 

Yes, the Hilton Garden Inn and Hampton Inn on Staten Island provide both a complimentary shuttle between the hotels and EWR, and between the hotels and Cape Liberty. However, at the end of your cruise they will not take you from the cruise port directly to the airport, so you will have to take a taxi or the cruise port to airport shared ride shuttle if you're going directly to the airport and not staying at the hotel(s) after your cruise.

 

I haven't seen any significant negative comments about these hotels (which are adjacent to each other) posted on this board. The Hampton Inn provides a complimentary breakfast to its guests.

Edited September 26, 2012 by njhorseman

[138east]

They are both nice hotels in a wooded corporate park on Staten Island and they do provide a free airport shuttle and a free port shuttle. The Hilton Garden has a restaurant that folks seem to like. Hampton Inn offers free breakfast.

 

If you are going to EWR after your cruise, you may want to take an airport shuttle for $16-17/pp to avoid going back to Staten Island and then back to the airport.

[sweet angel]

Yes, the Hilton Garden Inn and Hampton Inn on Staten Island provide both a complimentary shuttle between the hotels and EWR, and between the hotels and Cape Liberty. However, at the end of your cruise they will not take you from the cruise port directly to the airport, so you will have to take a taxi or the cruise port to airport shared ride shuttle if you're going directly to the airport and not staying at the hotel(s) after your cruise.

 

I haven't seen any significant negative comments about these hotels (which are adjacent to each other) posted on this board. The Hampton Inn provides a complimentary breakfast to its guests.

 

They are both nice hotels in a wooded corporate park on Staten Island and they do provide a free airport shuttle and a free port shuttle. The Hilton Garden has a restaurant that folks seem to like. Hampton Inn offers free breakfast.

 

If you are going to EWR after your cruise, you may want to take an airport shuttle for $16-17/pp to avoid going back to Staten Island and then back to the airport.

 

Thank you! I assume the airport shuttle FROM the port needs to be PRE-booked?

[njhorseman]

Thank you! I assume the airport shuttle FROM the port needs to be PRE-booked?

 

No...the airport shuttle from the port is just a first come, first served service with no reservations.

[sweet angel]

No...the airport shuttle from the port is just a first come, first served service with no reservations.

 

Okey dokey...duly noted. Thank you!

[megr1125]

when you exit the terminal...turn RIGHT and walk to the end of the 'tent'...you'lll see a sign, and a dispatcher for the shuttle....IIRC they're decent sized buses...