Which ship will replace celebrity summit in NJ

[miched]

I really like it disabling out of NJ. Traffic isn't bad and the parking resonable.

I can put up with the shuttle.

[celebrity]

Hopefully Celebrity will remove their ships from NJ completely. That place is a dump. We sailed out of there last year on the Summit and it was such a disappointment. Why they can't put their ships in Manhattan is beyond me.

 

 

 

 

Michael

 

Don't count on Celebrity pulling out of NJ.

According to my TA, those cruises are the most profitable for Celebrity and RCCL.

Keep in mind that it attracts cruisers from the the tri-state area which is the most populated area of the U.S.

Flying into Newark is often more affordable than JFK or Laguardia. In addition, the parking is a lot more affordable than Manhattan.

Don't get me wrong, nothing beats sailing out of NY but as someone that lives in NY and have done both numerous times, I would still choose Bayonne as my embarkation point.

Personally, I don't care what the terminal looks like, I use it as my spring board to sail the high seas.

[celebrity]

Thanks Don. I'm wondering how easy/hard it is to cross 12th Ave., especially with luggage? When we dropped them off, you would have thought they were going for 2 weeks or more, they had so much luggage, & there were only 2 of them!:eek:

 

We have had limos request that we cross the street at the end of the cruise when they picked us up. Not fun, but we lived to tell the tale. :)

[6502programmer]

We sailed out of Bayonne on the Silhouette.. It was not an entirely pleasant experience with the terminal and the pier being separated by a shuttle. We have sailed from Red Hook, Miami, Fort Lauderdale (the one built for Oasis), Vancouver, and Seattle. Bayonne is easily my least favorite, and that's even compared to the US Direct back door at Vancouver. Nothing against the state--It's a working dock and while it accommodates passengers, it wasn't built with them in mind.

[kathynorth]

Hopefully Celebrity will remove their ships from NJ completely. That place is a dump. We sailed out of there last year on the Summit and it was such a disappointment. Why they can't put their ships in Manhattan is beyond me.

 

 

 

 

Michael

 

We actually enjoyed sailing out of Bayonne. On one trip we arrived in the early morning and visited Liberty State Park on the NJ side. The next time we visited Battery Park on the NY side before heading over to NJ. We also think it's much easier to park and then to retrieve our car before picking up our luggage than what we've experienced at other ports. We once took a cruise out of Manhattan that departed after dark and NY at night was beautiful. However, dealing with all that traffic and parking before and after a relaxing cruise is not our preference.

[dkjretired]

Sailed the Silhouette out of Bayonne last February. That sail-away was wonderful! We sailed past Lady Liberty, we sailed under the Veranzanno Narrows Bridge, we sailed past the Manhattan skyline at sunset. It was MAGNIFICENT!

 

I have sailed out of both and prefer Bayonne because daughter lives a half hour away. With that being said the sailaway out of Manhattan is hands down better than Bayonne. You go by most of Manhattan island almost within throwing distance and much closer to the Statue and Ellis Island. You also go very close to Ground zero but my favorite is going under the bridge.

 

I saw a TV program on Queen Mary during an entire transatlantic. They were supposed to leave NYC at normal time in the afternoon but had a medical emergency. High tide was in later in the evening and they were sweating it going under the bridge.

[CPT Trips]

Hmmmm . . . Shuttle from waiting area to the ship or cross 12th on foot? To bad Manhatten doesn't offer a shuttle!

 

Only problem with Bayonne is you don't get to see the Hoboken, Jersey City and Ellis Island . . . All the great Jersey sights. ;)

[dkjretired]

Hmmmm . . . Shuttle from waiting area to the ship or cross 12th on foot? To bad Manhatten doesn't offer a shuttle!

 

Only problem with Bayonne is you don't get to see the Hoboken, Jersey City and Ellis Island . . . All the great Jersey sights. ;)

 

Don't forget the other Jersey site, the Statue of Liberty...

[richsea]

Don't forget the other Jersey site, the Statue of Liberty...

 

Spoken like a true Jerseyite :D.....but it's called NEW YORK Harbor!

[alliebrandy]

Hopefully Celebrity will remove their ships from NJ completely. That place is a dump. We sailed out of there last year on the Summit and it was such a disappointment. Why they can't put their ships in Manhattan is beyond me.

 

 

 

 

Michael

 

 

You are entitled to your opinion. Its a shame that you do feel that way. Having just sailed from there this past May, I can agree that it is not the most eye appealing site, but it is indeed very well organized and run.

 

We had no issues what-so-ever getting from our car, thru check in, to the bus and on-board the ship. Took maybe 15-20 mins. maximum and that was with getting wheel chair service also.

 

Same held true for getting office the ship, bus ride, getting luggage, and going thru customs. Not even 20 mins. It took longer for our car service to arrive than it did for us to disembark.

 

Having sailed out of Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, and Puerto Rico, Bayoone was "Wonderful" and I would sail from her again in a heart beat.

 

Remember, looks aren't everything great - I would much rather have simplicity and efficiency any time.

[dkjretired]

Another point that helps at Bayonne is that you are the only ship there. Other places can get really crowded from the airport right to the pier and back the same way.

[cherylroslyn]

wow...so angry.....please dont visit our state again if its such a "dump".

I do two repo cruises per year on the Summit, one originating in

Bayonne and the other returning to Bayonne. I thin Bayonne is a wonderful post with grea views of NYC. The check-in is efficient and even though you have to board busses to be moved over to the ship everything has always run very smoothly and the people are nice.

 

I hate to hear people call other people's state or port a dump...... And apparently a big construction projuect will be coming to create a home for Quantum....so it is only going to get better!!!!!!

[ThreeDancingMatthews]

I've sailed out of both Manhattan and Bayonne. The port facility is a bit nicer in Manhattan, but Bayonne's isn't horrible.

 

As for which is easier to get in and out of, I think it depends on how you're getting to the port. If you're driving, Bayonne wins hands down. But if you're not, then Manhattan is much MUCH easier and cheaper. I prefer Manhattan because it's very easy to catch a train or bus down from Boston and take a cab to the port. I researched methods of getting to Bayonne without a car and they were expensive and complicated. We ended up driving and it worked out fine (though probably a bit more expensive with parking and gas than Amtrak/Bolt to NYC.)

[CruisingChick]

I've sailed out of both Manhattan and Bayonne. The port facility is a bit nicer in Manhattan, but Bayonne's isn't horrible.

 

As for which is easier to get in and out of, I think it depends on how you're getting to the port. If you're driving, Bayonne wins hands down. But if you're not, then Manhattan is much MUCH easier and cheaper. I prefer Manhattan because it's very easy to catch a train or bus down from Boston and take a cab to the port. I researched methods of getting to Bayonne without a car and they were expensive and complicated. We ended up driving and it worked out fine (though probably a bit more expensive with parking and gas than Amtrak/Bolt to NYC.)

 

They have a bus that goes to Bayonne from 5 different locations in Massachusetts.

[virginialucy]

They have a bus that goes to Bayonne from 5 different locations in Massachusetts.

 

None of the places those buses pick up from are convenient if you live in Boston/Cambridge, especially if you don't want to drive at all/pay to park somewhere. Our recent cruise ended in Bayonne and we ended up flying back to Boston. In that case Bayonne was more convenient because the flight from EWR was cheaper (and a lot faster) than the train.

[CruisingChick]

None of the places those buses pick up from are convenient if you live in Boston/Cambridge, especially if you don't want to drive at all/pay to park somewhere. Our recent cruise ended in Bayonne and we ended up flying back to Boston. In that case Bayonne was more convenient because the flight from EWR was cheaper (and a lot faster) than the train.

 

Okay, I knew they had 5 stops in MA. You think one would be close to Boston, seeing as Celebrity is the official cruise lines of the Boston Red Sox.

 

Oh well..........

[richsea]

Easy to cross, Police Officer there and a traffic light. If they have rolling luggage very easy.

 

Thanks for the idea, Don. Aside from a street fair which had 6th Ave. closed from 34th to 42nd St, making crosstown traffic crawl, we met them @ W. 48th St. & bypassed the gridlock making the u turn to go up the ramp....MUCH easier! Now the beach traffic going out to the Island was another story!:eek:

[ThreeDancingMatthews]

Okay, I knew they had 5 stops in MA. You think one would be close to Boston, seeing as Celebrity is the official cruise lines of the Boston Red Sox.

 

Oh well..........

 

The bus used to start in Boston before hitting some suburban spots, but now it starts out in Braintree. Yeah, you'd think they'd have a stop a little closer to Fenway. :)

 

We considered picking it up in Braintree, but it was really expensive ($100+ pp), you still had to pay for parking, and had a super early am departure time. I've gotten too used to the $15 Bolt bus that leaves every half hour...

[kjacruiser]

wow...so angry.....please dont visit our state again if its such a "dump".

:eek:...I second That...But at Least we have Ships sailing out of Our Port....

[lexmiller]

We live in the Boston area and to get to Bayonne, we left our car here! In October 2012 to get to Summit for our repo to San Juan, we took the Amtrak from Boston to Penn Station. We then walked 1 block to 33rd and 6th to grab the PATH train to Hoboken (trains run every 10 min) then we grabbed the NJ Light Rail to 34th St. then took a very short cab ride with other cruisers that were on the Light Rail - there was a whole crop of them - to Cape Liberty. Bam! Very easy and inexpensive, and we plan to do the exact same thing, opposite direction, in April 2014.

 

Also, for the record, we thought that the cruise terminal in Bayonne was great - I don't understand why anyone would have issues with it - cruise terminals around the world all have their own "flavors" - very open - amazing views - our cab driver pointed out the big Trump development on a hill overlooking the port - it was a very positive experience!

 

And further, the sail out of Bayonne also was beautiful - though we didn't sail PAST the Statue of Liberty, we saw it, along with the full NYC skyline, quite breathtaking. Also notable was the sail under the Verranzano Narrows Bridge.

[TxnAquarian]

wow...so angry.....please dont visit our state again if its such a "dump".

 

 

Jeez, who's the angry one?? I didn't say anything about your state. Never spent anytime there. I was just saying that the port experience is unpleasant with a shuttle ride from car drop-off to the ship, and nothing appealing in the area. I think it's a shame that people miss the sail-away from Manhattan. It's unlike anything else. I can understand that people prefer Bayonne who are driving to the port. We fly from California and hire a car to the port, so Manhattan is preferable for us since we don't park. I can appreciate that Bayonne is popular, but I wish Celebrity would offer both Bayonne and Manhattan options, since we try to always book with Celebrity.

 

 

 

 

Michael

[bayonnejoe]

We live in the Boston area and to get to Bayonne, we left our car here! In October 2012 to get to Summit for our repo to San Juan, we took the Amtrak from Boston to Penn Station. We then walked 1 block to 33rd and 6th to grab the PATH train to Hoboken (trains run every 10 min) then we grabbed the NJ Light Rail to 34th St. then took a very short cab ride with other cruisers that were on the Light Rail - there was a whole crop of them - to Cape Liberty. Bam! Very easy and inexpensive, and we plan to do the exact same thing, opposite direction, in April 2014.

 

Also, for the record, we thought that the cruise terminal in Bayonne was great - I don't understand why anyone would have issues with it - cruise terminals around the world all have their own "flavors" - very open - amazing views - our cab driver pointed out the big Trump development on a hill overlooking the port - it was a very positive experience!

 

And further, the sail out of Bayonne also was beautiful - though we didn't sail PAST the Statue of Liberty, we saw it, along with the full NYC skyline, quite breathtaking. Also notable was the sail under the Verranzano Narrows Bridge.

This is just my two cents here. You can easily get a cab to Penn Station in Newark for Amtrak. Around $50, I think. You bypass the Light Rail and PATH, a logistical nightmare with luggage I would think. I believe this to be a far easier option for you. Looking forward to your posts on our April 26th thread. It is a great itinerary, and a great bunch of people, some of whom will be doing this one for the fifth year running. Lots of onboard stuff, a get together the evening before in San Juan, just to mention a few.

[Bacchybella23]

Does anyone know how many people fit in the family oceanview room with veranda on the summit ?

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[dkjretired]

Thanks for the idea, Don. Aside from a street fair which had 6th tAve. closed from 34th to 42nd St, making crosstown traffic crawl, we met them @ W. 48th St. & bypassed the gridlock making the u turn to go up the ramp....MUCH easier! Now the beach traffic going out to the Island was another story!:eek:

 

Glad it worked out and yes that beach traffic is brutal, used to have to fight the Garden State Parkway everyday to work, summers were not fun. It was the best part of retiring.

[jgnova]

Just beyond the turn-off to parking at the port in Bayonne is a beautiful 9/11 memorial. You can drive up and park there (just tell the guard you're going to see the memorial), walk around the little park area close to the memorial, spend a little time thinking back. Then return to your car and drive back to the port parking. Once you board the ship, you can see the memorial (another view) from the ship as well. That is a very special sight/site in Bayonne, just to add another to the list. (I think DH included some photos of it in some of his collections -- see links below for sailings out of Bayonne.)

 

We had no problem with the port in Bayonne. We understood the need for the little shuttle trip between the building and the ship (strange logistics in the structure, but so be it). We've sailed out of there three times and found it quite convenient.

 

S