Transportation from Bayone (Cape Liberty)

[DC0743]

Cape Liberty Shuttle

I had heard that getting a Taxi from Cape Liberty Cruise ship Terminal to Manhattan can be a trying experience so I elected to arrange transportation. I contacted Cape Liberty who quoted me $60 for a shuttle or $99 including tip and tolls for a private vehicle for my wife and I. They gave me a number to text with my debarkation info and a telephone number to call when I collected my luggage. They appeared very professional, with confirmation emails. I texted my debarkation info to them two days before the pick-up and then called them at 09:15 when I had collected my luggage and was waiting for pick-up. I went to the pick-up area and found myself with a growing group of unhappy Cape Liberty Shuttle customers. Two groups had been waiting for over an hour for their shuttles to the airport. After waiting for 45 minutes, I called for the status of our vehicle and was told my car would be their in 10 minutes. 10 minutes later, the shuttle bus did finally show up for one of the airport groups. I asked that driver to check on the status of my vehicle and when he tried to call the dispatcher, there was no answer. He tried to call the company owner and again no answer. 20 minutes later I called again and was told the car would be right there. It wasn’t. While waiting we talked to two women from Canada who had purchased the Shuttle transportation to Manhattan from Cape Liberty Shuttle and had been waiting as long as we had. Finally at 11:00 our car arrived. We asked the driver to check on the status on the Manhattan Shuttle, but he said he could not get a phone signal. When we arrived at the hotel, the driver requested the payment, and so I paid him the full amount. My fault as I got this transport confused with another one we had book and had not pre-paid. When I got home, I realized that I had pre-paid Cape Liberty. When I requested reimbursement, Cape Liberty’s response was “too bad”.

Two days after we arrived in New York, we ran into the two women from Canada at the Empire State building. They said they waited another half hour after we left for their ride to Manhattan. During their ride in, the driver demanded and additional $40 for making him wait. When they refused, he threatened to drop them off in the middle of Jersey City.

I would NOT recommend this service! I would recommend Martin Antigua Transportation (917-418-2877) or Victor Li (917-885-1808) we used them (they work together) in Manhattan and were very happy with their service. They were prompt, accommodating and more reasonable than Cape Liberty.

[cruiserking]

We've never had a problem getting a cab at Cape Liberty. Try posting at the Coast board here at Cruise Critic tons of information there.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=415

 

Jonathan

[BND]

We always use Dial 7 to take us to Manhattan from Bayonne as we either stay a couple extra days and/or catch the train there. There's lots of info about Cape Liberty and transportation on the east coast departure threads.

[138east]

So sorry to hear of your experience. We will definitely not recommend this service. It's bad enough that they did not pick you up in a reasonable time frame, but the fact that you inadvertently paid twice and they were not willing to reimburse you is totally unacceptable.

 

We've actually had few complaints from folks who just got off the ship and went to the dispatcher for a cab or livery car or van to the usual destinations like the three airports or Manhattan. One time when I was there I chatted with the dispatcher to confirm the prices that were being quoted to these various destinations. A ship arrival in Bayonne is big business for the local area liveries and the outfit managing (Bayonne Taxi) it can't afford to mess with disembarking cruisers. I only used them for local runs to the light rail station, but they provided good service.