Sailing In To NYC & Flying Out of Newark on Super Bowl Sunday

[Admin]

Hi there. I'll be disembarking the Breakaway on February 2, 2014 with a flight out of Newark at Noon. I don't want to take the train to EWR. I'd rather have a shuttle or the Newark Airport Express from the Port Authority Bus Terminal. Does anyone have a recommendation for transportation and is it feasible to have a noon flight on Super Bowl Sunday?

 

My flight out of EWR is really really really inexpensive so I'm assuming it's not a big day to travel in or out because the game is that day. And it doesn't start until 8:30 PM. But is noon feasible if I self disembark?

 

Thanks!

[markeb]

Thing is, I don't know that anyone knows...

 

I'm sure there are those on the board who've flown out on a game day. Maybe even a MNF or Sunday night game. But...

 

It's the first time that there's been a Superbowl in the Meadowlands. They've historically been national security special events; if that's the case, it could screw with traffic all day. But you should be out of there well ahead of the craziness. And there are two cities that can generally handle security craziness, and I honestly think New York does it better than DC.

 

If you can get a good fare on Superbowl Sunday, I tend to agree with you that it won't be horrible. Carmel's currently quoting $51, plus tolls and tip, I'm sure, from the terminal for a sedan.

[Admin]

Thing is, I don't know that anyone knows...

 

I'm sure there are those on the board who've flown out on a game day. Maybe even a MNF or Sunday night game. But...

 

It's the first time that there's been a Superbowl in the Meadowlands. They've historically been national security special events; if that's the case, it could screw with traffic all day. But you should be out of there well ahead of the craziness. And there are two cities that can generally handle security craziness, and I honestly think New York does it better than DC.

 

If you can get a good fare on Superbowl Sunday, I tend to agree with you that it won't be horrible. Carmel's currently quoting $51, plus tolls and tip, I'm sure, from the terminal for a sedan.

Thanks for the comments. You're right that it's anybody's guess how it will be. I'm hoping that I can self disembark by 8 AM to 8:30. Get transportation to the airport. Thanks for the recommendation. I'll look them up. That seems right up my alley. Hopefully be at the airport by 9:30 or 10 at the latest. It's gonna be Sunday morning if that helps any. But again...who knows?

 

The flight I was able to get is only $109 from EWR to Denver. That's an unheard of price usually. Fingers crossed!

[markeb]

Thanks for the comments. You're right that it's anybody's guess how it will be. I'm hoping that I can self disembark by 8 AM to 8:30. Get transportation to the airport. Thanks for the recommendation. I'll look them up. That seems right up my alley. Hopefully be at the airport by 9:30 or 10 at the latest. It's gonna be Sunday morning if that helps any. But again...who knows?

 

The flight I was able to get is only $109 from EWR to Denver. That's an unheard of price usually. Fingers crossed!

 

The good news is you're already on the East Side; cross town traffic is the worst, in my experience. I've actually had cabbies refuse to pick me up from a Midtown East hotel for a trip to Penn Station on a Friday afternoon! But from the cruise terminal, the Lincoln Terminal is right there!

 

Now if you were talking opening of the UN, or DC on inauguration day...

[mizLORInj]

In our experience, most CTN walk-off starts around 7:30am. Regardless of superbowl, I don't think traffic early in the morning will be that bad, so the noon flight should be just fine.

If in doubt though, the train surely is the best way to go though you mention it's not your preference. We take the train in from NJ for a lot of our NYC cruises and have not ever had a problem. On Sundays they run on the hour and 14, so 7:14, 8:14, 9:14, etc. until after 10am.

Edited January 11, 2014 by mizlorinj

[Admin]

In our experience, most CTN walk-off starts around 7:30am. Regardless of superbowl, I don't think traffic early in the morning will be that bad, so the noon flight should be just fine.

If in doubt though, the train surely is the best way to go though you mention it's not your preference. We take the train in from NJ for a lot of our NYC cruises and have not ever had a problem. On Sundays they run on the hour and 14, so 7:14, 8:14, 9:14, etc. until after 10am.

My hesitation is getting from the port to Penn Station. It is only about 2 miles though. I should look at that option again. As of right now I'll be traveling alone and will just have one rollerbag to deal with. Is it easy to get a cab at the port?

 

Thanks!

[njhorseman]

Thanks for the comments. You're right that it's anybody's guess how it will be. I'm hoping that I can self disembark by 8 AM to 8:30. Get transportation to the airport. Thanks for the recommendation. I'll look them up. That seems right up my alley. Hopefully be at the airport by 9:30 or 10 at the latest. It's gonna be Sunday morning if that helps any. But again...who knows?

 

The flight I was able to get is only $109 from EWR to Denver. That's an unheard of price usually. Fingers crossed!

 

I'm confused. First you said you wanted to take the airport bus that runs from Port Authority Bus Terminal, or a shuttle. Now you're sounding like you might take a car service?

 

First...forget about a shuttle. Services like SuperShuttle are horrid in NY City.

 

Second...if you're taking the airport bus you first have to get from the cruise terminal to Port Authority Bus Terminal. I assume you're willing to take a taxi to Port Authority? Sometimes the taxi line at the port can be long and you may have to wait a substantial amount of time for a taxi. If the weather is bad (and it easily can be snowing, sleeting, etc,) expect fewer taxis available and also longer travel times for the bus to EWR. What I'm trying to get at is that particularly in the winter you may not get to EWR as early as you need to.

 

I'd recommend you take a car service if you're willing to spend the money. While the base fare should be about $50, your actual cost will be substantially higher. Tolls will be about $20 and tip $10...so your real total cost is going to be about $80.

 

Two of the largest car services in NY are Carmel http://www.carmellimo.com and Dial 7 http://www.dial7.com .

Edited January 11, 2014 by njhorseman

[138east]

The Northeast Corridor trains run at the hour and :14. The Jersey Coast trains run at the hour and :07. They all stop at the airport.

[Admin]

I'm confused. First you said you wanted to take the airport bus that runs from Port Authority Bus Terminal, or a shuttle. Now you're sounding like you might take a car service?

 

Two of the largest car services in NY are Carmel http://www.carmellimo.com and Dial 7 http://www.dial7.com .

Sorry if I confused the situation. :o I just booked the cruise today and it leaves in 3 weeks. It's been a scramble. I'm open to anything that will get me to EWR by about 10 or 10:30. A car service might work because I can schedule the time and it's taking just me and it meets me at the port. I can try the train if I can get a taxi to Penn Station. Or I could take the Newark Express Transfer if I can get to the Port Authority. There are many options. I like an option that is the least hectic. :D I was hoping someone here could give me a recommendation and I appreciate those that have.

 

Thanks very much!

[markeb]

One last comment: If you go with a car service (which is probably the easiest if not the cheapest), call them and talk to someone!

 

A couple of years ago, we booked a car service from Penn Station on Thanksgiving Day. They booked it on the internet, but we never found the car. The Macy's parade ends a few blocks north of Penn Station, and in fact, we caught a cab south of Herald Square almost an hour later, after telling the car service to go stuff themselves! We'd booked the car on the mistaken belief they'd know traffic near the parade route...

 

You're leaving town early on the day of a major event. It probably won't impact Manhattan; it may impact your travel to Newark. Best to talk to a real human being...

[Got2Cruise]

I know what I would do if I couldn't find a cab easily. Walk it. Or have a plan to walk to the subway if not all the way I agree arranging for a car service is the best option.

It's impossible to predict what's going to happen on game day. This is not your regular game day. There will be thousands of visitors in Manhattan for the game. But the game is much later so early morn you should be ok. Jmo

[njhorseman]

Sorry if I confused the situation. :o I just booked the cruise today and it leaves in 3 weeks. It's been a scramble. I'm open to anything that will get me to EWR by about 10 or 10:30. A car service might work because I can schedule the time and it's taking just me and it meets me at the port. I can try the train if I can get a taxi to Penn Station. Or I could take the Newark Express Transfer if I can get to the Port Authority. There are many options. I like an option that is the least hectic. :D I was hoping someone here could give me a recommendation and I appreciate those that have.

 

Thanks very much!

 

Booking a car service is the least hectic but most expensive option. Given your fairly tight time frame and the huge special event of the Super Bowl I think it's worth spending the money to go that way, particularly in the winter when the weather can be bad. You'll be transported directly to your airline terminal and not have to transfer to a bus or train.You never know how long you might have to wait for a taxi...you may get lucky and get one immediately or you may have to stand in line for a half hour...which would be both uncomfortable in winter weather and could jeopardize getting to the airport on time.

[mikeriv79]

I would suggest car service or taxi to the airport. The NFL has severly restricted vehicle traffic to the Meadowlands. A majority of fans will have no choice but to use mass transit. So any mass transit hub(Bus terminal, penn station) may cause you some headaches.

Edited January 11, 2014 by mikeriv79
blah

[Admin]

Thank you all so much. This is why I love Cruise Critic. ;) Having used New Jersey transit to Newark on one other occasion, it was congested and with a bag in tow, I don't want to mess with it. A car service seems like the best bet. From experience, has anyone done a cab from this port? Is the price comparable? Just wondering. I know the Lincoln tunnel fee alone is $13 so I have to add that right off the top to whatever I pay.

 

Thank you thank you thank you!

[njhorseman]

Thank you all so much. This is why I love Cruise Critic. ;) Having used New Jersey transit to Newark on one other occasion, it was congested and with a bag in tow, I don't want to mess with it. A car service seems like the best bet. From experience, has anyone done a cab from this port? Is the price comparable? Just wondering. I know the Lincoln tunnel fee alone is $13 so I have to add that right off the top to whatever I pay.

 

Thank you thank you thank you!

 

You're better off taking a car service for the reason I mentioned earlier...no waiting on a taxi line in the cold weather for who knows how long.

 

The taxi fare to EWR carries a $17.50 surcharge over the normal metered fare, plus round trip tolls plus tip, and will cost as much as a car service, and possibly more if the taxi gets stuck in traffic along the way.

 

So, why not pay the same or less, and get a possibly nicer vehicle, without having to wait in the cold for an unknown amount of time, by booking a car service.

[greatam]

Please do as njhorseman posted. TAKE THE CAR SERVICE.

 

And please book well in advance. Car service from Manhattan to Meadowlands is going to be at a premium. There is all kinds of stuff going on long before the game starts so I am sure lots of people are going to be using car services to get from Manhattan. For the price of Super Bowl tickets, you won't find a lot of people staying at Motel 6 and taking the bus to get to the stadium. It is a fairly upscale price wise football game. StubHub's cheapest tickets are in the $2500pp price range (the nosebleed seats). Even a PARKING pass is $285 (and people complain about $300 for a cruise-at least you get more than one day). Prices will go down a little bit the closer to the game it gets and when the teams have been decided but other than the NFL Lottery for $500 tickets (which can't be sold or transferred), the game is definitely out of the league for a lot of people. So a good percentage who are going will be traveling from Manhattan or the affluent Jersey suburbs and they will generally use car services.

 

One of my business associates has tickets, lives in Englewood Cliffs and told me he had to call 3 car services before he found one that would get him there about 3:30 and pick him up when the game is over.

 

Since you are leaving the ship early, it won't be quite as much of a problem but I sure would put my reservation in immediately because most of drivers will be planning to work from about noon-1PM to midnight-1AM. So there may not be as many cars available for early morning pickups as there normally would on a business day or even a normal Sunday when a lot of business travelers arrive on planes by 10AM-noon to get ready for the next day's business meeting.

 

Good luck and enjoy!!!

Edited January 12, 2014 by greatam

[Admin]

You guys are the best. I mean that. :D Thank you. This is excellent information and I am taking this advice. I've just booked a car for pick up at the port at 8:30 AM on February 2. My flight is at 12:07 PM. I'll have a carry on bag with no worries about checking anything. Even if everything goes well and I'm sitting at the airport at 9:30 AM with a few hours to wait...at least I'll be there. ;)

 

Oh, and I'll definitely follow up with a phone call next week to make sure I speak with a person and have the reservation in place.

 

Thank you all for the excellent information.

Edited January 12, 2014 by Admin

[Got2Cruise]

You guys are the best. I mean that. :D Thank you. This is excellent information and I am taking this advice. I've just booked a car for pick up at the port at 8:30 AM on February 2. My flight is at 12:07 PM. I'll have a carry on bag with no worries about checking anything. Even if everything goes well and I'm sitting at the airport at 9:30 AM with a few hours to wait...at least I'll be there. ;)

 

Oh, and I'll definitely follow up with a phone call next week to make sure I speak with a person and have the reservation in place.

 

Thank you all for the excellent information.

 

I would have a "Plan B" just in case, because of the special circumstances. Maybe a plan how to get over to Penn to catch the EWR transporter bus. You probably won't need it. Report back how it all worked out.

[138east]

I agree about having a plan B. You should have the info about the airport bus from the street outside Port Authority as well as print out the New York Penn Station to Newark Airport Station train schedule.

 

If there are traffic or tunnel issues, then train would be the way to go.

[Admin]

I would have a "Plan B" just in case, because of the special circumstances. Maybe a plan how to get over to Penn to catch the EWR transporter bus. You probably won't need it. Report back how it all worked out.

 

I agree about having a plan B. You should have the info about the airport bus from the street outside Port Authority as well as print out the New York Penn Station to Newark Airport Station train schedule.

 

If there are traffic or tunnel issues, then train would be the way to go.

I'm convinced I never want to live in a big big city! ;)

 

Plan B is stay in NYC and live it up for a few days. :D

 

Thanks again everyone. The trip is in just a few weeks so I don't have long to wait to see how it goes. Worse case scenario I can walk to port authority bus station or to Penn station. They aren't that far and I'm fit enough. I'm going to self disembark as early as I can as well. I feel pretty good now with the plans I've made.

Edited January 12, 2014 by Admin

[Rocketlady]

Now if we don't have another major snow storm that weekend. I also read that $100. room hotels are charging $1000. a night. I am worried about even

leaving out of N.J. in Jan. 2015 but to throw in the Super Bowl weekend would

stress me out. Good luck to all you that weekend.

[greatam]

Now if we don't have another major snow storm that weekend. I also read that $100. room hotels are charging $1000. a night. I am worried about even

leaving out of N.J. in Jan. 2015 but to throw in the Super Bowl weekend would

stress me out. Good luck to all you that weekend.

 

People are renting their houses out for $5000-6000 and up PER NIGHT. One guy was on the news the other night who had rented his house out to a foreign TV crew. He said he would make enough in that week to pay for almost 18 months of house payments and his wasn't one of the mansions in North NJ or the fancy condos in Hoboken. His was just a "regular type" 4 bedroom house in Carlstadt (which is really close to the stadium)

 

And this from a Wall Street Journal article about people renting their houses out: "Even the North Bergen Lincoln Tunnel Holiday Inn Express is charging five-star prices: $3,556.80 for a double occupancy room for the weekend—and they are going fast." How many cruisers have asked about staying at that Holiday Inn and on this forum, it has always been discouraged. I am ROFLMAO

Edited January 13, 2014 by greatam

[mjkacmom]

You guys are the best. I mean that. :D Thank you. This is excellent information and I am taking this advice. I've just booked a car for pick up at the port at 8:30 AM on February 2. My flight is at 12:07 PM. I'll have a carry on bag with no worries about checking anything. Even if everything goes well and I'm sitting at the airport at 9:30 AM with a few hours to wait...at least I'll be there. ;)

 

Oh, and I'll definitely follow up with a phone call next week to make sure I speak with a person and have the reservation in place.

 

Thank you all for the excellent information.

 

Just a FYI - make sure you have the car service's number, to call if there are any delays getting off the ship. We once got held up in customs, and although we did walk-off, we didn't get through customs until 11:45. I just called the car service and gave them a different time. I think the Getaway is being used as a floating Superbowl hotel? I don't think anyone knows how things are going to be at the port, since this is the first time the Superbowl has ever been here.

[Brighton Line]

Here is another monkey wrench, will the crowds on the Getaway (Actually it is the Budwiser Hotel) be any consideration in embarking or debarking?

 

Just an idea, I have no clue.

[boo214]

Thank you all so much. This is why I love Cruise Critic. ;) Having used New Jersey transit to Newark on one other occasion, it was congested and with a bag in tow, I don't want to mess with it. A car service seems like the best bet. From experience, has anyone done a cab from this port? Is the price comparable? Just wondering. I know the Lincoln tunnel fee alone is $13 so I have to add that right off the top to whatever I pay.

 

Thank you thank you thank you!

actually the lincoln tunnel (and holland tunnel as well) toll is only paid coming into new york city from new jersey. there is no toll going into new jersey. the only toll you will have will be the NJ Turnpike