Driving from Niagara to Bayonne - Would you stop on highway night before or.......

[Are we there yet?]

Not sure if we should stay in Newark or vicinity or just stop up to an hour away off the highway the night before. If we did is there a nice place to stay off I-278 or I-78 (It looks like those highways from mapquest).

First time driving to New Jersey so am unsure about traffic congestion as well.

Thank you

[138east]

What exact date is your cruise? What day of the week? How many people? Budget?

 

Typically we recommend that folks coming from your area book a 3* or up hotel on Hotwire in the Parsipanny area, which would be close to the intersection of I80 and I287 about an hour from the port. This puts you in a more suburban area with restaurants, services, and a nicer more economical hotel, and saves you dealing with the confusion of the Newark airport area after a long day of driving. The particular hotel doesn't really matter - the Hotwire 3*+ offerings are all nice newer properties that cater to a corporate clientele rather than a transient airport crowd.

[Are we there yet?]

Our cruise leaves May 17 on a Saturday so we would be staying on Friday the 16th. We are 2 couples in our 50's and budget I think no more than $200 each.

This sounds like the perfect area to stop in as I wasn't too keen on the airport.

You really are a wealth of information, thank you so much.

[flowers44]

We always drive down the day before and stay overnight on Staten Island at either Hilton Garden Inn or the Hampton Inn. They offer free parking for the length of your cruise and a free shuttle to and return from the pier. The last time we did it, we were picked up at the pier at 9 AM and on our way home by 9:30 AM. Great service. By doing this, you don't have to pay to park at the pier and you have a nice relaxing start to your cruise. The Breakfast in included with the room at Hampton. The Park and Cruise Package at the Hilton included the breakfast but the Hilton is a bit more expensive. Your budget of $200 would cover either one. The two hotels share the same shuttle.

[Are we there yet?]

We always drive down the day before and stay overnight on Staten Island at either Hilton Garden Inn or the Hampton Inn. They offer free parking for the length of your cruise and a free shuttle to and return from the pier. The last time we did it, we were picked up at the pier at 9 AM and on our way home by 9:30 AM. Great service. By doing this, you don't have to pay to park at the pier and you have a nice relaxing start to your cruise. The Breakfast in included with the room at Hampton. The Park and Cruise Package at the Hilton included the breakfast but the Hilton is a bit more expensive. Your budget of $200 would cover either one. The two hotels share the same shuttle.

 

I will mention your idea to our travel companions. I guess it depends on when we decide to arrive as to whether we want to drive right into traffic and further on the Friday or leave it for the Saturday. We also have always parked right at the pier (Florida) so am not sure about shuttle. Are there disadvantages to taking a shuttle? I always liked the advantage of getting off the ship and walking to our car. Is this the same in Bayonne?

Thank you for suggesting another alternative though, definately something to think about.

[138east]

As you know I have no problem with the Hampton Inn or Hilton Gardens on Staten Island, but in this case I don't think these hotels make logistical or economic sense just to get free parking and a free shuttle when the OP is coming from Niagara Falls.

 

There is a 3* hotel for $71 + tax on Hotwire (about $88 incl tax) with breakfast and a 100% approval rating. Someone booked this hotel a few days ago and it was the Hyatt House. This means the OP would have a hotel cost of $176 for two rooms plus $95 to park at Cape Liberty. Hotwire and other travel sites are offering named hotels in the Parsipanny area like a Courtyard for a little over $100/night. There are also more budget choices like Days Inn.

 

The Hampton Inn is twice the price per room plus a $13 bridge toll and is at least 20-30 minutes further on each end of the trip when the OP is traveling from and to Niagara Falls.

[138east]

I will mention your idea to our travel companions. I guess it depends on when we decide to arrive as to whether we want to drive right into traffic and further on the Friday or leave it for the Saturday. We also have always parked right at the pier (Florida) so am not sure about shuttle. Are there disadvantages to taking a shuttle? I always liked the advantage of getting off the ship and walking to our car. Is this the same in Bayonne?

Thank you for suggesting another alternative though, definately something to think about.

 

I don't think there is big advantage to any kind of shuttle when the parking cost for a 5 day cruise is $95. IMO you will be happy to get off the road on Friday night and not deal with any of the roads around Newark Airport or trying to get to Staten Island. It will be an easy ride to the port on Saturday morning in the daylight.

 

Here are the port directions from exit 14A:

 

At exit 14A please follow these directions. Others have followed them successfully. The signage is poor. There are lots of choices and you have to make a quick decision as to where you are going. For a first timer there's not time to stop and try to spot the correct little sign and I'm not sure the names of all the streets are clearly marked. After you pay your toll you go straight across the toll plaza and get on a 2 lane ramp that goes up and curves left. This is hard to miss. On the ramp you stay on the right and make the first right, stay to the right and make another right. You will come to the light at route 440 where you will make a left, stay left, and make a left at the first light onto Goldsborough Drive. Route 440 is a four lane divided highway. You can only turn left at a traffic light - going south the first light is now at Goldsborough Drive. The left turn into the port used to be at Port Terminal Blvd (and it still is coming the other way), but they shut down that turn fairly recently and made Goldsborough Drive the main port access road coming from the north. Goldsborough Drive will merge with Port Terminal Blvd. You will be able to see the ship and you just follow the crowd about 2 miles out to the ship.

[Are we there yet?]

I don't think there is big advantage to any kind of shuttle when the parking cost for a 5 day cruise is $95. IMO you will be happy to get off the road on Friday night and not deal with any of the roads around Newark Airport or trying to get to Staten Island. It will be an easy ride to the port on Saturday morning in the daylight.

 

Here are the port directions from exit 14A:

 

At exit 14A please follow these directions. Others have followed them successfully. The signage is poor. There are lots of choices and you have to make a quick decision as to where you are going. For a first timer there's not time to stop and try to spot the correct little sign and I'm not sure the names of all the streets are clearly marked. After you pay your toll you go straight across the toll plaza and get on a 2 lane ramp that goes up and curves left. This is hard to miss. On the ramp you stay on the right and make the first right, stay to the right and make another right. You will come to the light at route 440 where you will make a left, stay left, and make a left at the first light onto Goldsborough Drive. Route 440 is a four lane divided highway. You can only turn left at a traffic light - going south the first light is now at Goldsborough Drive. The left turn into the port used to be at Port Terminal Blvd (and it still is coming the other way), but they shut down that turn fairly recently and made Goldsborough Drive the main port access road coming from the north. Goldsborough Drive will merge with Port Terminal Blvd. You will be able to see the ship and you just follow the crowd about 2 miles out to the ship.

 

I can't thank you enough for taking the time to post the directions to the port and for giving me such a common sense reason for staying off the highway. I'm sure it would be nice to stay on Staten Island but as you say it makes more sense for us to stop earlier in the evening without the hassle of traffic at night.

You are a star! :)

Carol