lhermance Posted June 15, 2014 #1 Share Posted June 15, 2014 Could use advice and/or cautionary tales! We live in Columbus, OH. Cruise booked on Princess Sat 10/4 from Brooklyn. Staying in Harrisburg, PA previous night. Are we crazy to think we can drive to the cruise terminal in Brooklyn? Looks like we can come across Staten Island and up 278 and avoid driving in Manhattan. Have driven in heavy traffic in Chicago before (I'm not going to count "heavy" traffic in Columbus) and reasonably brave and tech/map savvy. From everything I am reading, parking at the terminal doesn't seem to be an issue. Just wondering about the drive itself. We'll be doing this on a Saturday, so presume that might help? Our alternative might be to park at Newark airport long term, and take a cab, but starting to think that isn't necessary if we come up from the south. What do you all think? Laurie from Columbus, OH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njhorseman Posted June 15, 2014 #2 Share Posted June 15, 2014 (edited) It should be about a 3 hour drive from Harrisburg in normal traffic, so you can certainly do it the morning of your cruise. Just give yourself some wiggle room, as construction-related delays, traffic accident delays, etc. are a way of life and the 3 hour dive could easily be 4 hours or more. I think it may be quicker to just take I 81 to I 78 all the way to the Holland Tunnel to Manhattan, then take the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel into Brooklyn. You'd only be in Manhattan for a very minimal time and distance. Edited June 15, 2014 by njhorseman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
138east Posted June 15, 2014 #3 Share Posted June 15, 2014 Here are Sid's directions from the west side of Manhattan. From smeyer418 to get to Brooklyn from the west side route in Manhattan. Go to the Brooklyn Battery tunnel toll is about $5.50 with a required ezpass. once through the BBT take the Hamilton Avenue exit just passed the tolls. Make the first left, make another left making sure not to get back on to the tunnel(there are blue signs that show this. Go straight ahead to Van Brunt Street make a left and then the first right at the light into the cruise terminal. Total time about 20-30 minutes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greatam Posted June 16, 2014 #4 Share Posted June 16, 2014 I agree with the OP-from Harrisburg, easiest way without Manhattan traffic is I-76 to 276 to the NJ turnpike-95N. Get off at Exit 10 (Outer Bridge crossing-RT 440) to 278 (BQE) to the port. While it is slightly shorter going 81 North out of Harrisburg and taking 78 into the tunnel, that stretch from one tunnel in NJ into Manhattan to the Brooklyn Battery tunnel is stretch of road I just hate. And they are doing some heavy construction on 78 right after you leave PA into NJ (around Phillipsburg) so that is slowing down traffic. Whichever route you choose, have a safe trip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smeyer418 Posted June 16, 2014 #5 Share Posted June 16, 2014 (edited) I agree with the OP-from Harrisburg, easiest way without Manhattan traffic is I-76 to 276 to the NJ turnpike-95N. Get off at Exit 10 (Outer Bridge crossing-RT 440) to 278 (BQE) to the port. While it is slightly shorter going 81 North out of Harrisburg and taking 78 into the tunnel, that stretch from one tunnel in NJ into Manhattan to the Brooklyn Battery tunnel is stretch of road I just hate. And they are doing some heavy construction on 78 right after you leave PA into NJ (around Phillipsburg) so that is slowing down traffic. Whichever route you choose, have a safe trip. Hi Gina How are you?....you know they are working on I278 right and they have been closing one lane almost every weekend. I return almost every weekend from Sesame Place in PA and the choice is always between going across Staten Island and going through the Holland Tunnel and then to Brooklyn. I listen to the traffic reports and then decide...(Sirius XM) mostly thru the Tunnel is better....but sometimes its not. BTW the cash toll on the BBT(aka Hugh Carey Tunnel) is $7.50 with EZ Pass its 5.33. There is no toll over the V-N Bridge east Bound.... it is $15 westbound and $10.66 EZpass... I have driven in Chicago too and traffic is about the same as in NY Edited June 16, 2014 by smeyer418 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suzanne123 Posted June 18, 2014 #6 Share Posted June 18, 2014 As it happens, we're on your cruise, but we're taking Amtrak from Harrisburg to Penn Station. Super cheap and so much easier on your nerves than 81 or 78. Might you park the car in Harrisburg and take the train? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MHF Posted January 11, 2015 #7 Share Posted January 11, 2015 For a roundtrip cruise from Brooklyn, we drove from Maryland to Brooklyn up the NJ turnpike. Left at 6:30 in the morning. The toughest part was negotiating Brooklyn's raised highways. I didn't find those well-marked and it was longer on those than I had guessed, but we managed. Have a good navigator with directions and a real map or an iPad with maps, not just your GPS. Leave earlier than you think you need. Dropping off bags and parking was super easy: lot is right there at the terminal. We had to sit in the departures lounge for an hour but I'd rather do that than worry about missing the ship! This year, we are taking the train to NYC-Penn and then catching a cab to the port because we are flying home. Nice that the Baltimore (BWI) airport and the BWI train station are very close together and run shuttles between the two. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
138east Posted January 11, 2015 #8 Share Posted January 11, 2015 Old thread. OP sailed 3 months ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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