RCL Manhattan Highlights & Transfer (from Cape Liberty)

[kiyoko]

Has anyone taken the Manhattan Highlights & Transfer offered by RCL out of Cape Liberty? Was wondering if this is a new offering or been around for a while, and if it was any good. There were no reviews of this on the RCL website. We have a late night flight out of JFK and thought this might be a good option since we probably will have too much luggage to be hauling around the city.

[138east]

I'm not familiar with this tour, but if you have a late night flight, you may still end up spending hours at JFK. I think all you do on this kind of tour is to ride around Manhattan on a bus to see the highlights and then go to the airport.

 

Another option is to take a car service to Schwartz luggage on West 36th St and pay to store your luggage for the day. This leaves you free to explore at your own pace. Cab fare to JFK is fixed at $52.50 plus tolls and tip, so it should be under $75.

[kiyoko]

I'm not familiar with this tour, but if you have a late night flight, you may still end up spending hours at JFK. I think all you do on this kind of tour is to ride around Manhattan on a bus to see the highlights and then go to the airport.

 

Another option is to take a car service to Schwartz luggage on West 36th St and pay to store your luggage for the day. This leaves you free to explore at your own pace. Cab fare to JFK is fixed at $52.50 plus tolls and tip, so it should be under $75.

 

Thanks for your quick response. I saw that you are an extremely helpful expert from the East Coast departures forum and appreciate your comments. Your suggestion might end up to be a better option and the cost being about equal (assuming the car service from Cape Liberty to the city plus the luggage storage to be less than $80). The tour costs $79pp and there will be 2 of us. It is a four hour tour so I'm guessing that the tour probably drops you off at JFK around 2pm or earlier, and end up a long afternoon and early evening at the airport waiting for our flight.

 

The tour description mentioned to bring walking shoes, so it sounds like there is some walking involved on the tour. Unfortunately, it did not mention where the walking part would be. The description specifically lists the flights have to be after 3:30pm. I was hoping to get some feedback with specifics from people who took the tour with approximate times they reached the airport and where the walking part of the tour involved.

Edited August 31, 2014 by kiyoko

[138east]

Be patient. It's a holiday weekend and folks are not around. Bump the post if it scrolls off the first page and you will eventually get a response.

 

For flights after 3:30, I would imagine RCL would get you to the airport by 2 pm to meet the TSA checkin deadlines.

 

I know I'd pay extra money not to sit at JFK for hours if I could. If you decide to do it yourself, come to the East Coast Board for advice from the New Yorkers about going to JFK on your own - it helps if you provide the date or day of the week, the exact time of your flight, and whether it is domestic or international.

[kiyoko]

Be patient. It's a holiday weekend and folks are not around. Bump the post if it scrolls off the first page and you will eventually get a response.

 

For flights after 3:30, I would imagine RCL would get you to the airport by 2 pm to meet the TSA checkin deadlines.

 

I know I'd pay extra money not to sit at JFK for hours if I could. If you decide to do it yourself, come to the East Coast Board for advice from the New Yorkers about going to JFK on your own - it helps if you provide the date or day of the week, the exact time of your flight, and whether it is domestic or international.

 

Again, thank you 138east for your helpful advice. So, has anyone taken this tour or know details about it?

[dancinman66]

I've done one out of New York terminal and it was great for short time tour

Worth doing as reasonably priced

 

Not sure how new the royal one is but the coat if getting into manhattan makes it worthwhile alone

 

 

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[kiyoko]

I've done one out of New York terminal and it was great for short time tour

Worth doing as reasonably priced

 

Not sure how new the royal one is but the coat if getting into manhattan makes it worthwhile alone

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

Was the tour you took in connection with a RCL sailing? Could you provide more details, such as when you took the tour, where the tour took you, how long it was, etc? Thanks.

[LBumb]

good info

[kiyoko]

Anyone take this tour and can provide any details?

[jmf123]

Anyone take this tour and can provide any details?

 

I saw it offered for Quantum's November 2nd (Transatlantic), and have mentioned it to a friend booked on that sailing. It is a four hour excursion around Manhattan, showcasing NYC's landmarks and neighborhoods. Greenwich Village, SoHo, the World Trade Center site, the 9/11 Memorial, Rockefeller Center, the Empire State Building, and Times Square. Drop off at EWR, JFK, and LGA. (Be sure to book the correct excursion number that corresponds with your airport). Requires Domestic flights departing after 3:30 p.m. and International after 4:30 p.m. Sounds like a great post-cruise excursion! Here's a link: http://www.royalcaribbean.com/shoreExcursions/product/detail/view.do?sourcePage=cruiseDetails&packageCode=QN08T002&date=&selectedCurrencyCode=&ProductCode=BD07&DestinationCode=T.ATL.

[queenL]

I'm on the Quantum 11/2 sailing also. I'm trying to find reviews. I want to actually be able to get off the bus, at least a few of these places. Is this a new tour? How come no one seems to have been on this excursion?

[Joelocal]

We did this tour on September 6th. It toured all the places that are mentioned in an earlier reply. We stopped at NBC studios for a restroom break and at the the 911 Memorial for 10 minutes. There were times on this tour where I asked myself whether "I payed money to be on a tour stuck in traffic in NYC"?

We did see the highlights along with where all the "important" people live. For sure not a place that I would want to live.

Was it worth it? To each there own. I have been there, saw, and hope not to return.

[kiyoko]

We did this tour on September 6th. It toured all the places that are mentioned in an earlier reply. We stopped at NBC studios for a restroom break and at the the 911 Memorial for 10 minutes. There were times on this tour where I asked myself whether "I payed money to be on a tour stuck in traffic in NYC"?

We did see the highlights along with where all the "important" people live. For sure not a place that I would want to live.

Was it worth it? To each there own. I have been there, saw, and hope not to return.

 

Thanks for your response. The RCL rep I talked to couldn't give me more details than what was already provided on the website description and I really wanted more information. Since our flight out of JFK is late at night, thought this tour might be a good way to see some sights and then get us easily to the airport from the ship terminal. After your description, I don't think we'll do it. 10 minutes at the 911 memorial is way too short, and sitting in a bus driving by "highlights", seeing where people live or sitting in traffic is not how I want to spend my day, despite the convenience of getting to JFK. I'm glad you were able to warn us before we paid our $79pp. Now back to the drawing board to figure out what to do.

Edited September 29, 2014 by kiyoko

[kiyoko]

I'm hoping more people have now had a chance to take this tour and would be willing to provide more details. Since we will be there around Christmas, I was hoping that the tour would include a stop at Rockefeller Center to see the Christmas Tree. Although a previous poster indicated this wasn't the greatest of tours, it seems like an easy way to get to JFK. Also was hoping someone could provide details as to what time they were dropped off at JFK. Our flight is late at night and it appears that if we took this tour, we would be hanging around the airport for a long time waiting for our flight, but wanted to weigh all our options at this point. Thanks in advance.

[Aheffa]

Kiyoko,

Did you take the Manhattan Transfer excursion in December? If so, any highlights you give would be appreciated since I'm thinking about doing this, but have not been able to obtain much information about tour