Some Manhattan advice needed

[jjswiech]

We are cruising with our 4 children in March 2016 and leaving out of Manhattan on the Norwegian Breakaway. This will be our first time cruising from NYC.

 

We usually drive to port and so far we usually depart from FL. (Too expensive to buy 6 plane tickets) We live in a suburb of Buffalo, NY and the Manhattan port is appealing because we are used to driving 20+ hours to a port. The 6 and a half hours it will take us to get to Manhattan will seem like nothing.

 

I have been researching several options and would love some advice.

 

We have looked into staying in Secaucus, NJ at La Quinta or Embassy Suites. Both of those hotels allow us to park for free the day we are staying there but not for the duration of the cruise. We were figuring we would arrive early Saturday morning and leave our car at the hotel, then take a bus from Jersey into the city to explore.

 

Is the bus the best way for us to get into the city? The hotel website says that we can board a New Jersey Transit bus across the street for convenient and quick transportation into New York City.•3 miles from NYC via NJ Transit bus. Any idea if we could get a taxi that would hold the 6 of us in our family - to take us from the hotel in Secaucus, NJ to the cruise port? Is there any place in Secaucus where we could leave our car for 7 days instead of driving into the city and parking at the port? Is it possible to get a minivan size taxi in Secaucus or would we have to hire some sort of shuttle service? If so - any suggestions on a shuttle service?

 

Our cruise leaves on a Sunday morning. We HATE the thought of driving/parking at the port but as someone else mentioned here - PARK RIGHT had mixed recent reviews. The $28 a day price is much more appealing than the Port's $40 a day - but not if the company is unreliable or causes damage.

 

The other option we have been exploring - is taking AMTRACK from Buffalo into the city and leaving our car at home. It adds 3 hours on to the trip BUT then we don't have to drive, pay tolls, pay for parking etc. This option still works out to be more expensive though.

 

My kids range in age from 9 to 16 so we were considering walking around a lot and I was looking for a decent hotel that we could walk to from Penn Station (Under a 30 minute walk) and then to walk to the Pier from the hotel on the morning of departure. (30 minutes or less). As a family of 6 we need to budget where we can. We are all used to walking. They all did a lot of it on our last cruise out of New Orleans.

 

We were considering The Best Western 522 W 38th Street

New York, New York, 10018-1104. Does anyone have any opinions about this hotel? Is this a safe area that we could walk to - from Penn Station and then walk down to the Pier? (Weather Permitting) Are there taxi's (minivan size) readily available at Penn Station that we could grab if it was raining and we wanted to taxi to the hotel? Any idea what a taxi for 6 would run us to take from the hotel to the port?

 

Another option might be for us to take AMTRACK into the Newark station. Are there any hotels that offer a shuttle to and from the NJ Newark Amtrack station? That would work out really well but I would need help in knowing the easiest way for the 6 of us to get from the Amtrack station to the port. Any idea what a taxi runs from Newark to the Manhattan cruise port?

 

I am open to any and all suggestions. It is a little overwhelming trying to figure out what the best options are. It would be a lot easier if it was just my husband and I. 6 complicates many aspects of the trip.

[138east]

I see you are cruising March 20, 2016 and have three sons 16, 14, and 11 and a 9 year old daughter. Could you provide some more details?

 

What kind of rooms are you looking for? Rooms for 6 are hard to come by. Are you looking for two rooms? What is your hotel budget?

 

You might do well with a park/sleep at Newark Airport. Round trip airport bus fare into Manhattan would be $28/pp for the adults, $20/pp for the 2 teenagers, and free for the other two kids. You could walk to the pier from the Port Authority Bus Terminal and your parking would be included for the duration of the cruise.

 

As far as going into NYC, with six people you woud do better to drive and pay to park at Secaucus Junction or in Jersey City to get PATH access to the city or less expensive train access. Look at the Journal Square Transportation Center for more reasonable parking. PATH is $2.75/pp with the options to go to either midtown or downtown, which means you can do a big circle trip in and out of NY.

 

Unfortunately it is too early for all the park/sleeps to be in place for next year. Trinityreservations has the best prices. For a Saturday night stay this year I'm seeing a price of $146 tax included for the Ramada Plaza for up to 4 people with 14 days parking. If you shop around, you can get a second room at the same hotel for less money.

[jjswiech]

138EAST -

 

Thanks for the advice! I think I have removed the Amtrak to Newark option. It would be $100 more for us to take the train to Newark so that eats up a lot of savings. Plus we would have the additional cost for the 6 of us to take the bus into the city. Can you take luggage onto the bus? We usually end up with 6 rolling duffels and a suit bag - for the 6 of us.

 

We have never gotten 2 hotel rooms before, my teens like to sleep on the floor - even when they have a bed option. I think that it's disgusting but they are teenage boys and they have their own ideas about everything. ;). There are VERY few hotels that do allow for all 6 of us to be in a room together. We have had some luck with Embassy suites, Hyatt Place and Springhill Suites but different locations have different rules. We usually try to stay around $200 or under because we are barely at the hotel. We spend most of our time exploring and only a few hours sleeping. It generally becomes more of a storage space.

 

Is there any public transportation, Bus or rail, that would get us to the pier or within very close walking distance to the pier?

[flowers44]

We took Amtrak from Rochester, NY, into the city for a cruise. We went the day before because Amtrak runs on their own time schedule and is usually late. We stayed at the Pennsylvania Hotel. It right across the street from Penn Station and you can walk to it. the train ride is long and quite boring but it got us there. I doubt that you would be allowed to have 6 people in one room, fire code regulations. It is not a fancy hotel but it met our needs. The pier is about two or three blocks from the hotel, so easily walkable with your light luggage amount. Cab ride was about $12 including tip. There were several restaurants around the area for meals. We've also done Yankee Trail Bus Service out of Albany. With 6 people, that would be quite expensive. I think they are $90 per person round trip into NY City. We stayed at a Holiday Inn Express in Rennsealear, NY, and left our car at the bus pick up spot for not charge. You would need two hotel rooms and tickets for each of you. I am not sure if kids are less that adults. But the service works well. They leave Albany about 7 AM and get into NY City about 10:30 AM. They are there to pick you up when your cruise returns and take you back to Albany. DD and I used the service and really loved it. No driving in NY City.

[QC_Cruiser]

We have booked with Embassy Suites Secaucus, for June 2015. They offered a pre-cruise package, for $244, we get the hotel room, free parking for the duration of the cruise, and a one-way transfer to Manhattan Cruise Terminal (for 4 people). I believe they will eventually be offering this same package for when you will be cruising.

[138east]

138EAST -

 

Thanks for the advice! I think I have removed the Amtrak to Newark option. It would be $100 more for us to take the train to Newark so that eats up a lot of savings. Plus we would have the additional cost for the 6 of us to take the bus into the city. Can you take luggage onto the bus? We usually end up with 6 rolling duffels and a suit bag - for the 6 of us.

 

We have never gotten 2 hotel rooms before, my teens like to sleep on the floor - even when they have a bed option. I think that it's disgusting but they are teenage boys and they have their own ideas about everything. ;). There are VERY few hotels that do allow for all 6 of us to be in a room together. We have had some luck with Embassy suites, Hyatt Place and Springhill Suites but different locations have different rules. We usually try to stay around $200 or under because we are barely at the hotel. We spend most of our time exploring and only a few hours sleeping. It generally becomes more of a storage space.

 

Is there any public transportation, Bus or rail, that would get us to the pier or within very close walking distance to the pier?

 

You have four major costs that you have to balance.

1) hotel

2) parking for 7 days

3) round trip transportation to the pier with luggage.

4) round trip transportation to explore NYC.

 

I suggested a park/sleep through Trinityreservations.com for about $150 tax included, which addresses the first two costs.

 

I suggested using the airport bus which stops at each terminal, has under the bus luggage storage, and goes directly to Port Authority Bus Terminal for about $100 round trip for 6 people which addresses cost three.

 

I suggested driving to Journal Square in Jersey City and paying $12-15 to park on a Saturday so you can take PATH to either midtown at 33rd and 6th or downtown at the World Trade Center for $2.75/pp ($33 round trip for the six of you).

 

So we're talking $300 for a hotel, 7 days parking, and two round trips for 6 people to NYC, one with 7 pieces of luggage. If you just parked at the pier it would be $280.

 

There is no easy way to take public transit to the pier with your group and luggage. There is a bus on 42nd street that will take you to 12th Ave with a transfer to a northbound bus for 10 blocks, but these buses are not really designed to handle a group of folks with luggage. Perhaps some New Yorkers can comment on this.

[jjswiech]

Thanks everyone for all of the great information. I just discovered today - that as a family of 6 - we can not even take a taxi together. I saw on the airport website that it is NYC law that only 5 people travel in the minivan taxi. I assume this is because they don't want anyone riding up front with the driver. I didn't see any info on exceptions for kids. I could easily put 3 kids on the back seat of a minivan taxi.

 

The expenses keep mounting. :(

 

2 taxis and 2 tips. I looked into the cost of a shuttle for us but that was almost $100 each way to travel just a few blocks from the hotel.

[Got2Cruise]

Thanks everyone for all of the great information. I just discovered today - that as a family of 6 - we can not even take a taxi together. I saw on the airport website that it is NYC law that only 5 people travel in the minivan taxi. I assume this is because they don't want anyone riding up front with the driver. I didn't see any info on exceptions for kids. I could easily put 3 kids on the back seat of a minivan taxi.

 

The expenses keep mounting. :(

 

2 taxis and 2 tips. I looked into the cost of a shuttle for us but that was almost $100 each way to travel just a few blocks from the hotel.

 

How about, one adult and some kids take one taxi with all of the luggage. The others walk? Walking is very safe, it is just that it is bit of a hike, but no big deal if you are not dragging your luggage. You can even drag your luggage. Folks wheel their suitcases through the streets all of the time. Just avoid rush hour, before 9 a.m. Where are you going to park the car when you stay at the hotel? Parking at hotels for the night are usually more than $40.

[jjswiech]

How about, one adult and some kids take one taxi with all of the luggage. The others walk? Walking is very safe, it is just that it is bit of a hike, but no big deal if you are not dragging your luggage. You can even drag your luggage. Folks wheel their suitcases through the streets all of the time. Just avoid rush hour, before 9 a.m. Where are you going to park the car when you stay at the hotel? Parking at hotels for the night are usually more than $40.

 

If we drive - we have a room booked at the Embassy Suites in Secaucus. They provide free parking and is "on the way" to the port for us. They do not have any cruise packages posted yet for when we are traveling which is next March. The more I run the numbers - the more it looks like for convenience and comfort - we should just leave the car at the cruise port. Traveling in March could be cold, rainy, or even snowy so walking the city with luggage and 4 kids may not be very realistic.

 

If we take Amtrak I have a reservation at the Hampton Inn/Empire State building on West 55th Street.

 

Our cruise leaves on a Sunday morning. Does anyone know how busy the Lincoln tunnel is from Jersey into the city on a Sunday morning?

[138east]

If we drive - we have a room booked at the Embassy Suites in Secaucus. They provide free parking and is "on the way" to the port for us. They do not have any cruise packages posted yet for when we are traveling which is next March. The more I run the numbers - the more it looks like for convenience and comfort - we should just leave the car at the cruise port. Traveling in March could be cold, rainy, or even snowy so walking the city with luggage and 4 kids may not be very realistic.

 

If we take Amtrak I have a reservation at the Hampton Inn/Empire State building on West 55th Street.

 

Our cruise leaves on a Sunday morning. Does anyone know how busy the Lincoln tunnel is from Jersey into the city on a Sunday morning?

 

Sunday before noon is one of the lowest daytime traffic times of the week.

[mjkacmom]

If we drive - we have a room booked at the Embassy Suites in Secaucus. They provide free parking and is "on the way" to the port for us. They do not have any cruise packages posted yet for when we are traveling which is next March. The more I run the numbers - the more it looks like for convenience and comfort - we should just leave the car at the cruise port. Traveling in March could be cold, rainy, or even snowy so walking the city with luggage and 4 kids may not be very realistic.

 

If we take Amtrak I have a reservation at the Hampton Inn/Empire State building on West 55th Street.

 

Our cruise leaves on a Sunday morning. Does anyone know how busy the Lincoln tunnel is from Jersey into the city on a Sunday morning?

 

We live about 5 miles west of secaucus, and we can get to the cruise terminal in under 25 minutes on a Sunday morning.

[jjswiech]

We live about 5 miles west of secaucus, and we can get to the cruise terminal in under 25 minutes on a Sunday morning.

 

Great! That makes me feel better and gives me a gage for my timing of things.

[Nitemare]

If we drive - we have a room booked at the Embassy Suites in Secaucus. They provide free parking and is "on the way" to the port for us. They do not have any cruise packages posted yet for when we are traveling which is next March. The more I run the numbers - the more it looks like for convenience and comfort - we should just leave the car at the cruise port. Traveling in March could be cold, rainy, or even snowy so walking the city with luggage and 4 kids may not be very realistic.

 

If we take Amtrak I have a reservation at the Hampton Inn/Empire State building on West 55th Street.

 

Our cruise leaves on a Sunday morning. Does anyone know how busy the Lincoln tunnel is from Jersey into the city on a Sunday morning?

 

I believe that property is on 35th Street, as the ESB is between 33rd and 34th

[borntoshop29]

We are also a family of 6 and will be staying at the Comfort Suites in North Bergen, NJ. We were able to book a suite to sleep the 6 of us for around $225 for the one night before our cruise. The reviews were great! We will be taking two cars and will drive right to the pier and leave our car for the week.

 

Hope this helps!:)

 

Vickie

[justcake]

We have taken the train from Niagara Falls twice and driven 3 times. The train is nice for the kids because of the wifi BUT the last time we did this we sat on the tracks for almost 2 hours which wasn't fun. We have stayed at the Embassy Suites in Secaucus and it was excellent. We took the bus into Manhattan which was very easy.

[Cruizeguru]

Best Western Plus Newark Airport West

101 International Way

Newark, NJ 07114

 

Stayed overnight and then got shuttle to Bayonne (Port Liberty) for free and parked car for free for 8 days (you get up to 10 days) all for $159. Oh they come get you also from teh pier.

 

You would need to ask them about Manhattan but they probably will do it.

 

Also I believe Mega Bus comes from Buffalo to Manhattan. 2 mile taxi from drop point to pier.

[Cruizeguru]

Nevermind I went the extra mile and called they dont go to Manhattan.......sorry

[Cruizeguru]

Mega Bus is a good option runs from Downtown Buffalo to Manhattan (2 miles from port) and you can get it for 15 dollars per person each way depending on time of day. $180 dollars round trip plus taxi (check out UBER might be cheaper) $150 = $330 not horrible. $62 per person round trip.

[jjswiech]

Mega Bus is a good option runs from Downtown Buffalo to Manhattan (2 miles from port) and you can get it for 15 dollars per person each way depending on time of day. $180 dollars round trip plus taxi (check out UBER might be cheaper) $150 = $330 not horrible. $62 per person round trip.

 

I looked into MegaBus but they are not booking into March yet. I did a generic Mock booking today using the days of the week I would want to leave and return. It said $90 for us to get to NY but over $470 for the return trip! I will have to keep my eye out for a deal or a promotion. It takes about the same amount of time as AMTRAK but with those prices it makes the bus slightly more expensive than Amtrak.