Parking at Port Liberty

[BigSis603]

My husband and I will be driving from Chicago to Port Liberty for our upcoming cruise in May.  Since neither one of us have ever been to New York, we plan on arriving a few days pre-cruise and will be staying in Manhattan near Times Square.  My question is can we park our car at Port Liberty when we arrive and then use public transportation to and from New York?  Our hotel has a parking garage for $52.00 a day, but once you park your car you can't retrieve it until you check out.  We thought if we can just park at the port, pay $22.00 a day and then use public transport that would be the best way to go.  Just want to make sure it is okay to park at the port a few days prior to our cruise. 

[holden0301]

I'm not positive, but I would assume the parking garage would only be open on arrival/departure day.  I doubt if they'd staff the garage if there isn't a cruise ship loading and unloading passengers.

[70SS350]

That is true parking is not staffed when ship is not ported.

[gatour]

I found at least one private lot that says your car is accessable 24/7.  So I am sure they you could park your car there several days in advance.  They offer shuttle service from/to between their lot and the cruise terminal.

[boscobeans]

Call the parking facility,

 Tel: 201-436-2080

[PortSideCruzan]

Hi BigSis603 ☺️

 

Very good question, however, to be 101% certain I would phone them directly @:

201-279-2106

201-436-2080

 

Have a terrific voyage!

 

☺️

Edited January 27, 2019 by PortSideCruzan

[HLR]

I have parked numerous times there and don't know what "staff" people are talking about. There is a ticket machine at the entrance like a regular parking garage and ATM type payment machines before you return to your car for payment on exit. But DO call and find out.... The only staff I recall were guys saying "go pay at the machine over there"...they were very nice...

Edited January 27, 2019 by HLR

[hallux]

Of more concern - I'm not sure there's any public transit within comfortable walking distance if you have luggage.  It's quite a ride out to the garage/terminal from the main road (440) that parallels the shore.  There are some light rail stops along 440 but you're looking at a walk of almost 2 miles to get there from the parking garage.  You could get a taxi but there goes any savings on the cost of the garage.

 

Check out lazparking.com  You can book a spot in any number of garages in NY.  Not sure they'll be much cheaper than your $56/day but it might save you some.  It cost me $32 to park from noon to 10 PM near Battery Park on a weekday.  Once parked, you can use the subway to get anywhere for $2.75 per ride, and if you have to change trains there's no extra charge if you don't go through the turnstyles (most interchange stations have pathways between lines inside the gates).

 

[Wine-O]

You could park there and take an Uber to the Path to get into the city.  

[138east]

I would also question the potential savings balanced against the transportation cost and hassle to and from Cape Liberty on public transit. Exactly how many days would you be parking in NYC?  

 

Another thought - look at leaving your car at Port Imperial for about $20/day for overnight parking.  Ferry fare is $9/pp each way.  One person can drop off the other with the luggage at the ferry terminal entrance and then park the car.  On the other side there is free bus service throughout midtown.  A cab ride to Times Square would be reasonable.  Details can be provided.

 

You would save $30/day parking and a $15 tunnel toll.  Ferry cost would be $36. A plus is not having to actually drive in Manhattan.

[Oceansaway17]

I have gone out of Cape Liberty 3 times times (once in 2009 and twice in 2016)

Now that 3 ships and perhaps more are sailing out of Bayonne, I am wondering if the parking garage overflows.

I would hate to park in the lot with car in the sun or rain etc.

 

Anyone know what is going on the Liberty Parking garage capacity?

[138east]

30 minutes ago, Oceansaway17 said:

I have gone out of Cape Liberty 3 times times (once in 2009 and twice in 2016)

Now that 3 ships and perhaps more are sailing out of Bayonne, I am wondering if the parking garage overflows.

I would hate to park in the lot with car in the sun or rain etc.

 

Anyone know what is going on the Liberty Parking garage capacity?

I believe the garage capacity is about 900 cars.  On top of that there is plenty of outside parking in open lots.  Last year with 3 ships there was plenty of parking capacity, but a lot of it was outdoors.  Folks said that the Celebrity Cruisers were the ones primarily parking outdoors.  The overall suggestion was that, if you were sailing Anthem or Adventure, you should arrive early to have the best chance of garage parking.

[70SS350]

That is true parking is not staffed when ship is not ported.

[tennislvr8]

The staffed lot isn't your biggest concern. The biggest concern is will you have access to the public transportation. 

[hallux]

7 hours ago, tennislvr8 said:

The staffed lot isn't your biggest concern. The biggest concern is will you have access to the public transportation. 

 

And you won't.  I even saw one website that mentions that if you take the public transit to the nearest stop, you then need to grab a taxi from there to the terminal as pedestrian traffic is not allowed on the road out to the terminal from 440.  I can assure you, it is NOT a pedestrian-friendly road.

 

That $52/day to park at the hotel is looking like a better and better deal, isn't it?  I still say exploration of Laz Parking for another garage is worth the look.  I'm not sure about being able to leave with your car, my only experience with it was parking at 1 and leaving at 10 while using the subway to get around during the day.  I HIGHLY suggest just leaving the car in the garage and using the subway to get around, unless you have plans to go places beyond where that or other rail can take you.

 

For the OP - not sure if it was on your radar but the 9/11 museum is absolutely worth the visit and will occupy a full morning or afternoon.  Be careful with this though, when you buy your "ticket" you have to specify a time you want to go and you have a small window on either side of that for getting into the museum.  I lucked out that they actually let me in before my "window" opened but it was raining pretty good that day.  If you want to see a show, I really enjoyed Come From Away, which is a based on what the folks in Gander, Newfoundland, went through when their airport was the diversion point for so many flights on 9/11.

[BigSis603]

Thank you everyone for all the excellent information given.  It will help us make our final plans and has us rethinking whether we even want to drive.

[hallux]

18 hours ago, BigSis603 said:

Thank you everyone for all the excellent information given.  It will help us make our final plans and has us rethinking whether we even want to drive.

 

There's an alternative.  If you've never been to the Northern part of NY, there's a bus company that does cruise shuttles for $90 per person round-trip from Albany.  Many hotels in the Albany area allow you to park for free during your stay and the bus company allows free parking at their facility.

 

Cooperstown (baseball hall of fame) is an easy day trip.  Saratoga Battlefield is a nice tour, Lake George (though not for swimming in May), Fort Ticonderoga, the Adirondacks in general.  There's plenty to find to do during a couple day visit and it's MUCH more relaxed than the hustle and bustle of NYC.

[PelicanBill]

I have another option for you.  Park at the Secaucus NJ PATH station.

https://www.parkfast.com/secaucus-parking 

Take the PATH Train into Midtown.  Cheap and fast.  Uber or Taxi over to hotel.

Reverse and drive over the Port Liberty for departure.

 

Even if the garage were open the day you want to park, there is no public transit and a cab or Uber is expensive from there to Manhattan.