CAPE LIBERTY (and NYC) 411-VERSION 5!!!

[Schpoompie]

Looking for confirmation that my transportation plan is o.k.  We are cruising on Anthem, out of Cape Liberty, 06/20.  Flying into LaGuardia on 06/19, staying overnight at the Crowne Plaza Times Square.  Flying out of Newark post cruise, home to Orlando on the 29th.

 

06/19 - Pickup at LaGuardia, to Crowne Plaza Times Square - 10am

06/20 - Pickup at Crowne Plaza Times Square, to Cape Liberty Cruise Port - 9am

06/29 - Pickup at Cape Liberty Cruise Port - 10-11 am (flight isn't until evening).

 

Looking at using Dial 7 car service for all three legs of the journey.  Quote came in at $137.75 (not including tolls, tip, etc., but did include a congestion fee).  

 

A).  Company looks good from what I've seen on here and in general.  Do you all agree?

B).  Any knowledge on how much extra the tolls and what not may add on to the three legs I'm doing?

C).  Does my schedule for pick up at the Crowne Plaza to the port look ok, or should that be earlier?

 

Thanks for the help!

 

[Book Goddess]

Would it be reasonable to take Amtrak from Baltimore or Philly the morning of the cruise? Arriving around 9:30am at Newark Airport and Ubering to the Port?  [thursday morning) and returning on Saturday after the cruise? 

Thank you!

Edited June 4, 2019 by Book Goddess

[njhorseman]

11 hours ago, Book Goddess said:

Would it be reasonable to take Amtrak from Baltimore or Philly the morning of the cruise? Arriving around 9:30am at Newark Airport and Ubering to the Port?  [thursday morning) and returning on Saturday after the cruise? 

Thank you!

 

I'm always concerned about Amtrak's timeliness, but yes, you can do it.

 

I suggest you take the train to Newark Penn Station rather than Newark Airport. There's no ground transportation available at  the Newark Airport station. You have to take the AirTrain, which is the airport monorail, from the Newark Airport railroad station to the airport itself, get off at the P4 AirTrain station or  one of the airline terminals (Terminal C is the closest) and then summon an Uber from there. It's easier to just take Amtrak one more stop to Newark Penn Station and get an Uber there. The Amtrak fare is also a few dollars cheaper going to Newark Penn Station rather than Newark Airport as you don't have to pay the AirTrain surcharge .

[happyglow]

We are flying into Newark Airport on Sept. 7th at 5:00pm and will be leaving on a cruise on Sept. 8th from

Cape Liberty.  Looking for a hotel recommendation possibly near the airport with a nice restaurant nearby and an option for a shuttle to the port.  Also we will be returning from our cruise on Sept. 22nd at 8:00am and we will need to be at the Newark airport by 4:00pm.  Do you have suggestions of what we could do to spend this time.  Any suggestions will be helpful, Thank You in advance for your help.

[138east]

5 hours ago, happyglow said:

We are flying into Newark Airport on Sept. 7th at 5:00pm and will be leaving on a cruise on Sept. 8th from

Cape Liberty.  Looking for a hotel recommendation possibly near the airport with a nice restaurant nearby and an option for a shuttle to the port.  Also we will be returning from our cruise on Sept. 22nd at 8:00am and we will need to be at the Newark airport by 4:00pm.  Do you have suggestions of what we could do to spend this time.  Any suggestions will be helpful, Thank You in advance for your help.

Your options are limited to get a port shuttle which will be an add on cost. The airport hotels have shuttles, but if you go further away you will have to pay to get there and would lose any kind of port shuttle option.

 

What is your hotel budget?  Number of people?  “Nice” airport area restaurant choices would include Ruby Tuesday’s, Ihop, Applebee’s, Johnny Rockets, and the Mall food court if you stay in a hotel on International Blvd.

 

Post cruise your options are to pay for a NYC sightseeing tour with an EWR drop off or to go to Jersey Gardens Mall and shop.

[ALVINF]

We will be driving in on June 24th for a Celebrity cruise on the 27th. I think we will book the park, sleep, and shuttle package with TrinityReservations at the Springhill Suites for the night of the 26th. We will book the 24th and 25th directly with Springhill Suites. Two questions: 

#1...Does this sound like a solid plan?

#2...Is the Springhill Suites convenient to transportation to Manhattan (train, etc)? There’s no way I’m driving in NYC.  

Thank you in advance for the answers. 

[138east]

41 minutes ago, ALVINF said:

We will be driving in on June 24th for a Celebrity cruise on the 27th. I think we will book the park, sleep, and shuttle package with TrinityReservations at the Springhill Suites for the night of the 26th. We will book the 24th and 25th directly with Springhill Suites. Two questions: 

#1...Does this sound like a solid plan?

#2...Is the Springhill Suites convenient to transportation to Manhattan (train, etc)? There’s no way I’m driving in NYC.  

Thank you in advance for the answers. 

How many people?  What are your sightseeing objectives in NYC?

 

IMO Springhill Suites is not particularly convenient to Transportation to NYC.  You have to get yourselves to either Newark Penn Station or Secaucus Junction Station, so the number of people and your sightseeing objectives will control how you choose your transportation.  On a high level you could expect to Uber to Newark Penn Station for the train or PATH or drive 2 exits north on the NJ Turnpike to Secaucus Junction to pay to park and train to midtown.

 

It appears you are on a 10 day cruise, so parking at the port would be $220.  That makes Springhill Suites at $298 (2 people) tax included a great deal for a hotel room with breakfast, parking for 14 days, and round trip port transportation.  You might want to contact trinity to see if the parking fee for the previous 2 nights could be part of your package.  I don’t know, but it can’t hurt to ask them.  Bruce is very nice and helpful.

[mredandchis]

1 hour ago, ALVINF said:

We will be driving in on June 24th for a Celebrity cruise on the 27th. I think we will book the park, sleep, and shuttle package with TrinityReservations at the Springhill Suites for the night of the 26th. We will book the 24th and 25th directly with Springhill Suites. Two questions: 

#1...Does this sound like a solid plan?

#2...Is the Springhill Suites convenient to transportation to Manhattan (train, etc)? There’s no way I’m driving in NYC.  

Thank you in advance for the answers. 

i booked with trinity for this upcoming weekend and will be staying on the Jersey side.  They also provide transport to and from the port at a scheduled time.  I havent ever done this in NY but it seems like it will work out.  Just hoping i recognise all this in what i consider a turbulant area.

 

[138east]

21 minutes ago, mredandchis said:

i booked with trinity for this upcoming weekend and will be staying on the Jersey side.  They also provide transport to and from the port at a scheduled time.  I havent ever done this in NY but it seems like it will work out.  Just hoping i recognise all this in what i consider a turbulant area.

 

You’re cruising from Manhattan. Did you book the Fairfield Inn or Ramada Plaza?  

 

Please post back and share your experience for other cruisers.

[happyglow]

17 hours ago, 138east said:

Your options are limited to get a port shuttle which will be an add on cost. The airport hotels have shuttles, but if you go further away you will have to pay to get there and would lose any kind of port shuttle option.

 

What is your hotel budget?  Number of people?  “Nice” airport area restaurant choices would include Ruby Tuesday’s, Ihop, Applebee’s, Johnny Rockets, and the Mall food court if you stay in a hotel on International Blvd.

 

Post cruise your options are to pay for a NYC sightseeing tour with an EWR drop off or to go to Jersey Gardens Mall and shop.

Our hotel budget would be under $200 per night, 2 adults (Seniors).  What airport hotel would you recommend?  What is the fee for the shuttle to the port?  Can we walk to the mall from airport hotels?  I like your option of a NYC tour with an EWR drop off, who would I book this through?  Thank You for your valuable information.

[138east]

2 hours ago, happyglow said:

Our hotel budget would be under $200 per night, 2 adults (Seniors).  What airport hotel would you recommend?  What is the fee for the shuttle to the port?  Can we walk to the mall from airport hotels?  I like your option of a NYC tour with an EWR drop off, who would I book this through?  Thank You for your valuable information.

Look at Embassy Suites in Elizabeth NJ.  At a senior rate it comes out to $215 including taxes.  That is the only hotel I can find that has both a shuttle and easy access to the mall that is available for your date.  You can walk to the mall across the parking lots but it’s a big space.  If you want to give up a choice of restaurants, I can make other suggestions. The Embassy Suites charge for the shuttle is $20/pp each way.  Contact Celebrity to see if they are offering a NYC tour with EWR dropoff.  I think they run about $100/pp.

 

 

[mking8288]

On 5/23/2019 at 10:23 AM, Schpoompie said:

Looking for confirmation that my transportation plan is o.k.  We are cruising on Anthem, out of Cape Liberty, 06/20.  Flying into LaGuardia on 06/19, staying overnight at the Crowne Plaza Times Square.  Flying out of Newark post cruise, home to Orlando on the 29th.

 

 

I will give this a quick go /not sure if I read a response from anyone else ... Carmel AND/or Dial 7 are 2 of the largest, licensed car services in the metro NY area, you should be fine ... we just prefer & use Carmel, prices are mostly similar between these two.  

 

Your in-bound MCO to LGA pickup time is fine, whatever & whenever your bird lands, luggage collected & proceed to designated FHV pickup/staging area (For Hired Vehicles) & there will be greeters in the arrival area to help, if you need -- avoid "strangers" as you probably/should know, i.e. offering to be Uber dispatcher (NOT)  It's a weekday morning with commuters easing, and folks starting summer vacations - traffic is always unpredictable, sit back/relax/enjoy the scenic trip.  

 

My guess, a tolled crossing (RFK Bridge or Queens Midtown Tunnel) is easier, probably faster & less bumper-to-bumper, toll is $9.50 added on.

 

Hotel to Cape Liberty on a weekday, allow a little extra time as morning in-bound traffic, NJ into NY usually do not ease until past 9:30 to 10 a.m. and the closest (Lincoln) tunnel crossing with 3 tubes has HOV/bus only lanes coming in - leaving town will be slower.  Depending on traffic flow & "incidents" and desired time to be at CL, adjust your pickup time to leave a little earlier.  Car service driver might prefer & explain, and choose to use the probably just as congested Holland Tunnel, further downtown - with only 2 tubes and heavy with traffic - but, whatever, sit back & relax, you are going to be on the ship in a matter of hours.  Either route, there is going to a toll charge on the NJ Turnpike/Ext. - toll should be either $1.35 or $4.00, again - depends on entry & exit interchange ... 

 

Car services reserved the rights to collect 2 way tolls, if they need to return empty to NYC after the dropoff - it's a one-way inbound only toll for the Lincoln or Holland, coming from NJ only at $15 based on the cash rate ... ouch, I know.  They already quoted & included the NYC congestion surcharge of $2.75 per trip for Manhattan pickup or dropoff, south of 96th Street, river to river - thus, you are charged twice, going to the hotel & again, from hotel to elsewhere outside the zone. 

 

From CL on your return, it's a weekend & traffic should be lighter - trip to EWR is about 10 miles, 15 to 20 minutes on average ... exiting CL can sometimes be slowed by all the extra traffic from the ship.  Toll should be $1.65 from Exit 14A at Bayonne to Exit 14 for EWR, but ... Exit 13A is the long way to reach EWR & Elizabeth Seaport is $3.00.  

 

Please consider/use these as a rough, ballpark figure as toll estimates.  On all of our trips using Carmel, we get an e-Receipt to confirm the charges & what we've paid, in case of any problem or to contact their main office ... never any issues for us. 

Edited June 5, 2019 by mking8288

[mredandchis]

19 hours ago, 138east said:

You’re cruising from Manhattan. Did you book the Fairfield Inn or Ramada Plaza?  

 

Please post back and share your experience for other cruisers.

The Fairfield inn, and leaving the vehicle there for 10 days. I will let yall know how it went after getting home on the 20th.  I am not one of those that count down to a cruise so I wouldnt know that i have 4 days 1 hour and 15 mins till i back down the driveway.  

 

[verizon]

Why stay in NJ if you haven't been to New York.

There are so much to see in New York city.

My choice is stay near Pen State NY .On the day of cruising take the train to Pen State NJ,from there take an Uber to the cruise terminal.Total cost for one around $25.00

Edited June 6, 2019 by verizon

[pjinaz]

I have been reading a lot of these posts and I'm confused!  I am cruising out of Cape Liberty, there are four of us.  The hotel, Embassy Suites Newark offers a shuttle for $20 per person so $80 for a shuttle I have to schedule and won't know what time I can get until check in at the hotel.  I was thinking Uber or Lyft might be better, but don't see a lot of recommendations on that.  Is Uber possible from hotel to port?  I've seen car services recommended but then they have terrible reviews.  Read about cabs that sound unlicensed charging huge fees.  Can anyone shed more light on this?

 

Also after the cruise we are going to Manhattan for a couple days.  We will have luggage so I don't really want to take the train.  I have tried to get an Uber estimate but the website says unable to give  an estimate.  Does Uber and Lyft go to Manhattan from Cape Liberty?  Are there better options?  I really want the easiest, most reliable way without getting ripped off.  Because we have 4 people a lot of times private transportation is about the same as shuttles that charge per person.  

 

I would be so appreciative of any help!  So excited to cruise!

[verizon]

Some one posted Uber from the Pen Station NJ to port is about $18.00-$20.00

Edited June 6, 2019 by verizon

[megr1125]

48 minutes ago, pjinaz said:

I have been reading a lot of these posts and I'm confused!  I am cruising out of Cape Liberty, there are four of us.  The hotel, Embassy Suites Newark offers a shuttle for $20 per person so $80 for a shuttle I have to schedule and won't know what time I can get until check in at the hotel.  I was thinking Uber or Lyft might be better, but don't see a lot of recommendations on that.  Is Uber possible from hotel to port?  I've seen car services recommended but then they have terrible reviews.  Read about cabs that sound unlicensed charging huge fees.  Can anyone shed more light on this?

 

Also after the cruise we are going to Manhattan for a couple days.  We will have luggage so I don't really want to take the train.  I have tried to get an Uber estimate but the website says unable to give  an estimate.  Does Uber and Lyft go to Manhattan from Cape Liberty?  Are there better options?  I really want the easiest, most reliable way without getting ripped off.  Because we have 4 people a lot of times private transportation is about the same as shuttles that charge per person.  

 

I would be so appreciative of any help!  So excited to cruise!

Yes Uber from the Embassy Suites is possible...figure around $35 or so. You can use Lyft as well.  If the hotel arranges a cab/car service, the cost will be more, around $50+.  Incidentally most of the shuttles in that area (the hotels by the ES) are run by the same shuttle/limo service so you;ll be fine.

 

I'd call a car service like Carmel Limo or Dial 7 for a quote to NYC from the pier.  Uber/Lyft can go, I THINK, never tried, but it might not be that big a savings.

[138east]

2 hours ago, megr1125 said:

Yes Uber from the Embassy Suites is possible...figure around $35 or so. You can use Lyft as well.  If the hotel arranges a cab/car service, the cost will be more, around $50+.  Incidentally most of the shuttles in that area (the hotels by the ES) are run by the same shuttle/limo service so you;ll be fine.

 

I'd call a car service like Carmel Limo or Dial 7 for a quote to NYC from the pier.  Uber/Lyft can go, I THINK, never tried, but it might not be that big a savings.

Ditto to this.  You want a fixed quote ride into Manhattan.  What hotel are you going to?  What day of the week?  The car service will give you a fixed price and will add on the tolls - Up to $15 for the tunnel and $1.35-4.00 depending on the route taken.  An 18-20% tip is expected on the base price.

[wrk2cruise]

We did the Trinity Reservations package at Springhill Suites with parking and private car service to/from the port.  The hotel parking is gated and fenced but is not patrolled that I was aware.  That said I parked under a light pole and had no issues with the parking.  I found the hotel noisy with multi-lane interstates on all sides and the airport directly across the street.   I was totally satisfied with Trinity and felt I got what I contracted for.

 

I'm looking for a quieter alternative area for my October cruise.  Any suggestions?

[138east]

2 minutes ago, wrk2cruise said:

We did the Trinity Reservations package at Springhill Suites with parking and private car service to/from the port.  The hotel parking is gated and fenced but is not patrolled that I was aware.  That said I parked under a light pole and had no issues with the parking.  I found the hotel noisy with multi-lane interstates on all sides and the airport directly across the street.   I was totally satisfied with Trinity and felt I got what I contracted for.

 

I'm looking for a quieter alternative area for my October cruise.  Any suggestions?

What are your exact dates, number of people, and hotel budget?  What did you pay trinity for Springhill Suites? Are you looking for another park, sleep, cruise package?  Unfortunately these packages are at airport hotels and often close to the many highways in the airport area.

[wrk2cruise]

9 minutes ago, 138east said:

What are your exact dates, number of people, and hotel budget?  What did you pay trinity for Springhill Suites? Are you looking for another park, sleep, cruise package?  Unfortunately these packages are at airport hotels and often close to the many highways in the airport area.

I paid $298 for the recent park/sleep/cruise.

 

We stayed at the Marriott Newark Airport in the past and found the rooms there quiet.  In lieu of other options we will probably stay there.

 

Oct 19, 2020 one pre-cruise night.  We are flying this time.  Would like a place with walking access to basic restaurant.  Budget in the $150-250 range.  We would use Lyft to get to the port.  Airport shuttle would be nice but not a requirement.

Edited June 7, 2019 by wrk2cruise

[138east]

48 minutes ago, wrk2cruise said:

I paid $298 for the recent park/sleep/cruise.

 

We stayed at the Marriott Newark Airport in the past and found the rooms there quiet.  In lieu of other options we will probably stay there.

 

Oct 19, 2020 one pre-cruise night.  We are flying this time.  Would like a place with walking access to basic restaurant.  Budget in the $150-250 range.  We would use Lyft to get to the port.  Airport shuttle would be nice but not a requirement.

 

51 minutes ago, wrk2cruise said:

I paid $298 for the recent park/sleep/cruise.

 

We stayed at the Marriott Newark Airport in the past and found the rooms there quiet.  In lieu of other options we will probably stay there.

 

Oct 19, 2020 one pre-cruise night.  We are flying this time.  Would like a place with walking access to basic restaurant.  Budget in the $150-250 range.  We would use Lyft to get to the port.  Airport shuttle would be nice but not a requirement.

Did you mean 2019?  Look at Embassy Suites, Courtyard Elizabeth, and Residence Inn on International Blvd in Elizabeth.  This pool of hotels is next to the Jersey Gardens Mall with a choice of Ruby Tuesday’s, Applebee’s, Johnny Rockets, IHOP, and the Mall food court.  It’s a bit off the turnpike and is the only area at the airport with any non-hotel restaurant choices.  There is a free hotel shuttle.

[ALVINF]

I booked the Springhill Suites with parking for our 10 day cruise. Has anybody heard of any problems leaving a vehicle in their “gated” parking lot?

[138east]

2 minutes ago, ALVINF said:

I booked the Springhill Suites with parking for our 10 day cruise. Has anybody heard of any problems leaving a vehicle in their “gated” parking lot?

See post 169 for a recent experience.

 

Springhill Suites is in an isolated enclave on the north side of the airport with Courtyard Newark Airport, Fairfield Inn, and a new Home2Suites.  There is one vehicle entrance and no pedestrian access.

[wrk2cruise]

6 hours ago, 138east said:

 

Did you mean 2019?  Look at Embassy Suites, Courtyard Elizabeth, and Residence Inn on International Blvd in Elizabeth.  This pool of hotels is next to the Jersey Gardens Mall with a choice of Ruby Tuesday’s, Applebee’s, Johnny Rockets, IHOP, and the Mall food court.  It’s a bit off the turnpike and is the only area at the airport with any non-hotel restaurant choices.  There is a free hotel shuttle.

Yes 2019, too many cruises booked.  I'll look at these, thanks.