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Cape Liberty Port Area Questions


mamakacie
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There are 6 of us, we cruise out on 6/8, flying in early on 6/7 (EWR).  I'm looking at staying in Jersey City (possibly the Double Tree).  I'm familiar with Liberty State Park and would like to show that to my family.  My daughter will be turning 18 on this trip and her #1 request is to visit Carlo's Bakery (Hoboken).  We will spend some time in NYC that day, also.  I'm familiar with the ferry out of the park area.  But there may be ferries closer.  

 

Has anyone ever stayed in that area - is it acceptable for a family?  Also, I'm debating on renting a car (Enterprise out of EWR).  I have a company rate and can get it for less than $100 for the day (van and parking).  I'm thinking this may be cheaper than taxi/uber to hotel and around park.  

 

Suggestions?  

 

Thanks so much!!  (I've cruise Disney out of Port Canaveral a few times and feel like a pro, but RC and NYC port are giving me a bit of anxiety.🙂 )

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53 minutes ago, mamakacie said:

There are 6 of us, we cruise out on 6/8, flying in early on 6/7 (EWR).  I'm looking at staying in Jersey City (possibly the Double Tree).  I'm familiar with Liberty State Park and would like to show that to my family.  My daughter will be turning 18 on this trip and her #1 request is to visit Carlo's Bakery (Hoboken).  We will spend some time in NYC that day, also.  I'm familiar with the ferry out of the park area.  But there may be ferries closer.  

 

Has anyone ever stayed in that area - is it acceptable for a family?  Also, I'm debating on renting a car (Enterprise out of EWR).  I have a company rate and can get it for less than $100 for the day (van and parking).  I'm thinking this may be cheaper than taxi/uber to hotel and around park.  

 

Suggestions?  

 

Thanks so much!!  (I've cruise Disney out of Port Canaveral a few times and feel like a pro, but RC and NYC port are giving me a bit of anxiety.🙂 )

Could you clarify what you plan to do in Liberty State Park?  Are you going to just look at the views of NYC, Ellis Island, and the Statue of Liberty?  Are you going to visit the Liberty Science Center?

 

The Doubletree is just fine for your family.  Car rental idea could be marginal and a PITA.  A car is useless in NYC.  Enterprise rental at the airport and return to Enterprise Bayonne might work.  Doubletree will charge for overnight parking.  However a car will get you all to Liberty State Park ($7 parking) and will get you to Carlo’s Bakery (parking is very scarce in Hoboken)

 

Doubletree is right by by the accessible Hudson-Bergen light rail, so light rail to Bayonne (empty trains on a Sat morning) and Uber into the port could work well for you. Light rail will also take you to Hoboken Station within walking distance of Carlo’s Bakery.   Light rail to Liberty State Park is not a good option because it leaves you about a mile away from the water.  

 

Doubletree is 2 blocks from PATH which will take you to 33rd & 6th or World Trade in Manhattan.  

 

Post back with your thoughts and time line - lots of options staying in Jersey City.

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Another thought - Enterprise has a return in Jersey City about 4 blocks from the Doubletree.  You could rent at the airport, drive first to Liberty State Park for the views, drive to Carlo’s Bakery in Hoboken, check into the hotel, and return the car.  That would be $100 well spent to cover your transportation to the hotel, Liberty State Park, and Carlo’s for 6 people and luggage.    Then do PATH to 33rd St for the evening and light rail/Uber to Cape Liberty for the ship. What time does your flight arrive?

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3 hours ago, 138east said:

Another thought - Enterprise has a return in Jersey City about 4 blocks from the Doubletree.  You could rent at the airport, drive first to Liberty State Park for the views, drive to Carlo’s Bakery in Hoboken, check into the hotel, and return the car.  That would be $100 well spent to cover your transportation to the hotel, Liberty State Park, and Carlo’s for 6 people and luggage.    Then do PATH to 33rd St for the evening and light rail/Uber to Cape Liberty for the ship. What time does your flight arrive?

 

This is a good option.  Our flight arrives at EWR before 8am.  Maybe grab a van from Enterprise/National, go to Carlos, go to Liberty State Park, possibly ferry from there across to the city, come back and then go to the hotel, check in and return vehicle?  For some reason, trains make my husband nervous.  Just being in areas that he's not used to, so I'm not sure about taking the train to port.  It might be worth paying the nightly parking charge to drive us all to port.  6 of us with 5-6 large bags might be worth having the vehicle.  It doesn't bother me to do the driving (as long as I'm not getting yelled at for missing a turn.  Lol.)

 

As far as Liberty State Park, I just wanted to show them the views and memorial.  That's the area that I'm used to ferrying out of.  I am letting my daughter (that's graduating and turning 18) make some of the decisions and she mentioned The Statue of Liberty, the 911 Memorial, going to the top of the Rock or Empire.  So not a super long list, but will probably take us most of the day.  

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10 minutes ago, mamakacie said:

 

This is a good option.  Our flight arrives at EWR before 8am.  Maybe grab a van from Enterprise/National, go to Carlos, go to Liberty State Park, possibly ferry from there across to the city, come back and then go to the hotel, check in and return vehicle?  For some reason, trains make my husband nervous.  Just being in areas that he's not used to, so I'm not sure about taking the train to port.  It might be worth paying the nightly parking charge to drive us all to port.  6 of us with 5-6 large bags might be worth having the vehicle.  It doesn't bother me to do the driving (as long as I'm not getting yelled at for missing a turn.  Lol.)

 

As far as Liberty State Park, I just wanted to show them the views and memorial.  That's the area that I'm used to ferrying out of.  I am letting my daughter (that's graduating and turning 18) make some of the decisions and she mentioned The Statue of Liberty, the 911 Memorial, going to the top of the Rock or Empire.  So not a super long list, but will probably take us most of the day.  

That sounds like a good plan up to a point.  Liberty Landing Ferry is the ferry that services Liberty State Park.

 

The question would be if you could actually return the car in time to avoid incurring a fee for the second day.  The port road can get really backed up, so it could take you quite a while to do a port drop off , return the car, and actually get yourself back to the port again. Dropping off at the airport would be even more time consuming and would be $30-40 to get yourself back to Cape Liberty.  Return the car early and spend the money instead on a car service to take yourselves to Cape Liberty.  If you get there between 10 and 10:30, the traffic is usually manageable.  Anthem typically boards by 11 and you will be among the first ones on the ship.  Many lunch venues open at 11:00 am.  For the kids bumper cars start at noon and the Northstar might be running.  It’s a short cruise and you want to make the most of each day.

 

Your husband will have to deal with a PATH train ride to midtown.  The ferries just don’t run late enough and will be very expensive for 6 people.  Google some PATH pictures and youtube videos so he knows what to expect.  It’s basically a subway and underground all the way to 33rd St.

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8 minutes ago, 138east said:

That sounds like a good plan up to a point.  Liberty Landing Ferry is the ferry that services Liberty State Park.

 

The question would be if you could actually return the car in time to avoid incurring a fee for the second day.  The port road can get really backed up, so it could take you quite a while to do a port drop off , return the car, and actually get yourself back to the port again. Dropping off at the airport would be even more time consuming and would be $30-40 to get yourself back to Cape Liberty.  Return the car early and spend the money instead on a car service to take yourselves to Cape Liberty.  If you get there between 10 and 10:30, the traffic is usually manageable.  Anthem typically boards by 11 and you will be among the first ones on the ship.  Many lunch venues open at 11:00 am.  For the kids bumper cars start at noon and the Northstar might be running.  It’s a short cruise and you want to make the most of each day.

 

Your husband will have to deal with a PATH train ride to midtown.  The ferries just don’t run late enough and will be very expensive for 6 people.  Google some PATH pictures and youtube videos so he knows what to expect.  It’s basically a subway and underground all the way to 33rd St.

Ok, I think I got it.  

Rent van at airport, go to Carlo's, go to Liberty State, maybe ferry to Statue, go to hotel, try to check in/off load bags, return vehicle and train to the city.  Also, train to the port the next morning.  

 

Make sense?  I feel so much better about our craziness now:)  Thank you!

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4 minutes ago, mamakacie said:

Ok, I think I got it.  

Rent van at airport, go to Carlo's, go to Liberty State, maybe ferry to Statue, go to hotel, try to check in/off load bags, return vehicle and train to the city.  Also, train to the port the next morning.  

 

Make sense?  I feel so much better about our craziness now:)  Thank you!

 

5 minutes ago, mamakacie said:

Ok, I think I got it.  

Rent van at airport, go to Carlo's, go to Liberty State, maybe ferry to Statue, go to hotel, try to check in/off load bags, return vehicle and train to the city.  Also, train to the port the next morning.  

 

Make sense?  I feel so much better about our craziness now:)  Thank you!

Light rail- https://www.njtransit.com/pdf/LightRail/sf_lr_hblr_map.pdf

34th St Bayonne

PATH - https://www.panynj.gov/path/maps-schedules.html

 

Uber/Lyft into the port or

local cabs - $6/pp into the port

Bayonne City Yellow Cab

201-339-5000

 

Archie’s Cab & VanService

201-858-8800

 

Campbell Taxi

201-339-8300

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Hate to be a dream buster but the line at Carlo's will be RIDICULOUSLY long depending on the time of day you get there...and their stuff, which used to be quite good, is now mass produced and lousy since it's all made in their production center off site.  When the show started, it was easier to get in there and the products were fresh and tasty.  Now, it's not unusual for the line to stretch for 2 blocks. GO EARLY!!!

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  • 3 weeks later...
On ‎5‎/‎5‎/‎2019 at 5:43 AM, megr1125 said:

Hate to be a dream buster but the line at Carlo's will be RIDICULOUSLY long depending on the time of day you get there...and their stuff, which used to be quite good, is now mass produced and lousy since it's all made in their production center off site.  When the show started, it was easier to get in there and the products were fresh and tasty.  Now, it's not unusual for the line to stretch for 2 blocks. GO EARLY!!!

I have no desire to go there, but I'm letting my daughter choose some things because she's graduating and turning 18.  And that's her number 1 thing.  Ugh. 

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On 5/4/2019 at 8:55 PM, mamakacie said:

Also, train to the port the next morning

 

You'll need an additional transportation step to actually get to the port.  It's over a mile from the train stop to the terminal and pedestrians are not permitted on the road (you wouldn't want to walk that road anyway, even if it was shorter).  Better off just getting a car or shuttle from the hotel to the terminal.

 

On 5/4/2019 at 8:09 PM, mamakacie said:

The Statue of Liberty, the 911 Memorial, going to the top of the Rock or Empire.  So not a super long list, but will probably take us most of the day.

Plan 3 hours+ for Statue of Liberty if you're going out to the island.  30 minutes out, 2 hours back (recalling the trip from Battery Park on the tip of Manhattan) if I recall unless there are other options now.  9/11 Memorial, fine if JUST the memorial but if you want to do the museum plan for a full morning or afternoon there to do it right (especially if you think it'll be your only visit there).  I think the museum is definitely worth the price of admission, but you need to be careful there as you need to specify a time to arrive when you buy your tickets and you only have a 30 minute window to enter.

 

I haven't tried doing Top of the Rock or Empire State Building, but consider that you'll be taking the subway up there from where you'll be.  I was going to at least get to Rockefeller Center last time I was in the city (I'm 3 hours away) but I just ran out of time as I also had a play I was going to.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Just wanted to thank everyone for their suggestions!  We rented a car at EWR, drove, to Liberty State Park, drove to Carlo’s (no wait at 10a on a Friday), drove to Doubletree, dropped bags, and returned rental.  The National return was right in the backyard of the hotel and it only cost us $74.  We think it was a good choice, because there are 6 of us (and a lot of bags), so car service would have def cost more.  

 

We trained over to the city and wore ourselves out.  Lol. As many trains/connections we took yesterday, I feel like a pro.  Train system was definitely a learning experience, but my family was patient about it.  I’m sure we got around a lot quicker than we would have on foot or by car.  🤪

 

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1 hour ago, mamakacie said:

Just wanted to thank everyone for their suggestions!  We rented a car at EWR, drove, to Liberty State Park, drove to Carlo’s (no wait at 10a on a Friday), drove to Doubletree, dropped bags, and returned rental.  The National return was right in the backyard of the hotel and it only cost us $74.  We think it was a good choice, because there are 6 of us (and a lot of bags), so car service would have def cost more.  

 

We trained over to the city and wore ourselves out.  Lol. As many trains/connections we took yesterday, I feel like a pro.  Train system was definitely a learning experience, but my family was patient about it.  I’m sure we got around a lot quicker than we would have on foot or by car.  🤪

 

So glad it worked out for you and your family!  $74 was a steal to get from EWR to see Liberty State Park in Jersey City and go to Carlo’s in Hoboken with an easy return next door to your hotel.  A car service from EWR to your hotel for 6 people and luggage would have been more plus you would have had expensive and time consuming logistics to get to the other places.  PATH and NYC subway are definitely the way to get around midtown Manhattan from Jersey City.

 

How was the Doubletree?  Could you tell us about it when you get a chance?

 

Have a great cruise!

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