Help!!! Southwest is no longer flying to New Jersey! I want to go out of Cape Libert

[fbgd]

2 hours ago, jp2746 said:

I have to do a cost comparison for flying into Florida and going on Harmony or Symphony verses flying into another airport like ISP or Philadelphia and renting a car. 

 

Flying into ISP when you need to be in NJ is an absolutely wretched drive.  I live in Long Island/NYC border and would consider that only out of sheer desperation. That could easily be a 3hr drive.

 

Taking the LIRR to Penn Station from ISP/Ronkonkoma and then NJ Transit/Amtrak out the other side to Newark would be far better.....or you know, flying a different airline and then use points on a different trip.

Edited August 12, 2019 by fbgd

[jp2746]

I think we will just abandon ship. It’s way too complicated and with airfare for 8, it is out of our price range.  I guess we will be going on a lesser ship. 😢

[plastered505]

22 hours ago, fbgd said:

I know people love Southwest (I'm not one) but to can your whole family trip because you can't fly Southwest seems a touch extreme...

 

Ubers to a Southwest serviced airport are going to be a rounding error on the cost of your trip.

Southwest has fans who "LUV" WN (Southwest).  It's a cult. I have flown WN a lot and know their corporate culture.  I fly WN when I have to do so, and other airlines who think more of their customers when I can.  
 

[Tapi]

43 minutes ago, plastered505 said:

Southwest has fans who "LUV" WN (Southwest).  It's a cult.  
 

I just find it a bit extreme when someone would rather cancel cruise plans or travel plans unless they can fly Southwest. I get that the OP is trying to use points, so I respect their decision, but I’m referring to other people who are “do or die” about Southwest even when it’s more expensive. 

 

I live in a city that’s a major hub for Southwest, so I do check their prices often. Sometimes they are the right choice (like when we sailed to Alaska 6 years ago, and they were charging $280 while others were charging $600), but it’s been years since we’ve flown on them simply because they are not the cheapest and/or the itineraries are horrendous. We were looking at flights to San Juan over Christmas, and even on opening day, Southwest was charging over $1000 per person and with bad connections. Other airlines are charging as little as $550.  No Southwest for us. 

[waterbug123]

9 hours ago, jp2746 said:

I think we will just abandon ship. It’s way too complicated and with airfare for 8, it is out of our price range.  I guess we will be going on a lesser ship. 😢

 

What's the issue with taking Southwest to LGA?  What am I missing?  Sure, there is some ground transportation expense, but on a per-person basis, with everyone flying free on Southwest points/companion ticket, is it really that prohibitive?  I mean, you were already going to have some ground transportation expenses anyway, getting to/from EWR.  I realize it's more getting to/from LGA but in the grand scheme of things, it hardly seems worth canceling the cruise over.

Edited August 13, 2019 by waterbug123

[Zach1213]

12 hours ago, jp2746 said:

I think we will just abandon ship. It’s way too complicated and with airfare for 8, it is out of our price range.  I guess we will be going on a lesser ship. 😢

 

That's a shame. I do really think LGA and PHL would have worked, though admittedly slightly more...work. But not that much. It would be only a bit more extreme than flying in to Orlando to fly out of Port Canaveral, which is something people do every day with small groups and large groups alike.

Edited August 13, 2019 by Zach1213

[FlyerTalker]

1 hour ago, Zach1213 said:

That's a shame. I do really think LGA and PHL would have worked, though admittedly slightly more...work. But not that much. It would be only a bit more extreme than flying in to Orlando to fly out of Port Canaveral, which is something people do every day with small groups and large groups alike.

 

Maybe they decided on taking the path of least resistance.

[Zach1213]

Just posting to say that in my previous post, I meant to say "sail" out of Port Canaveral, not "fly" out of Port Canaveral...just too late to edit it, I guess.

Edited August 13, 2019 by Zach1213

[jp2746]

I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who responded.  We wound up booking the Oasis in June.  We are going to fly into LGA and rent a car one way to Newark airport.  After dropping the family off at the hotel, I will drop the car off and shuttle back to the hotel.  It will be a bit of work, but I think it will be worth it.  

 

My biggest concern at this point is getting to the airport after the cruise.  My plan is to rent a car and drive to LGA the morning we get back.  I am just concerned that there will be issues with us getting to the airport in time for a flight.  But I figured that if we make it after 3pm and walk off with our luggage, we should be okay even with traffic.  Hopefully...  

 

Every year I stress out because we go to places that we have never been.  Transporting the family is stressful because kids are always asking questions that you wish you knew yourself.  🙂  They just remind me that I have no clue!  

 

Anyway, thanks again and I can't wait to sail on the new Oasis!!

[fbgd]

Why not just use a car service? There's about a trillion in NYC and for larger groups you can get Mercedes Sprinters and such. They'll meet you at baggage claim and it'll be so much easier. Have you looked at the procedure for renting a car from LGA? Your plan sounds, with all due respect, a bit mad and hugely time consuming.

[waterbug123]

9 hours ago, fbgd said:

Why not just use a car service? There's about a trillion in NYC and for larger groups you can get Mercedes Sprinters and such. They'll meet you at baggage claim and it'll be so much easier. Have you looked at the procedure for renting a car from LGA? Your plan sounds, with all due respect, a bit mad and hugely time consuming.

 

I agree.  With the construction around LGA, all the normal arrival traffic is rerouted.  I'm sure there are temporary signs to rental car return, but there is no way I would want to navigate all that, especially if your plan is to drop the family at the terminal and then return the car afterward.  Use a car service!   I'd use one in both directions...SO much easier, and especially for LaGuardia these days.

[jp2746]

We were able to rent a van one way for $167 each way.  That will get all of us there and back for under $350.  Do you think I could get a car service for all of us for that price or close?  If so, what service do you recommend?  I would much rather get a car service, but the ones I have looked into were really expensive.

 

I don't mind dropping the family off at the hotel and dropping the car off at the Newark airport.  We did this in Florida and it was a breeze.  It was so nice to drop all the luggage and kids off and only have to get on a shuttle by myself.  Honestly, it was a nice break from the hectic day.  🙂 

[Zach1213]

5 minutes ago, jp2746 said:

We were able to rent a van one way for $167 each way.  That will get all of us there and back for under $350.  Do you think I could get a car service for all of us for that price or close?  If so, what service do you recommend?  I would much rather get a car service, but the ones I have looked into were really expensive.

 

I don't mind dropping the family off at the hotel and dropping the car off at the Newark airport.  We did this in Florida and it was a breeze.  It was so nice to drop all the luggage and kids off and only have to get on a shuttle by myself.  Honestly, it was a nice break from the hectic day.  🙂 

 

I've never taken a car service in NYC, but it sounds fair to me for it to be "really expensive" compared to renting a van. The car service would need a large vehicle too (or several small ones), it would include gas (whereas you would have to return yours full), may include any tolls you would need to pay, and of course the convenience of not having to deal with pickup, dropoff, driving in NYC traffic, etc. etc.

[fbgd]

As a local (western Nassau County/Queens border) I've used these guys a few times for general car service but they have a Mercedes Sprinter on fleet too.

https://limostarny.com/

 

These guys are excellent if you need a larger vehicle. I used them for wedding transportation on Long Island and a family event where I needed to get about a dozen people into the city.

http://www.transtarlimo.com/

 

Of course you're going to pay more than renting a van but sometimes you have a put price on your own time and inconvenience. Driving in NYC is not the same as driving in Florida.

[TruckerDave]

3 hours ago, jp2746 said:

 

I don't mind dropping the family off at the hotel and dropping the car off at the Newark airport.  We did this in Florida and it was a breeze.  It was so nice to drop all the luggage and kids off and only have to get on a shuttle by myself.  Honestly, it was a nice break from the hectic day.  🙂 

The NJ/NYC area is nothing like FL, especially if you have never driven around the area before. You also need to add in the cost of tolls to your $350 total and god help you if you miss your exit and have to try and find your way back.  Plus, traffic on the bridges and tunnels and be at a standstill and the highways....well.....

 

The option of a car service would certainly be the best option. It may be a bit more $$ but your stress level will be much lower when you leave the driving up there to folks who do it everyday and know exactly where they are going and can take alternate routes if needed. 

[jp2746]

Thanks for the information!!  I looked into Lyft and Uber and it seems that they are a little over $100 each way (that is for four leaving on a Sunday around the time all the cruisers would need a ride).  So, it would be about the same amount with tolls/gas by taking Lyft or Uber.  

 

Thank you, I am going to skip the car and get a Lyft.  I wasn't too excited about renting a car, but I couldn't get a straight answer from any of the "car services" online as far as how much it would cost.  Most of them only carry 4-6 people.  

 

This way we take two cars directly to the hotel and directly from the cruise port.  

 

Thanks so much!  You have really made me feel better about this trip. 

[fbgd]

1 hour ago, jp2746 said:

I couldn't get a straight answer from any of the "car services" online as far as how much it would cost.  Most of them only carry 4-6 people.  

 

Err, did you see the links I'd provided? Both will allow you to quote and pay for the ride there and then and for much bigger vehicles. 

[waterbug123]

I've used Dial 7 on multiple occasions, and have always been able to get a quote online.  Carmel is another one a lot of people use.

[jp2746]

Thanks for your replies!  I contacted all of them.  Carmel was the least expensive.  With tolls and the two cars, we will be able to get to NJ and back for under $450.

 

Thanks again!  I am so happy to know that we don't have to deal with a car or drive in New York.