LGA to Times Square to Cape Liberty

[TampaGambler]

My family and parents, 7 total (4 adults 3 kids ages 10/8/6) will be flying into LGA and staying at the four points marriott times square. If we get a SUV, its $150 for the day and like $70 to park at the hotel for the night. When we go to the port I was thinking of dropping them off at the port and then running the car to EWR and ubering back to the port. If we had a couple people, we could just take uber, but with so many we have to break everything up etc. Is there a better way? I looked at the subway plans and it doesn't appear they go near the cape liberty port. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks!

[princeton123211]

7 hours ago, TampaGambler said:

Is there a better way?

I would just take mass transit off the decision matrix with 7 people including young kids. Its not going to save you time and its not going to save you anguish-- it will merely save money but at the cost of sanity. 

 

UberX/XL is going to be about $50-60 from LGA to midtown and then about $80-100 from midtown to Cape Liberty. Even with 2 UberXs you are close to parity with your rental car (when you factor in topping off gas, parking, and the Uber you'll need from EWR to the cruise terminal) and with a whole lot less running around. 

 

You can also look at a service like Dial 7 or Carmel-- pricing will be similar to Uber but if you are going to try and squeeze everyone into a large van as an example, these two companies you'll at least know what sort of car you'll get rather than leaving it up to the ride share gods. 

 

Personally renting a car just to drive through Manhattan for the night sounds awful-- not a fun city to drive in and especially to park in. I think either multiple Ubers or a larger van from a car service will be a lot less stressful for everyone and not much more expensive. 

[njhorseman]

37 minutes ago, princeton123211 said:

I think either multiple Ubers or a larger van from a car service will be a lot less stressful for everyone and not much more expensive. 

I agree. The last thing I would recommend to a visitor is to rent a car when they're staying in midtown. One thing...two sedans from Carmel or Dial 7 will be a lot cheaper than one full size van from the same car services.

Edited November 5, 2019 by njhorseman

[TampaGambler]

Thanks guys for the help, I looked at camel and they want $180 for a van that holds 7, will look at dial7 or maybe take two Ubers. 

[mjkacmom]

Family of 7 here, 2 Uber’s or cars will most likely be cheaper than 1 that fits you all. We have fit all of us in a Honda Odyssey for cruises, but we pack light, shove luggage everywhere, and it’s only a 20 ride, and I’m used to driving in the city. I don’t recommend a car rental.

[mking8288]

13 hours ago, TampaGambler said:

... I looked at camel and they want $180 for a van that holds 7, will look at dial7 or maybe take ... 

 

We frequently use Carmel, their prices are nearly, if not always, consistently lower than Dial 7 - just use their online sites and/or free mobile App to price it directly - your trips to/from Times Square will be subject to a $2.75 congestion surcharge on top of everything/anything else, like toll.  

 

Like mjkcmom like, you might want to split your party into 2 vehicles - 2 adults + 2 child in car #A and 2 adults + 1 child in car #B with room for more luggage, doable if you pack & travel light.  I just looked up Carmel last week for another CC'er - a minivan is priced $20 higher than a standard 4 door sedan and that will definitely fit plenty of luggage as vehicle #A instead of car#A.  It will be less than doing a minivan rental & oversized parking fees, ANYWHERE in the Times Square for an overnight stay.  

 

The price quoted to you is probably for a full-size Ford van or equivalent with seating capacity for 10 to 12 plus luggage, there are far fewer of them in the fleet - some folks "like" to ride & sit together in a party mode for the ride ... you will be spending time together for the duration of the cruise.  Just stay in touch via smart/iPhone while on the way.  

 

Leave the driving to the pro's - if I can help it, avoid driving in Manhattan myself - mass transit or car service is the way to go.  Our nephew is going on the Escape next week (a short 5 nighter ... being young & all, they are packing light & taking the subway into town, then - either walk the distance to the pier or hail a short ride via taxi from W. 50th Street & 8th. Avenue station).  

[TampaGambler]

1 hour ago, mking8288 said:

 

We frequently use Carmel, their prices are nearly, if not always, consistently lower than Dial 7 - just use their online sites and/or free mobile App to price it directly - your trips to/from Times Square will be subject to a $2.75 congestion surcharge on top of everything/anything else, like toll.  

 

Like mjkcmom like, you might want to split your party into 2 vehicles - 2 adults + 2 child in car #A and 2 adults + 1 child in car #B with room for more luggage, doable if you pack & travel light.  I just looked up Carmel last week for another CC'er - a minivan is priced $20 higher than a standard 4 door sedan and that will definitely fit plenty of luggage as vehicle #A instead of car#A.  It will be less than doing a minivan rental & oversized parking fees, ANYWHERE in the Times Square for an overnight stay.  

 

The price quoted to you is probably for a full-size Ford van or equivalent with seating capacity for 10 to 12 plus luggage, there are far fewer of them in the fleet - some folks "like" to ride & sit together in a party mode for the ride ... you will be spending time together for the duration of the cruise.  Just stay in touch via smart/iPhone while on the way.  

 

Leave the driving to the pro's - if I can help it, avoid driving in Manhattan myself - mass transit or car service is the way to go.  Our nephew is going on the Escape next week (a short 5 nighter ... being young & all, they are packing light & taking the subway into town, then - either walk the distance to the pier or hail a short ride via taxi from W. 50th Street & 8th. Avenue station).  

Yeah, I agree. I spoke with my parents and we are just going to get 2 vehicles from Carmel, that way I don’t have to worry about anything.