Penn Station to Boston

[sboston06]

We are sailing in and out of NYC (Manhattan cruise terminal) in March on the Norwegian Bliss. We're taking the Amtrak to and from Boston into Penn Station. Our cruise "debarks" at 7am in NY. There are several options as far as trains to Boston out of Penn Station including 9am and 10am at their cheapest fare class. Will we have enough time to get to Penn Station for the 9am departure or is that cutting it too close? We will have a busy toddler with us so we want to minimize waiting around if possible. We will have time in NYC before we leave and post-cruise we just want to get back to Boston. Thanks in advance!

[njhorseman]

33 minutes ago, sboston06 said:

We are sailing in and out of NYC (Manhattan cruise terminal) in March on the Norwegian Bliss. We're taking the Amtrak to and from Boston into Penn Station. Our cruise "debarks" at 7am in NY. There are several options as far as trains to Boston out of Penn Station including 9am and 10am at their cheapest fare class. Will we have enough time to get to Penn Station for the 9am departure or is that cutting it too close? We will have a busy toddler with us so we want to minimize waiting around if possible. We will have time in NYC before we leave and post-cruise we just want to get back to Boston. Thanks in advance!

 Your cruise is scheduled to dock at 7 am, not debark at 7 am. Usually but not always the ships dock  earlier than scheduled, but I even so I wouldn't expect disembarkation to begin until about 7:30 to 7:45. Assuming it docks on time and CBP clears the ship promptly in theory you could make the 9 am train if you line up early for self assist express walk off where you take your own luggage. I suspect that lining up early  may not be an attractive option with a toddler in tow so 9 am is probably too early. Even with a 10 am train I'd do the self walk off but at least you won't have to line up as early. Disembarkation on the big ships with over 4,000 passengers on board can move very slowly and then you may have to wait for a taxi or Uber after you disembark.

Edited November 16, 2019 by njhorseman

[sboston06]

14 minutes ago, njhorseman said:

 Your cruise is scheduled to dock at 7 am, not debark at 7 am. Usually but not always the ships dock  earlier than scheduled, but I even so I wouldn't expect disembarkation to begin until about 7:30 to 7:45. Assuming it docks on time and CBP clears the ship promptly in theory you could make the 9 am train if you line up early for self assist express walk off where you take your own luggage. I suspect that lining up early  may not be an attractive option with a toddler in tow so 9 am is probably too early. Even with a 10 am train I'd do the self walk off but at least you won't have to line up as early. Disembarkation on the big ships with over 4,000 passengers on board can move very slowly and then you may have to wait for a taxi or Uber after you disembark.

Thank you! I think we have to go with the 10am. We have no problem with carrying off our own luggage - we tend to pack light anyways. Hubby is nervous still about having enough time to get the 10am train but the next one is at noon and that is more than 5x the price. 😞

[princeton123211]

17 hours ago, sboston06 said:

There are several options as far as trains to Boston out of Penn Station including 9am and 10am at their cheapest fare class. Will we have enough time to get to Penn Station for the 9am departure or is that cutting it too close?

We did something very similar in August. I booked an 11am train to be on the safer side knowing that its very easy to quickly change trains just using the Amtrak app. 

 

We did not do self help disembarkation (we were two adults getting off the relatively small Oceania Insignia for full color) but were able to make it to Penn in time for the earlier 9:50am train I was eyeing with about 25 minutes to spare and simply switched the tickets.

 

Given you are on a much larger ship I agree with njhorseman on the self help disembarkation. NCL Escape was disembarking next to us that morning and there was a significant bottleneck for getting cabs for those passengers. We called an Uber and it came right up and saved us a bunch of time vs waiting in line-- most likely the difference between making the earlier train or not.  

[bermuda8553]

Hi having traveled with toddlers before ( I've taken the train to Orlando with 3 little ones) driving is usually my first choice, as I don't fly. I'm also from the Boston area. The drive to the NY terminal is not bad. I hop onto the Merritt PKWY and follow pretty much a straight run to the terminal . Not sure if driving is an option for you, but the cost of the train ticket and then a taxi over to the terminal is probably just about the same a parking at the terminal on the roof. $40.00 a day. seems high but well worth the ease.Also when yo get off the ship upstairs to your car and home in about 41/2 hrs. So much easier in my option then trying to get back to Penn station after the cruise. You can check the forums here as there are  several on driving to NY and different routes. Have fun.

 

 

 

[navybankerteacher]

Wait a minute  — later train at “5x the price” does not sound right 2x, possibly close to 3x maybe.  Also while 7 day parking might cost about the same as Amtrak,  you should add gas and tolls expense deductible amounts  - probably about $100 just for use of car. Also the hassle of driving should be considered.  

 

If budgeting is is a concern, look at the bus.

[sboston06]

Budget isn’t a huge concern but that noon train is an Acela in business class so that’s why it’s 5x the price. The super saver early bird fare is sold out on the trains after 10am. 

 

We are coming in a day early so I’d have to calculate what 8 days of parking would look like plus gas and tolls. My daughter loves trains so I think the train would be a fun experience for her. 

 

I really think we’d feel more comfortable with an 11am but we’ll just line up early and do the self-help disembarkation and hope for the best!

[navybankerteacher]

Yes that Acela business class would be pricey, but the 1:00 PM Northeast Regional might make sense.  I’ve debarked NCL at Manhattan, and it can be a real hassle given the size of their ships. If you hung back and let everyone else rush off, you could have a leisurely debarkation - and have time to get something for lunch before boarding the train.

 

  If there were any delay in coming in or clearing the ship, while you could most probably make that 11:00, it could be stressful.

[sboston06]

Thanks for all the replies. We ended up booking the 1pm NE regional. It was about $75 more for all of us but worth the flexibility. And we can change to earlier if we happen to make it by the 10am train. I hadn’t realized the large ships take so long to unload passengers but it makes sense. 

[1025cruise]

That's a good plan.

 

Personally, I'd welcome some time at Penn Station to grab a slice or two 🙂

[Turtles06]

On 11/17/2019 at 10:46 AM, 1025cruise said:

That's a good plan.

 

Personally, I'd welcome some time at Penn Station to grab a slice or two 🙂

 

And, for dessert, Black & Whites at Zaro's, on the main concourse.  The best ever.  Take some home to Boston.  😋

[lenquixote66]

1 hour ago, Turtles06 said:

 

And, for dessert, Black & Whites at Zaro's, on the main concourse.  The best ever.  Take some home to Boston.  😋

The best Black and Whites at Zarro’s is solely your opinion. For me it is at any Ebingers bakery.I am sure that there are bakeries in Boston that sell equally good ones as well.

[njhorseman]

5 hours ago, lenquixote66 said:

The best Black and Whites at Zarro’s is solely your opinion. For me it is at any Ebingers bakery.I am sure that there are bakeries in Boston that sell equally good ones as well.

Lenny, I hope you're joking.  Ebinger's went out of business in 1972. I remember it quite well as I was living in Brooklyn at the time and I used to go into their store at "the junction". (Flatbush and Nostrand )

 

The name was revived by another bakery years later when they found out it was no longer a protected trademark and could be used by anyone. It was not the same.

Edited November 19, 2019 by njhorseman

[lenquixote66]

9 hours ago, njhorseman said:

Lenny, I hope you're joking.  Ebinger's went out of business in 1972. I remember it quite well as I was living in Brooklyn at the time and I used to go into their store at "the junction". (Flatbush and Nostrand )

 

The name was revived by another bakery years later when they found out it was no longer a protected trademark and could be used by anyone. It was not the same.

You are correct.I meant Entenmann’s.In 1972 you could find me at the junction Monday to Thursday evenings about 6:00 at a restaurant the name of which I cannot remember.

[zoena]

If you happen to get to Penn Station with some time to kill, go across the street to the Tick Tock Diner in the New Yorker Hotel. And have a bite. Just walk around that area to feel the area. You could stroll and see the Empire State building, or depending on time stroll down to see Times Square. Its a straight shot to both. Just suggesting.  I am from Portsmouth and my 4 friends and I take the train to NY and stay at the New Yorker. We also take the train to Newark Airport ,stay at the Marriott and catch the ships out of Port Liberty. East peasy!