Dates to avoid in New York?

[FionaMG]

Hi everyone, first time posting on this particular board.

 

I am in the very early tentative stages of organising a cruise out of Cape Liberty for spring 2021 - the specific two sailings we are looking at are 18 April and 9 May 2021.

 

We want to spend 3 or 4 nights in New York pre-cruise. Since we have not yet made a final decision as to which of these two sailings to book, I was wondering if there are any major events held regularly in NY around this time that we should be aware of due to their potential to push hotel prices up even higher than they already appear to be? This could be a dealbreaker for us. For example, I saw something called "Fleet Weekend" mentioned on another board, so that's the kind of thing I mean.

 

I hope that makes sense. Any and all help and suggestions will be most gratefully received. 

[George C]

We do nyc every year normally Memorial Day weekend which most years is fleet weekend that had no impact on hotel rooms , all it meant was seeing lots of navy sailors around, had a chance to talk to a marine general while waiting on half price ticket line. Spring is a great time to visit. 

[princeton123211]

2 hours ago, FionaMG said:

Since we have not yet made a final decision as to which of these two sailings to book, I was wondering if there are any major events held regularly in NY around this time that we should be aware of due to their potential to push hotel prices up even higher than they already appear to be? This could be a dealbreaker for us. For example, I saw something called "Fleet Weekend" mentioned on another board, so that's the kind of thing I mean.

New York, and specifically Manhattan, is such as large place that individual events, no matter how large, will have little to no effect on your enjoyment of the city. As an example, the NYC Marathon is a huge event that closes numerous major streets and involves thousands of people. If you were 3-4 blocks away from it while it was being run you would have no idea it was even happening. 

 

April and May are typically not a bad time to visit-- hotel rates are not as high as they are during the holidays or the height of the tourist summer season. If it were me I would be more focusses on that going in May might give me warmer weather where the cruise is going than going in April or something like that. There are events and things that happen in NYC everyday-- no real way to avoid them. But you wont be impacted by them much. 

[mjkacmom]

Weekends are usually cheaper than weekdays.

[138east]

What ship are you looking at and where does it go?  I’m having trouble matching your cruise dates to the 2021 schedule.

[FionaMG]

Anthem of the Seas, 18 April 2021. It's the last cruise before she heads across the Atlantic for the summer season in Europe; and Oasis of the Seas on 9 May 2021, this being the first cruise of her summer season out of Bayonne.

The itinerary is the same for both: 7 nights, calling at Port Canaveral, Coco Cay and Nassau.

1 hour ago, 138east said:

What ship are you looking at and where does it go?  I’m having trouble matching your cruise dates to the 2021 schedule.

 

Edited December 9, 2019 by FionaMG

[Noxequifans]

Fleet week (late May) has almost no impact here. But it offers a chance to visit a number of ships docked at the Westside piers.

[Got2Cruise]

If it’s Easter/Passover the cruise will be packed with families with school age children from Northeast on Spring Break. Luckily for you Passover and Easter fall in late March early April in 2021. 

[navybankerteacher]

The times during which hotel costs seem predictably impacted are around Christmas and Easter - and “Fashion Week” in September.  Of course, booking as much in advance as possible usually saves some money any time of year.

[FionaMG]

Thanks, everyone, for your helpful replies. They are greatly appreciated and I will undoubtedly be calling on your knowledge and expertise on numerous occasions between now and actually sailing.