first time leaving out of NYC where should we stay the day before and any other helpful info

[bubba83]

We just booked a trip next summer out of NYC on Carnival. This is our first cruise out of NYC. We would be driving in the day before from PA. Wondering if we should find a place in NYC by the terminal to stay? This place must have access to parking either on site or close by as we would be driving our own vehicle and then driving it to the terminal. Not looking to spend a crazy amount for just one night to sleep before the cruise but would like it to be clean, comfortable, have access to parking, and breakfast included would be a plus but not required......OR, should we find a cheaper room over in Secaucas NJ and just drive to the terminal the next morning?

 

Also, any other helpful tips or info we should know about sailing out of NYC? We have sailed out of NJ, Baltimore, and Florida for all our other cruises. 

[njhorseman]

48 minutes ago, bubba83 said:

We just booked a trip next summer out of NYC on Carnival. This is our first cruise out of NYC. We would be driving in the day before from PA. Wondering if we should find a place in NYC by the terminal to stay? This place must have access to parking either on site or close by as we would be driving our own vehicle and then driving it to the terminal. Not looking to spend a crazy amount for just one night to sleep before the cruise but would like it to be clean, comfortable, have access to parking, and breakfast included would be a plus but not required......OR, should we find a cheaper room over in Secaucas NJ and just drive to the terminal the next morning?

 

Also, any other helpful tips or info we should know about sailing out of NYC? We have sailed out of NJ, Baltimore, and Florida for all our other cruises. 

Given the high price of parking, not to mention hotels in Manhattan, it makes more sense to find a hotel on nearby New Jersey and then make the short trip to Manhattan in the morning.

[bubba83]

6 minutes ago, njhorseman said:

Given the high price of parking, not to mention hotels in Manhattan, it makes more sense to find a hotel on nearby New Jersey and then make the short trip to Manhattan in the morning.

thanks so much! i think that is what we probably should do. 

[princeton123211]

50 minutes ago, bubba83 said:

Wondering if we should find a place in NYC by the terminal to stay? This place must have access to parking either on site or close by as we would be driving our own vehicle and then driving it to the terminal. Not looking to spend a crazy amount for just one night to sleep before the cruise but would like it to be clean, comfortable, have access to parking, and breakfast included would be a plus but not required......OR, should we find a cheaper room over in Secaucas NJ and just drive to the terminal the next morning?

It really comes down to if spending time in Manhattan the night before or not is of value. It will cost a significant amount more to drive into Manhattan proper and spend the night prior to your cruise than it will be to spend the night in the immediate vicinity in NJ. Parking alone at a hotel or garage near a hotel in Midtown will be in the $50-$70 region (or more if you have an SUV). 

 

56 minutes ago, bubba83 said:

Also, any other helpful tips or info we should know about sailing out of NYC? We have sailed out of NJ, Baltimore, and Florida for all our other cruises. 

The Manhattan Cruise Terminal is pretty straightforward. Parking is along the piers that make up the complex and it sort of feels like you are pulling up to an airport terminal. Signs are plentiful and it is easy enough to manage. 

[bubba83]

5 minutes ago, princeton123211 said:

It really comes down to if spending time in Manhattan the night before or not is of value. It will cost a significant amount more to drive into Manhattan proper and spend the night prior to your cruise than it will be to spend the night in the immediate vicinity in NJ. Parking alone at a hotel or garage near a hotel in Midtown will be in the $50-$70 region (or more if you have an SUV). 

 

The Manhattan Cruise Terminal is pretty straightforward. Parking is along the piers that make up the complex and it sort of feels like you are pulling up to an airport terminal. Signs are plentiful and it is easy enough to manage. 

awesome, thanks so much for that input!!

[lx200gps]

2 hours ago, bubba83 said:

We just booked a trip next summer out of NYC on Carnival. This is our first cruise out of NYC. We would be driving in the day before from PA. Wondering if we should find a place in NYC by the terminal to stay? This place must have access to parking either on site or close by as we would be driving our own vehicle and then driving it to the terminal. Not looking to spend a crazy amount for just one night to sleep before the cruise but would like it to be clean, comfortable, have access to parking, and breakfast included would be a plus but not required......OR, should we find a cheaper room over in Secaucas NJ and just drive to the terminal the next morning?

 

Also, any other helpful tips or info we should know about sailing out of NYC? We have sailed out of NJ, Baltimore, and Florida for all our other cruises. 

We did our first ever trip out of the Manhattan Cruise Terminal in June. Given the price of hotels and parking in Manhattan proper, we stayed across the Hudson in Weehawken,  pretty much directly across the River from the MCT. There is a very big Ferry terminal there, with two parking garages, and parking is about half of what it would be in Manhattan. We stayed at the Residence inn, parking garage attached, and the morning of the cruise, walked across the street with our luggage, boarded the ferry and 8 minutes and $9 later were in Manhattan. A simple 13 minute walk up the Hudson Greenway pedestrian path and we were at the ship.

[navybankerteacher]

1 hour ago, njhorseman said:

Given the high price of parking, not to mention hotels in Manhattan, it makes more sense to find a hotel on nearby New Jersey and then make the short trip to Manhattan in the morning.

Seconded -- if you are not going to spend a full day (or so) in Manhattan, there is no point in paying Manhattan prices for hotel and parking -- likely costing at least $200 more than spending the night in northern NJ.   Similarly, folks from New England should check out Stamford, CT for the night before.

[bubba83]

3 hours ago, lx200gps said:

We did our first ever trip out of the Manhattan Cruise Terminal in June. Given the price of hotels and parking in Manhattan proper, we stayed across the Hudson in Weehawken,  pretty much directly across the River from the MCT. There is a very big Ferry terminal there, with two parking garages, and parking is about half of what it would be in Manhattan. We stayed at the Residence inn, parking garage attached, and the morning of the cruise, walked across the street with our luggage, boarded the ferry and 8 minutes and $9 later were in Manhattan. A simple 13 minute walk up the Hudson Greenway pedestrian path and we were at the ship.

Oooo this sounds like something we would want to do. So you left your car at your hotel in Weehawken and rode the ferry over?

[bubba83]

4 hours ago, lx200gps said:

We did our first ever trip out of the Manhattan Cruise Terminal in June. Given the price of hotels and parking in Manhattan proper, we stayed across the Hudson in Weehawken,  pretty much directly across the River from the MCT. There is a very big Ferry terminal there, with two parking garages, and parking is about half of what it would be in Manhattan. We stayed at the Residence inn, parking garage attached, and the morning of the cruise, walked across the street with our luggage, boarded the ferry and 8 minutes and $9 later were in Manhattan. A simple 13 minute walk up the Hudson Greenway pedestrian path and we were at the ship.

Looks like this hotel is already sold out for when we are going...whichnis crazy because we are like 10 months out 

[lx200gps]

24 minutes ago, bubba83 said:

Looks like this hotel is already sold out for when we are going...whichnis crazy because we are like 10 months out 

Are you sure it's actually sold out? Hotels sometimes don't open up availability this far out, so it's possible your date just hasn't gone on sale yet. Also, there is a sister Marriott hotel called the Envue in the same building as the Residence inn, so just as convenient to get to the ferry, and also shares the same parking garage.

 

There is also the big Sheraton Lincoln Harbor a couple of kilometers south of the Residence Inn, also right on the Hudson and also with it's own ferry stop that runs across the Hudson to the same ferry terminal on 39th St, in Manhattan

[bubba83]

12 minutes ago, lx200gps said:

Are you sure it's actually sold out? Hotels sometimes don't open up availability this far out, so it's possible your date just hasn't gone on sale yet. Also, there is a sister Marriott hotel called the Envue in the same building as the Residence inn, so just as convenient to get to the ferry, and also shares the same parking garage.

 

There is also the big Sheraton Lincoln Harbor a couple of kilometers south of the Residence Inn, also right on the Hudson and also with it's own ferry stop that runs across the Hudson to the same ferry terminal on 39th St, in Manhattan

I would have to call and see if it's actually sold out. Online it is showing it is but I get what you are saying with possibly being too far out. 

Thank you for all the feedback. 

[markeb]

Is it just two of you? Where are you coming from in PA?

 

I'm going to be a broken record here, but in the NE Corridor ALWAYS price Amtrak options. Amtrak will drop you at Moynihan Train Hall, essentially 8th Ave and 33rd, and a very easy cab or Uber to the terminal. No paying for parking, no worrying about your car, and what you save on parking could pay for a night in Manhattan if you want to go a day early. The only downside is you need to pick a return time, and be willing to stick with it or pay the difference for an earlier train, but Moynihan is so much nicer than Penn Station and is set up with sit down restaurants and is actually (amazingly) a nice place to relax before your train (as opposed to Penn Station...).

 

If I'm willing to book a non-refundable saver far, I can get from DC to NYP for as little as $31/person. For me, that's less than the tolls (more or less) without even considering gas. With two bags each and a carryon (helps that I'm boarding at Union Station with Red Caps). At least do the search and see if you have options.

 

If you're nowhere near Amtrak, none of that applies, but there are a lot of Amtrak option in PA!