Transportation to Brooklyn Cruise Port

[Punkydog]

Trying to decide between taxi, uber and lyft from LGA to port on day of cruise. Cost is a factor. If anyone has recent experience on using one of these and the cost I’d appreciate it.  Sailing on Emerald Oct 28th.

[princeton123211]

31 minutes ago, Punkydog said:

Trying to decide between taxi, uber and lyft from LGA to port on day of cruise. Cost is a factor. If anyone has recent experience on using one of these and the cost I’d appreciate it.  Sailing on Emerald Oct 28th.

They're all going to be similar-- around $70. Frankly I like that Uber/Lyft will give you the quote ahead of time.

 

I've been burned in NYC yellow taxis the last few times with the fare ending up being significantly more than I had estimated. From LGA taxis don't give you the same flat fare you get from JFK (not that it would apply to Brooklyn anyway). Just to get into the taxi at LGA its like $12 in surcharges plus the 70 cents per 1/5 mile as you'll be on the meter the entire time. Any unforeseen traffic can and will make the fare go up. 

 

Uber/Lyft would be the way I would choose to do this. 

[CruisinCouple2010]

In September we used Carmellimo.com from LGA to the Brooklyn cruise terminal. They are competitively priced and you can get a quote by just going to the website. Car pick up was right on time. You can also get a coupon for a few dollars off right on there web site.

[GTJ]

2 hours ago, princeton123211 said:

Just to get into the taxi at LGA its like $12 in surcharges plus the 70 cents per 1/5 mile as you'll be on the meter the entire time.

To be certain, here are the yellow taxi rates within New York City, except between JFK airport and Manhattan:

$3.00 flag drop

$0.50 MTA surcharge

$1.00 improvement surcharge

$1.75 airport access fee, travel from LaGuardia or JFK airports

$5.00 surcharge, travel to or from LaGuardia airport

$2.50 congestion surcharge, travel into Manhattan below 96th Street

$2.50 rush hour surcharge, 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. weekdays

$1.00 overnight surcharge, 8:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. daily

$3.50 per mile when traveling above 12 mph (measured in 1/5-mile increments)

$0.70 per minute in slow or stopped traffic

Tolls added at E-ZPass rates

 

Yellow taxi rate between JFK airport and Manhattan

$70.00 flat rate

$0.50 MTA surcharge

$1.00 improvement surcharge

$1.75 airport access fee, travel from LaGuardia or JFK airports

$2.50 congestion surcharge, travel into Manhattan below 96th Street

$5.00 rush hour surcharge, 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. weekdays

Tolls added at E-ZPass rates

[GetGlowing]

Why not take the cruise line transportation? 

[navybankerteacher]

3 hours ago, GetGlowing said:

Why not take the cruise line transportation? 

While it might be less expensive if you are travelling alone (not so likely if two or more are sharing), the cruise line transportation generally requires you to wait until the bus is filled - which frequently involves a long wait.

[GetGlowing]

On 10/23/2023 at 10:00 PM, navybankerteacher said:

While it might be less expensive if you are travelling alone (not so likely if two or more are sharing), the cruise line transportation generally requires you to wait until the bus is filled - which frequently involves a long wait.

Long wait was not our experience a couple months ago. We disembarked early and there was a steady stream of guests loading the airport buses. If you were in a hurry maybe not the choice for you, but we had a 1pm flight from LGA and the load time wasn't an issue. 

[njhorseman]

9 hours ago, GetGlowing said:

Long wait was not our experience a couple months ago. We disembarked early and there was a steady stream of guests loading the airport buses. If you were in a hurry maybe not the choice for you, but we had a 1pm flight from LGA and the load time wasn't an issue. 

The OP was asking about using the cruise line bus from the airport to the port...the opposite direction...and there's a big difference.  

When you're boarding the bus at the airport passengers are arriving in dribs and drabs...five people on this flight, ten people on another flight, etc.  As a result you can find yourself waiting quite a while for the bus you're on to fill and head to the port.

You're describing what happens at the cruise terminal on disembarkation day. Hundreds of passengers are disembarking continuously so the buses fill and depart quickly.

[GetGlowing]

3 hours ago, njhorseman said:

The OP was asking about using the cruise line bus from the airport to the port...the opposite direction...and there's a big difference.  

When you're boarding the bus at the airport passengers are arriving in dribs and drabs...five people on this flight, ten people on another flight, etc.  As a result you can find yourself waiting quite a while for the bus you're on to fill and head to the port.

You're describing what happens at the cruise terminal on disembarkation day. Hundreds of passengers are disembarking continuously so the buses fill and depart quickly.

You're right, my bad. 😄 We used welcomepickups from airport (LGA) and it could not have been easier. We went to hotel for 1 night first, then used them again the next day. 

[GTJ]

7 hours ago, njhorseman said:

When you're boarding the bus at the airport passengers are arriving in dribs and drabs...five people on this flight, ten people on another flight, etc. As a result you can find yourself waiting quite a while for the bus you're on to fill and head to the port.

What you're describing is the early and largely-obsolete practice of operating a bus line: waiting until "enough" passengers arrive before departing, a practice that originated with the stagecoaches in England centuries ago. That practice evolved into a system of scheduled departures, buses operating at predetermined times, regardless if they are sufficiently full or not. The benefit, of course, is that passengers can plan and rely upon scheduled service, without having the uncertainty and inconvenience of having to wait around for the bus to fill-up. Now if there is a steady-enough stream of arriving passengers then there is not much uncertainty or inconvenience (as is the case for the buses operating in this fashion between Flushing and Chinatown). But at LaGuardia airport I imagine that there would not be strong stream of arriving passengers, and the uncertainty, inconvenience, and waiting could be excessive. I would prefer the cruise line arranging scheduled bus, so that I might be able wander the airport (shop, explore, etc.) and return to the bus stop at a predetermined time, over having to sit on the bus waiting for it to fill-up.

[Brighton Line]

In addition, they may have one bus that will visit all the terminals instead of having four buses one for each terminal. It does take a while to get to/from Terminal A for Spirit and Frontier. Doubt it is one bus sitting and waiting more likely a greeter and then load and go at a certain time. 

[GTJ]

9 hours ago, Brighton Line said:

In addition, they may have one bus that will visit all the terminals instead of having four buses one for each terminal. It does take a while to get to/from Terminal A for Spirit and Frontier. Doubt it is one bus sitting and waiting more likely a greeter and then load and go at a certain time. 

I do not use these services--particularly here in New York City where I use regular public transportation between home and port--nor have I observed these operations. If it is as you describe, then it must be a boring job for the bus company's starter stationed at each terminal (particularly for a lightly-used terminal, such as the Marine Air Terminal). Once passengers locate the bus company starter, I imagine that they will be requested to stand around, waiting for the bus to get there, rather than to report back at a specific time. Is this true?

[Brighton Line]

Not a starter in the sense of Public transportation but a "greeter" that holds a sign, checks a list, communicates on a radio and does make you stand around. I assume that they have set times the bus is supposed to arrive at the terminal and/or can call them back for a late arrival. 

 

I also have been told people very late they would put them in a cab instead of getting another bus but I haven't experienced this. I no longer use cruise line transportation when cruising outside of my home ports so this is all pre-covid. 

[GTJ]

9 hours ago, Brighton Line said:

Not a starter in the sense of Public transportation but a "greeter" that holds a sign, checks a list, communicates on a radio and does make you stand around. I assume that they have set times the bus is supposed to arrive at the terminal and/or can call them back for a late arrival.

Am I correct in my assumption that the "greeter" is an employee of the bus company, and not of the cruise line? If I were counsel for the cruise line, I would be concerned about having cruise line employees being in radio contact with, and otherwise directing the movement of, individual bus drivers--because doing so would place the cruise line at risk of controlling the transportation of passengers, and of being liable as a motor carrier of passengers (vis-à-vis a broker therefor), both in tort and as to regulation--and I would insist that it be only bus company employees that supervise and direct the movement of bus drivers.

 

The bus companies I managed would utilize starters (a.k.a. SLDs, or surface line dispatchers) and inspectors (a.k.a. road supervisors) primarily to control the movement of buses, but occasionally these supervisors would interact with passengers as an ancillary duty. But they would not routinely "greet" passengers as might be done for persons at an airport intending to utilize bus transportation to the port. So with my bus companies the terminology was clear and traditional. But for this cruise port transportation, it seems like the supervisors do both--both "greet" passengers, as a customer service responsibility, and also direct the movement of individual bus drivers--so I suppose the terminology might vary depending on one's perspective.

[njhorseman]

33 minutes ago, GTJ said:

Am I correct in my assumption that the "greeter" is an employee of the bus company, and not of the cruise line?

Not in my experience. They typically will wear a badge, carry a sign and wear clothing identifying the cruise line they are representing, although like virtually everyone you encounter at the port they are almost certainly going to be an employee of a shoreside port services company such as Intercruises. After all, there may be passengers for multiple cruise lines arriving at the airport, so how else would you be able to identify who is responsible for getting you and your luggage to the pier?

Edit: I suppose they could be employees of the bus company rather than the shoreside port services company,  but they almost certainly aren't cruise line employees. 

Edited October 26, 2023 by njhorseman

[GTJ]

4 minutes ago, njhorseman said:

Not in my experience. They typically will wear a badge and clothing identifying the cruise line they are representing, although like virtually everyone you encounter at the port they are almost certainly going to be an employee of a shoreside port services company such as Intercruises. After all, there may be passengers for multiple cruise lines arriving at the airport, so how else would you be able to identify who is responsible for getting you and your luggage to the pier?

What an interesting situation you raise, especially in the context of when something goes awry. Not something typically of concerns to passengers, but a technical matter that is of importance to the legal interests of the companies involved. Consider, for example, a collision between one of the buses arranged by the cruise line and another motor vehicles, with resulting damage and injuries. The owner of the other vehicle sues both the bus company and the cruise line. If the cruise line did not control the transportation, then it would not be liable (on the ground that brokers do not, themselves, provide transportation, and only the carrier is held liable . . . just as travel agents are not held liable when airliners crash). But increasingly courts have been holding brokers liable--probably because some carriers are not well-capitalized and their brokers have deeper pockets (would you rather try to collect from a local bus company or from Carnival Corporation?)--and so courts have been finding legal mechanisms for holding the broker liable. If the cruise line allowed the bus company employees, or some other services company, e.g., Intercruises, to wear cruise line badges or identifying clothing (perhaps a license or agent-principal arrangement), then it could possible for the court to find the cruise line in control and therefore liable as a motor carrier. I have not read any cases on this subject--and most cases in this field relate to trucking--so it is speculation on my part. You've given me something to ponder. It would be interesting to see the results of such litigation, as it would provide useful guidance for the cruise lines that act as brokers in arranging this type of bus service.

 

(As a parallel, consider the buses in Westchester County. The buses themselves are owned by the county, and marked as such, but they are operated by employees of Liberty Lines Transit. The uniforms worn by the drivers are all emblazoned with Liberty Lines identifiers, not Westchester County identifiers. I think the same may be true in New Jersey, where some bus routes use buses owned by New Jersey Transit, and marked as such, but are operated by employees of Academy Lines, Coach USA, or others. It may also be true for the on-airport bus services, with buses owned by the Port Authority but operated by employees of ABM Aviation.)

[Astro Flyer]

A decade ago used Carmel from JFK to a Red Hook hotel for a pre cruise stay & was satisfied with their service. As I recall there was another similar service that was recommended but don’t recall the name…could anyone provide another recommendation?

 

I’ve never used Uber/Lyft and would prefer a car service such as Carmel…thanks.

 

[Princess Cruiser27]

On 11/16/2023 at 4:41 PM, Astro Flyer said:

A decade ago used Carmel from JFK to a Red Hook hotel for a pre cruise stay & was satisfied with their service. As I recall there was another similar service that was recommended but don’t recall the name…could anyone provide another recommendation?

 

I’ve never used Uber/Lyft and would prefer a car service such as Carmel…thanks.

 

Dail 7 is another Car Service that's used in NYC.  NYC Car Service Coupons, Get a Ride To And From The Airport And The Tri State Area :Dial 7

[Astro Flyer]

On 11/19/2023 at 10:09 AM, Princess Cruiser27 said:

Dail 7 is another Car Service that's used in NYC.  NYC Car Service Coupons, Get a Ride To And From The Airport And The Tri State Area :Dial 7

Thanks! 🙂

[princeton123211]

9 hours ago, Astro Flyer said:

Thanks! 🙂

Keep in mind that there is literally zero difference between Dial 7 and Carmel from an experience standpoint. They are both large aggregators that pull from the same group of independent drivers. They are both basically like UberBlack with outdated business models. 

 

I say this not to put them down (they both get the job done-- not the nicest black cars in the NYC market but also not the most expensive), but to make the point of not getting hung up on one over the other based on reviews. Compare these two companies purely on price-- that will be the only way they might differ. 

[Brighton Line]

1 hour ago, princeton123211 said:

 They are both large aggregators that pull from the same group of independent drivers. They are both basically like UberBlack with outdated business models. 

Point of reference the Lyft Black that took me to the Brooklyn port had phones for Uber and Dial 7 and while we were in traffic approaching the port was looking on both for a pickup trip from the port. I requested Lyft XL but got Black at no extra charge and a full-size SUV. 

[GTJ]

9 hours ago, princeton123211 said:

Keep in mind that there is literally zero difference between Dial 7 and Carmel from an experience standpoint. They are both large aggregators that pull from the same group of independent drivers.

I was earlier to tempted to write the same thing, but you've done so perhaps more concisely that I would have done. The technical term for Dial 7, Carmel, and similar entities is that they are a "base." A base consists of telephone lines for receiving calls from clients, a dispatch system that allows them to communicate with independent drivers, and a payment processing system. Bases, themselves, do not own motor vehicles, nor do they provide transportation; instead bases merely arrange for transportation to be provided by persons not employed by them. TNCs, such as Uber and Lyft, are simply bases with different (arguably more advanced) technology to connect with independent drivers, and different interfaces with their clients. In effect, these bases and TNCs are simply brokers, companies that arrange for transportation but do not, themselves, provide that service themselves.

 

One can compare one base against another, but the bases of some comparisons are properly limited to the speed and courtesy to which these bases communicate with clients on the telephone, the functionality of their websites, and the amounts that they charge for their services in arranging for transportation. But because bases do not provide transportation, reviews of the transportation provided by independent drivers, or by the vehicles owned and operated by these independent drivers, has little to do with the quality of the base that had made the arrangements for that transportation.

 

It does not help that these bases convey the improper image--or sometimes even falsely advertise--that are "car services," meaning providers of transportation by car. I would be amused by the many people who argue amongst themselves as to one base or another having better cars or better drivers, but for these improper images.