RCCL Bus Service to Cape Liberty?

[GenSteve]

I'm sailing August 25th on Explorer from Cape Liberty. I'm traveling from Vermont by car to Orange County, then train to Hoboken, then light rail from Hoboken to 34th Street in Bayonne, then a cab to the port. I know it sounds like a haul, but I'm frugal and love trains. Also, I don't want to deal with the city traffic and the awful parking situation (damage to cars) at the port.

 

I was wondering, though, does RCCL offer bus service from New England or places in New York or New Jersey where you can park your car to the Cape Liberty Cruise Port?

[dzboss1]

Call RCL..they have their own buses that leave from South Station. Easy way in. I just came off the Explorer...boy are you in for the greatest cruise!!!!!!!

[LogansDad]

We did the RCCL bus from Boston twice. Very good service at a good price. Put your bags on the bus with tags on and you are done, your vacation has started! Let the driver do the driving/parking work and the bus gives the bags to the porters at the pier. I have an old Cape Liberty bus PDF on the home page of my "lite" cruising site attached to my sig file. It lists the places the bus originates/stops in the Northeast. It also lists the prices though I read they increased the fare due to energy costs. Call your TA or RCL for updated info.

 

We now drive to the pier because the bus gets in at about 1:30/2:00pm. We try to get their early for upgrades (never worked, but we keep trying). So we have driven for the last couple of cruises. I'd still recommend the RCL bus for every other reason. Let me know if you have specific questions.

[hac82]

GenSteve, I can understand if you are a lover of rail to do this route, but that is a lot of transfers. You must realize that all of that travel makes arrival your responsibility. You would not want to be late for the ship.

 

I took the bus last year for Voyager from South Station with dzboss1. I really found it a great way to go. It stops in Worcester, Springfield and Hartford (as long as there are pasengers to pick up). It leaves Boston at 8:00 AM on the day of sailing and it arrived in Cape Liberty about 1:30 or so.

 

It was so convenient that we are taking it again in 2 days to the Explorer. The other factor is that since it was reserved through RCCL, they make every effort to get you there on time for sailing. If they know that there are busses out on the road, they will hold the ship for a while if needed or get you to the first port.

 

I would also suggest that you contact RCCL directly or through your TA (if you booked that way) to see if there is any other busses that are leaving from a location closer to your location then having to drive all the way to Boston.

 

DZ, my excitement level was high to begin with but your comments over the past days have only raised the lever higher. I am really having a problem getting through these last days of work. Thanks for all your input.

[DPurcell58]

There's a roll call for this sailing. Come on over and see what's going on.

[dzboss1]

Hi Hac!!!

 

i don't think this excitement will ever die down!! I am posting everywhere about it because I don't know what else to do with the info and energy!!!!! The 5 day in Oct to Bermuda is just to tide me over...but nothing will really make the time fly by fast enough till I am on the Explorer next year!!

 

Have a great cruise HAC!!!!!!!!

 

And the reason why we drove this year Gen is because I also like to arrive to the ship earlier, so we drove down to NJ the day before, was at the pier at noon and eating lunch in the Windjammer at 12:30.

 

But the bus is really a easy and safe way to go. Good luck!!!

[sscruising]

Hi GenSteve:

 

We are on this sailing also & are taking the RCL bus out of Providence-its only about 20 minutes from us-and the price is $122pp round trip. We had looked into driving, renting, limo etc. but found this to be the most cost effective & convenient. Your TA or RCL rep can get these tickets for you at a location more convenient for you.

 

Sandi

[Table 6 UK]

Hi Guys

 

We will be flying into Newark Airport to catch our Explorer cruise in Sept.

 

Would you know if RCI runs a shuttle bus from the airport to the cruise terminal at Cape Liberty ?

 

Thanks

 

KEV

[hac82]

I would suggest calling RCCL and asking them that question or if you used a TA, have that person check for you. There might be some out there that can help you with this.

[little britain]

We will be staying in Manhattan and will catch the PATH from 33rd to Hoboken, then light rail from Hoboken to 34th Street in Bayonne....then how do we get to the ship please?!

[little britain]

..on how do you get from 34th St Station in Bayonne to the ship please - is it a cab ride or do RCL run busses?

Secondly does anyone know what the train fare will be from Manhattan to Bayonne by train please? thanks

[EmJakeBubbie]

$170 per person is the RT bus transfer from Manhattan to the Explorer - you can get this transfer either from Penn Station or the Port Authority (not sure where that is, but Penn is easy to find). RCI would only quote the RT, not just one way. I'd check on pricing to do all you are thinking about and cost compare as the bus is so much easier and with it, RCI is "expecting you".

[GenSteve]

The PATH train runs from Manhattan to Hoboken. The fare is $1.50 each way. Look here for more info:

 

http://www.panynj.gov/CommutingTravel/path/html/

 

From Hoboken, the light rail is $1.75 each way. More info here:

 

http://www.mylightrail.com/

 

It's my understanding that you can either hail a cab or call for one from the 34th Street station. The City of Bayonne has information at:

 

http://www.bayonnenj.org/royal.htm

 

It indicates a fixed cab fare of $8.00 each way, though it sounds walkable (1 mile) from the station to the terminal.

 

We will be doing this for the August 25th departure.

[little britain]

EmJ [!!!] - are you sure - $170 is 100GBP pp! That seems like a h*ll of a lot compared with $1.50 and $1.75 and an $8 cab ride!

Thanks for the info Gen Steve!

[rsinj]

$170 per person is the RT bus transfer from Manhattan to the Explorer - you can get this transfer either from Penn Station or the Port Authority (not sure where that is' date=' but Penn is easy to find). RCI would only quote the RT, not just one way. I'd check on pricing to do all you are thinking about and cost compare as the bus is so much easier and with it, RCI is "expecting you".[/quote']

 

WHAT???? That's from Manhattan to Bayonne? You have got to be kidding me? You can probably take a bloody helicopter ride from Manhattan to Bayonne for that price and be there in 5 minutes. I know they are flying from downtown to JFK for $130 and get you there in 8 minutes.

 

Eventually RCCL is going to have to do something better with the transportation issue in NJ. Everyone knows about the problem parking at the Bayonne terminal - we got sprayed last year and apparently there are still problems. I also heard that cars being broken into happens periodically. And $170 RT per person just from Manhattan is simply ridiculous.

 

There should be a complimentary shuttle from the light rail station and RCCL should work with NJ Transit to encourage people to use it - maybe even offering free vouchers for the light rail with their cruise. It would ease congestion enormously and be an inexpensive alternative to driving to get to/from the terminal.

 

 

Howard