Stressed out already!!!

[Luvs2trvl]

I need help before I go totally nuts. This might sound like a math problem, but here we go ....

 

My friend will arrive in Penn Station and I'm flexible as to which NYC airport to use. We are thinking of spending the night before the cruise, and I'm trying to find a reasonable hotel somewhere convenient for the 2 of us. More so for me, because I'm a big chicken about cabs in NYC - she does it all the time for work, but I don't want her stuck with a huge cab fare either.

Then, the next morning we would car or cab it to the pier.

 

Or...if we both come in the morning of departure, is there a good place to meet at the terminal, so we aren't running around in circles trying to find each other?

 

Thanks -

[templed]

Could you be more specific about what pier you're leaving from? And when you planned on staying?

[Luvs2trvl]

Sorry - we are going out of Red Hook? Princess Crown. This isn't until next August.

[smeyer418]

I don't understand..why you would be a big chicken about NY yellow cabs...I have never heard of a problem with a NY cab other than taking a long way around for a few dollars more.

I would stay anywhere in Manhattan where you can get a decent price. If cabs bother you take a car service(prearrange a car) look at the Red Hook thread above....

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=322955

 

BTW its the Crown Princess...where are you coming from? LGA is the closet airport.

[templed]

Crown Princess... sure...

 

Well.... there's a few things you should think about...

 

Taxi trip won't cost you much... if you stay downtown... it's just a quick shot up the FDR, and over the Brooklyn Bridge...

 

1) what's your budget... if you don't care about the cost of a room... there's the Ritz Carlton... right in Battery Park City... that hotel actually overlooks Red hook pier... but, believe me when I tell you, it's EXPENSIVE!

 

2) Millenium Hilton... Marriott, etc. etc... just take a look at downtown NYC hotels... you'll find a ton of em... all of em aren't cheap... but they're convenient...

 

I'm pretty sure that there are some hotels more in the vicinity of Red Hook... but I don't know anything about them...

 

If I were trying to meet someone in the city... I'd choose a central location that's easily identifiable...

 

Maybe right in front of the Armed Forces Recruiting station in Times Square???

 

or... even right outside of Penn station... have your friend choose a cross street, and meet right outside Penn... ... or meet at Madison Square Garden... It really comes down to your level of comfort...

 

As far as flexibility with flying... any airport is ok... if you're coming in a day early... just find the best fare... and take a cab into the city... it'll usually run $40 for a trip into the city (flat fare)...

[smeyer418]

There are no decent hotels by the port it self. There is a Tunnel hotel but except in an emergency I wouldn't stay there. The closest hotel is a Holiday Inn express that just opened on Union Street. There is also a Marriott in Brooklyn about 2 miles from the port(but that is expensive.

 

The cab fare from both Newark and JFK are fixed to some extent. From Newark its based on zones. From Kennedy its $45.00 plus toll and tip to Manhattan only. The NYTLC is considering a fixed rate to Kennedy from Manhattan but it hasn't been approved yet)it will be by August next year).

 

If you are going to stay at a hotel have your friend meet you there.

[Luvs2trvl]

Thanks for the suggestions. We're still working it out - and have 11 (or so) months to do it.

We might arrive the day of and not even deal with it, but I like to be there early and would rather come down the night before. It's not just NY cabs I don't like, it's traffic in general! LOL

[smeyer418]

You will have to deal with the traffic. Its not the worst in the country. actually its the driver that has to deal with the traffic...

[Nurse Daybreak]

:) :) There's a HOLIDAY INN right near central park. It was $177.50/ double double summer before last. The cabs were fantastic. I was not cheated in any manner and found the taxi drivers very pleasant with a tremendous amount of information just ready to give you a mini tour for free. I was traveling there for a two day outing with my 6YO granddaughter. If I can do it you can too. We even took the bus to the Statue of Liberty ferry landing without incident.:) :)

[Luvs2trvl]

Problem solved - we are going to stay at Brooklyn Bridge Marriott - it's about the same cost of a cab from Penn or LGA. The pre-cruise package with Princess is about 2x as expensive as I can get on my own and one of us might have enough Marriott points to get a free room. Plus, we are only 3 miles from the pier - I love being on the ship early!!! Not sure what we'll do the night before, but we have time to figure that out.

[mjt2890]

I've used this shuttle company and was happy ...

 

http://www.nyairportservice.com

 

I went from madison sq to jfk, they offer trips both ways and to different locations (see schedules). When I say in NYC, I ususally just priceline it and get a room for $100ish and it's sufficient.