Bayonne NJ Hotels Park and Cruise

[MrsBBuffalo]

Yes, Melsdt, it is a small world! Is her home in Grand?

 

Thank you so very much for your offer to give more advice as we discover we have more questions. You are obviously a very kind and diplomatic poster!

 

As you may have read, we may be a party of 5 or a party of 2 or 3. If our numbers drop to just my DH and myself, and possibly my cousin, we may well come an extra day early and really see Ellis Island. My grandma came through there from England. But if my folks keep their plans to come, we probably won't extend the trip this time.

 

Thanks again! I hope Mom is in Surprise now. Except for a bit of rain today, I believe our weather is a great improvement on yours right now! LOL :rolleyes:

 

Beth

[CruiseKeeper]

Do a search for Country Inn and Suites

 

One poster booked the cruise/transfer package and was VERY unhappy. Ship was late, so the parking lot was jammed up. No one could get in or out and the poster didn't get to the hotel until about 5:30. I don't think it was Country Inn and Suites fault, but she seemed to.

 

I wouldn't even bother with a hotel/transfer package. Book whatever hotel you want, then call a taxi or make arrangements for transport in advance. Taxis from most hotels in the Jersey City, Newark, Elizabeth areas will cost about $40.00 to the pier. Why would you subject yourself to arrangements which are controlled by someone else????

 

It was not the Country Inn and Suites, it was the Radisson. My problem was not with the crowded "parking lot" condition. It was with the Radisson selling a package they were not equipped to handle while knowing they had 26 people and transferred them 8 at a time.

 

FYI, when the conditions at the port are backed up, taxis are not capable and/or refuse to come to the port. Folks waiting for taxis experienced the same 4 hour wait that we did. The difference for those folks was they didn't pay up front for a service that they didn't get.

 

Luckily for most, the back up does not exist every time the Explorer arrives, but it does happen. That was our third time at Cape Liberty and our first really bad experience. Since we are only 2 hours away, next time, we'll drive.

 

Not meaning to be argumentative, it had to be said that the Country Inn and Suites was not the hotel in question.

[greatam]

I still believe that 40 dollars is too much, and would add that it is 40 dollars to Bayonne regardless of whether you are going to the port and therefore there is not always a "waiting in line" rationale.

 

P.S. With the gas prices the way they are, I wouldn't even think of getting into the transportation business, and definitely not with Corzine trying to raise our gas tax (that was the only cheap thing left in NJ!!!) :eek:

 

Glad it was a joke. Someone would have to be nuts to get into any kind of transportation business in today's world.

 

As to the $40.00-yes, I agree it is high. But the extra you make on an easy trip offsets what you LOOSE on a bad trip. Believe me, it works out to be a fair price.

[hugger]

I live very close to the port. I would suspect that if you are not staying in Secaucus, but rather in Jersey City, Newark, etc. that this company would charge you more than a company in the same town. Because we are in such a populated area (ugh) there are plenty of cabs and cab companies available. But you do have to call-you cannot hail cabs.

 

send some info on the taxi cabs in the area of Elizabeth as we are staying at the Country inn and suites. At least that is the plan for now?

THANKS

[hugger]

L&JCruiseAway - appreciate your letting us know it wasn't the Country Inn and Suites as I've liked what I've read about them most of the time and they have been so nice on the phone. Not to menton the 135.00 rate!

[melsdt]

Yes, Melsdt, it is a small world! Is her home in Grand?

 

Thank you so very much for your offer to give more advice as we discover we have more questions. You are obviously a very kind and diplomatic poster!

 

As you may have read, we may be a party of 5 or a party of 2 or 3. If our numbers drop to just my DH and myself, and possibly my cousin, we may well come an extra day early and really see Ellis Island. My grandma came through there from England. But if my folks keep their plans to come, we probably won't extend the trip this time.

 

Thanks again! I hope Mom is in Surprise now. Except for a bit of rain today, I believe our weather is a great improvement on yours right now! LOL :rolleyes:

 

Beth

 

Hi Beth,

 

Yes, her home is in Grand, in the Estancia section near the Cimmaron Center. I am hoping to visit in late April for the first time.

 

She isn't in Surprise now. She's here with us in the snow. In fact, every time she comes back from AZ, we hear a ton of complaining about the weather here. She just loves it there.

 

Let me know if you decide to come in a day early, and if you do I can help you plan out the details.

[melsdt]

Glad it was a joke. Someone would have to be nuts to get into any kind of transportation business in today's world.

 

As to the $40.00-yes, I agree it is high. But the extra you make on an easy trip offsets what you LOOSE on a bad trip. Believe me, it works out to be a fair price.

 

Very true!

[melsdt]

send some info on the taxi cabs in the area of Elizabeth as we are staying at the Country inn and suites. At least that is the plan for now?

THANKS

 

Here are a few you could try. You can try calling one or all of these to get a quote from the hotel to the cruise port, and see if it is different than the quote you may get from Secaucus taxi, which greatam recommends. If they are the same, then maybe go with the Secaucus as he/she highly recommends them...Enjoy.

 

Elizabeth Cab Co [/url]

524 N Broad St, Elizabeth, NJ -(908) 352-8294

 

Elizabeth Auto Cab

628 S. Broad Street, Elizabeth, NJ - (908) 354-4444

 

Celebrate Limousine

 

 

1000 Fanny St, Elizabeth, NJ - (800) 829-3883

 

J & Marcels

1201 Chestnut St, Elizabeth, NJ -(908) 436-1511

 

 

 

 

 

[MrsBBuffalo]

We are nearly neighbors, Melsdt! We are in Havasu, also near Cimarron. Ooo, April is a lovely time to come. As a matter of fact our DS, DDIL and very precious only Granddaughter will be visiting us then too. Perhaps you will see me out with the stroller!

 

Well, keep warm and toasty til then!

Beth

[hugger]

for the taxi links will check them out as it gets closer to our cruise next fall. THANK YOU so much for all the links and advise.

[BlueHerons]

Secaucus Taxi BASES their fees on pick up point, NOT that they are based in Secaucus. Their taxis/cars are more likely to be in the Newark/EWR area, than in Secaucus.

 

Have you REALLY looked at the costs of running any kind of transportation business???? I am in the global logistics business, own 37 over the road semis and 4 straight trucks that run around NYC/NJ every day of the week. We have an office in the Bronx and do a tremendous amount of business out of the EWR cargo area and Port Elizabeth, Bayonne and Newark. I am very familiar with transport in the area.

 

INSURANCE is a real biggie back East, as well as all the extra regulations that are only applicable in NY/NJ. You will be required to have $1,000,000 personal liability if you transport passengers (and that is NOT enough).

 

It can very easily take 30-40 minutes to get from EWR INTO the cruise port where you can drop off your pax. Yes, actual drive time may be only 10 minutes (under the best of conditions), but the airport gets crowded and slow and often the driveway at the port is backed up, so you sit with your passengers waiting to get into the drop off area. If you only make a trip an hour (EWR/Bayonne and return), you would be loosing money at anything less than $31.86.

 

I ran the figures on our very complicated computer program which figures out how much it costs to keep our trucks moving efficiently and making money. The labor figure was also $15.37 per hour. So if you can live on $15.00 per hour, go for it. But don't forget depreciation, replacement costs, repairs, fuel, insurance, all the regulatory stuff, taxes, license plates (you will need commercial). Believe me, I have been in the transportation business for 30 years. There are DEFINITELY cheaper and easier ways to be in business. If I wasn't in so deep, I would be out!!!

 

Very impressive greatam! I travel to NYC a lot for work and pleasure and always wondered how you knew so much about transportion around the Newark/Elizabeth area. BTW thanks for all of your support in trying to explain how horrible some of the Newark Airport motels are!

[Sunny AZ Girl]

We are planning to take a taxi from the Newark Sheraton Airport to the port in April. How far in advance should we call a cab? DH took a cab from Newark into Manhattan a while ago and he said that he called for a taxi and it took him over an hour to get one. Just wondering if we will run into the same problem from going from the hotel to the port?:confused:

 

We were planning on taking two cabs for our group of six with luggage. Does that seem reasonable?

[greatam]

We are planning to take a taxi from the Newark Sheraton Airport to the port in April. How far in advance should we call a cab? DH took a cab from Newark into Manhattan a while ago and he said that he called for a taxi and it took him over an hour to get one. Just wondering if we will run into the same problem from going from the hotel to the port?:confused:

 

We were planning on taking two cabs for our group of six with luggage. Does that seem reasonable?

 

Have the hotel concierge call for the taxi. When you check in, go to the concierge, tell him what you want and what time you would like to be at the port. He will make arrangements to get the cabs you need there at the time you want. Just stay in your room until it is time to go-they will call from the front desk or concierge station.

[greatam]

Very impressive greatam! I travel to NYC a lot for work and pleasure and always wondered how you knew so much about transportion around the Newark/Elizabeth area. BTW thanks for all of your support in trying to explain how horrible some of the Newark Airport motels are!

 

Well, thanks.

 

Now you know why I am sooooo adamant about the dress code and getting dressed up. I spend 90% of my life in Levi's and a t-shirt. Dockers and a blazer when I have to go to an actual meeting or fly is "dressed up". But most of my time is spent on docks, making sure the produce/food we are picking up is customs cleared, good quality and meets our customers requirements.

 

I go to my NYC office once a month. While I am there, I usually catch a ride with one of my drivers TO NJ. Then I have to figure out how to get around to all the ports/warehouses and back to the office or a hotel. So I have had a lot of experience with all the car services and taxi companies around Newark/Elizabeth/Bayonne/Secaucus/Rutherford.

 

Also, most of the hotels. If I KNOW I have more than 8-10 hours of work in NJ, then I stay in NJ and don't go back to NY. I have tried them all, I think.

 

Being a woman alone in those areas and often out at 2-6AM in the morning (food gets delivered those hours except at the piers) has made me a very discerning consumer. And when I have my truck drivers complaining about a certain motels around Newark airport, I KNOW the place has got to be bad. Most of them sleep in their trucks at our Bronx office (Hunt's Point). Not exactly the Four Seasons.

[MaduroJim]

We took a different approach last time we sailed out of Bayonne. We stayed at a hotel that was actually quite a few miles away (in Bridgewater - we visited friends), and actually parked right at the port. There's a shuttle bus that takes you to the port from your car, the price isn't too bad (it was $15/day a few months ago), and when the ship docked, we grabbed our bags, I ran for the car and we were literally on the road in 20 minutes after we got off the ship.

 

We did stay at the Newark Courtyard last October when we were sailing out of New York, but I wouldn't recommend it.

 

For us, having the car there for a quick getaway was great.

[dahammer]

BTW thanks for all of your support in trying to explain how horrible some of the Newark Airport motels are!

 

BlueHerons, I would absolutely agree if you are referring to motels like the Knights Inn, HoJo's, Econo Lodge and some of the hourly dumps in Elizabeth that cater to the hot sheet crowd. I would also agree that without a car, staying in Newark will take up lots of time commuting to Manhattan.

 

BTW, I would think that greatam's employees are driving straight trucks or tractor trailers, so they might not be as welcome to park such a large truck at the Hilton, Courtyard or Residence Inn. I have stayed at all of the major chain hotels in EWR area and if you stick to one of the 5 Marriott affiliated properties, the Hilton, Holiday Inn, Sheraton or even the Newark Airport Hotel (formerly Wyndham, soon to be Renaissance) you can't go wrong. I have never had an errant knock on my door in the wee hours of the morning, but then again, I only drive a Ford F-150.