NY airport/Crown ship transfers question

[jmf123]

We are sailing on the Crown in October from New York (Canada/New England itinerary) and would like to know which airport is best to use. We hear that La Guardia is closest, followed by JFK, then Newark. However, the Princess rep said that Newark is the closest.

 

Which airport should we use and is a cab better, or should we book the $40 p.p. transfers with Princess? Roundtrip ship transfers recommended? (We like the idea of being able to just grab a cab if possible).

 

Also, we have a balcony, Cat BB on the Caribe Deck...port side and a bit forward. Sound good? Looking forward to our first Princess cruise, and first time to NYC since I was very young!

[KAWS]

We flew into JFK. Took a car NOT a metered taxi. Cost was $40 total. We had the driver stop for soda/water and wine/pharmacy (2 stops). The total was $60 plus tip.

 

Coming back to the airport was a different matter. You could NOT get any car service on the phone to book it and they wouldn't take pre-reservations. We just grabbed a car service again and they were $70 + tip to the airport. Yellow cabs were there too and you could gamble with them and if all was aligned well (no traffic, good weather, etc.) you might pay less but we went with the sure thing (it was Monday morning and pouring rain). The cars were nicer for the drive too - not a deal breaker but was nice.

 

There were Princess transfer buses there at the pier but none had left by the time we did. They wait till the buses are full and loaded (of course) before they will leave. We just wanted to get away from all those people and in the end the Princess transfers were a lot higher than just grabbing a car.

[Colo Cruiser]

We are sailing on the Crown in October from New York (Canada/New England itinerary) and would like to know which airport is best to use. We hear that La Guardia is closest, followed by JFK, then Newark. However, the Princess rep said that Newark is the closest.

 

Which airport should we use and is a cab better, or should we book the $40 p.p. transfers with Princess? Roundtrip ship transfers recommended? (We like the idea of being able to just grab a cab if possible).

 

Also, we have a balcony, Cat BB on the Caribe Deck...port side and a bit forward. Sound good? Looking forward to our first Princess cruise, and first time to NYC since I was very young!

 

 

 

LGA is the closest, next is JFK.

Newark is not bad but you have to deal with toll's. I would make that my third choice.

 

Take a car service

It is a fixed price and you just call them once you are done in the bagage claim area and they will arrive within 10-15 minutes, no need to make a res. Runs about $50 for up to 4 people and luggage.

 

We use......

 

Arecibo 718-783-6465

Cadman 866-308-5466

 

We have sailed the CRown twice and your cabin choice sounds great....enjoy. :)

[joey123]

I live in NY- cabs from Newark or JFK are min. of $45, LaGuardia is much cheaper and closer. A car service is the best deal - I use Carmel which is on the internet and offers a coupon (discount) -book in advance. Allstate is another local car service residents use. Both have 800 phone numbers. local numbers are 212-777-7777 or 212-666-6666 (I think). La Guardia with car service and discount can be under $30 without tolls and tips.

Joey123

[Debathome]

We were on the Crown in May and used the Princess transfers.

A Limo picked us up right at the airport, no waiting. It took over an hour to get to the hotel (downtown Manhattan) which would have cost us an arm and leg if we had taken a cab. The traffic can be horrendous depending on the time of your arrival. Our 40 dollar transfer also included being picked up at the hotel and taken to the ship and from the ship to the airport again. With the transfers, you also get the privilege of being one of the first off and our bus filled in minutes and left right away. There were many other buses waiting in line for the others.

For us, the service saved us a couple of hundred dollars BUT we were staying downtown overnight. If you are going right on to the ship, it may be just as cheap and convenient to use a car service.

Happy Cruising.

[jmf123]

Thank you to everyone for your replies, I have direct flights into LGA booked, and we will likely use a car service- that sounds great! Although I'm a bit nervous about not being able to pre-reserve a car for the return to the airport...

 

Can't wait to board the 'Crown'!!!!!!!!!! :) (And thanks for the positive stateroom location comment, Colo Cruiser)

[Boytjie]

We are sailing on the Crown in October from New York (Canada/New England itinerary) and would like to know which airport is best to use. We hear that La Guardia is closest, followed by JFK, then Newark. However, the Princess rep said that Newark is the closest.

 

Which airport should we use and is a cab better, or should we book the $40 p.p. transfers with Princess? Roundtrip ship transfers recommended? (We like the idea of being able to just grab a cab if possible).

 

Also, we have a balcony, Cat BB on the Caribe Deck...port side and a bit forward. Sound good? Looking forward to our first Princess cruise, and first time to NYC since I was very young!

 

Newark may be closest as the crow flies but it is a bridge and tunnel or two tunnels away on the other side of the harbour in New Jersey.

 

La Guardia, JFK and Brooklyn are all on Long Island so LGA and JFK are much easier - and cheaper - to get to.

[Boytjie]

It took over an hour to get to the hotel (downtown Manhattan) which would have cost us an arm and leg if we had taken a cab.

 

FWIW: from JFK to Manhattan the yellow cab fare is a flat rate of $45.

[Boytjie]

Thank you to everyone for your replies, I have direct flights into LGA booked, and we will likely use a car service- that sounds great! Although I'm a bit nervous about not being able to pre-reserve a car for the return to the airport...

 

The local car services we use have been fine with meeting us at the airport when we could not pre-reserve. A few times when the car service had no cars available they would even suggest which other companies to try.

 

We have used Arecibo, Family and Prospect.

[Colo Cruiser]

Thank you to everyone for your replies, I have direct flights into LGA booked, and we will likely use a car service- that sounds great! Although I'm a bit nervous about not being able to pre-reserve a car for the return to the airport...

 

 

I was really worried about the res thing at first too but not to worry they arrive really fast. :)

[smeyer418]

geography lesson.

LGA to Red Hook Terminal is 11 miles. EWR is 16. JFK is 14 by Atlantic Avenue, 20 by the Van Wyck to the LIE to the BQE and 24 by the Gowanus and the Belt Parkway, or 20 by the Prospect Expressway to the belt Parkway.

a cab to/from LGA is about $30.00 -35.00 including tip but there are no tolls

JFK is 40-70 depending on how the cab goes again there are no tolls.

A cab to EWR from Red hook is the meter plus $15.00 plus round trip tolls and tip(around $70.00). http://www.nyc.gov/html/tlc/html/passenger/taxicab_rate.shtml A cab from EWR is fixed at $70-80 depending on time plus roundtrip tolls and tip....about $100.00 in total.http://www.newarkairport.com/CommutingTravel/airports/html/ewr_taxi_rates.html

here are the official rates....note that there is a $5.00 surcharge for certain times and that Red Hook is not listed....

 

 

 

A car service(not the one at the Red Hook cruise terminal that you just get in but one you arrange yourself like Arecibo) will cost about $30. to or from LGA about $40.00 to of from JFK and about $50.00 to or from EWR. The limos/car service at the Red hook cruise terminal you just get into will cost just about twice that amount.

 

A cab to Midtown from and From JFK is fixed at $45.00 plus tolls and tip.

A cab from or to Midtown from Red Hook is about $25.00 as is a pre-arranged car service.

All these prices are per car.

 

and the bus arranged by the Cruise company costs I believe $40.00 per person per segment.

[happy cruzer]

We will be at LGA this Saturday, yea.

 

So we will take a taxi to the Crown Princess.

 

what do we tell the taxi driver, Brooklyn Red Hook Cruise terminal?

 

How is traffic on Saturday around noon? does it usually cooperate?

 

We don't do taxis very often, can you tell we are nervous?

 

Thanks.

[muffydawg]

We will be at LGA this Saturday, yea.

 

So we will take a taxi to the Crown Princess.

 

what do we tell the taxi driver, Brooklyn Red Hook Cruise terminal?

 

How is traffic on Saturday around noon? does it usually cooperate?

 

We don't do taxis very often, can you tell we are nervous?

 

Thanks.

f I were you I would go to Mapquest and print out directions from LGA to the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal. We did and it was a good thing, too. Our car driver was from Jersey..

 

Yes, the blue and white signs state Brooklyn Cruise Terminal. The driver should get off the BQE at the Atlantic Avenue exit and follow the blue/white cruise terminal signs while following the side roads along the waterfront.

 

The Brooklyn Cruise Terminal is at Imlay and Bowne.

 

Give yourself an hour drive from p/u at LGA to the pier, even on a Saturday. Hey, if you get there in under an hour you will be pleasantly surprised.

 

Have a great time. We just got off the Crown on the 15th and she is a great ship with a great staff.