Transfers and distance from JFK

[MediaSpecialist]

To anyone who has used the NCL transfers from JFK to the New York port, I am wondering what the cost, time, and distance is before I make a decision about making my own air reservations.

[IHeartMickey]

I haven't used transfers because well, I live very close to JFK but the average time from JFK to Manhattan is about 30 minutes, although I'm not sure how long it would take to get to the pier once you enter Manhattan, only because it depends on which way your driver goes. I took a cab to the pier from my house last time and it took us about 50 minutes to get there because we hit massive traffic right near the pier. But, the driver really didn't know the area well enough to know some short cuts.

 

I'm not sure how much a yellow taxi would cost (I took a local cab company) but from right near JFK to the pier it cost us $45.

[kdg51]

MediaSpecialist...we have decided that we will drive from MA. By the time you go to the airport arriving an hour or two early, wait around hoping that your flight is on time, get your luggage and pay for your flight and transfers or a taxi you could be onboard enjoying your first meal or drink! Still deciding if we will use our car and park it or rent a minivan now that there are four of us or maybe a full size van if more friends decide to join us. :D Looks to be about a 4 hour drive.

 

Maybe someone can help me here...it appears that Hertz has a location open later than noon on Saturday less than a mile from the port on West 55th St? We also have a location for Hertz and Enterprise in the next town from home. Are there any other companies in the area that I should get a price from? Trying to avoid returning or picking up at an airport if we can. Been there, done that in Miami last cruise. :eek: Hubby said too many people waiting to return cars and catch a shuttle back to the ship. We sent him alone but there were whole families waiting for the shuttle. He got lucky after several tries because they had one seat available! :p

[Aloucha]

We went on the Spirit in Feb, they were no transfer offered to the airport by NCL. 4 of us were returning by car but my mom had a flight from JFK. There were many cabs, we didn't wait more then 10 minutes and she was gone. I think the cost was something like 55$ but I am not certain.

 

I was sure that shuttles would be available as when we had cruised on Sun in Miami, that's how we had gone back to Miami airport for our return flight.

[yogimax]

With tip, the taxi fare will be around $55.

 

During heavy traffic periods, however, the trip will take longer than 30 minutes, in part due to the fact that the cruise terminal is on the west side of Manhattan.

[MediaSpecialist]

kdg51

 

We are also thinking of taking the bus out of South Station in Boston. We used the bus when we went on the Dawn a few years ago, and again this past February when we went on the Noordam. We also used the bus when we went on Crown Princess this past June. The trip on all three buses was on Academy Bus and was hired by each of the cruise lines.

 

We had absolutely no problem with the Dawn or Noordam bus trips. However, our Princess bus trip this past June was terrible. In fact, after stopping in Hartford to pick up passengers, the driver turned east on route 84 instead of west and we almost ended up back in Massachusetts! That was only one bad experience out of several on that bus trip. Needless to say, for us, Academy Bus is no longer the way to go...unless they hire drivers who know the route!

 

It is my understanding that NCL no longer has motorcoach service from Boston to New York, but there is a bus company, Entertainment Tours, out of Braintree (I think that is where they are) that has been recommended by our travel agent.

 

You may want to consider that company because once you load your luggage on the bus, you never have to touch it again until it is delivered to your cabin. The bus also makes scheduled stops in Providence and two, I believe, in Connecticut. Give them a call and see if it meets your needs more than driving. The bus costs $75 per person round trip.

 

I am thinking that Entertainment Tours is the way to go because I called NCL earlier today and they do not do transfers from JFK, only from LaGuardia. The cost is $35 per person each way so for two people, to and from, that is $140 plus the cost of plane fares from Boston to LaGuardia which are about double the fares to JFK.

 

Good luck whatever you decide.

[pgm2786]

Pat and Jan from previous Majesty Repos, we used Entertainment Tours along with Rusty and Kathy last Fall for a NCL Crown cruise out of New York to Bermuda. My daughter and her husband also used them this Spring. We are using them again along with Rusty for the Repo of the Dawn to Miami in October.

You can pick them up in Providence rather than driving up to Boston. It is real good for you because of the soda (Root Beer ?) won't have to be rapped for transfer on the plane. Also on the way home you won't have to worry about backing all the soveniers so they won't break on board the plane.

They drop you off within 50 feet of the entrence to the Terminal, your luggage is transfered from the bus to the longshoremen onto the ship. The bus picks you up about 12:30 pm in front of the Terminal for the return trip.

Their toll free no is 1-800-310-9900, $75.00/pp round trip. The service is pretty good.

[kdg51]

Hi Pat & Jan...I try to get my Root Beer closer to the ship these days. Rusty gave me number for Entertainment tours and just haven't called yet. Someone posted on another thread about waiting several hours on the pier past the scheduled time to be picked up so I have been trying to weigh all the options but it would be a plus not to have to handle the luggage. Did they have parking down in Braintree or Providence? At $75/person round trip the cost would be about the same as renting a minivan or parking. Our kids are north of us so we might need to leave the car somewhere.

 

We were hoping that the Dawn would be coming to Boston and I guess that was one of the options but they are moving the Dream instead. Repositioning cruise starts in Santiago and if I priced a one way ticket correctly it was more than the cost of the cruise. :eek: So, last week we booked May 3rd and May 11th on the Spirit. Totals 14 days with different itineraries but probably wont be the same as the repositioning cruises that we are use to taking. :( Oh well, we will still be on a cruise and on vacation so it will be fine!

[pgm2786]

Kathy

I don't believe there is parking up in Boston, the pick up is at South Station but which is available by Amtrack.

They had a scheduled pick up at the Bonanza bus terminal, and parking is available there.

Here is the link to the bus service, enjoy your cruise....Pat

 

http://www.enttours.com/

[richtersl]

kdg51

 

We are also thinking of taking the bus out of South Station in Boston.

 

What about Amtrak? It will get you to NYC much quicker from Boston than a bus will. An Acela Express will get you from Boston to Penn Station in New Youk in about 3.5 hours. The regular regional train will do the same trip in about 4 hours.

 

I've no idea what the rates are because the Amtrak site appears to be down at this time.

[yoj13]

Hi,

We have paid $107.30 for two tickets (1 senior) to get us from Boston to New York on December 12th, 2007. Hope this helps. If anyone knows how far it is from the cruise terminal to the Railway Station , that would be a big help to us, although we have some info off the internet. Thanks - yoj

[richtersl]

The train from Boston arrives at Penn Station, which is not too far from the Cruise Ship Terminal, but you will need to take a cab. If the traffic in the city is light, it should take you about 10-15 minutes to get to the cruise ship terminal from there.

 

Here's a map courtesy of Google that shows you where they are in relation to each other: Map

[kdg51]

Thanks pgm2786

My son lives in Saugus so we have a much better chance of having him either bring us in his van or have him pick up our car like we've done in the past. If we don't all fit I'm sure that Jan's son would bring her and her sister. Last time on the Majesty we took Logan express and we all (except for Phil, he was driving) had bags and suitcases on our laps. :eek:

 

We've been watching all the construction on Rt 95 in RI. Looks like they are really going to town near the port there. Phil keeps wondering if they would ever have cruise ships leaving from there? :confused:

 

Kathy

 

PS...we should all try to get together sometime. Barb keeps talking about coming for a visit. I should check to see if they've made any plans? We missed PapaMuzzy when they were on vacation last month. I'm sure they had plenty of people to visit with now that they've been gone almost a year.

[markf]

I would not depend on a thirty minute trip--I would say it is thirty monutes with absolutely no traffic--which is unheard of--Figure close to an hour--and possibly more--especially if more than 1 ship is in dock that day--It could take 30 minutes to just get close to the pier from within 10 blocks

[smeyer418]

It should be about an hour to the pier(maybe a little less maybe a little more)..its $45.00 set rate(includes any waiting time i.e. with or without traffic) per cab set rate to Manhattan plus toll and tip(the toll is $4.50). Its very easy to get a cab from JFK to Manhattan- they have lines of them at the airport. Coming back depending on how many ships there are in the pier it MAY take a few minutes(up to an hour) to catch a cab. but most of the time it just takes a few minutes.