Need some hotel help

[pamcdon]

My DH and I will be sailing on the Explorer of the Seas next October.

 

We live in Indiana and will be driving to the port. It's an 11 hour drive. Flying is out of the question as my DH will NOT fly.

 

We need help in deciding where to stay the night before. We wouldn't want to have a long drive to the port the following morning. Our ship leaves on a Saturday. We have never been to this area and want to be sure we stay in a safe spot.

 

Does anyone have any recommendations on a city to stay in and a hotel or motel?

 

Thanks for the info.

 

Paula

[megr1125]

Not sure how far you want to drive..but.....if you get to the area...and want to probably save on parking....these 3 hotels are all next to each other, next to an outlet mall (not that you will want to shop) and about a $40-50 cab ride to the pier....

Residence Inn and Courtyard by Marriott or Country Inn and suites Newark/Elizabeth...all are on Glimcher Realty Way at exot 13A off the NJ turnpike.. You should be able to leave your car if that is what you want to do.

Now...iirc, you may have posted this before...i didn't get a chance to answer...if you make it to the Allentown area (Allentown, Bethlehem, Easton) there are lots of places off route 78...traffic being what it is during the week...you could still face an up-to-3 hour drive to the pier since traffic in that area, and in New Jersey can be a mess.:eek:

Other options are Bridgewater, Somerset, Lebanon and Edison in NJ....again, numerous options......Oh...you sail on a Saturday...that is a good thing....

if you would like to email me i can help you a little more (i live in central jersey and am in the newark/somerset area all the time...and i went to college in the allentown area.....) my email is megtravelsatyahoodotcom-just put CC or something like that in the subject.....

it would be easier to help if i had an idea of how far you wanted to drive.....

[pamcdon]

Thanks for the quick response.

 

I ususally like to stay about 1-3 hours from the port just in case we would have some type of car trouble.

 

We will go ahead and drive to the port and park there unless there is a hotel that offers the option of leaving your car and it's safe to do so.

 

I'm not trying to be difficult about this but since we have never been to this area, we want to be sure we stay in a safe place overnight.

 

Thanks again for all your input.

 

Paula:)

[megr1125]

no problem....the hotels i listed will let you park there...(unofficially-they do not accept responsibility..but i have done it 3 times with no trouble) Not sure when you would get in but there is a Ruby Tuesday in the parking lot. Breakfast is included at the COuntry Inn and RI. The Courtyard offers it, and sometimes, they have a rate that includes it. The good thing is you are looking for a room on the weekend so rates are lower. The Bridgewater/Somerset/Lebanon area is very nice and is, depending where you stay, an hour-ish MAX to the port.

 

There are lots of places..I have stayed in most of these...(i am a big Marriott girl so that's why there are so many of them...)

 

Bridgewater Marriott (very nice)

SOmerset Marriott (not bad, just redone but it is older...SMALL rooms-however rates can be pretty good...i've gotten it for less that $80)

SOmerset Courtyard

Somerset Residence Inn

Doubletree Somerset

Hampton Inn SOmerset (no stay, not bad tho)

Holiday Inn SOmerset (no stay, not bad)

Lebanon Courtyard (love it)

Edison Courtyard (like a lot)

 

hmmm....I can picture more in my head, but the brain isn't QUITE awake yet!:eek:

[megr1125]

One thing about parking at Cape Lib, I haven't parked there, but there has been a lot of discussion on the RC board about paint overspray from the shipyard winding up on people's cars.....again, it depends on the wind, and i haven't parked there, so you may want to keep that in mind...not sure what kind of car you have, but maybe there is some kind of cover you could get.

 

A lot of people stay at the Best Western by EWR airport cause they have some sort of park-n-cruise but, it isn't in that great an area, it isn't in that great of shape and I would pass.

 

And the only reason I suggest the 3 hotels in my 1st answer is that they are easier to get into and out of...hard to explain, but some of our roads in jersey aren't traveler friendly...there are lots of places on routes 1 & 9 (actually it is the same road up there) and Spring street, but you really have to pay attention and it helps to get there while it is light out....so you can see where you are going...plus, there are really no eating options...

[pamcdon]

I'm a "Marriott" girl myself, so these sound terrific.

 

I see that you have sailed on the Explorer of the Seas.

 

How did you like it? This is our 6th cruise, but our first on Royal Caribbean and our first time to Bermuda.

 

Thanks.

 

Paula

[megr1125]

First feel free to go look at my pix..second...you sail late OCT so you will have to wait until, hmm...the end of November to book-at least-Marriott only sells 300-330 days ahead...(i forget...used to work there)

 

Bermuda was great..EOS was wonderful and cruising from home was the coolest-pulling into the pier area, you can look over one way and see the airport and the the way you see the ship! i don't know-i jsut thought it was neato......we had a blacony cabin...we generally have junior suites but since we did 2 cruises in one year and it was only 5 nights, (plus i treated my mom) i just got a balcony. plenty big enough, but she thought it was a little squishy...(not really but mom is always right!:rolleyes:

 

www.cruiseliberty.com will have info.

 

you check in-took like 2 minutes-fill out your set sail pass...hang out in the terminal (they had cookies and lemonade) then you get on a bus to the ship....it's not very far-too far too walk i guess and it's also for secutiry....when we did it, they used buses that belong to Rutgers-our state university) and they were pretty easy to get in and out of..iirc they didn't have steps...they were those hinged buses and you just step into it.

 

Oh..you are RC newbies....we've only done RC and we love it....the food is fine-some is great, some is not so great( but still edible!)...follow the suggestions of your server...lunch in the dining room is really nice..try it once...they have a johnny rockets....it is 3.95 extra charge, and you have to pay for beverages, but the food is free. you may want to try that...(i'm not impressed but 90% of the cruisers love it...since i am a repeat cruiser we get a coupon so it is free--FREE is my favorite word!)

 

sign up for the crown and anchor program - if you sail again you will get a gift and a coupon book and other stuff..(check it out on RCs website).

 

Hmm....for Bermuda you will dock across the harbor from Hamilton...you can buy a ferry pass (on the ship, as well as in town i believe-we got it on the ship) so you can ride back and forth and all over.

 

Rum Swizzles are the best! i bought stuff at Goslings to make them (Falernum which is a flavored syrup basically) and Goslings black label rum..it was SUPER cheap if that is your thing.

 

Make sure you see the police man in the 'birdcage' directing traffic. we took a bus ( i think) to horse shoe bay.....it was HOT and PACKED on the way back.. ...the rum cake factory right near the pier had very good cakes, and free samples of cake....

 

i can't think of anything else to tell you about the ship...we got to the pier early and were on by shortly after noon...(if you seach the boards for posts by me..i did a review...)

 

let me know if you have ????s

[pamcdon]

Your pictures are great!

 

We have had balconies in the past, but I've always wanted to stay in a promenade cabin, so that's what we booked this time. They look like fun to me since we can people watch and enjoy the parade.

 

I'm so excited about this cruise even though it's a whole year away!

 

Thanks again for all you info. I really appreciate it!

 

Paula:)

[megr1125]

no prob....let me know if you need anything else....hang onto my email....i peeked into one of those once....i think if i was going to stay in an inside, that is what i would take.....apparently on Freedom and Liberty they have a promeande cabin that is actually a Ben & Jerry's "Sweet" so people in that cabin, iirc, get to use the concierge lounge, etc since they consider it a suite....and you get like 7 free things at B&Js for each person (YUMMMM))) and a view of the cows' derriers.....and it is decorated with lots of little cow stuff.....LOL

now...free B&J??!!! sign me up! you could go search for it on the RC boards..it's good for a laugh!

[familycruzer]

I made a google map of the area too. Here is the link.

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?f=l&hl=en&geocode=&time=&date=&ttype=&near=elizabeth+nj&num=10&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=102950630890870506803.00043c9e1667a6a58b1da&start=0&ll=40.706669,-74.138489&spn=0.115815,0.2314&z=12&om=1