New York City

[xxangelxx]

Hi All

Going on my first cruise , i just noticed about leaving out of NYC. Can someone tell me how this port of embarkation will be from there. My mom is worried about driving into NYC. She is afraid we will get lost and end up in some bad neighborhood. So any info will be helpful and a relief to my mother. Also the parking there etc...I will be coming in from the Jersey Turnpike. Also will there be alot of traffic? Thanks for any advice. Hope to see you all there..

[CruisnGram]

There are two terminals in NY. One in Manhatten and one in Brooklyn. Be sure to find out which one you are sailing out of! :D

 

Since most cruises depart on the weekend, traffic should not be bad at all. And both terminals have parking although it's not cheap. $19 per day at Brooklyn and $30 per day at Manhatten.

 

Here's the link to the NY cruise port website:

 

http://www.nycruise.com/

 

There's a link on the website to mapquest so you can easily get directions, or use the posted address for your GPS.

[MonaCK]

If you're leaving on the Miracle, that sometimes leaves during the week, so traffic can be an issue. What cruiseline/ship are you going on?

[Crusin Karen]

As the others said, please let us know where you are cruising from. I am ASSUMING by NYC you mean Manhattan. How far away do you live? Might be easier to have someone drive you in or get Airbrook to drop you off...we go into the city a lot and it is very easy for US to get turned around and inside out. Did you try MapQuest? Not to stress you, but the city makes it's own rules! Roads you thought went thru can sometimes be blocked off for some reason. Give us some more details and maybe we can help you!

[bobnatt]

Hi All

Going on my first cruise , i just noticed about leaving out of NYC. Can someone tell me how this port of embarkation will be from there. My mom is worried about driving into NYC. She is afraid we will get lost and end up in some bad neighborhood. So any info will be helpful and a relief to my mother. Also the parking there etc...I will be coming in from the Jersey Turnpike. Also will there be alot of traffic? Thanks for any advice. Hope to see you all there..

 

Bonfire of the Vanities fear...Not to worry NYC is one of the safest big cities in the country. As the previous posts indicate knowing which cruise terminal Brooklyn or Manhattan is key to giving more advice but in either case the terminals are on a waterway (Duh!) and very close to major highways.

 

If you will be coming on the NJ Turnpike you will use the Lincoln Tunnel to get to the Manhattan terminal and once in Manhattan just a short drive up the west side to the terminal on 56th street (can't miss it it will have one or more cruise ships docked there) or you should take the Goethals Bridge exit for the Brooklyn Terminal. Once over the Goethals bridge proceed through Staten Island to the Verrazano bridge and then in Brooklyn follow the signs to the Brooklyn Battery tunnel. Get off at the last exit before the tunnel and follow the signs to the cruise terminal. If you are leaving from Bklyn there will be only one cruise ship as that is al the space there is.

 

Parking is expensive (not by NYC standards but probably by PA standards) but very convenient at either terminal.

[xxangelxx]

Im sorry for not providing enough info. I will be sailing out of Manhattan on a Thursday. Might there be some parking garages that would be cheaper and then just take a cab? Or will the cab fair combined with the garage fee be the same at the Port? Thank you all for this info. What is a reasonable time to arrive at the port? Im so afraid ill mess this up for my mother as I am treating her to this cruise. We are coming in from Harrisburg Pa. Thanks again for your help. This forum is Wonderful:p Its only a 2 Hour drive for me to New York City. LOL we have asked a few people to drop us off, but they wont:( I do have one more question. My mother says we probably wont be able to swim on board.Cuz it will be too cold. We leave July 31st. and are headed for Canada/New England , I of course disagreed. :rolleyes: Any info on this trip will be greatly appreciated. Anyone else taking this trip ...LOL maybe we can carpool lol...just a thought. Ill be reading.

[smeyer418]

NY City is not dangerous and the chances of getting lost in Manhattan aren't that great. Also even though you are coming in a weekday, you normally come in after rush hour and in the summer traffic is less with less school children going to school.

You can also check with your cruise line as they sometimes run buses from places in Penn and it may be better easier and cheaper to take a bus.

 

Summer's in Canada are warm too. You should have no problem being able to swim most of the time in July and August on the cruise ship.

 

Do you really want to go on this vacation it sounds like you are starting off picking the most negative parts...

 

and finally parking at the pier is expensive, even by NY standards but it is the most secure and easiest. If you have any concerns at all just bite the bullet and pay for it. You can park at other lots(you drop off your luggage and you passengers at the terminal first and then walk back-no need for a cab)... Icon parking has a search engine that give you prices and guarantees a space

 

http://www.iconparking.com/

 

The Manhattan cruise terminal's motor entrance is on 55th street and 12th avenue and you probably will be leaving from pier 88 or 90 which are at 12th avenue and 48 to 50th streets

[bobnatt]

Im sorry for not providing enough info. I will be sailing out of Manhattan on a Thursday. Might there be some parking garages that would be cheaper and then just take a cab? Or will the cab fair combined with the garage fee be the same at the Port? Thank you all for this info. What is a reasonable time to arrive at the port? Im so afraid ill mess this up for my mother as I am treating her to this cruise. We are coming in from Harrisburg Pa. Thanks again for your help. This forum is Wonderful:p Its only a 2 Hour drive for me to New York City. LOL we have asked a few people to drop us off, but they wont:( I do have one more question. My mother says we probably wont be able to swim on board.Cuz it will be too cold. We leave July 31st. and are headed for Canada/New England , I of course disagreed. :rolleyes: Any info on this trip will be greatly appreciated. Anyone else taking this trip ...LOL maybe we can carpool lol...just a thought. Ill be reading.

 

 

There are a number of threads discussing parking alternatives in NYC but I agree with the previous writer that it is a lot easier to use the parking lot at the cruise terminal. Suggest you arrive in NYC well after rush hour and if your ship (which one is it) is like most ships you want to arrive at the terminal about noon---you will miss rush hour and have plenty of time to go through embarkation and get settled on the ship.

[Got2Cruise]

Im sorry for not providing enough info. I will be sailing out of Manhattan on a Thursday. Might there be some parking garages that would be cheaper and then just take a cab? Or will the cab fair combined with the garage fee be the same at the Port? Thank you all for this info. What is a reasonable time to arrive at the port? Im so afraid ill mess this up for my mother as I am treating her to this cruise. We are coming in from Harrisburg Pa. Thanks again for your help. This forum is Wonderful:p Its only a 2 Hour drive for me to New York City. LOL we have asked a few people to drop us off, but they wont:( I do have one more question. My mother says we probably wont be able to swim on board.Cuz it will be too cold. We leave July 31st. and are headed for Canada/New England , I of course disagreed. :rolleyes: Any info on this trip will be greatly appreciated. Anyone else taking this trip ...LOL maybe we can carpool lol...just a thought. Ill be reading.

 

I certainly think you will be able to swim on board. You are going in the summer, and many people swim in the ocean at the very ports you will be visiting. It seems like you are nervous/anxious to be driving in the city. One thing about driving in Manhattan, is that the streets are laid out in a grid pattern. (unless you drive downtown, but don't worry about that). So if you take the Jersey Tpke, to the Lincoln Tunnel it is an uncomplicated route. There really is very little driving in Manhattan. Around a mile.:) Parking might seem expensive, but if you compare it to airline fares, or airfare to another port, such as Miami, or Seattle. . .it is reasonable.

[Crusin Karen]

One good thing about Manhattan is that you will see NYPD at almost every street corner. So if you "feel like you're lost" just pull over and ask...Don't be "intimidated" about the city. It is kind of "bustling" but very exciting! We drive in about once/week-tho I am the PASSENGER lol. My DIL works for FOX News and she drives in every day.

I agree with advice about parking at cruise terminal. It is very easy to walk off the ship and pick up your car vs. getting a cab, putting all your luggage in, having the cab drop you off to get your car...sometimes spending a little xtra $ is worth it. And don't forget, when you are getting off, others are boarding, so be patient in the traffic lol.

I also assume you will be on the Victory. Hint: the more information you give, the more you'll GET. That's what we're here for! ;) We have been to Canada 3x and I have to **warn** you, it CAN be chilly. But it also can if you are sailing to the Caribbean once the ship leaves. Wind can pick up out there. Bring a sweatshirt just in case. We went one time and I watered our flowers before we left in 100* weather and was chilly as soon as the ship got out to sea! The ship can be chilly also with the a/c cranked up, so bring something "warm." A sweater or shawl for dinner, or even long sleeve dress/blouse! Two times we have been to Canada it was chilly and drizzly and foggy. VERY foggy. One time we went it was sunny and warm. Weather anywhere, but esp. in Canada is a crap shoot. Just be prepared for that. I always take my nylon Yankee coat with hood. :rolleyes: Victory has a domed pool aft. If you have "bad" weather, get there early as it's not "that big." Do a search on weather to Canada and the Victory and you'll get a lot of positives, but some negatives too. Read the positives and let the negatives go over your head. We LOVED the Victory and with all our cruises, the food on the ship last summer was THE BEST we ever had. Your mom sure has a very special daughter! Have a GREAT CRUISE and ask lots of questions first. (there are NO dumb questions-we were all newbies once too! :D )

[nybumpkin]

Im sorry for not providing enough info. I will be sailing out of Manhattan on a Thursday. Might there be some parking garages that would be cheaper and then just take a cab? Or will the cab fair combined with the garage fee be the same at the Port? Thank you all for this info. What is a reasonable time to arrive at the port? Im so afraid ill mess this up for my mother as I am treating her to this cruise. We are coming in from Harrisburg Pa. Thanks again for your help. This forum is Wonderful:p Its only a 2 Hour drive for me to New York City. LOL we have asked a few people to drop us off, but they wont:( I do have one more question. My mother says we probably wont be able to swim on board.Cuz it will be too cold. We leave July 31st. and are headed for Canada/New England , I of course disagreed. :rolleyes: Any info on this trip will be greatly appreciated. Anyone else taking this trip ...LOL maybe we can carpool lol...just a thought. Ill be reading.

I gather you're sailing on Carnival Victory; we've taken this cruise three times and will go again this August. We park right at the terminal; it's not cheap, but no parking in NYC is cheap and the terminal is very easy and convenient. Since it is a Thursday, I'd recommend arriving after the morning rush hour - we try to arrive around 11:00 (which is around the time boarding usually starts). The Lido deck buffet will be open for lunch, although your cabins won't be ready until 1:30.

 

As for the pools - they will be open and you will see people swimming (my kids and husband do), but they are a bit on the chilly side. The hot tubs are right by the pools, and they're warmer. The aft pool has a Magrodome retracting roof, and they will close the roof often on this cruise - it's pretty warm there. I have pictures from two of our Victory cruises posted at http://community.webshots.com/user/nybumpkin.

[Crusin Karen]

Oh, and just WAIT until you sail under the Verrazzano Bridge! :eek: You are in for a real treat! And when you sail past "The Lady"....well, you will get goose bumps. I have sailed out of NYC a dozen times and it never fails to bring tears to my eyes. Bring a pair of binoculars and stay on the starboard side of the ship. Do a google on the bridge-you will find lots of interesting information. You can also google "how to get from *town, PA to Manhattan cruise terminal and get info also to combine with the advice here...we drive in from NE NJ and we just have to go over the GW Bridge and take a right and we are there, :) so the advice you got from the other posters is great.

[dialy girl]

I have cruised from NYC twice and have driven there many times as my daughter lives there. I live near Harrisburg, PA. If you are not familiar with NYC and are anxious about driving there, I would recommend that you do not. It can be a nightmare, especially if you hit traffic getting into the city. Taking the train would be a great option,especially since you are coming from Harrisburg. A cab ride from Penn Station to the pier is not that expensive, and cabs are easy to get back to the station when you debark. I have traveled this way with both cruises from NYC. The price of the train would probably be less than parking in NYC for a week. Overall, much less stressful! Also there is no way to get into NYC from Harrisburg in 2 hours driving. Count on 3-4 depending on traffic at the tunnel. Don't worry, NYC is very safe, you will have no problems there. Have a great cruise. I love sailing out of New York!!

[jacsun33]

hi I drove to manhattan cruise terminal last year from Sharon PA took I 80 all the way over GW bridg. I thout it was easy. Though going back this year out of brooklyn terminal is it much further. And is it easy to get there.

[Harleycat]

Im sorry for not providing enough info. I will be sailing out of Manhattan on a Thursday. Might there be some parking garages that would be cheaper and then just take a cab? Or will the cab fair combined with the garage fee be the same at the Port? Thank you all for this info. What is a reasonable time to arrive at the port? Im so afraid ill mess this up for my mother as I am treating her to this cruise. We are coming in from Harrisburg Pa. Thanks again for your help. This forum is Wonderful:p Its only a 2 Hour drive for me to New York City. LOL we have asked a few people to drop us off, but they wont:( I do have one more question. My mother says we probably wont be able to swim on board.Cuz it will be too cold. We leave July 31st. and are headed for Canada/New England , I of course disagreed. :rolleyes: Any info on this trip will be greatly appreciated. Anyone else taking this trip ...LOL maybe we can carpool lol...just a thought. Ill be reading.

 

Since you are departing on a Thursday, you will hit traffic. I see someone posted that you can start boarding at 11. If it's a 2 hour drive, I wouldn't leave your house until 9, that way, even if you hit traffic and it takes 3 hours, you still have plently of time. Traffic starts to lighten up around 9 so if you leave earlier you would probably hit some on the turnpike as well.

 

You can take any of the crossings but I recomment the Lincoln Tunnel. From there it's a short trip uptown to the pier.

[jacsun33]

Hi I am driving in from seven hours away but want get there early before heavy traffic before 6 AM. I will drive all night. Any ideas what time I should get there before traffic thanks

[smeyer418]

Hi I am driving in from seven hours away but want get there early before heavy traffic before 6 AM. I will drive all night. Any ideas what time I should get there before traffic thanks

 

? do you really want to start your vacation by driving all night. If you leave at 4 am you will hit the city between really heavy traffic and miss it most of the time and have plenty of time to make the ship. Over night they tend to work on the roadways and sometimes its just as bad then.

[nybumpkin]

Hi I am driving in from seven hours away but want get there early before heavy traffic before 6 AM. I will drive all night. Any ideas what time I should get there before traffic thanks

I agree with smeyer - it sounds painful. Any thought to driving part way and spending the night a couple of hours outside the city? That way you'll be rested and can drive in the next morning after rush hour. You're generally fine after 10 a.m. I certainly wouldn't plan on arriving at the pier at 6 - I'm not even sure if the attendants will be there at that hour. Even if you can park, you'll be waiting around the terminal the better part of 5 hours since the earliest boarding is around 11.

[tcruisin77]

Have you looked into a bus through your TA?

[CRUISER2B]

I gather you're sailing on Carnival Victory; we've taken this cruise three times and will go again this August. We park right at the terminal; it's not cheap, but no parking in NYC is cheap and the terminal is very easy and convenient. Since it is a Thursday, I'd recommend arriving after the morning rush hour - we try to arrive around 11:00 (which is around the time boarding usually starts). The Lido deck buffet will be open for lunch, although your cabins won't be ready until 1:30.

 

As for the pools - they will be open and you will see people swimming (my kids and husband do), but they are a bit on the chilly side. The hot tubs are right by the pools, and they're warmer. The aft pool has a Magrodome retracting roof, and they will close the roof often on this cruise - it's pretty warm there. I have pictures from two of our Victory cruises posted at http://community.webshots.com/user/nybumpkin.

 

nybumpkin...

 

I will be boarding on the cruise after you...08-23-08. 2nd Cruise. Just mom and me. Looking forward to it. DH will be home with our 2 boys (17 & 11). Next cruise will be with them.

 

Currently planning a Family/Friends cruise out of NYC on either Carnival Miracle or RCL's Explorer of the Seas.

 

Still trying to plan way to pier. Coming from east end of Long Island. Lowest quote for a towncar was $204. Looking into LIRR then cab? Any recomendations. Mom and I will each have one suitcase plus small carryon. I like to travel lite!!!

 

Hope you have a great time!!!