New Info on Bayonne, NJ pier!!

[jujappers]

Jersey Journal...

Royal Caribbean's 'Peninsula' plans are cruising along
Construction on for first trip May 9; sales said to be strong

Thursday, April 01, 2004
By Ronald Leir

Royal Caribbean International is investing $8 million to bring Bayonne its first cruise line. And if the experiment proves a success, it's likely it will be spilling out a lot more in future years for a permanent cruise port.

Craig Milan, president of Royal Celebrity Tours, Inc., an offshoot of the Miami, Fla.-based parent company, said the cruise line is spending that amount to prepare a temporary berth, passenger terminal and parking at the Peninsula at Bayonne Harbor, formerly the Military Ocean Terminal, for two of the ships in its fleet.

Milan said that every "turnaround" that a ship spends in port will mean money for local businesses, from passengers and crew spending on such things as lodging, food and entertainment.

The inaugural sailing is set for May 9. Milan said that, "so far, bookings have been beyond expectations."

Local travel agencies agree.

Tiffany Travels' Jessica Nunez said that sales "are going pretty well . Every day, people come in asking about the Bayonne cruises. We need to get more (sales) brochures."

And Virginia Kemp, of Four Seasons Travel, said: "It started right off like wildfire and it's been very good since then. There are still bookings available, if people are willing to be flexible on dates."

Royal Caribbean's Empress of the Seas and Voyager of the Seas will be doing alternating sails out of Bayonne, with cruises to Bermuda, the Caribbean and Canada.

This week, the company invited the media to tour the waterside facilities being readied for the anticipated arrival of the first of the two ships - Empress of the Seas - on May 7.

Originally, Milan said, the cruise line had intended to use the pier designated N1 on the northeastern side of the Peninsula, but because there was concern that a cruise ship docked there might interfere with vessels angling past the so-called "Jersey Flats" entrance to the harbor to reach the Global Terminal container port to the north, it was decided to relocate to the pier designated N5, further down the Peninsula to the west.

However, after the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers completes another round of dredging in the channel running between the Peninsula and Global, to deepen it from the current 41 feet to 50 feet, Milan said, it may be possible to return safely to the N1 pier - and possibly extend to the adjacent berth, designated as N2, so that Empress and Voyager could dock at the same time.

Meanwhile, workers are converting much of Building 14, an old 120,000-square-foot military warehouse - that used to hold household supplies for shipping to overseas bases - to a temporary terminal where passengers and their luggage will queue through a metal detector and X-ray machine and into an embarkation lounge and check-in counters.

So-called "priority guests" will be directed to a sectioned-off, 1,250-square-foot area containing "suites" where they can stay while waiting to be picked up and taken aboard their ship.

Other passengers, meanwhile, will find refreshment stands, some form of live entertainment, and restrooms, in the general waiting area of the lounge. That section of the old warehouse is being equipped with windows offering sightlines to the water and with heating and air-conditioning units.

"We want the whole process of going through check-in and onto the ship to take no more than 15 minutes," said Juan Trecastro, Royal Caribbean's director of guest port services.

An adjoining section of the warehouse will be occupied by agents of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and federal customs agents. "That area will be closed off to the public," Trecastro said.

Once the passengers are cleared for boarding, they'll be loaded onto buses, chartered through Academy Bus Co., of Hoboken, and driven the short distance to the pier. Trecastro anticipates each bus taking between 50 and 60 passengers.

"Each bus can do a round-trip in 20 minutes," he said. "We can move almost 1,000 people in an hour."

Royal Caribbean and the Bayonne Local Redevelopment Authority, which oversees activities within the Peninsula, are developing an internal "loop" transportation system that will allow private cars and coaches to drive to the terminal, drop off passengers and leave without creating undue congestion, according to Milan and BLRA Executive Director Nancy Kist.

There also will be long-term parking accommodations within a short walking distance of the terminal. Milan and Kist said that between 650 and 1,600 spaces are planned for a surface parking facility that will be fenced in and illuminated.

"We own the (parking) lot, but we're hiring another company to run it," Milan said. Parkers will be charged $15 a day and the BLRA will get a share of the parking proceeds, he said. Just how much has yet to be decided, he said.

Nor have the BLRA and Royal Caribbean yet come to terms on how much the company will be paying the authority in ground lease fees.

Asked when that would be ironed out, Milan said: "We're still talking."

Kist added: "Nobody's walking away in a huff."

Royal Caribbean is also talking to NY Waterway and the Circle Line about the possibility of transporting passengers to Bayonne from Manhattan via ferry, Milan said.

The BLRA recently gave up on negotiations with NY Waterway for a Manhattan ferry service to and from the Peninsula, after more than a year of talks reportedly could not produce an agreement on a start date.

Of the 250 land-based employees the cruise line says it will need for the Bayonne operation, the company is hiring half and the International Longshoremen's Association Local 1588 of Bayonne will hire the rest, Milan said. "These will include stevedores, porters, check-in agents, greeters, middle managers and truck drivers," he said.

[bermudashorts]

Sounds great. Wonder why you cant walk instead of taking the bus to the ship?

Does anyone have a map of the area? I once had one saved but lost it.

Nordic Empress
[img]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=111111&cdt=2004;9;18;17;00;00&timezone=GMT-0500[/img]

1987 Chandris Galileo
1989 Celebrity Meridian
1991 Celebrity Meridain
1992 Celebrity Horizon
1994 NCL Dreamward
1996 Celebrity Zenith
1998 NCL Crown
2000 Celebrity Zenith
2002 RCCL Nordic Empress
2003 Celebrity Zenith..the trip north
2004 RCCL Nordic Empress

[Dolphins]

Original reports said parking would be $12. a day. I hope it doesn't keep going up.

[hoboken7256]

seeing how the flyers that were circulating just a couple of weeks ago said parkign was $12 and crusingpower.com still says $12...I'm hoping that the $15/day amount quoted in the article is incorrect.

Countdown to the Voyager out of NYC

[FinelyCruising]

Who are so-called Priorty Guests?

This bus thing doesn't sound very appealing. I wonder if it is just due to the construction of the terminal areas.

For parking, the 9 nite will be about $135.00. From where I live I'm probably about even with car service. (Love that anyway!)

[dthjr]

Give them time it'll be up to $24 just like N.Y.

I'm assuming the Priorty Guests are the people with suites.

[FinelyCruising]

Should be Crown & Anchor members. [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_mad.gif[/img]

[cruisetarp]

jujappers - thanks for the article. I sounds like we are going to be leaving from Bayonne even though we are still on the NY schedule (as of yesterday). Even $15 a day for parking is better than $24 a day. Leaves a lot more money for the casino. See you in less than 7 weeks!!

[NJGRANNY]

Hoboken,

What is the site where you found parking info about Bayonne?

[jujappers]

Hey guys...from what I understand, the pier at Bayonne is like a long peninsula and the new RCCL terminal will be located at the one end of the peninsula and that is where you will check in and have your luggage checked. Then they will have buses and shuttles that will take the passengers down to the other end up the peninsula where the actual ship will be located...it will take about 5-10 minutes to get to the other end so that is why the buses are needed.

I am at least glad to hear that RCCL is spending a lot of time and money to fix up this terminal in Bayonne and hopefully it will pay off and the checkin process will go smoothly.

[Dolphins]

Ditto jujappers- at least we won't have the traffic we get in Manhattan or the problems of multi-ships in port on the same day.

[wmunley]

Just wanted to let you know that I have a friend who is working for the engineering firm that is doing the land development planning (drainage, etc...) for the entire penninsula. The penninsula itself is 2 miles long and that is why they will be shuttling to one part of the pier... The bigger warehouses are closer to the mainland and that is where the check in area will be. The berthing will take place at the other end of the penninsula sue to the channel depths... there are no warehouses out there to redevelop so that is why you will be shuttled.

Nordic Prince Summer 84
Meridian 8/94
Song of America 8/95
Song of America 7/97
Horizon 7/98
Nordic Empress 7/99
Paradise 7/00
Nordic Empress 7/01
Navigator of the Seas 1/03
Norwegian Sun 3/03
Adventure of the Seas 3/04
Voyager of the Seas 7/04

[img]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=111111&cdt=2004;7;2;10;00;00&timezone=GMT-0500[/img]
Until the Voyager of the Seas

[Fiveone5]

Here is a link to an aerial view of the Bayonne Port (formerly known as Bayonne Military Ocean Terminal) [url="http://www.vanalen.org/workshops/harbor/site/astpg7.htm"]http://www.vanalen.org/workshops/harbor/site/astpg7.htm[/url]
Another link to information [url="http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/facility/bayonne.htm"]http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/facility/bayonne.htm[/url]

[FinelyCruising]

So do they take pictures of you in front of the bus now too? [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]

[bcruzin]

I know there was a thread a while back with directions but I can't find it. Can anyone help me out?
I coming from Pa on 80 east to 287 south to 24 south to 78 east. My question is when you get to the NJ Turnpike do you stay straight(Is it marked NJ Turnpike Extension) or do you head North or South. Help from this area to the pier would be much appreciated. I see on a map and RCI directions that you exit at 14A off the turnpike. I'm just not sure of which way to head on the turnpike. Thanks for any info you can offer.

[wmunley]

FC,

Now that was funny!!!

I can take a picture in front of an Academy Bus any day of the week here in Hoboken... the bus yard is right down the street form my apartment!!!



bcruzin,

once you are on 78 stay in the EXPRESS lanes... take 78 to the end and you run into the NJ TURNPIKE toll plaza...

go straight through the toll plaza and you will see signs for Exits 14A-14C.... thats what you want to follow... do not go on tpke north or tpke south....

14A is the exit for Bayonne... once you are off the exit follow the signs for Route 440 south and 440 runs right past the Penninsula... you make a left into the area.


hope this helps.



Nordic Prince Summer 84
Meridian 8/94
Song of America 8/95
Song of America 7/97
Horizon 7/98
Nordic Empress 7/99
Paradise 7/00
Nordic Empress 7/01
Navigator of the Seas 1/03
Norwegian Sun 3/03
Adventure of the Seas 3/04
Voyager of the Seas 7/04

[img]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=111111&cdt=2004;7;2;10;00;00&timezone=GMT-0500[/img]
Until the Voyager of the Seas

[karen_cpa]

didn't realize that they were not using this terminal until may 9th. do you think they will have all the kinks out by may 16th???

also - when we booked about 3 weeks ago, the TA said parking was $12. much cheaper than the local airports, so really can't complain.

[img]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=9400d3&cdt=2004;05;16;22;0;00&timezone=GMT-0500[/img]
Voyager of the Seas
Tahitian Princess - 10/03 (Our Honeymoon)
Carnival Paradise - 08/02

[Smile0808]

I called the NYC port . On the boards it was said that a few weeks ago the VOS wasnt on the NY port schedule and now it is, that maybe there switching back from Nj to NY. The person I spoke w/said she is the one who posted the schedule and this has been up for a long time. She wont take it off the schedule until RCCL tells them that the VOS is not sailing out of there. I guess they dont want to loose that peir if something happens. Also RCCL cust. serv. has not one bit of info that the ship wouldnt sail out of Bayonne.

[bcruzin]

Thank you wmunley that's exactly the info I needed.

[CRUISE4DAVE&PATTI]

[img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_confused.gif[/img]Hi just wanted to know in Hoboken when you get off of the Path train where do you go to get on the Light Rail? Is it within walkin distance? Hope someone can give us directions from there. Thanks.
Voyager of the SEas~June 4th 2004

[Bozo]

There is an article in this Sunday,s Bergen Record newspaper about the new terminal in Bayonne it is on the first page of the business section.It seems RCCL is really comitted to this new port and is investing millions of dollars to build anew terminal and they want to expand in the near future to bring in more ships to this port including Celebrity Cruise Line ships that currently still sail out of Manhattan in NYC.

[Mark]

[img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_cool.gif[/img]Hate to burst your bubble, but, if you are planning on taking the light rail to the ship in Bayonne...lots of luck. First, the light rail does not run too often on Saturdays and I don't know if it runs at all on Sundays. Once you get to the light rail stationa at 34th Street, you can see the Military Ocean Terminal and your ship...but it is too far to walk and there is no public transit are cabs at 34th St to the pier.

Next, let me tell those people who anticipate sailing out of Bayonne to be like sailing out of Miami with plenty of touristy places to see, eat at and shop...forget about it. Bayonne is a nice blue collar middle class town and that is it. Passengers will not end up anywhere else but at the pier which is not walking distance to anywhere or thing.

[Bozo]

I believe most people cruising out of Bayonne don't care about any of the areas attractions it's the convenience of cruising out of Northeast When I cruised last summer on Celebrity's Galaxy out of Baltimore I just drove to the port from NJ parked my car at the terminal and boarded the ship.

[CRUISE4DAVE&PATTI]

Mark, we are sailing on a Friday, does the Light Rail travel to Bayonne during the day on Fridays. I called Royal Caribbean and the guy told me there would be a shuttle bus from the 34th street terminal to the cruise ship. I will have to call the Light Rail myself and see if they are traveling when I want to leave. Thanks though.

[Mark]

[img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_cool.gif[/img]Yes the light rail does run regularly Mon thru Friday (regular workdays). Frequency of runs is obviously more during rush hours than non-rush hours. Just make sure that you buy your ticket from the vending maching and TIME/DATE stamp it before you board. If the fare inspectors catch you without a Time/Date stamped ticket, you will get a ticket from them and pay $$$.

As far as the shuttle, well if they are running one then you will be OK. My comment was related to people who use the light rail to commute to work or school, like me, who have to walk or drive to the light rail. As I said, public transit and cabs do not exist at the 34th ST station.

Have a great cruise!