Brooklyn Red hook(?) Port?

[Gabrielle R.]

Ok, I need advice/help/information! I knew where to go- so I'm hoping for A LOT of information!

I am looking at going on the Caribbean Princess which Leaves Brooklyn's port (in June.) I think I saw that it was Red Hook? Maybe I'm just thirsty for a Red Hook beer, that's the name which stuck with me...;)

 

NOW FOR THE QUESTIONS! I want to get to NYC a day or two early. I am at a complete loss as to where to stay and what will be easy to do to get around. NO, I'm not driving to NYC! I live in Minnesota, I live on dirt roads for goodness sake! My biggest traffic problems are dodging deer and turkeys!:eek: No, driving- save the New Yorkers! (OK, save my sanity!)

 

Where would be a good place to stay? I don't need fancy, my DH and I will get spoiled on board the ship. I want convience. Any web sites that you would suggest that I look at?

 

I am a History teacher. I want to go to Ellis Island. I want to go on one of those bus tours of the City! I'd really like to do the cab ride... I just know grumpy old man will say no! :rolleyes:What would be the best way to do this? Can the hotel help me out here? Your suggestions?

 

I'll take any ideas or suggestions! Thanks for your help! Gabrielle

[smeyer418]

stay in Manhattan. any 3 star hotel in Midtown or walls street will be fine(priceline for 2 is perfect). I personally don't like the hop on hop off bus but many people swear by them. Ellis Island is easy to visit. Tickets to the Statue of Liberty(same ferry) are more difficult. Look at the official National Park service SOL website....

 

You'll need to take a cab to the Brooklyn Red Hook terminal...have directions with you(I have posted them so many times already I am going to make you look them up.- I have also posted pictures of the brooklyn terminal...)

[Gabrielle R.]

Thanks Smeyer! Any other bits of wisdom or sites to see that you would say- you have got to see this.

OK, you need to help me out here: You'll need to take a cab to the Brooklyn Red Hook terminal...have directions with you(I have posted them so many times already I am going to make you look them up.- I have also posted pictures of the brooklyn terminal...) What should I be looking for- I'm not that big of a rookie on this site, but sorry, I need a bit more direction there.

GAbrielle

[smeyer418]

read all the posting on Brooklyn/Red Hook on this set of threads. There are also some on the Princess and Cunard threads.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/search.php?searchid=12704701

[Gabrielle R.]

read all the posting on Brooklyn/Red Hook on this set of threads. There are also some on the Princess and Cunard threads.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/search.php?searchid=12704701

 

I kept on reading and searching and I found this post by you! THANK YOU!! I am thinking this was also what you were thinking about too!

GAbrielle

 

Once you are in Manhattan its easy to get around on the SUBWAY. yes I know you have heard its crowded but that is generally only in the rush hour other than that there will be plenty of people there but not so many that you will be trampled. The subway is the fastest way to get around in Manhattan.

Taxis are relatively cheap but slow- the subway is much faster most of the day(late at night after 10 pm take a cab)

Any reputable(3 star) hotel will be ok for one night try price line and bid about $100 for a three star and see what happens---in Midtown east or west. The things that should be seen are

The Metropolitan Museum of Art(especially the Egyptian wing), admission is expensive but the real rule is you can give whatever you want....and is technically free one evening a week.

Macys(out of towners can get a 13% off almost anything including sales on

the courtesy desk on the Mezzanine)

 

If you want to see a play you can half price tickets on line in Times square for most plays that night).

 

Nike in Times Square is also something to see as is the NBC store in Rockefeller center is something you should see(you can also get up to be on the Today show which is there from 7-10 am weekdays)...

 

Ground zero shouldn't be missed but you should also take a ride on the Staten Island Ferry past the Statute of Liberty....It takes too much time to see the SOL if you are only here for one day.

 

Finally you can pre-reserve tickets to the Empire State Building which also shouldn't be missed.

 

Other places to shop Canal Street for a laugh and inexpensive goods(eat lunch in China Town) H & M...your daughter will love it and you may too. Lord and Taylors, window shop at Blooomingdales, Fifth Avenue and Madison ave(if you are like me you can't afford them)...

 

NY is the safest large city and the subway is safer than the streets.

[Grego]

Good information that we can use. Thanks. We, too, are leaving from Red Hook but are planning on driving from Detroit a couple of days before. Some have suggested staying in Jersey City or Secaucus and using the public transportation to get to Manhattan, then catching a bus tour.

 

I'm not crazy about having to navigate public transportation from NJ and then getting to a tour bus location. I'd rather stay on the island and grab a subway or cab, but the hotel rates are a lot higher (haven't tried Priceline yet).

 

Anyway, any suggestions as to which bus tour to take of the "hop on and off" variety? Secondly, if we were to stay in lower Manhattan, which hotels would you suggest that might be a good value on Priceline?

[megr1125]

I kept on reading and searching and I found this post by you! THANK YOU!! I am thinking this was also what you were thinking about too!

GAbrielle

 

Once you are in Manhattan its easy to get around on the SUBWAY. yes I know you have heard its crowded but that is generally only in the rush hour other than that there will be plenty of people there but not so many that you will be trampled. The subway is the fastest way to get around in Manhattan.

Taxis are relatively cheap but slow- the subway is much faster most of the day(late at night after 10 pm take a cab)

Any reputable(3 star) hotel will be ok for one night try price line and bid about $100 for a three star and see what happens---in Midtown east or west. The things that should be seen are

The Metropolitan Museum of Art(especially the Egyptian wing), admission is expensive but the real rule is you can give whatever you want....and is technically free one evening a week.

Macys(out of towners can get a 13% off almost anything including sales on

the courtesy desk on the Mezzanine)

 

If you want to see a play you can half price tickets on line in Times square for most plays that night). BTW this means-literally-standing IN A LINE at the TKTS booth in Times Square (not meant to be an insult, but for some people, on line might mean on the internet....!)

Nike in Times Square is also something to see as is the NBC store in Rockefeller center is something you should see(you can also get up to be on the Today show which is there from 7-10 am weekdays)...

 

Ground zero shouldn't be missed but you should also take a ride on the Staten Island Ferry past the Statute of Liberty....It takes too much time to see the SOL if you are only here for one day.

 

Finally you can pre-reserve tickets to the Empire State Building which also shouldn't be missed.

 

Other places to shop Canal Street for a laugh and inexpensive goods(eat lunch in China Town) H & M...your daughter will love it and you may too. Lord and Taylors, window shop at Blooomingdales, Fifth Avenue and Madison ave(if you are like me you can't afford them)...

 

NY is the safest large city and the subway is safer than the streets.

 

Also in Times Square is a giant Toys R Us, and you can see "Good Morning America" between 7-9 AM (it's opposite Toys R Us...) Sometimes the hosts come outside too!

 

have fun!

[Grego]

Also in Times Square is a giant Toys R Us, and you can see "Good Morning America" between 7-9 AM (it's opposite Toys R Us...) Sometimes the hosts come outside too!

 

have fun!

 

Better chance of being seen if you stand at the windows of Fox & Friends the highest rated cable station.

[megr1125]

Good information that we can use. Thanks. We, too, are leaving from Red Hook but are planning on driving from Detroit a couple of days before. Some have suggested staying in Jersey City or Secaucus and using the public transportation to get to Manhattan, then catching a bus tour.

 

I'm not crazy about having to navigate public transportation from NJ and then getting to a tour bus location. I'd rather stay on the island and grab a subway or cab, but the hotel rates are a lot higher (haven't tried Priceline yet).

 

Anyway, any suggestions as to which bus tour to take of the "hop on and off" variety? Secondly, if we were to stay in lower Manhattan, which hotels would you suggest that might be a good value on Priceline?

 

i've got a couple HoHo bus options on my Blog (link below...) it says Cape Liberty but so mamy people want to go to NYC that i threw some stuff about that in as well..........

 

I generally stay by Newark airport. But, given the 2 places you suggest, i'd go with Jersey City.....you could easily hop on the PATH train...

 

www.panynj.com (agency that runs the a/ps and PATH)

 

www.njtransit.com (new jersey transit)

 

i don't usually ever use Priceline...(too much of a control freak) but i wouldn't bid for anything LESS than 3*, preferably 3.5* and up. (rates downtown SHOULD be a SMIDGE lower depending on time of year....)

[megr1125]

Better chance of being seen if you stand at the windows of Fox & Friends the highest rated cable station.

 

they are SOOOOOO annoying...(sorrry! it's like amateur night sometimes!):rolleyes::p

 

i've only been to 'TODAY' once, for a concert............it was kinda crowded....got up way too early......but got a good spot right and at one point al roker was right in front of me.....i have it on tape....:eek::D

[Boytjie]

Better chance of being seen if you stand at the windows of Fox & Friends the highest rated cable station.

 

Why. is there nobody else there watching? :eek: :D

[madelinerose]

IMO, if you want to see Manhattan, stay in Manhattan.

 

Everything in Manhattan is just a taxi ride away, so staying where things are "convenient" is as personal as the type of cruise ship you choose. You can get to anywhere from any location in Manhattan by simply flagging down a taxi. It's all easy. ;)

 

http://www.coachusa.com/newyorksightseeing/

 

http://www.inetours.com/New_York/Tours/DD_Bus_Tour.html

 

http://www.circlelinedowntown.com/

 

http://new.york.hotelguide.net/hl1dt.htm

 

Here's a downtown hotel that usually gets good ratings on tripadvisor.

 

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g60763-d208452-Reviews-Embassy_Suites_Hotel_New_York_City-New_York_City_New_York.html

[Grego]

I think I get the concept of staying in Manhattan - just looking for a deal for the two nights and I'm sure we'll find one. One of the problems is that we are driving and we have a car to park for the two days before the cruise. The parking at Red Hook is a given.

 

Kinda inexperienced with working with Priceline and might use that down the line (still have a few months to go before we need the rooms).

 

I guess I need to focus more on a specific area in the city that makes sense for catching a HO HO, dinner, local attractions, etc.

[madelinerose]

I think I get the concept of staying in Manhattan - just looking for a deal for the two nights and I'm sure we'll find one. One of the problems is that we are driving and we have a car to park for the two days before the cruise. The parking at Red Hook is a given.

 

Kinda inexperienced with working with Priceline and might use that down the line (still have a few months to go before we need the rooms).

 

I guess I need to focus more on a specific area in the city that makes sense for catching a HO HO, dinner, local attractions, etc.

 

Keep in mind that parking at most hotels (usually valet) will not have in/out privileges. Once you park, that's it until you leave. You won't need your car in Manhattan. Parking rates at hotels range between $25-45/day and are normally listed on the hotel's site.

 

Can't help w/Priceline, but you can use this site for a wealth of info.

 

http://www.betterbidding.com/

 

You would probably be best in Midtown or Midtown West. From here, you can walk to everything on your list and from Times Square to Central Park, with a plethora of restaurants...any venue you can imagine.

 

Two hotels we've enjoyed are Le Parker Meridien and The Westin New York at Times Square.

 

These interactive maps may help:

 

http://www.hot-maps.de/north_america/usa/new_york/new_york/manhattan/homeen.html

 

http://map.mapnetwork.com/usatoday/newyork/

 

Here are Midtown Manhattan hotels:

 

http://new.york.hotelguide.net/hl1mi.htm

 

This site may not be 100% updated, but it may be of some help:

 

http://www.hotelsbythepier.com/

 

Have fun. ;)

[Grego]

Why. is there nobody else there watching? :eek: :D

 

You missed the point. With everyone watching the program on TV, there are fewer standing outside the window and more chance you will be seen on TV.

[Grego]

Keep in mind that parking at most hotels (usually valet) will not have in/out privileges. Once you park, that's it until you leave. You won't need your car in Manhattan. Parking rates at hotels range between $25-45/day and are normally listed on the hotel's site.

 

Can't help w/Priceline, but you can use this site for a wealth of info.

 

http://www.betterbidding.com/

 

You would probably be best in Midtown or Midtown West. From here, you can walk to everything on your list and from Times Square to Central Park, with a plethora of restaurants...any venue you can imagine.

 

Two hotels we've enjoyed are Le Parker Meridien and The Westin New York at Times Square.

 

These interactive maps may help:

 

http://www.hot-maps.de/north_america/usa/new_york/new_york/manhattan/homeen.html

 

http://map.mapnetwork.com/usatoday/newyork/

 

Here are Midtown Manhattan hotels:

 

http://new.york.hotelguide.net/hl1mi.htm

 

This site may not be 100% updated, but it may be of some help:

 

http://www.hotelsbythepier.com/

 

Have fun. ;)

 

Great information.

We are also considering staying in Jersey City at the Ramada Inn. It's close to the railway station and we can take that into either the 33rd or 24th street station and catch a HO HO see the city and take the train back. We can leave the car at the hotel and just use it to drive over to Red Hook. Does any of this make sense or should we go after a hotel in the city?