Please help with NY questions

[Rdwhite1999]

We are thinking of booking the Caribbean Princess in October and I have several questions. We would like to fly in a couple days before the cruise and see NY city. How far is Brooklyn from NY city? Where would be the best place to stay without breaking the bank? Which airport would be best to fly into? Any help on these questions would be greatly appreciated.

[greatam]

We are thinking of booking the Caribbean Princess in October and I have several questions. We would like to fly in a couple days before the cruise and see NY city. How far is Brooklyn from NY city? Where would be the best place to stay without breaking the bank? Which airport would be best to fly into? Any help on these questions would be greatly appreciated.

 

Distance-the width of the East River. Brooklyn is one of the 5 boroughs of NYC-it IS NYC. It is just not Manhattan, where most of the touristy things are. From a Manhattan hotel, about a $20-30 cab ride away to Red Hook.

 

Manhattan hotels are a bargain right now but BOOK NOW, don't wait. October starts the height of tourist season AND the NYC Marathon is Nov 1. Lots of extra people in town the last weeks of October if for no other reason, the Marathon.

 

Fly into LaGuardia or JFK. $30.00 taxi ride into Manhattan from LGA, $45 taxi ride from JFK.

 

Have you looked for hotels on Hotwire??? Some real bargains (less than $200) for 3.5-4* hotels to be had NOW.

[BlueHerons]

Ditto with the above but peak season actually starts immediately after Labor Day with Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week and goes strong through New Years Day.

 

Hotel rooms both weekdays and weekends can be difficult to get and expensive.

 

My suggestion is to book a cancellable backup in Manhattan (do not stay in New Jersey if you want to see Manhattan; trust me on this) and start shopping for deals.

 

The great news is that there are deals and you can find them with a little work.

[momthecruisedirector]

I want to throw in my two cents - we visited NYC for the first time a few years ago. We bought the City Walks cards - they are a self guided walking tour with a detailed map on one side and information on the other (the first paved street, here is where Washington met with his troops, things like that). They added so much to our trip and I've bought a set for Wa DC for a trip we'll be taking soon.

[Vitamin_Sea]

We are thinking of booking the Caribbean Princess in October and I have several questions. We would like to fly in a couple days before the cruise and see NY city. How far is Brooklyn from NY city? Where would be the best place to stay without breaking the bank? Which airport would be best to fly into? Any help on these questions would be greatly appreciated.

 

Ok....Your using the Red Hook terminal-which is right at the foot of the battery tunnel. Extremely close to NYC.

 

To save money, you may want to consider a Best Western, Holiday Inn or Howard Johnson. It doesnt matter if its not in Times Square or Greenwich Village. You have Trains, buses and taxi`s all over to get around.

 

Always use JFK if you have a choice. LGA has to many delays.

 

Cheers!

[cruiser429]

Would not stay at Brooklyn Motor Inn. It's listed as very close to pier. Friends stayed there before our Caribbean Princess cruise and said they would not return.

[GTJ]

Both LaGuardia Airport and John F. Kennedy International Airport are reasonably close to Brooklyn. Newark Liberty International Airport is a bit more distant, likely a little more expensive getting to and from, but worth considering if the airfare is significantly less than either LGA or JFK. Some people have flown into MacArthur Airport in Islip, Long Island since it was the only airport with service by Southwest Airlines, it is much more remote than any of the aforementioned airports (and Southwest has since started flying into LGA). Other airports in the region are White Plains and Stewart, but these are even more remote.

 

Since the consolidation of New York City on January 1, 1898, the City has consisted of five boroughs: Manhattan, Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island. These boroughs are generally separated only by a small amount of water, though the boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens are separated by a common land border. The City's two airports are in the borough of Queens. There is one cruise ship terminal in the borough of Manhattan and another in the borough of Brooklyn. (Note that both Newark Liberty International Airport and Cape Liberty Cruise Port are both in New Jersey.) Most visitors to New York City are destined for the borough of Manhattan, and most tourist attractions are there as well. There are tourist attractions and other interesting parts of the City in the other boroughs, but they're generally considered to be off the beaten tourist path.

 

New York City is generally an expensive city in which to stay. The most expensive hotels are in the borough of Manhattan, and less expensive ones are in the other boroughs. If you're looking to save a few dollars, consider a hotel outside Manhattan but still proximate to the subway . . . you can buy unlimited bus and subway MetroCards for the duration of your stay for $8.25 (1-day) or $27.00 (7-days) per person. There are a few hotels in downtown Brooklyn, the largest of which is the Marriott. You probably won't save that much staying at the Marriott, though it is fairly close to the cruise ship terminal in Brooklyn. There are a few other chain hotels scattered throughout Brooklyn as well, but you should make sure the subway is convenient. For example, there is a Holiday Inn Express on Union Street, a half-block from the R train on Fourth Avenue, and a Best Western on Fourth Avenue, three blocks from the R train at 86th Street. The hotel closest to the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal is the Brooklyn Motor Inn. This is an independent hotel that does not have the best reputation, though the reviews on Trip Advisor are mixed. It is a bit further from the subway than other options.

[138east]

Rdwhite1999 - The more details we have, the better advice we can give. Perhaps you could tell us your target hotel budget? Also, have you priced flights to the three NY area airports? Are you 2 people? Would 1 bed work for you? What exact dates are you looking for a hotel room?

 

Also, could you give us an idea of what part of the country you are coming from? How would you rate your urban comfort level? I am assuming that you have not been to NY before, so I'm not yet comfortable recommending a hotel in Brooklyn or Queens.

[ILoveScotland]

I actually prefer to fly into Newark. You can get a bus for a reasonable fare at the terminal right into the heart of Manhattan and then take a taxi to your hotel.

 

The last couple of times I went to New York I used Priceline and was quite pleased with the hotels I got. I know the city well, actually lived there for a few years in the 80s, so knew neighborhoods to include in my Priceline search. I think I only paid $135 for a midtown/near Times Square hotel in November 2007.

 

From the time of my first visit when I was a young woman I went out on my own except for taking the Circle Line around the island. However, I'm sure there are good options for tours.

 

Most of all just get out and walk. Walk up Broadway at least to 72nd St. or farther. Walk through Central Park. Walk down Fifth Avenue. Walk around Greenwich Village. Find a sidewalk cafe and watch and listen and absorb the cacophony of sounds and sights.

 

If you're into museums the Metropolitan is a must as far as I'm concerned, but the Museum of Modern Art is great as well as are countless others. If you like Medieval go all the way up to the Cloisters.

 

Ride the subway to the south tip of Manhattan and take the Staten Island Ferry.

 

Just writing all this makes me want to be there right now.

 

I guess mainly I would say do your research with guidebooks and at the New York Visitor Center web site and then just go enjoy.

[Rdwhite1999]

Thanks to everyone for their suggestions. We would be flying in from NC and I have priced the flights into all three airports and they are about the same - around $200. We are just two people and one bed would be fine - we are looking at booking the 10/10 cruise and would like to come into NY a couple of days before to see the city. This is actually our 2nd trip to NY but it has been over 10 years since we last visited.

[138east]

Not seeing much under $200 for Oct. 8 & 9 - It's a tough week in Manhattan. Hotwire is showing a 3* hotel in Madison Square Garden/Chelsea for $179. Can't tell what that might be - the amenities don't match the Hotwire list for hotels in that area.

 

If you want to wait a bit, I am seeing the Holiday Inn Express Times Square (343 W. 39th St) for $209 2 queens nonsmoking cancellable. This is a newly refurbished hotel, so there aren't many reviews on it yet. In fact since it's a brand new hotel, it could be the $179 hotel on Hotwire. It also comes with a breakfast bar.

[patseacruiser]

I would fly into Newark and get a cab over to nyc. I know people who got great rooms through Priceline and Hotwire. Have you had your agent check to see what is available pre-cruise through the cruise line? Don't stay in a Brooklyn motel. I would take a NJ hotel above that and take the 6 minute ferry ride over into nyc. I have lived in Brooklyn, NYC and NJ for 50 years and that's just my recommendation.