QM2 Arrival, Brooklyn Terminal

Friends of ours will be doing a WB sailing on the QM2 next month and we would like to pick them up at the Brooklyn Terminal. We did a "dry run" this past Sunday and found that we must park in a designated area pending their port clearance, dis-embark, immigration check and luggage pick-up. My thinking is that once they have done this they could call us on our cell and we could then proceed to the terminal to collect them.

Does anyone know if UK cell phones work here in the U.S? If they do not, does anyone have a suggestion how we could best coordinate picking up our friends?

Your friend is best to check with their cell provider as to their individual contract and handset, they have to have international roaming switched on and it must be arranged before they leave the UK.

But generally speaking yes UK phones work on US networks. Mine does.

M-AR

Friends of ours will be doing a WB sailing on the QM2 next month and we would like to pick them up at the Brooklyn Terminal. We did a "dry run" this past Sunday and found that we must park in a designated area pending their port clearance, dis-embark, immigration check and luggage pick-up. My thinking is that once they have done this they could call us on our cell and we could then proceed to the terminal to collect them.

Does anyone know if UK cell phones work here in the U.S? If they do not, does anyone have a suggestion how we could best coordinate picking up our friends?

Assuming the phones work there are three numbered posts in the pick up area, choose a number and meet them there. They are about ten yards apart.

we left QM2 in Red Hook this Sunday past

we were off the ship by 8:45 and thru immigration/customs by 9

we took a flat rate car to Lag' airport at $58

as we were leaving the pier area we passed a LONG LONG line of vehicles trying to get in ... taxi, hired car, private car.

Dunno if there was a 'special alert' in NYC at the time slowing the IN process, but did feel that the screening at LAG' airport was extra strong as compared to the many other airports we'd hit along the way . . .

Can you please tell me what a flat rate car is, is it just a taxi with a standard amount that will not change due to time or traffic issues?

YES .... basically this is a simple LIMO with a posted rate . . .

on a taxi you will be "on the meter" and you pay what the meter says the fare is (plus tip). The meter computes distance and time .... I was told to expect a fare of around $45 from the pier (Red Hook) to LaGuardia.

In the terminal I saw signs for 'approved hire cars' at a flat rate.

Exiting the terminal building I asked to be directed to the taxi stand and as we went that way were approached by a person from the 'flat rate' company. $58 for all who fit, in a nice Lincoln SUV .... flat rate.

Maybe a few dollars more than the taxi, but fast and clean and lots of room ..... I have NO complaints.

$58 and I tipped the driver .... no worries about what the meter REALLY ended up to read!

YES .... basically this is a simple LIMO with a posted rate . . .

 

on a taxi you will be "on the meter" and you pay what the meter says the fare is (plus tip). The meter computes distance and time .... I was told to expect a fare of around $45 from the pier (Red Hook) to LaGuardia.

 

In the terminal I saw signs for 'approved hire cars' at a flat rate.

 

Exiting the terminal building I asked to be directed to the taxi stand and as we went that way were approached by a person from the 'flat rate' company. $58 for all who fit, in a nice Lincoln SUV .... flat rate.

 

Maybe a few dollars more than the taxi, but fast and clean and lots of room ..... I have NO complaints.

 

$58 and I tipped the driver .... no worries about what the meter REALLY ended up to read!

Thanks, that sounds excellent. A number of years ago we had a taxi from JFK into Manhattan and it had a 'airport to city rate' of $45 (+ tip), so we were pleased that we knew exactly how much it would cost no matter how much traffic there may be.:D

Taxi trips to and from LaGuardia are metered fares, as are trips between JFK and NYC boroughs other than Manhattan. Manhattan-JFK trips in either direction are currently fixed at $52 plus tolls and 80 cents in surcharges. And tips, of course.

http://www.nyc.gov/html/tlc/html/passenger/taxicab_rate.shtml

Taxi trips to and from LaGuardia are metered fares, as are trips between JFK and NYC boroughs other than Manhattan. Manhattan-JFK trips in either direction are currently fixed at $52 plus tolls and 80 cents in surcharges. And tips, of course.

 

http://www.nyc.gov/html/tlc/html/passenger/taxicab_rate.shtml

Thanks for that information. :D

Just a side note to refresh my memory, is it 20% or 25% the norm for taxi tips?

Can you please tell me what a flat rate car is, is it just a taxi with a standard amount that will not change due to time or traffic issues?

I would like to know more about the flat rate car too, is it one you can simply pick up in port. Please enlighten us. Thanks.

YES .... basically this is a simple LIMO with a posted rate . . .

 

on a taxi you will be "on the meter" and you pay what the meter says the fare is (plus tip). The meter computes distance and time .... I was told to expect a fare of around $45 from the pier (Red Hook) to LaGuardia.

 

In the terminal I saw signs for 'approved hire cars' at a flat rate.

 

Exiting the terminal building I asked to be directed to the taxi stand and as we went that way were approached by a person from the 'flat rate' company. $58 for all who fit, in a nice Lincoln SUV .... flat rate.

 

Maybe a few dollars more than the taxi, but fast and clean and lots of room ..... I have NO complaints.

 

$58 and I tipped the driver .... no worries about what the meter REALLY ended up to read!

Okay, did you get this flat rate SUV for your party only or did you need to share it like a shuttle? If you get it as a private transfer sounds like a very good deal.

Okay, did you get this flat rate SUV for your party only or did you need to share it like a shuttle? If you get it as a private transfer sounds like a very good deal.

I may be wrong but I got the impression it was a for just the one private party.

walking out to the taxi area, it is a covered walkway with a line of yellow taxi on one side and a line of black SUV types on the other side. The black ones are the flat rate vehicles ... one party per vehicle. Asked where I wanted to go, "Laguardia" ... "that's $58"

I asked "$58 for two people?"

"Yes, $58 .... everything ... no extras"

Driver loaded the car and we were off in 2 minutes. There were as many of these in line and waiting to get in as there were taxi ..... as I said there were BIG signs advertising this option when heading from customs to the exit . . . had I not seen the signs or had there been fewer of the vehicles I'd have been dubious. Since they were sharing the 'real' taxi stand they seemed 110% legitimate to me.

Friends of ours will be doing a WB sailing on the QM2 next month and we would like to pick them up at the Brooklyn Terminal. We did a "dry run" this past Sunday and found that we must park in a designated area pending their port clearance, dis-embark, immigration check and luggage pick-up. My thinking is that once they have done this they could call us on our cell and we could then proceed to the terminal to collect them.

Does anyone know if UK cell phones work here in the U.S? If they do not, does anyone have a suggestion how we could best coordinate picking up our friends?

If they sre able to self disembark, carry or roll their on luggage they will be in the first flow off the ship. Therefore there will be very little traffic at that time we have disembarked about 7.30 am.

Re the UK Phone if I remember correctly they need the type of phone Type something like 4G I bought mine specially for my trip was only about £50

BUT they need to be patient for the signal to kick in and this is the remembering part:eek: they put the # in excatly the way YOU would cell phone someone In the USA, I screwed up thinking I needed country codes etc.

Thereare also phones in the arrival terminal turn right outside exit and 20 or 30 steps the hostess lady there was very helpfull

Outside departures the security are moving you on so not as helpfull

Hope this makes sense :)

walking out to the taxi area, it is a covered walkway with a line of yellow taxi on one side and a line of black SUV types on the other side. The black ones are the flat rate vehicles ... one party per vehicle. Asked where I wanted to go, "Laguardia" ... "that's $58"

 

I asked "$58 for two people?"

 

"Yes, $58 .... everything ... no extras"

 

Driver loaded the car and we were off in 2 minutes. There were as many of these in line and waiting to get in as there were taxi ..... as I said there were BIG signs advertising this option when heading from customs to the exit . . . had I not seen the signs or had there been fewer of the vehicles I'd have been dubious. Since they were sharing the 'real' taxi stand they seemed 110% legitimate to me.

Yes, great news, thanks for the clarification.:D

Yes, it's usually $58 more or less to LaGuardia in a "black" car. You can team up with another person or two and the price is the same. The yellow cabs are about $40 and now there are green cabs that work under different rules (they can't pick up in Manhattan, etc.) but charge the same. All get you where you want to go without drama.

Yes, it's usually $58 more or less to LaGuardia in a "black" car. You can team up with another person or two and the price is the same. The yellow cabs are about $40 and now there are green cabs that work under different rules (they can't pick up in Manhattan, etc.) but charge the same. All get you where you want to go without drama.

Cheers, we will actually be wanting to go into Manhattan from the Red hook (Brooklyn) terminal.:D

Friends of ours will be doing a WB sailing on the QM2 next month and we would like to pick them up at the Brooklyn Terminal. We did a "dry run" this past Sunday and found that we must park in a designated area pending their port clearance, dis-embark, immigration check and luggage pick-up. My thinking is that once they have done this they could call us on our cell and we could then proceed to the terminal to collect them.

Does anyone know if UK cell phones work here in the U.S? If they do not, does anyone have a suggestion how we could best coordinate picking up our friends?

In our experience, anyone can simply drive into the main parking lot at the terminal.... simply ignore the taxis, limos, vans, &c parked in the "waiting" area (i.e. "free") by the warehouses as you drive in, drive past the terminal, take a ticket at the parking lot, and park. There's only one pedestrian walkway between the terminal and the parking lot. You can connect with your friends at a prearranged point. If your friends are ambulatorily challenged, and/or have lots of luggage, (and have the correct attitude / interpersonal skills) a longshoreman will be happy to trundle their luggage right to your car. Altogether MUCH quicker than driving into the "arrivals" traffic scrum. We've done this as passengers and drivers, inbound and outbound. No need to over-complicate it, but make your friends pay for the parking and lunch on the way home.

In our experience, anyone can simply drive into the main parking lot at the terminal.... simply ignore the taxis, limos, vans, &c parked in the "waiting" area (i.e. "free") by the warehouses as you drive in, drive past the terminal, take a ticket at the parking lot, and park.