Stay in Manhattan or New Jersey for a Cape Liberty departure

We are sailing on Anthem on 6 July. We will fly into JFK on the 5th. Will it be better to stay in Manhattan and use public transport to get to the pier in NJ the next morning or should we rather get to NJ and stay there? We have been to New York many times so do not need to do sight seeing etc. Coming from South Africa ( with rands!) we would like to book a reasonable hotel and will use public transport. We are 4 family members and we do not travel lightly! Any recommendations of hotels with included shuttles to the pier will be great.

We are sailing on Anthem on 6 July. We will fly into JFK on the 5th. Will it be better to stay in Manhattan and use public transport to get to the pier in NJ the next morning or should we rather get to NJ and stay there? We have been to New York many times so do not need to do sight seeing etc. Coming from South Africa ( with rands!) we would like to book a reasonable hotel and will use public transport. We are 4 family members and we do not travel lightly! Any recommendations of hotels with included shuttles to the pier will be great.

What is your hotel budget? Are two double beds OK? Is anyone a child under 12? What time does your flight arrive at JFK? Will you have a usable cell phone?

How much luggage will you have? After such a long trip how much time do you really want to spend on public transit to get to your hotel? Would you be willing to prepay a hotel?

There are a lot of ways to do this and you have to look at the big picture to balance time, money, and stress. Please answer all the questions.

As a starting point I would suggest the easiest, cost effective solution. Book a car service to go from JFK to the Ramada Plaza at Newark Airport. For $185 tax included you can book the Ramada through trinityreservations.com (prepay but cancellable up until noon one day ahead) for a 2 double bed room and round trip port transportation. For you group of 4, this is absolutely the best deal available. Round trip port transportation is at least $110-130 for 4 people from EWR. I have personally used this package and recommend it.

Please note that the cheapest public transit route from JFK to EWR involves taking the NYC subway to New York Penn Station and NJ Transit to EWR. This is about $82 for 4 adults and would take at least 2+ hours with 2 Airtrains, one subway, and one train.

What is your hotel budget? Are two double beds OK? Is anyone a child under 12? What time does your flight arrive at JFK? Will you have a usable cell phone?

 

How much luggage will you have? After such a long trip how much time do you really want to spend on public transit to get to your hotel? Would you be willing to prepay a hotel?

 

There are a lot of ways to do this and you have to look at the big picture to balance time, money, and stress. Please answer all the questions.

 

As a starting point I would suggest the easiest, cost effective solution. Book a car service to go from JFK to the Ramada Plaza at Newark Airport. For $185 tax included you can book the Ramada through trinityreservations.com (prepay but cancellable up until noon one day ahead) for a 2 double bed room and round trip port transportation. For you group of 4, this is absolutely the best deal available. Round trip port transportation is at least $110-130 for 4 people from EWR. I have personally used this package and recommend it.

 

Please note that the cheapest public transit route from JFK to EWR involves taking the NYC subway to New York Penn Station and NJ Transit to EWR. This is about $82 for 4 adults and would take at least 2+ hours with 2 Airtrains, one subway, and one train.

Hi there,

I am trying to spend $ 200 or less on accommodation and 2 double beds will be fine. Kids are 13 and 16 and we arrive at JFK at 7am on Wed 5 July.

We will have 3 large suitcases and 3 small backpacks. Happy to prepay a hotel.

Thanks so far! Going to look at Ramada now.

Hi there,

I am trying to spend $ 200 or less on accommodation and 2 double beds will be fine. Kids are 13 and 16 and we arrive at JFK at 7am on Wed 5 July.

We will have 3 large suitcases and 3 small backpacks. Happy to prepay a hotel.

Thanks so far! Going to look at Ramada now.

Everyone in your group is an adult for public transit fares.

The Cape Liberty package is available only through trinity.reservations.com. It is not available directly from the Ramada.

If you decide to take public transit from JFK to EWR, you are going to need some advice, insights, and suggestions from the New Yorkers. If you can wait until 9:45 am, you can take a non-peak Long Island Railroad train from Jamaica Queens (accessible by the JFK Air train) to New

York Penn Station. My understanding is that for each person, the Airtrain would be $7.50 and the non peak LIRR train would be $7.50. http://lirr42.mta.info/. It is also possible to skip the LIRR and just use the Airtrain to access the E Subway to New York Penn Station (longer trip with many stops).

In New York Penn Station you transfer to New Jersey Transit and take the Northeast Corridor or North Jersey Coast train to Newark Airport Station for $13/pp. http://www.njtransit.com/sf/sf_servlet.srv?hdnPageAction=TrainTo At Newark Airport you would take the "free" Airtrain (you have already paid $5 for it in your $13 ticket) to the P4 station to connect with the free hotel shuttle.

New York City resident here. I give the LIRR option a thumbs up. It's incredibly easy, even with luggage. I wouldn't bother with the E train. You'll find yourself wishing you had spent a little more money to take LIRR. Would be a pain in the butt with luggage.

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Not exactly an expert like those above but let me suggest something simple after your long flight. Use a private car service like (Dial 7 or CarmelLimo) to take you from JFK to a hotel in Elizabeth Town like (Country Inn & Suites includes breakfast and a free shuttle to the pier...mall across the street and restaurant's close by great location for pre-cruise)...just wanted to offer this option.

Not exactly an expert like those above but let me suggest something simple after your long flight. Use a private car service like (Dial 7 or CarmelLimo) to take you from JFK to a hotel in Elizabeth Town like (Country Inn & Suites includes breakfast and a free shuttle to the pier...mall across the street and restaurant's close by great location for pre-cruise)...just wanted to offer this option.

Car Service from JFK to Cape Liberty would always be optimal, but pricey. It's worth getting a quote just to know what it would cost.

Unfortunately, Country Inns does not provide a free shuttle to Cape Liberty. They charge $17.50/pp each way, so that's an extra $140 on top of the prepaid room rate of $175 tax included for 4 people. The location is great and they offer free breakfast, but IMO that's not worth the difference in price from the trinityreservations package at $185.

For simplicity after a long TATL flight & jetlagged, I vote for book a car service direct from JFK to EWR area hotel vs. multi-transfers using public transit. But ... OP's time & money and choice.

As non-US citizens, expect 90+ minutes to clear border control for ground transportation. Even early AM arrival @ JFK can be hectic & busy ... will be taking AirTrain, no matter what, to Federal Circles stop (free) to meet car service to EWR (airport) or continue to Jamaica (pay fares to exit, downstairs for LIRR train or E subway line, follow signage - up to 4 riders can use a single Metro Card, $1 fee charged.

With 2+ hours in transit, best to get hydrated first (eat something or pack extra energy bars) and use restrooms before leaving JFK.

Weekday services on E subway line is express with limited stops, Jamaica as first/last stop on the line, getting seats & finding room for 3 rollers or spinner luggage + 3 backpacks not a problem - both stations, elevators & escalators for accessibility. 14 stops to 34th Street/Penn Station stop for NJT trains, follow signage & purchase fares as detailed by 138east/Carol above to make train connection & EWR AirTrain. If OP insist, this is your choice but be advised, this isn't going to be fun just to save $20 to $30 split among 4 for convenience & simplicity. Any last minute mass transit/commuting problems or outage in any 1 to 4 segments, you are on your own to scramble for options with luggage.

Dial7 or Carmel car services - 4 adults & 3 checked luggage, you can book a deluxe or luxury 4 door sedan for base fare @$81 USD @Carmel (minivan will be roomier for 4 with luggage @ $89) (before a $5 digital discount - use latest digital code from Carmel, if you wanted to book them - "ED2017")

Staten Island - VZ Bridge crossing to NJ at the morning might be the fastest & best route, toll would be slight higher instead of going thru Manhattan & then out to NJ ... toll would be about $15 (cash rate) or $10.66 for EZ-Pass, if the driver charge/collect that vs. cash. Total for car service: tolls & tips (20% is usually what we do) and base fares + discount, about $101 or $102 to $110, depending on exact routing. Fares on Dial7 is typically slightly higher. If you will have cellphone service & mobile data in the US upon arrival, both car services have free mobile App to use to pre-book, track & make credit card payment for the fares, minimize need to worry about cash on arrival.

Uber/Lyft is possible but beware of congestion & surge pricing and "faked" dispatcher loitering at area airports, steering unsuspecting traveling to be taken for a ride & overcharging by demanding cash - only use the authorized App to pay charges. Sorry, cannot give you a quote as I am not a fan of ride-sharing, I'm sure someone else can.

My "guess'timate;" from frequent commuting & driving segments of this route - JFK via Staten Island around 9 AM to EWR hotel would probably be the fastest & easiest, let the pro driver decide - with luck, about 90 minutes door to door in normal AM traffic, but 2 hours should suffice and all 4 can sit back & relax, or even take a rest from jetting, ask the driver to wake you upon getting near your destination - not a scenic trip & not much to see enroute. With luck, you would be checking into your hotel before 11 AM (if they allow early C/I & room is ready) - nothing like a hot shower, change of fresh clothes & some rest.

Good luck in whatever OP choose, happy cruising & welcome to metro NY.

Wonderful write up with all the NY details I'm not equipped to provide! Thank you.

I'd contact the hotel about early checkin. People come and go at all hours from the Ramada.

I'm wondering what the OP is planning to do when the ship gets back. That end needs to be planned as well.

Some of these hotels should have a special discount code for CruiseCritic travelers, LOL. Even if they say no to early check-in, they can store luggage with bellhop & return later on ... and figure out their meal options, sounded that they aren't planning to sightsee. A long non-stop and/or connection via a gateway, depending on their origination & whatever GMT time zone difference.

Schools will be out & first week in July typically is lighter with weekday commuting traffic, haven't heard any "horror" stories lately at JFK, as long as flight is on schedule ... should be out, landside within 2 hours & ready for ground transportation. If they aren't in a rush, depending on terminal/airline - there are options for food court pre-security for a quick meal (breakfast) at typical airport pricing first.

On a good & dry/clear summer morning, as I used to do this daily commute, northeast Queens to south Brooklyn ... Belt Parkway being free of commercial, bus & truck traffic but still doing major reconstruction - driver can safely zip thru and cross the Goethals Bridge into the backyards of Elizabeth & EWR in under an hour, with a little bit of luck and just 1 one-way toll for S.I.

Plus, the car service dispatched will likely be picking up someone coming off the AOS and/or EWR to return to NY around the same time. Looking at CL's schedule, they are doing 9 days & returning on a weekday ... presumably, they might then be staying in NYC area post-cruise to sightsee and/or fly onward elsewhere.

Car Service from JFK to Cape Liberty would always be optimal, but pricey. It's worth getting a quote just to know what it would cost.

 

Unfortunately, Country Inns does not provide a free shuttle to Cape Liberty. They charge $17.50/pp each way, so that's an extra $140 on top of the prepaid room rate of $175 tax included for 4 people. The location is great and they offer free breakfast, but IMO that's not worth the difference in price from the trinityreservations package at $185.

My mistake :o..I was thinking about the free shuttle from EWR to this hotel....which I'll be using after many good recommendations for this particular hotel, that is actually only costing me a few points. However I still think private transportation for the OP would be well worth it after their long flight....public transportation with 4 people and schlepping luggage..wouldn't be my choice.