Manhattan Cruise Terminal - Questions

Cruising Carnival out of here early June, driving in from RI. We're going to park at the terminal lot.

1) We leave on Sunday, do we need to arrive nine hours early to accommodate for traffic? I read someone saying that traffic into this place backs up "for miles" - true?

2) Is it well-marked? Will we know which terminal to park at based on our cruise ship?

3) I've read something about going to the 2nd level to drop off luggage, then up to a 3rd level to park. Can someone clarify the procedure, the difficulty for someone new to NYC, things to watch/look for or not to miss as we do this?

4) Exiting - leaving the ship, getting our luggage and getting out - easy? fast?

Thanks for your help.

Cruising Carnival out of here early June, driving in from RI. We're going to park at the terminal lot.

 

1) We leave on Sunday, do we need to arrive nine hours early to accommodate for traffic? I read someone saying that traffic into this place backs up "for miles" - true? No I get there around 11-12 with little traffic.

 

2) Is it well-marked? Will we know which terminal to park at based on our cruise ship? yes its well marked and parking is very easy.

 

3) I've read something about going to the 2nd level to drop off luggage, then up to a 3rd level to park. Can someone clarify the procedure, the difficulty for someone new to NYC, things to watch/look for or not to miss as we do this? No this is the old procedure before they changed the flow. Go up to the third level park and get a porter to help.

 

4) Exiting - leaving the ship, getting our luggage and getting out - easy? fast? The flow is different at the different cruise piers 88, 90 or 92. Its not difficult and there are porters to help(for a tip of course). Its not always fast. Don't worry they want you to leave as much as you want to go.

 

Thanks for your help.

see above.

see above.

Thank you, very helpful.

Is the actual ship check-in under the parking ramp? I was looking at birds-eye views on Bing Maps and it seems like just a big warehouse. :)

Best directions from RI - Get to I95, go to Milford CT, cut over to the Merritt Parkway which becomes the Hutchinson River Parkway at the NY line. When you get to New Rochelle, stay left and take the Cross County Parkway (also staying left) to the Saw Mill River Parkway South. This become the Henry Hudson Parkway at the NYC line. The end of the HH Parkway is the cruise terminal. DO NOT TAKE I95 through the South Bronx. If you miss the Milford turn, you can get on the Merritt at I287 just over the NY border at Rye NY. There is a $3 toll, but it is worth every penny.

Thank you, very helpful.

 

Is the actual ship check-in under the parking ramp? I was looking at birds-eye views on Bing Maps and it seems like just a big warehouse. :)

As you suggest the check ins are located under the parking ramp and parking area of each pier. There are elevators and escalators down from the parking level to the check in level....its not far. Its also not far between the piers. While its normal to park on the pier that you ship leaves from, its not always that way. The parking lots are generally not full. Its too expensive to park and people come other ways.

I agree with 138 East. If memory serves the Wilbur Cross/Merritt Parkway ct rte 15 exit is 39 on I95(just past West Haven)

Best directions from RI - Get to I95, go to Milford CT, cut over to the Merritt Parkway which becomes the Hutchinson River Parkway at the NY line. When you get to New Rochelle, stay left and take the Cross County Parkway (also staying left) to the Saw Mill River Parkway South. This become the Henry Hudson Parkway at the NYC line. The end of the HH Parkway is the cruise terminal. DO NOT TAKE I95 through the South Bronx. If you miss the Milford turn, you can get on the Merritt at I287 just over the NY border at Rye NY. There is a $3 toll, but it is worth every penny.

Going to map this out - looks like a winner. Thanks for the good advice.

How much are the parking charges for the NY piers?

I got a quick text from a friend who is sailing out of NY and she said the parking charges were insane!!!

$30/day.

Sorry - that's Manhattan. Brooklyn is about $20/day and Bayonne is $19/day.

Yes it's $30 day but there is no other option that would be any cheaper any where near there. It's not cheap to park in NYC. I have used that parking and it's very easy and have never had a problem.

She didn't say how much it was..now I know.

Good grief....she is usually an overplanner..I'm shocked she didn't check the prices before she left.

Worth getting a limo rather than driving at those prices.

Does anyone know of a creative way to avoid parking in NYC? Is there a ferry you can take from NJ where you could leave your car while on a cruise? Any suggestions would be appreciated. I'm trying to help my son save a few $$. He lives in south Jersey/Phila. area.

Does anyone know of a creative way to avoid parking in NYC? Is there a ferry you can take from NJ where you could leave your car while on a cruise? Any suggestions would be appreciated. I'm trying to help my son save a few $$. He lives in south Jersey/Phila. area.

I would think that the least complicated solution is to drop off your son at a train or bus station in southern New Jersey (or have a friend or local taxi do the same), then walk or taxi the very short distance between Port Authority Bus Terminal or Pennsylvania Station and the Manhattan Cruise Terminal. There are many such options in southern New Jersey, including, inter alia, Greyhound Lines from Mt. Laurel and Camden, Boltbus from Cherry Hill, and Academy Lines from Willingboro.

We will be departing from Manhattan in July and I found out that there are a total of 3 ships going out that day. Is there sufficient parking for all? Trying to decide whether to drive or take the trailways bus.

Thanks,

Kelly

Does anyone know of a creative way to avoid parking in NYC? Is there a ferry you can take from NJ where you could leave your car while on a cruise? Any suggestions would be appreciated. I'm trying to help my son save a few $$. He lives in south Jersey/Phila. area.

NYWaterway.com ...take the ferry from Weehawken NJ right on the other side of the Hudson from the port.

You can go up to the parking level drop off pax and luggage then go pay and park.

Cruising Carnival out of here early June, driving in from RI. We're going to park at the terminal lot.

 

1) We leave on Sunday, do we need to arrive nine hours early to accommodate for traffic? I read someone saying that traffic into this place backs up "for miles" - true? This depends on how many ships are in port. 1 ship in port hardly any traffic 3 ships in port lots of traffic. Less traffic on a weekend getting to port.

 

2) Is it well-marked? Will we know which terminal to park at based on our cruise ship? Its easy. and marked

 

3) I've read something about going to the 2nd level to drop off luggage, then up to a 3rd level to park. Can someone clarify the procedure, the difficulty for someone new to NYC, things to watch/look for or not to miss as we do this? parking level 3

 

4) Exiting - leaving the ship, getting our luggage and getting out - easy? fast? yes

 

Thanks for your help.

enjoy your cruise

We will be departing from Manhattan in July and I found out that there are a total of 3 ships going out that day. Is there sufficient parking for all? Trying to decide whether to drive or take the trailways bus.

 

Thanks,

Kelly

The parking has never been reported as full and at $30 a day it tends to be less full.

BTW unless they have put back the ramp they removed at the end of the drop off area(which they may have) ...park first...they send porters up to the ramp but it is always easier(not faster) to drop the luggage and then have to circle back around on the streets to the entrance again to get up to the parking area.

The parking has never been reported as full and at $30 a day it tends to be less full.

 

BTW unless they have put back the ramp they removed at the end of the drop off area(which they may have) ...park first...they send porters up to the ramp but it is always easier(not faster) to drop the luggage and then have to circle back around on the streets to the entrance again to get up to the parking area.

They haven't put the ramp back up. It's definitely best to park first to avoid having to exit and reenter the pier complex. Even if no porters are available on the parking level, it's easy enough to take your luggage down on the elevator to the check in level where the porters will be located.

What I meant to say was Drive up to the parking level and drop off pax and luggage near the elevator. Then pay for and go and park. Also they gave us a note last year stating that we would return on a differant pier.I paid and drove over to the pier that we would return on. That made it a breeze to leave after the cruise. Even if I was parked on either pier its easy to leave just a little more walk.