Rocketlady

I am sure you have plenty time. But I would take my own luggage off and get a taxi. We arranged in advance for someone to pick us up in a mini bus one year. I swear we were the last people to leave the pier.

They have hundreds of taxis waiting to run you to the airports as you get off the ship. I don't even call a cab company ahead of time because they too are late. It is a hassle to find your cab you called.

The attendants out in front of the ships keeps the traffic flowing big time.

It is crazy. And funny to watch them yelling at the drivers to get their butts

moving.

I did read somewhere you can use your phone as a walkie talkie on the ship for around $6.00 the whole trip? Am I wrong?

Verizon is too expensive.

Maybe I should just use their phone service on board. And if I want to communicate with anyone at home do it on a computer. Send e-mails.

I like Verizon but their prices are out of control. Hope some day the cell phone expenses will come down. They are right up there with the cable

companies. Would rather spend my money on a cruise.

Or Vegas. LOL

I have Verizon phone. ok I buy the phone service on board. I can still use my own phone number, right?

2. when my family calls me from the U.S. is that like a regular phone call for them or will they get charged a large fee for it?

3. I think I read if for say my husband with his cell phone and my cell phone can use it on board like walkie talkies only. And the cost will only be $6.00 for the entire trip. Is this true?

4. if I buy the phone program for my smart phone does that include using my lap top computer too?

Thanks for educated me.

Thanks for the tour advice. And including restroom locations. I always wonder where to find them in NY city. And if it is safe enough.

First year we went to Vegas I planned way too much in advance and it was like we had no free time to enjoy our vacation. We couldn't do anything on a moments notice because I bought too many concert tickets that were so expensive we had to use them. I try not to do that on our cruises with the side trips off the ship.

Hi,

 

I am not native of NYC, but I love it !, I have been in the city almost 20 times now, I have planned for friends and I have also conducted tours for friends, family and co-worker. That being said, I love to plan and customize schedule for visitors.

 

FIRST tip : PLAN...PLAN...PLAN... there is so many thing to see in NYC, and you can be in awe for hours at one place...and you will have to skip other places to makeup for the lost time...plan the time you want to spend at each stop to ensure you will see it all.

 

SECOND tip: be prepared for the weather, rain or shine !

 

other tips will be included in this little guide !

 

Sunday night you plan on Times Square, of course plan visiting Toy's R us at the same time. Huge shop, the young ones will enjoy the ferris wheel. Also if you are a chocolate lover you have Hershey's shop near. Bathroom available at McDonald's ( not the cleanest due to the volume ), also available in the Marriott Marquis at the lobby level ( floor 7 or 9..I can't remember )

 

 

Monday you could take the subway "B" or "C" line to exit at the 72nd street. On the corner of 72nd and Central Park West you have the Dakota Building where John Lennon was shot. ( you might see Yoko Ono, she still reside there ). Across the street you enter Central Park and there you have the Strawberry Field memorial for John Lennon. Continue walking on Terrace drive for about 10 minutes and reach the Bethesda Fountain and terrace where many films where made. There are bathroom half way down the stairs leading to the fountain from the drive.

 

After a few pictures, you can walk south on "The Mall" ( also in many pictures and movies ), after a 10 minute walk you will be in Central Park zoo ( after turning left and right a couple of time ). Walk through the zoo and exit on the corner of 59th and 5th avenue. This should take about 1 hour.

 

Now you have FAO right there on your left. With the kids, try to avoid the back of the store where they have a gazillion candies... Again plan on how long you want to spend there, split the group if you want and go for what you like the most ( remember the piano in "Big" with Tom Hanks? it's upstairs ). Bathroom also available in the store. Regroup after the time set and walk south on 5th avenue.

 

Now on 5th, 8 blocks south ( 51th ) you have St-Patrick Cathedral. It is beautiful, IMO it is worth a visit at least once.

 

After that, across the street and one block south you have the Rockefeller Center. Buy your tickets at the outside booth ( next to the plaza on street level ). IMO it is way better then the Empire State Building...you have the best view OF the ESB for pictures, great view of Central Park and views of NYC on 3 sides at once with clear glass...not a metal fence like on ESB. And the elevator ride is :eek:

 

Now from your start point to buying the tickets you should have spent about 3 hours. If it is a busy day, you might have a wait time before getting on the elevator...or not. Figure about 1 hour from getting in the building, getting up, looking out and coming out of the building.

 

By now you should all the hungry...try to find something "fast" on service to maximize your time.

 

If you continue south on 5th to 42nd street, you will be just behind the New York library and Bryant Park...The Park is superb ! If you visit the Library and are in awe before the amazing architecture of it, take a little walk in the Park, then you will be close to dinner time...I would call it a day, return to the hotel and freshen-up before the night !

 

 

Day 2,

 

TIP 3: Pre-buy your ticket for the Statue of liberty at the earliest time available.

 

So you get on the subway to reach Battery Park, go through security and hop on the ferry. Your best picture opp will be when the ferry goes in front of the Statue, once on the Island you are too close for good pictures. If you really want to go to the Statue, I really suggest you reach her feet level, take pictures, and DO NOT go up the Statue...this is just MY opinion. You will spend a ton of time climbing up to reach a tiny plateau with a few plastic windows facing the water ( not even Manhattan because she is welcoming immigrants arriving by sea ) and you can't stop on the plateau for pictures, there is a guard keeping the flow going. ( this was just before 9/11, maybe it has changed since...but now when I do a tour, we stay on the ferry and get great pictures )

 

Next stop is Ellis Island, get out and visit this historical place... Again plan on how much time you want to spend there.

 

IF you want to make the best of your time, you could do the new 9/11 memorial site right after the Statue of Liberty because it is away from most of the of other "touristic" things.

 

After the 2 tours, get on the "R" subway and exit at 23rd street and have a look at the famous Flatiron Building. You have Madison Square Park across the street ( and a great Shake Shack for yummy burgers ).

 

If your day started early, it should be now about mid-afternoon...maybe it would be a good night for a Broadway show ?..or not?

 

 

Third day :

 

Now your day is a little lighter if you did the 9/11 memorial on day 2.

 

TIP 4 : Choose ONE museum...and plan how long you want to spend there.

 

Your group : There are 3 location for Alice tea cup, one of them being 1 corner from the Dakota Building of day 1. If you decided on the Metropolitan Museum of Art, there is also a Alice Tea cup on that side of the Park that would save you some time. After that you can go and visit the Radio City Music Hall.

 

You should have time available to return to one of your favorite location, or visit something you saw on your way...

 

The other group : THIS IS WHY you should do the 9/11 memorial on day 2 : Yankee Stadium and Madison Square Building are very far away from each other ( about 40 minute each way by transit )...you just might have not enough time for the memorial, the Stadium and the Garden...

 

 

Enjoy your time in NYC,

 

If you have any question, just ask !

 

If I made some errors...well I am sorry and will try to correct it !

This is hard to describe but a guy at the hotel printed them for us. Then folded it up like a fan. Then bent it in half and put over the handle of your

suitcase. He stapled it about five times. He use to work for the cruise line so he

knew how to do it.

So RC wants everything done before you get to the cruise so you can get on

in record time. They are not going to sent tags to your house any more.

I am a meat and potato person only. Forget any fancy fish dishes and dishes I have no idea what they are. My husband eats everything. We go down to the dining room at night. I only order steak. I really get tired of steak so I asked for a hamburger and a simple salad. Guess what? it isn't on the menu but they went and got me what I wanted. And my husband had his lobster that night.

More people who are upset with anything will put it on the internet. Those that are happy never report it.

Been on 4 cruises and we didn't starve that is for sure. You will have fun and

find enough favorite places to write about when you come back.

Notice it is always the same old people that complain about everything through out their entire life. They are just not happy people.

We went to the Brazilian Steakhouse on the Allure. We have been to several of them in the U.S. in different cities so we know what to expect. The Brazilian

restaurant on the ship didn't come close . They didn't have the 70 different selections on the salad bar which I looked forward to. My husband looked for the meat mainly. Neither one of us would waste our money on it again. It is pretty expensive to go to so will skip it in the future.

We had enough to eat with what is included in our cruise package. Funny I keep hearing people asking is it free to eat there. I guess it is free since you

don't have to dish out more money after you get on the ship. No one will starve on any ship that is for sure.

We wanted to see the 9/11 memorial while in NJ. We are staying at the Embassy Hotel near airport (Newark, N.J.). What expenses would we have and it is a hassle to even do? Not talking about the museum but just getting there?

Been to NY city before and had fun after we got there and stayed in a hotel (in NY City) but we took a train from home. This time not so sure we want to deal with it all.

Another factor would be the weather in Jan. which is already getting me nervous about. Leaving out of Detroit. Hoping it won't be another 2014

year.

We might just get off the ship to look at the shops right next to the ship. Sometimes they have beaches you can walk to .

We never go on the side trips. It is so limited of time and too expensive we skip it. And we really could afford it but we prefer not.

We always eat on board. Everything is over priced off the ship any way.

Wish the ship casinos would listen to most of us to ban smoking in there. Ohio casinos and Canada casinos ban it. They can go outside and smoke there. And they are all crowded. I don't smoke but love the casinos. Casinos are going to be the last place on earth to stop it. Maybe if their employees sue them after they get cancer they will wake up.

We quit going to Detroit Casinos due to the smoke there. It is smokers heaven .

WE use a GPS most of the time but have a map with you. We drive to Detroit and a lot of times through Detroit to visit friends. The drive is only an hour from our house. Each time the GPS keeps wanting us to drive over the bridge to Canada. My husband works pass Detroit and also works down town Detroit sometimes so he knows the highways. So what I am telling you make sure

you have a map and check it along with the GPS. There might be neighborhoods you don't want to be in for safety reasons.

Just a fender bender on a highway can make a back up for miles and even

a stand still on a highway. We are all trying to tell you at least go one day earlier.

Our problem will be a snow storm . And going to N.J. is freaking me out. After the winter we had last winter. And yes we are going one day earlier and who knows if that will work out. I did buy insurance for the plane and cruise.

to bad we couldn't leave messages on phones then pick up a phone around the ship to play back the messages. Or is that possible now?

We just rolled our own luggage. Here is a tip you might want to know. We got to the airport pretty early. We were going to Detroit. We checked our luggage in I think at the curb. Then we asked if we could take an earlier flight which they had room. But because we checked in our luggage already they wouldn't let us on the plane. Otherwise, your luggage has to travel with you when flying.

Skippy let me know if it is $1000. to replace it if I lose it. Maybe they should have insurance on that too.

can anyone tell me if they have rented the phones/walkie talkies on board? Worth it? Have heard they have some just to text each other so they can find their party. And if I lose it , it could cost $500 to replace. True or not? I really hate the old walkie takie that I could take. I am too cheap to use our cell phones. The cost ?

Thankyou

I wanted to know more about the walkie talkie/ phones I can rent on RC lines. Has anyone ever rented them? Are they worth it? How much do they cost?

I will bit the bullet any day and take a cab. I really hate the shuttles. And I will not plan ahead for a taxi. Just flag one down. We arranged for a cab one year

at the port but he showed up an hour late.

I wanted to know more about renting phones/walkie talkies on board. Just to use on the ship to call each other not calling any where else. Do they work ? Price?

We are going on the Quantum so I wanted to find out if they will have them too.

I will be glad when they finally have the first sailing because RC sure isn't

giving out a lot of information. And with it only being 4 months away I am

disappointment in them. I am paying all this money with so little information.

Have you ever been in N.Y.? There is no way I would ever rent a car to see the sites in N.Y. Driving that traffic and then try finding a $50. parking place would make me say no way.Some hotels charge guest to park in their garages.That is why I like going to Vegas. We rent there. Chicago forget it.

DW & I are booked on the Quantum Feb 13, 2015. Flying in and out of Newark. We are thinking of flying in on Wednesday. Would like to catch a couple of shows and see the sights in NYC, mainly Time Square area, etc. We are open to using public transportation to get around or renting a car if needed.

 

*Where should we stay?

*Doesn't have to be in NYC as long as public transportation is close by.

*Easy to get to on Friday morning of cruise departure

 

All thoughts, suggestions and recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks

Eric

We would like to see a couple sites but after last winter record snow storms

I am not sure we want to leave the hotel after we get to N.J. hotel. We are not even crazy about leaving out of N.J. in the winter in the first place. Wish it was Fla. So it is going to be interesting to hear from everyone when they finally get to go on the Quantum.

I want to know just how and what are going to be the hassles to get to the pier. In the cold and snow. I hope the new pier will be in play when we get there. And worrying about getting out of Detroit then going to another

airport that could also have a snow storm . Just get me on the ship on time.

We are staying at the embassy Suites Elizabeth Newark Airport

908-558-0752. $216.00 could cost more since it is closer to the date.

AAA rate

You mean for China?? It will be gone the end of May 2015 here in the U.S.

Bit off track, but do we know when Quantum's summer 2015 itineraries will be released? Thanks :).

I don't think the zip line was taken out in Vegas. I think they added more than what they had in the past. Correct me if I am wrong.

I'm terrified of heights but I know I'd love it if I did it. I've done smaller ziplines which scared me to let go but I had a blast doing it. I did the one on the Allure last year and then also the one in downtown Vegas before they took it out.

no, I would rather do something else than sit in the sun. Too many people in the pool area and too loud. But than again I end up in the casino and that is

crowded too. And way too smoky.

Airlines are boosting their bottom lines by charging extra for all kinds of things, including the best seats in coach class. So, would you be willing to pay a little extra to rent a deck chair in a prime poolside location? (Maybe by the day or the week, extra for sea days.) These

I didn't think summer would be prime time traveling on a cruise ship. I know

kids are out of school but it is also hurricane season and 200 degree

weather. Just wondered.

Compare on a per person/per day rate.

 

$100pp/per day is average/low imo.

 

Less than that is a really good deal. More is less of a deal, but you have to consider cabin category and time of year. You pay more for bigger cabin, peak season. You pay less if you put multiple people in one cabin or travel off season in an inside.

 

I usually end up paying ~$200pp/per day because I have always travelled in peak season (holidays and summers). If you want a suite on a peak season sailing, you may be looking at $300pp/per day or more.

 

The highest I have seen lately is ~$400pp/per day for mid range balcony cabins for the Quantum 2 night.

 

I don't usually price the very highest suites (Presidential, Lofts, etc) so my calculations may run low. These prices include taxes and fees.

We probably will never go back to NJ pier any way. We take cruises in the

winter so prefer to go out of Fla. and not deal with snow storms.

Thanks for the information.

AFAIK, lots of talk, but no work done yet. You can forget about the idea of having a new terminal ready for when the Quantum arrives...they'll be lucky to have it ready when the Anthem starts cruising from Bayonne.