NewbieCruiseee

I post tipped our room steward, for mostly one reason. He left us alone! We don't ask for much. A few times I mentioned he didn't have to "turn our room down" in the evening. I appreciate tidying up the room in the morning and a fresh supply of towels. After that I'm good to go. He was also very nice and on the quiet side. Something else I appreciated.

I booked the Hilton Garden Inn a few weeks ago and couldn't have been happier with the outcome. I paid $255 for 3 people for the park and cruise package. Believe the price has increased since my booking.

Smile Limo was the transportation used. Picked a time to be picked up. Friendly gentleman picked up up, drove about 25-30(?) into NYC and droppped off right at the porters.

Called at customs for pick up. Took about 15 mins to arrive, across the street from the port. By 9, we were in my SUV pulling out of the hotel's driveway for our ride home.

On the morning of our last day on the breakaway, I went to find our room steward to tip him. Found him in another cabin, where he was breaking down the bed linens and putting everything(including duvet) in a big white laundry bag.

I got off the Breakaway on June 11th. We were in the 1st self assist group,pink tags. IMO, it went as smooth as butter. Started a little after 8. Across the street from the pier waiting for pickup by 8:25. Back at Hilton Garden Inn and in my SUV by 8:55 heading home.

If you have Verizon travel pass, the price for day in Mexico is no longer $2 for 24/hr - they just raised the rate to $5

That's odd.:confused:

My "current international plan"...."Includes Mexico & Canada with your domestic plan"...so no extra costs for me.

Can I pay to upgrade to unlimited if I pay the difference between my Free at Sea perk and the unlimited price?

If so I can do it before I board or only when I'm onboard?

No, you do not need a Transportation Pass.

 

To figure out if it would be worthwhile during your stay, count the number of times you plan to board a public bus or ferry. The answer will be the number of tokens you will need if you follow your plan. Multiply that answer times $4.50 which is the cost of the tokens p/p.

 

The one day pass costs $19, the two day, $31.50, then you decide whether there is worthwhile saving.

 

The min-buses are privately owned so you would pay them with cash.

 

Yes, if you take the ferry to Hamilton or St George's, if your destination is not within walking distance of the ferry dock, you will need to take a public bus or taxi to get to it.

 

The caves are not within walking distance of Hamilton or St George's.

 

SBtS

Thank You!

I'm trying to decide if a 1 or 2 day bus/ferry pass will be worthwhile or not.

Party of 3

Plan on using mini bus for Horseshoe Bay.

The rest of the time between st George's and Hamilton. Once you get to SG and Hamilton from the ferry, do you then to take a bus to destination? Thinking about the caves specifically?

Thanks!

We 🚢 in 29 day!! I've cruised before but it's been a few years and never on Norwegian.

I picked 3rd passenger free and internet as my perks. I'm now thinking of switching the internet perk. I can switch one perk, right? I was debating between dining and drink perks. If I picked either, I would pay for my 3rd passenger because the dining perk is only for the first 2? And with the drink perk can it only be the soda package? I'm traveling with 2 18year olds and I don't drink enough adult beverages to justify the 18% gratuity.

Also I've been playing around with the different available packages on myncl.com and when "mock" try to buy a beverage package, it only includes the 2 paid passengers's names. I don't have the option to include the other person in my cabin. But for dining packages I have the option to include my 3rd passenger. Is the just a glitch?

I may or may not be on the same cruise as you. Breakaway?

I've researched and researched and looked into all,the options I learned about on here.

The best option for my party of 3 is to stay at the Hilton Garden Inn, in Ridgefield, NJ. Includes parking for the week and round trip transportation to and from the cruise for the 3 of us. Our price is $230+taxes. Originally i booked for $250 but watched the prices and rebooked when I seen the lower price.

The price right now is $289. Which when you add in the transportation to the port still isn't a bad price. But maybe the price would go down again?

I'm talking about people who refuse to use credit cards when they travel and should have made that clear.

 

It makes no sense at all to travel without a credit card these days and IMHO those that do fall into one of those 3 categories

 

 

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Some people don't have credit cards. It's not a requirement in life. It certainly doesn't have to be a reflection of your credit worthiness. My son is 25 and doesn't have a credit card. He's paid off a new car and presently paying his student loans. I'm sure he would have a credit card if he wanted one.

I'm cruising with 2 teenage girls so this is all VERY important info for them..:)Let me see if I have it all straight..and a few added questions.

NCL app(DL before cruise) free to use for scheduling onboard activities..but $10ish per person per week for texting other onboard.

Internet package- shared usage-one device online at a time. Could each device get their own package? Or would one unlimited package be the better way to go? I did pick the free 250 internet mins as a perk.

International package thru cellular- I'm with Verizon and I know it's $10/day/per line- includes talk/text/data plan.

My daughter recently was in Europe and it worked out nicely. Just say you called someone at 8am on a Wednesday, you would be charged $10 and have until 8am on Thursday to talk/text/data before being charged another $10 for the next 24hrs.

Any idea if the cellular plan thru carriers are better deal then Bermuda's $15 3 day wifi deal? Or are both needed?

I have it booked for my June cruise and haven't received any kind of cancellation. I would hope they would honor my reservation?

I'm cruising in June and have already prepaid service charges. I've decided to bid for a Haven suite. But won't know until close to sail date,right? If I'm upgraded, will I have the opportunity to pay the upgraded services charges at the reduced rate?

Thanks

Next June, leaving MCT for Bermuda on a Sunday ... I'll make an informed/semi-educated guess, for NCL's Breakaway. Sailaway is 4 PM and all abroad cut-off is 2 PM, check-in starting as early as 9:30 AM for VIP, Haven & Platinum, and Special Needs. General boarding is around 11:30 AM with staggered arrival time but not strictly enforced, using Pier 88 - rooftop parking is $40 daily (2016 rates, subject to change in 2017) all inclusive, no surcharges for minivan/suv - just height limits for high profile over 80"+

 

Weather & highway conditions permitting, it's closer to a 7 to 7.5 hours drive going with the traffic flow on the NYST, typically above posted speed limit of 65 MPH (70 MPH at some stretches) ... coming down I-81 into PA, across NJ on I-80 & direct to I-95 North for G.W. Bridge & down WSH/Rt. 9W along the Hudson River, direct to MCT pier/parking - that's with 1 or 2 very quck bathroom & meal/fuel stop - depending on OP's starting point in BUF. To make this run in 6 to 7 hours, one would like taking risks & going well above the speed limit, not with a 18 months old & State Trooper/Highway Patrol out with laser enforcement, common on weekend ... trust me, we did this at a leisurely pace in October all the way to Toronto, ON area with stops at Niagara Fall. It's do'able with virtually zero wiggle room ... there will be plentiful roof-top parking.

 

Early this morning ~ 5:45 AM, a MVA in the Bronx (NY) involving 2 trailers, a pickup truck and a small sedan resulted in morning closure and backup in-bound / east-bound on I-95, into NJ - affecting a lighter than usual weekday commute (as schools are out for the holidays) until late morning, with residual delays. We returned from our weekend getaway late morning & took us an extra 30 minutes via shortcuts using Waze on Rt. 46 to get into the lower level of GWB to get into NYC (as that's one route to go to midtown or downtown Manhattan, including the piers). Nobody can predict traffic ahead in advance but there are ongoing highway constructions on I-81 in PA - please do your due diligence, research & plan your timing accordingly.

 

Rather than leaving at 4 AM, Sunday morning for extra margin - you might want to consider leave at 3 AM or 3:30, sharply. Or, leave on Saturday, once that person in your party is out of work, get a chance to eat/change & join the rest - and starting rolling. Even if leave at 7 PM - 6 hours of driving would likely get you into NJ - (350 miles) close enough to the Parsippany-Troy Hills, NJ area where there are a good choice of hotels at reasonable weekend rates, comp'd breakfast and less than 90 minutes to the pier parking.

 

That's our preferred mode of trip "insurance" for safe driving and not missing the ship's sailing, and, getting some sleep for everyone (6 - 7 hours) & rests before boarding, to enjoy lunch onboard & not tired for sailing down the Hudson. (P.S. I dunno what's going today, just try to plot travel time & route alert, Google Nav. showing all sorts of traffic incidents on the popular route into NY/NJ area from Buffalo, NY ... at this moment)

 

If OP doesn't mind sharing details & particulars about hotel/lodging needs & # in the party - I'm sure 138east/Carol can do her magic & pull up some great ideas on where to find nice deals in the area. Good luck & enjoy Bermuda ... only cruised there 5X in the last 15 years ;)

Thank you so much.

There are 7 of us. One of which being an 18month old and everyone else adults. We'd probably could get away with 2 hotels rooms. Just need a basic room. No frills. I'm generally a Hampton Inn kinda gal..but any clean hotel would suffice. I know Binghamton is about half away between Buffalo and NYC. So any point from Binghamton and beyond would work

I wish you the best.

First, not knowing which cruise you are taking, or how large your family is, I'm not sure of all your options.

But it's good that you are asking now.

 

WE have been to NYC from Buffalo many times, and have only driven once.

I feel for you. We most always fly.

IMHO Consider the many cheap flights available from BUF.

 

I just don't understand how pax can enjoy a cruise with an infant/baby.

Take the plane and leave your 18 month old with a sitter.

Thanks for your concern but there is no need to feel for me. I've been to NYC, by plane, train and automobile and I'm quite comfortable with all of them. I've looked into the flights and with a family of 7, its not a better option for us. Driving makes the most sense.

I guess another possibility would be to leave later in the day on Saturday...drive part way and then only have 2-4 hrs to drive in the morning. Some in the group will have to work on Saturday that's why I was planning on leaving Sunday.

Any preferred stops heading down for a decent hotel?

Thanks again

What day of the week would you be driving? You've left yourself absolutely no wiggle room on a 6-7 hour drive, so parking at the pier could buy you some critical time and be the difference between making or missing the cruise.

 

What time would you be leaving Buffalo?

Sunday is the day and I'd plan on leaving around 4am, maybe a little earlier.

My family is cruising to Bermuda from Manhattan in June and I'm looking for some advice. I've read back a bunch of pages in the East Coast departures and my head is spinning from all the different possibilities.

We are driving from Buffalo. Because of work schedules I'm pretty sure we won't be able to leave until the early morning of the cruise. It's about a 6-7 hour drive. I'm debating either sucking it up and paying for the convenience of parking right at the pier(or a parking lot close by?).or the possibility of saving enough money to make it worthwhile enough(while still being semi convenient)to park at Weehawken and taking the ferry over? What am I actually paying for the ferry parking? Is it actually a savings once you pay for the ferry?

Am I missing any other options? I'm open to anything on the convenient side. We will have an 18month old with us as well. So convenience/semi convenience is important.

Thanks!