First Time Cruising Out Of NYC...A Little Nervous...Lots of Questions

My daughter is graduating HS this year and wants to cruise on the Horizon to celebrate. Our family is Mom, Dad, 18, 13, 5 (all daughters).

I have several questions:

1. We would like to come in a day early or stay a day late (or a couple) but I am getting sticker shock as I look at hotels in NYC. Does anyone have any recommendations? Is it cheaper/better to stay in Jersey and travel back and forth? (or would the travel expense negate any hotel savings)

2. Which airport do you recommend we fly in to?

3. There is a direct flight that arrives at 10:30 on the day of our cruise (LaGuardia). Is it too risky to try and fly in on the day of?

4. What's the best way to get to/from the airport with 5 people (and too much luggage)?

Don't book flights until you have a big picture plan. Cost of airline tickets is only one piece of the puzzle. You need to know your options for flights, transportation, and hotel.

For starters could you provide more details? Exact dates of the cruise? Hotel budget?

Your main problem is finding a reasonable hotel that can accommodate 5 people. Hotel prices vary widely depending on exact date and day of the week. Transportation prices for 5 people and lots of luggage add up quickly. Could your group manage their luggage on accessible public transit?

Start with planning on LGA then next the step seems hotel. There are a number of websites that can help you narrow your choices in Manhattan. Taking it a step at a time is the easiest. Check back when you have selected a few choices in hotels.

Start with planning on LGA then next the step seems hotel. There are a number of websites that can help you narrow your choices in Manhattan. Taking it a step at a time is the easiest. Check back when you have selected a few choices in hotels.

LGA can always be "planned", but over time many folks have ended up on this board because they actually booked flights to one of the 3 New York airports before they even considered the cost of hotels and ground transportation. The OP has 5 people, which can be a real issue with NY hotel rooms.

IIRC, the Tryp Windham South (or something like that) has family rooms that will accommodate 5 people.

The Beacon (on the Upper West Side) also has family accommodations wirh kitchenettes.

Rather than NJ, Long Island City, Queens, is a cheaper alternative to Manhattan. Home2Suites is often recommended.

From LGA to Manhattan, if you can manage luggage, you can take the Q70 bus to the subway for $2.75 a person. Otherwise, you could contact Carmel or Dial 7 car services for quotes.

If you come in a few days in advance, you won't have to worry about a flight leaving the day of the cruise.

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Our cruise is June 13-21. We would like to stay either 1-2 days before or after the cruise. We plan on being able to carry all our luggage ourselves, but we're probably still looking at 8-10 bags (including backpacks and such).

Our airfare is not booked yet. We don't want to book it until we have a plan for hotel/transportation in place.

As far as budget goes, I don't know...cheap?!?!

I am open to all sorts of recommendations and advice.

Please provide a dollar range for the hotel.

"Cheap" means different things to different people. What does it mean to you in $? Keep in mind that taxes add almost %.

Did you look at the 3 places I mentioned?

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Our cruise is June 13-21. We would like to stay either 1-2 days before or after the cruise. We plan on being able to carry all our luggage ourselves, but we're probably still looking at 8-10 bags (including backpacks and such).

 

Our airfare is not booked yet. We don't want to book it until we have a plan for hotel/transportation in place.

 

As far as budget goes, I don't know...cheap?!?!

 

I am open to all sorts of recommendations and advice.

If you fly into Newark airport, Spring Hill Suites Newark allows 5 per room. AAA rate for mid June $135 per night pre tax. NJ Transit from EWR to NYC though for 5 it will be add up. Hotel appears to be isolated with no dining options nearby.

OP, do try to pack and travel light - otherwise, make sure that 5 checked rollerboards or spinners will fit into the minivan & 4 "smaller" backpacks. NYC will be warm by mid-June, just like cruising to your ports - lighter clothing & short sleeves meant that you can pack & fit a lot in your luggage. Airline bag fees are going to add up, not pretty x 5 x round trip ... along with ground transfers in NYC.

Do a spreadsheet to add up your overall cost total - airports, hotel & cruise port transfers, post-cruise to airport, etc. Flying into 1 of 3 NYC area airport on day of embarkation is really not a wise choice. Summer time t-storms caused as much flight delays as winter storms, if not worst.

For car travel, NJ state laws require the use of a car safety seat for the 3 years old ... whereas in NY, it is exempt when using taxi or car service.

I recommend flying into NY 2 or 3 days prior, do your sightseeing & then go enjoy your cruise - on disembarkation day, book an afternoon flight to fly home the same day, as ships do sometimes get delayed & sometimes, cruisers do not get out to make ground transportation until 10:30 or 11 AM, to attempt to make a 12 noon flight - NOT.

If you can travel light & handle mass transit - it is possible to get 5 of you into Manhattan's hotel from LGA for as little as (about) $15 roughly ... via the Q70-SBS bus & free transfer to the subway trains. It's possible to do that @JFK via city bus to the subway for the same amount, without taking the AirTrain.

If you fly into Newark airport, Spring Hill Suites Newark allows 5 per room. AAA rate for mid June $135 per night pre tax. NJ Transit from EWR to NYC though for 5 it will be add up. Hotel appears to be isolated with no dining options nearby.

I saw this option as well, but with the round trip transportation costs for 5 in and out of the city by train (4 x $26 + $18 = $122), this option becomes quickly expensive as well as time consuming (an hour+ each way).

The best I can find for you close in is June 10-13 at the Doubletree in Jersey City. AAA rate is $188 and Hilton Honors rate(join for free) is $202 + 13.87% tax cancellable. You'd have to pay for a car service from the airport, but once there you'd have access to PATH 2 blocks away to ride to midtown(15 min) or downtown(<10 min) for $2.75/pp. To get to the Cruiseport you can take accessible PATH to midtown and 2 cabs to the port for <$45. To get to EWR after the cruise you can take cabs to NY Penn Station and the train to EWR for <$90.

PATH map -http://www.panynj.gov/path/maps.html

Should you decide to go this way, post back for an explanation of the weekend schedule as well as tips for traveling with luggage and getting seats on a weekday morning.

Another option would be the La Quinta in Secaucus NJ. $143 + tax AAA rate for June 10-13 cancellable and $155 for post cruise. Frequent NY bus service for $3.50 adult/$1.55 child. You would have to take a car service from EWR to Secaucus and most likely a car service to the port. Train to EWR would be the return option.

This hotel is located in Harmon Meadows with lots of food and shopping options. http://www.harmonmeadow.com/PublishingImages/HMDirectory.pdf