Flight/Hotel in Newark plus best Transportation to Manhattan

My husband and I will be flying in/out of EWR for our cruise on NCL Escape in May 2018. We are flying in on a Saturday (one day prior to cruise) and flying out on a Monday (one day after cruise). We are staying in Manhattan that Saturday night. We will probably take Uber from the airport to our Manhattan hotel (unless you recommend something better).

I am looking for recommendations on a hotel near EWR for the night prior to flying home. Our flight will be at 8:30 a.m. and I want to be near the airport (hotels with complimentary shuttle would be nice). I also need recommendations for transportation to go to Manhattan that Sunday for more sightseeing. I have noticed some hotels are near train stations...is that better for going into Manhattan?

Another option would be to just stay that Sunday night in Manhattan as well. I just need to make sure we can get to the airport by 6:30 a.m. (2 hours early). How long would it take us to get there from Manhattan?

We have been to NYC many times and have used the subway, but it is still confusing to me at times. I am a country girl in Tennessee!! ;p But I can follow detailed instructions and directions too!

For your trip from EWR into Manhattan I suggest a car service ... many use Dial 7 or Carmel. You can make advance arrangements and call them when you have landed and have your luggage. After your cruise, staying near EWR has advantages and I'll let others give their hotel recommendations. But is you decide to stay in Manhattan a very early morning trip (by car service) to EWR should not be more than 45 minutes.

Where in Manhattan is your hotel? If close to Penn Station just take the NJ Transit from the airport (you wont be the only one with luggage) and you are there and wont have to mess with traffic into the city. (plus you can just grab a cab from MSG if your hotel is a bit further away).

I overnighted at the Marriott by EWR once when i had an overnight layover. Had to call the hotel a few times for the shuttle (well the pilots/air crew I was waiting with did) from the airport but it was pretty close. Hotel was fine. (I did get some Marriott points tossed my way after I noted in the survey that we had to call multiple times for the shuttle). Shuttle is 24hrs I believe as it is (or at least was) a air crew hotel.

My understanding is that your cruise returns Sunday, May 13 and you fly out from EWR on Monday at 8:30 am.

Hotels at EWR will be better priced than Manhattan hotels. IMO there is no reason to go from the Cruiseport to an EWR hotel to drop luggage and then return to Manhattan for sightseeing. Instead go directly to Schwartz Travel on W. 37th St to check your luggage for the day (http://schwartztravel.com/locations.html). Schwartz Travel is conveniently located between Port Authority Bus Terminal and New York Penn Station where you can take either the airport bus ($17/pp) or NJ Transit train ($13/pp) to EWR. Of course a car service or Uber/Lyft pickup can be arranged for direct drop off at your EWR hotel.

For May 13 there are lots of EWR hotel choices depending on your hotel budget, whether you are willing to select a nonrefundable hotel rate, and whether you will arrive by train or directly via private ground transportation.

The airporter bus might be a bit easier if you have large bags simply because you put them in the storage compartment under the bus and don’t have to deal with them.

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Where in Manhattan is your hotel? If close to Penn Station just take the NJ Transit from the airport (you wont be the only one with luggage) and you are there and wont have to mess with traffic into the city. (plus you can just grab a cab from MSG if your hotel is a bit further away).

 

I overnighted at the Marriott by EWR once when i had an overnight layover. Had to call the hotel a few times for the shuttle (well the pilots/air crew I was waiting with did) from the airport but it was pretty close. Hotel was fine. (I did get some Marriott points tossed my way after I noted in the survey that we had to call multiple times for the shuttle). Shuttle is 24hrs I believe as it is (or at least was) a air crew hotel.

I am looking at the hotels closest to Penn Station, most likely a Hilton Hotel (for points). Is the NJ Transit the "air train?"

My understanding is that your cruise returns Sunday, May 13 and you fly out from EWR on Monday at 8:30 am.

 

Hotels at EWR will be better priced than Manhattan hotels. IMO there is no reason to go from the Cruiseport to an EWR hotel to drop luggage and then return to Manhattan for sightseeing. Instead go directly to Schwartz Travel on W. 37th St to check your luggage for the day (http://schwartztravel.com/locations.html). Schwartz Travel is conveniently located between Port Authority Bus Terminal and New York Penn Station where you can take either the airport bus ($17/pp) or NJ Transit train ($13/pp) to EWR. Of course a car service or Uber/Lyft pickup can be arranged for direct drop off at your EWR hotel.

 

For May 13 there are lots of EWR hotel choices depending on your hotel budget, whether you are willing to select a nonrefundable hotel rate, and whether you will arrive by train or directly via private ground transportation.

Thanks for the tip about the luggage storage! We might just do that instead of going back and forth to the New Jersey hotel. Can you give me more information about the NJ Transit train? Is this the "air train" that brings you from EWR to Penn Station? Where do we go when we arrive at EWR to catch this train? And will it be best to go to Penn Station after the cruise and take the train back to EWR, then do a hotel shuttle?

Thanks for the tip about the luggage storage! We might just do that instead of going back and forth to the New Jersey hotel. Can you give me more information about the NJ Transit train? Is this the "air train" that brings you from EWR to Penn Station? Where do we go when we arrive at EWR to catch this train? And will it be best to go to Penn Station after the cruise and take the train back to EWR, then do a hotel shuttle?

Here's the big picture map of the NJ Transit rail system. There are 2 stations in Newark - Newark Penn Station and Newark Airport Station - http://www.njtransit.com/pdf/rail/Rail_System_Map.pdf

These stations are serviced by North Jersey Coast Line and Northeast Corridor trains. PDF schedules can be selected from here- http://www.njtransit.com/sf/sf_servlet.srv?hdnPageAction=TrainTo

The Airtrain at Newark Airport is the free monorail that connects the terminals, Newark Airport Station, and parking/auto rentals. https://www.panynj.gov/airports/pdf/Travel-Guide-AirTrainNewark.pdf The Airtrain is on the upper level of each terminal accessible by elevator and escalator. The NJ Transit train connection is at the P4 station.

For your early return flight I would suggest staying at EWR rather than in downtown Newark. This will involve taking a NJ Transit train to the Newark Airport Station and the Airtrain to the P4 station to catch the hotel shuttle. There are 4 Hilton hotel properties at the airport - the main Hilton, Embassy Suites, Hampton Inn, and the Doubletree. Embassy Suites is the newest property and is very popular with the cruisers from Cape Liberty.

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I am looking at the hotels closest to Penn Station, most likely a Hilton Hotel (for points). Is the NJ Transit the "air train?"

The "air train" is just a train that moves between the EWR terminals, parking garage and the last stop is the NJ Transit station. (It then reverses course and goes back the other way to the airport). The NJ transit is a train that goes around NJ and one of the lines ends in NYC at Penn Station. (The train that stops at the EWR station (going north) is the one that will take you to NY Penn Station. You have to take the air train from the airport to the airport NJ transit station as that is the only way to get to it. Its really quite simple once you get there and see the set up. (you can get your NJ Transit tickets at the airport before you board the air train. you can also buy a return ticket also. there is no dates on them. just don't lose them or you will have to buy them again.)