Explorer of the Seas 2012....Help!!!

[Nessa1dc]

Well we are back from the Allure of the Seas and we booked the Explorer for next year....I have a billion questions...

 

This is our first 10 day cruise and our 1st out of NJ.

 

1. How many formal nights on a 10 day cruise?

2. Where to stay at Cape Liberty, Bayonne, NJ.

3. Should we drive from DC, train, plane?

4. Parking (anything cheap?)

[Langley Cruisers]

Hi there,

 

I suggest some light reading at the East Coast Departures board. Seriously, there is a wealth of information there. :) Using the "search this forum" function will quickly pull up threads for your consideration.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=415

 

.

[luvscruising2007]

I was also going to suggest the East Coast Departures board. There are 2 very knowledgeable posters who can answer most of your questions.

 

1. There will be 2 formal nights.

2. See ECD board.

3. We drive from Maryland; it only takes a few hours.

4. Parking at the port is now $19 per day; you pay as you enter the parking lot.

 

And your count down clock shows your departure date as Dec 2. It should be Dec 3. We will be on this cruise also and really looking forward to it.

Have fun researching.

[megr1125]

Well we are back from the Allure of the Seas and we booked the Explorer for next year....I have a billion questions...

 

This is our first 10 day cruise and our 1st out of NJ.

 

1. How many formal nights on a 10 day cruise?

Two

 

2. Where to stay at Cape Liberty, Bayonne, NJ.

 

come over to the East Coast board and fire away...

 

3. Should we drive from DC, train, plane?

not worth flying unless it is cheap...

train ...ONLY the day before please...AMTRAK has had issues...and you never know WHEN. Plus, if NJTransit or SEPTA (local NJ/PA rails) have issues, they share the same tracks...

 

4. Parking (anything cheap?)

 

19 bucks a day....

 

Pop over to the EC board....we are there to help! PLUS there is a ton of info there already!

 

OR...feel free to send me an email

 

mojitomeg at gmail

(i am sure you can figure out the dot com part!! LOL)

 

just put CC in the subject.....

[not2old]

Well we are back from the Allure of the Seas and we booked the Explorer for next year....I have a billion questions...

 

This is our first 10 day cruise and our 1st out of NJ.

 

1. How many formal nights on a 10 day cruise?

2. Where to stay at Cape Liberty, Bayonne, NJ.

3. Should we drive from DC, train, plane?

4. Parking (anything cheap?)

Hi Nessa, We don't do formal nights anymore so can't help with that... We used to drive from Richmond to NJ, but discovered Amtrak! We go up the day before and usually stay @ Country Inn and Suites in Elizabeth NJ. Very clean, nice rooms and free breakfast in the mornings. We use Independent Driver to meet us @ the train station (which is actually @ the Newark Airport) they take us to the motel, pick us up the next morning to go to the port and pick us up after the cruise to go back to the train station, this time in downtown Newark. Very reasonable prices. We gave up driving because of the continous construction, traffic, etc. The train is quite relaxing and cheap. Makes for a stress free cruise! Hope this helps some.

Cathy

[megr1125]

Hi Nessa, We don't do formal nights anymore so can't help with that... We used to drive from Richmond to NJ, but discovered Amtrak! We go up the day before and usually stay @ Country Inn and Suites in Elizabeth NJ. Very clean, nice rooms and free breakfast in the mornings. We use Independent Driver to meet us @ the train station (which is actually @ the Newark Airport) they take us to the motel, pick us up the next morning to go to the port and pick us up after the cruise to go back to the train station, this time in downtown Newark. Very reasonable prices. We gave up driving because of the continous construction, traffic, etc. The train is quite relaxing and cheap. Makes for a stress free cruise! Hope this helps some.

Cathy

 

actually there are TWO Amtrak stations in the Newark area...one AT the airport that is NOT accessible by vehicle, and one at Newark Penn station which is in downtown newark....the only "train" station at EWR that has vehicular access is at the monorail stop at P4 which is for parking and hotel shuttles...and a monorail (not an actual "train" per se) to other terminals...

 

no reason to pay a car service to pick you up AT the Airport..ALL hotels except one or 2 have free airport shuttles.....

[runner15km]

You can take the RCCL bus from DC/Baltimore.

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/contentWithHero.do?pagename=BusPrograms&pnav=2&snav=13

[mamapan]

I have a billion questions...

(I only see 4 LOL!) :D

 

This is our first 10 day cruise and our 1st out of NJ.

 

1. How many formal nights on a 10 day cruise? 2

2. Where to stay at Cape Liberty, Bayonne, NJ. We stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn, Staten Island. You can leave your car there when you stay overnight & they have a shuttle to the port. Very easy to use.

3. Should we drive from DC, train, plane?

4. Parking (anything cheap?)

Cheap parking? Yikes. $19/day at the port but again at the HGI when you stay you park for free for your entire trip.

 

Enjoy - Bon Voyage!

[138east]

Or the Hampton Inn on Staten Island as well. That's usually a better deal than the Hilton Garden. They share the same "free" shuttle and free parking. These are a good choice when you come from the south - easy to take Outerbridge Crossing and drive on Staten Island instead of staying on the NJ turnpike to Elizabeth.

 

There are also park/sleeps at Newark Airport - trinityreservations.com and stay123.com. Ask before you pick one - some hotels are a NO NO. Independent Driver charges $40 for up to 4 people to take you to the port. These park/sleeps are popular so you may find folks on your roll call to share the cost - by sharing the cost is $10/pp each way.

 

Lots of choices - post back on the East Coast Departures board when you narrow them down.

[Nessa1dc]

I was also going to suggest the East Coast Departures board. There are 2 very knowledgeable posters who can answer most of your questions.

 

1. There will be 2 formal nights.

2. See ECD board.

3. We drive from Maryland; it only takes a few hours.

4. Parking at the port is now $19 per day; you pay as you enter the parking lot.

 

And your count down clock shows your departure date as Dec 2. It should be Dec 3. We will be on this cruise also and really looking forward to it.

Have fun researching.

 

My clock has us departing on the 2nd...because we will go a day earlier.....thank you for the information.

[Nessa1dc]

Thanks everyone....I will head over the East Coast Departure Board....you guys have started me off already though.......

[smeck]

http://www.park2go.com/seaport-parking

[Jimbo]

http://www.trinityreservations.com/hoteloptions.php

 

$10 per person shuttle each way to and from port, spilt the cost with another couple, $40 each way for 4 persons

 

Longer cruises it pays off, shorter cruises not so good

 

up to 14 days parking free with hotel room

 

Jimbo:)