CAPE LIBERTY 411 - Version 3!

[138east]

Question about a taxi from Courtyard Elizabeth to Cape Liberty...

How many passengers will they accept? We will be a party of 4 with 4 medium sized pieces of luggage. Hoping for just 1 taxi. It looks like the rate will be a flat fee, correct? Around $50-60?

 

Try Independent Driver - 1-888-816-0973 - about 4-6 weeks ahead. It should be $45 for 4 people plus tip.

[138east]

138 East: How are these instructions to the pier:

 

Take the New Jersey Turnpike/I-95 South to Exit 14A - Bayonne. From Exit 14A:

Follow the signs for Route 440 South. Proceed 1 1/2 miles and make a left into the Bayonne Ocean Terminal. The cruise terminal is two miles straight ahead

 

It looks simple? What are your thoughts. THANKS

 

You asked this same question on another thread. This is what I answered:

 

Please print out my directions. Others have followed them successfully. The signage is poor. There are lots of choices and you have to make a quick decision as to where you are going. For a first timer there's not time to stop and try to spot the correct little sign and I'm not sure the names of all the streets are clearly marked. After you pay your toll you go straight across the toll plaza and get on a 2 lane ramp that goes up and curves left. This is hard to miss. On the ramp you stay on the right and make the first right, stay to the right and make another right. You will come to the light at route 440 where you will make a left, stay left, and make a left at the first light onto Goldsborough Drive. Route 440 is a four lane divided highway. You can only turn left at a traffic light - going south the first light is now at Goldsborough Drive. They reconfigured this area earlier this year. The left turn into the port used to be at Port Terminal Blvd (and it still is coming the other way), but they shut down that turn and made Goldsborough Drive the main port access road coming from the north. Goldsborough Drive will merge with Port Terminal Blvd. You will be able to see the ship and you just follow the crowd about 2 miles out to the ship.

[irismike]

Sorry!!! You are right. Thanks. I just don't want to get lost. It just looked like the pier directions were simple but we will follow yours since nobody got lost using it. Thanks again.

[138east]

The pier directions are simple - a little too simple.

[allentownahoy]

Try Independent Driver - 1-888-816-0973 - about 4-6 weeks ahead. It should be $45 for 4 people plus tip.

 

This will be my first time using this service. Could you give me some guidance on how much to tip?

 

Thanks

[JMC715]

if I give you our details I wonder if you'd be kind enough to provide your ideas?

 

We are a family of 19, leaving on the Summit from Cape Liberty on Sunday June 16. Driving up from the Baltimore area on Saturday 6/15 and looking for best place to overnight. Probably need 6-8 rooms (not entirely sure about that yet) and will have 5 cars.

 

We range in age from 6 to 85, and some will likely want to go into Manhattan for the day, others maybe Ellis Island (if reopened) and Statue of Liberty, with a few just hanging out at hotel.

 

Not sure if parking at hotel or the pier makes best sense or not. My sister thinks she found a good quote from Best Western Newark West, but I'm pretty sure that you guys have said that is not a very good choice on these posts before- do I remember that correctly ?

 

Thank you in advance for your help !

 

Janet

[megr1125]

if I give you our details I wonder if you'd be kind enough to provide your ideas?

 

We are a family of 19, leaving on the Summit from Cape Liberty on Sunday June 16. Driving up from the Baltimore area on Saturday 6/15 and looking for best place to overnight. Probably need 6-8 rooms (not entirely sure about that yet) and will have 5 cars.

 

We range in age from 6 to 85, and some will likely want to go into Manhattan for the day, others maybe Ellis Island (if reopened) and Statue of Liberty, with a few just hanging out at hotel.

 

Not sure if parking at hotel or the pier makes best sense or not. My sister thinks she found a good quote from Best Western Newark West, but I'm pretty sure that you guys have said that is not a very good choice on these posts before- do I remember that correctly ?

 

Thank you in advance for your help !

 

Janet

 

the BW stinks....

 

that said...hmmmm...

 

you want transfers to the pier too?? me thinks you're better off booking the parts yourself...

 

i would call a couple places direct, and ask for sales...maybe they'd cut you a break...try the Country Inn and either of the Marriott brands (Residence inn or courtyard in Elizabeth for starters..)

 

then try and get quotes for transfers....too early for Independent Driver, but you could try some of the other ones listed in my blog (below) like Tru Limo and/or signature transportation....for a big group you might get a decent deal....

[megr1125]

This will be my first time using this service. Could you give me some guidance on how much to tip?

 

Thanks

 

depends how many peeps and how many bags....if you are say 4 peeps and 5 or 6 bags, i would tip 10 bucks or so.....(total, not each...) i usually tip a buck or 2 a bag...i tend to give porters 5 bucks for 2 bags.....i tipped 5 bucks on a 35 buck cab ride in baltimore this weekend....i had 3 bags the cabbie handled plus a couple small carry ons (laptop, camera..)

[lvs2rd]

I am loving this thread! Have to admit that all this reading is leaving me a bit confused:rolleyes: we are driving down from NH the night before our cruise. Two families of 4...2 cars. I wanted to pay the 19/day parking at pier....the men want to look into stay/cruise rates at nearby hotels...are shuttles free to pier? And how reliable are they when we disembark as far as bringing us back to hotel to get our cars? Will the savings be worth it? Thanks for your input.

[138east]

There are several strategies available to you.

 

1) Get 2 hotel rooms for 8 people within driving distance of the port. Hotwire in Secaucus is showing a 3* hotel for $78 ($85 incl tax) that is highly likely to be the Sheraton Meadowlands which has a pool. Drive to the port and pay $133 parking. Total cost about $218/family.

 

2) stay123 park/sleep for $119 ($143 incl tax) at Country Inns. Arrange port transportation through Independent Driver for about $80 each way plus tip. total cost about $235/family. Includes breakfast.

 

3) Hampton Inn Staten Island - $179 ($209 incl tax) including free port transportation, parking, and, breakfast. Additional tolls of $13-14. Total cost/family about $223.

 

I come down to Cape Liberty from Mass. If I were driving and these were my choices for my cruise, I would get the Hotwire room in Secaucus primarily because there is nothing like walking off the ship, getting in your car right there, and hitting the road for the long drive home. It takes time to meet up with your transportation back to where your car is parked. Staying on Staten Island when you are traveling north adds at least 20 minutes to your trip. Even Country Inns is 5-10 minutes out of the way in the wrong direction.

[lvs2rd]

Thank you so much 138east...great info:)

[138east]

if I give you our details I wonder if you'd be kind enough to provide your ideas?

 

We are a family of 19, leaving on the Summit from Cape Liberty on Sunday June 16. Driving up from the Baltimore area on Saturday 6/15 and looking for best place to overnight. Probably need 6-8 rooms (not entirely sure about that yet) and will have 5 cars.

 

We range in age from 6 to 85, and some will likely want to go into Manhattan for the day, others maybe Ellis Island (if reopened) and Statue of Liberty, with a few just hanging out at hotel.

 

Not sure if parking at hotel or the pier makes best sense or not. My sister thinks she found a good quote from Best Western Newark West, but I'm pretty sure that you guys have said that is not a very good choice on these posts before- do I remember that correctly ?

 

Thank you in advance for your help !

 

Janet

 

I admire you taking on the task of moving 19 people ages 6 to 85 from Baltimore to NJ to cruise. Given your diverse group, I would recommend looking at staying in the Secaucus area and parking at the pier. Please look at the post I just did for a group of 8 on this thread.

 

The reality is that your group may have to make some compromises to stay together and address the needs of the entire group. For your date Hotwire has a 3* hotel in Secaucus that is highly likely to be the Sheraton Meadowlands (with a pool) for $82 (about $95 incl tax) where you can book multiple rooms. Secaucus is a more suburbanlike area north of Newark with restaurants, shopping and bus and train access into Manhattan. There is no bus in front of this hotel, but it is a short drive to free parking and a bus or paid parking and the train. This gives the folks in your group an easier way to Manhattan and offers the folks who are going to hang out a nicer ambiance than any hotel at Newark airport.

 

For such a large group it really would be easier if everyone parked at the pier. This saves you the hassle of arranging transportation for 19 people and allows everyone to hit the road immediately when you disembark.

 

Please do not consider the Best Western at the airport. Newark is a highly urban industrialized ara and you must be selective about the hotel you choose. You do not want to strand folks in your group in a hotel where they cannot comfortably step outside.

 

Post back when you firm up your plans and we can give you more detailed Information.

[Lady Jane]

These posts have been very informative. We'll be a group of 11 driving down from Bangor, Maine in 3 cars for our cruise on Aug 4. We had been thinking of staying overnight in S.I. And getting a shuttle to the pier, but you're so right that having our cars at the pier for the drive home would be so much better.

[138east]

When you come down from New England, getting to the Hampton Inn/Hilton Gardens is at least 20-30 minutes further than Secaucus. When you get off the ship, you have to gather everyone, find the shuttle and go back to Staten Island, which will take you at least 30 minutes plus another 20 minutes to get back to where you would have started if you parked at the pier. You have a long drive to Maine and I think there is a lot of value in cutting off an extra hour of travel time when you disembark.

 

If you were coming from the south, it would not be nearly as time consuming.

[cgbill]

What are your recommendations for transportation to Newark airport after the cruise?

 

Thanks for any info you can provide.

[138east]

Just get off the ship and follow the signs to the cab stand and the dispatcher will put you on a shared shuttle to the airport at $16/pp.

[cgbill]

Thanks 138 east. We appreciate your help.

 

Sue

[JMC715]

Thank you both, Meg and 138 East.

 

I have contacted the Country Inn & Suites in Elizabeth for a rate of $119 (no tax yet) in June. Thats also no parking included, I think we will probably all just take our cars to the port. It seems to me to make the most sense there since we're driving north from Baltimore, but your info about Secaucus sounds promising too though.

 

How much farther north than stopping in Elizabeth would we be driving to get to Secaucus ? What are the advantages for me to tell everyone as to why we'd drive past Newark/Bayonne region to stay further North? I'm thinking that it is primarily ease of transport into Manhattan ?

 

We're having a party/meeting in a few weeks to firm up our plans so I can make arrangements so your help is invaluable.

 

Thanks.

 

Janet

[138east]

It's about an extra 20 minutes north and 15 minutes coming back. The primary reason for doing this would be to be in a nicer area and to have better and cheaper transportation into Manhattan.

 

I think it's a PITA to go from Country Inns to Manhattan and back. You have to take the hotel shuttle back to the airport, get on the Airtrain monorail to the train station, and pay $12.50/pp each way to NY Penn Station. This will take at least an hour each way. Your other choice is to drive up to Secaucus Junction train station, pay to park and take the train to NY Penn Station for $3.75/pp each way.

 

If you stay in Secaucus, you can drive and park for free at Walmart and take the bus into Port Authority for under $4 each way. This will take less time.

 

You have a large group and there will have to be compromises so it's good you are having a meeting soon to sort it all out.

[captrjc]

we are returning Feb ! , we will be getting picked what is the latest we can be picked up to avoid a whole lot of traffic

[captrjc]

What is the latest you can get off ship (Explorer)

[bobmacliberty]

Looking for some opinions on our upcoming June 8 5-day cruise on Ex. We're a family of 4...2 parents and 2 teen daughters. We're planning on driving in from OH 3 days early and spend time in NYC. Assuming that I'm able to look at $400/night enough times that it starts to look acceptable, we'll likely stay in a hotel around Times Square. I've considered options like staying in Secaucus and using a bus back and forth to the city. It will be the first time in New York for my daughters so I'd like for them to have the experience of staying in the city, and have the flexibility to more easily return to the room during the day if needed.

 

Plan A has been to drive into the city, park the car at the hotel (looks like $50-60 a night for parking), use public transportation and taxis while in the city, and then drive to the pier on Saturday morning. I'm now thinking of driving to one of the recommended hotels near the pier on Friday night, and then go to the pier from there on Saturday for the cruise. This would save a few hundred dollars as compared to a Friday night hotel in the city. I didn't think that a stay and park deal near the pier would be worth it for a 5 night cruise since transportation to/from the pier would be more than parking. Reading several of the posts here has me thinking of yet another option. Stop first at the hotel that I'd use on Friday night and drop the car. Take a car service to our NYC hotel and then back again on Friday night. No need for a car in the city and parking willl probably cost us $180+.

 

 

 

 

Several questions:

1. Does the strategy of dropping the car near the pier and taking a car service into the city make sense? I've driven in NYC several times, so that's not an issue, but having someone else drive is always more relaxing than doing the driving myself.
   
2. Do any of the stay and park deals include several nights of parking BEFORE you actually stay at the hotel? It will likely be 9 nights total using the hotel parking lot, with us actually staying in the hotel on the 4th night.
   
3. Does anyone have any hotel recommendations in the city that will help with my hotel sticker shock?
   
4. Anyone know (in general...I'm sure it varies by hotel) if hotels charge to store luggage for a day? If we move to a hotel near the pier on Friday night, we'd need to check out of our other hotel in the city on Friday morning, and then pick up the luggage after spending Friday in the city.
   
5. If we just suck it up and drive/stay in the city the whole time, how long should we plan for it to take to drive from Times Square to the pier on a Saturday morning?
   
6. General question...what's the typical time that they start boarding the ship? We like to get there a little early so that we're onboard and enjoying the ship as early as possible. For our recent Florida cruises, we've targeted for 10:30 or 11:00
   

Thanks for your thoughts!

[megr1125]

What is the latest you can get off ship (Explorer)

 

i would say 9:30-10....

[138east]

Wow! I'm trying to digest all this. Could you provide specific dates and timings? If you're coming in from Ohio, what time are you realistically expecting to arrive in the New York area and on what exact date? If you are arriving late in the day ( are you coming in route 80?), it might be worthwhile to stay outside the city in an inexpensive hotel in Parsippany, drive into the city the next morning, drop your luggage off at the hotel, park the car, and go from there.

 

I think you are right about parking at the pier for 5 days. It will be more economical. You should also consider parking at Port Imperial in Weekhawken for $12/day and taking the ferry across to Manhattan. Since you are doing 3 and 5 days, perhaps you could pack 3 day suitcases and 5 day suitcases so you don't have a lot of luggage to take into New York.

 

Please provide the exact dates so I can research hotels.

[megr1125]

Looking for some opinions on our upcoming June 8 5-day cruise on Ex. We're a family of 4...2 parents and 2 teen daughters. We're planning on driving in from OH 3 days early and spend time in NYC. Assuming that I'm able to look at $400/night enough times that it starts to look acceptable, we'll likely stay in a hotel around Times Square. I've considered options like staying in Secaucus and using a bus back and forth to the city. It will be the first time in New York for my daughters so I'd like for them to have the experience of staying in the city, and have the flexibility to more easily return to the room during the day if needed.

 

Plan A has been to drive into the city, park the car at the hotel (looks like $50-60 a night for parking), use public transportation and taxis while in the city, and then drive to the pier on Saturday morning. I'm now thinking of driving to one of the recommended hotels near the pier on Friday night, and then go to the pier from there on Saturday for the cruise. This would save a few hundred dollars as compared to a Friday night hotel in the city. I didn't think that a stay and park deal near the pier would be worth it for a 5 night cruise since transportation to/from the pier would be more than parking. Reading several of the posts here has me thinking of yet another option. Stop first at the hotel that I'd use on Friday night and drop the car. Take a car service to our NYC hotel and then back again on Friday night. No need for a car in the city and parking willl probably cost us $180+.

 

 

 

 

Several questions:

1. Does the strategy of dropping the car near the pier and taking a car service into the city make sense? I've driven in NYC several times, so that's not an issue, but having someone else drive is always more relaxing than doing the driving myself.
    
   yes...i think so....food for thought..there is a new WALLY PARK open near the Doubletree by EWR..met them at a travel show Friday..very nice....and that lot/area is a little off the beaten path, hence, safer.....HERE is a link to them...they seem to have specials...
    
   may take more time...BUT may be a viable option...
    
   
2. Do any of the stay and park deals include several nights of parking BEFORE you actually stay at the hotel? It will likely be 9 nights total using the hotel parking lot, with us actually staying in the hotel on the 4th night.
   
   you can call and ask.....
    
   
3. Does anyone have any hotel recommendations in the city that will help with my hotel sticker shock
    
   yes but i am drawing a blank...try downtown/soho as well though...or maybe the Holiday Inn Express times square, embassy suites..really hit and miss..
   
    
    
   
4. Anyone know (in general...I'm sure it varies by hotel) if hotels charge to store luggage for a day? If we move to a hotel near the pier on Friday night, we'd need to check out of our other hotel in the city on Friday morning, and then pick up the luggage after spending Friday in the city.
    
   no...just a nice tip to the bellmen...i would tip maybe 5 bucks or so on pick up and drop off, depending how many bags...
   
   
5. If we just suck it up and drive/stay in the city the whole time, how long should we plan for it to take to drive from Times Square to the pier on a Saturday morning?
    
   an hour, but likely not that long
    
   
6. General question...what's the typical time that they start boarding the ship? We like to get there a little early so that we're onboard and enjoying the ship as early as possible. For our recent Florida cruises, we've targeted for 10:30 or 11:00
   
   someplace between 11-11:30
    
   

Thanks for your thoughts!

 

 

You're welcome...see above....

 

i have family that has stayed at the DREAM hotel....it is a big splurge for them, BUT they're really on a tight budget so i think sometimes they get a decent rate...(i can't see them paying over $200/night....)

 

i am sure others will chime in with suggestions..