Pre Cruise stay in Manhattan or Newark? Help please!

[Virtopia]

I have a cruise booked next March on the Explorer.

 

I plan to spend two pre cruise days in New York and while there, I'd love to take in an NBA game (just waiting for the schedules to be released!)

 

So, my question is, which option do you think would work best?

 

1) Stay both nights in Manhattan and then take a taxi to Cape Liberty.

 

2) Stay one night in Manhattan, go to the game and then spend second night in Cape Liberty.

 

3) Stay both nights in Cape Liberty and just travel to game.

 

Based on the hotel rates I've been seeing, option 3 is definitely the cheapest but I'm wondering how easy it will be to get back to my hotel after the game since I will be traveling solo. I've traveled to New York solo three times previously, but I was staying in the city and was always a few walking blocks away from whichever hotel I was staying at.

 

I would prefer a Knicks game over a Nets game, but at this point, anyone that makes it easier for me to go to, would win. I'm not sure how close the stadiums are to each other.

 

Thanks in advance for your assistance! :D

[138east]

What are your dates? What kind of rates are you seeing for Newark Airport? Have you looked at Jersey City rates - that makes a lot more sense because you can take Path to NJ from 6th Ave and 32nd St which is really close to MSG. A 4* hotel in the Jersey City/Hoboken/Weehawken are on Hotwire is going to be just fine.

 

I know you didn't like Country Inns - what hotels are you considering in NJ? IMO if you didn't like CI (I liked CI and I stayed there essentially solo one night because my daughter was flying in at 5 am and I had to go out by myself in the car to pick her up), I can think of a bunch of other hotels that you might not like either.

[greatam]

Either stay in Jersey City/Hoboken/Newport area or stay in the Secaucus area, particularly if you want to watch an NBA game. IMHO, the best of both worlds-seeing NYC and easy access to a game whether it is in Madison Square Garden or the new Brooklyn facility.

 

Easy to get on PATH, the train or even a bus into the City. Then the subway to the new Brooklyn facility if you want to see the Nets play. There is PATH from the Jersey City/Hoboken area and both the train and the 320 bus from Secaucus area. AND you can sightsee to your hearts content and not be far from your hotel.

 

It will save you money over a NYC hotel room. The only drawback is the hotels in these areas DO NOT have transport from Newark airport. But Secaucus Taxi runs specials all the time from the airport. http://www.secaucustaxi.com/

 

And just an FYI-if you are REALLY into basketball, take the time to go to the 4th St Cage-basically the corner of 6th Ave and 4th St. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Fourth_Street_Courts.

 

Depending on the time of year, you can never tell what NBA player might show up. Alan Iverson has been a regular there. I can stand for hours (never have been able to sit in small seating section) and watch the best streetball players in the country hone their skills. There is almost ALWAYS a pickup game going on.

 

And in March, you just may find a little action at the World Famous Rucker Park in Harlem. Again, if the locals are playing, fantastic streetball, rough and tumble action where famous NBA players play EVERY year during the EBC tournaments. Some of the best of the best that ever played the game played at Rucker. I went to college with Kareem. I can remember stories of him playing with Dr. J, Earl the Pearl and Connie Hawkins at Rucker. Must have really been a show.

 

Whatever you do, ENJOY!!!

[Got2Cruise]

If you find a good deal in Manhattan near Madison Square Garden, you can easily walk to a Knick game or take the LIRR from Penn Station directly to the Atlantic Terminal which is the Barclays Center for the Nets. It is very safe and easy for a single woman. What are you planning for the day you won't be at the game?

[njhorseman]

There's no direct LIRR service from Penn Station to Barclay's Center (LIRR Atlantic Terminal) . You would have to take a train from Penn Station to Jamaica and then change to a train that goes back to Atlantic Terminal. The only sensible way to travel between Penn Station and Atlantic Terminal is by #2 or 3 subway.

[Got2Cruise]

There's no direct LIRR service from Penn Station to Barclay's Center (LIRR Atlantic Terminal) . You would have to take a train from Penn Station to Jamaica and then change to a train that goes back to Atlantic Terminal. The only sensible way to travel between Penn Station and Atlantic Terminal is by #2 or 3 subway.

It is very simple to switch trains in Jamaica. I have done it hundreds of times. 99% of the time the train is waiting on the track and you simply cross over. What is your experience with the LIRR NJ Horseman? Just curious if you have ever traveled the LIRR? As I stated I think it is a safer alternative for a woman traveling alone at night, and I stay with my opinion and recommendation.

[njhorseman]

It is very simple to switch trains in Jamaica. I have done it hundreds of times. 99% of the time the train is waiting on the track and you simply cross over. What is your experience with the LIRR NJ Horseman? Just curious if you have ever traveled the LIRR? As I stated I think it is a safer alternative for a woman traveling alone at night, and I stay with my opinion and recommendation.

 

Experience with the LIRR? Somewhere in the back of my mind I remember living in Suffolk County for years. How did I travel to and from New York? I'll give you one guess...(oh yes...and I still use the LIRR once in a while).

 

The fact is that your statement about direct service from Penn Station to Atlantic Terminal is misleading because there is no direct service. If you're giving advice to visitors, try giving them accurate advice.

[Post Captain]

Virtopia ~

 

Ideally, I'd fly into EWR and stay at a hotel in the Jersey City/Newport/Hoboken/Weehawken area, as recommended by 138east and greatam.

 

If you haven't seen it already, the following thread has lots of information about hotels in this area, as well as information about using public transportation to and from Manhattan:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1853920

[OldCoachV]

I didn't notice if you were flying in or driving in (or taking a train in). If driving, you may not want to park in Manhattan ($$$). There's a PATH station at 33rd & Broadway if you don't mind the trains. That's pretty close to MSG/Penn Station ... and if you don't mind the trains, the NJT trains go straight to Penn Station, so between the two you could stay pretty much anywhere in Jersey.

[Brighton Line]

Experience with the LIRR? Somewhere in the back of my mind I remember living in Suffolk County for years. How did I travel to and from New York? I'll give you one guess...(oh yes...and I still use the LIRR once in a while).

 

The fact is that your statement about direct service from Penn Station to Atlantic Terminal is misleading because there is no direct service. If you're giving advice to visitors, try giving them accurate advice.

 

Horseman is correct, there is NO fare structure to go from Penn Station to Atlantic Terminal. You would have to pay City Zone to Zone 3 to get to Jamaica and then the reverse to get to Atlantic Terminal. Weekend would be the lowest cost of CityTicket $8, weekdays Peak one direction $16.50, off peak $14.00.

 

Why not just pay $2.50 for the subway?

And you would be there a lot quicker, weekend service to Atlantic Terminal from Jamaica is 30 minute headway compared to 12 minutes headway on the subway (or 20 minutes if you go late night after 1am).