NY Redhook Terminal to Times Square

[Av8tor]

Arrive back at the Brooklyn cruise terminal next Saturday and need to plan transportation to our post-cruise hotel near times square (The Algonquin).

 

Carmel Limo wants $43 (minus a $4 coupon)

 

Dial 7 wants $39

 

I calculate that a taxi should be around $23-25 for 8 miles or so.

 

I do realize those rates are WITHOUT tolls or tips.

 

1) With all that said, do those of you that have done this before think those rates (especially the taxi "guesstimate") are in the right ballpark?

 

2) How long is the wait in the taxi queue at the port?

 

3) Is traffic fairly light (yes, it is NYC) on a Saturday morning?

 

 

Thanks for any insights...

[Brighton Line]

With the yellow taxi you can tell the driver not to take the Tunnel (Toll) with Dial 7 and the other car service you can ask but they can take the tunnel and you will have to pay the toll.

 

Just thought to point that out. For me I would take a yellow cab.

FWIW

[smeyer418]

Arecibo(its base is close by) is the local car service I use(7187836465)...ask them what they will charge

 

Traffic shouldn't be too bad they are working on the Brooklyn Bridge and its closed to Manhattan one weekend in 4. If you are in a cab -take the tunnel it will be much faster.

 

Taxi cues at the Red Hook Cruise terminal are notoriously slow. The limos contracted by the cruise terminal will be twice what you were quoted.

[mking8288]

Another vote for using car services, pre-booked now, for a flat rate & those are rather reasonable - regardless of traffic delays. Give them all your disembarkation details & appropriate pickup time, and that you will call upon return to reconfirm for a more exact pickup time & where to meet the driver, etc. - they will note it in their computerized dispatch system & usually pre-assign a driver with the job.

 

We used Carmel as their rates are generally "cheaper" vs. Dial 7, both highly recommended by cruisers & frequent flyers using to/from NYC's 3 airports.

 

At work, we have a corporate account with another local car serivce, Mega in Sunset Park (they aren't as good & some drivers are poor in English, so ...) and the typical fare to midtown from our locations near the Brooklyn Army Terminal is $40 even with our deals.

 

Taxi generally don't cruise into & wait at the Brooklyn Cruise Pier unless they are dropping off someone ready to sail/embark on the next run - as such & noted by others, the wait could be very, very long - it's difficult to NOT run into traffic enroute to Manhattan as that I-278/BQE is notorious for being bumper-to-bumper at all hours, especially in bad weather and your metered taxi fare will continue to run the clock & charges. The Google or Mapquest distance might be correct in 8 miles but it's typically a 20 to 25 minutes run in typical/normal midday weekend traffic - fares would run closer to the $25 to $35 range depending on various factors, plus the possibility of tolls if using the tunnel into Lower Manhattan & then up the West Side Hwy (which should be "quicker" on weekends but not necessary cheaper with the taxi.) There is no flat rate using yellow cabs from the Pier to Manhattan, only to/from JFK.

 

Bottom line, if it's us - we would confirm a best rate with the car service & have peace of mind, and not deal with the taxi line and uncertain final fare price + tips.

[Av8tor]

Thanks - will probably go with Carmel. $40 - 4.00 coupon = $36 + tip (hopefully no tolls)...

[smeyer418]

BTW. they are working on the Brooklyn Bridge. a recent experience had them making an emergency repair of the Manhattan bound side of the Bridge and an hour and a half back up(in a yellow taxi the metered would have been clicking away at .50 for every 60 seconds I believe)

 

http://www.nyc.gov/html/tlc/html/passenger/taxicab_rate.shtml

 

 

so take a car service you prearrange and let them go whichever way they want.

They tend to have better cars too although most of the older taxis are off the road and the newer ones are ok.

If you get stuck in traffic for 10 minutes the tunnel will be cheaper and a lot faster most times of the day.

[DC0743]

I had heard that getting a Taxi from Cape Liberty Cruise ship Terminal to Manhattan can be a trying experience so I elected to arrange transportation. I contacted Cape Liberty Shuttle (they advertise transportation from any of the NY, NJ terminals) who quoted me $60 for a shuttle or $99 including tip and tolls for a private vehicle for my wife and I. They gave me a number to text with my debarkation info and a telephone number to call when I collected my luggage. They appeared very professional, with confirmation emails. I texted my debarkation info to them two days before the pick-up and then called them at 09:15 when I had collected my luggage and was waiting for pick-up. I went to the pick-up area and found myself with a growing group of unhappy Cape Liberty Shuttle customers. Two groups had been waiting for over an hour for their shuttles to the airport. After waiting for 45 minutes, I called for the status of our vehicle and was told my car would be their in 10 minutes. 10 minutes later, the shuttle bus did finally show up for one of the airport groups. I asked that driver to check on the status of my vehicle and when he tried to call the dispatcher, there was no answer. He tried to call the company owner and again no answer. 20 minutes later I called again and was told the car would be right there. It wasn’t. While waiting we talked to two women from Canada who had purchased the Shuttle transportation to Manhattan from Cape Liberty Shuttle and had been waiting as long as we had. Finally at 11:00 our car arrived. We asked the driver to check on the status on the Manhattan Shuttle, but he said he could not get a phone signal. When we arrived at the hotel, the driver requested the payment, and so I paid him the full amount. My fault as I got this transport confused with another one we had book and had not pre-paid. When I got home, I realized that I had pre-paid Cape Liberty. When I requested reimbursement, Cape Liberty’s response was “too bad”.

Two days after we arrived in New York, we ran into the two women from Canada at the Empire State building. They said they waited another half hour after we left for their ride to Manhattan. During their ride in, the driver demanded and additional $40 for making him wait. When they refused, he threatened to drop them off in the middle of Jersey City.

I would NOT recommend this service! I would recommend Martin Antigua Transportation (917-418-2877) or Victor Li (917-885-1808) we used them (they work together) in Manhattan and were very happy with their service. They were prompt, accommodating and more reasonable than Cape Liberty.

[smeyer418]

even though they are Cape Liberty it is likely they are a NY City licensee. here is where you can file a complaint.

http://www1.nyc.gov/nyc-resources/service/2465/car-service-limousine-or-ambulette-complaint

 

The tlc supervises both the yellow cab industry and the for hire car services. The tlc is a pain in the neck for bad drivers and bad actors in the industry. One day last week they seized 100 limo cars for things less than you describe...so file complaint just don't post alone.