car service in NY

[escapingcold]

Hi all,

 

We will be sailing on the Breakaway in December. We are travelling with our two young boys via La Guardia. I am trying to locate a car service that will pick us up at the airport and have already installed two car seats for our kids. I know that we don't NEED to have them in car seats legally but I really want them in the seats for safety purposes. I tried the 7 car service but they will only provide one seat, not two. Can anyone suggest another service that will provide two?

 

Thanks so much!

 

Also, what time should we be at the pier on the Sunday to board the ship early enough to know we are safely on board long before sailing?

 

Thanks!

[maywell]

You could try calling Groundlink car Service (The car service NCL uses), they seem to have reasonable rates from the area airports to the pier. The only other car services that I can think of off the top of my head that would provide car seats for children is Valera Global, Carey, First Corporate and Skyline.

 

Also what time are you arriving into NYC? The ship leaves at around 3pm and you need to be on board or at least on the check-in line at least 2 hours beforehand.

Edited November 30, 2014 by maywell

[escapingcold]

Thanks so much! I will contact them all, starting with Groundlink. We actually arrive on the Saturday but are trying to figure out plans for Sunday am before going to the pier.

[spidybabe]

Try Four Two's. They are a local company in queens that we have used for years. 718 746 2222

[njhorseman]

Another car service to try is Carmel Limo. http://www.carmellimo.com .

[valleyvillage]

http://mommypoppins.com/newyorkcitykids/car-services-with-car-seats-in-new-york-city

[escapingcold]

http://mommypoppins.com/newyorkcitykids/car-services-with-car-seats-in-new-york-city

 

Awesome! Thanks! I am on hold now with Empire…keep your fingers crossed!

 

Does anyone know whether, if worst case happens and we decide to bring our own car seats on the trip, NCL will store the seats for us somewhere other than in our stateroom during the actual cruise?

[njhorseman]

Awesome! Thanks! I am on hold now with Empire…keep your fingers crossed!

 

Does anyone know whether, if worst case happens and we decide to bring our own car seats on the trip, NCL will store the seats for us somewhere other than in our stateroom during the actual cruise?

 

NCL doesn't offer storage outside the cabin for passenger's belongings.

[njhorseman]

Legends works out to being the best. I think I will book with them after double checking with my dh.

 

Quick other question. Since I am a newbie on NCL, can someone tell me what is the latest time we can get off the ship at the end of the cruise? AND if we stay on the ship until that time are we stuck in one room with no activities and no food or are we free to roam and eat?

 

Our home flights aren't until later in the day. I am wondering whether it would be worth booking Legends to do a driving tour of the city (we'd be paying an hourly rate) and then the kids can get in and out at different places but at our pace and our choice of stops (as opposed to doing the organized tour through NCL)….

 

thoughts?

 

You usually have to be out of your cabin by 8 or 9 am . Breakfast is available in the buffet and main dining room, but they close earlier than they normally do. They'll probably want you off the ship no later than 10 or 10:30. You'll have to find a public area to sit in if you want to stay on the ship as late as possible.

 

I have no idea whether using this particular car service is a good idea for a tour of the city. Most car service drivers aren't exactly tour guides.

[escapingcold]

We don't need to be at the airport until 3pm.

 

I wouldn't be using the driver so much to tell us about the city but rather as a driver to take us to places we'd like to see. Apparently if we rent by the hour, we can jump out and tell the driver when to come back to pick us up. This way we could drive through Times Square, go to a museum or something, walk through Central Park (subject to the weather of course) etc all the while being able to hop back into our own vehicle which has car seats for the kids. I think the post cruise tour of NYC offered by NCL does not allow getting off the bus anywhere and is preset re which sites are visited.

 

If we get off the ship by 10 and in the car by 11, that gives us 4 hours of visiting at an extra cost of at most $55 per hour for three of those hours. Not bad for having our own driver compared with the cost of the NCL tour or compared with sitting at an airport for that long with two small children and NOTHING to do..

[njhorseman]

They definitely smell someone who doesn't know better! So, should I be telling them ahead of time to take the Queensboro because I don't want to pay the toll? Every company mentioned the toll…(some just as a possibility though)...

 

Most car services choose the shortest route because they're quoting you a flat fare based on that assumption. If you pick a longer route in an attempt to avoid a toll they may charge you more than the originally quoted...which could be more than you would have paid for the toll anyway. I wouldn't worry about a $5 or $6 toll...just accept it.

[escapingcold]

Thanks for your help everyone! 8)

 

I will let you know what I do once it is booked…!

[maywell]

We don't need to be at the airport until 3pm.

 

I wouldn't be using the driver so much to tell us about the city but rather as a driver to take us to places we'd like to see. Apparently if we rent by the hour, we can jump out and tell the driver when to come back to pick us up. This way we could drive through Times Square, go to a museum or something, walk through Central Park (subject to the weather of course) etc all the while being able to hop back into our own vehicle which has car seats for the kids. I think the post cruise tour of NYC offered by NCL does not allow getting off the bus anywhere and is preset re which sites are visited.

 

If we get off the ship by 10 and in the car by 11, that gives us 4 hours of visiting at an extra cost of at most $55 per hour for three of those hours. Not bad for having our own driver compared with the cost of the NCL tour or compared with sitting at an airport for that long with two small children and NOTHING to do..

 

Here's the actual problem: Your airport is LaGuardia which is known for its lateness and inefficiency even on a sunny clear day. You so don't want to be there when it windy, cloudy, raining and/or snowing because that 3pm will be 10pm or next day flight in no time.

 

If go to the museum(s) like the Natural History or the MoMA, that's at least 2 hours. And Central Park is it own time killer, could be there for hours. The shops like FAO Shwartz, Tiffany's, Time Warner Building, can be hour just wandering and looking. Forget about driving into Times Square, you're better off on foot and that walk through the crowds is long one, let alone getting into Toy R. Us and riding the Ferris wheel. You actually don't have enough time to see everything because basically each attraction is it own time killer. Heck, just walking in Manhattan is it own amusement.

[chefjellynow]

most car services choose the shortest route because they're quoting you a flat fare based on that assumption. If you pick a longer route in an attempt to avoid a toll they may charge you more than the originally quoted...which could be more than you would have paid for the toll anyway. I wouldn't worry about a $5 or $6 toll...just accept it.

 

$7.50

[maywell]

$7.50

 

I forget - is it one toll or 2 tolls from Queens into Manhattan? I know from the Bronx its one toll or take the Willis Bridge to avoid paying it. But Queens residents don't get that luxury unless its the Queensboro bridge via the Expressway or parkway (I forget...).

[chefjellynow]

I forget - is it one toll or 2 tolls from Queens into Manhattan? I know from the Bronx its one toll or take the Willis Bridge to avoid paying it. But Queens residents don't get that luxury unless its the Queensboro bridge via the Expressway or parkway (I forget...).

 

1 toll from Queens to Manhattan or Free Queensboro.

[Icecoldcranberry]

Our biggest issue, other than the car seats, is storing our luggage after the cruise. With a car we can have the driver babysit it for us. But we are definitely open to suggestions!

[Icecoldcranberry]

I let myself get talked into these flights despite my nightmarish memories from spending five hours plus in the ft lauderdale airport last winter after our Allure of the Seas cruise (which was awesome btw). We are desperately trying to find a better way to spend the day before our two long flights home.

[luvtheships]

Unless you need a car tomorrow or the next day, may I suggest you call the car services on a weekday during regular business hours to set up your ride. The people you're talking to near midnight on a Saturday of a holiday weekend may not be the most knowledgeable.

 

Best advice yet !!

 

Let me add ...... Call after 10 am if its a Monday.... Or do as I do..... Never call on Mondays and wait until Tuesday

 

 

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[luvtheships]

I let myself get talked into these flights despite my nightmarish memories from spending five hours plus in the ft lauderdale airport last winter after our Allure of the Seas cruise (which was awesome btw). We are desperately trying to find a better way to spend the day before our two long flights home.

 

Where are you flying to?

 

 

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[njhorseman]

$7.50

 

$5.33 with EZ Pass, and car services generally have EZ Pass (and NYC taxis are required to have EZ Pass). I said "$5 or $6" just to give a round number.

[njhorseman]

Our biggest issue, other than the car seats, is storing our luggage after the cruise. With a car we can have the driver babysit it for us. But we are definitely open to suggestions!

 

You might consider storing your luggage at Schwartz Travel for a few hours:

 

http://schwartztravel.com/

[Icecoldcranberry]

We are flying to Canada. I will check out Schwartz travel, thanks. Another issue is that since I am insisting on using car seats in the cars, it makes transport tricky. I was quoted $77 plus tip to get to the airport. And each separate time j call a car I repay $20 extra. Vs just doing $55 per hour and a one time $20 fee. Trying to figure things out.

[Icecoldcranberry]

Plus pay $25 an hour to store the luggage

[pr0pel]

How old are your kids? I used the "safe traffic system" to travel with my young ones who were able to at least sit up. If they are infants, then this won't work. But with the safe traffic system, you buy it once and can reuse multiple times. Search amazon for it.