Starting to plan our cruise out of Brooklyn Cruise Terminal and need some help

[chatdad]

This will be our second cruise out of Brooklyn Cruise Terminal and hoping for some suggestions from the experts.  We'll be traveling mid-April, 2022 and trying to decide if we should be looking to stay overnight in the Downtown area (to visit the 9/11 Museum) or nearer to the cruise port (DUMBO area).  On our first trip, we stayed in Midtown and spent the time there and thoroughly enjoyed.  Just thought we'd see something different this time around.  Only planning on the afternoon and night before departure to spend sightseeing.  Your thoughts on which area you like best and why? 

 

We can fly into EWR, JFK or LGA and we'll use a car service to get to the hotel and a taxi (most likely or UBER to get to cruise port).  For the Downtown area which airport is the most convenient to fly into?  

 

Once we land on the area to stay we'll look for a nice hotel in the area.  If you have a preference, we'd love to hear about it.  

 

Thanks for any and all suggestions, thoughts, ideas. 

[Got2Cruise]

Hi. Instead of “Downtown” the area is usually referred to as “Financial District” using hotel search apps. I would stay there instead of DUMBO, especially since you want to visit 9/11 Museum. I actually prefer this area over Midtown. Besides 9/11 Museum there is also Battery Park, Wall Street,  many nice places to eat. Also the area is very safe. There are several nice hotels in Financial District and are usually a very good value compared to the more touristy areas in midtown. 
 

 

 

 

[njhorseman]

I agree with @Got2Cruise about staying in the Financial District. I haven't been there recently but my son and DIL like to stay at either the Club Quarters or  the World Center hotels (I believe they are under the same management), which are adjacent to each other right at the World Trade Center.

 

I would fly into LGA or EWR . I'd use JFK only if the airfare is much less than using the other two airports.

 

[GTJ]

I think that you will find somewhat greater value in Brooklyn compared to lower Manhattan, though not substantially so. I have always been partial to "second" cities, with Brooklyn certainly being in that category. If your sightseeing is limited to the main tourist attractions (e.g., 9/11 museum), then lower Manhattan would be more convenient, as you could walk easily throughout all of lower Manhattan without having to rely on the subway (though forgoing the subway and walking over the Brooklyn Bridge is, itself, a pleasant activity). Brooklyn is better if you're not into the tourist attractions of Manhattan, and would be more satisfied wandering the cobblestone streets in DUMBO, and the various small stores and waterfront that largely excludes other tourists. As an environment, lower Manhattan is more transient--many more people passing through--with downtown Brooklyn generally being more local in character. You will probably be happy in either location.

[George C]

Another vote for financial or i always called it Wall street area, lots of restaurants and pubs pre-buy tour of freedom tower, also love the elevator ride to top, if its a clear day view is amazing  , Trinity church where  Aleixiander Hamilton is buried is a few blocks away.  

[navybankerteacher]

You might find a cheaper hotel in Brooklyn than in the Financial District, but the fact is:  you get what you pay for.   Downtown Manhattan (easily accessible to the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal by the ferry from lower Manhattan to right next door)  offers many places of interest and good places to eat.

 

[mking8288]

OP, for early 2022, based on your stated preference, I would book someone nice in Lower Manhattan/Wall Street area - use Google Map to cross-check & reference its location and surroundings ... I say that as someone that once lived/worked on LM & midtown and work/commute to Southeast Brooklyn for years.  Downtown is really walkable & not crowded and lodging prices should be very reasonable, if you see a good deal & fully refundable one, book it now to lock in the rates ... but continue to watch & monitor it and other chains for price drop and (last-minute) deals.  Use Priceline, Hotwire & Kayak as well as TripAdvisor's booking engines to look for your options - but, do avoid the ones further north on Lower East Side/Chinatown area, they are mostly petite-sized in "trendy" chic locations not for everyone (IMHO) and not saving much.  

 

Post/Covid-19, a lot of changes happened to the hotel industry here in the NY area and suffice to say, there aren't really any nice one that I would book someone into Brooklyn, unless you are into inner cities & urban exploration (ditto for hotels near JFK Airport as someone recently posted to ask)  You will find more relevant discussions on the East Coast / NY departure subforum board here.  

 

LGA Airport is what I would probably choose to fly into/out of, with its multi-year long term upgrade and transition to a modernized airport nearing final completion (by next year, as I recall) - it's close & easy, metered taxi fare should be okay as lately, surge pricing with Uber/Lyft has been wild, crazy & unpredictable - all subject to tolls, surcharges, anyway.  

[MickeyandLV]

The last time we went on a cruise out of Brooklyn, we stayed in Brooklyn.  It was a Best Western that has a subway stop right in front of the hotel.  There was not much food available close to the hotel but we just road the subway around.  We had a driver pick us up at the airport to the hotel.  On the day of the cruise we hired a driver to give us a driving tour of Brooklyn.  We went to Coney Island and had lunch of Nathan's Hot Dogs.  The driver stopped so we could pick up a few things at a grocery store.  We were dropped off at the port with plenty of time.

[GTJ]

12 hours ago, mking8288 said:

[T]here aren't really any nice one that I would book someone into Brooklyn, unless you are into inner cities & urban exploration (ditto for hotels near JFK Airport as someone recently posted to ask)

 

Brooklyn is a large borough, and I would say that the answer to Brooklyn is a bit nuanced, one where you may need to be more attentive in reserving a hotel, and not select a location in the borough at random. The services at the Marriott in downtown Brooklyn, and a few others near-by, will provide Manhattan-quality lodging, albeit in a different environment, but not really an Inner city. But there are hotels in the borough, outside of downtown and in the various neighborhoods, what that description is apt. And that would probably include such places as Williamsburg, a place that very much is in that "urban exploration" realm, much like, say, SoHo in Manhattan before it became trendy. The hotels near JFK (which is actually is South Jamaica, Queens, rather than Brooklyn) are another story. Some of those hotels seem to act as an island, imprisoning their guests from the surrounding neighborhood . . . and not at all being well integrated with the surroundings. I've never liked the hotels near JFK, for to me none of any substantial value besides proximity to the airport. I do reside in an inner city neighborhood (from which I have commuted to offices in lower Manhattan, downtown Brooklyn, East New York, and South Jamaica), and I enjoy it when people come to visit and stay in my neighborhood. It is an interesting, vibrant, and safe neighborhood, including being home to fabulous restaurants, some being far better than what is generally found in Manhattan. But the majority of visitors to New York are coming either for meetings or sightseeing in Manhattan, not the inner city parts of Brooklyn and other the other boroughs, and the convenience of staying in the borough of Manhattan is quite substantial, with many more choices and fewer nuances with which to concern oneself.

 

I will also echo the observation about some hotels with "petite-sized" rooms, seeking to be either chic or appealing to budget-conscious travelers. Many cruise passengers do stay in hostels when traveling overland, and so for these passengers such accommodations might be just fine. As well, cruise passengers who travel regularly by railroad are used to sleeping in closet-sized roomettes and only modestly larger "bedrooms." But it is a caution for someone expecting a full-sized room (which in New York tend to be small to begin with), and one should be careful when seeing a comparatively low cost so as to be aware of the size room one gets for that price.

[lenquixote66]

13 hours ago, GTJ said:

 

Brooklyn is a large borough, and I would say that the answer to Brooklyn is a bit nuanced, one where you may need to be more attentive in reserving a hotel, and not select a location in the borough at random. The services at the Marriott in downtown Brooklyn, and a few others near-by, will provide Manhattan-quality lodging, albeit in a different environment, but not really an Inner city. But there are hotels in the borough, outside of downtown and in the various neighborhoods, what that description is apt. And that would probably include such places as Williamsburg, a place that very much is in that "urban exploration" realm, much like, say, SoHo in Manhattan before it became trendy. The hotels near JFK (which is actually is South Jamaica, Queens, rather than Brooklyn) are another story. Some of those hotels seem to act as an island, imprisoning their guests from the surrounding neighborhood . . . and not at all being well integrated with the surroundings. I've never liked the hotels near JFK, for to me none of any substantial value besides proximity to the airport. I do reside in an inner city neighborhood (from which I have commuted to offices in lower Manhattan, downtown Brooklyn, East New York, and South Jamaica), and I enjoy it when people come to visit and stay in my neighborhood. It is an interesting, vibrant, and safe neighborhood, including being home to fabulous restaurants, some being far better than what is generally found in Manhattan. But the majority of visitors to New York are coming either for meetings or sightseeing in Manhattan, not the inner city parts of Brooklyn and other the other boroughs, and the convenience of staying in the borough of Manhattan is quite substantial, with many more choices and fewer nuances with which to concern oneself.

 

I will also echo the observation about some hotels with "petite-sized" rooms, seeking to be either chic or appealing to budget-conscious travelers. Many cruise passengers do stay in hostels when traveling overland, and so for these passengers such accommodations might be just fine. As well, cruise passengers who travel regularly by railroad are used to sleeping in closet-sized roomettes and only modestly larger "bedrooms." But it is a caution for someone expecting a full-sized room (which in New York tend to be small to begin with), and one should be careful when seeing a comparatively low cost so as to be aware of the size room one gets for that price.

I lived in Brooklyn nearly 60 years.Whenever friends or relatives were coming into NY to cruise from Manhattan or for some other purpose I always recommended that they stay in Brooklyn and I am not referring to the high priced Marriott hotel in downtown Brooklyn.

There are hotels/motels in safe areas .My suggestion is to call the NYC Tourist Information office who I am sure will gladly offer you suggestions.

[lenquixote66]

On 9/5/2021 at 1:30 PM, MickeyandLV said:

The last time we went on a cruise out of Brooklyn, we stayed in Brooklyn.  It was a Best Western that has a subway stop right in front of the hotel.  There was not much food available close to the hotel but we just road the subway around.  We had a driver pick us up at the airport to the hotel.  On the day of the cruise we hired a driver to give us a driving tour of Brooklyn.  We went to Coney Island and had lunch of Nathan's Hot Dogs.  The driver stopped so we could pick up a few things at a grocery store.  We were dropped off at the port with plenty of time.

Was the Best Western on Fourth Avenue in Bay Ridge ? If so that used to be the Hotel Gregory and that is where I referred a lot of people to.

 

[MickeyandLV]

5 hours ago, lenquixote66 said:

Was the Best Western on Fourth Avenue in Bay Ridge ? If so that used to be the Hotel Gregory and that is where I referred a lot of people to.

 

It looks like it is not a Best Western any longer.  The name is Brooklyn Way Hotel but it looks like it may be closed now.  That is too bad because it was a good price and close to subway. It was on 4th Avenue, Brooklyn. 

[GTJ]

9 hours ago, lenquixote66 said:

Whenever friends or relatives were coming into NY to cruise from Manhattan or for some other purpose I always recommended that they stay in Brooklyn and I am not referring to the high priced Marriott hotel in downtown Brooklyn. There are hotels/motels in safe areas.

 

For a number of years I worked in the building that is immediately adjacent to, and south of, the Marriott hotel in downtown Brooklyn. At the same time, in the late 1980s, I attended classes at night across the street, working towards my master's degree at Polytechnic University (then having just recently changed its name from Polytechnic Institute of New York). There were no hotels in downtown Brooklyn then (unless you were to count the St. George), and at the end of the regular business day nearly everything closed up, and when I would wait on Fulton Street for the bus to go home (to Ridgewood, then, via the B38 along DeKalb Avenue) it was empty. Well-lit because of those fancy shelters that had been installed a few years earlier, but devoid of people. If I had to work late, the only place to eat was at Luther's, for fried chicken, at the corner of Jay Street and Willoughby Street. My, how things have changed! I like the idea that the Marriott is now there, giving downtown Brooklyn a first class hotel. That said, it is both high-priced and sterile. Moreover, it is discouraging that the hotel really only recognizes Adams Street as its entrance, and it turns its back on the more pedestrian-friendly Jay Street and the most proximate subway station entrances. But it does provide a "safe haven" and reassurances for those persons who might want to see what Brooklyn offers which, as noted, has undergone substantial change. (On the other hand, there have been some hotels opening in places like East New York, which have not changed so much, and just as it was 35 years ago there remains little in the way of nearby points of interest or personal security, and so ordinarily I would not suggest such locales but under the most narrow circumstances.) I wish there were some hotels in Brooklyn--and the other boroughs--that were notable, but I cannot think of any . . . they're all in Manhattan. So I look positively at the people who seek lodging in Brooklyn--be it because of a departure from the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal or otherwise--or at least those open to the suggestion, for being willing to stay in areas where many more ordinary NYC people live--notwithstanding the sterile hotels we have.

[Got2Cruise]

The price point of that Brooklyn Marriott is 

more expensive than many properties in financial district. Lol. 
 

 

[navybankerteacher]

6 hours ago, Got2Cruise said:

The price point of that Brooklyn Marriott is 

more expensive than many properties in financial district. Lol. 
 

 

And there are a lot less things for an out-of-towner to do in the neighborhood.

[Got2Cruise]

12 hours ago, navybankerteacher said:

And there are a lot less things for an out-of-towner to do in the neighborhood.

Walk over the Brooklyn Bridge into Manhattan is the only one I can think of. lol 

[lenquixote66]

On 9/6/2021 at 9:38 PM, MickeyandLV said:

It looks like it is not a Best Western any longer.  The name is Brooklyn Way Hotel but it looks like it may be closed now.  That is too bad because it was a good price and close to subway. It was on 4th Avenue, Brooklyn. 

So many people that I know stayed there when it was The Gregory.

[lenquixote66]

On 9/7/2021 at 1:49 AM, GTJ said:

 

For a number of years I worked in the building that is immediately adjacent to, and south of, the Marriott hotel in downtown Brooklyn. At the same time, in the late 1980s, I attended classes at night across the street, working towards my master's degree at Polytechnic University (then having just recently changed its name from Polytechnic Institute of New York). There were no hotels in downtown Brooklyn then (unless you were to count the St. George), and at the end of the regular business day nearly everything closed up, and when I would wait on Fulton Street for the bus to go home (to Ridgewood, then, via the B38 along DeKalb Avenue) it was empty. Well-lit because of those fancy shelters that had been installed a few years earlier, but devoid of people. If I had to work late, the only place to eat was at Luther's, for fried chicken, at the corner of Jay Street and Willoughby Street. My, how things have changed! I like the idea that the Marriott is now there, giving downtown Brooklyn a first class hotel. That said, it is both high-priced and sterile. Moreover, it is discouraging that the hotel really only recognizes Adams Street as its entrance, and it turns its back on the more pedestrian-friendly Jay Street and the most proximate subway station entrances. But it does provide a "safe haven" and reassurances for those persons who might want to see what Brooklyn offers which, as noted, has undergone substantial change. (On the other hand, there have been some hotels opening in places like East New York, which have not changed so much, and just as it was 35 years ago there remains little in the way of nearby points of interest or personal security, and so ordinarily I would not suggest such locales but under the most narrow circumstances.) I wish there were some hotels in Brooklyn--and the other boroughs--that were notable, but I cannot think of any . . . they're all in Manhattan. So I look positively at the people who seek lodging in Brooklyn--be it because of a departure from the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal or otherwise--or at least those open to the suggestion, for being willing to stay in areas where many more ordinary NYC people live--notwithstanding the sterile hotels we have.

I believe there are hotels on Emmons Ave.in Sheepshead Bay.I went to Brooklyn College .Many times there were visiting Professors who had to stay in Manhattan because there was nothing closer ,back in the 60’s.