NYC post cruise city tour?

[KarenGretz]

I have never been to NYC. I'm flying to and from Phoenix to JFK. I purposely chose an 8:00 p.m. flight after my cruise so that I could see the city! MSC is offering a post cruise city tour. In fact theres a couple of options. Would this be my best bet in doing the total tourist thing of seeing a lot of major sites of NYC? I definitely don't mind doing the typical tourist thing, and I'll need somewhere to store my luggage and hit the airport afterwards. There's three different tours that range from $100 to $140. My only concern is that they need a minimum of 35 people for the tour to go on. Am I the only one that wants this cheesy type of tour? 

[Langoustine]

Do one of the HoHo bus tours (don't get off) instead; much cheaper, and you'll see exactly the same stuff.

[njhorseman]

20 minutes ago, Langoustine said:

Do one of the HoHo bus tours (don't get off) instead; much cheaper, and you'll see exactly the same stuff.

The OP is on MSC, which will dock in Brooklyn, so that's not a very good option. Even if they were arriving in Manhattan they still have the luggage issue.

[HardToPort]

13 hours ago, njhorseman said:

The OP is on MSC, which will dock in Brooklyn, so that's not a very good option. Even if they were arriving in Manhattan they still have the luggage issue.

Larger train stations (like Grand Centrla or Penn) used to have luggage storage. Might be an option. Yes, the HoHo bus is great. Yeah, it’s a tourist thing but she’s going to be a tourist.

 

Take the Staten Island Ferry from Manhattan to Staten Island. It’s free and gets you super to close the Statue of Liberty. Walk Broadway. See Times Square. Check out the UN building. Shop Macy’s. Have a drink in a nice pub. Baseball season starts soon. Check out the Mets or the Yankees. Many Broadway and off- Broadway shows have 2 PM matinees. Go to a deli for a corned beef on rye. Hit one of many museums. Take a walk on an Aircraft Carrier moored at the Manhattan pier. Buy some knock off clothes near Times Square.

[njhorseman]

8 hours ago, HardToPort said:

Larger train stations (like Grand Centrla or Penn) used to have luggage storage. Might be an option. Yes, the HoHo bus is great. Yeah, it’s a tourist thing but she’s going to be a tourist.

 

Take the Staten Island Ferry from Manhattan to Staten Island. It’s free and gets you super to close the Statue of Liberty. Walk Broadway. See Times Square. Check out the UN building. Shop Macy’s. Have a drink in a nice pub. Baseball season starts soon. Check out the Mets or the Yankees. Many Broadway and off- Broadway shows have 2 PM matinees. Go to a deli for a corned beef on rye. Hit one of many museums. Take a walk on an Aircraft Carrier moored at the Manhattan pier. Buy some knock off clothes near Times Square.

Penn Station...in the new Moynihan Train Hall has luggage storage. I believe it costs $10 per item if you're an Amtrak ticketholder, $20 per item if not. There's no luggage storage facility in Grand Central Terminal...at least none that I can find on their directory. Since Amtrak trains don't use  GCT that doesn't surprise me.

For the OP's purposes it makes no sense from either a time or a monetary perspective to go to from Brooklyn to Penn Station and only then start their sightseeing.

[lenquixote66]

15 hours ago, HardToPort said:

Larger train stations (like Grand Centrla or Penn) used to have luggage storage. Might be an option. Yes, the HoHo bus is great. Yeah, it’s a tourist thing but she’s going to be a tourist.

 

Take the Staten Island Ferry from Manhattan to Staten Island. It’s free and gets you super to close the Statue of Liberty. Walk Broadway. See Times Square. Check out the UN building. Shop Macy’s. Have a drink in a nice pub. Baseball season starts soon. Check out the Mets or the Yankees. Many Broadway and off- Broadway shows have 2 PM matinees. Go to a deli for a corned beef on rye. Hit one of many museums. Take a walk on an Aircraft Carrier moored at the Manhattan pier. Buy some knock off clothes near Times Square.

The OP has an 8 PM flight necessitating being at the airport at least 6PM Going to a baseball game in the Bronx makes no sense.

[HardToPort]

I don’t know OP’s dates but … oh, look!

 

Marlins @ Mets April 6 1:10 PM

Marlins @ Mets April 9 1:40 PM

Padres @ Mets April 12 1:10 PM

Braves @ Mets April 30 1:40 PM

Braves @ Mets May 1 1:10 PM

 

I’m guessing this a trend that repeats throughout the season and applies to the Yankees as well.

 

3 hour game. An hour or so to get to airport. No domestic flight requires you to be at the airport 2 hours in advance. Online check in means you only need to arrive before your gate closes. 
 

I was giving the OP some ideas. And I did research so maybe next time you … ah, never mind. 
 

“Even a fool, when he holds his peace, is counted wise.”

 

 

 

 

[njhorseman]

1 hour ago, HardToPort said:

I don’t know OP’s dates but … oh, look!

 

Marlins @ Mets April 6 1:10 PM

Marlins @ Mets April 9 1:40 PM

Padres @ Mets April 12 1:10 PM

Braves @ Mets April 30 1:40 PM

Braves @ Mets May 1 1:10 PM

 

I’m guessing this a trend that repeats throughout the season and applies to the Yankees as well.

 

3 hour game. An hour or so to get to airport. No domestic flight requires you to be at the airport 2 hours in advance. Online check in means you only need to arrive before your gate closes. 
 

I was giving the OP some ideas. And I did research so maybe next time you … ah, never mind. 
 

“Even a fool, when he holds his peace, is counted wise.”

 

 

 

 

And once again you're ignoring the fact that the OP will have luggage. You can't bring luggage to a baseball game.

[navybankerteacher]

10 hours ago, njhorseman said:

Penn Station...in the new Moynihan Train Hall has luggage storage. I believe it costs $10 per item ...

For the OP's purposes it makes no sense from either a time or a monetary perspective to go to from Brooklyn to Penn Station and only then start their sightseeing.

If they are travelling fairly light, after seeing the city they could pick up their bags at Moynihan then go across to the LIRR part and take a train to Jamaica and transfer to the JFK Airtrain to their terminal.  Admittedly cumbersome, but certainly an inexpensive way to get to JFK.

[njhorseman]

23 minutes ago, navybankerteacher said:

If they are travelling fairly light, after seeing the city they could pick up their bags at Moynihan then go across to the LIRR part and take a train to Jamaica and transfer to the JFK Airtrain to their terminal.  Admittedly cumbersome, but certainly an inexpensive way to get to JFK.

Taxi or Uber fare from Brooklyn Cruise Terminal to Moynihan Train Hall will be in the $45 to $50 range. Fee to store two bags at Moynihan Train Hall $40...so you're starting off with an $85 to $90 outlay before starting the sightseeing. 

One way peak LIRR ticket to Jamaica $ 10.75 per person. AirTrain Jamaica to JFK $8 per person.

 

So...you're looking at over $100 for one person just for transportation and luggage storage...not so inexpensive in my opinion...and you haven't spent a minute or a dollar sightseeing yet.

 

OP is probably better off just taking one of the post cruise tours .

Edited March 3, 2023 by njhorseman

[HardToPort]

2 hours ago, njhorseman said:

And once again you're ignoring the fact that the OP will have luggage. You can't bring luggage to a baseball game.

Cruises dock at 7 AM. Walk off passengers are off by 8-9. Lots of time to store luggage somewhere and still enjoy NY. I’m not “ignoring” anything. Op was looking for ideas. She’s been given some. Your opinions of the logistics or costs involved are irrelevant. I’m talking to her, not you. She’ll make her decisions accordingly.

[KarenGretz]

Thanks for all the research and suggestions! You've all confirmed that the post cruise tour IS my best bet. 😘

[njhorseman]

10 minutes ago, HardToPort said:

Cruises dock at 7 AM. Walk off passengers are off by 8-9. Lots of time to store luggage somewhere and still enjoy NY. I’m not “ignoring” anything. Op was looking for ideas. She’s been given some. Your opinions of the logistics or costs involved are irrelevant. I’m talking to her, not you. She’ll make her decisions accordingly.

So you think it's helpful to suggest that the OP should travel to Manhattan to store their luggage, then go to a baseball game in the Bronx or Queens, then travel back to Manhattan to pick up their luggage, then  go to Queens to the airport ? 

You think that you have the right to make questionable suggestions without anyone challenging them? You don't get to decide who is permitted to respond to a post. 

Yes...the OP did decide...they decided to take one of the cruise line's tours.

[lenquixote66]

1 hour ago, njhorseman said:

Taxi or Uber fare from Brooklyn Cruise Terminal to Moynihan Train Hall will be in the $45 to $50 range. Fee to store two bags at Moynihan Train Hall $40...so you're starting off with an $85 to $90 outlay before starting the sightseeing. 

One way peak LIRR ticket to Jamaica $ 10.75 per person. AirTrain Jamaica to JFK $8 per person.

 

So...you're looking at over $100 for one person just for transportation and luggage storage...not so inexpensive in my opinion...and you haven't spent a minute or a dollar sightseeing yet.

 

OP is probably better off just taking one of the post cruise tours .

Plus the cost for tickets at Citi Field .

[lenquixote66]

1 hour ago, HardToPort said:

Cruises dock at 7 AM. Walk off passengers are off by 8-9. Lots of time to store luggage somewhere and still enjoy NY. I’m not “ignoring” anything. Op was looking for ideas. She’s been given some. Your opinions of the logistics or costs involved are irrelevant. I’m talking to her, not you. She’ll make her decisions accordingly.

Your initial suggestion of going to Yankee Stadium is unbelievable .

[navybankerteacher]

1 hour ago, HardToPort said:

Cruises dock at 7 AM. Walk off passengers are off by 8-9. Lots of time to store luggage somewhere and still enjoy NY. I’m not “ignoring” anything. Op was looking for ideas. She’s been given some. Your opinions of the logistics or costs involved are irrelevant. I’m talking to her, not you. She’ll make her decisions accordingly.

But your suggestions are totally relevant??????  

 

"Lots of time to store luggage "somewhere..." ? ...really helpful.

[mjkacmom]

16 hours ago, HardToPort said:

I don’t know OP’s dates but … oh, look!

 

Marlins @ Mets April 6 1:10 PM

Marlins @ Mets April 9 1:40 PM

Padres @ Mets April 12 1:10 PM

Braves @ Mets April 30 1:40 PM

Braves @ Mets May 1 1:10 PM

 

I’m guessing this a trend that repeats throughout the season and applies to the Yankees as well.

 

3 hour game. An hour or so to get to airport. No domestic flight requires you to be at the airport 2 hours in advance. Online check in means you only need to arrive before your gate closes. 
 

I was giving the OP some ideas. And I did research so maybe next time you … ah, never mind. 
 

“Even a fool, when he holds his peace, is counted wise.”

 

 

 

 

I live in the NYC area, yes it is recommended to get to the airport 2 hours before a domestic flight, security can be a nightmare. We are 25 minutes from Newark liberty, but sometimes fly from LaGuardia or jfk if costs are lower.

[HardToPort]

12 hours ago, navybankerteacher said:

But your suggestions are totally relevant??????  

 

"Lots of time to store luggage "somewhere..." ? ...really helpful.

So, there’s 100+ locations to store luggage in Brooklyn. Usebounce.com is a system designed for luggage storage for those waiting for flights, coming off cruises, access to their AirBNB’s etc. Luggage storage is a non-issue.

 

https://usebounce.com/s?bags=2&query=Brooklyn%2C NY%2C USA

 

Edited March 3, 2023 by HardToPort

[njhorseman]

1 minute ago, HardToPort said:

So, there’s 100+ locations to store luggage in Brooklyn. Usebounce.com is a system designed for luggage storage for those waiting for flights, coming off cruises, access to their AirBNB’s etc. Luggage storage is a non-issue.

 

https://usebounce.com/s?bags=2&query=Brooklyn%2C NY%2C USA

 

So now you're suggesting that someone should store their luggage at some candy store, bodega, souvenir store, restaurant, or other random location that signed up to be part of this "network", make their way from the cruise terminal to that location, then travel to Manhattan or wherever else they're going for the day (which is unlikely to be in Brooklyn) for sightseeing, then travel back to this facility and head out to the airport.

By the way, none of theses places are in Red Hook where the cruise terminal is, and there are nowhere near 100 locations in Brooklyn. If you understood the map provided by your link, you would know that they're also counting locations in lower Manhattan as being in Brooklyn. When you use this "system" as well as other websites providing similar services you don't actually know the name or exact address of the place where you'll be storing your luggage until after you book the service and provide your credit card information. I don't recommend giving anyone a credit card number unless  you're sure of the legitimacy of the operation.

[lenquixote66]

38 minutes ago, HardToPort said:

So, there’s 100+ locations to store luggage in Brooklyn. Usebounce.com is a system designed for luggage storage for those waiting for flights, coming off cruises, access to their AirBNB’s etc. Luggage storage is a non-issue.

 

https://usebounce.com/s?bags=2&query=Brooklyn%2C NY%2C USA

 

Would you want to spend extra money to see a baseball game ? I would not .If I was in a city other than where I reside Inwould be more inclined to take a city tour.

[Brighton Line]

Hate to point out that with the MBL pitch clock, pre-season games are averaging just over 2 hours rarely exceeding 2.5 hours. Nothing requires you to stay for the entire game. 

[KarenGretz]

Thank you all again for your wonderful suggestions. I've never been to NYC but I do know it's very confusing. So your suggestions back and forth definitely help me reinforce my decision to take a pre-arranged tour! Thank you thank you thank you!

[Nitemare]

18 hours ago, Brighton Line said:

Hate to point out that with the MBL pitch clock, pre-season games are averaging just over 2 hours rarely exceeding 2.5 hours. Nothing requires you to stay for the entire game. 

preseason games are always fast, but yes, regular season games should be 30 minutes or so shorter this year

[lenquixote66]

20 hours ago, Brighton Line said:

Hate to point out that with the MBL pitch clock, pre-season games are averaging just over 2 hours rarely exceeding 2.5 hours. Nothing requires you to stay for the entire game. 

Or if the OP is a baseball fan they can go to a Cyclones game since the stadium is in Brooklyn.