Victory/NYC/Weehawken/Parking Alternatives

[Snowball]

Hmmmm The ferry option is not sounding very promising :(, but I'd rather we found out all the details now rather than get there not knowing how far the ferry left you off from the pier. I'm sure we'll figure something out. The important thing is that we are going on a cruise!!! :D

[Rdabadie]

I was in NYC a week ago on Sunday. I was going to the Intrepid. I walked all the way from the ferry terminal to cruise ships to look at the NCL Dawn and the Crown in port. It is a bit of a hike, I think on a hot day I would be sweeting alot by the time I made it to the peir. If it was raining you will be soaked by the time you get there.

 

The walk is safe, there have been alot of temporary improvements for walkers, bikers and skaters. I'm impressed how well the area is set up now, way better then my last trip into the area a couple of years back. There are bike/roller skating lanes and separate walking lanes the entire distance from the ferry to the peir. Most of the distance was smooth surface (asphalt), there were a couple of bumpy patches, and you are separated from the traffic by planters, traffic barriers and the bike lanes. The walking lanes are narrow however, perhaps 4 feet wide in parts. I felt no risk from the vehicle traffic, but the bikers and skaters were rude and did not obey the trafic signals. They did keep to their lanes, but the pedestrian/bike lanes crossed over in a few places and the bikers seem to aim for you. If I was heading for a long cruise I would take-out a rude biker out with my large roll aboard "Oh soooorrrrrrryy! My light was green for a while and I though the red bicycle signal meant you were going to stop!"

 

Once at the cruise peirs you enter on the lowest level, check in is one level above. There are large freight elevators and escalators at each peir to move you up. I was never challenged for ID however I never attempted to enter the buildings or go to the top level. Nice view of the ships.

 

On a Sunday with 2 ships in port traffic was non-existent (which surprised me) Friends who drove through the area the day before when there were 4 ships in port said traffic was a mess.

 

My advice: for 2 days drive to the peir and park. To get to the Weehaken ferry terminal you get off at the last exit before the tunnel anyways so you're likely not saving any time. The parking lot at the peir is on the roof of the terminal, can't get much closer than that! The Ferry option is doable, just not perferable.

 

I do qualify this though. If your leaving on a summer Friday or Saturday, forget it! Take the train to PennStation and grab a cab. Tunnel Traffic on Fridays and saturdays into the city can be a nightmare, and the drive to the ferry dock on the NJ side gets you mixed up in all that traffic anyways.

[dolfinmusic]

Rob - thanks for the info!! We are leaving October 22 -which is a Friday.

[Snowball]

Thanks for the info Rob. :) How long do you think it took you to walk from the ferry to where the cruise ships are?