Staying in New Jersey(Newark) v Manhattan

[ZoneHPH]

*blows whistle*

 

OK FOLKS...BRING IT IN!

 

how about this idea. we all hash out our ideas at a bar. like the pool bar on any of our beloved NCL ships!!!

 

how about that for a suggetion?

[greatam]

This is what you wrote.

 

"EZ Pass only available for locally plated vehicles or locally based businesses. Our corporate charter is out of Delaware and even though we OWN a building in the Bronx, NY DOT has still refused to give us EZ Pass."

 

The reason they won't is these vehicles are registered in MO(if that is accurate-sometimes clerks are wrong too). You your self say that they will issue if they are registered in any state in the NE(mostly).

It has nothing to do where the Corp is headquarters or has an office, owns building etc. If you want an EZ Pass register it locally. NJ PA DE or NY doesn't seem like brain surgery to me...

 

Also try the NY Thruway authority...they would issue Thruway plates to any one that pays and I am fairly sure they will isue EZ Pass to anyone as well.

 

http://www.nysthruway.gov/commercial/commercial-e-zpass.html

 

no where does it say you need to have a local plate only a surety bond....in fact it talks about foreign corps being ok.....

I'll send you a bill in the am....

 

NY/NJ based companies ARE allowed EZ Pass, EVEN IF they have out of area IRP plates. Jevic and Paul's Transport have terminals in NJ. Their license plates-one is Tennessee IRP and one is California IRP-are NOT local obviously. But both companies have NJ business licenses, as they have fuel at their terminals and need the licenses to handle the fuel.

 

Believe me, I have argued this fact with NY DOT/IRP, etc. etc. The MINUTE they input the license plate numbers to issue EZ Pass, it trips the computer-NO EZ Pass due to the Missouri IRP. And no NY/NJ business license, as we have nothing to license. We don't have fuel capabilities in the Bronx.

 

And since the computers also compute IRP proportional registrations/fuel/highway taxes, I don't want to get hit with bigger bills for proportional registration, which DOT stated "could happen", so I would be saving nothing.

 

IRP fees are divided PROPORTIONALLY amongst all the states you drive in, according to the percentage you drive in those states. Our actual mileage in NY State is fairly small-in and out of the city, out to Long Island, etc. Most of our semis only average about 800 ACTUAL miles per month in NY. While Arizona, New Mexico, etc. is 400 miles PER TRIP (at least 4 trips through those states per month). And California is a whopping 3000+ miles per month per truck.

 

So I'll just forget about EZ Pass. No big deal. We should quit arguing about this-we are boring people. But the conversation is stimulating. Thanks

[greatam]

*blows whistle*

 

OK FOLKS...BRING IT IN!

 

how about this idea. we all hash out our ideas at a bar. like the pool bar on any of our beloved NCL ships!!!

 

how about that for a suggetion?

 

Sorry, but you wouldn't get me on an NCL ship unless you paid my way.

[ZoneHPH]

So I'll just forget about EZ Pass. No big deal. We should quit arguing about this-we are boring people. But the conversation is stimulating. Thanks

 

so does this mean we won't cruise to together settle your differences? bummer.

[cruislovin]

We are speaking of the same area-I posted Harmon Cove-I think that little area where the Embassy Suites is is really called Harmon Plaza. But what are they-1/4 mile at best apart??? Too much development in the area-how many more outlet malls are they going to build in NJ????

 

It's the 129 bus to NYC, although since they shut down the bus stop by the Sheraton, you may have to transfer to get ONTO the 129. Most of the hotels in that area will shuttle you to the bus/rail station (Secaucus transfer station) that is very close.

 

Soooo - we cannot walk to the bus to NYC from Embassy Suites? A shuttle sounds like a bit of a hassle, but perhaps not???

 

Also is there only one location to get the bus, at the Port Authority Bus Terminal? Is it set-up similarly to Grand Central Station?

[oahurose]

Forgive me if someone has already covered this subject. I would check out priceline. ****Star Hotel Winning bids are currently going for;

 

Intercontinental Barley's $120 and $110

Hilton $130

Grand Hyatt $130

 

The link below (BiddingForTravel.com) shows the winning bids people have gotten in just about every city, and country. I use it for bidding priceline all the time. Just got the Hyatt in Disneyland for $48 a night.

 

Keep in mind the winning bids for New York will probably go down in Sept/Oct.

 

http://p070.ezboard.com/New-York-State--New-York-City/fpricelineandexpediabiddingnewyorkcitynonewjersey?page=1

[smeyer418]

I don't know if this helps any one but it $69.00 for a hotel about an hour out....

 

http://hotels.travelzoo.com/lodging-hotels/307949

[Aggie71]

Back to the EWR hotel & transfer issue....for people just needing 1 night prior to the cruise & arriving in the early evening, where is best/safe/reasonable to stay? We have flights into EWR. We figured it would be easy to find a hotel with free shuttle from the airport. Best Western EWR West is reasonable & has continental breakfast & airport transfers. But I understand there is nowhere to eat around there except at the hotel which is pricey & maybe not that good. Some of our group will arrive the day before (staying 2 nights) to go to Statue of Liberty, but will not be going into Manhattan. The BW will give us a transfer to the ship & voucher for a taxi back to the airport for $56 extra per room. Is that the best option for us? Cruise line transfers are $30pp each way or $120 per couple. Surely there are other hotel options, even if they are a bit more?

[greatam]

Back to the EWR hotel & transfer issue....for people just needing 1 night prior to the cruise & arriving in the early evening, where is best/safe/reasonable to stay? We have flights into EWR. We figured it would be easy to find a hotel with free shuttle from the airport. Best Western EWR West is reasonable & has continental breakfast & airport transfers. But I understand there is nowhere to eat around there except at the hotel which is pricey & maybe not that good. Some of our group will arrive the day before (staying 2 nights) to go to Statue of Liberty, but will not be going into Manhattan. The BW will give us a transfer to the ship & voucher for a taxi back to the airport for $56 extra per room. Is that the best option for us? Cruise line transfers are $30pp each way or $120 per couple. Surely there are other hotel options, even if they are a bit more?

 

As I posted on your other thread, ONE night at the Best Western is OK.

 

But 2/3 nights will present problems-food, transport, etc.

 

Getting to Liberty State Park (for the Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island) will NOT be particularly easy from Newark Best Western. AirTrain (from the airport) to NJ Penn Station, transfer to PATH to Exchange Place in Jersey City, transfer to light rail to Liberty State Park, shuttle bus to ferry terminal, ferry to the Statue/Ellis Island.

 

It just would be soooo much easier if you want to save money on the hotel to rent the van as I suggested in your other thread. You can drive to and park at Liberty State Park. There is parking at the Best Western. You have a way to get to food establishments. AND you have a way to get to the port. Total cost for 3 days rental mini van should be no more than $130.00. Split 9 ways makes for pretty cheap transport, even if someone does have to drive.

 

Other than the hotels/motels DIRECTLY around the airport, not a lot of the Newark Airport area (including Jersey City and Secaucus) hotels have airport shuttles. And most that do have shuttles WILL NOT take you to the port. A taxi to the port from the airport will be at least $35.00 per cab.

[Aggie71]

Thanks for the info, particularly what my friends will deal with if they stay at BW & go to the Statue of Liberty. Unfortunately since not all 9 people will be there at the same time the ones who are there won't rent a van. But perhaps they would rent a car for the 4 of them & then maybe they would stay at a better place anyway. But I think they will fear driving there.

If a taxi is $35-40 from the airport to the pier & 3 or 4 people can ride in it, that would be a deal!

I will pass your info on to my friends & let them decide.

Since we will arrive after dinner the night before our cruise it sounds like BW will be ok. And then we can get a taxi to the pier & the 3 of us who arrive the night before can share, or we can pay more for the room & get the transfers. It doesn't sound like any hotels offer free transfer to the pier like we are familiar with in San Diego, Miami, Fort Lauderdale & Pt Canaveral.

I just found out I will be going on Journey in mid-August so I can check out a hotel & if we decide we don't like it or it is too complicated we can change our reservation for mid-Sept.

Thank you again!

[greatam]

If a taxi is $35-40 from the airport to the pier & 3 or 4 people can ride in it, that would be a deal!

 

You can get 3 people in a NJ taxi. The driver has to "approve" allowing the 4th (because they would have to sit up front). But you won't get the same 3/4 peoples luggage into the taxi as well.

 

Normal taxi to the port with cruise luggage-2 people plus luggage. Still a saving over RCCL transfers AND you get picked up at the hotel and don't have to get back to the airport for the RCCL transfer.

[Aggie71]

Well, 3 works for us because we have a widow going along & so there will be 3 for out taxi or whatever. I guess we'd still save a bit with the BW program. The other couples will each need their own taxi which means that unless they are willing to rent a van, they would do better to just pay the BW the extra $56 the night prior to the cruise & get the transfers. Then they don't worry about what the taxi costs.

I don't know my geography back there, is it closer from the airport to the pier or from some of the hotels? Seems silly to do an extra baggage drill & have the hotel take us back to the airport & then to the pier unless there wold be a reasonable savings. It's not like Miami where the taxi fare is set from the airport.

Thanks again!

[BlueHerons]

We figured it would be easy to find a hotel with free shuttle from the airport. Best Western EWR West is reasonable & has continental breakfast & airport transfers.

 

Aggie, there is a reason the Best Western is the only motel around that is less than the other motels and provides free breakfast, parking, and shuttle.

 

It is because they cannot get guests any other way.

[Aggie71]

Has anyone stayed in the hotel? Is the objection the fact that it is nowhere & food is expensive at the hotel? For just an overnight I understand it would be ok? I would really like to know if it is bad in some way--dirty, not safe, rude employees???

Thanks

[greatam]

Has anyone stayed in the hotel? Is the objection the fact that it is nowhere & food is expensive at the hotel? For just an overnight I understand it would be ok? I would really like to know if it is bad in some way--dirty, not safe, rude employees???

Thanks

 

As I posted before-it is an old hotel in a very industrial area around the airport. The area around the hotel is not safe to walk in at night. My employees have stayed there. Let's put it this way-they are NOT really partial to this hotel. But they do stay there occasionally, as it is close to the grocery warehouse we deliver to.

 

If you get off the plane and just go to the hotel, then leave the next morning for your cruise, you will be OK. Don't expect ANY amenities. Who knows from day to day about the employees manning the front desk? Or cleanliness-depends on the cleaning lady. And knocks on the door after 9:00PM WILL NOT be the turn down service.

 

There are much better hotels/motels in the area, but they are definitely more expensive.

[greatam]

I guess we'd still save a bit with the BW program.

 

The taxi to the port would be $35.00 plus tip. I have a hard time believing that the cheapest hotel around the airport is subsidizing your return to the airport or hotel after the cruise (the vouchers you mentioned).

 

Better check that one out again, as I think the $156.00 with return vouchers would be for the park and fly, park and cruise option, where the hotel would make money off the parking. See my point-the taxi costs $35.00 each way. Why would the hotel SUBSIDIZE your taxi return from the cruise if they were getting absolutely NOTHING from your $56.00. Or maybe as BlueHerons states, that cheap package is the ONLY way to get cruise pax to stay at their hotel.

 

I don't know my geography back there, is it closer from the airport to the pier or from some of the hotels? Seems silly to do an extra baggage drill & have the hotel take us back to the airport & then to the pier unless there wold be a reasonable savings. It's not like Miami where the taxi fare is set from the airport.

Thanks again!

 

There are closer hotels to the pier, but not much closer (maybe a mile or two).

 

The hotel MAY go to the airport, then to the pier, just because of passenger loads and cost of transport. Probably wouldn't run the van just for the three of you to the pier IF there are customers needing to go to the airport as well. But you wouldn't have to get out at the airport; just stay on the van after the airport customers have been dropped off.

 

What I meant-take the free hotel shuttle BACK to the airport, then get the RCCL transfer. That doesn't really save any money and is certainly more hassle. I personally would take a taxi both ways. NO waiting for anyone to "rescue" me from the hotel, airport, or pier.

[Aggie71]

I see what you are saying & this is getting more interesting all the time. Now that I need to stay overnight in EWR once in Aug & again in Sept with the group who arrives 2 days prior I may just check it out in Aug. But then that would be a bit late to find another hotel for the Sept group if I don't like BW.

I went on Parksleepfly.com & they offer the EWR BW for $175 including transfer to/from the port. I did not check the parking option. I called the hotel again & they said $155 for 2 & they take you in their van, but give you a voucher for a taxi on your return to either the hotel or airport. So that is $56 more than if we just book a room there with no cruise transfer.

Parksleepfly also calls this a 3 star hotel & says 48 reviewers give it a 4 star rating. So go figure on that one. It also says it is 1/2 mile from the airport but 4 miles to the port. I don't know if the hotel is closer to the port or the airport is closer to the port.

So we can go stay at one of the other recommended hotels, like Country Inn or Comfort Suites, pay more & pay more for transfers, etc, or try the BW for just an overnight. Like I said, if the room is clean & we are safe within the hotel which is all non-smoking, we would be fine. We probably should just take a taxi to the pier though & come & go as we wish for just a few $ more.

[greatam]

Parksleepfly also calls this a 3 star hotel & says 48 reviewers give it a 4 star rating. So go figure on that one.

 

Not a 4 star rating-4 out of 5 stars on a CUSTOMER SURVEY by ParkSleepFly. And they are careful NOT to let you see the surveys. On TripAdvisor, the total of 22 reviews gives an average rating of about 2.8 (out of 5). The 5's were those that loved the cheap price and only wanted a place to rest their heads, getting on a plane or cruise the next day. The 1's are pretty vocal that the BW is HORRIBLE. You make up your mind. http://www.tripadvisor.com/Search?q=best+wester+Newark+nj&geo=1&returnTo=__2F__&hid=&verbose=&hur=&o=0&ssrc=r&exc=n

 

It also says it is 1/2 mile from the airport but 4 miles to the port. I don't know if the hotel is closer to the port or the airport is closer to the port.

 

Visualize a big 1/2 circle, with the airport on the flat part of the circle. The BW is at about the 4:00 position, slightly west of the airport. It's a loooong 4 miles to the port. That may be the actual mileage (by the way the crow flies), but depending on traffic, it could easily take 1/2 hour or more to get from the hotel to the port.

 

 

So we can go stay at one of the other recommended hotels, like Country Inn or Comfort Suites, pay more & pay more for transfers, etc, or try the BW for just an overnight. Like I said, if the room is clean & we are safe within the hotel which is all non-smoking, we would be fine. We probably should just take a taxi to the pier though & come & go as we wish for just a few $ more.

 

IF the object is to save some money and you will only be there for one night, again, YOU WILL BE FINE. Take the taxi-even though it may cost $20.00 more RT. You will be happier. Your friends may really want to rethink staying here for more than one night, however.

[BlueHerons]

Has anyone stayed in the hotel? Is the objection the fact that it is nowhere & food is expensive at the hotel? For just an overnight I understand it would be ok? I would really like to know if it is bad in some way--dirty, not safe, rude employees???

Thanks

 

Yes, I stayed there in 2003 and no it isn't safe.

[Aggie71]

Thank you. Our group of 9 people has decided that the BW will not meet our needs. We have decided to stay at the Country Inn in Elizabeth. It appears to be much nicer & is rated #1 on Trip Advisor. I appreciate the help & feedback.