Newport switched to New London - HELP!

[05mak05]

I've tried searches for "New London" under ports and also East Coast departures and come up empty-handed. RCI has switched Newport, RI to New London, Ct. on our August 31st cruise on the Explorer. We had even paid to become members of the "Preservation Society of Newport" for front of the line passes, admission to all of the mansions, etc. Oh, well, our money does go to charity so not all is lost. However, getting back to the original question. We leave in 26 days and RCI has not posted anything on excursions. Does anyone know of a private driver or a private tour company for transportation between New London to Newport? What about Martha's Vineyard? Are the ferries an option? We're Texans and clueless about the Eastern Coast. Since we're starting from scratch with no information at all, I think a private driver might be the best way to go. Any help is certainly appreciated!!!

[kathanderik]

Hi,

 

There was a long thread about this a few weeks ago. this is a nice area of CT, only about 10 miles from Mystic, a very charming, old new England villiage. there are nice shops, also a living history seaport museum and great resturants. I like Mystic better than Newport for a weekend away. There are also some nice winerys in easy driving distance if you want to rent a car and if you like to gamble, the casinos. Look Back and you'll find the thread. Martha Vineyard is in Mass. ( Used to live there! ) and the ferries are out of Cape Cod, about 2 hours away. Newport is nice, but I think you'll like this area.

[phoenix1181]

Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket are not options from New London. Try a Google search for New London and see what you come up with. This is a new port of call and I doubt that you're going to find much here.

Have a great trip!

[DC2OC]

Last week even the official New London site was of little help............Frank

[KeywestK]

I've tried searches for "New London" under ports and also East Coast departures and come up empty-handed. RCI has switched Newport, RI to New London, Ct. on our August 31st cruise on the Explorer. We had even paid to become members of the "Preservation Society of Newport" for front of the line passes, admission to all of the mansions, etc. Oh, well, our money does go to charity so not all is lost. However, getting back to the original question. We leave in 26 days and RCI has not posted anything on excursions. Does anyone know of a private driver or a private tour company for transportation between New London to Newport? What about Martha's Vineyard? Are the ferries an option? We're Texans and clueless about the Eastern Coast. Since we're starting from scratch with no information at all, I think a private driver might be the best way to go. Any help is certainly appreciated!!!

 

New London is approximately an hour and a half drive from Newport. You can always rent a car for the day if you still want to go to Newport.

 

Karen

[katydyd]

I think you'd really enjoy checking out Mystic Seaport. It's a lot of fun and very cool...it's not mansions, but I actually like to see ships better.

 

If you decide to rent a car and head to Newport, be careful about cutting your return too close. Traffic through that area at that time of day can be pretty heavy so just plan according. However, with 12 hours in port I think it's very doable.

[05mak05]

Thanks for the information on Mystic Seaport, etc. It doesn't take much to get us excited and, actually, I think going to a port that we've never visited will be more fun than returning to Newport. Forgive me if I've already posted this but we've switched hotels. We're now at the Hilton Newark Penn Station at the Gateway Center with a military rate of $139 a night. I had checked months ago and was quoted a rate in the $275 to $325 price range per night. Our concern is being in a hotel with the quickest ride to Manhattan and also a short cab ride to the cruise terminal on the 31st. Is anyone else at the Hilton?

[orkenizer]

We don't have the mansions that you would see in Newport but...

Our city is only 6 square miles but in it we have 26 parks, a huge public beach with a 1/2 mile boardwalk right on Long Island Sound, the Coast Guard Academy, I don't know how many neighborhoods that are Historic Districts, the oldest continuously operating Custom House where the Amistad was first brought after it was taken over by slaves being brought from Africa. Did you see the movie by Steven Spielberg?

We are also the location of the oldest continuously operating Court House in the US. Fort Trumbull, a restored 18th century fort, is located here. Fort Griswold is just across the river.

New London, while not as famous as Newport, is known across the country for a number of reasons. One, Benedict Arnold burned our city down during the Revolutionary War. Also, the Kelo v New London case, the most important property rights case to be heard by the Supreme Court in generations. We lost.:mad: BUT the whole country is in an uproar rushing to change their laws to make sure their property is protected.

There is too much in and around New London to list it all (we also have ferry services that go to Long Island, Fisher's Island, Block Island (RI) and Martha's Vineyard)

This is the link to my website. CTRSVP.ORG

You can find many links on it that will tell you more about New London. You'll have a great time!

[tortoni]

Mystic has the seaport and the aquarium; it's certainly enough to keep busy for one day. As far as the Hilton Newark Penn Station--are you in Newark, NJ? There is NJ Transit service into Manhattan for a visit there, but I do no know how long it takes to get to Bayonne (your pier) from Newark. Newark is not particularly scenic. Was there anything closer to the pier or in NYC?

[hawkfish]

There is SO MUCH to do in this area, you are sure to find something you enjoy. I second the trip to Mystic. It's a straight shot on the freeway, about 11 miles away. It would be easy to get a cab there. In Mystic you can walk most every where, take in the Seaport and Aquarium, take a harbor cruise, visit all the little shops. I find the locals there to be quite friendly and they would be happy to point you in the direction of good restaurants and attractions.

 

There are also two large casinos nearby - Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods. Even if you are not really into gambling, they are worth a vist. Both have a lot of information about the Native American people from the area, and Foxwoods has a full-sized museum dedicated to the Manshantucket Peqot tribe.

[RIGirl]

Also, to add to that, Foxwoods is the world's largest casino if that makes any difference. It's h-u-g-e. Personally, I love Newport (I'm a little partial). I was there last night and it never grows old. If you've already been to Newport, try what the previous posters said and go to Mystic. That's a fun day trip too.

[RareBird]

if you've never been to Newport and the grand mansions, you'll probably be disappointed with Mystic. But if you have, like most east coasters, you'll appreciate Mystic (very close to New London). Mystic has a great old city, it has the Mystic seaport which is a must see and a bunch of other great places to visit.

 

About the casinos - between foxwoods and Mohegan Sun - I'd pick Mohegan Sun hands down. Not so much for gambling, but for the shops and the insides of the casino, they're spectacular. There's Odysea, an amazing store with a huge floor to ceiling aquarium with sharks, a 50's store with things you'll never find anywhere else, there's a grand glass sculpture about 25 feet high in the middle of the casino and you'll love the starry, never ending sky (ceiling).

 

[Sparkle 123]

Could anyone who lives in the New London area give me a rough idea of how much a cab to Mystic would cost from New London?

Many thanks

[gerif]

We're on the same 8/31 cruise - funny thing is, I drove to Mansfield, MA, this weekend for a cat show and went right past all of these places. Mohegan Sun (my favorite) is probably about 10-15 minutes from port - I'm going to see if they might send a shuttle bus that day. Mystic is also quite close. While I wouldn't risk the drive to and from Newport (awful traffic this weekend and we will be there on Saturday of Labor Day weekend), the ship does have an excursion listed which will visit one mansion. I think I read somewhere that New London is having something on the waterfront that day - art show, entertainment, food. Might be worth the visit.

[Desert Cruizers]

Looking at the post for New London, Newport, anyone from State of RI, my place of birth, raised in California.

[KillaFee]

Hey! I live in Mystic!! :D Boy was I surprised to see the name New London mentioned on these boards - lol!! New London is a ten minute drive from my house, but in the summer it's a 15 minute drive because getting from my house to I-95 (the highway) can prove to take a little longer because I have to pass the Mystic Seaport on the way and there are plenty of visitors to slow the drive!!! :D I work at Mohegan Sun and while it's really cool, if you want to actually experience Mystic and the history and beauty of it I'd definitely reccommend going to the Seaport. The Stonington Borough is also a really unique town about 4 or 5 miles away from Mystic - it's an old Portuguese fishing village. It's now a really expensive place to live, but there are some great restaurants on Water Street, it's main road, and some nice places to dine right on the water and cute little shops. It will be much less crowded than downtown Mystic. If you like lobster, Noank has a really famous restaurant called Abbots (and next door there is a clam place called Costellos - lol). Noank is a five minute drive from Downtown Mystic.

I'd suggest taking a cab first thing in the morning to the Seaport and then when your done with that, take a cab to either the Stonington Borough or Noank. That way you can see a touristy thing but also just enjoy walking around the area.

My best advice to you would be to get out of New London. They are making many improvements to the City but it's still not a place I frequent and like I said, I only live a few minutes away. :eek: It's not horrible, but there are just so many nicer places within a few miles that it would be shame to miss out on. If you have any other questions about the area, feel free to ask!!! :D

Laura

[teachergirl]

Hey! I live in Mystic and work in New London and am excited to hear one of the big ships will be coming in to town. I called the local cab company for you and they said it would be around 22-24.00 from the pier to the Mystic Seaport area and there is a 24.00 flat fee up to Mohegan Sun. The Seaport is a great day trip, especially if the weather is nice. You can walk to downtown Mystic from there - about 10-15 minute walk. Not a gambler myself, but Mohegan Sun casino is pretty impressive and has some nice shopping. Downtown New London is really on the upswing and has some nice little restaurants, you can walk to these from the pier. Let me know if there's any other questions I can answer for you and welcome to the east coast!

[rsscaptain]

I love Newport but I'm more familiar with it. That being said I love Mystic Seaport just as well. You won't be dissapointed if you go there.

[CtCruiseShip]

Good Afternoon,

 

Why not a reply from the horse's mouth?

 

I'm the director of the Connecticut Cruise Ship Task Force and we actually recruit cruise ships to call in CT.

 

We were indeed happy to see Explorer of the Seas decide to come here four times in 2007 and at least two more times in 2008. There's lots to do here so why not check our web site at www.ctcruiseship.com ? The RCCL SHOREX Department has set up lots to do here plus there's even a SHOREX up to Newport so you won't miss anything!

 

Visit Mystic Seaport. Mystic Aquarium & Institute for Exploration, visit the world's first atomic submarine, USS Nautilus and a great submarine museum at the same time, ride a 1930's steam train pulled by a 1926 locomotive, visit Ft. Trumbull, Ft. Griswold and even the U.S. Coast Guard Academy! They''re all here and availalbe as SHORE EXCURSIONS through your ship!

 

Enjoy the City of New London - once the world's 2nd largest whaling port. Stroll the waterfront and explore amazing buildings! There's links to all on our web site above!

 

Enjoy your port-call at Connecticut's Port of New London! Holland America Line does and now so will RCCL! Next year we add Princess Cruise Line and Happog-Loyyd's m/s Bremen to the list!

 

George

[adjournthis120]

Maybe I misunderstood the OP's original question, but I assume you are saying that RCI does not list any excursions for New London? I'm leaving on Sept. 28th, and have already booked all my excursions, including New London. They have about ten to twelve excursions available, if I remember correctly, all listed along with the other excursions for that itinerary. We chose one that went to Old Mistick and an aquarium, but there were a number of others to choose from.

[Sparkle 123]

Thank you teachergirl for finding out the cab fares that is a great help to me. Even with the admission fee to Mystic seaport it works out cheaper to get a cab rather than take RCI's excursion for 2 of us. As our ship docks on a Saturday we plan to stroll around New London waterfront and visit the Saturday market then take a cab to Mystic seaport.

Thanks to everyone on this thread for your help, we are looking forward to visiting your area, I am sure we will have a memorable day.

[cruzobsessed]

if i'm not mistaken there is an high speed ferry that goes over to MARTHA'S VINEYARD. if i had a day in this area.......hands down this would be what i'd do.

do a google search of ferry to martha's vineyard and see what comes up.

[Ocean Boy]

if i'm not mistaken there is an high speed ferry that goes over to MARTHA'S VINEYARD. if i had a day in this area.......hands down this would be what i'd do.

do a google search of ferry to martha's vineyard and see what comes up.

 

The high speee ferry from New London goes to Block Island. Ferry service to Martha's Vineyard is from Woods Hole, Falmouth, Hyannis, and New Bedford in MA as well as from Quonsett Point in RI. None of those are options for a 12 hour cruise port of call in New London.

[reapfm]

Good Morning George -- I have emailed you in the past, but would like to know what you would suggest in New London since our time is limited. On the 9/28 cruise, we will be leaving port at 2:00 PM, which means we should be back on ship by 1:30 PM. Any suggestions would be a big help.

Thanks ---- hope to see/meet you in New London. ---Bette

[psupa]

We are taking the Canada/NE cruise next Jul and will be in New London on the 4th of Jul. Will there be anything closed because of the holiday and will there be any celebrations at Mystic Seaport.