FAO anyone who has done a Transatlantic B2B crossing...

[LadyPink]

I was just wondering if you could help me.

 

I wanted to know how much time you had in New York? We are worried about missing the ship home. :eek:

 

How long did it take to get back to the ship from say Midtown, Manhattan? What time do you have to be back for etc?

 

Any help would be much appreciated as we are rather nervous of returning late.

[ocngypz]

Plan on being back on the ship 2 hours before scheduled departure.

[LadyPink]

Ok, is that the latest you can be back and how long should we allow for a taxi to transport us back to the port (from Midtown Manhattan)?

[paul1959]

So much depends on traffic and what is going on in town, but from the theatre district or 5th ave, allow 30-45 mins to Red Hook Piers.

 

Is it a weekend, are there street fairs, are there diplomats in town, it gets complicated. Go to www.nycvisit.com good calendar of events on that site. Then you run into the problem of a cabbie who doesn't know how to get to the pier, or doesn't speak english. Make sure you go down the West Side Highway to the Brooklyn/Battery Tunnel.

 

Suggestion: Do your midtown stuff first, Then go downtown to see Ground Zero, Statue of Liberty, Wall Street, South Street Seaport, you are already at the right end of the island.

[paulista1950]

"Do your midtown stuff first, Then go downtown to see Ground Zero, Statue of Liberty, Wall Street, South Street Seaport, you are already at the right end of the island."

 

Or may be even something in Brooklyn.

[Colin_Cameron]

Then you run into the problem of a cabbie who ... doesn't speak english.

Once ran into a NY cabbie who's English was only slightly better than my Arabic. Between us we managed!

 

Colin

[paul1959]

"Or may be even something in Brooklyn."

 

 

Brooklyn? Brooklyn? don't you need a passport and shots to do Brooklyn?:D

 

Just kidding! REally! You are right. But that is serious tourist stuff...off the beaten path type of thing. Just don't do Red Hook, where the pier is.

[SeaMatesNYC]

"Or may be even something in Brooklyn."

 

 

Brooklyn? Brooklyn? don't you need a passport and shots to do Brooklyn?:D

 

Just kidding! REally! You are right. But that is serious tourist stuff...off the beaten path type of thing. Just don't do Red Hook, where the pier is.

 

If you are traveling from Manhattan to Red Hook, Brooklyn, do yourself a favor, print the directions from the Cunard site and do NOT be afraid to TELL the cabbie where to go. Many of them just do not know yet. They will thank you (well maybe not) but at least you will not end up in Queens (nothing wrong with Queens, it's a borough you know, just the wrong one if you are departing on the QM2).

[PvTraveler]

Have done a number of cruises where I get off to spend the day in New york. You can get off as soon as ship is cleared for customs. Brooklyn is about a 30 minute drive to Midtown manhattan on a good traffic day. Do not attempt to come back to the ship at any time in rush hour - you will not make it. Best bet is to write New York Tourism office and get a few guides. There will be ads for limo services - minimum of 4 hours - that would be your best bet to have the limo meet the ship and stay with you for the 4 hours. Good luck.

[LadyPink]

Thank you ever so much one and all for the kind and informative responses.

 

Just one last question for now...

 

What time is rush hour in New York?

[bob brown]

Generally, between 6:00 and 9:00 AM, and between 3:00 and 7:00 PM, as defined by 'Peak Fares in Effect" by the MTA.

[kelly121]

Thank you ever so much one and all for the kind and informative responses.

 

Just one last question for now...

 

What time is rush hour in New York?

 

Are your returning to Southampton on May 10th? That is a Saturday, and rush hours really wouldn't apply. Traffic may not be too bad. Advice to see downtown just before returning to the QM2 is excellent since a taxi can take the Brooklyn Tunnel to the pier. The tunnel is on the East side of downtown Manhattan. We are sailing on the QM2 on May 10th, but are coming from Long Island, the opposite way from NYC. We sailed from Brooklyn two years ago, and if I can recall how to get to the pier, I will let you know.

[LadyPink]

Yes, we are returning to Southampton on the 10th of May.

 

You know, it didn't even cross my mind, it being a weekend! Thank you yet again for all of your help. I have found this forum and all of your experiences exteremely helpful.

 

:)

[wynyardworld]

Yes, we are returning to Southampton on the 10th of May.

 

You know, it didn't even cross my mind, it being a weekend! Thank you yet again for all of your help. I have found this forum and all of your experiences exteremely helpful.

 

:)

 

The last time we took a back to back (we are on your crossing in May) we got off the ship in NY as soon as allowed, this helps you to get through immigration before general disembarkation, and walked up town, taking the foot path over the Brooklyn Bridge, and got up town as far as central park, then took the metro back to Brooklyn. It was the day of the New York Marathon and you would not have known this was going on. The street market on Broadway was very interesting to see.

 

If it is your first time in New York, take a organised tour, as it will take you to most of the major sites and give you a taste of why you will want to come back.

 

You may like to check the Daily Telegraph travel site, as this as some excellent advice for what to do in New York "Douglas Rogers offers a complete cruiser’s guide to eating, sightseeing and shopping in New York."

The URL is http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/cruises/759430/New-York-port-guide.html

[LadyPink]

Wynyardworld, that article is brilliant! I have saved it to my favourites.

 

Will you be doing the back to back crossing with us?

[wynyardworld]

Wynyardworld, that article is brilliant! I have saved it to my favourites.

 

Will you be doing the back to back crossing with us?

 

Yes, Sea Days are our favorite and we like to go when the sea is likely to be a bit rough -Oct, Nov, Dec.

 

Missed out last October on our annual voyage due to other commitments and this was one of the first back-to-backs in 08: 12 days of absolute relaxation, we have found no other holiday to induce the state of relaxation we feel on a Transatlantic crossing; going back-to-back is even better as you do not have to face a long-haul flight on one of the legs. Though US Immigration is still has "robust" as usual, but at least they have some control of who is coming in and out of the USA.

 

But as long as you do as the immigration people say, fill out the forms correctly and stay in line until told to move, it works really well, and much better than the shambles I have faced at UK entry airports.

 

Heads up: given you are getting married the day before we sail, if you are to take your husbands name make sure you take all documentation to support the name you will be travelling in.

 

Enjoy.

[cinta]

The last time we took a back to back (we are on your crossing in May) we got off the ship in NY as soon as allowed, this helps you to get through immigration before general disembarkation, and walked up town, taking the foot path over the Brooklyn Bridge, and got up town as far as central park, then took the metro back to Brooklyn. It was the day of the New York Marathon and you would not have known this was going on. The street market on Broadway was very interesting to see.

 

If it is your first time in New York, take a organised tour, as it will take you to most of the major sites and give you a taste of why you will want to come back.

 

You may like to check the Daily Telegraph travel site, as this as some excellent advice for what to do in New York "Douglas Rogers offers a complete cruiser’s guide to eating, sightseeing and shopping in New York."

 

The URL is http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/cruises/759430/New-York-port-guide.html

Can you tell me how long it took to get to the Brooklyn Bridge on foot from Red Hook. We have walked it before, but it would be heaven to walk to Manhatten when we are there for the day in September. We could then get a cab back to the ship.:D

Sharon PS brilliant website. We have spent lots of time in NY, but have never looked around Brooklyn. We will do it on one of our stops next time. Thanks.

[PianoManNYC]

Once ran into a NY cabbie who's English was only slightly better than my Arabic. Between us we managed!

 

Colin

 

An English cabbie in New York? Was this in a real English cab? And your Arabic was slightly better than his English? Well, perhaps he was actually Welsh.:D

[wynyardworld]

Can you tell me how long it took to get to the Brooklyn Bridge on foot from Red Hook. We have walked it before, but it would be heaven to walk to Manhattan when we are there for the day in September. We could then get a cab back to the ship.:D

Sharon PS brilliant website. We have spent lots of time in NY, but have never looked around Brooklyn. We will do it on one of our stops next time. Thanks.

 

It is about 3 mile but can be longer if you take a wrong turn. We just followed the general direction and got there with no problems, following the map the ship provided.

 

Having arrive quiet early on a Sunday morning, in what is not a great part of town, even by Brooklyn standards, we did not feel comfortable walking down the shore line path, so headed on to the main streets and arrived at the Brooklyn side of the bridge in less than an hour. We then walked up town, eventually getting as far as Central Park, then walk back down to about 42nd Street, before taking the Metro to Brooklyn and walked back to the ship: with blisters went back to the cabin, had room service, opened a bottle of champagne and watched a film, bliss. Though this year, we arrive on a Saturday, so it is to Central Station Oyster bar for lunch.

 

I would advise that you get off the ship early, in the first disembarkation, so that you do not get caught in the immigration line of general disembarkation.

[squirrelgardens]

I did a roundtrip on QE2 in 1998. A wonderful experience. Saw a few familiar faces on both crossings. Great way to see the ships really show their worth.