Opinions from New Yorkers Wanted!

[magic&buddy]

We are cruising out of Manhattan on the Carnival Miracle in April 2009. We have done this cruise before at which time we spent a few days before hand in NYC (loved, loved, loved it!). This time we will fly in the day before and leave the day we return.

 

Our plan -

Fly into Newark and stay the night before at the Crowne Hotel near the airport.

 

Our daughter and her boyfriend are going on the cruise with us and will be driving down a few days before hand and will be staying at the same hotel. We will be able to get a ride to the Port with them and will park at the port.

 

The night before the cruise when we arrive in Newark we plan to go into Manhattan to meet DD and her BF for dinner - they will be doing touristy things there. We were planning to take the hotel shuttle back to airport and then take the bus from airport (Coach USA I think) to Manhattan.

 

Does this make sense ---- Is the hotel ok? How lomg would it take to drive from hotel to port? Is this bus service reliable?

 

Opinions from those who know the area appreciated!

[DonMar]

The hotel is just south of the airport. If you are just using the hotel for a place to sleep - no problem. There is not much around the hotel that you could walk to. Jersey Gardens, a very large outlet shopping center is not that far, but you would need to take a bus, shuttle or cab.

 

As far as getting into NYC - you could take the bus. Bus transportation in the Tri-state area tends to be reliable. I would also look into taking the train.

 

From Newark airport take the monorail to the train station. From there most trains (NJ Transit and Amtrak - NJT is cheaper) going east are going to Penn Station New York. (Be aware that there are two Penn Stations - Newark Penn and New York Penn)

 

There are many ways of getting into the city from the airport.

 

Now for getting to the port - it will take you about 20 minutes - sans traffic. This area - and most of Northern NJ - is highly congested. Many people, roads/highways, cars and trucks.

[magic&buddy]

The hotel is just south of the airport. If you are just using the hotel for a place to sleep - no problem. There is not much around the hotel that you could walk to. Jersey Gardens, a very large outlet shopping center is not that far, but you would need to take a bus, shuttle or cab.

 

As far as getting into NYC - you could take the bus. Bus transportation in the Tri-state area tends to be reliable. I would also look into taking the train.

 

From Newark airport take the monorail to the train station. From there most trains (NJ Transit and Amtrak - NJT is cheaper) going east are going to Penn Station New York. (Be aware that there are two Penn Stations - Newark Penn and New York Penn)

 

There are many ways of getting into the city from the airport.

 

Now for getting to the port - it will take you about 20 minutes - sans traffic. This area - and most of Northern NJ - is highly congested. Many people, roads/highways, cars and trucks.

 

 

Thanks for your response.........as far as the hotel goes it is really just for sleeping for us.......DD 7 BF will have a car while there so they will get around ok.

 

I will look into the train a bit more........when we went to NYC last year we took the train to Penn Station........I am guessing that is the station you are referring to.

 

A question.........DH has some mobility issues and walking long distances is a problem..........if we take the monorail and then the train into nyc is there a lot of walking up and down stairs, etc?

[DonMar]

Thanks for your response.........as far as the hotel goes it is really just for sleeping for us.......DD 7 BF will have a car while there so they will get around ok.

 

I will look into the train a bit more........when we went to NYC last year we took the train to Penn Station........I am guessing that is the station you are referring to.

 

A question.........DH has some mobility issues and walking long distances is a problem..........if we take the monorail and then the train into nyc is there a lot of walking up and down stairs, etc?

 

Yes, Penn Station, NYC.

 

There are elevators and escalators at the monorail and train stations. Here is the link to NJ Transit Station to Station page. You can get details about the stations on this page too. http://www.njtransit.com/sf/sf_servlet.srv?hdnPageAction=TrainSchedulesTo

 

There will be walking from the drop off location at the airport to the monorail, then a short walk to the train platform (There are chairs in heated shelters on the platform.) NYC is a lot of walking - unless you take cabs.

[138east]

Where's the car going to be the night you arrive? Would it be available to you to drive into Manhattan? Normally, I would not recommend that, but if you have mobility issues it might be another alternative to make DH's excursion into the city more comfortable. There is lots of parking in NY - you just have to pay for it. However, if 4 of you are returning back to Newark, it would be cost effective. What day of the week and what time of day would you be doing this?

[magic&buddy]

Where's the car going to be the night you arrive? Would it be available to you to drive into Manhattan? Normally, I would not recommend that, but if you have mobility issues it might be another alternative to make DH's excursion into the city more comfortable. There is lots of parking in NY - you just have to pay for it. However, if 4 of you are returning back to Newark, it would be cost effective. What day of the week and what time of day would you be doing this?

 

 

The car will be in Manhattan with DD and BF.......they will drive us back to hotel that night. Our plan is to meet them for dinner at 51st and Broadway - we want to take them to Ellen's Stardust Diner - we had a blast there last year.

 

Any suggestions on where to park around 51st and Broadway - we know it will be pricey.

 

We will be coming into Newark around 6 pm on a Wednesday in April.

[138east]

OK - no car. If you arrive at Newark at 6, then you won't get out of there until between 6:30 and 7 pm. Since DH has some mobility issues, I would get a cab and have him take you to your hotel to drop off your bags and then on to Penn Station in Newark. Otherwise you will be toting your stuff on the monorail to get to P4 to pick up the hotel shuttle and then reversing the trip to get back to the train or the bus.

 

The NY train is $15/pp and the bus from the airport is a bit more. Perhaps someone would know how much a cab to Penn Station with a drop off would be? My guess is no more than $30-$35. Once at Penn Station, DH should have good access to the train platform. The fare to NY is only $4/pp. If you take the train from the airport, they charge a surcharge and make you go through a lot of connections to do it. In Penn station NY there will be escalators and elevators up to the station level. You will have to walk to the cab stand area which is a drive through between 7th and 8th avenue or just go out on the street and hail a cab to go to 51st and Broadway.

 

Explore this site for NY parking http://nyc.bestparking.com/#1