6/2/12 Disney Magic NYC - Sleepingbooty's 1st Cruise!

[Sleepingbooty]

We just recently returned from our first Disney cruise. Since I am now thoroughly mired in PDD (Post Disney Depression) I thought writing a trip report might do something to alleviate the pain - its either that, or serious meds, people!

The Cast:
Sleepingbooty: me, Rebecca - the planner and your intrepid reporter
DH: Scott
DD11: Jenna
DD8: Lucy
DGM: my mom, usually referred to as Nana
DGP: my dad, or Papa (to the girls)

The Cruise:
Disney Magic, 8 night Bahamas Cruise out of NY, June 2-10

The Planning:
I'd been wanting to plan a Disney cruise for quite a long time (who hasn't??) but my job situation had been up in the air for the past couple years, so we hadn't had the ability to plan far enough in advance to make it affordable. As late as this spring, we still weren't sure what we were going to do for a vacation this year. We had just been to Disney in December, but of course that doesn't mean we couldn't go again. We'd been going every year since 2005, so if we didn't come up with something else, that is probably what we would do.

I had recently taken a full time teaching job for the 2012/13 school year, so we wouldn't be able to go in the fall or winter. Looking at options for a summer trip, we were considering renting a beach house for a week (hadn't done that since before we discovered WDW in 05) or going to the Smokies. My cousin and her family were tentatively going to join us. I'd been doing a lot of research and picking out beach houses, but I couldn't get her to commit. So, for the heck of it, I took another look at cruise prices. I knew they would be way too high. But lo and behold: the IGT/OGT/VGT had come out for the 6/2 cruise out of NY! I'd hadn't really considered that itinerary before, because I'm not a huge fan of the Bahamas, but the price was right!

We quickly booked a cat 9 OGT and convinced my parents to book as well. That was a bit of a tough sell. They've cruised quite a bit on Carnival and Royal Caribbean, and even the VGT prices were quite a bit higher than they are used to paying and a balcony is a must for them. We guilted them into it (you don't want to miss your granddaughters' first cruise, do you??!)

At this point, we only had about 6 weeks to plan a trip! I'm used to having at least 6 months. Plus, we'd be going to a city we were unfamiliar with and cruising was new to us as well. To say I was frantic was an understatement! But, it was a good thing, because I had plenty to do to make the time go by fast!

I decided after looking at our airfare options that we should definitely fly in the day before. At all the airlines I looked at, there was only one flight that would get us in in time. What if there was a delay or cancellation? I did NOT want to take that chance! So I booked non-stop flights from St. Louis to Newark for Friday, June 1st arriving at 2pm. We are used to flying Southwest, but that was ridiculously expensive, so we went with United. I was not looking forward to paying for bags!

I got on the boards here and at Cruise Critic, and at Trip Advisor to do some New York research. I had to figure out where to stay, how to get to the hotel from the airport, what to do during our brief time in NY, and how to get from the hotel to the port the next day.

We decided on the Jersey City area because of the cost and ease of transportation into the city. I got a great deal on Hotwire at the Westin Hotel for $116!

I did go ahead and reserve a car service to take us to the hotel. We were arriving at 2pm, and I was unfamiliar with the airport, and I was worried that it might take us a long time to get a cab. We reserved a van for $58 from Carmel Limo. That was the smallest (cheapest) vehicle that could take 4 people and 5 suitcases.

As for sightseeing in New York, we figured that with the small amount of time we had, it would be best not to try to plan anything, but just to wing it. We'd take the PATH train into midtown, and walk up to Times Sqare, do a bit of shopping, find somewhere to eat, and head back to the hotel.

We decided not to book a car to the port, as our hotel said it would be no problem to get one in the morning. With all that planned, It was time to do some shopping for clothes ("Where's my cabana wear??" - who said it?) and work on magnets, a fish extender, and fish exchange gifts. Fun fun fun!!!

Next: Day 1 - The Big Apple

 

[Toria]

joining in! I would love to visit NYC just to shop.

 

[vickxo]

we were on the same sailing looking forward to reading about your trip!

 

[Carol36]

...enjoying.

 

[KristiMc]

Joining in Rebecca. I love reading trip reports from the same cruise I was on. I need to get my report going.

 

[cheryllarsen]

I go through post Disney depression as well. :/

 

[cheryllarsen]

Still can't wait for my cruise in Sept.

 

[Sleepingbooty]

joining in! I would love to visit NYC just to shop.

Definitely wished that we had more time in NYC!

we were on the same sailing looking forward to reading about your trip!

I saw your report - beautiful pix!

...enjoying.

Thank you!

Joining in Rebecca. I love reading trip reports from the same cruise I was on. I need to get my report going.

Hi Kristi! I don't think we ever got to talk at the meet, but I saw you on the ship a few times from afar and always meant to try to catch up. 8 days goes by so fast!

I go through post Disney depression as well. :/

Isn't it the worst!? Thanks for joining in!

 

[iloverags2]

Exciting! Last minute plans for a cruise...I love those! Looking forward to hearing about this itinerary. The Magic is my favorite ship ever of any cruise line. Hope you enjoyed sailing on her!

 

[Sleepingbooty]

Day 1: The Big Apple

What with the usual busyness that the end of the school year brings and all the planning (and shopping) for the cruise squeezed into a small time frame, the six weeks between the time we booked and the day we left went by in no time. Our cruise Facebook group (spawned from our cruise meet thread here on the DIS) really helped to pass the time, and I was so looking forward to meeting everyone in real life.

Our flight out of St. Louis was at 10:30am, which turned out to be a really good time to fly. We didn't have to get up any earlier than usual, and we had time to pack all the last minute items and eat breakfast.

We almost always fly Southwest. In fact, I can't remember the last time I flew on a different airline, but this time Southwest was far more expensive, so we were flying United. I realized as the parking lot shuttle dropped us off that we were at the main terminal - not the one we are used to. It was so unfamiliar - it was almost like going to an airport in another city.

Can you see Lucy's little tiara comb? She ended up wearing that EVERYday!

I had given the girls goodie bags the night before, so we occupied ourselves till the flight came doing mad libs, logic puzzles, and crosswords. At one point, Jenna and I got up to go buy some sandwiches to take on the plane. When we came back, a strange man had sat down right next to us and put his large collection of bags RIGHT next to ours on the floor. Mind you, this area was not crowded and there was plenty of room for him to leave a buffer zone.

Jenna and I gave each other looks, both wondering what his deal was, and took our seats. Then the man turns to me and says, "Are you going to be here a while, like a half hour or so?" And since my freakometer was on high alert I said, "No, our plane is taking off soon." I had a feeling he was going to ask us to watch his bags and definitely did NOT want to do that.

My freakometer's ESP sensor must be very highly tuned, because I was right on the money! Not two minutes later, he walked off, talking on his cell phone. Not just a few feet away, but all the way out of our gate area and down the concourse several gates.

Okay, maybe I'm a bit naive, and a bit of a rule follower, but aren't they playing that caution against leaving bags unattended and reporting unattended bags over the loudspeakers at least every 15 minutes? In this day and age of heightened security and fears of terrorism, don't most people follow this rule - or is it just me?

I kinda freaked out. We did still have about 20 minutes or so until they would even be starting the boarding process, but I grabbed all our stuff and since there was no where to sit at the next gate, we just parked ourselves up against the wall opposite. I didn't want to be anywhere NEAR that guy's 4 large carry-on suitcases. Come to think of it - why did he have so many bags? You are only allowed 2!

I made Scott go up to the gate agents to inform them of the bags. They were helping someone ahead of him and taking forever. I'm 30 feet away dramatically motioning to him, trying to get him to interrupt. I mean, isn't a potential bomb (okay, I may be a bit dramatic here) more important than some old fart's seat assignment snafu? Finally, he did butt in and inform the gate agents, but the woman he spoke to didn't seem at all concerned!

Anyway, we did manage to board the plane before anything blew up - but I never did see the guy come back.

Our flight landed about 15 minutes early in Newark. We found baggage claim fairly easy and picked up the one suitcase we had checked (we'd each carried on small rolling suitcases and tote bags) and placed a call to Carmel Limo to let them know we were ready for pickup.

They advertise all over the airport that they'll be there "in minutes" and on the phone they told us they would be there in 5-10. After waiting 20, I called back and was told they were having trouble locating a van. They asked if I thought we could fit in a Town Car. I said yes, but according to there website we couldn't, or I would have booked that. You had to select the number of passengers and number of bags and then you were able to select the car type - but only the types that could accommodate the selections you made were visible.

Another 10 minutes go by and our Town Car finally arrived. Of course, our 5 suitcases and assorted tote bags fit easily in the trunk. Twenty minutes later, we arrived at our hotel, The Westin Newport-Jersey City. Our driver said the total was $58. I knew that the van we had actually booked was supposed to be $58, but the Town Car that we were not able to book but end up with was only $43. I argued this, but the driver just said, "This is what they told me to charge. Call them." So I did. He called at the same time, and got through to someone first, and was able, after some arguing, to get the fare changed. A bit aggravating, but we did end up paying the correct price, so alls well that ends well. But - I do not think I would use Carmel Limo again.

We headed in to the Westin's beautiful lobby to check in and then headed up to our room on the 8th floor. Our room was very nice - roomy and elegant.

What I was really excited about was the view! It was gorgeous! We could see the Hudson and the skyline of Manhattan (well, at least the southern end of it). We could even see the new Freedom tower! You can tell which one it is in my pic below because the unfinished upper floors look black compared to the mirrored windows below). I'd really expected to have a view of the parking garage roof considering the low price we paid for the room.

If you don't know a lot about NYC (we didn't) it can be really daunting to plan a trip there, especially on short notice. I know, to normal people, 6 weeks is NOT short notice - but who are we kidding? I'm not normal - I'm a Disney person. I plan where I'm going to be eating 6 months in advance. So needless to say, I was a little overwhelmed trying to figure out where to stay in Manhattan. There are just so many different neighborhoods - how do I know what's nice and what's seedy? I didn't want our short stay there to end up like an episode of Law and Order.

Plus, its pretty darn expensive. I went on a high school trip to NY about 20 years ago. At that time, the area around Times Square was still pretty raunchy. However, we stayed in that area, presumably because it was cheap. It was the Hotel Edison, and I remember the rooms being tiny and very shabby. It reminded me of when the Griswolds checked in to their first hotel in European Vacation... anyway, I'm getting off track. The point is, that hotel now goes for $300 a night, and although the area is much improved, I don't know how they could have improved the hotel itself!

When I heard about Jersey City, I thought it sounded just perfect. New, clean waterfront area - nice hotels, shopping and restaurants. Plus, the PATH train was right across the street, and we could take it almost all the way to Times Square.

It sounded great on paper, but you never know. Well, it did end up to be the perfect choice, and I would not hesitate to stay here again!

Up Next: Playing Musical Trains

 

[iloverags2]

How awesome your hotel in Jersey ended up being so perfect! Nice room, great location, excellent rate. You really can't beat that! And I'm sure it made up for the limo/van/towncar snafu (hopefully it did!).

 

[Shell54]

Following along I was on the same June 2 cruise. So glad to hear you liked Jersey City. My son lived there after college and works in Manhatten now..he wishes he still lived there. It's a nice, walkable downtown..and the NYC views along the waterfront are incredible.

 

[jedijill]

Off to a great start!

I love St Charles...used visit quite often when I still lived in Missouri!

Jill in CO

 

[Coconuts]

Joining in. We are on the 8/25 cruise so I can't wait to hear about yours.

 

[Sleepingbooty]

How awesome your hotel in Jersey ended up being so perfect! Nice room, great location, excellent rate. You really can't beat that! And I'm sure it made up for the limo/van/towncar snafu (hopefully it did!).

Oh yes, it did. It was really just an annoyance - not a big deal. The hotel was great!

Following along I was on the same June 2 cruise. So glad to hear you liked Jersey City. My son lived there after college and works in Manhatten now..he wishes he still lived there. It's a nice, walkable downtown..and the NYC views along the waterfront are incredible.

Thanks for joining in! Jersey City was great - I'd recommend it to anyone visiting NYC

Off to a great start!

I love St Charles...used visit quite often when I still lived in Missouri!

Jill in CO

Wow! What a small world!

Joining in. We are on the 8/25 cruise so I can't wait to hear about yours.

You're going to have a great time - it is a wonderful itinerary!

 

[Sleepingbooty]

Day 1 cont'd: Playing Musical Trains

We dropped our bags in the room, ogled at the view for a few minutes, and then hit the street. It was already about 4pm, and we were burning daylight. Luckily, the entrance to the PATH train was only a half block down and across the street.

We bought tickets from the machine for $2 each way. This we would take to the last stop at 33rd Street which would be not too far away from Times Square, which was our destination.

The train came just a moment after we made it down to the platform and we hopped on. Umm, a little too quickly, I think - because we realized momentarily that we were headed towards Hoboken, which was in the exact opposite direction of where we needed to go!

We stared at the map, our eyes glassy and mouths open, like the befuddled tourists we were. I figured that if we just stayed put, once we got to Hoboken, the train would have to reverse and head back in the direction. Which it did. Extending our trip by 15 minutes. No biggie, the girls were excited about their first subway ride. I was surprised that the train, and platforms, were pretty clean.

We excited the train at 33rd and Herald Square. The site that greeted us as we made our way up the steps and outside was a little overwhelming - just so many people! We got our bearings and figured out which way we needed to head (okay, we started walking the wrong way at first) to go to Times Square. I noticed we were right next to Macy's. Oh! Miracle on 34th Street! This is THE Macy's! I thought that was pretty cool to see. I looked down at my little map and noticed also that the Empire State Building shouldn't be but a couple blocks away. I looked over to the right... OH! It's right there!

We walked for about 9 or 10 blocks, taking in the busting atmosphere. The closer we got to Times Square, the more strange things like this we saw:

When we made it to Times Triangle, as I like to call it, we gawked for a bit, and took a few photos.

We decided to visit the big Toys 'R Us store. In my mind, this was just to see the big ferris wheel in the lobby. The girls seem to think we were there to shop. We did a quick run through and then scooted them out of there before we were forced to part with any cash.

We continued to make our way along the street and we happened upon the Disney Store. Duh! Of course we have to visit the Disney Store! The had a nice selection of New York merchandise:

The girls were impressed that there was an escalator. The princess area on the top floor was very pretty:

But, overall, it was just a slightly larger than average Disney store. I was hoping for something a bit more like World of Disney. Also, I looked for the plain white Vinylmation Mickeys - I was going to get them for the girls and take them to guest services on the ship to be signed by the characters. No dice. I was pretty bummed about that, as I didn't have a plan B for autographs. Later, I found them in the gift shop on the ship - but holy cow, nobody told me they were $40 each! We skipped it.

After leaving the Disney store, we didn't have any real direction, and it was getting late, so we decided to look around and find something to eat. We started heading back in the direction of Herald Square and figured we'd find something on our way back to the train. A couple blocks down from Times Square, we found a place that looked interesting called The Counter. A burger sounded good to me, so rather than keep looking, we decided this would do.

The food was really good. The girls liked being able to "build there own burger" from the list of options. They also had these really amazing parmesan cheese fries. I'd really wanted to eat somewhere more authentically local, as I'm sure this is a chain, but at least its not a chain we have in our part of the country so it was good enough.

After stuffing our bellies, we waddled back to the train and headed back to Jersey.

Again, we somehow got on the wrong train and ended up in Journal Square. We eventually made it back to our stop - Newport. I'm sure if we were there a few days, we'd get the hang of the subways, but somehow it eluded us that day!

It was only about 8:00 when we got back, but I was ready for bed! The girls, however, were not. The MUST swim in every hotel pool. If we even hint that they won't be able to, it is the injustice of the century. So, we took them up to swim. I brought my Nook. I had downloaded Edward Rutherford's New York and had started it on the plane. I was really starting to get into it at this point. The girls swam for a while, then we all headed back and tucked in early.

Next Up: Embarkation Day!

 

[KristiMc]

Times Square was just crazy. We were probably around there the same time as you.

 

[st8y]

Again, we somehow got on the wrong train and ended up in Journal Square. We eventually made it back to our stop - Newport. I'm sure if we were there a few days, we'd get the hang of the subways, but somehow it eluded us that day!


We did the exact same thing, both ways! We were so lost looking that a man actually asked us if we needed help. Oh well, we got to people watch and see more of the city from the subway.

 

[Toria]

First of all, the guy with the suitcases would have led to my thermal meltdown along with the gate agent that did not care. The hotel looks very nice.

 

[Coconuts]

Good for you for even attempting the subways/public transportation. I think if it was me I never even would have made it into NYC; I'd still be lost in Hoboken. Sounds like you had a fun, low stress, walk around sightseeing day. This is something that's years off for us; I'd be too worried that my 4yo would wander off.