NYC cruise terminal parking: Handicapped?

[chapmanfam]

So I've been reading these threads for 2 days now (just discovered this past weekend) and I read a post that scared the daylights out of me:

Someone arrived at the port in NYC and was told they needed to park elsewhere because it is FULL.

We are traveling with my mom-in-law, and she has fibromyalgia, a bad back, recently broke her hip, and arthritis. This is not a woman who we need to be schlepping all over NYC.

How is cruise HANDICAPPED parking at the docks? We have a Maine handicapped placard, and we figured that we wouldn't have a problem. Now I'm not so sure.

Is anyone familiar with this?

We are now debating going in and trying to park the night before, then taking a cab in from the hotel the next day. The whole "lot is full" thing is not something DH and I need to be panicking about, what with a physically-challenged mom-in-law, and two kids (12 and 5).

Thanks for any advice anyone can give!

To quote my kids: "Three More Days Till New YORK!"

 

[skunkvette]

Cruise out of pier 88 on 8-05, and have a PA placard.

Arrived at the port at 10:15 AM, and there were no HC spots open.

There were other spots relatively close to the elevator that takes you to the terminal.

You may want to drop off part of your party as you enter the parking deck (near the elevator) while you park the vehicle.

Good luck.

 

[chapmanfam]

Thanks for the information. I'm hoping some other people respond as well, because this is worrying me.

Not fun--like I don't have enough other stuff to worry about! I do all the navigating and arranging for hotels and parking in NYC, so it's all on me to make sure we get there in time and if we can't park, it's me who has to figure out what to do next. Nobody else knows the city as well as I do, despite the fact that I always go to Hoboken and have never dealt with parking in NYC before. Unfortunately, none of them care to help me figure it out. (sigh!) Panic!!

 

[Minnie Monellen]

I suggest you contact Tom Spina (and/or the Manhattan Terminal Main Office) via e-mail with your concerns.

Manhattan Terminal Main Office
711 12th Avenue
at West 55th Street
New York, NY 10019
email: MCT@nycedc.com

Ports America
Fax: (212) 641-4490
Baggage Information: (212) 641-4477
Ports America Parking: (212) 641-4454
Primary Phone: (212) 246-5450

Tom Spina (VP Director of Cruise Operations)
Office: (212) 586-2341
Cell: (347) 672-4573

Leonard A. Imperial (VP Cruise Terminal Operations)
Office: (212) 312-3797
Cell: (347) 461-3165

 

[tupperware509]

we sail friday with you so i am going from having been reading the posts for weeks. parking lets people leave as they get off ship, then at 9am opens for new cars to park. i dont believe the lot would be available to park the night before, it seems to close once ship is ready to go. i would suggest doing a drop off for mil as suggested. dont stress, there are parking nearby if your driver has to drop you and luggage you will still be on line when they catch up. another option if you have a later boarding time and dont want to sit in the terminal, driver takes car and checked bags to ship at 9, the family and carry ons could then cab later.

we are traveling w my mil also who cant do long distances due to double hip replacement so i get your concern.
see you friday,
kim

 

[DVCMagic966]

Don't stress ! Parking is only open when ships are there so the night before would not work. What I have read about the lot being full has been for the 2 day where you will have mostly locals driving in. Not much DCL transports from the airport for a 2 day. I am sure that parking will not be a issue but I would drop MIL at the drop off with everyone and give your luggage to the porters and then go park. If it is plenty of parking within a block radius. See you on Friday too!! Now I need to go stress about packing !!

 

[chapmanfam]

Thank you for all the great responses. I appreciate the information, and feel better now that I have an email to contact (just in case) and the knowledge that the 2-day was the issue. I understand the idea of locals driving in vs. people coming by plane, hopefully LOTS and LOTS of people will come by plane and use other transport. lol!

You all rock, thank you for the replies!

Now I get to go stress about packing, too. All my clothes, even exercise clothes (gasp!) fit into my carryon-sized bag. It's all the "extra" stuff I'm trying to stuff in that's the problem: the shoe organizer, the snorkels, the food for the CMs, the water bottles that I think I might leave behind...!! Ack!

See you on the ship!

 

[Jeannie]

I'm not sure what happened with the parking for the August 10 two night cruise. There was a huge line of cars to get into the port at 11:00. We were handed the flyer that said the lot was full and had suggestions of other lots available. We parked elsewhere and when we walked up to the port about 30 minutes or so later, there were no lines, and I didn't see any flyers being handed out. Looked like parking had opened up!

The weather was iffy that morning. I'm thinking a lot of people wanted to beat the rain and/or get on the ship early, and so drove in extra early. The influx of cars might have been outpacing the number of cars leaving. Just a thought...

I don't think the fact that it was a 2 night cruise made a difference. This was our 4th weekend cruise (1st Disney, 2 NCL, 1 Holland America) and first time ever that we couldn't park at the pier. We've also taken week long cruises from NY without any parking problems.

Don't stress about this! Know that if the lot's full you can drop off your party and then go and park in another lot yourself. I figured that the calories I burned walking from the parking garage allowed dessert with every meal!

 

[chapmanfam]

Thanks, Jeannie. I appreciate the info. I am likely the one who is going to drop everyone and go park the car, since I always do that kind of stuff in place of DH, and was worrying about where I'd go if I couldn't park there. It's all a big unknown, and that's what was worrying me. I just don't know about the parking at the terminal, and I don't want to have to worry about running around town finding something. (Although that's what taxis are for!)