NYC CRUISES PLANNING/INFO ThREAD!

[ksloane]

If a van taxi does not show up, you can always just take two cabs. The fare for one cab from Times Square to the port will be about $10 -15 dollars. If you have a lot of luggage, it might be easier to have 2 vehicles.

This is probably already on this thread but if so I missed it....

About how much would you estimate from Times Square hotel to EWR? I am an over planner and would love to have that on my budget line...

 

[sabrecmc]

You can take public transportation to LGA, but it isn't easy or convenient from the port. You could do transfers with DCL, of course. I would just get in a taxi. If you are coming back on a weekend, there will be very little traffic early in the morning. If you are coming back during the week, though, you will have traffic getting across town (LGA is east of Manhattan and the port is all the way west). Even with midtown traffic, though, the drive shouldn't take longer than an hour.

Thank you! We would definitely take a taxi, so that seems doable. Appreciate the insight!

 

[Never to old]

Hi! I have read through a lot of this thread. We are traveling from Lancaster Pa. I feel pretty comfortable taking the Amtrak to NY. I do this a few times a year to see shows. I was a little worried that the taxi wouldn't want to take people to the port. After reading posts, I feel better about that.

I just don't know what time I should book our return train ticket. Any ideas? I don't know if I should buy our return ticket in NY or if Amtrak is flexible and lets you change to a different train if we are early or later than I guess. While I would love to stay for the day in NY, I don't want to be dragging luggage all over town. I would appreciate any advice on the return train trip.

 

[SUZI]

I just heard from my travel agent:
"At this time the onboard airline check in for New York is not being offered (if you do the transfer you would also take your luggage off of the ship with you onto the motorcoach)"

Also, if anyone was interested:
Eastern Car Service quoted me $58 for a minivan with 2 carseats from the cruise terminal to La Guardia.

 

[ksloane]

I just heard from my travel agent:
"At this time the onboard airline check in for New York is not being offered (if you do the transfer you would also take your luggage off of the ship with you onto the motorcoach)"

Also, if anyone was interested:
Eastern Car Service quoted me $58 for a minivan with 2 carseats from the cruise terminal to La Guardia.

Hmm...Wonder what they'd charge from Times Square to Newark. Even though I know a cab can always be called, my compulsive planner would like to have something actually reserved/arranged....

 

[slg]

Do cabs in NY take credit cards or do we have to pay in cash?

 

[epcotrulz]

Do cabs in NY take credit cards or do we have to pay in cash?

Yes, they take CC. The swiper is right in the back seat.

 

[RedSox68]

I'm so glad this thread is here, because I have never been to New York before, and we're sailing on 9/2! I have lots of newbie questions and would love some advice!

1. We're flying from Memphis to LGA the day before the cruise. Anyone know of a good hotel near that airport that we could get shuttle service to the port from on the morning of the cruise? If not, what's the easiest way to get to the port the next morning? If we decided to stay in a hotel near Times Square instead, how would we get to the port the next morning?

2. When we get off the ship, we are staying for two more nights and would like to do some sight-seeing. We are DVC members and would like to do an RCI exchange--has anyone had any luck using their points in NYC? I've tried calling member services several times and nothing is ever available...what's a good time window to check into this again? If we are unable to use DVC points for those two nights, where's a good place to stay for under $200/night, or does something like that even exist?

3. We want to see Wicked on Broadway but don't want to pay full price for the tickets, nor do we want to spend hours in line at TKTS (or whatever it's called ) the day of the show. Where's a good place online to get tickets ahead of time for a good discount?

4. If we do one of the sight-seeing tours like NYC city pass or a bus tour, what's a good one to do? I'm assuming we'd have to take a taxi to the tour company and then when we're done touring we'd take another taxi back to our hotel?

5. Getting back to the airport on the day we fly home--do any hotels provide shuttle service back to LGA or do we need to take a taxi again?

Just trying to plan for how much $$ I'll need to have for cabs and incidentals related to travel!

Sorry so long...hopefully this will be enough info to get me started--it's right around the corner!

Wicked is still considered a prime play and tickets are rarely discounted and often times very hard to get. Once in a great while they will run a promo. A great site to check is www.playbill.com. Sign in as a member and a lot of plays have specials for members that are some great deals (like orchestra half price). I would HIGHLY recommend "War Horse" and "Million Dollar Quartet". Excellent shows and both won the Tony. Playbill will also give you descriptions and location with nearby restaurant suggestions

Another good site is www.broadway.com.

 

[Mickey4us]

We are cruising June 17th and coming in the night before. We are from Cincinnati and the Reds will be playing the Mets the 16th, so we are planning on seeing the game. Question is: I found a hotel called the Corona (?) that lists as being 1 block from CitiField...does anyone know this hotel and if it is clean and safe?? Or should we stay closer to LGA and get the the ballpark another way? The hotels that I've found close to LGA list CtitField as being 1.5 miles away? Any advice would be MAGICal !!!!!

 

[cindy18]

We are cruising June 17th and coming in the night before. We are from Cincinnati and the Reds will be playing the Mets the 16th, so we are planning on seeing the game. Question is: I found a hotel called the Corona (?) that lists as being 1 block from CitiField...does anyone know this hotel and if it is clean and safe?? Or should we stay closer to LGA and get the the ballpark another way? The hotels that I've found close to LGA list CtitField as being 1.5 miles away? Any advice would be MAGICal !!!!!

Well, first off, were you planning to stay near LGA anyway, or would you have stayed at a hotel in Manhattan? There is a train (the 7 train) that goes from midtown (easiest pick up location is Grand Central Station) out to CitiField, and back, obviously. A lot of people get to Mets games that way. I think you can also take the Long Island RailRoad from Penn Station to CitiField. So it would be easy to get to and from the game on public transportation from Manhattan. I've never heard of The Corona. If you had been planning to stay near LGA anyway, I'd call some of the hotels and ask if they do shuttle service to CitiField. You would not want to walk it.

 

[Mickey4us]

Thanks for the idea of a shuttle! Never thought of that... We were planning on staying near LGA so as to avoid paying for transportation to a hotel and then in the morning catching a cab to the port.

 

[ksloane]

Thanks for the idea of a shuttle! Never thought of that... We were planning on staying near LGA so as to avoid paying for transportation to a hotel and then in the morning catching a cab to the port.

I'm on the same cruise, but too tired to head over to the meet thread as I'm heading to bed right now, but I wanted to mention if you haven't joined our meet thread you should! We'd love to have you!

 

[st8y]

We are driving in from Canada and would like to stay just north of NYC and drive in to the port the morning of the cruise. Where is the best place to stay that would be an hour or so drive from the port?

 

[gometros]

We are driving in from Canada and would like to stay just north of NYC and drive in to the port the morning of the cruise. Where is the best place to stay that would be an hour or so drive from the port?

Assuming you're coming down the NYS Thruway, there is a Crowne Plaza just off of exit 14B in Suffern, NY. That puts you 40 minutes to an hour from the port, depending on traffic. I wouldn't expect much traffic on a Saturday morning. From there, you would get back on the Thruway to exit 12, Palisades Interstate Parkway and head south to the George Washington Bridge to the West Side highway which brings you right to the port.

 

[slg]

Okay disers, I need to be put out of my misery. I can't decide whether to rebook a transfer from LGA to our hotel near Radio City, or to just wait and take a taxi. The issue is we are a family of 5, so we have to wait for a van taxi, or take 2 taxis (which I don't like to do as I don't like to be separated from DH!).

How often do these van taxis come around? If I book a transfer, who should I use? I'm not sure why I'm agonizing over this...its pretty minor in the scheme of things, but somehow I can't make this last decision! From Hotel to port we're going to ask the hotel to book us a van and from ship to airport we're going to take one of the NY excursion/transfers from the ship.

So, advice?

 

[Minnie Monellen]

Okay disers, I need to be put out of my misery. I can't decide whether to rebook a transfer from LGA to our hotel near Radio City, or to just wait and take a taxi. The issue is we are a family of 5, so we have to wait for a van taxi, or take 2 taxis (which I don't like to do as I don't like to be separated from DH!).

How often do these van taxis come around? If I book a transfer, who should I use? I'm not sure why I'm agonizing over this...its pretty minor in the scheme of things, but somehow I can't make this last decision! From Hotel to port we're going to ask the hotel to book us a van and from ship to airport we're going to take one of the NY excursion/transfers from the ship.

So, advice?

Why not get a car service like Dial 7 (777-7777) to pick you up at the airport?

Most of the SUV style taxis that I've seen only have room for four passengers.

 

[slg]

We don't have a cell phone that works in the states, so I guess I'd have to phone at the airport. Is there a place or company I can call? I don't really know anything about New York.

 

[Minnie Monellen]

We don't have a cell phone that works in the states, so I guess I'd have to phone at the airport. Is there a place or company I can call? I don't really know anything about New York.

Here's the website:

http://www.dial7.com/

 

[st8y]

Assuming you're coming down the NYS Thruway, there is a Crowne Plaza just off of exit 14B in Suffern, NY. That puts you 40 minutes to an hour from the port, depending on traffic. I wouldn't expect much traffic on a Saturday morning. From there, you would get back on the Thruway to exit 12, Palisades Interstate Parkway and head south to the George Washington Bridge to the West Side highway which brings you right to the port.

Do you think Yonkers would be ok, as well? And what about parking? Should we just drive and park at the pier or try for a shuttle/train?

We are on the May 25th sailing!

 

[HermanTriplets+1]

Do you think Yonkers would be ok, as well? And what about parking? Should we just drive and park at the pier or try for a shuttle/train?

We are on the May 25th sailing!

Hi! I used to live in that area, and I have to say, my first reaction was "Yonkers? Why would anyone want to stay in Yonkers?". No offense to anyone who lives in Yonkers! If it's really just to sleep a night and continue on, then go with a known hotel chain and it will be fine. Personally I would look at places just a bit before Yonkers. You cross over the Hudson River at the Tappan Zee Bridge. There are surely good hotels in the Tarrytown or White Plains area. That is, about 10 minutes North of Yonkers (further from NYC) but much nicer areas. That's where I would look.
Good luck with the planning!