Direct-to-the Pier Service??? ALBANY,NY to NYC

[katybird]

Just received a caribbean brochure from HA with a insert that states we can get motorcoach from several locations to several piers.
This sounds great!
We would be departing from Albany, NY to NYC.
Has anyone used this service?
Where is it in Albany and how much does it cost to leave your car?

[tvlgrl]

I believe the cost for the transfer is approx. $35.00 per person (r/t) and departs from the Albany Park n' Fly near the Albany Airport (located next to the Wingate Inn and Koto's Japanese Steakhouse).

The parking for 5/6/7 days is $43.15 and/or 8.63 per day.

[katybird]

HA states $49 PP roundtrip on the informational sheet...not bad!

HAve you tried it?
What did you think?
Sure beats a flight to NYC!

[tvlgrl]

Maybe it was $49.00....I just remember is was under $50.00. I would say it is a better option than flying into NYC or driving on your own. With flying you have to incur the higher price, get to the airport early, then still have to take a transfer. At that rate you would be quicker just taking the motorcoach. I have not personally taking the transfer but I have sent several of my clients on it. Quick, easy, effortless. I had sailed out of NYC last year with a group and set up a motorcoach and it was great. There is something about just getting on a bus driving the 2 1/2 hours to NYC and boarding a ship. No airport hassles!! What a wonderful thing.

[katybird]

Thanks for the information.
This option will make a short notice cruise much more doable. It would be an easy 2 hour drive to Albany for us.
I am now looking at cruises out of NYC!:)

[tvlgrl]

Great choice!!! I am hearing fabulous reviews on the Noordam, but that is in Europe until the end of summer. I was actually on the cruise as well, but only for one night and was impressed. The other cruise lines offer NYC throughout the summer to the Caribbean, Canada and Bermuda....so it just depends who you want to sail on and to where. If your cruise can wait I would hold out for the Noordam to come back.

FYI: HAL is the only line to offer transfers from Albany to NYC.

[cheric]

We've sailed out of Norfolk on the Maasdam the past two years but I understand that port is no longer going to be used by HAL. The Noordam out of NY next spring sounds great. Does anyone know if there will be amotorcoach transfer from the Washington, D.C. area?

[katybird]

You're in luck!
The brochure insert I received states Norfolk Homeport departure cites are: Metro DC, Baltimore, Fredericksburg, Richmond, Springfield/Alexandria and Williamsburg. Price is from $70 pp roundtrip.

I just noticed the FROM such and such price for the price PP given for each Homeport so I guess that means it could be higher. Call HA to verify pricing.

[Sunshine91]

We took the HAL-sponsored bus from Philly to NYC for Noordam's inaugural. It was $50/pp & arranged thru our TA at the time of final payment. Pick-up/drop-off in Philly was at a SunPark near the airport. Like us, it appeared that most were dropped-off & didn't actually park there, but I suppose they could have. The SunPark offices weren't open yet, but it's possible the parking lot in the back was open (we couldn't see it so I don't actually know). The itinerary said 7:45am departure with arrival in NYC at 3:15pm?? We actually left about 8:15 & got to the pier in NYC in 2 hours. We had figured that with those listed times we'd be stopping at every exit on the NJ turnpike to pick-up additional pax, but it was non-stop. And oh, so convenient! Would we do it again? Absolutely.

[katybird]

We've sailed out of Norfolk on the Maasdam the past two years but I understand that port is no longer going to be used by HAL. The Noordam out of NY next spring sounds great. Does anyone know if there will be amotorcoach transfer from the Washington, D.C. area?

I did not answer your question previously about NY..I gave you the cities for Norfolk..sorry about that..senior moment??
I do not see a city listed out of DC for the NYC port.These are the cities offered for the NY port:
CT - New HAven, New London
MA - Boston
NJ - Burlington,Hightstown,Mt Arlington, Wayne
NY - Albany, New Paltz
PA - Harrisburg, Philly, Stroudsburg
RI - Providence

[kryos]

We took the HAL-sponsored bus from Philly to NYC for Noordam's inaugural.
Did they drop you off RIGHT at the pier and offload your luggage directly into the hands of the porters? In other words, once you get on that HAL bus, do you not again see your luggage until it arrives in your cabin? If that's the case, then this is definitely something I want to talk to my TA about.

Blue skies ...

--rita

[RuthC]

Yes, Rita, that's how it works. At least, that's how it works if all the HAL Home City Bus precedures are the same. And I can't think of any reason they wouldn't be.
Then the bus is ready right there at the pier when you're ready to go home. You mark your disembarkation notice "Home City Bus---name of city. Not as easy as a limo:rolleyes: ---not as costly, either.:eek:

[kryos]

Yes, Rita, that's how it works. At least, that's how it works if all the HAL Home City Bus precedures are the same. And I can't think of any reason they wouldn't be.
Then the bus is ready right there at the pier when you're ready to go home. You mark your disembarkation notice "Home City Bus---name of city. Not as easy as a limo:rolleyes: ---not as costly, either.:eek:
Sounds like this could be the most efficient option then. Probably the most cost-effective too. True, Amtrak would probably not cost much more, but then you have to get a taxi from the train station to the port ... which probably wouldn't be cheap.

I only need the bus one way ... the cruise I am on leaves from NYC but disembarks in Fort Lauderdale 13 days later. I already locked in a great airfare for the return ... $79 on AirTran ... but have to figure out the best way to get to the pier in New York for embarkation.

Think I'll run this up the flagpole with my travel agent and see what the prices are for one-way.

Blue skies ...

--rita

[RuthC]

I only need the bus one way ... the cruise I am on leaves from NYC but disembarks in Fort Lauderdale 13 days later.
Then this could be a different kettle of fish. My understanding is that the HAL Home City Bus is for the Noordam.

I've sailed out of NYC many times---round trip even---but have not had the opportunity to hop a direct-to-pier bus since '78. Certainly there was no HAL bus available for the NYC-trans-At's in '03 and '04.
Nor was there a HAL bus when I arrived in NYC in '01, or sailed from there in '98 and '02.

[rocks]

Hi Rita!
This was the 1st thing I asked before booking our cruise...if HA offered bus service to NY from Phila. She said that they do offer it to NY, but only on round trip cruises. Sure would have made it much easier for us!
I'm working on a list of options & will let you know if I come up with something good.
Anyone have any suggestions???
THANKS in advance!
Pat

[kryos]

Hi Rita!
This was the 1st thing I asked before booking our cruise...if HA offered bus service to NY from Phila. She said that they do offer it to NY, but only on round trip cruises. Sure would have made it much easier for us!
I'm working on a list of options & will let you know if I come up with something good.
Anyone have any suggestions???
THANKS in advance!
Pat
Thanks, Pat! I'm checking a few things here too and just for "giggles" asked my travel agent to check into the home port bus with HAL. She hasn't gotten back to me yet, though. The other option I am checking is Dave's Best Limo. Their website says that they offer direct service to the piers in New York.

I was originally going to just take Amtrak, but then figured out that it would probably actually work out to be a lot more expensive since I would then need a cab to get from the train station to the pier ... in New York traffic. So, it would be great if we could all work something out for all of us to hire some sort of van or car.

I only wish this cruise was tomorrow. With the way things have been going for me over the past couple of weeks, I really need a cruise ... like NOW! :(

Blue skies ...

--rita

[Sunshine91]

Did they drop you off RIGHT at the pier and offload your luggage directly into the hands of the porters? In other words, once you get on that HAL bus, do you not again see your luggage until it arrives in your cabin? If that's the case, then this is definitely something I want to talk to my TA about.


Rita - Sorry for the delayed response. Didn't log-on yesterday. As RuthC indicated, yes, we were dropped-off right at the pier & the stevedores unloaded the bus. Next time we saw the bags the cabin steward was hauling them into the room.

HAL contracted with Academy Motorcoach for the bus service. My guess is that they don't like 1-ways because they don't want an empty load on the return trip. We did meet a few other folks on our cruise who took chartered buses from NJ to the pier. I think they paid $60-$75 R/T, so it was more than the HAL service. They mentioned it was arranged by the TA, too, but they may have been with groups.

Hope this helps.

[MBeamTX]

We are planning to sail on Noordam in November and are very interested in the motorcoach. It would simplify things since my parents live in PA and I'll be flying in from Texas. Do we arrange this directlly through HAL or does it have to be through our travel agency? (We booked online, no human involved.)

Thanks for your help.
Susan