New York Cruise Port ?

[canoeny]

We are cruising on the Noordam in November. Will be staying over night in Tarrytown before the Sat. AM drive into NYC to the pier. Since it's been about 30 yrs since I have driven in NYC, anybody have any pointers on best route in? We plan on parking on the pier, how easy (or hard) is it to get to the pier? Will appreciate any info anyone wishes to share.

[bepsf]

NYC is never an easy drive....

...you sure you don't want to limo in?

[Robinsilver]

Brian, certainly no more difficult than San Fran. Its pretty crazy there too. NYC is fine on a Saturday. I'll take a look at where mapquest sends you, then give you my opinion. I presume the terminal is on the west side, so you should probably make your way down in the direction of the Gearge Washington Bridge and come down the West Side Highway.

[MBeamTX]

We are cruising on the Noordam in November. Will be staying over night in Tarrytown before the Sat. AM drive into NYC to the pier. Since it's been about 30 yrs since I have driven in NYC, anybody have any pointers on best route in? We plan on parking on the pier, how easy (or hard) is it to get to the pier? Will appreciate any info anyone wishes to share.

I'll be flying into NYC and my parents are going to do the motorcoach, but friends I've talked to say it isn't difficult to get to the Manhattan pier used by HAL. I found this map and directions, after some searching, on the New York Cruise Terminal web site:
http://www.nycruiseterminal.com/documents/Directions_MTN.pdf

Hope you find it useful.
Susan

[barbels]

The new Crown Princess and the Queen Mary, both ships owned by the Carnival Corporation are sailing out of the new dock in Brooklyn. I'm not certain, but I hope and believe that the Noordam will also be using the Brooklyn pier which is no more than 15 minutes from my house.

This is actually an easy drive from Tarrytown. Get to the Thruway and take it to the Triborough Bridege. Follow the signs for Brooklyn to the BQE- I think the exit to take is Atlantic Avenue. I'm sure that the Brooklyn Pier site will have directions from Westchester.

[Love Cruises]

The new Crown Princess and the Queen Mary, both ships owned by the Carnival Corporation are sailing out of the new dock in Brooklyn. I'm not certain, but I hope and believe that the Noordam will also be using the Brooklyn pier which is no more than 15 minutes from my house.

This is actually an easy drive from Tarrytown. Get to the Thruway and take it to the Triborough Bridege. Follow the signs for Brooklyn to the BQE- I think the exit to take is Atlantic Avenue. I'm sure that the Brooklyn Pier site will have directions from Westchester.
As Barbels noted there is a new pier in Brooklyn. We were told on our last two cruises on HAL (one in March, other in May) that all HAL ships will be leaving from this site instead of the Westside HWY docks. For us Brooklyn is harder to get to. We live in Westchester Co. and all we had to do was take down the train to Grand Central and then taxi over to the pier. Brookyln is out of the way for us but it is a lot better than taking any air flight. In May it took us 28 1/2 hours to go to Japan (the time from when we left our home until we were on the ship). UGH!!!!

[MBeamTX]

I suppose it's possible that Noordam will switch to the Brooklyn pier, but the NY Cruise Terminal web site has it still at the Manhattan pier this year. Here's a link to the calendar:
http://www.nycruiseterminal.com/sched.html

Susan

[canoeny]

My info shows the Noordam leaving from Manhatten Cruise Port on the westside near 55th st. We looked at staying in Manhatten but the prices for one night didn't seem worth it. By staying in Tarrytown, we save about $250 staying at a Marriott Coutyard. Some friends tell me (from friends of friends) that you just take the Thruway to the Cross Bornx and then down the Henry Hudson to the pier. Of course they've never been there, so I was looking for some experienced New Yorker to tell me how that might be on a Sat. Am.

Although I haven't driven in NYC in a while, I do drive a lot in Washington, DC and some times in Boston. While I'm sure NYC has its own brand of crazies, I am not too worried about the drive if I know the route ahead of time.

I would be pleased to hear from anyone with on the gound experience with this route.

[peaches from georgia]

We've driven to cruises in Manhatten several times and it was a breeze. On Saturday there is virtually no traffic in NYC as it is empty on weekends with a few cabs just cruising and taking it easy. The parking is right next to the pier- drop your bags and DW at the terminal and you drive right into the parking deck.

Print out the instructions from the Henry Hudson that MBeamTX posted and you will have no trouble at all.

[pounder207]

At the moment Noordam is still scheduled from the West Side Terminal. Come right down the West Side Highway. It ends at the Cruise Terminal so follow the signs. The only problem you may have is if more than one ship is leaving the same day. Then it may get a bit hectic. After you drop one of you off with the luggage on the second level by the embarkation pier, drive to the end of the level and drive upstairs to the parking level. The booth attendant will charge your credit card(it's now up to $24 a day) and you park on the pier directed. There's an elevator and stairs to second level.

[Joanandjoe]

Actually, the road you need to take from Tarrytown is the Saw Mill River Parkway, which becomes the Henry Hudson Parkway (aka the West Side Highway) when you cross from Westchester to the Bronx. As noted, the highway ends, and it becomes a local street, just before the cruise terminal. The signs are pretty easy to follow. Unless there's a change, Noordam will sial from Manhattan, not from Brooklyn.

Since you'll be cruising on a Saturday in November, that's the 11 day cruise. The fee for parking is the monthly fee: about $180. We'll be parking for the 11/25 cruise, which is the only cruise from Manhattan that day (both 11/25 and the end on 12/6). Are you on the 11/4 or the 11/25?

[Love Cruises]

I suppose it's possible that Noordam will switch to the Brooklyn pier, but the NY Cruise Terminal web site has it still at the Manhattan pier this year. Here's a link to the calendar:
http://www.nycruiseterminal.com/sched.html

Susan
THANKS for the information and the website of the NY cruise terminal. I'm so happy that we were given the WRONG information that HAL would be using the Brooklyn pier for future cruises. As I said in my earlier post, it is much easier for us to get to the Westside HWY terminal. Let's hope it stays this way!

[canoeny]

Great information - I appreciate the directions and descriptions of the route. It's nice to find people you can count on with good information.

PS: Joan and Joe, our sail date is 11/4. We promise to leave the ship in good shape for you on the 25th.