Megabus or Greyhound to NYC for a Manhattan cruise departure?

Going on a solo cruise in October with Carnival so it doesn't really make sense to drive up. I'm looking at taking one of the local bus options, but not sure which one would work best.

The Megabus is closer to my home, but has much fewer runs. It appears to have different pick up and drop off locations.

Greyhound is a bit further from my home, but probably manageable. They have more runs and I have taken it before, it's inside the port authority.

I will likely have a backpack and one larger suitcase with me, so thinking I would take a taxi from wherever the bus drops me off to the cruise terminal.

Any recommendations or tips on how to best do this?

On the return trip, I'm thinking of possibly dropping my suitcase off at one of the luggage places and exploring New York for a few hours before leaving, does one company or other offer me better flexibility if I'm booking tickets in advance (like if I want to leave on an earlier bus or need to leave on a later bus)?

We've use Mega to get to NYC for cruises a few times in the past with only a few hiccups (our bus got hit and we had to wait 45 minutes for a new mirror). We've never had an issue with stowing luggage and just took our carry-on with us on the bus.

The buses do drop-off and pick-up in different locations in NYC because it is otherwise a ridiculous mess, but we've never had trouble catching a cab to the port. They aren't normally very flexible in terms of leaving early or late, at least not in our experience. We leave ourselves enough breathing room on time to make sure that if a minor delay happened on the way to the city (traffic on the Turnpike) that we can still make the ship. We also do the same coming home in case the ship is late into port.

I guess it depends on where you're coming from, but I think all the Mega bus stops in Manhattan are within a few of blocks of Port Authority (which is where Greyhound will end). You would have no problem snagging a cab and depending exactly where you are discharged, you could maybe walk to the cruise ship terminal. I have from Port Authority. Depending on what time and how far in advance you book Megabus (I sometimes go to Manhattan for $3 compared to what Greyhound charges ..$42), I'd go with Megabus. Make your return on Megabus late in the day and explore the city for a while.

I guess it depends on where you're coming from, but I think all the Mega bus stops in Manhattan are within a few of blocks of Port Authority (which is where Greyhound will end). .

Not that close.... though MegaBus does stop IN the PA Bus Terminal for three of its routes all others it does not go there.

Megabus arrivals are located at the intersection of 7th Ave and 28th St. Departures for Binghamton, New Brunswick, Princeton and Atlantic City are located in the Port Authority Bus Terminal. Please be sure to follow the instruction included on your confirmation if you are traveling to Atlantic City, New Brunswick, Princeton or Binghamton.

https://us.megabus.com/busstops.aspx

Well...I guess it's subjective, but I would consider 7th Ave and 28th St WITHIN A FEW blocks of PA.

Well...I guess it's subjective, but I would consider 7th Ave and 28th St WITHIN A FEW blocks of PA.

I wouldn't. Especially with luggage or if it's very hot, cold, or wet. It's nearly a mile walk on very crowded sidewalks.

Well, there ya' go...it's subjective. The last time I was at the PA, it was at 8th and 37th and yes, I WOULD consider 7th and 28th within "a few blocks" of PA.

Ya, in the scheme of things in NYC I'd also consider 28th and 7th within the basic same area as PA. I don't think it's as much as mile distance, but regardless.... OP, if you do take the Mega, you'll have no problem getting a cab if you are discharged in or around 28th and 7th.

Well, there ya' go...it's subjective. The last time I was at the PA, it was at 8th and 37th and yes, I WOULD consider 7th and 28th within "a few blocks" of PA.

I've only been going to NYC for 25 years, and I've always known PA to be between 40th and 42nd streets. It's still close to a mile and I still wouldn't want to lug luggage on those sidewalks and streets if it was hot, wet, or very cold out.

Boston and NY will never see eye to eye :p

Well, there ya' go...it's subjective. The last time I was at the PA, it was at 8th and 37th and yes, I WOULD consider 7th and 28th within "a few blocks" of PA.

Maybe you're thinking of Penn Station. The PABT is in Times Square 42nd Street between Eighth and Ninth Avenues. 28th Street is not a few

Maybe you're thinking of Penn Station. The PABT is in Times Square 42nd Street between Eighth and Ninth Avenues. 28th Street is not a few

Maybe not to you, but to those people used to walking in Manhattan it easily could be considered just "a few". To me anything a mile or under in Manhattan is nothing, and this particular walk is .8 at most. Heck when I was young, I'd walk for miles and miles in Manhattan in the course of a day. My wife once walked the entire length of Manhattan. I think those of us who were raised in the city rather than the car-dependent suburbs have a whole different perspective on walking in Manhattan.

Went into the city the other day. Walked from WTC memorial to Grand Central. Didn't consider that extraordinary, but ya', it's not exactly "around the corner". But after that, I still consider 28th-ish, in the neighborhood of PA. We've walked from PA to the cruise terminal and yes, with luggage! So again....it's all subjective. But back to OP's question, which is really the purpose of this tread and not for a couple of people to yip over who's right and who's not...if Megabus is way less $$$$$, take it.

Maybe not to you, but to those people used to walking in Manhattan it easily could be considered just "a few". To me anything a mile or under in Manhattan is nothing, and this particular walk is .8 at most. Heck when I was young, I'd walk for miles and miles in Manhattan in the course of a day. My wife once walked the entire length of Manhattan. I think those of us who were raised in the city rather than the car-dependent suburbs have a whole different perspective on walking in Manhattan.

I will be making multiple walks this weekend from TriBeCa to the theater district. But the weather will be temperate and I won't be lugging luggage!

I personally found the MegaBus more comfortable than Greyhound - especially if you reserve the facing seats with the table and cupholders. If you have to take a taxi to the cruise terminal either way, you might as well enjoy the longer bus ride.

I will be making multiple walks this weekend from TriBeCa to the theater district. But the weather will be temperate and I won't be lugging luggage!

I was talking about distance. Apparently a similar distance is fine for a walk when you're doing the walking, but not anyone else.

Where did I mention one word about weather, which can be good or bad at any time of the year? By the way, the forecast for Sunday calls for temperatures in the high 80's with the chance of thunderstorms. Temperate means mild...this weather forecast calls for hot, humid and a chance of rain, so maybe you should be prepared to take a taxi too. How do you know what the weather is going to be on that day in October when the OP arrives. It could easily be "temperate" on October 4. You're talking like the OP is traveling in the middle of winter.

And most people have wheeled luggage, which makes walking with it far less of a problem.

Maybe not to you, but to those people used to walking in Manhattan it easily could be considered just "a few". To me anything a mile or under in Manhattan is nothing, and this particular walk is .8 at most. Heck when I was young, I'd walk for miles and miles in Manhattan in the course of a day. My wife once walked the entire length of Manhattan. I think those of us who were raised in the city rather than the car-dependent suburbs have a whole different perspective on walking in Manhattan.

Ok are you talking to me? I was raised and work in nyc my entire life. With that said, visitors to nyc would take "few" to mean exactly what the dictionary states as a few.

Ok are you talking to me? I was raised and work in nyc my entire life. With that said, visitors to nyc would take "few" to mean exactly what the dictionary states as a few.

Since I quoted you I was addressing your post.

The definition of the word "few" is not quantifiable. Few isn't defined as "less than some specific amount", it's less than some vague amount that resides in the mind of the person who used the word.... such as "not many, but more than one" or "a small amount". To me, it's a few blocks, to you it isn't. Those are our opinions, not some mathematical fact, and the whole point of my post was that in my opinion most native New Yorkers of reasonably sound physical condition would consider that a few blocks. You're free to have a different opinion, just don't make up some definition that doesn't exist.

You guys lost me a bit there, heh.

I booked another cruise for next week :eek:!

Only option is the Greyhound because the Megabus NY route doesn't seem to start until mid Sept (college town). I'm leaning towards Greyhound for the October trip too, not much savings with Megabus, but I'll have to try them in the future for a different trip.

You guys lost me a bit there, heh.

I booked another cruise for next week :eek:!

Only option is the Greyhound because the Megabus NY route doesn't seem to start until mid Sept (college town). I'm leaning towards Greyhound for the October trip too, not much savings with Megabus, but I'll have to try them in the future for a different trip.

Have a great time! How are you planning to get to pier? If you are walking look for ninth avenue exit. If you want a cab the cab stand is on 8th avenue

Have a great time! How are you planning to get to pier? If you are walking look for ninth avenue exit. If you want a cab the cab stand is on 8th avenue

Thanks and thanks for the tip, think I will most likely cab it.

I think I kind of remember people saying to get dropped off at the departures area instead of the congestion of the arrivals area? Will the cabbie know what I am talking about or is there an address I can give for that?

Thanks and thanks for the tip, think I will most likely cab it.

 

I think I kind of remember people saying to get dropped off at the departures area instead of the congestion of the arrivals area? Will the cabbie know what I am talking about or is there an address I can give for that?

Carnival normally uses Pier 90, which is at 12th Ave and 50th St.

Have the taxi driver drop you at the corner of 12th Ave (northbound) and 50th St. You can then cross the street (12th Ave is very wide and busy so use the crosswalk and make sure the traffic light is in your favor). The street level gate to Pier 90 will be right there. If you do that you'll avoid the line of traffic waiting to use the motor vehicle entrance to the cruise terminal, which is located at 12th Ave. and 55th St. It will save you some time and the taxi meter won't be ticking away running up the fare while waiting in traffic.

Just wanted to update in case anyone else ponders this same question. I ended up using Greyhound for both my cruises. First cruise, I bought the round trip fare and got to the port authority much earlier than I thought. It was a $20 change fee to get on the earlier bus, so I just waited since $20 was about 1/2 my roundtrip fare to begin with.

On my second cruise, I bought one way ticket to NYC and just bought the return fare when I got to the port authority. Ticket cost about $10 more this way (as oppose to having bought a round trip fare to begin with).

Glad I went with Greyhound as it was rainy arriving and departing for both cruises!