Cunard New York Excursions

The zoo in Central Park is very good. We're been twice. It's not very big but then it's not very expensive either.

Hi Rob. Being a native New Yorker, I have no experience with tourist buses - I really should try that sometime. I'm not sure what Ho Ho bus you referenced...is it this

 

http://www.newyorkpass.com/En/bus-tour-packages/?aid=8&gclid=COG10KCc1b4CFSOPOgodQGIAow

 

or this http://www.newyorksightseeing.com/

 

Just to confess: I have often taken sailing tours around Manhattan on the Circle Line http://www.circleline42.com/new-york-cruises/home.aspx and many more times on the Staten Island Ferry (which is free of charge) http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/ferrybus/staten-island-ferry.shtml

 

Anyway, there are many ways to see Manhattan, at a cost from free to big bucks- such as a r/t lower Manhatten via the SI Ferry or booking a private limo tour, custom arranged (either through the Tour Office on board or through a local provider).

 

Cheers,

Salacia

 

P.S. There are interesting sights available in Brooklyn, about 10-15 minutes cab from the Cruise Terminal in Red Hook. Such as the Brooklyn Museum, the Brooklyn Heights Promenade, etc.

I was told to try the bus and see just easy it was, this was a normal city bus, we changed for the subway and then took a ho ho bus from times sq, any are good

We will probably do that if there's no satisfactory excursions available. The New York Highlights tour is wait-listed according to my VP but we weren't really interested in that one as it gets back to the ship too early.

 

Well, tomorrow's the day we board. Never done a crossing before so will be a new experience for us. 15 nights - 6 nights to cross the pond, one day in Halifax, one day at sea, one day in NY and 7 nights back to Southampton.

 

Many thanks to all who have contributed to this thread with information.

Enjoy Ray! Be my turn soon!

Do let us know about the excursions and how much time / what you get up to in NYC!

Ray, that sounds like a very exciting trip! I hope you have a wonderful time and return with many happy memories. Bon Voyage, -S.

So I thought I'd check the ships webcam, just to see how Ray's voyage was going. Looks like a very pleasant morning at sea on the QM2. Not sure if it's permitted to copy the image I see on the webcam and post it here, but I did notice this change of wording when viewing the webcam:

"....Queen Mary 2, affectionately known by customers as, QM2®" - copied from http://www.cunard.com/cruise-ships/queen-mary-2/

Now it seems we're not guests, or passengers but rather customers and the QM2 is a registered trademark. That's ok by me, but it seems rather late in the game to change to start calling us customers and adding the registered trademark after QM2. Ah well, better late than never I suppose :)

Anyway, best wishes to all on board QM2®

Cheers! -

Customer Salacia® :D

Hello all.

We were told that there aren't many people doing the round trip and the only excursions we've been offered are:

NYC123 Lower Manhattan & 9/11 Memorial. 8.15am-12.15pm. Activity level: high - $94

NYC142A New York Highlights, 7.45am-11.45am. Activity level: low. $72

Manhattan Transfer 7.30am-4pm (pick up 3pm). $50

So not many options there.

Friday morning was dull and a bit choppy but it was very pleasant in the afternoon with blue skies. We did the Walkathon.

Two lectures today - an ex astronaut in the morning and NY skyscrapers in the afternoon.

Hello all.

 

We were told that there aren't many people doing the round trip and the only excursions we've been offered are:

 

NYC123 Lower Manhattan & 9/11 Memorial. 8.15am-12.15pm. Activity level: high - $94

 

NYC142A New York Highlights, 7.45am-11.45am. Activity level: low. $72

 

Manhattan Transfer 7.30am-4pm (pick up 3pm). $50

 

So not many options there.

 

Friday morning was dull and a bit choppy but it was very pleasant in the afternoon with blue skies. We did the Walkathon.

 

Two lectures today - an ex astronaut in the morning and NY skyscrapers in the afternoon.

Whats Manhatten transfer? Is that the 3-stop? Or just a transfer to Manhatten?

Whats Manhatten transfer? Is that the 3-stop? Or just a transfer to Manhatten?

Not sure if this is too late for the one day stop over in NY, but thought I'd chime in as a former New Yorker. Since time is so limited, it would be best to confine yourselves to a relatively small area with the most attractions visitors tend to want to see. This could be the area between Broadway and 5th avenues, from say 42nd St. up to the lower part of Central Park (Central Park starts at about 59th St.). You could start downtown, see the Broadway area/theater district (not particularly interesting to me, but good to see at least once); then go up 5th Ave. to the upper 40s to see the famous stores, St. Patrick's Cathedral, and Rockefeller Center; go up Top of the Rock for a great view downtown (toward Empire State Bldg.) and uptown (toward Central Park). You can book ahead for a time slot and don't need to print tickets as they will have your name on file. Then, head on up to Central Park for a taste of some greenery and possibly a visit to the zoo, which is is at 64th St., on the 5th Ave. side of the park.

For food on the go, NY has food carts selling everything from excellent hot dogs (with sauerkraut if you so desire) to middle eastern food, so you can have a brief lunch stop without taking time out for a sit-down restaurant meal. Not sure what your activity level is, but this is largely walkable. However, given the time constraints you might want to use the buses or take a cab between some of the places (e.g. from Times Square over to the 5th Ave, shopping district). There are 20 blocks to a mile going on the avenues (e.g., if you walked on 5th Ave. from 42nd-62nd streets it's a mile); the blocks are longer between the avenues, and vary somewhat in length depending on how far apart the avenues are.

Whats Manhatten transfer? Is that the 3-stop? Or just a transfer to Manhatten?

Just the transfer from Brooklyn pier to Manhattan, which appears to take about an hour.

Thanks for the suggestions Maina. We're still tossing up between Manhattan Transfer and New York Highlights (we'll see more of NY on the latter).

Regarding Behind the Scenes Tour. I asked at the pursers desk on embarkation day and they said go to the Tour Office tomorrow at 9am. I got there at 8.40am (as suggested by some on here). I was told there were 16 places for it and 6 had already been taken by Grills passengers who get priority. There were about 5 or 6 people in front of me who were apparently buying tickets for 2. So I was told I probably wouldn't get in. A few hours later a letter was pushed under my cabin door telling me I was unlucky. So I will have another try next week and get to the Tour Office even earlier!

Apparently a wedding took place on board yesterday but we didn't see any sign of it.

Films shown at the cinema include Saving Mr Banks, 12 Years a Slave and Lego 3D.

The weather was rainy and windy yesterday with fairly choppy seas. Today is calmer.

Just the transfer from Brooklyn pier to Manhattan, which appears to take about an hour.

 

 

Thanks Ray. $50 seems very steep if it's per person! Or is it per cabin?

Thanks Ray. $50 seems very steep if it's per person! Or is it per cabin?

That would be per person.

Just the transfer from Brooklyn pier to Manhattan, which appears to take about an hour.

 

Thanks for the suggestions Maina. We're still tossing up between Manhattan Transfer and New York Highlights (we'll see more of NY on the latter).

 

Regarding Behind the Scenes Tour. I asked at the pursers desk on embarkation day and they said go to the Tour Office tomorrow at 9am. I got there at 8.40am (as suggested by some on here). I was told there were 16 places for it and 6 had already been taken by Grills passengers who get priority. There were about 5 or 6 people in front of me who were apparently buying tickets for 2. So I was told I probably wouldn't get in. A few hours later a letter was pushed under my cabin door telling me I was unlucky. So I will have another try next week and get to the Tour Office even earlier!

 

Apparently a wedding took place on board yesterday but we didn't see any sign of it.

 

Films shown at the cinema include Saving Mr Banks, 12 Years a Slave and Lego 3D.

 

The weather was rainy and windy yesterday with fairly choppy seas. Today is calmer.

Hi Ray. Thanks for the update; glad to hear all is well.

The prices offered for the Manhattan Transfer @ $50 per person seems

excessive to me, as does the price for the NY Highlights tour. Have you been told what the all-aboard time is for your departure from NY? (I know it's subject to change. Forecast includes possiblilty of rain, but no severe storms in the forecast at this time.)

Anyway, first up is Halifax! Great port! Did you book any tours for Halifax?

Regards, -S

Hi,

We will get to know the all-aboard time for New York in the daily programme the day before.

We are looking forward to Halifax and are going to Peggy's Cove in the morning and just walking around the pier area in the afternoon

Hi,

 

We will get to know the all-aboard time for New York in the daily programme the day before.

 

We are looking forward to Halifax and are going to Peggy's Cove in the morning and just walking around the pier area in the afternoon

Ray, great choices for your time in Halifax. Plus, it looks like the weather will be in your favor: sunny and a high of 72 degrees F, low of 49. I hope you get a chance to see the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic during your stroll around the pier area. :) Cheers, -S.

Ray, great choices for your time in Halifax. Plus, it looks like the weather will be in your favor: sunny and a high of 72 degrees F, low of 49. I hope you get a chance to see the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic during your stroll around the pier area. :) Cheers, -S.

And have a lobster roll at one of the small restaurants on the boardwalk overlooking the water. Delicious and something you won't find on the ship.

And have a lobster roll at one of the small restaurants on the boardwalk overlooking the water. Delicious and something you won't find on the ship.

Oahucruise, we've been to Halifax several times, and found our favourite restaurant has become a tourist trap, much to our disappointment. Next time, we'll go with your suggestion. Cheers, -S.

For those passengers who will be visiting NYC in advance of the eastbound crossing: "Throughout the day on Tuesday, June 10 and Wednesday, June 11, the filming of a TV series will take place on multiple rooftops along 6th Ave between West 43rd Street and West 46th Street, Manhattan. This activity will involve an actor simulating firing a cross bow and actors dressed as law enforcement personnel using prop guns. NYPD will be on site."

This thread has been brilliant for information in regard to excursions on B2B in New York. We have a B2B booked in August. I think for myself I would be worried about getting back in time if we don't book a Cunard excursion.

Catherine

Okay. Out of the 3 excursions offered, it appears that the 9/11 Memorial one was cancelled as only the Manhattan Transfer and the New York Highlights tours were the ones that made it to the ship's Royal Theatre meeting point.

We had chosen the New York Highlights tour and were glad that we did. The weather was bad in the morning with very heavy mist/fog and rain.

We had three stops - the first at the 9/11 memorial fountains which was around 20 minutes. The second at the Rockefeller Centre for around 35 minutes and the last at St Paul's Chapel for around 10 minutes.

I didn't know we would stop at either of the first two as only the chapel was mentioned in the information sheet. I think the stop at the 9/11 memorial was to please anyone who may have booked the 9/11 excursion but were turned down because not enough people had booked it?

So I'm guessing this excursion may change itineraries from crossing to crossing.

At the Rockefeller Centre our guide said to us that anyone wishing to stay here could do that and find their own way back to the ship in a taxi.

I think we left for the tour on time at 7.45am but didn't get back to the port until about 12.30pm (and another half our while we queued with taxis/cars/coaches waiting to embark passengers, filed all the way through the terminal and finally reached our cabin). Bad traffic in NY.

Hi Ray, thanks for the update. Sorry about the weather and traffic you experienced, it was a trifecta (day of the week + season + weather): a Friday - when many from the City are cutting out early for the weekend, especially in the summer, plus rain to make the traffic even more bogged down. Next time you visit, I hope it goes better.

Just out of curiosity, what was your all aboard time in NY? BTW, I saw the ship sailing under the Verrazano on the webcam - looked like a good photo op with the very dramatic sky. Best wishes for your continued voyage. -S