Help Amtrak Penn Station please

We are considering taking the train from Chicago to New York for our cruise in September 2016 out of Cape Liberty on the Summit. I have several questions and would appreciate some help. We would like to stay close to Penn station as our train might not arrive until late evening, any suggestions? We would be spending three nights and sightseeing for two days. Need advise for the best way to get to the port on sunday, private car service, we are four in number.

Thank you.

Cheryl

We are considering taking the train from Chicago to New York for our cruise in September 2016 out of Cape Liberty on the Summit. I have several questions and would appreciate some help. We would like to stay close to Penn station as our train might not arrive until late evening, any suggestions? We would be spending three nights and sightseeing for two days. Need advise for the best way to get to the port on sunday, private car service, we are four in number.

Thank you.

Cheryl

What are your exact dates in Sep? That is high season and hotels can be very pricey.

Almost anything in Midtown is "near Penn Station", and you probably don't want to stay in the immediate area. What are you looking for in a hotel? What are you planning on doing for your two days? All play into the hotel decision. How willing and able are you to handle your luggage? Is public transportation an option?

For hotels: Pretty much anywhere in Midtown is going to be an easy ride from Penn Station and to Cape Liberty (on a Sunday morning; the same would not be true on a Friday afternoon). A car service will no doubt be the easiest; most commonly recommended are Carmel and Dial7, both on the internet. You can take public transportation to Jersey if you're willing and able to handle your bags on the train.

Lots of options and you'll get better answers with a little more information.

And, I see Carol's already asked the key one as I was typing: There's a lot going on in NYC in September.

Thank you...we plan to arrive late in the day on Thursday, September 15, we would rather not use public transportation with our luggage but I would not rule it out. We are thinking of the 9-11 Memorial, Statue Of Liberty, Ellis Island,and certainly some walking in Times Square etc, maybe a show and are open to all suggestions. Our cruise departs on Sunday, September 18.

Thanks again.

Cheryl

You've got options all over town. I would not be afraid of trying the Downtown/Financial District area. You're coming in on a Thursday for three nights, and that part of the city is a Monday-Friday area, as opposed to a lot of Midtown that draws a lot of weekend traffic. The UN General Assembly convenes that week; the craziness is after you've sailed, but Midtown East will start getting busy that weekend. Your hotel will really boil down more to budget than location in all probability. As a for instance, there's a Courtyard on 35th, 37th, and two on 40th. A Fairfield Inn and SpringHill suites on 37th., etc. But none of those will have suburban prices...

Public transportation (for sightseeing) is easy from either Downtown to Midtown or Midtown to Downtown. If you want to catch a show, Midtown will be better. The only thing you really want to avoid is needing to travel crosstown on Friday afternoon (or really any afternoon from around 3-7) by cab.

I have my personal favorite walking overview that will take you 2 hours to half a day, depending on stops, from the Penn Station area in Midtown.

Lots to do. You have time to plan, but you probably want to book a cancellable hotel sooner rather than later, then keep looking and hoping for something more affordable.

The two closest hotels to Penn Station are the New Yorker (8th Avenue & 34th Street) and the Pennsylvania (7th Avenue and 33rd Street). Google them and see what you think. The area around Penn is fine during the day and mostly fine at night (there are nicer areas, but you will have to travel a little bit).

We recently took Amtrak to Penn Station and stayed at the Avalon hotel on W. 32nd St. About a 2-1/2 block walk. We did it with rolling duffels - which are much less luggage then we would have if going on a cruise. I would recommend this hotel for the large rooms. You may be able to get a rate that includes a nice continental breakfast - definitely enough to get you going each morning.

If your budget allows get yourself a sleeper car on the train. Very comfortable and you will get the use of the lounge at both Union Station and Penn Station.

What is your hotel budget? Can you do two double beds or do you need queen beds? Are you 4 adults or are you traveling with children?

IMO your focus on a hotel location close to NY Penn Station is totally misplaced. It is way too limiting a restriction. Given your Sep 15-18, 2016 dates, you should be looking for a midtown hotel between 32nd and 57th St and between Madison/Lexington Ave and 8th Ave that meets your budget and will accommodate 4 people comfortably for three nights. When you arrive at NY Penn, you take a cab to the hotel.

Your dates in Sep 2016 overlap with NY Fashion week and as mentioned, UN activities. Hotel prices will be ridiculous. You're still 15 months out, but you can start looking even though a lot of bookings are not yet available. At 11 months out, you may want to check some of the airline sites for their hotel offerings.

Post back with your budget so we can comment on how realistic it is for what you need.

Just a word of warning about Amtrak. They travel on their own time schedule and are usually quite late on arrivals. We have gone cross country five times by Amtrak and have learned to accept their tardiness. We did Amtrak into NYC once for a NCL cruise and stayed at the Pennsylvanian Hotel. It is just across the street when you come up from the Amtrak arrival area. It was nothing fancy but suited us for overnight before the cruise. Easy cab ride to the NCL pier in Manhatten. Since you are travel RCCI, have you considered staying nearer to Bayonne and using public transportation to get into the city for your site seeing? Just a thought. The hotels would probably be less expensive and there are ferry rides into the city from several locations.

The Hotel Pennsylvania is right across from Penn Station. A generation and more still remember the hotel's phone number from the song title, "PEnnsylvania 6-5000", although nowadays it's spelled "+1 212-736-5000".

da-da-dut da-da-dut dah daaah

da-da-dut da-da-dut dah daaah

da-da-dut da-da-dut dah daaah

PEnnsylvania 6-5000

I am assuming that you will be taking Amtrak back to Chicago after your cruise. If you are using a taxi or car service to get from Port Liberty to Penn Station, be certain that the driver does not leave you off at the 8th Avenue entrance to Penn Station. There are no elevators at that entrance, only escalators down into the station. Dealing with more than one piece of luggage per person and having to use an escalator is difficult and, in my opinion, unsafe.

We will be needing two hotel rooms...price around 200-350 a night, location is not an issue just safe and easy to navigate from. It would be nice to have breakfast included if it is at the top end but not necessary.

Markeb I would love to see your walking tour, please.

We are getting a sleeper both ways providing one is available and thanks for the tip regarding the entrance with an elevator.

Thanks again.

OK, this is edited from earlier posts, and I finally put it all in one location. This is not a short walk, but you see a lot of things, and experience New York at street level. At some point on one of our trips, I realized that even though this goes through multiple neighborhoods in the tour books, there's a lot to see on a relatively simple route.

From Penn Station (or the surrounding area), head to 34th. Macy’s sits between Broadway and 7th Avenue. Continue down 34th through Herald Square, and you'll pass the Empire State Building. You can elect to go up the ESB, or save this for the Top of the Rock. Either way, turn right on Fifth Avenue through Murray Hill to the Flatiron Building, generally considered the first skyscraper. Do an about face and head up Fifth Avenue. Along the way, you'll pass the New York Public Library near 44th; well worth a detour! If you want to see Grand Central Station, hang a right towards Lexington and check it out; return to Fifth Avenue and continue north. You'll run into Rockefeller Center and Saks. In or near Rockefeller Center, you have the Top of the Rock, Radio City Music Hall, etc. We've been to both the observation deck at the ESB and the Top of the Rock, and frankly the Top of the Rock is better. Do one or the other as you see fit. Go back to Fifth Avenue, and directly across the street is Saks Fifth Avenue, and across the street from it is St Patrick’s. Continue up Fifth Avenue, and pick a shop or two that interests you. Amongst others, you'll pass Tiffany, which is worth a stop (and has clean bathrooms on the second floor!). At about 59th, you’ll see the Apple megastore, and across Fifth Avenue is the Plaza. You're now at the corner of Central Park. I'd cross into the park, and check out a map to get to the Mall and the Bethesda Terrace. That’s an easy walk and you’ll see a nice bit of the park.

At this point in time, check your time and your legs. The Met is right there, but it will eat the rest of your day. Across the park (and a fairly easy walk) is Strawberry Fields and the “Imagine” memorial. Not really much to see, but it is there. I'd probably backtrack to 59th and make a right to 7th Avenue, and head down 7th into Times Square. You’ll pass Carnegie Hall on the way. My personal detour at this point would be to turn down 44th and have a late meal at John's Pizzeria for some amazing New York pizza in an incredible setting. It's supposedly the largest pizzeria in the world, in a decommissioned church.

Assuming you've done some shopping along the way, you should be pretty much exhausted at this point, and coming close to your time. Check out a NYC map; there were optional turns along that route to the UN, for instance. MOMA is on 53rd between Fifth and Sixth.

From the Times Square area, continue down 7th or Broadway to Penn Station.

That’s probably 3 1/2 to 4 miles or so, depending on how far you go into the park, and will take a good chunk of the day, especially if you make stops and side trips.

Do keep in mind that places to eat, and most importantly, bathrooms, get scarce north of about 52nd on Fifth Avenue. The department stores and Tiffany have bathrooms. Eateries will generally speaking be on the side streets. There is a food court in the lower level of the Plaza.

Thanks for the info Markeb.

I would consider Staten Island Hilton. Price is reasonable and they will take you to the Staten Island Ferry, No Charge and pick you up when you call them. Its a quick trip to Manhattan and easy to get around economically. They will also take you to the Cruise Port and pick you up when you return.

Since you have to go over to Bayonne anyway.

We get the ferry at about 10:00 in the morning and take the subway back to the ferry around 8:00pm.

Of course you will have to schlepp your stuff back to Penn Station, but either way you will have to do that.

At least look at the option.

Joel

The Staten Island Hampton Inn is the sister hotel to the Hilton and on the same property. They share a shuttle with the Hilton. Hampton includes a nice breakfast with your room too and the Hampton is a bit less expensive than the Hilton. They are both in an area and share a parking lot with a medical building and a day care. Really quiet area. The only restaurant for dinner would be in the Hilton but there are several restaurants that offer delivery service to the Hampton. Their menus are at the front desk.

Hi Cheryl

just popped in hope you dont mind

i cant help with your inquiries im afraid but i hope you have a great time :)

hope you are all well

where did that last 12 months go!?

phil

so wonderful to hear from you two, we are fine. We have another year to wait for this next cruise, so time for you to join us. I hope you have had a great year and have been in good health. We sure had a fantastic trip through the Baltic made even better spending it with you two.

Thanks for popping in and please stay in touch, hopefully we will meet up again.

Cheryl

so wonderful to hear from you two, we are fine. We have another year to wait for this next cruise, so time for you to join us. I hope you have had a great year and have been in good health. We sure had a fantastic trip through the Baltic made even better spending it with you two.

Thanks for popping in and please stay in touch, hopefully we will meet up again.

Cheryl

Hi cheryl

we are fine thanks, glad you all ok , the Baltic was rather good wasnt it :)

im sure your next cruise will soon come around(not sure where you are going though) I dont think we will be able to join you this time :( as we are all booked to go to Alaska next July and will be in Seattle for the 4th so looking forward to that!!

i still have your Email addy so ill drop you a line sometime

take care

phil