1st timers - need newark hotel for pre cruise

Hi We're 2 Adults flying into Newark Airport from London on eve of 30th Oct 2014. Will need transport to a hotel - suggestions ? (perhaps hotel will give complementary transfer? ) which could possibly be easy to get into New York for the day of 31st for some quick site seeing. Then will need a transfer to Cape Liberty for our cruise on 1st November. Thanks everyone

Will also need recommendations for hotels please

Hi Royjan. I am on the same cruise. What is your hotel budget?

Newark is basically a do-it-yourself airport as opposed to a Florida Cruiseport. All the airport hotels offer a free airport shuttle, but you have to tote your luggage on the monorail to the P4 stop to get the hotel shuttles.

It will cost you $25/rt to take the train from the Newark Airport station to NYC and will take about an hour. You will need to arrange your own transportation to the port using a car service.

The Newark Penn Station Hilton is showing at $169 on aa.com for your dates. This hotel offers an airport shuttle, but it is located in downtown Newark across from Newark Penn Station where you can get a train to NYC for $10/rt ($5 if you are 62+) at about 30 min. There are airport hotels that are showing for less money but about double the travel time into the city.

Have you joined our roll call? There are a lot of experienced Explorer cruisers and there could be opportunities to share port transportation plus a lot of cruise info.

Hi Carol

Thanks for your reply. I was under the impression that aa.com was purely for Americans ?

Jan

Aa.com is the American Airlines website. I don't know if it is limited to Americans. American is a large international airline and I would think they would provide options for their many non US customers.

I checked the Newark Penn Station Hilton web site directly and I am seeing the same $169 rate + tax. The prepay rate is $143 + tax.

You are early enough that the hotels are still offering good rates directly and have not put their rooms out on the consolidator web sites. So I would advise checking the hotels I mentioned plus the Marriott Courtyard Elizabeth, the Renaissance, Country Inns, and the Residence Inn Elizabeth.

The problem with the airport hotels is that most of them are relatively isolated and many of them do not offer food service other than a free breakfast. The Elizabeth hotels are next to Jersey Gardens Mall where there is a food court and an IHOP and a Ruby Tuesday's.

The Newark Hilton is atop Newark Penn Station, where you can hop a NJ Transit train to NYC or take a PATH which will be cheaper. It's a relatively safe area of the city, across from Seton Hall Law School & between the NJ Pac & the Pru Center, 2 entertainment / sports venues.

You will most likely have to take a cab to the port but there will be several lined up outside for the train station.

As 138east said there are hotels in Elizabeth by Newark AP (which is actually in Elizabeth, not Newark). They are isolated.

I don't know anything about their ground transportation options but you may want to check out the Hyatt in Jersey City at Exchange Place. This offers a great view of the NY skyline & is atop another PATH Station for easy commute into NYC. Again you will need a cab to the port. Rooms there usually run about $250 per night.

Do not book any hotel / motel on Routes 1 & 9.

Trish - good suggestion about Jersey City. I'm sure the Marriott Courtyard and Candlewood Suites would be in the $250 range. Path would be the Newport stop for easy access to both midtown and downtown NYC and the light rail would be right there for easy and cheap access to Bayonne via the light rail and cab if Royjan can manage the luggage. This would help offset the cost of a cab from the airport.

Royjan - could you narrow down your budget parameters, what your high level NYC plans are, and any other considerations. One advantage to Jersey City is that there is shopping in the Newport area. Clothing is tax free in NJ whereas in NYC it is a 8-9% tax rate. I understand foreign visitors can get this rebate, but it's got to be a PITA to do so. The Newport area has stores that are open until 9:30 pm and there are restaurants within walking distance. As Trish mentioned some of the hotels have a great view of the skyline. I think one of the hotels has a bar/ restaurant on the top floor and you don't have to be a guest of that hotel to take advantage of it.

+1 for the newark penn station hilton. its right above newark penn station and its an easy train ride from there to new york city. I would just take a cab from the airport to hotel and from hotel to port.

Hello, have virtually the same question - looking for a 2 to 3 star hotel/motel, for April 5th Explorer OTS departure. A couple specifics in my case:

plan to arrive late at EWR night before, go straight to hotel, sleep in and than to port next am. There will be 5 of us.

- any hotel that offers free shuttle (at least from EWR)?

- for 5 of us (will minimize luggages), need 2 cabs or any other more economical way b/w port- hotel - airpot?

-

Hi all,

Yes very similar to Dan in a way - won't be landing at Newark Airport until 11.15pm so just sleep that night. The following day will just see a few places in NYC (never been before but will hopefully go just to New York another time). Looks like we will get the shuttle from the airport that night, then the train into NYC the following day - so will need to look at the route for that . (This is why we've been looking at the Newark Penn Station Hilton as its very close proximity to the station) then morning of the 1st make our way to the port preferably as cheap as possible !

Dan - let me look. Five people is more of a problem. What's your budget?

You do not want to stay at a "motel" at Newark Airport and definitely do not want anything less than a 3* unless it's Country Inns. Newark is a highly urban industrialized area and you MUST be selective about your hotel.

Royjan,

If you stay at the Newark Penn Station Hilton, you can take Path from Newark Penn Station to Exchange Place in Jersey City and transfer to the light rail to 34th St in Bayonne where you call a cab to the port. Path costs $2.50/pp and the light rail is $2.10/pp and the cab is $10-12. This is an easy trip if you can roll your luggage - I have done a variation of this trip and had no problem. There is an elevator at Exchange Place to the street level and the entry on and off the light rail is even - no steps. After 9 am this would be an uncrowded journey with plenty of seats. Your other choice is to take a cab to the port for $50-60.

Dan - let me look. Five people is more of a problem. What's your budget?

 

You do not want to stay at a "motel" at Newark Airport and definitely do not want anything less than a 3* unless it's Country Inns. Newark is a highly urban industrialized area and you MUST be selective about your hotel.

Carol,

if 5 can stay in one room - up $200, else $120/room x2 rooms? I am flexible to the budge, but wants something economical.

Thanks,

Thanks so much for that info Carol - have 2 great options there and will decide on that a bit nearer to the time. Re the hotel I now can't find it on the aa.com site ! gggrrrrr Perhaps I'm getting a bit tired or it could be full up and not showing ?

Hi all,

 

Yes very similar to Dan in a way - won't be landing at Newark Airport until 11.15pm so just sleep that night. The following day will just see a few places in NYC (never been before but will hopefully go just to New York another time). Looks like we will get the shuttle from the airport that night, then the train into NYC the following day - so will need to look at the route for that . (This is why we've been looking at the Newark Penn Station Hilton as its very close proximity to the station) then morning of the 1st make our way to the port preferably as cheap as possible !

coming from the airport you could take the airtrain to the newark airport NJ transit train station and take the NJ trasit train to Newark Penn Station and the hilton is right there.

Carol,

if 5 can stay in one room - up $200, else $120/room x2 rooms? I am flexible to the budge, but wants something economical.

 

Thanks,

I am so relieved about your budget. Rooms accommodating five people at Newark Airport are super scarce. Please look at the Marriott Courtyard Elizabeth which I am seeing for $169 + tax for five people and book it immediately. This hotel is very popular with cruisers and gets excellent reviews.

The only other option I found is Howard Johnson's which has disgusting Trip Advisor reviews and I could not in good conscience recommend it to you.

For port transportation you can call Independent driver - 888-816-0973 about 4-6 weeks out. Transportation should be in the $60+ tip range for the five of you.

Thanks so much for that info Carol - have 2 great options there and will decide on that a bit nearer to the time. Re the hotel I now can't find it on the aa.com site ! gggrrrrr Perhaps I'm getting a bit tired or it could be full up and not showing ?

Royjan - my advice to you is to lock in a cancellable reservation NOW at the Newark Penn Station Hilton. Prices change all the time and this is an excellent deal that is available directly on the Hilton web site. If you see a deal for an airport hotel on aa.com and it is cancellable, I would book it as well even if you have to pay for it now.

I'm staying in Newark in Jan and I made the mistake of not securing a good deal reservation when I first saw it. It worked out OK in the end, but I learned my lesson - don't bother even looking at hotels if you're not prepared to make a cancellable reservation.

I am so relieved about your budget. Rooms accommodating five people at Newark Airport are super scarce. Please look at the Marriott Courtyard Elizabeth which I am seeing for $169 + tax for five people and book it immediately. This hotel is very popular with cruisers and gets excellent reviews.

For port transportation you can call Independent driver - 888-816-0973 about 4-6 weeks out. Transportation should be in the $60+ tip range for the five of you.

Carol

Just booked the Marriott at the price you listed, thanks. Will check Indep. Driver when time comes. For post cruise, we are going to NYC for 2-3 days(planning stage), is a car service our best choice for transfer from port to midtown or whereever in NYC?

A car service is your best option to go into NYC. Price Independent Driver, Dial7 and Carmellimo.

Rooms for 5 are also scarce in NYC as well. I would be looking now.

I checked the Marriott properties and I'm seeing the Courtyard in Jersey City for 5 for $209 + tax or $229 incl breakfast with kids under 12 eating free. This hotel is located near the PATH Newport station and would give you easy access to both midtown and downtown NYC for $2.50/pp. The reality in NYC is that wherever you stay, you will always need to travel somewhere else, so staying across the river in NJ with PATH access is a an excellent option. This Courtyard is also accessible from the light rail at 34th street in Bayonne for $2.10/pp plus the cab from the port to the station ($4/pp???)

Thanks for advise Carole. I assume a similar hotel at Midtown would be much more?

I really have not put a lot of thoughts on what to do at NYC, but likely the usual touristy places. Jersey City would still be a reasonably central enough place for that?

I think a similar hotel for five people in NYC would be more. I will look around.

Meanwhile I think you should make a reservation - the rates I am seeing are cancellable so there is no down side to doing that.

Jersey City is across the Hudson River from lower Manhattan. Path is a 20 minute ride to Herald Square (34th and 6th) and a 7 minute ride to the World Trade Center.

Please do some research - look at the hotel, identify what you want to do in NYC, etc etc

What ages are your children?

I'm not having much luck with family hotels in New York. The Marriott East side starts at $301 and the Marriott Chelsea starts at $314 with the first night being slightly more expensive. The Doubletree Suites Times Square is $518 advanced purchase.

If you search on New York hotels family friendly, you will find a Trip Advisor list of family hotels. If checked a few, but they did not take reservations for more than 4 people.

Be careful of the hotel location, not because of safety but because of the ease of getting around the city. IMO I'd stay in Jersey City before I'd stay on the upper east or west sides or in certain areas of lower Manhattan.

Just reserve Marriot Courtyard, Jersey City - $199/night. thanks a million, Carol. BTW, I have 3 teenagers, will start planning activities

That's a great deal for 5 people. I think NJ will work well with older kids who have enough energy to run their parents into the ground touring NYC.

Be sure to study the PATH map so you understand your options for getting to midtown and downtown NY. The midtown train goes up 6th Ave, so it is possible to get on or off in Greenwich Village. On weekends the Path routes change as trains are consolidated. The midtown service stopping at Newport goes to Hoboken and then to Manhattan. For downtown service you have to go to Grove St where you transfer to the WTC train.

As I said, if you can manage your luggage, you can take a shuttle van to the light rail at 34th St in Bayonne and go directly to Newport. http://www.njtransit.com/pdf/LightRail/sf_lr_hblr_map.pdf