Cruising from NYC to where? discussion of options please :)

Hi East Coast Cruisers,

My husband and I, both early 50s from Australia are starting to think about planning our next cruise. A couple of years ago we did a Panama Canal crossing on Coral Princess, which we both enjoyed. Husband wants to do more cruising, I really want to visit NYC again, so we are thinking that perhaps we can combine a cruise and a NYC stay. I've had a quick look but am not sure about where cruises departing from NYC travel to. From what I can see the majority go to Bahamas or Bermuda - neither have really been places I have ever thought about but that doesn't mean they are off the agenda. Husband would like to go to Jamaica. We aren't tied to Princess - ie would consider other lines; we have no idea about dates yet except that we are looking maybe 18 months in advance; we would probably be looking for 7-10 days trip. It wouldn't have to return to NYC either if that gives us more variety - and now I've just thought of it, it we could also start at a different port too!

Too long/didn't read?: 2 50something Aussies looking for advice on a possible cruise 7-10 days to tack on to a NYC stay. Lots of time to plan - just starting to consider options now. What would you recommend?

There are several RCL ships to watch.

Anthem sails year round from Cape Liberty in Bayonne, NJ - 2019 itineraries are coming out this week.

Serenade repo from Boston to Ft. Lauderdale in Oct 2018 - this should be coming out next week perhaps. Very popular cruise.

Adventure is supposed to be coming to Cape Liberty for the summer season 2018, which means she will also repo to and from NJ - this should be coming out very soon.

thanks for that 138east - my Husband loved Fort Lauderdale when we were there last time and I think he would like to spend some more time there. I hadn't considered Boston - maybe we could spend some time in NYC, train up to Boston and depart from there. Is October fall? is that colour time in the North East? Perhaps a road trip might be in order - I'd love that but not sure he would be keen! But thanks, that is a start for us.

thanks for that 138east - my Husband loved Fort Lauderdale when we were there last time and I think he would like to spend some more time there. I hadn't considered Boston - maybe we could spend some time in NYC, train up to Boston and depart from there. Is October fall? is that colour time in the North East? Perhaps a road trip might be in order - I'd love that but not sure he would be keen! But thanks, that is a start for us.

The fall foliage dates are variable, but for 2017 the Serenade cruise leaves 10/20 which is within the fall foliage dates. Train to Boston takes about 4 hours from New York and can be reserved for as little as $49 for an Amtrak Northeast Regional train (http://www.amtrak.com). IMO there is no reason to pay for a more expensive train. Nonstop bus service is very frequent and even less expensive. Boston hotel rooms are as expensive as New York, so they should be reserved as soon as possible. Fall is high season in Boston and weekends are very busy with foliage watchers and college activities.

In Fall 2018, Anthem will be doing 9 night New England/Canada sailings RT from Bayonne. Those cruise should be available for booking later this week. Bayonne is a quick trip via car from Manhattan.

HAL has fall (September & October) color cruises of 7-10 days out of NYC to Quebec City (Canada). I am taking one on Sept. 30 this year.

Crystal has an LA-NYC Panama Canal, NYC-Portsmouth transatlantic, NYC-Quebec City fall foliage, and an Anchorage-NYC NW Passage

Cunard always has their NYC-Southampton transatlantic

Azamara, Carnival, Disney, HAL, Norwegian, and Princess all have cruises out of NYC and Royal Caribbean and Celebrity sail out of Bayonne, NJ

Don't discount Bermuda. Celebrity and NCL both sail from New York and you spend 3 days in Bermuda and then sail back. Or you can leave from Boston also I believe. Bermuda is a special island. Love everything about it. June is the perfect month and it will be your winter.

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Been to Bermuda from NYC several times, most recently on the NCL Breakaway. We absolutely adore Bermuda! And, sailing past the Statue of Liberty leaving and coming back is really something special. Sometimes, you can get a 10 or 12 day cruise out of NYC to the Caribbean, but they are limited times of year. If you choose Bermuda, I'd recommend going in June as hurricane season is just underway then... very few develop that early in the season.

Sadly the New York cruise market has been largely conceded to the Royal Caribbean monster ship out of Bayonne and NCL (whose approach to cruising, while loved by some, is loathed by many) out of Manhattan.

There are a few occasional Celebrity sailings to Bermuda - but that to Dockyard tourist trap. HAL sails from Boston to Hamilton, Bermuda and to Canada.

It is hard to understand why other lines do not more aggressively compete in the New York market.

Sadly the New York cruise market has been largely conceded to the Royal Caribbean monster ship out of Bayonne and NCL (whose approach to cruising, while loved by some, is loathed by many) out of Manhattan.

 

 

 

There are a few occasional Celebrity sailings to Bermuda - but that to Dockyard tourist trap. HAL sails from Boston to Hamilton, Bermuda and to Canada.

 

 

 

It is hard to understand why other lines do not more aggressively compete in the New York market.

The Celebrity Summit leaves EVERY Sunday during the season so I would hardly call that occasionally. NCL ship also leaves EVERY Sunday

Yes they dock at the Dockyard because of the deep water. It is very easy to get to the pink sand beaches, Hamilton and St George from there via public bus and ferry or reasonable taxi. Also private snorkeling, or other watersports excursions originate at the Dockyard

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Sadly the New York cruise market has been largely conceded to the Royal Caribbean monster ship out of Bayonne and NCL (whose approach to cruising, while loved by some, is loathed by many) out of Manhattan.

 

There are a few occasional Celebrity sailings to Bermuda - but that to Dockyard tourist trap. HAL sails from Boston to Hamilton, Bermuda and to Canada.

 

It is hard to understand why other lines do not more aggressively compete in the New York market.

You must be looking only at winter and spring cruises. In the summer and fall there are many other cruise lines offering itineraries from NY/NJ. In 2017 for example:

As previously mentioned, Celebrity offers weekly summer cruises to Bermuda...about 18 in all

The QM2 does about 12 transatlantics from Brooklyn

Carnival has about a dozen departures on various itineraries from NY

Oceania has 11 or 12 cruises this year from NY, mostly Bermuda and Canada

Princess has about 8 NE cruises from Brooklyn

Disney has about 10 cruises on various itineraries from NY

Holland America has 2 Canada/NE cruises from NY

So...about 70 cruises departing from NY/NJ on 7 cruise lines other than NCL or Royal Caribbean.

It's also interesting that the NCL being "loathed by many" has had two ships with a double occupancy capacity totaling well over 6,000 sailing full 52 weeks a year for many years. Sounds like the "loved by some" may outnumber the "loathed by many."

Wish there were more cruises out of NYC , we have done Hal a few times but that seemed to stop , also did Princess out of Brooklyn but that is rare, dislike NCL and Carnival and rather not ;leave from New Jersey.