Cape Liberty parkers beware!!!

Hi all,

Just returned on Friday from my 5 day Voyager to Bermuda. I had read months ago about some sticky substance found on cars, but then no one had any problems in the past few months. Well, after washing my car yesterday, there was a gritty film on it. On closer inspection, it looks like paint. My guess is, that they were painting a ship in port and the spray got carried by the wind and landed on my car. I have been able to SCRAPE the paint off of the windows with a razor blade, but obviously I can't do this to the paint. My car is maroon and the paint is WHITE. I will be taking it to the body shop sometime this week to see what can be done. I tried bug and tar remover, wax, etc.... My suggestion to all those going to the port, limo, shuttle, have a friend drop you off or buy a car cover.

I was driving over a bridge at night and suddenly found something very thick and tacky on my front window that the windshield wipers were having trouble getting through. As I was alone I did not stop until I got to my destination and then noticed it was all over the car, grill, undercarriage, etc. I took it to a body shop and found out it was bridge paint, that some irresponsible construction worker had dumped a bucket and did not put up signs to warn anyone. They had to use special remover and buff it off, took 48 hours for me to get my car back which was an inconvenience. Also, when I called the State Police to report it so that some other unsuspecting passerby did not reach the same fate they were totally disinterested. I guess when its not coming out of their pocket they don't care. Meanwhile my car was brand new silver and had ugly green paint all over it. UGHHHHHHHHH! Good luck.

Just got my estimate from the body shop. $493.00. Of course my insurance deductible is $500......

Question-Where did you park? Is there only one specific area for parking? What should we expect? We are parking, it is easier than bothering family/friends, also it is cheaper to park than getting transportation from where we are. I am also wondering, how many days was your criuse? I am wondering if they charge for the number of nights or number of days? I want to put either $60 for 5 nights or $72 for 6 days. I am sorry to make you revisit the parking problem, but any info would be great. This also makes me re-think who's car we will be taking, the old or the newer one :eek: .

thanks

We did the 5 night and it was $60. My Dad called this morning, his car was parked there also. Guess what?? White paint. His estimate was $200. I think I'll take it to his guy. There is only 1 parking area. I strongly recommend taking the old car, just in case.

I think You should notify Royal Caribbean about what happened to your car? Maybe they will do something for you. I wouldn't just let it go. Its your Car and they costs lots of money today. So sorry this happened to you. Anybody else this happened too should also notify the Cruise Line. I know you park at your own risk but you shouldn't have paint splattered all over your car. This is just negligence. Somebody should take responsibility for what happened to the cars.

For those of you who are driving to Port Liberty. RCCL has FREE shuttle bus service from select locations in the tri-state area. Call them at 1-800-327-6700 and ask for the free bus transfer. You will need to give them a location (probably a park and ride area) near your home. This is what we are doing from Long Island. Using the exit 49 Long Is Expway park and ride as the departure point. They take your luggage and you don't need to do anything to get it aboard the ship. The bus we are getting is an Academy bus.

I think You should notify Royal Caribbean about what happened to your car? Maybe they will do something for you. I wouldn't just let it go. Its your Car and they costs lots of money today. So sorry this happened to you. Anybody else this happened too should also notify the Cruise Line. I know you park at your own risk but you shouldn't have paint splattered all over your car. This is just negligence. Somebody should take responsibility for what happened to the cars.

Why should RCI pay when it was the city of NY that caused it?

That sealed it-we are taking the older car. Thanks so much.

Why should RCI pay when it was the city of NY that caused it?

Exactly. I don't understand how paint from a ship can get over to a car in a parking lot especially if it's that thick. They roll the paint on. I have never seen it sprayed on. Something else caused this substance to get on the car. I would notify RCCL, not to get anything but to just let them know that this is happening. Maybe they can get to the bottom of it and try and get it to stop. This is not RCCLs fault. When you park your car, you do so at your own risk.

Call and complain to the Port Authority of NJ - not the cruise line!!! If things are happening at the port, the port authority needs to know! They would be the ones liable!

I just went into the garage to check our car and it appears to have the stuff on our windshield as well - though the body is not as bad as others claim to have. I was able to scratch the stuff off the windshield with my nail and guess if I get the power washer out this weekend it will take it off - though I definitely can't use the power washer on the body (will take everything right off down to the bare metal). If I wasn't specifically looking for it, I probably wouldn't have noticed - and, actually I didn't. I would guess that paint thinner (turpentine) would take it off as well - though again, I have no idea what that might do on the car body.

I still have the parking ticket and the lot is run by Central Parking System. However, all of the small print on the back is very clear that they assume no liability, etc., etc.

"You agree that this license does not constitute a bailment and that we are not responsible for any loss and/or damage to your vhicle and/or any personal property which may be in your vehicle during the period of this license."

I guess you would need to get in touch with the port and find out who was painting during the week and apply pressure that way.

On the ticket, it gives the mailing address as 14 Port Terminal Blvd, Bayonne NJ 07002.

You might also get in touch with Central Parking to get info on who you might contact directly at the port:

Central Parking System of New Jersey, Inc.

www.centralparking.com

Central Parking System

360 W. 31st. Street

12th Floor

New York, NY 10010

Why should RCI pay when it was the city of NY that caused it?

The city of NY caused it? Interesting - as Bayonne and the port is in NJ.

Howard

I have read about this problem before and guess it has not been addressed. I bet that all of you folks who parked in BAYONNE and had this problem did not take the time to file a written complaint with Central Parking, City of Bayonne NJ and Royal Carribean...please do since you may help us all in the future by fixing the problem. Please remember that the port belongs to Bayonne, NJ and not New York City.:)

We were driving under a bridge in Texas that they were doing construction on. The sprayer hose on the paint truck broke and our car was covered in paint. It took me a week to hunt down the company that was painting but I called them and they covered all the cost. Several other people had also called. You might want to do some research and find the responsible party. The cost was 1400.00 to get the paint off our car but it was severe.

This happend to us at Cape Liberty in May. We called RCI they had us fax over an estimate to get it fixed. They then sent us a check for the whole amount. All they needed was proof we were on that cruise. They said its paint overspray from a building they were painting

Rsinj, not sure what color car you have, but both my Dad's and mine are burgundy/maroon and it shows up well. Our cars aren't junkers either. I have a 300M and he has a Cadillac. I still have the parking ticket, but I figured complaining would fall on deaf ears. I do think though that I will type a letter and send it to all of the parties involved, RCCL, Central Parking and the Port so that they know what is going on.

As for the poster that said they roll on the paint: On a freighter that would take a mighty long time. I would assume that they would spray it as it would go much much faster, wouldn't you?

Why should RCI pay when it was the city of NY that caused it?

City of New York in Bayonne NJ.....why did you think this had anything to do with NY City?

Hmmm - think next time I'm going to drive to that port, I'll bring one of those big plastic tarps to put over the car for the week!

We also were parked there during the week of May 29, and got that overspray (or whatever it was) all over our truck. We did not think it was paint because it was like a sticky glue substance that smeared the whole windshield, we didn't notice it until it started raining on the way home and turned on the windshield wipers. DH tried everything to remove it but to no success. He ended up taking it to a body shop and had it done. I'm not sure exactly what they used to remove it, but I do know he had a hefty bill, although lower than our insurance deductible. I never even thought of calling RCCL about the damage. What kind of proof would we need to provide, that we were parked there? I may have thrown out our parking stub.

We are going again in November, I will make sure we save all documents, if we ever decide to park there again.

KB, did you call the RCL customer service #? Or another #?

Great news!! I have the name and number of the man that will be reimbusing all the cruisers with paint on their cars. For those of you on that sailing, here it is. His name is Ken Peterson, 201-823-9296. He is calling me back later today, and from my understanding, I will send him my estimate for damages and proof of parking there, either the parking stub or seapass they said will do. Please pass this on to anyone you know who had this same problem.

RK,

Reimbursing is nice but what are they doing to stop this from happening to others in the future. Their action is nice but I would rather not to have to go through the hastle of taking my car to the body shop. What is Ken's explanation of the cause and plan to eliminate it?;)

That's great, I am going to find my parking stub and repair bill, and give him a call. Also, try to find other options for parking for our Nov cruise.

As for the poster that said they roll on the paint: On a freighter that would take a mighty long time. I would assume that they would spray it as it would go much much faster, wouldn't you?

All I know is that I have never seen paint being sprayed on a ship. I have seen the paint being rolled on and they are constantly painting

we went on the voyager on the August 12-21 cruise...came back and a few days later when I went to wash my car I found white overspray all over it...I'll be making a call now that I know for sure it happened in that parking lot in Bayonne