Help - New Jersey or New York

Hi! We are cruising the Dawn on 12/11 and are driving from Pa. Our question, should we stay in New Jersey on the 10th or New York? We know mileage is not that far, however w/traffic how long should we expect it to take to get to NY?

Any help is appreciated!

Depends on how comfy you feel about driving in City traffic. I personally live in NJ and work in NYC and hate driving in the city. Getting stuck in traffic is terrible and is a waste of my precious time! I only drive through the city really early in the morning (12am-8am) if at all possible. The 11th is a Sunday but remember in December it will officially be shopping season in NYC so traffic may be crazy no matter what. Either way, plan on at least giving yourself a full 1-2 hours to get in -- even if you are just staying in Hoboken. Yes the trip should take 30 minutes but one accident on a bridge or tunnel can change that. If money is a big issue then just give yourself extra time to get in & save on the hotel for the night.

Also you have to consider where you are parking for the night -- if you stay in NYC where is your car staying? Verify there's a hotel parking lot or an attended on nearby. If it's not a hotel parking lot plan on at least $50 for parking (that's how much it usually costs for an evening of parking).

Where are you coming from in PA??? I wouldn't even stay over if your drive isn't that long. You really can't board the ship until about noon and early morning traffic on a Sunday isn't that big a deal. If you are coming from the Ohio border that's another story. One possiblity is to stay in NJ near the Newark airport many hotels will allow you car to remain in their lot and you can cab or shuttle it over. Another option is to stay on the west side of mid-town(a little cheaper) near the pier try the Skyline hotel at 10th & 49th. They have a pay for lot next door ( a liitle cheaper than pier parking) - it's 3 blocks from the pier (I've walked it with my luggage!!!).