Car Rental drop off and pick up near Cape Liberty

I will be in the northeast visiting from Florida prior to my cruise out of Cape Liberty. As such, I will be driving a rental car down to NJ. I do not want to pay for a week of a rental car to sit in a parking garage that I'm paying over $100 for.

Any suggestions on which rental car company location (or company) would make it easiest to drop off a car on the morning of the cruise, get to the ship... then get back to pick a new rental car after getting off the ship a week later?

Most ports that I've traveled in and out of over the past 10 years have had car rental agencies within walking distance of the terminals. I didn't realize the logistics of this were going to be so difficult when I booked the cruise.

Thanks.

I will be in the northeast visiting from Florida prior to my cruise out of Cape Liberty. As such, I will be driving a rental car down to NJ. I do not want to pay for a week of a rental car to sit in a parking garage that I'm paying over $100 for.

 

Any suggestions on which rental car company location (or company) would make it easiest to drop off a car on the morning of the cruise, get to the ship... then get back to pick a new rental car after getting off the ship a week later?

 

Most ports that I've traveled in and out of over the past 10 years have had car rental agencies within walking distance of the terminals. I didn't realize the logistics of this were going to be so difficult when I booked the cruise.

 

Thanks.

What day of the week would you be doing this? The big pool of rental cars is at Newark Airport. Enterprise is in Bayonne, but is closed on Sunday.

It looks like you're sailing on a Sunday on Celebrity, which means Enterprise in Bayonne is not an option.

Where exactly are you driving in from? Are you planning to drive the morning of the cruise, drop off the car, and get a cab to the port? Time could be tight depending on where you're coming from. You will have more options on a Sunday at Newark Airport.

Typically we recommend that folks arrive the day before the cruise. Once your ship departs, the next stop is Bermuda two days later. For May 26 I'm seeing Country Inns on lastminutetravel for $101 plus tax. They offer a shuttle to Cape Liberty for $17.50/pp. Uber will run $30-40 and car service $50-60. If you come the morning of the cruise, you may be able to book the Celebrity transfer from Newark Airport.

Although Cape Liberty is prime real estate, development is at an extremely slow pace due to the ridiculous politics in NJ. So the things you find at other ports are not in Bayonne. And since most local car rental agencies are closed on Sundays, the airport may turn out to be the best option unless you arrive a day early as was previously suggested.

What day of the week would you be doing this? The big pool of rental cars is at Newark Airport. Enterprise is in Bayonne, but is closed on Sunday.

Thanks, Carol. I did notice that Enterprise was closed on Sundays. And in fact, we were thinking of driving to NJ on Saturday, staying over, but thinking of keeping the car to get to the port. Until we realized that wasn't an option.

It looks like you're sailing on a Sunday on Celebrity, which means Enterprise in Bayonne is not an option.

 

Where exactly are you driving in from? Are you planning to drive the morning of the cruise, drop off the car, and get a cab to the port? Time could be tight depending on where you're coming from. You will have more options on a Sunday at Newark Airport.

 

Typically we recommend that folks arrive the day before the cruise. Once your ship departs, the next stop is Bermuda two days later. For May 26 I'm seeing Country Inns on lastminutetravel for $101 plus tax. They offer a shuttle to Cape Liberty for $17.50/pp. Uber will run $30-40 and car service $50-60. If you come the morning of the cruise, you may be able to book the Celebrity transfer from Newark Airport.

We're driving from Albany. Original plan had been to drive to Bergen County on Saturday and then drive from there to port on Sunday morning. I'm now working on Plan B since we can't easily drop off car... or so it seems.

Is there a hotel that has a free shuttle from the airport (where we could return car) and then reasonable price to get to the cruise terminal? I think that's what I need, right? Then drive down Saturday, do our thing in Bergen County, then drive to Newark Airport in the evening, drop off the car, shuttle to a hotel, sleep and then shuttle or Uber to port in the morning?

Although Cape Liberty is prime real estate, development is at an extremely slow pace due to the ridiculous politics in NJ. So the things you find at other ports are not in Bayonne. And since most local car rental agencies are closed on Sundays, the airport may turn out to be the best option unless you arrive a day early as was previously suggested.

I lived in NJ for over 20 years so I'm still trying to wrap my brain around how complicated this seems to be.

So we arrive a day early, drop off car at the airport and what is your suggestion for where to stay?

I lived in NJ for over 20 years so I'm still trying to wrap my brain around how complicated this seems to be.

 

So we arrive a day early, drop off car at the airport and what is your suggestion for where to stay?

What car rental companies are you considering? Is it an extra day's rental to drop off on Sunday morning?

What is your hotel budget? Two people?

How early would you arrive on Saturday? There isn't much of anything to do at Newark Airport.

If you can arrange a drop off in the Newport area of Jersey City, I think you have 3 choices on Saturday/Sunday:

1). Drop off at the airport Saturday; stay at an EWR hotel

2). Drop off in Jersey City Saturday; stay at a Newport hotel

3). Stay anywhere within an hour of Cape Liberty; drop off Sunday morning at the airport.

If you're arriving late, then the airport will be fine. However, if you're arriving early and can return in Jersey City, you might enjoy the Newport area on the Hudson River wth its waterfront walkway, restaurants, and other services.

I don't want to make this more complicated than it is, but I want to lay out your options, particularly since you have lived in NJ. If you want to keep it simple, then my original suggestion of Country Inns still stands.

We're driving from Albany. Original plan had been to drive to Bergen County on Saturday and then drive from there to port on Sunday morning. I'm now working on Plan B since we can't easily drop off car... or so it seems.

 

Is there a hotel that has a free shuttle from the airport (where we could return car) and then reasonable price to get to the cruise terminal? I think that's what I need, right? Then drive down Saturday, do our thing in Bergen County, then drive to Newark Airport in the evening, drop off the car, shuttle to a hotel, sleep and then shuttle or Uber to port in the morning?

Where in Bergen County were you hoping to stay? What if you drop the car off on Saturday in Bergen County? People have posted about a few hotels in Ridgefield Park but no shuttle though. Maybe then get a Taxi or Uber to port on Sunday? Or is that not an option?

Enterprise Locations

North Staten Island

1852 Richmond Ter

Staten Island, NY 10310

+1 718-442-6009

This location is open on Sundays and is right over the Bayonne Bridge. Just giving another option other than the airport.

Enterprise Locations

 

North Staten Island

1852 Richmond Ter

Staten Island, NY 10310

+1 718-442-6009

 

This location is open on Sundays and is right over the Bayonne Bridge. Just giving another option other than the airport.

That's good to know, but it will cost you a $15 bridge toll to get onto Staten Island. The transportation you hire to take you to Cape Liberty will probably charge you another $15 bridge toll plus the land rate to get from the car rental to the port plus you'd likely spend some additional money on NJ Turnpike tolls. There's just no easy cost solution.

Enterprise Locations

 

 

 

North Staten Island

1852 Richmond Ter

Staten Island, NY 10310

+1 718-442-6009

 

 

This location is open on Sundays and is right over the Bayonne Bridge. Just giving another option other than the airport.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Having lived in the metro NY area for most of my life, I'd rather be in NJ than in Staten Island. But thanks.

Where in Bergen County were you hoping to stay? What if you drop the car off on Saturday in Bergen County? People have posted about a few hotels in Ridgefield Park but no shuttle though. Maybe then get a Taxi or Uber to port on Sunday? Or is that not an option?

We're meeting folks for dinner in Englewood and I've stayed at the Crowne Plaza there many times. And there's a car rental place not too far from there.

But I think we've decided to drive to the airport, return the car, then take shuttle to an airport hotel and then uber to the pier.

We're meeting folks for dinner in Englewood and I've stayed at the Crowne Plaza there many times. And there's a car rental place not too far from there.

 

But I think we've decided to drive to the airport, return the car, then take shuttle to an airport hotel and then uber to the pier.

Sounds like a plan!

The hotel shuttles pick up at the P4 Airtrain Station. Some of the car rental places are on the Airtrain and some are off property with shuttles. I've never rented a car at EWR so I don't know which locations are better if you have to deal with luggage. Any car rental place that would drop you directly at P4 might be better.

That's good to know, but it will cost you a $15 bridge toll to get onto Staten Island. The transportation you hire to take you to Cape Liberty will probably charge you another $15 bridge toll plus the land rate to get from the car rental to the port plus you'd likely spend some additional money on NJ Turnpike tolls. There's just no easy cost solution.

Exactly. Plus not sure about Uber but I do know taxis are legally allowed to charge a premium crossing state lines.