Where to Stay for Cape Liberty Port

[trvllover]

The mall isn't within walking distance? Would they have to shuttle me to the mall, Ruby Tuesdays and the IHOP?

[AZcrew]

"We are cruising from Bayonne in June and for that visit are staying at the Hilton Newark Penn Station (at the suggestion of Carol and/or Meg - you guys are wonderful!), because we plan to spend the day before the cruise touring around NYC and want the easy access to the train into the city and back. We will be using a car service to the port and to the airport on our return."

 

 

We are on the 9/30 EOS Canada/NE cruise. Are also considering the Hilton Newark Penn Station (despite the price!) because we figure we lessen our chances of getting lost if it doesn't take 3 transfers to get into the city for a day. I have nearly gotten cross-eyed reading all the wonderful helpful posts! Can you walk to the Ironbound restaurants from this hotel? Anybody have a favorite tour or activities for the day in NYC?

[Jimbo]

Hi drpooh,

Great to hear you liked the Hilton Garden Inn in Staten Island - I know that hotel has a shuttle to the port, free parking - and is quite reasonable. We have been considering it so good to hear you like it:). Thanks

 

Where do you find their park n cruise prices for this hotel?

 

Jimbo:)

[138east]

I don't think they advertise a park/cruise package. You have to call them directly to see what the arrangement is. They seem to have a hotel shuttle that goes to Newark Airport and the Staten Island Ferry and I guess they also use that shuttle to run folks over to Bayonne. I also guess it is an "on request" shuttle, i.e. it doesn't go to the airport and ferry on a specific schedule.

[megr1125]

Where do you find their park n cruise prices for this hotel?

 

Jimbo:)

 

you may have to call...when i mentioned it initially, i had gone on to stayhgi.com and made a dummy booking, and for the date i picked there was a cruise package that came up. So, maybe you should just call and ask. I did see the van twice at cape liberty..AND there was definitely package info on the website...

[greatam]

We are on the 9/30 EOS Canada/NE cruise. Are also considering the Hilton Newark Penn Station (despite the price!) because we figure we lessen our chances of getting lost if it doesn't take 3 transfers to get into the city for a day. I have nearly gotten cross-eyed reading all the wonderful helpful posts! Can you walk to the Ironbound restaurants from this hotel? Anybody have a favorite tour or activities for the day in NYC?

 

You don't particularly want to be walking around to the restaurant district after dark. Take a cab

 

I feel this is the best of the best of the tours if you only have one day. I take all my new employees who have never been to NY on this trip. Here is the website. http://www.grayline.com/Grayline/destinations/us/newyork.go?mode=activityDetail&apid=2444&sid=529

 

 

Below is what we usually do on the tour:

 

"UNLESS they have changed the "tour" significantly, it really is a "do it yourself tour" with all the pieces put together by Grayline. You get the Lady of the Harbor cruise tickets, ESB tickets and a ho-ho pass. The downtown "loop" takes approximately 2 hours IF you do not get off the bus (but you can and I always do). The ESB takes as long as you want to look around.

 

I always take my employees on the HoHo bus first. We generally get off the bus in Greenwich Village and wander around, catch the bus again for Chinatown/Little Italy, get off, wander around and at that point, you can either get back on the HoHo bus to the WTC area OR take the subway/bus/taxi down to the WTC/Battery Park area Lots of history around that area. You can get off around Wall Street (if this interests you), or see the WTC and end up in Battery Park. You really need to get a good tourist map of NYC to see where all these places are and what interests you. And also the schedule for the HoHo bus (on the Grayline website or it was)

 

Then we go on the Lady of the Harbor cruise (I haven't had anyone state they didn't like it and I have some grumpy employees). We hit the ESB on the way back uptown, with a couple of extra stops. You can either get the HoHo bus back uptown (pass is good for 24 hours), but we generally take the subway since so many of my employees have never been on anything other than a bus.

 

I always stop at the basketball courts on West 4th St just north of Houston off Ave of the Americas (6th Ave). Some of the best streetball in the US is played on those courts and you never can tell who might show up to play (NBA stars are frequent visitors). My employees always have a good time watching. Then we make our way North to the ESB (try to time it so we get there about dusk-I just think the ESB is more "magical" at night). An hour there oh'ing and ah'ing and everyone is tired and ready for dinner and bed. We then walk down to Tad's Steakhouse and have the cliche CHEAP NY steak. To bed we go.

[Jimbo]

Just called, no extra charge for leaving your car there, but you do leave it their at your own risk. They said the lot is fensed in though and there is security driving around the lot.

 

Asked about shuttle service to the port, she says they do not offer that. Even though I did see it on their web site.

 

I said its only about 3 or 4 miles to the Cape Liberty isn't it? She paused and then said depending on traffic about a half hour a way.

 

 

I bet if I call back later I get a completely different answers.... Sounds familiar doesn't it, I almost asked her if she answers phone for Royal Caribbean too. lol

 

Also another hotel in Staten Island called the Staten Island Hotel on Richmond street, does anyone know anything about that hotel, the area, safe or unsafe to leave my car there.

 

I think I just hit a trifecta here...............greatam........megr1125...........138 east........

 

Jimbo:)

[greatam]

I think I just hit a trifecta here...............greatam........megr1125...........138 east........

 

Jimbo:)

 

If you have a car, is there a reason you are not parking at the port???

 

With all the hassle of shuttles, taxi, car service, it just seems so much easier to me to get a hotel anyplace in the area and just drive to the port when you want. You also get to leave when you want and not mess around with a shuttle to the hotel, load the luggage into your car and leave for home. You handle the luggage three times with the shuttle to the hotel method.

[Crzy4cruzinchic]

We are looking at booking a cruise on RC Explorer of the Seas the first week of November. The four of us will be driving up from SC. So which hotel do you advise? We will need to get to the port and back to our hotel as we will need to leave our car there for 12 days. Would like to be able to get into NY city fairly easily, by any other way than driving ourselves as I have heard that is a nightmare. For those of you who have taken a private car service what is the rate for just a pick up from your hotel and a drop off at the port? Thanks for all the help! You guys are the best!

[Jimbo]

If you have a car, is there a reason you are not parking at the port???

 

With all the hassle of shuttles, taxi, car service, it just seems so much easier to me to get a hotel anyplace in the area and just drive to the port when you want. You also get to leave when you want and not mess around with a shuttle to the hotel, load the luggage into your car and leave for home. You handle the luggage three times with the shuttle to the hotel method.

 

Cruise leaves on a Sunday and gets back on a Friday, no rush to get back to home......Heck we got all day Friday, Saturday and Sunday to make it home before work on Monday...hehehehehehehe

 

12 nights Parking at the Pier........$228

 

Staten Island Hotel......$126 includes transfers to and from Cape Liberty, also includes transfers to and from the Staten Island Ferry if we wanted to go to Manhattan. Plus 13 days parking the car.

 

Just need to know more about the hotel above before I go for it?

 

Jimbo:)

[Crzy4cruzinchic]

Jimbo I looked at their site but couldnt find anything about the round trip to cape liberty and the nights of parking. Did you have to call?

[greatam]

Cruise leaves on a Sunday and gets back on a Friday, no rush to get back to home......Heck we got all day Friday, Saturday and Sunday to make it home before work on Monday...hehehehehehehe

 

12 nights Parking at the Pier........$228

 

Staten Island Hotel......$126 includes transfers to and from Cape Liberty, also includes transfers to and from the Staten Island Ferry if we wanted to go to Manhattan. Plus 13 days parking the car.

 

Just need to know more about the hotel above before I go for it?

 

Jimbo:)

 

There are a bunch of hotels right along the freeway. I don't know which one this specifically is but on the website, it says it is going to be a Crowne Plaza pretty soon. I have never stayed in a bad Crowne Plaza (some better than others). Book now before the price goes up. It does say they have a free shuttle to the port and also a free shuttle to the ferry, so go for it.

[greatam]

Jimbo I looked at their site but couldnt find anything about the round trip to cape liberty and the nights of parking. Did you have to call?

 

On the reservations page below where you put in the dates/people/etc. CRUISE INTO LIBERTY

 

That hotel would REALLY be ideal for you as you could take the ferry into NYC.

[Jimbo]

I just booked it, They better honor it............hehehehehe

 

$126 :D:D:D:D

 

I also printed out all those pages saying what was included in the package, just incase i get to the hotel and i hear another story. I believe the hotel is only about 3 or 4 miles from Cape lIberty anyway. Even if the hotel pays a taxi to take me over and i just get a taxi on the way back to the hotel it shouldn't be that much, then I just go back inside the hotel to get my money for the taxi if they don't have a shuttle there to pick me up on the retrun.

 

WIN WIN I hope if my car is still there and not up on blocks.;)

 

Crzy4cruzinchic did you find it?

 

Jimbo:)

[Crzy4cruzinchic]

I found it! Thanks so much!

[138east]

This is a fantastic deal and an excellent discovery. It's worth every penny of the extra $8 toll from NJ to NY. I'm going to drive right by there on Thursday morning, so I will pay attention to the area.

 

We need some input from the New Yorkers about getting to the Staten Island Ferry. It's nice that the hotel will take you there, but I have a feeling that their shuttle service is really limited, so it would be nice to know the alternatives. How much is parking at the SIF and how available is it during the week? What would be the cab fare from the hotel to the SIF or vice versa. How long does the journey to NY really take? It's important to advise folks that once in NY they will be at the lower tip of Manhattan and Time Square and midtown are at least another 20 minutes away by subway.

[AZcrew]

" We are on the 9/30 EOS Canada/NE cruise. Are also considering the Hilton Newark Penn Station (despite the price!) because we figure we lessen our chances of getting lost if it doesn't take 3 transfers to get into the city for a day. I have nearly gotten cross-eyed reading all the wonderful helpful posts! Anybody have a favorite tour or activities for the day in NYC?

 

Thanks greatam. I saw some earlier posts of yours on the Grayline "NY minute tour". It sounds exactly like what we need. However, I do not see it when I follow the link to the Gray line site. What is it called there? Is it the 03? Also, do you have to reserve ahead of time or can you pick up tickets that day? If it is pouring rain (a foreign concept to AZ,!) we might want to explore a museum and forget HOHO. Thanks for your help.

[greatam]

Thanks greatam. I saw some earlier posts of yours on the Grayline "NY minute tour". It sounds exactly like what we need. However, I do not see it when I follow the link to the Gray line site. What is it called there? Is it the 03? Also, do you have to reserve ahead of time or can you pick up tickets that day? If it is pouring rain (a foreign concept to AZ,!) we might want to explore a museum and forget HOHO. Thanks for your help.

 

#3 now

 

Looks like they changed it slightly-gave you options for the water tour (take the 1 hour Circle line tour-you don't have time for Ellis Island/Statue of Liberty if you want to see anything else). 48 hour HoHo pass with ALL loops. And your choice of ESB and Top of the Rock. PLUS the night tour, which is really neat.

 

You don't have to sit on the top of the HoHo-you can sit inside. EASY way to see the sights without a real tour/tour. See something that interests you-get off, go explore and get back on.

 

When I have my NY office make reservations, it is usually only a couple days in advance. But we have ALWAYS had reservations.

[Jimbo]

This is a fantastic deal and an excellent discovery. It's worth every penny of the extra $8 toll from NJ to NY. I'm going to drive right by there on Thursday morning, so I will pay attention to the area.

 

We need some input from the New Yorkers about getting to the Staten Island Ferry. It's nice that the hotel will take you there, but I have a feeling that their shuttle service is really limited, so it would be nice to know the alternatives. How much is parking at the SIF and how available is it during the week? What would be the cab fare from the hotel to the SIF or vice versa. How long does the journey to NY really take? It's important to advise folks that once in NY they will be at the lower tip of Manhattan and Time Square and midtown are at least another 20 minutes away by subway.

 

 

Parking rates: http://www.siferry.com/SIFerry_Schedules.aspx

 

I think most likely it would take aleast about hour and half one way to time square and back to the hotel.

 

For us we really aren't interested in going to the city, since most likely we won't be arriving until late afternoon, we just like to get near the port a day ahead of the cruise incase of car troubles or back -ups on the turnpike. Just makes it less stressful.

 

Jimbo:)

[can'tcatchup]

It is very easy to arrange your own transportation to the port - it's about $45-$50. Coming back there are shuttles to the airport available for $15/pp. A lot of folks stay at Country Inns, but IMO for this date it is a pricey choice.

 

Is that $45-$50 per person? Or is it a $45-$50 cab ride that would include 2 persons?

[Jimbo]

Is that $45-$50 per person? Or is it a $45-$50 cab ride that would include 2 persons?

 

$45-$50 cab ride which would include 2 persons

 

Jimbo:)

[can'tcatchup]

Thanks for the clarification. :)

[Crzy4cruzinchic]

Ok so after looking at all the wonderful post on here I think the best thing for our group of four is to drive our car to the pier and split the cost of parking. This way we dont have to pay for a car service there and back from the port. We plan on taking the trains into NY that Saturday so from what I see on here staying at the Hilton would be best as its closest to the station right? From the Hilton to the port will we go through tolls and if we do how much will they be?

THANKS!!!!!

[megr1125]

Which Hilton???? The one in Downtown Newark???? If so you'd get off at Newark Penn Station...NOT the EWR airport station...

 

You WILL pay to park at the downtown hotel though...not sure how much, should be on the website.

 

Tolls should be around 2 or 3 bucks....maybe less. I don't really ever drive the turnpike and I have EZPass anyway so unless I look on line, i am not sure of the amount...

[138east]

Crzy4cruisinchic - I'm confused and I'm not sure I'm 100% with your plan as I currently understand it. What exact date are you looking at? Nov. 5-7? You are 4 people. How many hotel rooms and/or beds? You're driving up from South Carolina. You want to do a day in NY, so you are looking at 2 nights hotel. Originally you were looking at a park/cruise like Country Inns or the Fairfield Inn or Wyndham Gardens, but have now decided you will park at the port and stay at the Newark Hilton?

 

Not what I would recommend. I think you should look at the hotels in Secaucus and take the bus into NY. These hotels will be cheaper than the Newark Hilton and in a much nicer area. Another option is to stay at a Newark Airport hotel (exits 13A and 14), drive to Secaucus Junction, park and take the train in from there. Since you have a car, you have many choices. Why choose to stay in downtown Newark in an expensive hotel and pay to park your car? We actually like this hotel, but suggest it as only as an option for folks flying in.

 

What happened to the park cruise option? I'm seeing the Fairfield Inn at $106 including tax and 14 days parking for Nov 5. It costs $228 to park at the port for 12 days, but only about $100 to get round trip car service for all 4 of you from an airport hotel to the pier.