Cruise from NY worth it?

[cruiser4four]

New York is the closest port to our home, but we've always flown to Florida and departed from there. We are only interested in Caribbean cruises and would like to leave from NY. I've noticed that 8 day cruises from NY visit HMC, Grand Turk, and Nassau. Are these cruises worth it, in your personal opinion? Or, should we just make the trip to Florida?

[Guest LoveMyBoxer]

This will be our third year on the Miracle in July. We sail all different cruise lines and have cruised on three Carnival ships. However, the Miracle is probably one of the best ships we've sailed. Grand Turk and HMC are great relaxing spots, Nassau - just so so. That being said, there is no experience better than sailing out of NYC! Also, you won't have the hazzles of airport delays and having to weigh your luggage.

[firefly333]

With the cost of flights rising, unless you get free air miles, would always be worth it to me to cruise from a drive to port. Get to some place where its warm.

[evandbob]

New York is the closest port to our home, but we've always flown to Florida and departed from there. We are only interested in Caribbean cruises and would like to leave from NY. I've noticed that 8 day cruises from NY visit HMC, Grand Turk, and Nassau. Are these cruises worth it, in your personal opinion? Or, should we just make the trip to Florida?

 

I leave in Westchester, so not far from the NYC port. In 16 cruises, I've only sailed from there once, Memorial Day in May, because my daughter was bringing her son and we wanted to avoid the airline hassle with a small child. Unless you sail from NY in June, July or August, the 1st and last sea day are generally not that warm. If you like the 4 sea days, and don't have to be sun bathing on each of them, then this can be a relaxing way to cruise. The higher NY pricing is offset by no flight fees. It is a fun itinerary, and you can find a good snorkel excursion in Nassau instead of seeing the Straw Market or Atlantis like most cruisers. HMC is gorgeous, I do like to venture down the beach away from the crowds and noise. GT is also a beach and snorkel stop for me.

 

Personally, I like to head out in warm weather and enjoy it every day of my cruise, and I can usually get non stop early morning flights the day of the cruise out of LGA to MIA for around $200, and I'm on the Lido deck after VIP checkin by noon. If I did the fly in the day before, the extra cost of hotel, meals & transport would set me back about 5 cruises. Also, as luck has it, the worst weather was the day before the cruise, and if I booked those, I'd have been standby rather than guaranteed seating on the morning of the cruise. Just my 2 1/2 cents worth.

[Cher222]

We cruised out of NY years ago to Bermuda, and then a few times to Canada just for a long weekend.We also love the caribbean and last year did the MIRACLE to the ports you mentioned. We loved the ship, food, shows and the ports. Beautiful beach days even in Nassau. We went on a day pass to the British Colonial Hilton which we walked to from the ship. At the time we paid 40.00 with 30.00 given back in food and drink vouchers. I think the price for that might have gone up a little.

We loved the cruise so much we booked the same thing for this July. We will probably do the 25.00 day pass to the Sheraton on Cable Beach this time. Its great not having to fly, and the boarding is very smooth we are always having lunch on deck before 12. What is also nice is that Grand Turk and the private island don't require cabs for the beach which is also relaxing.

[janetz]

New York is the closest port to our home, but we've always flown to Florida and departed from there. We are only interested in Caribbean cruises and would like to leave from NY. I've noticed that 8 day cruises from NY visit HMC, Grand Turk, and Nassau. Are these cruises worth it, in your personal opinion? Or, should we just make the trip to Florida?

o

 

We are in Mass about 40 minutes from Albany and always look to cruise from NY or Boston. Many people will argue that it is more expensive but that is not true when you factor in air, and hotel. We cruised from NY on the Carnival Legend and twice on the Carribean Princess. Both have good ports of call although Nassau is not one we like much. You can also go from NJ on RC and Celebrity. Celebrity has a new ship doing 12 and 13 nights to the carribean starting in November. Whatever your choice, there is nothing like sailing past Lady Liberty!! :D

[megmno]

If you are driving you should factor in the cost of parking. Parking at the pier is $30/day.

[Irishlinny]

We had also always flown to FL to cruise. But we wanted to take our kids and my Dad on their 1st cruise, so flying 9 of us AND paying for the cruise wasn't possible. We booked the Miracle last May (even tho DH & I had already been to these ports), and we loved it! No worrying about luggage prices, flights, a hotel the nite before, flight delays, etc. Sailing past Lady Liberty is wonderful, along with the NYC skyline. We found that we really enjoyed having 4 sea days, too.

The Miracle is wonderful...we really love Spirit Class ships. The staff was exceptional, food was very good. And the nice thing about the ports is that HMC and GT have the beach right there (along with the fabulous pool at Margaritaville)...you don't have to go anywhere. Nassau is not one of our favorites, but we did an excellent snorkel excursion thru stuartcove dot com.

We loved it so much that we booked it for this coming May, along with a number of the people from our roll call! So I guess my answer would be.......YES! It is worth it!:)

[westview1]

I've cruised out of NYC (2), Brooklyn (2) and Bayonne (1), and love the convenience. We live on the NoFo of LI and like being able to drive to the port and park. No airport hassles and we get off the ship and are home quickly.

[med2cruise]

Woohoo! I am so glad to hear all of the great comments about the Miracle out of NY. We booked this last year immediately after our LIberty cruise out of MIA. We thought cruising pass Lady Liberty would be one of life's greatest moments and also liked the idea of not having the hassle of flying.

 

I am so glad to hear the ports are excellent as well. We have 9 maybe 10 tonight in our party and cannot wait.

 

Karen

[nybumpkin]

With four of us, it always works out cheaper to drive to NYC for cruises - no flights, no hotel. Just gas and parking at the pier. We've done the 8-day itinerary twice (both in July), 2006 on Legend (San Juan, St. Thomas and Tortola - now they sail to Grand Turk instead of Tortola) and 2009 on Miracle (Nassau, Grand Turk and Half Moon Cay). We love sea days, so the two days down and two days back are great for us. And sailing out of NYC is an experience - Manhattan on one side, the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island on the other, and sailing under the Verazzano Narrows Bridge.:cool: Nassau isn't our favorite port, but we've managed to find things to do. In Grand Turk, head down the beach to Jack's Shack - better swimming and Jack makes a mean rum punch.;) And we love Half Moon Cay - beautiful beach.

[cruisinbulldog]

Everyone is different.. I personally love sea days.. Ports are not important to me as the ship is my destination.. This cruise coming will be my fourth in a row out of NYC.. Had a great cruise on the Miracle last year so am doing a repeat this year.. You have to ask yourself what is important to you..

 

Bulldog

[janetz]

Woohoo! I am so glad to hear all of the great comments about the Miracle out of NY. We booked this last year immediately after our LIberty cruise out of MIA. We thought cruising pass Lady Liberty would be one of life's greatest moments and also liked the idea of not having the hassle of flying.

 

I am so glad to hear the ports are excellent as well. We have 9 maybe 10 tonight in our party and cannot wait.

 

Karen

 

 

Even when you come back to NY and see the Lady, its like, "Welocme Home" :)

[rrraydon]

I've done it twice..love it. Doing it again in June, but this time to Canada..wanted to give it try.

[madibeme]

Love going out of the city. Its amazing to sail out of and so close

[AJI2596]

We did it in May of 2008 and LOVED it!! We booked again for this May! I can't wait. I loved everything about cruising out of NY. We live on LI so we just drove 30 mins or so into the city and our vacation had started. No worrying about flights, delays, luggage weight (you still do sort of but not as bad as flying).

 

It is chilly for the first half day back and forth but there is so much to do on board, it doesn't even matter.

 

Check out my pics in my signature from our last cruise on the Miracle:)

[going to see the world]

I'm from CT and we did the Victory Canada trip and it was awesome.

I must admit it felt kind of odd taking a trip to Canada from NY on a ship...but it was great because the ship itself was great.

[Donna1127]

When you figure in airfare, hotel room for one night before the cruise, food, etc, its about $600 cheaper for us to leave from NY. Yes, we have alot of sea days, but we're leaving in September, so it will still be warm. One thing I wont do again is cruise from NY in the winter, its 2 days of cold down, and 2 days of cold back. Did this in Feb of 2007 and never again!!

[goofycruiser]

We have cruised out of NYC three times, once to Canada, once to Bermuda and once to the Caribbean. All of these cruises were excellent. Sailing out of or into New York harbor is amazing. On our last morning I looked out our balcony door and the Statue of Liberty was right there. As for the Caribbean cruises, HMC and Grand Turk are really good ports. I don't care for the Bahamas but some people love it. Hope this helps.

[JPH814]

I have done two cruise out of NY south to Bermuda, two out of NY to Canada and one cruise to nowhere.

 

I will never go south again, because the seas are so rough - at least to and from Bermuda. Both times were over July 4 - supposedly decent crusiing weather and I have not had problems anywhere else. It is a shame, I can be at the NY ports in 90 mintues (less to Bayonne) and I love days at sea, I am not taking the chance.

 

Heading north out of NY was wonderful and we are doing it again this summer. But it is a different experience than cruising the caribbean.

[WillieD13]

We live just outside Hartford, CT, so NY it the port of choice. Easy drive to get there (about 2 1/2 hours), hop off the highway and you are there. The only drawback you might find, is if you drive yourself and need to park. There is easy parking there, but IIRC it is about $30 per day, so does add to the trip cost. We have family drive us down and pick us up, so we don't have that issue. AS for the cruise itself, cruising down the Hudson is a special treat in itself, passing the NY waterfront, and seeing the famous buildings, such as the Empire State Building or the Chrysler Building in the skyline, passing Ellis Island and Lady Liberty, seeing the Staten Island ferry, as well as scads of pleasure boats. Finally, you pass under the Verrazano Narrows Bridge, everyone cheers, the ship's horn adds its 2 cents worth, and you can see Coney Island in the distance. Coming home, you reverse it, with the sun on the other side (really lights up Lady Liberty). The cruise to GT, HMC, and Nassau it relaxing, and they are wonderful stops, specially the first two. :):):):):) (they don't have stars, so I used smiles)

[LarCourt]

Did the 8 day cruise out of NY a few years ago.........Way too many sea days for us.

[janetz]

Everyone is different.. I personally love sea days.. Ports are not important to me as the ship is my destination.. This cruise coming will be my fourth in a row out of NYC.. Had a great cruise on the Miracle last year so am doing a repeat this year.. You have to ask yourself what is important to you..

 

Bulldog

 

 

We sailed the Oasis last Oct and it certainly was a "destiination" :D

[TheTravelista]

I live in NY and have never cruised from there or any of the surrounding areas...IE New Jersey or Maryland. The ships and the itineraries just don't interest me. I fly to Florida or San Juan for all cruises.

 

ETA: But I heard a rumor that RCIs Liberty of the Seas is coming to New Jersey...I would probably take that cruise.

[AuntieBon]

Sailed out of NYC twice and with the expense of a bus ride instead of airfare from Boston it is something I would do again in a heartbeat. Last year I lucked out and got the Megabus for $2.50 round trip!