CAPE LIBERTY 411 - Version 3!

[alliebrandy]

Tell us more details about your dates and plans in the area. Driving or flying? How many people?

 

The advantage to Secaucus is that there is easy bus transportation to NYC. However, if you're flying you will pay to get to the hotel and then pay to get to Cape Liberty.

 

 

Flying into Newark Airport on Saturday, May 25th, arrival hopefully will be on time at noon. We sail on the Summit on May 26th. It's just the DH and myself. We are thinking to go directly to hotel, have not checked if they offer a shuttle or not. If they do great, will arrange for that, if not thinking to catch a cab or maybe arranging for a car service. After getting to the hotel if room is available we will drop off bags, if not arrange to leave them with desk for later. Then we talked about going into Manhattan for the rest of the day. Thinking either cab or possible arranging for car or even taking a train.

 

One thought I have had but have not discussed with DH yet, was to see if car service could be hired for the day to take us around the city and if we get out to wait for us to return. Does this sound like something that could be done and not cost an arm and a leg? I have a bit of a mobility issue, and can not walk great distances without having to stop and rest.

 

Also, DH is wondering if anyone knows if that little park/neighborhood really exists from the movie "You've Got Mail"? He would love to visit it. Do you know if it does?

 

I also need to find out if hotel has shuttle to take us to port on Sunday or can arrange to get us there or we just arrange for a car or taxi.

[138east]

So why are you staying at the La Quinta in Secaucus? Free room perhaps?

 

You have mobility issues. I would recommend getting a hotel in Manhattan so you can take cabs to get around NY. it will cost you more to take car services from the airport to Secaucus, from Secaucus in and out of NY, and from Secaucus to Cape Liberty than it will to take a car service to a NYC hotel And from the hotel back to Cape Liberty.

 

Yes the park in NY exists. My husband says it is on the upper west side near Riverside Drive - perhaps Riverside Park?

[DevonianCruiser]

So why are you staying at the La Quinta in Secaucus? Free room

 

We need to get from Cape Liberty to JFK a week on Sunday. Problem is our flight is not till 7pm so we want to see some of NY first. Royal Caribbean have still not confirmed whether they have transportation available, I've phoned half a dozen times in the last three weeks and they're always waiting for Miami to confirm!! Best suggestion someone's had was to get a cab into 36th or 46th and drop our bags at Schwartz for the day then take a cab from there to JFK.

 

If anyone has any good suggestions, I'd be most grateful.

[sjcruiser]

Bayonne Taxi and Shuttle (201-339-5000) has pickup points at several EWR are hotels including the Sheraton and Crowne Plaza. Their rates is $15.00pp each way. When leaving from Bayonne, we park at the off-site lots near the Sheraton, and catch the shuttle to the pier and back. the total cost was half the rate for parking at the pier, and we've had others do the same. Happy Sailing!!!

[alliebrandy]

So why are you staying at the La Quinta in Secaucus? Free room perhaps?

 

You have mobility issues. I would recommend getting a hotel in Manhattan so you can take cabs to get around NY. it will cost you more to take car services from the airport to Secaucus, from Secaucus in and out of NY, and from Secaucus to Cape Liberty than it will to take a car service to a NYC hotel And from the hotel back to Cape Liberty.

 

Yes the park in NY exists. My husband says it is on the upper west side near Riverside Drive - perhaps Riverside Park?

 

 

No there is no free room this time. We just happen to like the chain - in years past we would travel with our small pet and they were the best "pet friendly" chain to use, along with reasonable rates.

 

I am not "married" to the reservation in Secaucus and can easily cancel it. I have also made a reservation at the Hilton @ Penn Station for one night. Kinda leaning in that direction. Don't mind riding a train into the city. Think it would be fun. It's been 10 years since we were last in NY.

[geomarc]

There is a shuttle from the pier to EWR but you have to wait til it fills up of course...it is $17 PP...you just go out to the right and tell them that you want to go to the airport..(taxis are to the left.)

 

 

Is this a private shuttle company or thru the cruise line?

[njhorseman]

Is this a private shuttle company or thru the cruise line?

 

It's private. The shuttles are actually to your left when you exit the pier, not far from where taxis are also available. Royal Caribbean also runs a bus transfer to EWR for more money.

[geomarc]

Royal Caribbean also runs a bus transfer to EWR for more money.

 

I think I read somewhere where the ship transfer was $29 pp. Sound right? :o

[njhorseman]

I think I read somewhere where the ship transfer was $29 pp. Sound right? :o

 

I don'r remember exactly how much, but you couldn't be very far off. Somewhere in the mid to upper 20s as I recall.

[smalltimecruiser100]

Meg is a big fan of the Renaissance and the Courtyard Marriott in Elizabeth (not the Newark Airport Courtyard) and she has stayed at the courtyard numbers of times. With a family of 5 and no car, I would highly recommend that you stay on Glimcher Realty Way in Elizabeth in Country Inns, Courtyard Marriott, or Residence Inn. As Njhorseman said, you will have a choice of restaurants and access to the mall. At other hotels you would be limited to the immediate hotel area (no wandering around and no place to go) and a captive of the hotel food service.

 

Independent Driver is 888-816-0973 - they will provide van service to the port at around $50 for your group of 5.

 

Do you know if CI&S has complimentary service to EWR P4 or NJ Transit Elizabeth Station as NJ Transit can get us into NYC from either.(EWR Sta. after taking Airlink).

 

What do you know about Independent Driver? Reliable? Is it a cab company? This would be for 2 of us. Is the 50 a flat rate to/from Cape Liberty from CI&S for 2 people as well? This might work better than the Hilton Penn Sta idea if I don't take Acela and take Amtrak Regional instead to EWR Airport Rail Sta..

Edited March 12, 2013 by smalltimecruiser100

[138east]

The Country Inns hotel shuttle will drop you at P4. Independent driver is a more budget car service at the airport. I discovered them on a trinity reservations web site when I did a park/sleep at the Fairfield Inn. Seven of us took a van to and from Cape Liberty for $10/pp. I believe they are currently charging $45 for up to 4 people and $10/pp for larger groups.

 

I know you are evaluating the cost of a number of options. When I was traveling a lot between Boston and New York, I always took the regional trains instead of Acela because they were a lot cheaper and a very similar service. IMO it just wasn't worth it to spend almost twice the money for Acela. If you stay at Country Inns it will cost you $12.50/pp to go each way to NY as opposed to $5 from Newark Penn Station and will take twice as long and will cost about $30 more.

[geomarc]

A good option is the Hilton Garden Inn, or the adjacent Hampton Inn in Staten Island...not in the immediate airport area so a few minutes more travel time from the airport, but the hotels offer both a complimentary shuttle from the airport to the hotel and from the hotel to Cape Liberty cruise terminal and are located in a less congested area that doesn't have the gritty urban/industrial feel of the Newark airport area.

 

Are there restaurants nearby?

[138east]

The Hilton Garden has a restaurant. There are no other restaurants within walking distance - you would need a car or a cab to go elsewhere. These hotels are in the middle of a wooded corporate park on Staten Island - an unusually nice setting considering you are in NYC, but also isolated.

[megr1125]

I think I read somewhere where the ship transfer was $29 pp. Sound right? :o

 

it is more thru the ship..if you just walk outside and snag a shuttle it's cheaper..

[larry the lobster]

Meg is a big fan of the Renaissance and the Courtyard Marriott in Elizabeth (not the Newark Airport Courtyard) and she has stayed at the courtyard numbers of times. With a family of 5 and no car, I would highly recommend that you stay on Glimcher Realty Way in Elizabeth in Country Inns, Courtyard Marriott, or Residence Inn. As Njhorseman said, you will have a choice of restaurants and access to the mall. At other hotels you would be limited to the immediate hotel area (no wandering around and no place to go) and a captive of the hotel food service.

 

Independent Driver is 888-816-0973 - they will provide van service to the port at around $50 for your group of 5.

 

I think we want to stay at Renaissance or Courtyard Marriott in Elizabeth. Can you tell me if we can walk across the street to the Mall? Is it that close and is it safe? Or will we need transportation?

[138east]

You can walk to the mall from the Courtyard. The Renaissance is on route 1 on the west side of the airport - not convenient to the mall and isolated. IMO the Courtyard Elizabeth would be a better choice for you. You can call them and ask if their shuttle will drop you at the mall. If I remember correctly, the edge of the mall parking is across the street from the hotel area. I'd walk it, but these days nobody seems to want to walk much, so only you know if that's your group.

[kriscarp]

We need suggestions for a hotel for the day we get in from the cruise. We will arrive to port on June 8 but don't fly out of the Newark airport until 7:00 am on the 9th. We would also like to do the boat tour around the statue of Liberty and possibly the 911 memorial, but are all newbies from IL and don't know the best way to proceed. Any help of transportation, suggested hotel, and tour would be appreciated! There are 6 of us in our group.

Edited March 15, 2013 by kriscarp

[cajinyank]

I am flying in to newark on saturday for a sun cruise.I am renting car for the day to visit my hometown Montclair. would it be better to get hotel near mtc and go back to airport to give back car and catch shuttle to pier or I can stay near airport return the car early to airport and catch shuttle back to hotel for a shared van. My wife has problems walking. After all that my question is how far from car rentals is the celebrity shuttles.

[njhorseman]

I am flying in to newark on saturday for a sun cruise.I am renting car for the day to visit my hometown Montclair. would it be better to get hotel near mtc and go back to airport to give back car and catch shuttle to pier or I can stay near airport return the car early to airport and catch shuttle back to hotel for a shared van. My wife has problems walking. After all that my question is how far from car rentals is the celebrity shuttles.

 

The car rental lots are nowhere near where Celebrity would pick you up for their transfer service ( typically at the airline terminals). I think the best of two somewhat inconvenient options is to take a hotel near the airport, return your rental car, take the hotel shuttle back to the hotel (note that you would have to get to the P4 AirTrain station, the location where hotel shuttles pick up and drop off guests) and then take a shared ride van from the hotel to the port.

[njhorseman]

We need suggestions for a hotel for the day we get in from the cruise. We will arrive to port on June 8 but don't fly out of the Newark airport until 7:00 am on the 9th. We would also like to do the boat tour around the statue of Liberty and possibly the 911 memorial, but are all newbies from IL and don't know the best way to proceed. Any help of transportation, suggested hotel, and tour would be appreciated! There are 6 of us in our group.

 

What cruise ship are you on? There are three cruise terminals in the NY City area, and the best answer depends partially on which cruise terminal your ship docks at.

 

What's your approximate hotel budget, and how many rooms do you need?

[njhorseman]

We need suggestions for a hotel for the day we get in from the cruise. We will arrive to port on June 8 but don't fly out of the Newark airport until 7:00 am on the 9th. We would also like to do the boat tour around the statue of Liberty and possibly the 911 memorial, but are all newbies from IL and don't know the best way to proceed. Any help of transportation, suggested hotel, and tour would be appreciated! There are 6 of us in our group.

 

What cruise ship are you on? There are three cruise terminals in the NY City area, and the best answer depends partially on which cruise terminal your ship docks at. I assume you're coming in to Cape Liberty based on the thread you posted on, but I wanted to check.

 

What's your approximate hotel budget, and how many rooms do you need?

[cajinyank]

thanks I think that is a good idea . the courtyard by Marriott looks like a pita to get in and out of would country inns and suites be easier to get to I havent been up that way in years.

[kriscarp]

What cruise ship are you on? There are three cruise terminals in the NY City area, and the best answer depends partially on which cruise terminal your ship docks at.

 

What's your approximate hotel budget, and how many rooms do you need?

 

We need two rooms, Cape Liberty is where we debark, and we are trying to get reasonably priced accommodations and transportation. (around $150 per room or less would be great if that's available)

[138east]

thanks I think that is a good idea . the courtyard by Marriott looks like a pita to get in and out of would country inns and suites be easier to get to I havent been up that way in years.

 

Country Inns and Courtyard Elizabeth are next door to one another on Glimcher Realty Way - an easy on/off from exit 13A on the turnpike plus local road access to the airport (not the turnpike or route 1).

 

If your wife has mobility issues, drop her at the hotel and do the rental return, Airtrain, and hotel shuttle without her.

[cajinyank]

thanks thats what i will do spending sat in Montclair catching up should be fun