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CAPE LIBERTY 411 - Version 3!

megr1125

By megr1125,
in East Coast Departures

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cruising_baby

cruising_baby

Posted
Posted

Hey everyone I have a Question regarding security. I will be traveling in May on RCCL.

 

I was wondering if anyone has been able to bring on water bottles in their luggage or carry ons.. In the past I have been able to bring a 6 bottle case of water and even had some water bottles filled w liquor on a NCL cruise out ofNYC and it wasn't a problem.

 

Just wondering what the deal is with RCCL and Cape liberty port since its my first time with both.

 

Thanks in advance.

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cruising_baby

cruising_baby

Posted
Posted
We have sailed out of Cape Liberty 6 times but only on Celebrity. I have always brought on my own bottled water, usually a 12 pack. Never had any problems carrying it on.

 

Hmmm okay. Thanks :) did you put the 12pk in your carry on or was it in your suitcase?

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marynjohn

marynjohn

Posted
Posted

The Beaner:

I didn't know that was the day of the 5boro bike tour. I haven't done the tour in decades but I remember seeing the Belt backed up a long way. The BQE was closed from the Brooklyn Bridge to the Belt exit. If I was coming from Long Island, I'd check out the Midtown Tunnel, West Side Highway and the Holland Tunnel. Take the Turnpike to Exit 14 and get onto 440 South (Towards Staten Island).

Of course, the tour may have gotten smaller, they may have gotten traffic to flow better, or you might just get lucky.

We're on the same cruise, but our commute will probably be made easier by the tour since we live on Staten Island, Sorry ;-)

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The Beaner

The Beaner

Posted
Posted

Thanks marynjohn. I think street closures in NYC might make getting from the east side to the west side difficult also. I think we're going to take the long way - GWB to the Turnpike (ugh!). Not looking forward to that either but the BF doesn't want to stay in Staten Island or NJ the night before (which was my suggestion).

 

The Beaner:

I didn't know that was the day of the 5boro bike tour. I haven't done the tour in decades but I remember seeing the Belt backed up a long way. The BQE was closed from the Brooklyn Bridge to the Belt exit. If I was coming from Long Island, I'd check out the Midtown Tunnel, West Side Highway and the Holland Tunnel. Take the Turnpike to Exit 14 and get onto 440 South (Towards Staten Island).

Of course, the tour may have gotten smaller, they may have gotten traffic to flow better, or you might just get lucky.

We're on the same cruise, but our commute will probably be made easier by the tour since we live on Staten Island, Sorry ;-)

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njhorseman

njhorseman

Posted
Posted
If we park in the RCCL recommended parking lot at Cape Liberty do they have a shuttle to bring you into the terminal? Looks like a long walk on Google Earth!:D

 

It's a very short walk from the parking lot to the terminal. You then take a bus from the terminal to the ship.

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CruisingChick

CruisingChick

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Posted
It's a very short walk from the parking lot to the terminal. You then take a bus from the terminal to the ship.

 

I second that, it's a very short walk, especially if get there early enough and you know where to park.

 

But they actually do have shuttles vans there in the parking lot to take people back and forth to their cars if they park further out.

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138east

138east

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You can tell the cruise company - they may actually use that info for planning, but don't expect to be met by anyone with a wheelchair. I met someone on my last cruise who was bent out of shape because she had let RCL know a wheelchair would be needed for boarding and no one was actually standing there waiting for her with her "reserved" wheelchair.

 

I cruised a number of times with my mom with wheelchair boarding. At Cape Liberty you have to go find someone from RCL and ask for a wheelchair before the person who needs it even gets out of the vehicle. Usually there are RCL folks by the entrance to security. You will keep the wheelchair until you get on the ship, but you might pass through several assistants in the process. When you at dropped off, be sure to tell the guy dicting traffic that you need handicapped drop off so you are close to the security entrance.

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138east

138east

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What you have to understand about Cape Liberty is that the folks running that operation seem to do their own thing that is unrelated to RCL corporate. Thr are only one to two ships docking there each week between RCL and Celebrity. I'm sure the folks that work there are not full time employees.

 

When I cruised with my mom we also traveled with major oxygen - cylinders, giant machine, and portable machine. I was careful to fill out the medical form for RCL but there was never any indication at checkin that they even knew we were coming. I once put a suitcase with 8 oxygen cylinders through the security scanner and no one even asked us to open it!

 

My advice to you is to plan to be proactive when you get to the drop off. Get out of the car and ask around for a wheelchair. Get your assistance first before others even get out of the car. You will get the help you need, but it isn't going to just come to you.

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alliebrandy

alliebrandy

Posted
Posted
What you have to understand about Cape Liberty is that the folks running that operation seem to do their own thing that is unrelated to RCL corporate. Thr are only one to two ships docking there each week between RCL and Celebrity. I'm sure the folks that work there are not full time employees.

 

When I cruised with my mom we also traveled with major oxygen - cylinders, giant machine, and portable machine. I was careful to fill out the medical form for RCL but there was never any indication at checkin that they even knew we were coming. I once put a suitcase with 8 oxygen cylinders through the security scanner and no one even asked us to open it!

 

My advice to you is to plan to be proactive when you get to the drop off. Get out of the car and ask around for a wheelchair. Get your assistance first before others even get out of the car. You will get the help you need, but it isn't going to just come to you.

 

 

I do understand what you are saying and that will not be a problem. We have to do the same thing here at port of Miami and Port Everglades. Usually we tell the porter that is assisting and taking our bags and he in turn will call to port authority and indicate for the wheelchair and point me to where I need to wait for the chair to come. Only difference between here and there is the fact that we have to get on a bus to go to the ship. This is where I am wondering what happens. Guess I should just wait and see. I'm sure it will all be good.

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138east

138east

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Posted

The buses are easy. They have a ramp that opens up for access. The attendant with you will roll the wheelchair onto the bus and get it set properly. If the attendant does not ride the bus, then someone else on the other end will come and roll the wheelchair off the bus and onto the ship to the cafeteria area and take the wheelchair back. I've timed the actual bus ride at 90 seconds. They don't let folks walk it for safety reasons - there is a lot of truck traffic coming in and out to provision the ship.

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alliebrandy

alliebrandy

Posted
Posted
The buses are easy. They have a ramp that opens up for access. The attendant with you will roll the wheelchair onto the bus and get it set properly. If the attendant does not ride the bus, then someone else on the other end will come and roll the wheelchair off the bus and onto the ship to the cafeteria area and take the wheelchair back. I've timed the actual bus ride at 90 seconds. They don't let folks walk it for safety reasons - there is a lot of truck traffic coming in and out to provision the ship.

 

Thank you for letting me know. Now I am a bit less worried. :)

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puggrandma

puggrandma

Posted
Posted

We are leaving tomorrow on the Explorer and my cell phone has decided to die, does anyone know if there are pay phones available in the terminal. I need a phone upon return to call the car service

 

Puggies grandma

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danfiveoh

danfiveoh

Posted
Posted

Anyone have any experience staying at Fairfield Inn & Suites near EWR? It is a bit cheaper than Country Inn and appears to be closer to the airport. We plan to fly in a day early to take the train into NYC so will take the airport shuttle to the train at EWR.

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138east

138east

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I have stayed at both hotels and found them to be very similar and would recommend either hotel. The Fairfield had a spacious lobby area that offers more places to hang out than Country Inns, which has limited seating in the lobby. Neither hotel has a restaurant, but they both offer free breakfast.

 

Country Inns is on the southeast side of the airport and I think it might be a little closer to the airport. Since you're not driving, it's not a big difference.

 

What dates are you looking at and what rates are you seeing?

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