CruiserCindy Posted September 2, 2013 #1 Share Posted September 2, 2013 Hi We are thinking of taking Acadamy Bus lines from Manchester NH airport(One of their NH pickup sites)to the pier in NJ. Was wondering if anyone has used them before from this pickup site,and how it was. Any info will be greatly appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CruiserCindy Posted September 4, 2013 Author #2 Share Posted September 4, 2013 Hi We are thinking of taking Acadamy Bus lines from Manchester NH airport(One of their NH pickup sites)to the pier in NJ. Was wondering if anyone has used them before from this pickup site,and how it was. Any info will be greatly appreciated. Well guess no one has,but we will be in Nov and will let ya"LL know how it works out. Although I think we will be leaving from the Salem,NH pick-up site. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njhorseman Posted September 5, 2013 #3 Share Posted September 5, 2013 Since this bus service was known as Entertainment Tours until very recently, perhaps by mentioning that name someone will realize they have taken it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CruiserCindy Posted September 7, 2013 Author #4 Share Posted September 7, 2013 Since this bus service was known as Entertainment Tours until very recently, perhaps by mentioning that name someone will realize they have taken it. Thanks NJHorseman,I forgot to mention that they had changed names!!!:o Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CruiserDee Posted September 11, 2013 #5 Share Posted September 11, 2013 We just took Academy for our 9/1/13 sailing on the Breakaway, (thinking - maybe like you-, eh, can't go wrong... good price... we'll see how it goes...) It was a nightmare!!!! We almost missed the ship!!!!! Do not take this bus line!!!!! We were in the city at noontime and the driver got lost. At about 1pm he started asking if anyone on the bus knew the address of the port!!!!!!!!!!!!! I called and I mean CALLED everyone (dispatch, NCL) to try to get help. The dispatcher was giving directions the driver was not taking them! Embarkation ended at 3pm but I had to get someone to call the port to extend it as long as they possibly could and we finally pulled into port at 3:15pm!!!!! We were the last ones on the ship and boarded with our luggage in tow during the muster drill!!!!! Too much stress... Please save yourself the anxiety... it ruined the first 2 days of our cruise because we were so angry! D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CruiserCindy Posted September 12, 2013 Author #6 Share Posted September 12, 2013 We just took Academy for our 9/1/13 sailing on the Breakaway, (thinking - maybe like you-, eh, can't go wrong... good price... we'll see how it goes...) It was a nightmare!!!! We almost missed the ship!!!!! Do not take this bus line!!!!! We were in the city at noontime and the driver got lost. At about 1pm he started asking if anyone on the bus knew the address of the port!!!!!!!!!!!!! I called and I mean CALLED everyone (dispatch, NCL) to try to get help. The dispatcher was giving directions the driver was not taking them! Embarkation ended at 3pm but I had to get someone to call the port to extend it as long as they possibly could and we finally pulled into port at 3:15pm!!!!! We were the last ones on the ship and boarded with our luggage in tow during the muster drill!!!!! Too much stress... Please save yourself the anxiety... it ruined the first 2 days of our cruise because we were so angry! D Thanks for your reply. We are going on Explorer of the Seas out of NJ. Hopefully they wont get lost!!!!!!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CruiserDee Posted September 12, 2013 #7 Share Posted September 12, 2013 I will keep my fingers crossed for you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CruiserCindy Posted September 13, 2013 Author #8 Share Posted September 13, 2013 I will keep my fingers crossed for you! Thanks!!There is a cruiser on our roll call that has used the bus both from Braintree Ma and Salem NH and said it worked out well for him. Both trips were to the NJ port. So I am hoping our trip will go well too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
13turtles Posted January 15, 2014 #9 Share Posted January 15, 2014 Cruiser Cindy, Did you take Academy Bus Line and did it work? We are thinking about taking it from Manchester in February. If you have feedback, I'd really appreciate it. I've heard good and bad things about the service. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
138east Posted January 15, 2014 #10 Share Posted January 15, 2014 The New Hampshire route is new this year. I just booked it for a return trip from Cape Liberty to Salem NH on Jan 31 (I am flying from Logan to Oregon to Newark for the outbound trip). You can park for free in Salem for up to three weeks, so I am taking the Logan Express from there and returning on Academy. This solves a lot of logistical issues for me and is very cost effective. The Salem stop is a real bus station with an attendant, rest rooms, and vending machines. I checked it out on a weekday and there was plenty of parking. It is right at Exit 2. The only potential problem is that not enough folks will sign up, but you can call Academy to see what is happening. In Dec I was the only person signed up to leave from NH and they offered me the possibility of being picked up in Woburn because they were combining routes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CruiserCindy Posted January 15, 2014 Author #11 Share Posted January 15, 2014 Cruiser Cindy, Did you take Academy Bus Line and did it work? We are thinking about taking it from Manchester in February. If you have feedback, I'd really appreciate it. I've heard good and bad things about the service. Yes we did take Academy from the Salem location and everything worked out great. We plan on using them again in March. Let us know how the Manchester location works. It is closer for us ,but I was not sure where we were to park. Have a great cruise!!!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
138east Posted January 15, 2014 #12 Share Posted January 15, 2014 (edited) Parking is the real problem. I just don't want to pay an extra $7+ for daily parking for a 10+ day trip. This time I will be gone 16 days leaving and returning on a weekday when my husband or son cannot drop me off or pick me up. The new New Hampshire route also offers pickups at the Logan Express in Woburn and Framingham ($7 parking) before heading straight to Bayonne. The bus route that leaves Braintree offers pickups in Worcester, Hartford, and Springfield at the railroad stations. Once again paid parking only,. My friends who take the bus from these stops either take a cab or have friends transport them. Braintree offers paid parking for the duration of the cruise for $25, but they have stopped offering parking this Jan-Mar because of the snow. The Manchester stop is at the Airport, which means you have to find your parking and take a shuttle bus back to the terminal area. The Salem NH stop is only 20 miles further with free parking and an easy on easy off from I93 and the pickup is 45 min later. Edited January 15, 2014 by 138east Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
13turtles Posted January 15, 2014 #13 Share Posted January 15, 2014 Thank you so much for the info! We will check into the parking at Manchester and Salem and make a decision. I really appreciate the feedback! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
138east Posted January 15, 2014 #14 Share Posted January 15, 2014 For me it would be a question of timing. The bus leaves Manchester at 5:45 am which means you have to get into the airport, find your parking, and take a shuttle bus back to the terminal to be ready to go at 5:45. You can drop someone off at the bus stop with the luggage, but they might have to wait outside while you park. The Salem bus leaves at 6:30. The park ride is literally right at the highway exit - you can see I93 from the parking lot. You can drop someone off with the luggage and they can go into the terminal while you park. The long term parking area is a bit further off, but no worse than any shopping mall parking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CruiserCindy Posted January 16, 2014 Author #15 Share Posted January 16, 2014 For me it would be a question of timing. The bus leaves Manchester at 5:45 am which means you have to get into the airport, find your parking, and take a shuttle bus back to the terminal to be ready to go at 5:45. You can drop someone off at the bus stop with the luggage, but they might have to wait outside while you park. The Salem bus leaves at 6:30. The park ride is literally right at the highway exit - you can see I93 from the parking lot. You can drop someone off with the luggage and they can go into the terminal while you park. The long term parking area is a bit further off, but no worse than any shopping mall parking. When we used the Salem pickup we spent the night before at the Red Roof Inn(very nice)which is right next door. We than parked in the long term parking at the bus terminal and the Acadamy bus picked us and our luggage and 2 scooters right next to our car. It was very convenant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
13turtles Posted March 2, 2014 #16 Share Posted March 2, 2014 Just are quick review. I am currently sitting on the Academy Bus after our cruise. We left from Manchester, since we had someone willing to take us and it's closer. If I were driving and parking, Salem is definitely the way to go. They said 5:45 departure, but everyone was there early and we left early. It was a fantastic trip down. No issues with traffic, or the driver for the first leg. The second leg was great as well. We were all in the same group leaving the ship, and got to the waiting bus around the same time. There was a stop about an hour in for snacks and drinks, but it was quick. All in all, I was very please with the experience, and would use the service again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CruiserCindy Posted March 11, 2014 Author #17 Share Posted March 11, 2014 Just are quick review. I am currently sitting on the Academy Bus after our cruise. We left from Manchester, since we had someone willing to take us and it's closer. If I were driving and parking, Salem is definitely the way to go. They said 5:45 departure, but everyone was there early and we left early. It was a fantastic trip down. No issues with traffic, or the driver for the first leg. The second leg was great as well. We were all in the same group leaving the ship, and got to the waiting bus around the same time. There was a stop about an hour in for snacks and drinks, but it was quick. All in all, I was very please with the experience, and would use the service again. Glad to hear your trip went well also. We are using them again on the 29th,from Salem. Manchester is closer to us also but we get free parking in Salem. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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