Park & Fly near Newark airport

[willow0325]

Good morning fellow cruisers!

We will be driving in for one night pre-cruise for our Fall cruise. Our cruise ends in San Juan and we will fly back into the Newark airport. We will either leave the car right at the airport (take the cruise ship transfers from there) or will stay at a nearby hotel that offers the park/cruise and fly option. How are parking rates at the airport? Can you suggest a couple of good options for hotels in that area that are in close proximity to the airport? Thanks so much!

[138east]

What exact date are you looking at? How many people? What's your budget? Where are you driving in from? Do you have any sightseeing plans in NYC?

 

There are a number of reasonable park/ sleep options.

[138east]

Are you still sailing on Carnival from NYC instead of Cape Liberty? If so, there are no hotels at Newark Airport that offer a cruise shuttle to the Manhattan Cruiseport. You will have to go back to the airport to pick up Carnival transfers or arrange a car service to the port.

 

The best deal out there for your date is on Trinityreservations.com - the Ramada Plaza for $129 tax included. Please post back with your route into the NY area - the Ramada can be a little tricky to find from exit 14 of the NJ Turnpike and you need written directions.

 

If this doesn't suit, we can offer other suggestions.

[willow0325]

2 couples traveling from Upstate NY in mid October. We will not be going to NYC for any siteseeing. Yes, we are cruising with Carnival and plan on taking Carnival's cruise transfer from the airport. Just looking for a reasonably priced hotel for the night prior to. Don't need luxury for just one night, but want something safe and clean. I'm debating whether it would be less expensive to leave the car at the hotel and take a cab to the airport to catch the transfer or if we should just take the car right to the airport and leave it there. (don't know anything about airport parking pricing yet). I'm thinking we'll probably do the latter so need a recommendation on a nearby hotel. Thanks so much.

[138east]

How many hotel rooms do you actually need? Are the four of you going to share one room?

 

If you get a hotel room, I don't see any advantage at all to then moving your car to airport parking. A lot of the off property discount parking will be further away than many hotels. That's why they offer park sleeps.

 

How much are the Carnival transfers for four people? I'm betting they would be more than a car service to the Manhattan port for four people.

 

You can certainly pay for cabs to take you around the airport, but all the hotels offer free shuttle services.

 

How much luggage are you going to have? Would you be able to manage it?

[willow0325]

2 separate hotel rooms. The Carnival transfers are $30/person and I think I read somewhere on these forums that a cab would run us $100 plus tip to the cruiseport, so I'm thinking that for convenience, we'd just pay for the transfers.

 

Since we are flying back into Newark, that's why I was thinking of just leaving the car at the airport. Otherwise we'd fly back into Newark and then have to take the shuttle back to the hotel again.

 

I don't mind paying a little more for convenience. But, I was trying to figure out if that was any significant price difference to do the Park and Fly or Park and Cruise. Not really sure which one we're doing since "technically" we are cruising out, flying back. Not that it makes any difference.

 

Hope that explains it better. Oh, and yes, we're find handling our luggage.

[138east]

IMO the Carnival transfer would not be as convenient because you have to ride the hotel shuttle to P4 at the airport and then Airtrain to pick it up at the terminals. A car service will pick you up right at the hotel.

 

Same with the parking. There is a wide choice of parking at the airport. Terminal parking is $33/day. Lots accessible by the Airtrain are $24/day and remote parking (3 miles away) is $18/day. Needless to say there are other parking options for a lot less money, but they all involve riding some sort of shuttle. The park sleep deal for $129 tax included is a great deal. Booking an extra room will be almost that amount of money, so the parking ends up being about $10 extra at the hotel for the length of your cruise.

Edited February 28, 2014 by 138east

[willow0325]

Wow, that is great information. I can't thank you enough for explaining it so well to me.

 

What hotels offer the park/cruise option? (do you think it matters that we are flying back if I pick that option?) So let me see if I have your suggestion right:

Book the hotel rooms at a park/cruise hotel. Take a car service from the hotel to the cruiseport. When we fly back into Newark, we then take the hotel shuttle back to pick up our car?

 

I know you mention trinityreservation site, but what specific hotels are there? I'd like to just look at their websites first.

 

Also, how do I arrange for the car service and what would you anticipate that cost to be? Do I need to arrange that before we take the cruise?

 

Thanks again, your info is so helpful.

[138east]

Yes - you have my suggestion right. Let's call them park sleep hotels since their primary business revolves around flying, not cruising.

 

Trinityreservations.com - Ramada Plaza - $129 tax included

buyreservations.com - Country Inns - $139 + $34.50 tax

Doubletree - $145 + $28.50 tax

 

Then you have to price a room for your friends.

 

Remember - Newark is not a vacation destination. I have stayed at the Ramada property and it was fine for a quick overnight. It has a restaurant, sports bar, and quick cafe area.

 

Independent driver - 888-816-0973 This is a no frills car service that you book 4-6 weeks ahead. For other estimates try Black Executive, Dial7, and Carmellimo. Make sure any quote includes tolls and expected tip.

[willow0325]

We aren't coming to Newark for any reason other than we're cruising out of NY. Since we live Upstate, it's an easy drive for us. Great info on all of this and, again, I thank you. Any guesstimate on the price of the car service?

[138east]

You have to get a quote. It should be in the range of the Carnival transfer for four. Be sure to tell them how much luggage you will have.

[willow0325]

We're coming from Upstate NY (near Rochester). Is the Newark airport area the easiest for us to get to? I think I've read that here on Cruise Critic, but would appreciate an opinion on that. If we chose to fly home into JFK or LaGuardia -- are they in "more complicated areas" to drive to and from? Thanks again!

[138east]

If you're not familiar with the area and are not used to driving in NYC, I think Newark is much easier to get to and there is a much larger choice of reasonable park sleep accommodations. We generally don't recommend any hotels at JFK.

 

You would come in I80 towards the George Washington Bridge and pick up the NJ Turnpike South. Follow the signs to the Lincoln Tunnel, but don't get off at the actual tunnel exit 17. If you pick the Ramada, continue on to exit 14. When you go through the toll booth, stay to the right and follow the signs to I78 LOCAL. Frontage Road is the 2nd exit I believe. At the end of the exit you should see the Doubletree. Make a left and the Ramada will be the property next to the Doubletree on your right.

 

I think this is much easier than crossing into NYC on the GW Bridge and trying to get to either LGA or JFK, particularly if you arrive after 3 pm on a weekday. The NJ Turnpike will be busy at that hour too, but it has 6 lanes and the traffic usually moves.

[willow0325]

Ramada prices are certainly nice, reviews are a bit inconsistent. Any thoughts on the Country Inn & Suites?

[138east]

Country Inns and Suites is fine and we recommend it all the time. It offers free breakfast but has no restaurant. It also has a very small lobby area. It is easily accessed from exit 13A and is next to the Jersey Gardens Mall and IHOP and Ruby Tuesdays.

 

The Ramada is a hotel that is used a lot by the airlines to put up flight crews and folks from cancelled flights. My feeling is that the reviews often reflect the venting of folks whose travel plans have been seriously interrupted.

 

The Doubletree is a full service hotel with a very nice lobby area with a pool. It is next door to the Ramada.

 

I have stayed at all three hotels and would go back to any of them again. However, they all have their pros and cons.

[familycruzer]

Groupon always has good parking deals and if you have a visa signature card you can get EWR parking for $10 a day.

[willow0325]

Actually, I do have a VISA signature card. How would I use that for parking to get the $10/day? What lot is that for?

[138east]

Are you considering staying somewhere other than the airport the night before your cruise? If so, looking for a deal at the airport is the thing to do. However, if you need both a hotel and parking at the airport, the park sleeps are the most cost effective. Please let us know what you are thinking.

[willow0325]

As much as I dislike it, hubby is considering driving in the day of the cruise. (grumble grumble). Only in that situation would I be looking for the airport parking info. But I'll gather the info anyway, just in case. (then twist his arm to go with my plan! :D )

[138east]

Driving in the same day is crazy. It's a five hour drive with no stops. You have four people, so you know you will be stopping. Once you get to the airport you have to find the parking and get yourself to a terminal to get transportation into NYC. Don't forget you have to check in at least 90 minutes before sail time.

 

Have you considered driving down to the Morristown/Parisippany area the night before? You can get a Hotwire hotel in a nice suburban area with a high approval rating for $50-85 plus tax. The next morning you can leave at 9 am, drive to the airport and park, and go into NYC.

 

Take a look at this site - http://m.globalairportparking.com/search/EWR

[willow0325]

Driving in the same day is crazy. It's a five hour drive with no stops. You have four people, so you know you will be stopping. Once you get to the airport you have to find the parking and get yourself to a terminal to get transportation into NYC. Don't forget you have to check in at least 90 minutes before sail time.

 

Have you considered driving down to the Morristown/Parisippany area the night before? You can get a Hotwire hotel in a nice suburban area with a high approval rating for $50-85 plus tax. The next morning you can leave at 9 am, drive to the airport and park, and go into NYC.

 

Take a look at this site - http://m.globalairportparking.com/search/EWR

 

Is that in New Jersey? Is that an easier area to navigate? (or maybe just the same). What would you say are the pluses and minuses to doing that instead of, for example, staying at the Country Inn? Are there any safe hotels in that area that we could leave our car while we're gone? Your link is great, but I just have no sense of reference - are those considered "airport parking" areas?

 

Also -- do you happen to know if the Country Inn's shuttle to the airport is free?

 

Thank you again for ALL this great info!!

[willow0325]

Okay, I found Morristown on the map. If we drove to one of those airport lots, what is your suggestion for then getting to the cruiseport? (would it make sense to then take the Carnival transfers?)

[138east]

If you do it that way, then the Carnival transfers make more sense. If you have time, you can drop all the luggage off at the terminal first and then go park the car and come back. This will minimize your luggage handling.

[138east]

Is that in New Jersey? Is that an easier area to navigate? (or maybe just the same). What would you say are the pluses and minuses to doing that instead of, for example, staying at the Country Inn? Are there any safe hotels in that area that we could leave our car while we're gone? Your link is great, but I just have no sense of reference - are those considered "airport parking" areas?

 

Also -- do you happen to know if the Country Inn's shuttle to the airport is free?

 

Thank you again for ALL this great info!!

 

Sorry - missed this. The Morristown/Parsipanny area is much more suburban than the airport area, but it is too far out to be able to leave your car. You will have real restaurant and store options. You will pay twice as much to stay at Country Inns.

 

I didn't look at the link that closely. It offers parking options that are very reasonable. Another thought is that you might be able to park at the Doubletree for $8/ day.

[greatam]

I'm butting in here but since the cruise is out of NYC, why not fly SJU to JFK and just forget about EWR?

 

Jet Blue, AA/US, Delta all have flights at great times when you get off the cruise. A couple of flights get in about 6-7PM which means you could easily get home that evening, even though it is late. Flights are cheaper into JFK by at least $20 pp. Parking is the same or cheaper than Newark-quite a few lots with shuttles for $10.99 per day or close (plus tax of courses). And the transfer from JFK to Manhattan will cost you about 1/2 of what the transfer from EWR to Manhattan will cost you. The really big plus IMHO is NOT having to get on that stupid airtrain to get to P4 to catch the parking shuttle or other transportation. That to me is a HUGE hassle at Newark. Get your luggage, then take the escalator to the top of the terminal, ride the train and then reverse the procedure just to get to the parking shuttle.

 

If you leave the night before, there are a bunch of hotels in Nyack, Nanuet, West Nyack, White Plains/Tarrytown and Yonkers area, all in the $100 or below price range. Those areas are right off the NY Thruway or 287, either just before or just after the Tappan Zee Bridge.

 

Directions from Rochester-90 to 87 (NY ThruWay) to 287 (across the Tappan Zee) to the Cross County Parkway to the Hutchinson Parkway which turns into 678-the Van Wyck-which at the end is JFK.

 

You will NOT be wandering around the spaghetti mass of roads around EWR trying to find an offsite parking lot. You don't have to take the stupid train to get to/from your car. Parking is about the same price. Hotels for the night before will be about the same price. Transport from JFK to the cruise port will be cheaper. Flights are cheaper. Would be the ONLY way I would do it. JMHO

Edited March 1, 2014 by greatam