? RE: NYC with a Family of 6

[jjswiech]

We are taking a cruise out of the Manhattan cruise terminal on March, 20.

 

We are a family of 2 adults, 2 teens, and 2 kids and are weighing out our options.

 

The kids have never been to NYC before so we would like to stay in Manhattan on the Saturday before our cruise - but we could not find a reasonably price hotel that allows the 6 of us to share a room. Usually we can do this in a Hampton, Springhill suites, Embassy Suites, Hyatt Place, or Staybridge Suites. Manhattan is way to pricey for us to consider breaking up into 2 rooms.

 

Someone mentioned the Embassy Suites, Seacaucus so we do have a room reserved there. If we keep this reservation, what would be the best option for us to get to the cruise port, if we opted to leave our vehicle at the hotel? Would a taxi charge us something additional because we would be coming from New Jersey into NYC?

 

I was looking at alternative parking options to the pier and had settled on Park Right. BUT we have a mini van which is considered an oversized vehicle, so there would only be a $32 savings from Parking at the Port. I just am not sure the additional hassle is worth the $32.

 

Are there any other good hotels on the Jersey side, close to Manhattan, that someone could recommend?

 

Is there any viable public transportation option that goes to the cruise port? I am imagining with 1 - 2 bags per person this is not even a feasible option. A shuttle service quoted us $60 per person to get to the cruise port so that is not very economical x6.

 

We have also thought about just leaving our car at home and taking AMTRAK into the city. I read somewhere that the mini-van taxis are only allowed to take 5 passengers. Is there a taxi option that could be arranged that would transport a family of 6?

 

Can people walk to the cruise port? My husband and I have walked around new York city many times before so we are ok with that option but is it possible to walk if we got a hotel close by? This option is not really great since it is in March and we could have any type of weather on departure day from snow, to sun, to rain.

 

I came across a hotel in Cranford, NJ that will shuttle us to a train station. Is Cranford just WAY too far to bother with?

 

Are there any reliable, shared ride shuttle services that could get us from a downtown Manhattan hotel to the cruise port?

 

In a perfect scenario we would take Amtrak into NY Penn station, find a hotel in midtown Manhattan for the 6 of us, and be able to take a taxi from the hotel to the cruise port and taxi from the port to NY Penn Station.

[mjkacmom]

You will need two taxis, and will probably need two hotel rooms. We are a family of 7, and the cost of a car service from where we live in NJ (about 5 miles from Secaucus) was going to cost the same as parking at the pier. I doubt a car service would send a minivan, because luggage would be tight (we did it in our minivan, but with luggage on laps).

[138east]

What is your overall budget for the hotel and parking? The reality is that if you want to keep costs down, something has to give in this whole process. You're going to have to take two taxis in NYC or you're going to have to pay for a car service with a larger vehicle or you're going to have to take public transit with your luggage or you're going to just have to reduce your luggage to one manageable bag per person or you're going to have to stay in a less desirable hotel or location.

 

What would you be paying for Embassy Suites including parking for the week? What is the cost of taking Amtrak for the six if you?

[jjswiech]

What is your overall budget for the hotel and parking? The reality is that if you want to keep costs down, something has to give in this whole process. You're going to have to take two taxis in NYC or you're going to have to pay for a car service with a larger vehicle or you're going to have to take public transit with your luggage or you're going to just have to reduce your luggage to one manageable bag per person or you're going to have to stay in a less desirable hotel or location.

 

What would you be paying for Embassy Suites including parking for the week? What is the cost of taking Amtrak for the six if you?

 

The cost of Amtrak for the 6 of us is $567

 

and the Embassy Suites is $225 but if we want to get into the city to tour around on Saturday - we have to add bus transportation to and from Seacaucus for 6 people and that Embassy Suites price is NOT including parking. We haven't negotiated that yet. Then I will need to add transport into the city on the day of the cruise. Or just drive over ourselves and park at the cruise terminal ($280.)

$$$$$$$$$

Because we are a family of 6 - I think it just makes more sense to stay in Manhattan.

 

I think I came across a fairly decent option. I can get 2 rooms at the Econo-lodge on

302 West 47th Street, New York, NY, 10036. (For $366 Total) This particular hotel has good ratings and the location appears to be fairly good.

 

I was wondering if my husband could drop us off at the hotel ......

and then go park the car at the cruise port a day earlier than we leave for the cruise.

We would leave all of our cruise luggage in the van.

Then on Sunday morning, the am of the cruise, we could walk to the parking garage and retrieve our cruise luggage and check in.

 

We did a similar process in New Orleans and it worked great. MapQuest says it is about a 25 minute walk from the hotel to the cruise terminal. Is that a fairly safe area to walk? We would only have a small overnight bag to carry so it seems do-able.

 

There are a few ICON Parking lots close the hotel that we could utilize for Saturday - but since there would be walking involved anyway, and these lots cost more than the cruise port, We thought parking the extra day at the port might be a viable option.

 

I have read that many people have been able to cut costs by parking at the PARK RIGHT garage but we have a minivan which gets the $10 a day upcharge as an oversize vehicle. So our savings would only be $2 a day. That isn't worth the extra hassle so if we drive I am pretty sure we will just be parking at the cruise terminal.

 

Are there easily available SUV taxis that can hold 6 people if we use the Amtrak option? I read the NY taxis are only allowed to hold 4, Mini van taxis allowed only 5, But Yellow SUV taxis can hold 6.

[138east]

The cost of Amtrak for the 6 of us is $567

 

and the Embassy Suites is $225 but if we want to get into the city to tour around on Saturday - we have to add bus transportation to and from Seacaucus for 6 people and that Embassy Suites price is NOT including parking. We haven't negotiated that yet. Then I will need to add transport into the city on the day of the cruise. Or just drive over ourselves and park at the cruise terminal ($280.)

$$$$$$$$$

Because we are a family of 6 - I think it just makes more sense to stay in Manhattan.

 

I think I came across a fairly decent option. I can get 2 rooms at the Econo-lodge on

302 West 47th Street, New York, NY, 10036. (For $366 Total) This particular hotel has good ratings and the location appears to be fairly good.

 

I was wondering if my husband could drop us off at the hotel ......

and then go park the car at the cruise port a day earlier than we leave for the cruise.

We would leave all of our cruise luggage in the van.

Then on Sunday morning, the am of the cruise, we could walk to the parking garage and retrieve our cruise luggage and check in.

 

We did a similar process in New Orleans and it worked great. MapQuest says it is about a 25 minute walk from the hotel to the cruise terminal. Is that a fairly safe area to walk? We would only have a small overnight bag to carry so it seems do-able.

 

There are a few ICON Parking lots close the hotel that we could utilize for Saturday - but since there would be walking involved anyway, and these lots cost more than the cruise port, We thought parking the extra day at the port might be a viable option.

 

I have read that many people have been able to cut costs by parking at the PARK RIGHT garage but we have a minivan which gets the $10 a day upcharge as an oversize vehicle. So our savings would only be $2 a day. That isn't worth the extra hassle so if we drive I am pretty sure we will just be parking at the cruise terminal.

 

Are there easily available SUV taxis that can hold 6 people if we use the Amtrak option? I read the NY taxis are only allowed to hold 4, Mini van taxis allowed only 5, But Yellow SUV taxis can hold 6.

 

You can't park early at the cruise terminal. The econolodge looks like a reasonable budget option. You do NOT want to leave your luggage in your minivan in a NY parking garage!

[138east]

If that is the strategy you're thinking of, you could consider the Courtyard in Jersey City. We had a room there with 2 queens and a sofa bed. Parking is under $25. The Path station is literally next door. $2.75 to midtown or downtown. That means you can go into midtown and do your thing and then take the subway downtown to the 911 Memorial, and go back to Jersey City.

 

I couldn't get this type of room to come up online but it would be under $300 on a weekend. No breakfast, but places nearby to grab something. Nice safe area with views of Manhattan. You could leave your luggage in the car there. We could see the top of the Freedom Tower from our room. Hotel also has a pool and a large public area in the lobby. Call them directly as ask for a room for 5 with the two queens and a sofabed.

 

You could also look at the Doubletree which is in the same area - a 2 double with a sofabed for $189 + tax! That's a great deal and worth considering. This hotel is three blocks from Path.

 

If these are of interest we can provide more details about the PATH logistics on a Saturday. It's an easy drive to the pier through the Holland Tunnel on Sunday morning.

[mjkacmom]

I doubt Embassy Suites is going to negotiate bus fare with you!

[138east]

The cost of Amtrak for the 6 of us is $567

 

and the Embassy Suites is $225 but if we want to get into the city to tour around on Saturday - we have to add bus transportation to and from Seacaucus for 6 people and that Embassy Suites price is NOT including parking. We haven't negotiated that yet. Then I will need to add transport into the city on the day of the cruise. Or just drive over ourselves and park at the cruise terminal ($280.)

$$$$$$$$$

Because we are a family of 6 - I think it just makes more sense to stay in Manhattan.

 

I think I came across a fairly decent option. I can get 2 rooms at the Econo-lodge on

302 West 47th Street, New York, NY, 10036. (For $366 Total) This particular hotel has good ratings and the location appears to be fairly good.

 

I was wondering if my husband could drop us off at the hotel ......

and then go park the car at the cruise port a day earlier than we leave for the cruise.

We would leave all of our cruise luggage in the van.

Then on Sunday morning, the am of the cruise, we could walk to the parking garage and retrieve our cruise luggage and check in.

 

We did a similar process in New Orleans and it worked great. MapQuest says it is about a 25 minute walk from the hotel to the cruise terminal. Is that a fairly safe area to walk? We would only have a small overnight bag to carry so it seems do-able.

 

There are a few ICON Parking lots close the hotel that we could utilize for Saturday - but since there would be walking involved anyway, and these lots cost more than the cruise port, We thought parking the extra day at the port might be a viable option.

 

I have read that many people have been able to cut costs by parking at the PARK RIGHT garage but we have a minivan which gets the $10 a day upcharge as an oversize vehicle. So our savings would only be $2 a day. That isn't worth the extra hassle so if we drive I am pretty sure we will just be parking at the cruise terminal.

 

Are there easily available SUV taxis that can hold 6 people if we use the Amtrak option? I read the NY taxis are only allowed to hold 4, Mini van taxis allowed only 5, But Yellow SUV taxis can hold 6.

 

You can't park early at the cruise terminal. The econolodge looks like a reasonable budget option. You do NOT want to leave your luggage in your minivan in a NY parking garage!

[138east]

I had a similar budget dilemma last Sep for a family wedding in NYC. I started off with the problem of lodging 8 people and two cars and I never seriously considered staying in Manhattan. Eventually we ended up as five people and two cars and we stayed at the Courtyard in Jersey City, but the Doubletree was also a contender at the time. Overall it was a ton cheaper, a lot nicer, and logistically much easier. We drove into Manhattan and paid to park at wedding events, which was competitive with using cabs. Public transit just didn't work for where we needed to be plus we had a 5 month old.

 

You're considering spending $366 plus at least another $50 to park. You have to deal with driving into Manhattan on a Sat, unloading everyone at a hotel with luggage, and then circling the local streets to find the parking garage. The process has to be repeated the next day to move everyone to the cruise terminal.

 

The Doubletree is $225 plus $25 to self park. It's much easier to access from the turnpike. Once you're there you have a suite in a very nice hotel close to the Hudson River with all the amenities if the Newport area of Jersey City. You walk to PATH and you have the option of going to either the World a Trade Center or Herald Square, both of which are good starting points to explore Manhattan from. You will have a very easy drive into Manhattan on the morning of the cruise - Sunday is the lowest traffic day. It's easy to drive through the Holland tunnel and up the West Side to the pier.

[jjswiech]

I doubt Embassy Suites is going to negotiate bus fare with you!

 

Not bus fare. We were discussing parking fees with Embassy Suites. The fee to leave our vehicle at the hotel.

 

We did not want the Specific Park and Cruise package because we did not want to utilize their shuttle for 2 that is included in the package.