NYC parking in winter

[pumpkin228]

Hey all, heading out if NYC in January and wondered what people's experience parking in the winter was? We are concerned if we come home to our car buried in snow! Do they plow that lot at the terminal and if so, we will get plowed in?

 

TIA

 

 

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[mking8288]

Yes, there's always a possibility of a major blizzard for one's NYC winter sailing and the rooftop, outdoor parking has been buried - port management will plow & clear the path - without "burying" all the parked vehicles as the lot is big, with plenty of open space for them to move the snow out of the way (and, they also take care of the walkway.) But, make sure you carry the essential winter gears, including gloves, brushes, ice scaper, shovel, etc. - even when parked in our own driveway, we always back our vehicles into the space so that the front wheels/tires are pointing outward, easily to jump start a battery or get towing assistance, etc. Plus, it minimize the odds of running over anyone behind you - never, never fully trust those backup or reverse camera integrated into newer vehicles.

 

Unless there's a deep freeze, we typically get a few inches of snow (or less) and usually some melting will take place with the sun helping - a good set of winter/snow tires generally take care of any traction issues if you are driving in from nearby ... not a major concern on this sub-forum, the odds are always there. Enjoy your winter cruise.

[meatball_nyc]

Excellent advice from mking.

Pack a snow shovel in your cars trunk.

Have a great cruise !

[njhorseman]

I have gotten plowed in at the Manhattan Cruise Terminal, and the snow was deep and iced over enough so that my lightweight shovel wasn't sufficient to shovel my vehicle out. Fortunately there were a couple of porters who had brought heavyweight shovels to work, and they were quite willing to help get your car out in return for a generous tip.

 

In all the years I've been parking there, this was the only time when the snow was deep and packed enough to force me to get help.

[riclop]

Hey all, heading out if NYC in January and wondered what people's experience parking in the winter was? We are concerned if we come home to our car buried in snow! Do they plow that lot at the terminal and if so, we will get plowed in?

 

TIA

 

 

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Why sail out of NYC in Jan??? You lose 4 days with frigid temp. A waste of $$$.

[njhorseman]

Why sail out of NYC in Jan??? You lose 4 days with frigid temp. A waste of $$$.

 

If you live within easy driving distance of NY flying to Florida and back is a waste of $$$, and you effectively lose one day on each end by having to fly back and forth. The cold temperatures are usually only an issue for one day in each direction, not two.

[ducklite]

Leave the wipers pulled out and away from the vehicle so they don't get frozen on. In addition to a shovel, ice scraper, and gloves, carry a bag of rock salt or non-clumping kitty litter to get under the tires for added traction.

 

That said, if you live within driving distance of NYC, I would think you normally carry these in the trunk in the winter...

 

 

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[ducklite]

If you live within easy driving distance of NY flying to Florida and back is a waste of $$$, and you effectively lose one day on each end by having to fly back and forth. The cold temperatures are usually only an issue for one day in each direction, not two.

 

 

 

Huh? It's a two or so hour flight each way. I would rather fly to Florida the evening before my cruise and start in warm weather and fly home after instead of losing at least a full day in each direction where it's freezing on deck. PS--I live in Florida and fly back north almost every month. I never pay more than about $250 r/t and often find fares in the $180 range.

 

Cost/benefit analysis weighs heavily towards flying and getting a full seven days of enjoyment and good weather over going out of NYC and losing 30% of your vacation stuck indoors.

 

 

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[QuickieGlenn]

Parked twice at the pier in February and it can be quite cold, last time we left in a ice storm, so be prepared. We also had a rough ride down & back, so I promised myself never to do that again. Next cruise is out of Florida

[luckyinpa]

this is one thing i love about my remote start car via my phone. i know it will be at least warm inside and windows likely thawing by the time i get there.

[rigs32]

Huh? It's a two or so hour flight each way. I would rather fly to Florida the evening before my cruise and start in warm weather and fly home after instead of losing at least a full day in each direction where it's freezing on deck. PS--I live in Florida and fly back north almost every month. I never pay more than about $250 r/t and often find fares in the $180 range.

 

Cost/benefit analysis weighs heavily towards flying and getting a full seven days of enjoyment and good weather over going out of NYC and losing 30% of your vacation stuck indoors.

 

 

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Remember that not everyone is close to a hub airport. Smaller airports can run $300-400 RT and with connections, that's now a 6-7 travel day. In winter, you can easily get stuck in your layover city so flying the day before is essential and evening flights are the most likely to get you stuck. I wouldn't sail out of NYC in winter, but I understand why some do.

 

 

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[ducklite]

Remember that not everyone is close to a hub airport. Smaller airports can run $300-400 RT and with connections, that's now a 6-7 travel day. In winter, you can easily get stuck in your layover city so flying the day before is essential and evening flights are the most likely to get you stuck. I wouldn't sail out of NYC in winter, but I understand why some do.

 

 

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If the weather is bad enough that someone can't get a flight out to get to Florida, it's likely they won't be able to drive to the port, either. Northeast airports are very good at managing snow. It has to be a snowmageddon Nor'easter for SYR, BUF, EWR, JFK, ALB, MHT, BVT, BOS, PVD, BDL, SCE, CLE, PIT, LGA, etc. to close. If they do, chances are that 81, 87, 93, 95, 80, 84, 78, 90, etc. will all be closed as well. Having spent close to 45 years of my life in CT, NJ, NY (including Syracuse during the snowiest winter in record) and three years flying weekly between MCO and the airports mentioned above, I can pretty well say this with good knowledge.

 

 

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[DipBrat]

If the weather is bad enough that someone can't get a flight out to get to Florida, it's likely they won't be able to drive to the port, either. Northeast airports are very good at managing snow. It has to be a snowmageddon Nor'easter for SYR, BUF, EWR, JFK, ALB, MHT, BVT, BOS, PVD, BDL, SCE, CLE, PIT, LGA, etc. to close. If they do, chances are that 81, 87, 93, 95, 80, 84, 78, 90, etc. will all be closed as well. Having spent close to 45 years of my life in CT, NJ, NY (including Syracuse during the snowiest winter in record) and three years flying weekly between MCO and the airports mentioned above, I can pretty well say this with good knowledge.

 

 

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Not sure about that theory. Most of those airports have 12+ hours of delays a few times a year for weather. Even a few thunderstorms can shut down Laguardia for hours. Other than Sandy I can't think of a time I95 was closed for more than a few hours.

 

 

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[rigs32]

Weather delays at airports are cumulative between cities. It's very rare for highways to close for more than a few hours when weather hits. I've been delayed 5 hours at BWI as a result of Weather in Chicago. Others have driven to FL from NY to make their ship as midwestern Weather messed up their flight plans.

 

Not sure why my phone keeps capitalizing the w in Weather.

 

 

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[mjkacmom]

Huh? It's a two or so hour flight each way. I would rather fly to Florida the evening before my cruise and start in warm weather and fly home after instead of losing at least a full day in each direction where it's freezing on deck. PS--I live in Florida and fly back north almost every month. I never pay more than about $250 r/t and often find fares in the $180 range.

 

Cost/benefit analysis weighs heavily towards flying and getting a full seven days of enjoyment and good weather over going out of NYC and losing 30% of your vacation stuck indoors.

 

 

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Not for us! Family of 7, driving to the pier saves so much money vs. flying and hotel.

 

ETA, we can drive into the city, train, bus or ferry. The closest bus stop is 3 blocks away from our home.

Edited November 19, 2016 by mjkacmom

[ducklite]

Not sure about that theory. Most of those airports have 12+ hours of delays a few times a year for weather. Even a few thunderstorms can shut down Laguardia for hours. Other than Sandy I can't think of a time I95 was closed for more than a few hours.

 

 

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But getting to 95 is the crux... For many in the NE, 81 is the route south.

 

 

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Edited November 19, 2016 by ducklite

[ducklite]

Not for us! Family of 7, driving to the pier saves so much money vs. flying and hotel.

 

 

 

Again you are looking at it as solely the bottom line, not paying attention to the fact that 30% of your cruise is through weather that is cold and not at all enjoyable. Take the cost of the cruise and figure 30% of that cost lost to being on a ship in crappy, cold weather and probably fairly rough winter water and compare it to the cost of flying. Suddenly the cost of flying looks much lower.

 

 

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[mjkacmom]

Again you are looking at it as solely the bottom line, not paying attention to the fact that 30% of your cruise is through weather that is cold and not at all enjoyable. Take the cost of the cruise and figure 30% of that cost lost to being on a ship in crappy, cold weather and probably fairly rough winter water and compare it to the cost of flying. Suddenly the cost of flying looks much lower.

 

 

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We've sailed in November several times, it was still enjoyable. The novelty of getting in our vehicle, and getting to the ship in 20 minutes, vs leaving for the airport 2 1/2 hours before our flight, parking in long term parking, shuttling to the airport, go through security, wait, 2+ hour flight, wait for baggage, shuttle to the hotel, wait until the next day, shuttle to the ship - and then a long travel day on the return trip home... Spending an extra $2000 or so? And who is to say the weather will be nice? It could rain the whole time.

 

With some of the money we save, we get spa passes, I'd rather be in there than up by pool with the masses anyway.

[rigs32]

I've had good days on a cruise ship that were indoors.

 

Again, I wouldn't do it, but I understand why some do.

 

 

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[njhorseman]

Huh? It's a two or so hour flight each way. I would rather fly to Florida the evening before my cruise and start in warm weather and fly home after instead of losing at least a full day in each direction where it's freezing on deck. PS--I live in Florida and fly back north almost every month. I never pay more than about $250 r/t and often find fares in the $180 range.

 

Cost/benefit analysis weighs heavily towards flying and getting a full seven days of enjoyment and good weather over going out of NYC and losing 30% of your vacation stuck indoors.

 

 

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I live about an hour's drive from the Manhattan and Brooklyn cruise terminals, and about 45 minutes from Cape Liberty. Spending a couple of hundred dollars per person for airfare, plus the cost of a hotel to stay overnight in Florida, plus the cost of a limo to the airport or airport parking, plus the cost of a taxi from MIA to the hotel makes no sense to me when I can get to the pier in an hour or less on the morning of the cruise and spend $140 to park for a week at Cape Liberty to at most $280 to park in Manhattan.

 

Flight schedule time as about 3 hours from EWR to Miami, plus you have to get to the airport 90 minutes to two hours before your flight to leave enough time to clear. With a 45 minute drive to the airport I have to leave home almost 6 hours before I arrive in Miami...then another hour or more before I get to my hotel...so yes, I've wasted about 7-8 hours, when I could be on board the ship, enjoying lunch, then going to the thermal suite about two hours after I leave home. Leave home at 10 am and I'm having lunch at noon on the ship. Leave home at 10 am, and I'm getting to the hotel in Miami at 6 pm, which to me is wasting the better part of a day, and spending a lot more money to boot.

Edited November 19, 2016 by njhorseman