Car Hire or Ship Excursion after Anthem Cruise at Cape Liberty

[kingcole]

So we dock on the morning of August 4th and our flight back to London is from EWR at 610pm.

 

We want to spend the day shopping at The Mills

 

There are 6 of us.

 

I can hire a 7 seater from EWR for the day for less than $150. So, first question. How easy and costly would it be for just myself to get off the ship an hour or so before the rest of my party, grab a cab to EWR and come back, pick up my folks so we can enjoy shopping and leaving our luggage in the car?

 

The other option is an excursion organised by Royal, but at $65 a head it will be considerably more expensive and I'm guessing may get us back to EWR sooner that we would like as it's advertised as being good for flights before 5pm

 

I'd happily listen to any other ideas.

[sddsddean]

If you are flying on BA out of EWR, be aware that their check in desk does not open until 3.30pm (as all their outbound flights are late afternoon/evening). There is nowhere to bagdrop until then. It caught us out in September when we thought we'd arrive about 2 (after an RCI tour round NYC) and be able to go up to the lounge ('cos we were in Club World/Business), but the closed desk put paid to that!!, so had to hang around by the carousels in Terminal B (weird layout...the BA desk is at the end of the hall with the arrivals baggage carousels).

 

Simon

[kingcole]

If you are flying on BA out of EWR, be aware that their check in desk does not open until 3.30pm (as all their outbound flights are late afternoon/evening). There is nowhere to bagdrop until then. It caught us out in September when we thought we'd arrive about 2 (after an RCI tour round NYC) and be able to go up to the lounge ('cos we were in Club World/Business), but the closed desk put paid to that!!, so had to hang around by the carousels in Terminal B (weird layout...the BA desk is at the end of the hall with the arrivals baggage carousels).

 

Simon

 

I did read check in only opened 3 hours before and I know this is the first BA flight of the day. I’m comforatable arriving at an aiport 75 mins (90 if dropping a car) before, so am swinging towards hiring the car so I can leave the shops around 4 and get to EWR and have the car dropped by 430.

 

You think I should book transport that morning from the cruise terminal to EWR to collect my hire car or just find a cab?

[sddsddean]

The problem with 'just getting a cab' is that, although it is well organised, you will be in a queue to get the next cab/shuttle to EWR. I don't know if you really appreciate the timings. It will take 30 mins minimum to get to EWR. The car hire centre is slightly off site and is usually accessed from the airport by the Airtrain (which is free). Even if you get dropped at the car hire place, you have to do the paperwork etc and then find your way out of the airport back to the terminal, which by this time will have new cruisers arriving. All in all, it will be best part of 2 hours before you get back to the cruise terminal. Dropping the car is easier. The car rental centre is well sign posted and the Airtrain will have you in Terminal B in 10 minutes. Having aired my worries about getting the car, I can't say I've got a better solution! When we cam back in September, as I said, we did the NYC tour which dropped us at EWR about 2pm. It was a bit whistle stop and only one stop at the World Trade Center memorial pools for about 45 mins, but was quite interesting nonetheless. Maybe one of the locals can come up with a better idea.

 

Simon

[Got2Cruise]

Maybe the BA Desks only open at 3:30. But passing through TSA security at any NY airport is a nightmare. So unless you have status and can bypass the checkin and security lines I would be sure to get there by 3:30.