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Disembarkation warning

Hobbit

By Hobbit,
in Cunard Line

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Hobbit

Hobbit

Posted
Posted

The black limo drivers in Brooklyn have a rackett going. They are keeping the regular yellow cab drivers out of the terminal area for several hours after the ship docks. So you are pretty much forced to either wait for several hours before you can leave, or pay double for the limo.

We confirmed this information regarding the limo drivers by speaking with the local police.

My husband and I carried our luggage out to the front gate of the Brooklyn terminal and caught a cab immediately, but it is a long walk. Other options include calling the cab company and having one sent in for your party specifically or sending one person out to the gate to get the cab to come back and pick up the rest of your party.

 

Hobbit

QM2 May 17th 2006

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NorthernNeighbour

NorthernNeighbour

Posted
Posted
Mmm, so..., are they "black limo drivers"? or "black limo" drivers???

 

The limos are black in New York -- the drivers can be any race. I am surprised that, if the police know about this, they have not taken some action in conjunction with the taxi commission.

 

Forty dollars is a reasonable price for a limo in New York -- particularly if you have a lot of luggage which many times taxis cannot handle.

 

However, if you only have hand luggage or a small amount, it would likely NOT cost $40 to take a taxi to Manhattan -- but it could, if you got stuck in traffic. In a taxi, the meter keeps running, in a limo it is a flat rate.

 

When in New York for transfers, I always take a limo. Actually, most passengers would probably prefer the limo option, but this should in no way excuse this type of behaviour on the part of the limo drivers. There should be two queues, one for limos and another for taxis and the passengers can choose which they prefer.

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NorthernNeighbour

NorthernNeighbour

Posted
Posted
The black limo drivers in Brooklyn have a rackett going. They are keeping the regular yellow cab drivers out of the terminal area for several hours after the ship docks. So you are pretty much forced to either wait for several hours before you can leave, or pay double for the limo.

We confirmed this information regarding the limo drivers by speaking with the local police.

My husband and I carried our luggage out to the front gate of the Brooklyn terminal and caught a cab immediately, but it is a long walk. Other options include calling the cab company and having one sent in for your party specifically or sending one person out to the gate to get the cab to come back and pick up the rest of your party.

 

Hobbit

QM2 May 17th 2006

 

Just out of curiosity -- after paying thousands of dollars for a nice cruise, what attracted you to take a taxi in New York instead of a limo? Did you just want the experience of riding in a yellow cab?

 

I realise you perhaps paid double the fare -- but then a limo costs a lot more to operate than a taxi, so it is a good value for money. $40.00 is not a lot for a limo (it is the standard rate in New York for airport to hotel transfers). By way of comparison, we have one reserved for Southampton in the UK for the embarkation tomorrow and it certainly costs a lot more than $40.00. We also took one in Amsterdam when dis-embarking there and (again) it was a lot more than $40.00.

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tabascored

tabascored

Posted
Posted

I plan to pre-book a car service to pick us up in Brooklyn. Does anyone know of any issues with the service getting into to disembarking area? Does anyone need to be notified of our arrangements?

 

Thanks!

 

Sue

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travel-to-go

travel-to-go

Posted
Posted
The 11,000.00 we'd already spent on our tour of Europe motivated us to take a cab instead of a limo.

 

<LOL>

This I understand. It seems rather a paltry sum after the 11K, but when you've maxed out the credit cards, (or saved up for years, or what-have-you) to take the trip of a lifetime, or even just a really nice trip instead of a so-so trip, sometimes I resent even a couple of bucks extra for something which is not giving me "extra value".

 

Karie,

who isn't cheap, but sometimes picks and chooses what she wants to spend her nard-earned money on. (I am a BIG tipper, but resent paying $27.50 for a photograph of us standing next to a life ring with Curacao written on it surrounded by a couple of stock shots of the QM2 that makes it a more expensive 8X10 instead of the cheaper 5X7, and you aren't given the choice!)

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Bollinge

Bollinge

Posted
Posted
So would there be any Limos or taxi's for self help people early morning?

 

We got off "self help" at about 8.45 and there was a line of limo's as far as the eye could see.

 

I asked the concierge at the Algonquin hotel how much a yellow cab would cost from Red Hook, Brooklyn to the hotel and she said $50-60.

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southwestie

southwestie

Posted
Posted

July is our very 1st TA on the qm2 cant wait now, we are staying in top NYC hotel and so thought lets hire a limo.

 

i was quoted $54 for the trip inc toll and tip appox £30 gbp.

 

this way i know the limo is there when i want it, i know its clean, a good driver it will tak all my luggage and i donr have to worry abot nyc traffice and the running meter and i wont get ripped off either.

 

On top of that, it is going to a wonderful trip and what a great way to end it in nyc with a limo ride into nyc and a couple of shows and a top hotel.

 

Please note that that rate is going to be a town car (small limo) and not a stretch limo and a town car will hold 4 people.

 

Nice to turn up at your hotel i a nice car rather than a taxi lol

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heywood

heywood

Posted
Posted

rob,

Hope you don't mind- a few questions-

have you booked the limo yourself? What arrangements do you intend to make for disembarkation? Will you be contacting the company when you have completed customs etc?

Thanks- we are looking for someway to get to our hotel after our August crossing and I really fancy the limo experience after reading this.

thanks again

heywood

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southwestie

southwestie

Posted
Posted

hi heywood

if you want to leave your email address i can contact you diret with all the details etc

 

i had a very good deal from long established company

 

cunard have helped with all i need to disembark etc and what time they should meet us

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smeyer418

smeyer418

Posted
Posted
We got off "self help" at about 8.45 and there was a line of limo's as far as the eye could see.

 

I asked the concierge at the Algonquin hotel how much a yellow cab would cost from Red Hook, Brooklyn to the hotel and she said $50-60.

 

Nonsense on the price for the cab. The cab will be $20.00 plus toll and tip. I take cabs all the time from midtown to my house which is a stones throw from the pier(long throw). It will only be $30-35 from LGA which is much farther. I don't understand why the concierge wouldn't know this. I will play around and get the exact mileage but its under 8 miles.

 

Also the contract with the Port Terminal and the black cars(limos) set rates.

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Bollinge

Bollinge

Posted
Posted

Guess I was given the wrong information, but as you said there are no taxis there anyway!

 

Here's the route we took:

 

http://www.mapquest.com/directions/main.adp?do=nw&go=1&r=&aoh=&aot=&aof=&1a=%5b96%2d149%5d%20BEARD%20ST&1c=BROOKLYN&1s=NY&1z=11231&1n=KINGS%20COUNTY&1y=US&1l=Q1qTsObUsIo%3d&1g=k8HD0jPtg1A%3d&1v=STREET&2a=59%20W%2044th%20St&2c=New%20York&2s=NY&2z=10036&2y=US&2l=0wUtW8SAX1E%3d&2g=k%2bljvGqmaEY%3d&2pn=Algonquin%20Hotel&2pl=212%2d840%2d6800&2v=ADDRESS&2ffi=1&2ex=&2n=

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heywood

heywood

Posted
Posted

Thanks Rob

I prefer not to post my email address and there is no facility to email through user name - no worries. It does seem that there will be Limos available and I am sure that elsewhere on this site there is a contact number for Limos.

I am hoping whatever problems there were initially are now sorting themselves out and it will be fairly easy to get off and away!

regards

heywood

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smeyer418

smeyer418

Posted
Posted

 

the entrance to the pier is at Bowne and Imlay Street. These take you up the BQE and the FDR its the long way and except on a Sunday you can hit allot of traffic. The faster way and shorter is through the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel to the Chruch Street exit. Church Street becomes 6th Avenue(this also takes you right by ground zero) 6th avenue to 44th street where the Algonquin is on between 5th and 6th Avenue. This is the most direct way and its 2 miles closer but its mostly the street with traffic 30 minutes without traffic 20 minutes.

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tabascored

tabascored

Posted
Posted

Hello Heywood,

 

I have a car service that I use all the time. They are extremely reliable.

The name is Transtar Executive and the phone is 1 800 894 7827. They charge me $100. but I live 50 miles from NYC. Limo's are regulated by a commission and have a set amount they can charge. It won't hurt to give them a call and inquire about transport.

 

Hope this helps out.

 

Sue

 

PS: We are traveling in August also! Could we be on the same crossing?

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PBrown

PBrown

Posted
Posted

I just arranged ours through Carmel. Poor guy was pretty confused with pick up at airport take to hotel, pick up at hotel take to terminal (he kept calling it Red Hook, is that right?) pick up at terminal take to hotel, pick up at hotel take to airport.:confused:

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