SkyBus to New York

[smeyer418]

Thanks Everyone for posting.

I just double checked Skybus's website, and in fairness, I was wrong, it says 55 minutes to Manhatten, not 45.

The good news is our flight arrives at 10:30am so we should have 6 hours to make it to the port (and 6 hours on the return), so we're not in trouble there.

I know we couldn't make it from LGA to the port in less than 55 minutes in a cab so I knew they were exaggerating. Maybe they are measuring to the very top of Manhatten, and indeed at 3am in a very fast car.

 

I'll check out the links on the trains and buses- thanks! We travel pretty light-even for a cruise, so I'm not worried about the luggage- one a piece. But paying only $45 roundtrip- we'll still save a lot if we end up taking a cab.

 

Rental car is probably not an option- finding our way there, dropping it off, then taking a cab to the port...we were there last year and didn't see any rental car companies trying to get you into their cars like at other ports.

 

Thanks again everyone.

Its 20-25 minutes from LGA to the cruise terminal without traffic(either Brooklyn or Manhattan) Its only 8 to 10 miles respectively...with traffic its more...

[smeyer418]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080129/ap_on_re_us/new_airport

 

 

more about Stewart ....it also used to be a b-52 base long runways....

[parentsof6]

Well everything worked out great. Good weather in both directions, no delays (in fact we were early on both flights.) The train from Beacon into GC Station was a beautiful trip and we enjoyed our travelling companions who'd also flown in on skybus.

 

Metro North tickets= $44, Cab to the Cruise Terminal- $16, shuttle from airport to Beacon $4, airfaire $122 for a total of $186 -roundtrip for two.

 

It was a gamble that paid off. It's always a good idea to fly in a day early for a cruise. In our case that was not possible no matter what airline. If the Skybus plane had been out for mechanical reasons we'd have had to cough up the premium $$ to get out of Columbus on time- thankfully that didn't happen.

 

Would I fly Skybus again- YOU BETCHA!

[Jerboy]

Thanks for the report, I might consider taking the Skybus flight to NYC in the future now that I see it can be done with a very low cost :)

[JJPNYC]

I'm glad to hear that everything worked out. Where things just as smooth going for the return trip home?

 

Hearing about the MetroNorth ride reminded me of how pretty that whole corridor is along the Hudson River and how easy it is to forget that NYC is only 50 miles south.

[JO-TRAVEL ALOT]

I have flown Skybus twice. The first time from Columbus to Ft Lauderdale. We were over 3 hrs late taking off, because they had a plane down and no spares. On the return flight we were 1 1/2 hrs late taking off. We were told always late. The second time we flew from Columbus to Oakland. On the way about 1/2 hr late, on the return flight over an hr delay. Would I fly Skybus again? You bet I have always gotten $10 seats. I will be flying to Ft Lauderdale tomorrow. For a cruise I don't think I would chance it, in less you fly in a day early.

[parentsof6]

The return trip was nice- a beautiful sunny, but cold day.

 

We'd been told at the reception desk on the ship that there was a rent-a-locker place we could stow our luggage while we enjoyed 4 hours window-shopping on 5th Ave, so we took a cab to that address only to find out it had been out of business for 6 months. So rather than 4 hours in Manhatten, we enjoyed 4 hours in the lovely Stewart airport! (My husband saved money there too!) We found out later from a friend that there are still lockers for rent in Grand Central. Oh well- next time.

 

We did meet a couple of people at the sandwich shop in the terminal who'd missed the early Skybus flight and then had to wait for ours. They admitted that they had been late getting to the airport and when they got to the skybus counter, there was no-one there to check in their luggage. They tried to have them paged but still missed the flight. So lesson learned- get there early! I think their "check-in" people also double as their "check-in at the gate" people.

 

Our impressions- The priority boarding is not worth the extra cost, the drinks and food are less expensive than in the terminal, and the flight crew is delightful. My husband was so impressed he bought one of their t-shirts. We talked with one of the crew and heard that they are buying dozens of new planes in the coming months...don't know if that's true, but we're going to keep an eye on them.

 

Honestly, the part of this "planes-trains-and automobiles" (and ship) trip that worried me the most was the train ride. I was worried that we'd stand out as a couple of hicks from Ohio, miss our train, be complete boobs hauling our suitcases, but we weren't... A group of about 12 of us took the Leprechaun shuttle from the airport (we had time to stand and talk as it only comes once an hour, -while standing in the cold,) boarded together and then talked all the way into New York. The train was fairly empty, but a lot of people were carrying luggage. The ride back was the same- people going home to family, going back to college, leaving the city for the weekend. People were really very nice. Grand Central was a breeze- just follow the signs to the street and there's a cab within 30 seconds.

[JJPNYC]

I'm not entirely 100% sure that the friend's tip about bag storage at Grand Central is true (unless something new just opened up). Ever since Sept.11 all of the bag storage places in NYC basically got shut down due to security.