Public Transport to Explorer in NY/NJ

[Naiad]

Does anyone know if there is public transportation from Manhattan to where Explorer of the Seas docks in New Jersey? If there isn't any, how much is it for a taxi? I'll be staying in Manhattan before the cruise.

[Maraprince]

Sorry...no public transportation. You could take NJ Transit over to NJ but then you would still need to get a taxi.

 

Fare would depend on where you are in Mahattan. You could also check into using a private car service at a flat rate rather than a yellow taxi which is metered.

 

 

MARAPRINCE

[French_Fry]

Your hotel should be able to provide you with options to get you to the pier. Taxi Vs car service (limo or town car). Ask when you check in. Or call in advance and explain your needs. They can also set up your trip to the airport when you get back if you don't already have that set up. Yellow cab to New Jersey (pier) is an agreed upon flat rate before departure between rider & cabbie.

[aqhacruiser]

Does anyone know if there is public transportation from Manhattan to where Explorer of the Seas docks in New Jersey? If there isn't any, how much is it for a taxi? I'll be staying in Manhattan before the cruise.

 

Scroll down the bottom of page on this link for info about public transportation and cabs to the pier:)

http://www.cruiseliberty.com/dirpark.htm

[138east]

I am sailing on Feb. 24 and this question came up on our cruise thread. The previous posting has a good web site for you to look at. I also researched this and found similar information.

 

If you take public transportation, you have to be prepared to hump your luggage up and down stairs and at the end you will have to get a cab anyway. NY subway is $2.00, Path is $1.50, and Bergen Light rail is $1.90. I don't know about the bus - the web site is confusing. It could be a similar price.

 

1) Cab from NY. Research NY car services and arrange it in advance. It should be a fixed price. You don't want to go out on the street and flag the first cab that comes by. Car services are popular in NY - they're between street cabs and limos. And your driver might actually speak English!

 

2) Bus from Port Authority (see the web site mentioned above and search Coach USA 99s and 10). Port Authority is enormous and can be a confusing madhouse. However, the bus does go directly to Bayonne. Research the bus schedule (Sunday service may be limited) and leave yourself plenty of time. Bus is a local and takes about 1 hour.

 

3) Path train and Light Rail - You need to get to the World Trade Center - the end of the "E" train on the NY subway. Path also runs from 33rd Street, but you will have to transfer to get to Exchange Place. Transfer to the PATH trains and take any train 1 stop to Exchange Place. Transfer to the Bergen light rail and go to 34th street in Bayonne. Call a cab.

 

4) Path train to Journal Square - You can take Path from 33rd Street(Journal Square) or World Trade(Newark). Don't get on the Hoboken train. Call a Jersey City cab to take you the cruise dock - about 8 miles and 15 minutes.

 

It's been a long time since I did this sort of thing in NY, but I would probably spend some money on it if I were doing it. You're probably uptown in NY, so a cab to 33rd & 6th for Path won't be bad. You tote your luggage down to the platform and take the train to Journal Square. This is a big station and should have escalators up to the street. You call a cab (perhaps you can even arrange for one in advance) and you're off to the port which is only 8 miles away.

[melsdt]

There are plenty of public transportation options. The best one depends on where in Manhattan you will be staying.

 

I just want to correct one thing the previous poster said, you CAN take the PATH from 33rd street to Hoboken, and hop on the light rail from there to 34th street in Bayonne, which is right across from Cruise terminal. You don't have to transfer PATH trains. If you are closer to the WTC, then get on the PATH to Exchange Place and hop on light rail there as it will be closer.

 

Once in Bayonne, call one of the Bayonne cab companies. They will charge you 4 dollars and should be there within 5 minutes.

 

All in all it would cost less than 10 dollars a person, much less than calling a cab from the city. As another poster said, it can be a bit of a hassle with luggage.