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Brooklyn Terminal- Red Hook


hallsuk2

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Hello,

Later in the summer we have booked the Queen Mary 2 Transatlantic to Southampton. I have allready learned a great deal from some previous threads but thought I would ask for a more upto date perspective on the matter. We will be staying at the Millennium Hotel on 44th Street near the U.N. Building.This is not my first visit to N.Y. and I am well aware of the reputation of some N.Y. cabbies.

On our day of departure we plan to use a cab to get to Red Hook Terminal. In the early days of using Red Hook some cabbies did not know where it was. Is that still the case. Do I need to go armed with maps from Mapquest and the like or will they know. Is it better to use the Brooklyn Bridge or The Brooklyn Battery Tunnel. Is it signposted when you get to the other side of the river.

Any comments would be useful and Thank You in advance for any input.

Iain

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Hello,

Later in the summer we have booked the Queen Mary 2 Transatlantic to Southampton. I have allready learned a great deal from some previous threads but thought I would ask for a more upto date perspective on the matter. We will be staying at the Millennium Hotel on 44th Street near the U.N. Building.This is not my first visit to N.Y. and I am well aware of the reputation of some N.Y. cabbies.

On our day of departure we plan to use a cab to get to Red Hook Terminal. In the early days of using Red Hook some cabbies did not know where it was. Is that still the case. Do I need to go armed with maps from Mapquest and the like or will they know. Is it better to use the Brooklyn Bridge or The Brooklyn Battery Tunnel. Is it signposted when you get to the other side of the river.

Any comments would be useful and Thank You in advance for any input.

Iain

 

First bring the direction syou received from your cruise line (you may want to have them translated into a number of languages:rolleyes: ) and then the best way to go is either the midtown tunnel or the Brooklyn Bridge. As You get near the terminal on the Gowanus Exprewssway get off at Atlantic Avenue and follow the signs to the cruise terminal.

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First bring the direction syou received from your cruise line (you may want to have them translated into a number of languages:rolleyes: ) and then the best way to go is either the midtown tunnel or the Brooklyn Bridge. As You get near the terminal on the Gowanus Exprewssway get off at Atlantic Avenue and follow the signs to the cruise terminal.

 

NO Not the midtown tunnel. Go to the Brooklyn Bridge. Besides being the long way through the midtown tunnel, the major part of the BQE between the Brooklyn Navy Yard and the Manhattan Bridge are being reconstructed and backs up badly most of the day....You can also go to the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel which may be faster than the Brooklyn Bridge and less traffic and may be worth the $4.50 for the tunnel.

 

But do bring directions...they are

 

the FDR to the Brooklyn Bridge or the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel.

 

from the Brooklyn Bridge take the first exit and follow the signs....

 

From The Brooklyn Battery Tunnel- take the Hamilton Avenue exit just past the toll and then make two quick lefts.....yes you just made a 180 degree turn...and follow the signs...just make sure you don't get back on to the tunnel...

 

it should take about 1/2 hour non rush hour....

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I am well aware of the reputation of some N.Y. cabbies.

 

Can you explain this comment? This would be our first time in NYC when we take our cruise in September and we also would have to take a cab to Red Hook terminal from the Blakely Hotel in midtown.

 

Thanks.

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Can you explain this comment? This would be our first time in NYC when we take our cruise in September and we also would have to take a cab to Red Hook terminal from the Blakely Hotel in midtown.

 

Thanks.

 

The hotel is located between 6th and 7th avenue on 56th street I believe....the way to get to Red Hook is go west on 55th street to 12th Avenue Make a left and then go all the way downtown to the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel and follow the directions above should be about $35-$40 toll and tip included and take about 40 minutes.

 

Most NY Taxi drivers are first generation. They have limited knowledge of the outer boros. But the reputation that they will take you out of you way is undeserved.

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The hotel is located between 6th and 7th avenue on 56th street I believe....the way to get to Red Hook is go west on 55th street to 12th Avenue Make a left and then go all the way downtown to the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel and follow the directions above should be about $35-$40 toll and tip included and take about 40 minutes.

 

Most NY Taxi drivers are first generation. They have limited knowledge of the outer boros. But the reputation that they will take you out of you way is undeserved.

 

 

Thanks. I will make sure we print off these instructions prior to leaving to NYC to make sure the cabbie has correct directions to get there.

Minybear

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  • 3 weeks later...

Ditto; they're pretty direct so long as you don't tell them flat-out that you're simply confused and have zero clue about anything. :) Most of them are actually in a hurry to pick up their next fare without a problem, so they tend to take a very direct route within a reasonable enough timeframe.

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So here is a question...Driving to the Brooklyn terminal on Memorial day. What about "Fleet Week"? Are we going to run into alot of traffic for that? We plan on arriving early.

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So here is a question...Driving to the Brooklyn terminal on Memorial day. What about "Fleet Week"? Are we going to run into alot of traffic for that? We plan on arriving early.

 

I don't think fleet week will be a problem especially on Memorial Day when a lot of the city has left town for a long weekend.

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janetz: There could be a lot of traffic on the main roads (Belt Parkway, Prospect Expressway, etc.), and metered parking could be a problem around some populated parts of the city. These days, Red Hook is also an up-and-coming area in some sections, so public transportation around Brooklyn and into Manhattan could be recommended.

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  • 1 month later...

Thanks to everyone who posted the information here. I will be staying in hotel near the base of the Brooklyn Bridge (New York City side).

 

The following directions are posted on the website for the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal.

 

" From Manhattan Via the Brooklyn or Manhattan Bridges, and from LaGuardia Airport: Get onto the westbound Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (I-278-W) and take Exit 26 - Hamilton Avenue onto the service road. Stay to the left and make a left-U-turn at the intersection of Hamilton Avenue with Clinton Street/9th Street, then continue west along the westbound Hamilton Avenue service road. Continue on the service road to its end at Van Brunt Street. Turn left at Van Brunt Street, travel 2 blocks and then turn right onto Bowne Street to enter the terminal."

 

These seem more involved than the directions posted above. If I give these to the taxi driver, will I just get a blank look?

 

Thanks for any perspectives on this.

 

Gordon

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Thanks to everyone who posted the information here. I will be staying in hotel near the base of the Brooklyn Bridge (New York City side).

 

The following directions are posted on the website for the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal.

 

" From Manhattan Via the Brooklyn or Manhattan Bridges, and from LaGuardia Airport: Get onto the westbound Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (I-278-W) and take Exit 26 - Hamilton Avenue onto the service road. Stay to the left and make a left-U-turn at the intersection of Hamilton Avenue with Clinton Street/9th Street, then continue west along the westbound Hamilton Avenue service road. Continue on the service road to its end at Van Brunt Street. Turn left at Van Brunt Street, travel 2 blocks and then turn right onto Bowne Street to enter the terminal."

 

These seem more involved than the directions posted above. If I give these to the taxi driver, will I just get a blank look?

 

Thanks for any perspectives on this.

 

Gordon

 

probably mine are simpler. Its true from the East side going over the Bridges is probably faster but the directions just make too many turns.

 

I don't like these directions from the website you are too likely to get lost.....

 

 

BTW Brooklyn is in New York City too. Manhattan is one of the five boros.

 

here are simpler directions....

 

coming from Downtown Manhattan

 

take the Brooklyn Bridge do not take the first exit go straight ahead 6(or 7) lights to Atlantic Avenue make a right. Go under the Highway and make the left.

Make the first right(its at the third light) follow this around until Bowne Street and make the right into the cruise terminal...(PS I know this is a change from the directions I first posted above but I find these easier)

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Here are simpler directions....

 

coming from Downtown Manhattan

 

Take the Brooklyn Bridge do not take the first exit go straight ahead 6(or 7) lights to Atlantic Avenue make a right.

 

Go under the Highway and make the left.

 

Make the first right(its at the third light) follow this around until Bowne Street and make the right into the cruise terminal...(PS I know this is a change from the directions I first posted above but I find these easier)

 

Thanks so much. Hopefully I can communicate this to the cab driver!

 

Does anyone know the actual street address? I'm hoping to plug this into a Garmin GPS to follow along.....

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Thanks so much. Hopefully I can communicate this to the cab driver!

 

Does anyone know the actual street address? I'm hoping to plug this into a Garmin GPS to follow along.....

 

The Motor entrance is at the corner of Imlay and Bowne Street Brooklyn 11231. It doesn't have a street address

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I will be cruising on Sunday, October 19, 2008. There are a large number of cruise lines that will be leaving from this terminal on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. I hope there will be a space left for me! The directions from Connecticut are below. Do they look OK?

 

HUTCHINSON RIVER PKWY S (Portions toll)

HUTCHINSON RIVER PKWY S becomes I-678 S.

Merge onto I-495 W/LONG ISLAND EXPY via EXIT 12B toward MIDTOWN TUN

Take EXIT 17W toward I-278 W/BKLYN-QUEENS EXPWY/BROOKLYN.

Merge onto I-278 W/BROOKLYN QUEENS EXPY toward BROOKLYN.

Take EXIT 27 toward ATLANTIC AVE.

Keep LEFT at the fork to go on COLUMBIA ST.

Turn RIGHT onto DEGRAW ST.

DEGRAW ST becomes VAN BRUNT ST.

Turn RIGHT onto BOWNE ST.

End at Bowne St & Imlay St Brooklyn, NY 11231

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I will be cruising on Sunday, October 19, 2008. There are a large number of cruise lines that will be leaving from this terminal on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. I hope there will be a space left for me! The directions from Connecticut are below. Do they look OK?

 

HUTCHINSON RIVER PKWY S (Portions toll)

HUTCHINSON RIVER PKWY S becomes I-678 S.

Merge onto I-495 W/LONG ISLAND EXPY via EXIT 12B toward MIDTOWN TUN

Take EXIT 17W toward I-278 W/BKLYN-QUEENS EXPWY/BROOKLYN.

Merge onto I-278 W/BROOKLYN QUEENS EXPY toward BROOKLYN.

Take EXIT 27 toward ATLANTIC AVE.

Keep LEFT at the fork to go on COLUMBIA ST.

Turn RIGHT onto DEGRAW ST.

DEGRAW ST becomes VAN BRUNT ST.

Turn RIGHT onto BOWNE ST.

End at Bowne St & Imlay St Brooklyn, NY 11231

 

 

 

Unless I am mistaken only 2 ships visit the Red Hook Pier. There is plenty of parking. Yes, they look fine. :)

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I will be cruising on Sunday, October 19, 2008. There are a large number of cruise lines that will be leaving from this terminal on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. I hope there will be a space left for me! The directions from Connecticut are below. Do they look OK?

 

HUTCHINSON RIVER PKWY S (Portions toll)

HUTCHINSON RIVER PKWY S becomes I-678 S.

Merge onto I-495 W/LONG ISLAND EXPY via EXIT 12B toward MIDTOWN TUN

Take EXIT 17W toward I-278 W/BKLYN-QUEENS EXPWY/BROOKLYN.

Merge onto I-278 W/BROOKLYN QUEENS EXPY toward BROOKLYN.

Take EXIT 27 toward ATLANTIC AVE.

Keep LEFT at the fork to go on COLUMBIA ST.

Turn RIGHT onto DEGRAW ST.

DEGRAW ST becomes VAN BRUNT ST.

Turn RIGHT onto BOWNE ST.

End at Bowne St & Imlay St Brooklyn, NY 11231

 

I have driven twice to the Brooklyn terminal from Connecticut and both times took the Whitestone Bridge to the Grand Central and then to the Gowanus Expressway and had no problems at all. It took me 1 hour 15 minutes to go from Easton, CT to the terminal during the week. I left CT about 11am and was at the terminal by 12:15PM.

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I have driven twice to the Brooklyn terminal from Connecticut and both times took the Whitestone Bridge to the Grand Central and then to the Gowanus Expressway and had no problems at all. It took me 1 hour 15 minutes to go from Easton, CT to the terminal during the week. I left CT about 11am and was at the terminal by 12:15PM.

 

Its about 70 miles from Easton and 110 from Cromwell so, about two hours for me.

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Unless I am mistaken only 2 ships visit the Red Hook Pier. There is plenty of parking. Yes, they look fine. :)

 

This page - http://www.nycruise.com/terminal.html has a picture that shows five ships or is that the Manhattan Terminal?

 

This page - http://www.nycruise.com/sched_2008.html# lists the Royal on Saturday and the Caribbean on Sunday so, I guess only two ships.

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This page - http://www.nycruise.com/terminal.html has a picture that shows five ships or is that the Manhattan Terminal?

 

This page - http://www.nycruise.com/sched_2008.html# lists the Royal on Saturday and the Caribbean on Sunday so, I guess only two ships.

 

its Manhattan. Those ships are perpendicular to the shore.

The ones in Brooklyn are parallel- there is only one Berth in Brooklyn...so far...two more are in the Planning stages.

 

its the Brooklyn Queens expressway I278 you want. The Gowanus expressway which is also 278 is south of the Cruise terminal(but not the Canal that is Northeast of the Terminal.(more or less)...

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The Motor entrance is at the corner of Imlay and Bowne Street Brooklyn 11231. It doesn't have a street address

 

SMeyer418,

 

Thanks so much!

 

My GPS allows me to input street intersections, so this information will be perfect.

 

Gordon

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  • 2 weeks later...

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