Bayonne: A nightmare???

[KeywestK]

We just returned from our 7/31/08 sailing out of Bayonne, and we thought it all went incredibly smooth and easy. I'd do it again in a heartbeat....especially since we can drive there!

 

Karen

[isujim]

You have intrigued me. We leave out in October....we will be taking a cab from the Newark Airport to Cape Liberty...so give me the steps that occur please.

 

Question: they drop me at some point at some kind of entry...then I shuttle with luggage to the terminal...then do boarding????

 

Idea of what happens please.

Lou

 

Thanks for asking this Lou:D

[isujim]

When Explorer gets back to port.......are taxi's readily available back to Newark Airport? First time using this port of embarkation in October.....thanks.

[Sugar*Magnolia]

isujim,

We dont use the taxi's but we have seen them waiting to the left of the terminal. Even better, I think Royal offers a shuttle to Newark, you can buy a ticket at guest services while on board. Double check that info though!!! I recall reading it in a daily compass and reading it here on cruise critic.

[isujim]

isujim,

We dont use the taxi's but we have seen them waiting to the left of the terminal. Even better, I think Royal offers a shuttle to Newark, you can buy a ticket at guest services while on board. Double check that info though!!! I recall reading it in a daily compass and reading it here on cruise critic.

 

Appreciate the info!!:)

[halos]

I feel much better.

A friend of mine just got off a Canada/NE cruise this week and had a horrid time with both embark and debark. At embark, there was chaos because the ship didn't empty of previous passengers until about noon, which caused a back up. He said debark was just as bad. Hopefully, that was just a 'bad day' and my experience will be more like the ones you posted. :)

He told us to not even get there before 2...and now I'm wondering if we should get there earlier (we are driving to the port) like I had previously planned????

 

Decisions, decisions. ;)

 

Bottom line is that no matter how bad it is, I'm getting on a ship...so it's all good. :D

 

Thanks to everyone for giving me some hope for a good start to this cruise. :)

 

 

and, to pete:

WTH are you doing posting from the ship??? :eek: Go have a beer by the pool in the sun and get off the computer FTLOG! :p

[yc cruiser]

Ok...so I've heard a few stories about cruisin' outta Jersey...and they weren't good ones. Embarkation/Debarkation nightmares, we'll call them.

Anyone out there able to tell me it isn't all that bad??? Or should I just expect a circus and be prepared for the worst?

we just sailed out of cape liberty on 7/31/08. it was the easiest of our 6 cruises. leaving was just as easy.

[Jenna]

I am told that RCCL that they are working on dredging the terminal area not only to be able to move ship up to the terminal but for the Genesis class ships (Oasis of the Seas).

 

Actually that is incorrect because due to central park, the Genesis class ships have been stated that they will not sail from the northeast due to the climate.

 

When I just went to Bayonne at about 11:15, it was about a 15 minute wait in traffic while people got to the luggage drop off. My mom and I got out and got our luggage, the porters were very quick in getting our luggage. My father went to park the car. He said there was a lot of handicap parking and the regular parking was booked very far away. My mother has had hip surgery and had a handicap parking tag, so he used that. We waited on a bench with our carry-ons for about five minutes, then we walked toward the check in. It was very easy, metal detector and put our carry-ons on the belt, and then got our carry-ons back. We walked through the designated line [there was no line], and a man there directed us to go to the spot for deck 8. A lady took our passports and our setsail pass, and then we were handed our SeaPass. We went and got our picture taken for it, and we went around the souvenir picture spot, as we didn't want them. The shuttle bus was right there and I took a cookie before we boarded. We were on the bus and in the windjammer by 12. :D

[live2beontheseas]

We have gone out of Bayonne once and I will tell you from my impression that it is not a good cruise port. It doesn't seem to be set up well to handle these type of ships. We took a cruise in Dec 2007 and it was horrible. There was so much traffic going into the port and there was only two lanes going in. The traffic was so bad that we were backed up almost to the light to turn into the port from the main road. Then getting to the ship wasn't any better. Having to wait for a shuttle and cramming in for a ride to the ship. Then everyone gets off and on the boat at deck 1. So everyone needs to use the elevators to get anywear unless you want to walk several flights of stairs (especially with a room on deck 9). More cramming into the elevators and obnoxious people. It just wasn't the way that we wanted to start our vacation. My wife and I concluded that we will never go out of Bayonne again unless that do some major work on the port to get better access all around. I'm sure other have had no problems but this is from our experience.

[halos]

We have gone out of Bayonne once and I will tell you from my impression that it is not a good cruise port. It doesn't seem to be set up well to handle these type of ships. We took a cruise in Dec 2007 and it was horrible. There was so much traffic going into the port and there was only two lanes going in. The traffic was so bad that we were backed up almost to the light to turn into the port from the main road. Then getting to the ship wasn't any better. Having to wait for a shuttle and cramming in for a ride to the ship. Then everyone gets off and on the boat at deck 1. So everyone needs to use the elevators to get anywear unless you want to walk several flights of stairs (especially with a room on deck 9). More cramming into the elevators and obnoxious people. It just wasn't the way that we wanted to start our vacation. My wife and I concluded that we will never go out of Bayonne again unless that do some major work on the port to get better access all around. I'm sure other have had no problems but this is from our experience.

 

That, unfortunately was almost exactly why I started this thread because that is basically the report I got from my friend.

 

I'll have to hope for the best, (after all, some of you were fortunate enough to breeze through ;) ) and if it's that bad, at least I am forewarned.

[sea-cruise]

Halos,

I'll be cruising with you on this one. I've cruised out of there a couple of times and fortunately didn't have a problem (so far, so good, but don't want to jinx it). What time are you leaving Maine?

[SA Traveler]

We were on the 7/31 sailing on the Explorer out of Bayonne and we thought embarkation and debarkation both went very smoothly. I wouldn't hesitate to sail from there again.

[Cruise_Couple]

Most people never see what I think the best thing about cruising out of Bayonne... the 9/11 memorial. Sure, you may see it as you sail out but you are really missing a beautiful spot if you don't stroll over and take it all in personally. The views are outstanding... the memorial itself is beautiful and touching... and it is an extremely pleasant and calming thing to do while waiting to board. It is at the end of the pier... just a short stroll from the terminal.

 

 

 

[Langley Cruisers]

Its a luxury to leave out of Cape Liberty- we've personally never encountered ANYTHING to be called a nightmare. It has always been run smoothly when we've left from Bayonne. (Then again, some people just cant be pleased and will find something to complain about!

 

Thank you, Diva - I am feeling better already and will read no further in this thread. We leave next month and will be prepared for whatever comes our way, but your post was encouraging to read. Thanks. :)

[geenafeena]

will be on EOS next month. the cruise book we got with all our info. says to board no earlier than 2 p.m. the ship leaves at 5. of course, we will be there earlier than 2, we live in jersey so we will be driving.

 

just wondering if a lot of people do actually show up before 2? my guess would be yes!

[financialgrl]

Regarding taxis and RCI transfers. Yes, there were taxis waiting after the cruise. Unfortunately I had bought RCI transfers at the desk on Deck 5 (Explorer). They are $25.50 per person. I was practically verbally attacked by some irate woman when I entered the bus. She had a 12:30 flight out of EWR and wanted to know what took us so long. They wait until all expected passengers are on the bus before leaving for the AP. My "color" was called third from last so at 10:30 when I boarded the bus, others that express checked out walking off with their luggage had been waiting on the bus since 8:30am. Even with all the bitching the woman was making, we still waited for 3 more passengers so never left till 11:00 anyway. One person never showed up by then so RCI said they'd cab that person to the AP because the woman was pretty loud and obnoxious.

 

The moral of this story - if you use their transfers there is always waiting somewhere, either in the Palace Theater or on the bus. The other moral is that if you do use their transfers don't make a morning or noon flight. Everyone else on the bus had flights of 2pm or later.

[VTSKIandCRUISEGUY]

We have cruised out of Bayonne 3 times, and we have always been on the ship by noon, so definitely get there before 2:00.

The 2:00 time is actually a bit nuts, since now they want you checked in at least 90 minutes prior to departure. It would be impossible to get everyone on from 2:00 until 3:30.

 

A questions for those who have been there more recently:

Have they moved the parking lot? Previously, after waiting in that long line of traffic, you get in the right lane and turn into the parking lot just before the drop-off point. Is it still the same?

 

Thanks.

[halos]

Halos,

I'll be cruising with you on this one. I've cruised out of there a couple of times and fortunately didn't have a problem (so far, so good, but don't want to jinx it). What time are you leaving Maine?

:D Aweosme!!

Hi!!! I think we were planning on leaving about 7am. It's a 5 hour trip...we'll stop for some breakfast on the way.

 

cletourn...thanks for the pictures...I wasn't even aware of that memorial. I will definitely be looking for it now...thanks. :)

[DPurcell58]

We've gone out of Bayonne 4 times, never had a problem. The last time we came back to snow on the ground in Feb. and it was still ok. You now drive in, drop off your luggage and then proceed ahead to park, you don't swing back around for parking anymore.

[jewelinthesand]

we went out of bayonne this past march. loooooong line of cars to get into the terminal. could have easily taken over an hour but our cabbie cut across the middle! crazy but it worked and we got right to the terminal. we dropped our bags with porter and waited in a short line to get through security and into the waiting area. they gave us a number for a bus - #26. well they were only calling #2 when we got in there. we had arrived into security by 11:40 or so. we sat in the waiting area with hundreds of people and within an hour or so got on a bus. were having lunch in the windjammer around 1:15 or so. not bad at all. after lunch we went to the room and our luggage had already begun to arrive. STILL BETTER THAN FLYING. :D

 

we are going out of bayonne again this october and would like to consider driving ourselves and parking. does anyone know this process, where you park, etc. as well as the daily cost to park there?

 

thanks

[Sugar*Magnolia]

>>>>snip>>>>

we are going out of bayonne again this october and would like to consider driving ourselves and parking. does anyone know this process, where you park, etc. as well as the daily cost to park there?

 

thanks

 

It is currently $16.00 a day to park. The process can be very simple. Drive around the buildings (the ones your taxi bypassed), pull into space/ numbered area for luggage drop off, a porter will take your luggage. Either someone can stay (wait on line if there is one or watch your luggage if you must), the other drives down to parking, pays to park and eitgher has the option to walk back or if your spot if a far distgance from tghe terminal, they run shuttles to take you back to the check in terminal.

 

Parking is located to the left of the terminal.

[VTSKIandCRUISEGUY]

So it sounds like they moved the parking lot.

Now you have to pass in front of the terminal, which could mean a longer wait. Yech.

[sea-cruise]

:D Aweosme!!

Hi!!! I think we were planning on leaving about 7am. It's a 5 hour trip...we'll stop for some breakfast on the way.

Have a safe trip!

I'm driving too...meeting Debalex at the terminal lounge (I'm her roomie).

See ya onboard...Skybar by the pool after the drill or Dizzy's if it's nasty weather. :D

[halos]

 

Have a safe trip!

I'm driving too...meeting Debalex at the terminal lounge (I'm her roomie).

See ya onboard...Skybar by the pool after the drill or Dizzy's if it's nasty weather. :D

 

:eek: Don't even speak of nasty weather. I've been living in downpouring rain for WEEKS up here.

[Cruiser Steph]

You've all given so much wonderful advice. I too will be looking for the memorial on January 11 09.

 

There are no hotels to add on to our cruise from RCI, first time I've experienced that. I'm thinking of using the Marriott Newark Libery Airport Hotel, since we have to fly in a day early - traveling from the west coast - couldn't get in earlier then 4pm with the time zone changes even with leaving at 6:30am with a one stop 40 min layover.

 

Is that the best choice of hotel close to the area? Then also, taking a cab would be a reasonable choice as well?? Thanks so much for all the advice and information!

 

Stephanie :cool: