New York Pass

[Frequent Floater]

Comments pro and con from those that have used the New York Pass.

1 day or multi day for a 3 day stay.

Thanks

[Frequent Floater]

Another question. The Hop on/off 3 day is another option I am considerering.

Anyone with info on that option and especially if anyone has used both, which was a better one to do.

We are not that into museums but would probably do a few of them if time allows.

Looking to do the typical Central Park, Ellis Island, TOTR or ESB, carriage ride, WTC, Wall Street kinds of things.

Thanks

[magic&buddy]

Another question. The Hop on/off 3 day is another option I am considerering.

Anyone with info on that option and especially if anyone has used both, which was a better one to do.

We are not that into museums but would probably do a few of them if time allows.

Looking to do the typical Central Park, Ellis Island, TOTR or ESB, carriage ride, WTC, Wall Street kinds of things.

Thanks

 

In August 2008 we spent 4 nights in NYC and used the Hop On/Off bus for 2 days. We loved it and used it constantly. The one we booked came with a night tour which went across to Brooklyn at nights allowing us to see the Manhattan Skyline at night - beautiful! It also gave us the water taxi ride from the seaport - beautiful views of SofL and Ellis Island.

 

We spent time just going around with the tour guide and at times jumped off the bus at places like - ESB, The WTC Site, Chinatown, the Seaport, Central park.

 

We too did a horse and carriage ride through Central Park - how great is that!

 

We saw all the routes that were available on the 2 days however we regretted not taking it for 3 days. As we were there to be "tourists", every place we wanted to go could be gotten to on the bus so the last day we were there and not using the bus we ended up heading to places to spend more time at them and could have used the bus for transportation if we had thought ahead.

[Frequent Floater]

Thanks Magicbuddy

A few more questions.

The hop on bus, did you get prefered entrance lines for the attractions that were included in the purchase price?

Do you recall the company you used for the carriage ride and would you recommend them? Link to site if you have it. Did you do a day or evening ride?

The "pass" has so much to choose from that it is hard to not get one. DH says to get the bus and pass but seems like a waste to get both unless the bus could be used as the transportation to and from what we do on the Pass. Not sure if public transportation would rack up to the extra 100 bucks to do it that way.

We have 3 full days.

[magic&buddy]

Thanks Magicbuddy

A few more questions.

The hop on bus, did you get prefered entrance lines for the attractions that were included in the purchase price?

Do you recall the company you used for the carriage ride and would you recommend them? Link to site if you have it. Did you do a day or evening ride?

The "pass" has so much to choose from that it is hard to not get one. DH says to get the bus and pass but seems like a waste to get both unless the bus could be used as the transportation to and from what we do on the Pass. Not sure if public transportation would rack up to the extra 100 bucks to do it that way.

We have 3 full days.

 

We didn't get preferrd entrance lines......we bought our tickets for ESB on line and we did that first thing in the morning - no lines. There was a line for the water taxi however everyon in the line got on the boat - not a big deal.

We did not do a tour where we got off to see the Statue of Liberty or Ellis island....we took pictures from the water taxi.

 

If you are doing all the touristy things I don't know that you would need both - we would do the hop on / off bus again!

 

For the carriage ride we got off at the park and walked around a bit watching the carriages and then approached someone to negotiate our ride.

 

What exactly do you want to do while in NYC - where are you staying?

[Frequent Floater]

We have reservations holding at the Hotel Beacon Upper West side and Affinia Manhattan at Penn Station. Am leaning toward Affina as we got a unheard of rate for it.

We will check in Tues night (leaving from San Diego so long day of flying) and will most likely not do much then.. Wed Thurs and Fri are the full days.

We would like to do WRC, Rockefeller Center TOTR or ESB, like you the water taxi around SOL and Ellis, a Broadway play, Central Park, a drink at Tavern on the Green, Drinks & appetizers at Marriot Grand Marquise revolving view lounge, carriage ride are the for sure things. Then possibly the skyride when I find out more about that, a few museums, shopping. Then if time permits possible a show taping. We will be withing walking distance it appears to some of the things like Madison Square Gardens, Penn Station and ESB if staying at Affinia.

One big issue is there will be at least 4 of us and possibly 8 or 10 depending on who gets flights same time as us. The rest of the group will arrive on Thurs. Trying to decide what to do and what to save to do all together is a huge project but one I enjoy.

Especially when I get such great info on these boards from others..

Nice to know that you can negoitate on the carriages. I will need several of them so hope to get a better rate.

Thank you so much for all the info you can give me on anything NY. We will head out on Sat for a New England cruise, have you done that??

[Frequent Floater]

One more ??? about the hop on bus. Do you have to show ID when boarding each time?

[Jane110]

 

 

For the carriage ride we got off at the park and walked around a bit watching the carriages and then approached someone to negotiate our ride.

 

 

You were able to negotiate the rate? I thought they all had a standard rate. They did the last time I took a ride.

[138east]

Sounds like a busy 3 days of sightseeing. An unlimited metro card is $7 - that is a good value for running around NY. The 2 toughest places on your list will be the Statue and the Empire State. My advice is to make reservations for the first trip in the morning to the Statue if you want to go up in it. Going on to Ellis Island will not be a problem. Same thing with the Empire State - go as early as possible.

 

Print out NY subway maps(in color if possible) and maps of the major Manhattan bus routes. If you stay at the Affinia, you would take the 7th avenue local (#1) from 34th St. or 28th St. to South Ferry to go to the Statue. With a metro card you can "hop on hop off" the buses in midtown.

 

The MTA site will give you tons of information. http://www.mta.info/nyct/maps/submap.htm - this is a map - if you click on a station, you get the list of all the stops for a particular line. There is also a route planner - http://travel.mtanyct.info/ You can plan by bus, subway, or both.

 

The NY Pass sounds seductive. Some of your places are on it, but a lot are not. I'm not sure about the hop on hop off bus either. One 2-3 hour tour would be OK, but not much beyond that. I would not consider the hop on hop off as a way to get around Manhattan - that's what the metro card is for. Unlike almost any other city, NY has an amazing amount of safe public transportation that every uses.

[Got2Cruise]

Your schedule is doable, and I don't think you need the hop-on-off pass if you don't want general sight-seeing with commentary.

For instance Central Park, Tavern on the Green, and the Carriage Ride, is all the same place, Central Park. You can even throw in either the Museum of Natural History/Planatarium or Metropolitan Museum of Art, depending on your preference. Do all of this on one day.

 

Then on another day, do all of the activities centering around Times Square. Marriott Marguis (you are going to faint at the prices, I am warning you :eek::p), a broadway play walking around Times Square. Also ESB TOTR, I like the night view. Take the subway or walk from Times Square.

 

Maybe you want to go downtown to the Wall Street Area/ Ground Zero/Chinatown/Little Italy on another day. That is where you can catch the water taxi to the Statue. You will be passing the Statue very close on your ship though, so if you don't want to tour Ellis Island, it might not be necessary.

 

You can take either the subway or a MTA bus from your hotel to any of these areas. Bottom line, plan out your day and stay within the general vicinity instead of jumping all over the place and you can fit a lot in.

[Jfultz81]

We are buying a 2 day + 1 free HOHO bus for $75/pp (if booked online). I know that the subway is so much more economical and would prefer it, but we are taking my in-laws and I just don't think they could do all that walking. It does include tickets to:

 

TOPR ($20) or ESB ($20)

Circle Line 2 Hr. Harbor Tour ($27)

Museum of the City of NY ($9) or NY Historical Society ($10)

Statue Of Liberty/Ellis Island Ferry ($12)

 

If you are interested: http://www.citysightsny.com

[Cruise_More_Often]

We are buying a 2 day + 1 free HOHO bus for $75/pp (if booked online). I know that the subway is so much more economical and would prefer it, but we are taking my in-laws and I just don't think they could do all that walking. It does include tickets to:

 

TOPR ($20) or ESB ($20)

Circle Line 2 Hr. Harbor Tour ($27)

Museum of the City of NY ($9) or NY Historical Society ($10)

Statue Of Liberty/Ellis Island Ferry ($12)

 

If you are interested: http://www.citysightsny.com

Jfultz81, I just used your link, but the price must have gone up today, because it's now $80. It still looks like a real bargain!

[Jfultz81]

Its $80 if you just buy the tickets at one of their stands, you save $5 if you buy them online! Its $5 off any of the tickets, not just the 3 day pass.