Making the most of New York
Use these notes to shape a realistic day ashore, then confirm any time-sensitive information for the date of your call.
Arriving at the port
There are three cruise ports in New York City:
Manhattan Cruise Terminal
Brooklyn Cruise Terminal
Cape Liberty Cruise Terminal NJ
Most ships dock in Manhattan on the West Side; the passenger ship terminals are located off the West Side Highway (12th Avenue) and span several blocks of the West 50s. It is about a 15 minute walk from Midtown. This is by far the best location for cruise passengers.
Some dock at he passenger ship terminal located in Brooklyn's Red Hook neighborhood with nice views of the NY skyline. Taxis are your best choice here as there is little within walking distance. The terminal has very few facilities. For public transport use the MTA website. At night a taxi is recommended.
Parking in Brooklyn.
Royal Caribbean docks at Cape Liberty Cruise Port, on the New Jersey side of New York Harbor. See more details here.
to see all New York area airports and their ground transportation possibilities.
For Cape Liberty, choose Newark airport for the quickest and cheapest transfer (about $30 for a taxi) For the Manhattan terminal use either LaGuardia ($35) or JFK ($54) For the Brooklyn terminal use either LaGuardia ($35) or JFK ($48)
Parking is $35 a day at the Manhattan facility, $19 a day at Cape Liberty and $20 in Brooklyn.
Hotels in the Big Apple.
Webcam
Printable map to take along.
Getting around
48 hours of hop-on hop-off double decker fun that includes the Downtown Loop, Uptown Loop, Brooklyn Loop, and Night/Holiday Lights Tour (non hop-on hop-off).
Food and shopping
Shop till' you drop!
Money
The official U.S. currency is the United States dollar (symbol: $). ATM's everywhere.
Major credit cards such as Visa and MasterCard are widely used and accepted, even for transactions worth only a few dollars. In fact, in some cases, it may be the only way to make a transaction. Note to overseas visitors: Prices of goods and services always seem lower than they really are, as taxes and gratuities are seldom included.
Most states have a sales tax, ranging from 2.9% to nearly 10% of the retail price; 4-6% is typical. Sales tax is almost never included in posted prices (except for gasoline, and in most states, alcoholic beverages consumed on-premises), but instead will be calculated and added to the total when you pay.
Tipping in America is widely used and expected. While Americans themselves often debate correct levels and exactly who deserves to be tipped, generally accepted standard rates are:
- Full-service restaurants: 15-20% (Often this is the only income of the wait(ress). Tips are either left in cash or you can add it to the credit card slip) Note: Few restaurants add an automatic service charge, in which case it is up to you how much you tip extra. Check your bill!
- Taxi drivers, hairdressers, other personal services: 10-15%
- Bartenders: $1 per drink if inexpensive or 15% of total
- Bellhops: $1-2 per bag ($3-5 minimum regardless)
- Hotel doorman: $1 per bag (if they assist), $1 for calling a cab
- Tour guides: Depending on tour length, size, and overall quality of guided tours; for half day tours or less $5-10 per person, for longer tours $10-20 per person.
- Private car & limousine drivers: 15-20%
- Housekeeping in hotels: $1-2 per day for long stays or $5 minimum for very short stays (optional)
- Food delivery (pizza, etc.): $2-5, possibly more for very large orders
Staying connected
The U.S. has no official language at the federal level, but English is by far the standard for everyday use. Several states have declared their official state language as English. Spanish is also official in the state of New Mexico, where it is widely spoken; French is official in Louisiana and the Hawaiian language is official in Hawaii, but neither approaches the use of English and are official for primarily historical reasons.
Emergency 911
Opening Hours and
In major metropolitan areas like New York and Los Angeles, many drugstores and supermarkets are routinely open 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, while department stores, shopping centers and most other large retailers are typically open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday to Saturday, and often with shorter hours on Sundays - generally 11 a.m. or noon to 5 or 6 p.m. On holidays, the tendency is to remain open (with the exception of the most important holidays like Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day where stores are generally closed)