The Happiest Travels on Earth

If you are heading on a cruise that leaves from the New York City area soon, you might not know that there are 3 cruise ports located within the New York/New Jersey area. That’s right, there are 3 ports where cruises leave from that are within this popular area.

Those who live in the area know that there is a significant difference between these ports, but if you are from out of town, you might be confused as to which port is which. Let me tell you a story: I recently sailed onboard the MSC Meraviglia. They put that it left from New York, New York. The Meraviglia actually leaves from Brooklyn, which is a tunnel and highway away from Manhattan. There is a big difference there that can cost you time and money.

The Port of New York and New Jersey includes the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal, the Manhattan Cruise Terminal and Cape Liberty Cruise Port. We’re going to break down everything you need to know about the cruise ports in the New York/New Jersey area. 

Manhattan Cruise Terminal 

One awarded “Best US Homeport” by TravelAge West Magazine, the Manhattan Cruise Terminal sees millions of cruise passengers a year. 

Major Cruise Lines that Depart from the Manhattan Cruise Terminal 

While many major cruise lines stop in Manhattan as a port of call, there are only a few major cruise lines that actually consider Manhattan a home port. 

These include Carnival Cruise Lines, Norwegian Cruise Lines, Oceania Cruise Lines and Regent Seven Seas. When Disney does depart from the New York area, they do so from the Manhattan Cruise Terminal as well. 

Location

The Manhattan Cruise Terminal is located at 711 12th Avenue, New York, New York. If you are being dropped off, all cars enter the terminal from the north at the intersection of 55th Street and 12th Avenue. 

The two major piers that house ships during the busy season are Pier 88 and Pier 90. It’s not guaranteed which pier you will be leaving from and it isn’t essential to know that information. Signs will direct you to the correct pier, especially if there is more than one ship at port. 

Transportation

So, how do you get to the Manhattan Cruise Terminal? There are a few ways to navigate your way to the Manhattan Pier. 

Private Transportation

The first way is through private transportation. You can have an Uber, Lyft, Taxi or Personal Driver drop you off at the pier, which is a popular way to get around. Of course, each one of these vary in price depending on where you are coming from. 

Cruise Shuttles

If you are flying into JFK, Newark or LaGuardia, cruise lines like Carnival offer a shuttle to the cruise port. Price depends on the time of year, so be sure to reach out to your cruise line directly, if this is a transportation means you are interested in learning more about. 

Public Transportation 

Of course there is public transportation in New York City that is available, but we don’t recommend using the trains or buses, since you will have your luggage and it can be quite cumbersome. 

Parking

If you are a local to the New York/New Jersey area and decide you want to drive into Manhattan, there are a few options for parking you need to know. 

Official Port Parking Lot 

The first is official port parking. It’s located right next to where the ship docks at the cruise pier. Once you pull in, you can actually drop your luggage off before proceeding to a parking spot. Guests usually love the concept of the luggage drop off so they aren’t lugging their bags through the lot. Since this is more convenient and directly at the port, prices start at $45 per day. Remember, this is first come, first serve so if you arrive late, you run the risk of not having a spot.

Lots in Manhattan 

Manhattan is home to SO MANY parking lots. Sometimes a bit cheaper than the official cruise port parking, these lots are a little bit of a distance away, meaning now you are walking around Manhattan to get to the port. 

Airport Parking

Sometimes a bit cheaper, guests often opt to bring their car to a major airport in the area and take transportation from there. Again, you are dealing with trekking to the port so we don’t suggest this way. 

Manhattan Recommendations 

We are offering a few recommendations as someone who lives in the New York City area and has left from this terminal quite a few times. First, arrive early. It’s Manhattan, there’s always traffic so we suggest the earlier you get to the port, the better. With that said, we recommended you take some form of private transportation to the port. Whether that’s an Uber, Lyft or you hire a personal driver or friend, you aren’t having to lug things around.

Brooklyn Cruise Terminal 

A newer cruise port to the NYC area, the Brooklyn Cruise Port, also known as Red Hook, was opened in 2006 and was once named “Best New Homeport” by PortHole Magazine. 

Major Cruise Lines that Depart from the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal 

Brooklyn is another cruise port where some cruise lines do stop for a port day, such as Viking. But there are a few major cruise lines that use the port of Brooklyn as a homeport. 

These include Cunard Cruise Lines, Princess Cruise Lines and MSC Cruise Lines. It was recently announced in 2023 that the MSC Meraviglia would be calling the port of Brooklyn home, year-round. 

Location

The Brooklyn Cruise Terminal is located at 210 Clinton Wharf, Brooklyn, New York. If you are being dropped off, all cars enter the terminal from the Bowne Street and Imlay Street Intersection. There will be people there guiding guests on where to go. 

The Brooklyn Cruise terminal only has one pier that is used, so you don’t need to worry about finding the correct pier. The drive to the pier can be quite long as there is really only one way into the area and one way out. 

Transportation

There are a few different ways you can get to the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal. Keep in mind that this is not in Manhattan, so while most of the transportation is similar, you need to remember that the Red Hook pier is more remote. 

Private Transportation

The first way is through private transportation. You can have an Uber, Lyft, Taxi or Personal Driver drop you off at the pier, which is a popular way to get around. Of course, each one of these vary in price depending on where you are coming from. 

Cruise Shuttles

If you are flying into JFK, Newark or LaGuardia, MSC does actually offer a transfer from the airport to the pier. Price depends on the time of year, so be sure to reach out to your cruise line directly, if this is a transportation means you are interested in learning more about. 

Public Transportation 

Public transportation is a bit harder than Manhattan. One of the best public transportation options from the Brooklyn Cruise Port is the ferry. The ferry is located right in front of the cruise port and is only about a 4 minute walk from the cruise terminal. 

Parking

If you are a local to the New York/New Jersey area and decide you want to drive into Brooklyn, there aren’t as many options available to you. As I mentioned, this port is a bit more remote than Manhattan so the options are limited. 

Official Port Parking Lot 

The best parking in Brooklyn is the official port parking. Located right next to the terminal, rates are about $45 a day and offers the convenience of just hopping in your car. Guests can head to one of the drop off slots and drop off their luggage with a porter before heading to the parking lot.

Brooklyn Recommendations 

As someone who has recently left from the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal this summer, here’s a few things you need to know about sailing from Brooklyn. First, arrive early. Not just because of parking but because of how crazy and crowded the port gets the later you get there. 

Cape Liberty Cruise Port 

While the port of Bayonne has existed since the 1940’s, it really didn’t become a passenger ship hub until 2003 when Royal Caribbean signed a deal to use the port. 

Major Cruise Lines that Depart from the Cape Liberty Cruise Terminal 

Unlike the Manhattan Cruise Terminal and the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal, Cape Liberty Cruise Port is exclusively used by only 3 cruise lines. These cruise lines are Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises and Tui Cruises. With that said, the two major cruise lines from New Jersey are Royal Caribbean and Celebrity.  

Location

Cape Liberty Cruise Port is located at 4 Port Terminal Boulevard, Bayonne, New Jersey. It’s accessible via Route 440 South and the NJ Turnpike, depending on the way you are getting there. 

There is only one pier you can leave from in Cape Liberty, so you’ll usually only find one cruise ship leaving at a time in Cape Liberty. 

Transportation

So, how do you get to the Cape Liberty Cruise Terminal? There are a few ways to navigate your way to the Cape Liberty Pier. 

Private Transportation

The first way is through private transportation. You can have an Uber, Lyft or Personal Driver drop you off at the pier, which is a popular way to get around. Of course, each one of these vary in price depending on where you are coming from. Keep in mind, if you’d like to take a taxi from NYC, it’s not guaranteed that the taxi drivers will head into New Jersey. You have to make sure that it’s something that they will do and a price must be decided upon. 

Cruise Shuttles

If you are flying into Newark, cruise lines like Royal Caribbean offer a shuttle to the cruise port. Price depends on the time of year, so be sure to reach out to your cruise line directly, if this is a transportation means you are interested in learning more about. Since Newark is the closest to Cape Liberty, it’s the only area airport with a transfer option. You cannot fly into JFK or LaGuardia and arrange official cruise line transportation. 

Public Transportation 

You are able to take some public transportation from areas in New Jersey such as the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail. You can also take the PATH train from Manhattan into New Jersey. From there, you’d have to take an Uber to the port. It’s a bit of a trek, so we recommend either a transfer or an Uber.  

Parking

If you are a local to the New York/New Jersey area and decide you want to drive into New Jersey, there are a few options for parking you need to know. 

Official Port Parking Lot 

Cape Liberty itself does offer official port parking. It’s located in front of the ship and usually costs around $30 per day. You don’t need to reserve your spot ahead of time, which people really like but we recommend you get there early. You can also drop off your luggage, like the other ports, ahead of time before parking your car.

Airport Parking

Since Newark airport isn’t too far away, you might be able to find a lot near the airport that is a bit cheaper per day and can park there. Then you’d have to take an Uber or Lyft from there, but it might be worth it depending on the costs of all of them. It’s worth pricing it out to see what makes more sense for your budget. 

Cape Liberty Recommendations 

We are offering a few recommendations as someone who lives in the New York City area and has left from this terminal quite a few times. We always recommend arriving early to the cruise port. New York and New Jersey are crowded and it’s best to start your vacation in a relaxing way. We recommend taking some type of private transportation to Cape Liberty, so that you don’t have to worry about parking spots or traffic. 

Have any more questions about sailing from the New York/New Jersey area? Let me know in the comments below. Also, be sure to stay tuned to the blog for more information about sailing from the New York/New Jersey area. We’ll be sharing hotel recommendations as well as things to do in the area. 
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