When sailing out of New York, you now have to be careful. The city now has two
cruise terminals, the familiar one on the west side of Manhattan and the newest
one the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal (which opened April 15, 2006) in the Red Hook section of Brooklyn. Going to
the wrong one will be an expensive mistake.
On the city's official website, there are detailed driving directions from
several points, but it's difficult at best to find information on the
transportation options if you are flying into one of the three major airports in
New York and just going right to the pier. All things being equal with flights,
there doesn't even seem to be information readily available to help you decide
which airport would be most convenient. It's even difficult to find a map of the
terminal location or even its actual address in case you just want to jump in a
taxi and the driver hasn't been to the new terminal to know where it is. We hope
this page will help you find everything you need easily in one place.
Which ships sail from Brooklyn?
The two lines that have moved all their operations to Brooklyn are Cunard and
Princess.
How far is the BCT from the airport?
All things being equal with flight schedules, LaGuardia will be the
most convenient, with Kennedy being second, and Newark being the most
inconvenient.
What's the least stressful way to get to the BCT from the
airport?
On cruise days, Princess and Cunard will be operating their own bus transfers
right from the airport to the pier and vice versa. This seems to be the easiest
way because you don't need to think about much of anything. You get on, and you
get off. You don't have to worry about the driver not knowing the way or what
other states the driver may take you to along the way.
These may not be the least expensive way, however. The lines are charging $40
per person each way. They must be booked in advance with your cruise. You can't
just show up and pay if you decide to go. How do I get there
in a taxi?
The Economic Development Commission was supposed to have sent out an
Industry Notice the week the terminal opened advising all taxi companies
and hotels and so forth of the particulars about the BCT, so drivers should
know how to get there. But the exact address is Pier 12 in
Brooklyn, and if that fails, try the intersection of Bowne & Imlay
Streets in Brooklyn. The chart below should give you a general idea of
the times and costs. (Remember that these prices are approximate, and
there are charges for extra passengers and luggage.)
From/To |
Distance |
Approximate
Driving Time (non-rush hour) |
Approximate
Taxi Rate |
LaGuardia (LGA) |
18-20 miles |
1 hour 15 minutes |
$35-$40 |
Kennedy (JFK) |
20 miles |
1 hour 30 minutes |
$40 |
Newark (EWR) |
18-20 miles via Manhattan |
1 hour 30 minute - 2 hours |
$90 |
Midtown hotels |
10 miles |
35-40 minutes |
$40 |
Lower Manhattan hotels |
5 miles |
20 minutes |
$40 |
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Is there any other way to get there?
At the moment, SuperShuttle is not servicing the BCT, but they have told
us they might in the future. Some car services are operating at their
regular rates, but the city is still finalizing a contract with the
"official" car service which will provide for some flat rates.
So exactly where is the BCT?
It's actually at Pier 12 in Brooklyn, and the intersection to locate is
Bowne & Imlay Streets. It's marked on this Google
map. (By the way, don't use that phony street address it shows.
There is no such address; it just gets Google to point to the right
place. As smart as Google is, it doesn't understand where Pier 12
is.) Use the controls in the upper left to zoom in and out, or click on
the map and drag it around to recenter it. The buttons in the upper
right will also give you a satellite view.
If I get there early, what can I do?
The lines tell us they should be checking in early at the terminal's 40
check-in desks, and if you have to wait there are some vending machines
available in the terminal. If you are there really early, the Economic
Development Commission tells us there are a few places within 4 to 5
blocks where you can get a sandwich, and they say it is a safe area in
which to walk. There is more variety of restaurants, delis and
convenience stores on Columbia Street which is about a 10-15 block walk.
There is nowhere in the BCT to leave your luggage, however, unless the
cruise line is ready to accept it. Will I
get to see the Statue of Liberty?
Yes, you will see it nearby off to the starboard side with Ellis Island
in the background. Don't forget to enjoy the view of Lower Manhattan
further to the right (or behind you if you wait too long to look). You
will miss that impressive view of Manhattan that you would have if your
ship had sailed out of the Manhattan terminal, but you can't have
everything. To orient yourself, check this Google
map. Again, use the controls in the upper left to zoom in and out,
or click on the map and drag it around to recenter it. Yes, in this case
be sure to click on the button in the upper right for the satellite view
of the Statue. Is there more information about the
BCT?
Yes, the New
York Cruise Terminals website has more but probably not much more
that will be really useful to you. If you are driving to Brooklyn,
there are detailed
directions and parking
rates. You can have Google
Directions route you there right from your front door; just click on
the "get directions" or "to here" link once you are
on the Google map page. Note: that address we used of 70 Imlay
Street for the terminal gets you to the right place, but the official
address is Pier 12. Officially, there is no 70 Imlay. Cruise
News Daily This
page was last updated May 8, 2006 and as far as we know,
everything is correct. If you find anything not right, please
let us know so we can update it.
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