If you decide to drive up to the Big Apple for your cruise from the Manhattan Cruise Terminal, your main concern once getting there will be where to park your car.
Parking costs, especially in New York, can get pretty costly, so it’s important that you do your research so you can be sure to find the best and cheapest parking solution. We’ve put together this guide to Manhattan cruise terminal parking to help make your search easier.
Note that this is not an extensive list of parking options in New York City. There are many parking services available in Manhattan, but we’ve only included ones that are at the same price as the official port or cheaper.
Any companies charging more than the port we did not include because we want you to be able to find the cheapest parking available in New York city. We’ve also added a few tips for driving around the city, as well as a few hotels that provide free parking for cruise passengers.
Official Manhattan Cruise Terminal Parking
Parking at the official port is a great choice if you’re looking for something convenient. All you have to do is drive directly to the port, park your car, then head on over to board your ship. You don’t have to worry about shuttles or transportation to the port, because you’re already there.
That convenience comes at a cost, though, so only choose to park here if you can afford to. A 7-day cruise will run you an extra $280. You can’t book your parking in advance, and they no longer accept coupons. Parking is available on a first-come first-serve basis.
Still, the convenience of parking here is a huge pull for many people and can eliminate a lot of trip stress. They also offer extended cruise parking for up to 30 nights, but that costs a flat $400 for anything between 11-30 nights.
- Cost: $40 per night
- https://www.nycruise.com/manhattan-terminal/parking/
Other Parking Options
The price of parking at the port can be high and is a deterrent for a lot of people, especially if you’ve already spent a ton of money on your trip. You want to be able to hold have money for shopping and sightseeing, right?
Thankfully, there are some other options nearby that offer better pricing without losing too much of the convenience. We’ve added all we could find and have heavily researched them to learn what they offer for cruise passengers.
MTP Manhattan Cruise Parking
MTP has many parking locations around New York City, but only two of those locations are recommended for cruise parking. Located on 57th and 58th street, MTP is directly across the street from the cruise terminal, so there’s no shuttle needed after you park your car.
For rates as low as $21.99, this company offers a great rate as well as convenience. Their parking garage is well-lit and secure. Oversized vehicles can be accommodated for an extra $15 per day.
- Cost: $21.99 per day
- https://parkwayparking.com/location/Manhattan-cruise-parking
ParkRight Manhattan Cruise Parking
ParkRight is an excellent alternative to parking at the cruise terminal and will save you a lot of money. Their main location on 43rd street is just a few blocks south of the cruise terminal, and instead of using a shuttle, their attendant will drop you off at the terminal in your own car and help you with your luggage. Then, he’ll valet your car back to their indoor, secured parking facility that’s monitored all day and night.
Their normal rates at $29 per day for a standard sized car, and $33 per day for SUVs or Minivans. You can also choose their 2nd location on 95th street and use SAVE20 to get a 20% discount!
Upon returning, you can either take a taxi back to your car, and ParkRight will reimburse you up to $5. Or you can opt to purchase their White Glove Service ($35), and they’ll meet you at the terminal with your own car.
- Cost: $29 per night, $33 per night for SUVs or Minivans
- https://www.manhattancruiseparking.com/
ParkNSave
Although ParkNSave offers a convenient location that’s within walking distance from the cruise port, they charge exactly the same amount that port parking does. Whether or not you decide to park here is all about preference.
The main difference between them and port parking, is you can pre-book your parking through ParkNSave, while port parking is on a first-come first-serve basis. This way you don’t have to worry about not finding a parking spot, as yours will already be reserved.
- Cost: $40 per night (an extra $30 per night for oversized vehicles)
- https://www.parknsave.com/checkout
SpotHero
SpotHero is a large parking company in New York City and all over the country as well. They have over 75 locations all within a mile to the cruise terminal. You can book your parking at whichever one you want and then just walk to the terminal.
Each lot has a different price, so it’s important to look through them all. The cheapest one we saw was $245 for 7 days ($35 per day), located at 330 W 56th Street, which is about 0.6 miles from the terminal.
You can book your parking directly through their website or download the SpotHero app (iPhone or Android) and use that instead.
Some locations don’t allow in/out privileges, and some also are not able to accommodate oversized vehicles, so it’s important to read the details of each available spot before booking.
- Cost: $35 per night (some spots were higher)
- https://www.parknsave.com/checkout
ParkingPanda
ParkingPanda is owned by SpotHero, and just like SpotHero they have an app, and provide parking services in various cities in the US and Canada.
ParkingPanda uses the same lots as SpotHero, and it looks like at the same rates as well. The same spot we mentioned above, 330 W 56th Street, is available through ParkingPanda for the same cost, $245 for 7 days.
Through both companies, most lots have 24 hour security as well as valet parking. Some lots offer handicap parking, as well as electric vehicle charging, so if either of those amenities is something you need, you should be able to find something.
- Cost: $35 per night (other spots will be higher depending on location or amenities)
ParkWhiz
ParkWhiz is a site and mobile app much like Priceline.com, or Travelocity.com, but for parking. You can browse parking offers from various companies around the city in one place, and it makes it super easy to find the best option for you.
Many of the companies they provide rates for we’ll discuss in detail later in the article, but the cheapest rate we found through ParkWhiz is for $200 for 7 nights, which comes out to roughly $28 per night.
- Cost: Cheapest rate is at $28 per night
- https://www.parkwhiz.com/manhattan-cruise-terminal-parking/
ParkJockey
ParkJockey’s website is extremely user friendly and they make booking your parking spot very simple. Right on the front page you enter your port (they provide parking for most US ports, including Manhattan), your departure date, and your cruise ship.
ParkJockey has partnered with a few parking companies around the city to provide cheaper rates for cruise passengers.
For instance, when you book directly through ParkRight (mentioned earlier in the article), they charge $29 per night. However, through ParkJockey, ParkRight costs only $25 per night, and you’ll get valeted to the cruise ship in your own car. A 7-night cruise this way is only going to cost $175 (not including taxes and fees).
ParkJockey offers other parking locations as well, for rates between $26 and $30 per night, all much cheaper than parking at the port.
- Cost: Starting at $25 per night
- https://www.parkjockey.com
Parking.com
Parking.com has three locations where you can park and then walk to the Manhattan Cruise Terminal. We recommend NOT choosing the BMW building, as that will cost you $57 per night ($50 per night if you use a coupon).
Instead, opt for either Element Garage, which can be booked online, or Mount Sinai West Garage, which is first-come first-serve.
Element Garage is available at $207.20 for 7 nights if you book online (which comes out to almost $30 a night). If you drive up instead it will be $37 per night, so booking online for this lot is recommended. If you have an oversized vehicle it will cost an extra $15 per night.
Mount Sinai West Garage charges $30 per night, and they offer electric vehicle charging. Oversized vehicles will be charged an extra $10 per night.
Whichever option you choose, Parking.com can provide you with excellent parking options at a fraction of the cost to part at the port.
- Cost: Starts at $30 per night
- https://parking.com/nyc/
GMC Parking
GMC Parking provides various parking locations around New York, and a few of them are close to the Manhattan Cruise Terminal. The closest is at 550 West 45th Street, between 10th and 11th Ave, which is just under a mile from the terminal.
They charge $39.70 a day for parking, but they do also offer monthly parking rates. To book your parking or inquire about monthly rates, you can email them at info@gmcparking.com, or give them a call at 212-888-7400.
- Cost: $39.70 per day
- https://www.gmcparking.com/locations-rates/midtown/west-45th-street/
MPG Manhattan Parking
MPG Manhattan Parking is a privately owned company in business for more than 60 years. They have numerous parking locations around New York City. The ones closest to the cruise terminal are very expensive, so if you’re looking for a cheap option, try one of the ones further out.
While they don’t offer transportation to the cruise terminal, a quick cab or Uber shouldn’t cost more than $10.
The cheapest we saw was $149 for 7 days, and $168 for 7 days. Both locations are between 2-3 miles from the terminal.
- Cost: Varies depending on location, cheapest was $149 for 7 days
- https://www.mpsparking.com/
City Parking
City Parking is a family owned and operated parking company, providing parking options all around New York City.
As with some of the other Manhattan cruise terminal parking companies, prices vary depending on location, and some of the options closest to the terminal are quite expensive.
The closest option we saw that was cheaper than Official Port Parking is at 338-342 East 59th street, about 1.95 miles from the terminal. For a 7 day cruise you can park there for $216. From what we can tell they don’t offer transportation to the terminal, but it should be easy to get a cab or Uber to take you from the garage to the port.
- Cost: Varies depending on location. The cheapest option within 2 miles of the terminal was $216 for 7 days. There are other locations that are cheaper than that, but they were 4 miles or more from the terminal.
- https://cityparking.nyc/search
Tips for Driving in New York City
If you’ve never driven in New York City before, you’re in for a real shock. Driving in Manhattan is completely different from driving in any other city around the country. Many people advise NOT driving around the city if you can avoid it, as it can be incredibly frustrating and stressful.
However, if you’re set on driving into and around the Big Apple, here are a few tips for getting around.
- Don’t drive in NYC. The number one tip for getting around NYC is not to drive at all. Once you get into the city, the need for a car to get around rapidly diminishes, and your enjoyment of the city will as well. If you plan to do any sightseeing before your cruise, we recommend parking your car somewhere and either walking, or utilizing one of the numerous public transportation options that are available.
- Pay attention. If you must drive around the city, pay attention to the signs. The roads, while constantly blocked with traffic due to the sheer amount of people in the city, are well thought out and certain intersections or turns may have explicit instructions. Things like making a left turn during a certain time of day on a certain day. If you take the time to pay attention and read the signs, you’ll avoid causing more traffic buildup.
- No turn on red. Unless there is a sign that specifically says that you can turn on red, DO NOT make a right turn on any red light. This is completely opposite from just about every other city in the US, so it’s important to be aware of while you’re visiting.
- Watch out for pedestrians. This is something to remember wherever you’re driving, but especially in the big city. Large cities like NYC get a lot of foot traffic. If you’re driving around the city, it’s important to be extra vigilant to pedestrian traffic.
- Plan your drive ahead of time. Honestly, you don’t want to go in blindly if you’ve never driven in NYC before. It’s important to make yourself familiar with the city’s street grid beforehand. For instance, avenues (11th Ave, 16th Ave, Broadway Ave, etc.) all run north and south, while streets (51st Street, 49th Street, etc.) all run east and west. As you continue north, the street numbers get higher. Odd numbered one-way streets go east to west, while even-numbered streets go west to east.
- Check NYC traffic cameras before going out. You can view the New York City Department of Transportation traffic cameras at nyctmc.org before you head out, as this will show you how traffic is looking. This can help you decide if you want to chance it, or if you’d rather rely on public transportation.
- Avoid rush hour at all costs. Rush hour times in the morning (between 7am and 10am) and late afternoon (between 4pm and 7pm) are the absolute worse times to go driving around the city. There’s also a third rush hour time late at night between 10pm and 12am, as that’s usually when partiers are coming into the city. We advise avoiding these times as much as possible as it will triple your driving time.
- Free metered parking on Sundays. Scattered around the city are parking meters that take cash or credit card to pay for parking. If you’ll be visiting during the week or on Saturdays, be prepared to pay for metered parking. However, on Sundays in NYC, all metered parking is free.
Manhattan Hotels with Free Parking
Many people, especially those driving a long way, may plan to drive down a day ahead. Either because they like to be early, or they want to explore the city and do some sightseeing before shipping out.
If this is you, you’re probably going to need a hotel to stay in, as well as finding somewhere to park your car during your cruise. While there are many hotels within walking distance of the cruise terminal, none of them (that we’ve found) provide any sort of service for cruise passengers. Paying for a hotel AND Manhattan cruise terminal parking is going to be very expensive, so we if you need to park your car for your cruise, we don’t recommend doing that.
However, there are a few hotels in New Jersey that will allow you to park your car for FREE just for booking a room with them before your cruise. We’ve only included the ones that also provide transportation to the Manhattan Cruise Terminal.
Hampton Inn Ridgefield Park
100 Rte 46 East, Ridgefield Park, NJ 07660 | 855-605-0317
The Hampton Inn in Ridgefield Park, NJ has two cruise packages, one for Cape Liberty, and one for Manhattan. Be sure to select the correct package when booking your stay.
Package includes free parking for one car during your entire cruise trip, and free round-trip transportation to Pier 90 at the Manhattan Cruise Terminal.
- Price: $203
- Free parking for 1 car during cruise
- Free round-trip transportation to Manhattan Cruise Terminal
Hilton Garden Inn Ridgefield Park
70 Challenger Rd, Ridgefield Park, NJ 07660 | 855-618-4697
Hilton Garden Inn Ridgefield Park has one cruise package you can book with, but it doesn’t matter if you’re shipping from Cape Liberty or Manhattan. You get free parking up to 14 days, and free shuttle service to the cruise terminal.
- Price: $239
- Free parking up to 14 days
- Free shuttle service to and from Manhattan Cruise Terminal
Fairfield Inn & Suites North Bergen
1707 69 St, North Bergen, NJ 07047 | 844-631-0595
Fairfield Inn & Suites in North Bergen, NJ has a package specifically for Manhattan cruise passengers. It includes breakfast and free Wi-Fi, up to 10 nights of free parking during your cruise, and free 2-way transfer to and from the terminal.
- Price: $249
- Free parking up to 10 days
- Free shuttle service to and from Manhattan Cruise Terminal
Ramada Plaza by Wyndham Newark International Airport
160A Frontage Road, Newark, NJ 07114 | 800-946-5338
Ramada has two “Park Before You Fly” packages, one for 7 days, and one for 14 days. From our research, these packages also apply to cruises out of either Cape Liberty or Manhattan. Call them before booking to get the details and verify.
- Price: $199 – $239
- Free parking for 7 or 14 days
- Free shuttle to and from the Manhattan Cruise Terminal
Conclusion
As you can tell, New York City has plenty of parking options, no matter what you’re there for. Between various meters and garages, there can be so much to choose from.
Also, driving in the city can be tricky. The roads are laid out differently, and the city is full of people all trying to get somewhere. If you plan to do some sightseeing, the recommendation is to not drive in the city at all and use public transportation instead.
Also Read: 26 Best Hotels Near Manhattan Cruise Terminal, New York
When it comes to Manhattan cruise terminal parking, the most convenient option is parking right at the port. Though it can be a bit expensive ($40 a night), if you can find a spot (first-come, first-serve), you’re set.
There are various other parking locations around NYC, all cheaper than official port parking. You can also book a hotel the night before and get free parking and 2-way transfers to the cruise terminal.
Wherever you decide to park for your Manhattan cruise, we hope you have a fun and safe trip.
