Brooklyn Cruise Terminal car service: private transfers to Pier 12, Red Hook

Why Red Hook needs a planned transfer

The Brooklyn Cruise Terminal stands on Pier 12 at 72 Bowne Street, on a working waterfront at the end of the Red Hook peninsula. There is no subway stop nearby; the closest stations are a long walk away, and yellow cabs are scarce on disembarkation morning. That makes a pre-booked car more useful here than at almost any other New York pier. The single terminal building handles large ocean liners and cruise ships; lines that sail from Brooklyn include Cunard and Princess Cruises, with other lines calling from time to time. Your documents confirm which pier.

How to book

Enter the airport and flight or the hotel address, pick "Brooklyn Cruise Terminal, Pier 12" as the destination and choose a vehicle. The fixed price you see covers the route and the chauffeur's time, with no meter; the New York for-hire surcharge, any terminal fees and gratuity are added to the booking at actual cost. New York rides are driven by a vetted affiliate operator holding NYC Taxi and Limousine Commission licensing, from the LimousineWorldwide.Directory network and held to the BlaakLane.com written standard, with dispatch from our 24/7 Toronto desk. The confirmation names the operator and chauffeur.

Drive times to Pier 12

The Brooklyn-Queens Expressway is often slow around the Cantilever section and the Gowanus, so weekday mornings take longer. JFK is the usual airport for Cunard's transatlantic passengers; LaGuardia and Newark Liberty work well for domestic flights.

Airport pickups on the way to the ship

For an arriving flight, the chauffeur tracks the landing and waits 60 minutes free on international arrivals and 30 minutes on domestic flights, meeting you at the airport's designated pickup area for pre-arranged cars. A name-board greeting in the arrivals hall is an add-on, and add-ons are only available in selected locations. Transatlantic guests arriving from Europe often land at JFK in the afternoon, which suits an evening in Manhattan and a morning transfer to Red Hook.

Sailing day at the terminal

The chauffeur uses the terminal's drop-off lane at the front of the building. Porters take large luggage and tag it for your stateroom; formal wear for a transatlantic crossing travels well in garment bags, which the porters handle too. Keep passports, medication and valuables with you. Arrive inside your assigned check-in window.

Disembarkation and where the car waits

Ships dock early and passengers leave in groups after customs clearance. Pre-booked cars wait in the ground transportation or pre-arranged vehicle area outside the terminal. Once you have your bags and are through customs, call the chauffeur for the exact position. Pier pickups include 15 minutes of waiting from the booked time, then 15-minute blocks, so match the pickup to your disembarkation group rather than the docking time.

For flights home, allow 45 to 75 minutes to JFK or Newark on a weekday morning plus check-in. A domestic flight after about noon and an international flight in mid-afternoon are realistic.

Where to stay before or after a Brooklyn sailing

Downtown Brooklyn and Brooklyn Heights are 10 to 20 minutes from Pier 12; the 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge in Brooklyn Bridge Park has harbour views, and Lower Manhattan hotels near the Financial District are just across the tunnel. Many transatlantic passengers stay in Midtown for a few nights; the morning transfer through the Hugh L. Carey Tunnel is predictable outside the rush hour.

Private tours before or after the ship

Hourly bookings, with a minimum of 3 hours, cover the classic New York circuit or a Brooklyn day: the Brooklyn Bridge, DUMBO and its waterfront park, Brooklyn Heights Promenade, Prospect Park, and the food and art studios of Red Hook itself. With luggage secure in the car, a post-cruise tour can finish at the airport. For Red Hook day plans, read hourly chauffeur service and city tours and day trips.

Choosing a vehicle for Pier 12

Transatlantic passengers often travel with more luggage than on a short Caribbean trip, so size the car generously.

• Standard Sedan, Luxury Executive Sedan or Executive First Class Sedan (Maybach): 2 passengers, 2 bags; a couple with one large case each.
• Standard Black SUV or Executive Black SUV: 6 passengers, 6 bags.
• Sprinter Van: 12 passengers, 12 small bags; the right choice for families with luggage or a couple with trunks and garment bags.
• Luxury Stretch Limo (8) or Party Bus (14): evening celebrations; limited luggage room.
• Sprinter Luxury Jet Van: 7 passengers, carry-on only.

See the fleet and planning ranges on rates.

Groups and cruise-line staff

Group sailings, wedding parties and crew movements through Red Hook are planned by a coordinator and confirmed in writing. See cruise lines and ports and group transportation.

Red Hook streets and timing

Pier 12 is reached through Red Hook's grid of old warehouse streets, where trucks from the neighbouring container terminal share the road with cruise traffic. On a sailing morning, most cars arrive along Bowne Street and Imlay Street, so chauffeurs stay in line for the terminal lanes rather than stopping short. From Manhattan, the Hugh L. Carey Tunnel lands you a few minutes from the pier; from Queens and the airports, the Gowanus approach is the main route. Summer Sundays, when the waterfront parks are busy, deserve a small extra buffer.

Cancellation

Cancel free more than 72 hours before pickup. Within 72 hours the charge is 10%, within 48 hours 50%, and within 24 hours or for a no-show 100%.

Terminal notices are published by NYC Cruise, the city's port programme is run by the New York City Economic Development Corporation, and background is on Wikipedia. For more of the city, see New York chauffeur service, the Manhattan Cruise Terminal and all services.

Book your Brooklyn Cruise Terminal transfer