Everything & Anything New York City

paulfoel · 28 February 2012 at 1:59PM

gregg1 wrote: »

Well I disagree. Why on earth should someone tip if they have received poor service? OK so English may not be his first language but that is absolutely not an excuse. Being miserable and grumpy translates the same in any language. It is absurd to tip someone when they have given poor service whatever country you are in. I think you are being grossly unfair to accuse the poster of maintaining a stereotype.

A friend who is a New Yorker reckons on the rare occasion when she receives poor service, she would not leave a tip, and reckons many Americans would do the same.

I agree. I find with the USA sometimes its all about the tip - they dont care that you're paying for a service in the first place. Thats the problem they assume you're going to tip.

Take the taxi driver. Doesnt the fact that I'm paying him for a service costing me $50 mean anything? Apparently not.

Check out staff in Tesco seem happy enough to be friend;y and they're providing a service which your buying from their employer (i.e. food etc). In this case, there's no chance of a tip.

Assuming taxi driver was getting the money for the taxi fare (rather than as a salaried employee), he obviously wasn't even happy to be given the work!

jackieblack · 28 February 2012 at 2:03PM

paulfoel wrote: »

Assuming taxi driver was getting the money for the taxi fare (rather than as a salaried employee), he obviously wasn't even happy to be given the work!

I thought I'd read somewhere (can't find where now

) that the taxi drivers don't get the fare, they make their living on the tips alone - anyone know if this is correct?

Interestingly, the Taxicab Rider Bill of Rights does state that:

As a taxi rider, you have the right to:

A driver who has and uses E-ZPass at all toll crossings that accept it, and who charges passengers the discounted E-Z Pass rate;
Pay for your ride with credit/debit card;
Go to any destination in NYC, Westchester, Nassau, or Newark Airport;
Direct the route taken: The most direct route or one of your choice;
A safe and courteous driver who obeys all traffic laws;
A knowledgeable driver who speaks English and knows City geography;
Air conditioning or heat on request;
A noise free trip: no horn honking or radio;
Clean air. smoke and scent free air;
Working seatbelts for all passengers;
A clean taxicab: interior, exterior and partition;
Be accompanied by a service animal;
A driver who does not use a cell phone while driving (hand-held or hands free);
Decline to tip for poor service.

ajwolf · 28 February 2012 at 8:00PM

I've been thinking about a week long holiday to New York this June and I wanted to ask some people 'in the know' before making any decisions.

I've found a flight today for 5 June returning 12 June for £451 direct from Glasgow to Newark (BMI operated by Continental). Is this a good price? Through searching over the last couple of months I realise it's rare to find a direct flight from Glasgow and flights with stops are normally around this price.

Like I said I've not decided for sure yet if I'm going, partly down to cost. Ideally I would like to get a flight and hotel for a total of £1000. After scanning the internet for hotels I like the look of Aloft in Brooklyn but the price has gone up a lot since I first looked. Can anyone recommend anything similar for a cheaper price? Or any tips for getting a better price?

I'm a total holiday novice as I've never booked one before so any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks

schtee · 28 February 2012 at 11:37PM

Hey folks, just after a little advice regarding travel to NYC from Manchester.

We're looking to go on the 24th of March for 4 or 5 nights.

Having had a quick look at fares through Skyscanner, it seems a lot cheaper to go indirect - £100 almost! Again, I haven't looked in depth yet, but for the cheapest fares the layover from Manchester is around the 30h mark. I'm sure there are lesser ones but these are all i've seen so far.

I've priced up combination packages of flight + hotel through various sites thus far, namely Expedia and Lastminute, and have had prices for a four night stay in a 3 star hotel around the 700 mark.

I'm looking for advice from anybody who has travelled from Manchester to NYC before? What sites did you book through/which airline?

Steve

weeowens · 29 February 2012 at 5:03AM

Dave1979 wrote: »

Is it worth going the distance to Woodbury or Tangers for Gap, Nike etc?

I went here when in NY

Great for Jeans etc

M4RKM · 1 March 2012 at 9:56AM

jackieblack wrote: »

I thought I'd read somewhere (can't find where now ) that the taxi drivers don't get the fare, they make their living on the tips alone - anyone know if this is correct?

Interestingly, the Taxicab Rider Bill of Rights does state that:

As a taxi rider, you have the right to:

But as the poster in question had booked a Car Service, then this does not apply. Also, if they had got a taxi from Newark, then it similarly wouldn't have applied, as it only applies to taxis in New York City.

M4RKM · 1 March 2012 at 10:35AM

OK, Enough about tipping, lets get back onto topic of talking NYC. It's always going to be a tough subject to work out who's right, who's wrong, should you tip, shouldn't you tip etc. We'll all agree to disagree...

ajwolf wrote: »

I've been thinking about a week long holiday to New York this June and I wanted to ask some people 'in the know' before making any decisions.

I've found a flight today for 5 June returning 12 June for £451 direct from Glasgow to Newark (BMI operated by Continental). Is this a good price? Through searching over the last couple of months I realise it's rare to find a direct flight from Glasgow and flights with stops are normally around this price.

Like I said I've not decided for sure yet if I'm going, partly down to cost. Ideally I would like to get a flight and hotel for a total of £1000. After scanning the internet for hotels I like the look of Aloft in Brooklyn but the price has gone up a lot since I first looked. Can anyone recommend anything similar for a cheaper price? Or any tips for getting a better price?

I'm a total holiday novice as I've never booked one before so any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks

7 night holiday in June. The flight is a great price. However, hotels in NYC are expensive, and you really have to be realistic with your budget. Would you get a hotel of Aloft Standard in Glasgow for £78 per night in Summer? I'd lean towards no straight away, and you're wanting the Aloft Brooklyn for that kind of money. If you were more realistic, and set aside £1000 for the hotel ($1600 including taxes, therefore $200 per night before taxes), then you should be good. NYC ain't cheap, and if you want luxury, you pay for luxury. Prices always fluctuate, however June is sometimes cheap, because the weather can be unbearably hot and humid, and people are not holidaying in NYC at that time (as much!).

schtee wrote: »

Hey folks, just after a little advice regarding travel to NYC from Manchester.

We're looking to go on the 24th of March for 4 or 5 nights.

Having had a quick look at fares through Skyscanner, it seems a lot cheaper to go indirect - £100 almost! Again, I haven't looked in depth yet, but for the cheapest fares the layover from Manchester is around the 30h mark. I'm sure there are lesser ones but these are all i've seen so far.

I've priced up combination packages of flight + hotel through various sites thus far, namely Expedia and Lastminute, and have had prices for a four night stay in a 3 star hotel around the 700 mark.

I'm looking for advice from anybody who has travelled from Manchester to NYC before? What sites did you book through/which airline?

Steve

Delta, American Airlines, Continental Airlines are the only airlines that fly direct from Manchester. Other Viable options are KLM via AMS, BA or Virgin via LHR, Aer Lingus via DUB, and if it still exists, US Airways via PHL. To get to NYC indirect, it should take you no more than 14 hours. 30 hours just to say £100 is being pennywise, but pound foolish. I've just done a search and the CHEAPEST flight is via DUB, and is £398. The next cheapest is via AMS, and is £406, and direct flights are £545. Where you're seeing flights with changes and 30H total flight time isn't something I can't find!!! (prices from kayak.co.uk)

a 3* hotel means nothing in NYC. You could go for a 1* hotel, and have a cleaner room in a better location, and it suit you fine. You need to state the hotels you've seen and then from there we can probably tell you if they're any good. (Avoid places like the Pennsylvania Hotel or Hotel Carter as they're both atrocious).

M

greenface · 1 March 2012 at 1:32PM

Save £100 and be traveling for a day and a half to get there no thanks thats just stoooopid. You will save more as you will book a night less in your nyc room too. I always look what time take off and landing is too as you can easily lose a day that way too.(like to arrive about mid afternoon so the uk flight is a healthy 10am ish with still enough time to have a wander and nice meal)and travel back through the night to enjoy a afternoon and tea time return to the airport.

pm04gn · 1 March 2012 at 2:29PM

Hi guys,
Just wanted a bit of input on airlines.
Im flying 10th May in the afternoon and returning 14th May in the evening out of LHR, its my second trip to NYC.
Flight are all around the same price
Delta £399
Virgin/BA/American £434

Last few times Ive been to the states its been with United.

Anyone got any airline preferences out of that lot?

Thanks

bara03 · 1 March 2012 at 3:26PM

Just a follow up to a question I asked about buying films in the USA, I emailed the hotel we are going to be staying at to see if I could ship a couple of films to them via Amazon US and they said that it's fine to do that, has anyone else done this before??

Everything & Anything New York City

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