Everything & Anything New York City

ess0two

johnnyroper wrote: »

we bought a fair amount of stuff in NYC all i did was as you say check fitment etc and chuck all packaging away then just put in suitecase.
as it goes even that was not needed as customs at LHR was deserted when we arrived back.

as phatbear says technically breaking the law but the way i see it with clothes it is very hard for customs to tell where you bought it.
cigs and booze however are a different story.

Yep did the packaging and tags thing myself.

p-pincher

hi everyone

just reading through the tread as we're going NY in about 5 weeks, and was hoping could give me some info regarding duty free, ive read all the info on HMRC and understand we can bring back £390 worth of goods each but does anybody know if children get the same allowance (obviously not alcohol and cigarettes etc), I cant see any ages mentioned and were taking our 2 dd's (6 and 4), thanks.

northwest1965

p-pincher wrote: »

hi everyone

just reading through the tread as we're going NY in about 5 weeks, and was hoping could give me some info regarding duty free, ive read all the info on HMRC and understand we can bring back £390 worth of goods each but does anybody know if children get the same allowance (obviously not alcohol and cigarettes etc), I cant see any ages mentioned and were taking our 2 dd's (6 and 4), thanks.

"No one under 17 is entitled to the tobacco and alcohol allowances."

Thats all I could see on the website, so I'm sure that they have the allowances for gifts.

phatbear

Yup you're right the only part of the allowances which are age specific are the ones for tobacco and booze, oddly if you were travelling in the e.u a your 6 year old can, in theory, have as much booze and baccy as they want

thecatsnose

Hi
I'm new to this board, and going to New York over Christmas.
I was wondering can you get little discount books for free in the taxi's and hotels - that give you vouchers for money off trips and the like, like you get in Vegas?
I don't want to book too much over here and then find out I can get it for miles less once i'm there.
Thanks

northwest1965

thecatsnose wrote: »

Hi
I'm new to this board, and going to New York over Christmas.
I was wondering can you get little discount books for free in the taxi's and hotels - that give you vouchers for money off trips and the like, like you get in Vegas?
I don't want to book too much over here and then find out I can get it for miles less once i'm there.
Thanks

I never saw any, the only discount voucher I used was for TOTR. Its printable off the web

scottishgirl87

Reading this thread constantly in anticipation of some March hotel deals coming out soon! Fingers crossed for next month :T

987654

thecatsnose wrote: »

Hi
I'm new to this board, and going to New York over Christmas.
I was wondering can you get little discount books for free in the taxi's and hotels - that give you vouchers for money off trips and the like, like you get in Vegas?
I don't want to book too much over here and then find out I can get it for miles less once i'm there.
Thanks

Having done both places over the last year, there aren't the offers in NY like Vegas. Very few money off coupons around.

987654

Just back from my trip. My MS recommendations

- use the TKTS booth at South St Seaport for discounted tickets as the queues in Times Square were long
- for first time visitors, the $86 dollar hop on/ off bus tickets were great value. It includes the ferry to Liberty/ Ellis Island & harbour cruise. Also includes a museum but give this a miss as most of it was closed.
- 9th St has loads of great value restaurants

duchy

Here's the plan-feel free to rip it apart or make constructive suggestions as I've not done NYC for about three years

We plan on shows at night and general wandering in the day to see the Christmas side of New York -Rockerfella Centre, Maceys TOTR etc Suggestions for specific Christmassy things to do and cheap places to eat around Times Square appreciated (I forsee a lot of deli eating going on )

December travel

Taking the MSE approach to costs

Leave home in Kent Wednesday night at 11.36pm -train to Victoria -then night bus Ravenscourt Park(£2 as I *think* you can't use Oyster on night buses) to catch connecting night bus to Heathrow arriving into Heathrow at 01.49 . Bit messy but a lot cheaper than a cab which would be around £80. As the flight is an early one it'd only be three hours or so kicking my heels at Heathrow before check in

Fly LHR to Newark via Washington leaving at 07.30 arriving at 13.51 with United (I have status with Continental which is recognised by United so extra miles, preferred seating and slim rather than nil chance of upgrade) By then I'll be tired enough to sleep on the flight Cost £388 less £50 in Nectar points so £338.

Meadowlands Airport Shuttle $15 to Residence Inn East Rutherford -2 bedroom/2 bathroom suite for $179 a night booked during their 25% off sale (there are 4 or 5 of us staying -the others are flying in from various points in the US) so my total cost for three nights is $134

Bus direct to the Port Authority from across the street is around $8 return and takes less than half an hour.

We have show tickets already booked for all three nights -that is definitely NOT the MSE part of the trip-but we wanted really good seats . I've used TKTs on other trips quite happily.

Breakfast is included at the Residence Inn so we'll stoke up each day before hitting the city -the suite has a kitchen but it's debatable if we'll use it for more than late night coffees and hot chocolates in front of the working fire in the suite.

We have friends joining us who opted to stay in the city at the Marriott Marquee as it's right where we need to be-at a whopping $450 a night -I think with the bus stopping right outside the hotel and running til after midnight we have the better deal. Of course when I'm waiting at the Port Authority for a bus in the cold at midnight -I may feel differently

Flight back is an evening one direct with CO -I suspect we'll be in Manhattan (unless we hit the Jersey malls that day) so Airtrain or bus from the Port Authority back to Newark.