This year’s free senior citizen cruise will be July 28, but tickets for the trip will be issued via a lottery system. The event is sponsored by Hudson County Executive Tom DeGise and the Board of Chosen Freeholders. Freeholder Barry Dugan said the county pays for the annual trips, with each municipality’s seniors getting one per year.
Because there is a limited number of tickets, the Bayonne Office on Aging will hold the lottery at its office in Bayonne City Hall on Thursday, July 22, starting at 1 p.m. An interested senior citizen should register at the Office on Aging between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. on weekdays starting on Thursday, July 15 through Wednesday, July 21.
Each winner will receive two tickets and will be notified by telephone. A senior citizen who wins and cannot attend the trip should call the Bayonne Office on Aging at (201) 858-6119 so that the tickets can be issued to someone from a waiting list maintained by the Office on Aging.
Why the lottery?
Dugan said that having a free cruise actually causes some problems.
“In the past, we charged each senior $5 to go on the trip,” Dugan said. “Then they asked why we were charging for the ride, and we decided [last year] to give it to the senior citizens for free. Plenty of people took the tickets because they were free. But many of them didn’t show up when the boat sailed. In fact, we had less people than in those years when we charged.”
This year, Dugan said, he and others would make a concerted effort to get a good turnout for an event he believes is worthwhile.
“I think this is a great opportunity for our senior population,” Dugan said. “And it would be a shame for people to miss it.”
Whereas Dugan had hoped to have the boat trip launched from Dennis Collins Park at the southern tip of Bayonne, the boat will be launched from a dock in Weehawken, with buses from Bayonne provided to those interested.
The buses will leave from the Assumption Catholic War Veterans Post No. 1612 near West 23rd Street and Del Monte Drive (between Broadway and Avenue C) at 10:15 a.m. Metered parking will be available in the parking lot across the street.
The cruise
The cruise will last approximately two hours. Buses will transport seniors back to Bayonne afterwards.
The Spirit ships can handle up to about 600 passengers. They provide a tour of most of New York Harbor’s noteworthy sites, from scenes of lower Manhattan and South Street Seaport on the East River to the Statue of Liberty right off Jersey City’s shore.
Dugan, who is chairman of the Senior Services Committee, said the new contract is a great improvement over previous trips, noting that on prior trips, food was not part of the contract.
“People could purchase snacks or a cup of coffee on board,” he said. “But with the Spirit of New Jersey there are refreshments – even a buffet – supplied. There is also entertainment on board.”
Passengers will not be allowed to bring food or beverages with them because food, drink and musical entertainment will be provided on board.
Freeholders approve the funding
After putting bids out twice and receiving no offers, Hudson County officials finally negotiated a two-year contract for the senior citizen boat rides. Freeholders voted to approve the $54,000 contract at their July 8 meeting, making note that the new service – while slightly more costly in the past – provides more amenities.
“Since no replies were received, the purchasing agent negotiated a contract with Spirit of New York Cruises,” said County Administrator Abe Antun.
Dugan said he was not only pleased with the cost and the services, but also with the fact that the county had begun the process of seeking the contract earlier than usual.
“Every year, I have argued that we should go out for bids in February or March,” Dugan said. “This year we did, and we got a good contract – not merely for this year, but for next year as well.”
Under the two-year contract, the county will pay $26,000 for boat rides during the summer of 2004 and $28,000 for the summer of 2005.
Dugan said the ships are fine looking vessels, too, a large improvement. In the past, some recommended that the county hire ferry boats for the tours
Call the Bayonne Office on Aging at (201) 858-6119 for more information.