TheOldBear

I am cruising for the first time this December out of New York City and I have some questions about what security is like as well as boarding. I have read some posts on here and I have an idea, but some of them aren't exactly recent. I just want to have an idea of what to expect!

Step one, take a look at the NYC Cruise Port Manhattan Page

1. Are there metal detectors or body scanners?

Metal detectors

2. Is 11am a good time to arrive for a 3pm departure?

I usually plan to arrive at the terminal about noon - that allows some spare time for traffic delays.

3. Are they strict about arrival times?

Not overly strict, but we come prepared to wait.

4. How long does security usually takes?

Not long at all.

5. Are there really drug dogs walking around?!

Have never noticed any K9 units

6. Do bags get scanned just like at an airport?

Your carry on luggage must fit in a scanner similar to the ones used at an airport or court house. Checked luggage has its own clearance procedure. Some cruisers have reported needing to go the ship's "naughty room" to open their luggage.

7. What happens after you go through security?

The rest of the check in process [last minute paperwork, validation of passport, photo for the on board ID card]. Then waiting for the boarding time or announcement.

8. What is the boarding process?

Depends on the ship/line. For some lines, cabins are not available when boarding starts - passengers need to keep all their carryons and visit pubic spaces on the ship. Other ships will have the staterooms available, and most of the time your checked luggage will be waiting for you.

 

Thank you!

One option is renting a camera or camera package for the trip. The principal downside is that you will only have limited time to practice with the camera and accessories before the trip.

One possibility is a kit similar to https://www.lensrentals.com/rent/wildlife-package-for-micro-4-3 This includes Olympus 'Pro' level weather sealed lenses and camera body.

Lensrentals also has a large sensor fixed lens camera [Panasonic FZ-1000] that would likely be quite suitable for an Alaska trip.

Just returned from a 3 week holiday starting on Harmony for the TA then a week on NCL Getaway I used mainly my iPhone for pictures aswell as my go pro for action shots.

I have decided my iPhone is not good enough to capture properly the beauty of places and as we are planning Alaska for 2018 I really really want a good camera.

My hubby has said I can have one off Santa so I need some help from the experts have around $400 or £350 to spend wanting something that will take great photos in all light as some of my pictures are very dark due to the suns position would love it to also be waterproof or at least resistant and not to heavy and ideas oh and large memory ofcourse.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

All cameras are compromises - the closest to a 'one size fits all' are some of the super zoom 'bridge' cameras like the Panasonic FZ200. There is a dedicated thread on this forum. My much older FZ50 camera has proven to be a travel workhorse for everything from scenic landscapes to portraits.

The downside is that it is far from pocket/purse size. My FZ50 is almost the size of a film SLR camera.

The other main choices are 'travel zoom' cameras and 'tough' cameras. Travel zooms have a moderate size lens and sensor, but an extreme zoom range. The Fuji F900EXR is a typical example. 'Tough' or waterproof cameras are similar size, but with a reduced zoom range so everything is in a rigid waterproof housing.

I would not recommend getting an interchangeable lens camera - your budget does not include getting multiple lenses.

I would recommend getting a spare battery and several memory cards - and not erasing the cards until you have copied all the 'keeper' pictures onto your home computer.

A resource you may want to visit is the DPReview 2016 Roundup: Consumer Long Zoom Cameras

We rather like the Brooklyn terminal - there are no bridges or tunnels between the driveway and the terminal poking lot.

We come prepared to wait a a couple of hours if needed, with books, magazines or a kindle in the carry ons - but usually the wait has been quite short.

Hey folks,

 

We just got back from a cruise and i think its time to upgrade our "vacation" camera. Previously we would take our Canon T1i and few lens when we go on holidays or cruise, well over time that got annoying lugging it around. So past few years we ended up just taking our waterproof Panasonic Lumix dmc-ts3 12.1mp. It was good for portability but picture quality was ok. Not the best not the worst.

 

So now wanting to upgrade our camera. Can anyone suggest a good point and shoot. Waterproof or not. Just looking for something that takes good low light shots nice to carry around for travels. Or should i got mirrorless like sony a6000?

 

Thanks in advance

Waterproof cameras have many compromises to make a waterproof package [slow lens, slow focus, tiny sensor].

There are cameras that are in between the waterproof / travel zoom cameras and the interchangeable lens camera. Two examples of this are the Fuji X100, and the Ricoh GR. Both have large sensors [similar in size to a SLR camera], fast fixed lenses, and can produce high quality images. The Fuji has an interesting hybrid viewfinder between an optical peep viewfinder and electronic, and handles like a classic rangefinder camera.

Other examples are the Canon 'G' series, and Fuji X30 - these use larger sensors than most, brighter lenses and have a zoom range optimized for taking pictures of people [from wide angle to a good 'portrait' length].

Still a third example would be a smaller interchangeable lens camera - like the 'micro four thirds' from Olympus or Panasonic.

And for comparison - I have a Panasonic FZ-50 'bridge' camera, a Fuji F505 'travel zoom' camera, a Panasonic LX7 large sensor compact, and just purchased an Olympus OMD M10 mk2 & a couple of 'kit' lenses.

I bring my old sailing binoculars - Nikon 7x50 waterproof. They are a bit bulky, but we do not have to worry about air transport.

There's another thread on tis forum about selling a Panasonic FZ-200 camera. Perhaps that is worth investigating :)

I'm looking for a new camera for my cruise, saw this one at Costco. I want to take pictures but don't need fancy. Anyone have any advice about this camera?

It's not quite my ideal bridge camera - I will want a viewfinder in addition to the back of the camera. [One reason I keep my old FZ-50 as my walk around camera].

It does have a nice wide angle range for the zoom, and optical stabilization for the tele end [holds the image steady, does nothing for the moving subject].

Now on my second Canon power shot camera and they have been great, easy to use cameras that have served me well. But-- I am an expert of taking pictures of poles and signs. While on bus tours, I click to take a picture and by the time my camera focuses I get the pole in the middle of my picture.

 

Would like recommendation for easy to use Canon camera ( not pricey or complicated one) that I can use to take pictures while I am on bus tours, taking action pics of kids soccer games or even of moving animals on an Africa safari.

Sticking with Canon cameras - you my want to look at a so-called 'bridge' camera. These have a good zoom range [wide to tele], brighter lenses [focus a touch faster] and mostly have electronic viewfinders [fine aiming].

I did a camera feature search over on dpreview and there were several possibilities from Canon's 'S' and 'G' series cameras [the 'G' series are the fancier ones]

Can anyone tell me how much it cost for the different packages for wi-if on the ship? Also can you buy it before the ship sets sail? Thanks so much!

Like most cruise related topics, that will vary with the cruise line. I would suggest looking in two places [assuming you have picked a cruise line]:

• The cruse line forum here on Cruise Critic [listed alphabetically by cruise line name]
  
• The cruise line's web site. This may be a searchable topic under their FAQ section or a 'life on board' section.
  

Booked for 2017 - not even looking at 2018

In fact, a year from today we'll be mid Atlantic heading back to NY :-)

You may want to look at the thread for the Panasonic FZ200 - I have the much older FZ50 model and I've been quite happy with it.

 

These days P&S or 'fixed lens' cameras are mostly

• Long zoom range 'bridge' cameras similar to to the FZ200 [or other models by Canon, Olympus, Sony, Fuji....]
  
• Enthusiast large sensor cameras like Fuji X100 and X30 series, Panasonic LX100
  

Oops - too late to edit - I meant to say cameras with viewfinders. Most are electronic, some interesting versions [the Fuji] have hybrid optical / electronic viewfinders.

Hello: Any recommendations for a point and shoot with a viewfinder? Thanks

You may want to look at the thread for the Panasonic FZ200 - I have the much older FZ50 model and I've been quite happy with it.

These days P&S or 'fixed lens' cameras are mostly

• Long zoom range 'bridge' cameras similar to to the FZ200 [or other models by Canon, Olympus, Sony, Fuji....]
  
• Enthusiast large sensor cameras like Fuji X100 and X30 series, Panasonic LX100
  

Will this storm delay QM-2's arrival in Red Hook, NY on Thursday 8th September or affect passengers flying into NYC to board the ship? If so suspect Halifax will be cancelled so that QM-2 will arrive in Southampton on time on 16th.

 

Any thoughts?

So far this storm has resisted prediction. It seems to be the Zeno's Paradox of storms [approaching but never actually arriving].

Here on Long Island, 'Tropical Storm Conditions' were forecast for yesterday and today - but so far nothing of notice [dry and a bit breezy]. There was an emergency notification misfire calling for the evacuation of Suffolk County. There actually was a 'voluntary evacuation' order for Fire Island, but that was rescinded. Last night's ferry ride was a little cool, but not rough sailing.

The current weather guess from the national hurricane center is at http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/graphics_at4.shtml?5-daynl#contents

I did a quick map search - and there are branches of 'enterprise' and 'dollar' car rentals fairly close to the terminal. [The dollar office shows as much closer]

Enterprise advertises that they will 'pick you up', in practice, that means returning the rental to their office, and then an employee will drive you to a nearby destination. [service included with the rental price].

I would suggest contacting the companies directly, and if possible contacting their Brooklyn affiliates to confirm policies, and the drop off arrangements.

Its a bit of a walk from the brooklyn cruise terminal - but there is a water taxi between Ikea Brooklyn and downtown Manhattan

See https://www.nywatertaxi.com/ikea

There is no early service - but it _might_ be useful to get back to the ship.

I will definitely look into finding a travel agent. Quick question: What's the difference between obstructed and sheltered balcony and would one be better than the other for a winter cruise? From the pics, it looks like a sheltered balcony is like a tiny covered porch with a window... would this better in the colder months?

The 'obstructed' balconies are all on deck 8 - your view is mostly a bright orange tender or lifeboat.

The sheltered balconies on decks 4, 5 & 6 have their balcony inside the ship's main hull, with a large opening from railing height to the overhead. Since is inside the hull, most of the time there is less wind on the balcony - and lower down, so there is less motion.

We've had balcony rooms on both deck 4 and deck 8 - both were quite nice :)

A few years back, on QM2, there were some special activities

• Jack O Lantern display [carved by the chefs], passengers voting on their favorite.
   
  
• The children's program had a costume parade [looks like the costumes were created on board]
   
  
• The last dance session in the Queen's Room had a combined [big] band, and a Halloween theme [some cajun music, light show] some band members were in costume.
  

We just inherited an elderly Akita, after a friend's unexpected death. [Look for 'Sneaky' on Facebook for pictures of her fuzzyness]

As a result, we canceled our planned transatlantic round trip [18 days] for this summer, and will not be planning any prolonged trips for the foreseeable future. For this breed of dog, kennels are entirely out of the question, and even overnight house/puppy sitters are only suitable for long weekend trips.

There is more to stability and seaworthiness than just draft.

Wikipedia has a summary on one of the crucial terms Metacentric Height

A stable design has a righting moment that pushes an inclined [tilted] ship back upright. This is predicted during design, and confirmed in calm conditions by conducting an inclining experiment. [A few years back, after a tour boat on Lake George NY capsized, an inclining experiment on a sister vessel had to be abandoned as too dangerous to complete. All similar vessels were condemned and removed from service].

This is one of many tradeoffs that the naval architect will make when optimizing a design. A ship with extreme initial stability might be most unpleasant as a liner or cruise ship [very short period of roll].

Hi all,

I'm going on my first cruise ever on the Disney Cruise Lines. Kids can't wait to meet the characters. I'm a newbie at using my 50mm f/1.8 lens on the manual mode, so I take soo long to adjust the settings to take each pic. I'm going to be annoying a lot of people waiting in line for the character photos.

I do want to come home with awesome pics. Do I need to get an extra flash? If yes, which one? Is the 50mm a good lens to use inside the ship? I don't want to cut off the character's feet or anything (since I can't zoom out and have to step back quite a bit for the full view). I also have a kit lens 18-135mm that doesn't take as brilliant pics as my 50mm. Any suggestions please??

Why restrict yourself to manual mode [the lens is not an autofocus lens]??

This site is sponsored by an online travel agency - discussion/comparison of online agencies is not permitted here.

That disclaimer out of the way, we are currently in 'wave season' one of the popular discount cruise seasons. Take a look at the 'find a cruse' and 'deals' buttons at the top of the page, and also check on the cruise line's own web site.

As far as picking a room, you can use deck plans along with advice from folks with cruise experience to select a particular room - of you often can book a category 'guarantee' where the cruise line pics the room [at least as nice as you have selected]. Sometimes there is a price break for the guarantee, less often the upgrade fairy waves a magic wand and you get a nicer room.

Take a look in the Cruise/Travel Insurance forum for discussions about this.

Also, a frequently recommended shopping/comparison website is called 'insuremytrip'. As part of the shopping/selection process you can look for 'cancel for work reason' and 'cancel for any reason' options.

Thank you both. I hadn't thought about printing two tags for each bag, but I will now.

I you are printing your own - put a copy inside the bag [belt, suspenders and duct tape level of pessimism ;) ]

Now if we could just figure out who decided the difference between statute miles and nautical miles. Especially since they're both such odd numbers.

The nautical mile is easy - it's defined as a minute of latitude, allowing for easy measurement on nautical charts. [Just use dividers on the latitude scale, instead of printing a distance scale on the chart]

Oh, and a minute is 1/60th of a degree when measuring angles - on earth, the equator is at zero degrees and Santa's Workshop is at 90 degrees North.