Breakaway 10/16/2018

I will be driving myself to the NYC cruise terminal and parking on the roof of the pier for my Oct cruise on the Breakaway. I am quite familiar with NYC traffic and routes through the city so I'm confident on getting there. My question is having cruised only once, (2007), once I get there, what do I do? Obviously I'll find my way down stairs and be amid a couple of thousand others all trying to get up into the ship. I have a balcony on deck 12, so is there a special line, 'all 12's move to the right!' Just how is embarkation handled. For that matter how is disembarkation handled, where's your luggage, are there porters, is there a carousel? In 2007 as I recall everything was in this big open space and you had to go through it all to find your own stuff. I know this probably is a ridiculous problem to have for all the seasoned travelers on this forum but to a newbie it can be a little daunting. I understand realistically everything will go as it should and I'll be on the top deck with drink in hand toasting The Big Apple as the ship pulls out into the Hudson. At the same time in the back of my mind, amid all the festivities, I'll look down and see my large roll-a-bout sitting by it self on the edge of the pier, while I have one t shirt and one change of underwear in my carry on. Why? Because I didn't do some thing right between parking and sailing.

Neilkear,

Welcome back to cruising.

Ideally, you drop your luggage off with your family, then go and park the car.

At the pier you check your luggage with the porters. One way to insure that your luggage does not sit on the pier as you sail away, is to tip the porter, typically about $5 per bag.

Once inside the cruise terminal proceed through security, then straight to the check-in line. If you arrive around 10/10:30 am the lines will be short if you get there at noon or later they will be very long.

If you are booked in a suite there will be different, shorter line for you. Another perk of arriving earlier is they hand out numbered tickets, the lower your number the faster you board the ship.

Once you're checked in, there is a large seating area, there's also a hot dog stand, if you're too famished to wait till you get on board.

Boarding will start around 11 to 11:30 am.

Have a great cruise.

Jonathan

Jonathon, thank you for getting back to me. I am traveling alone so I can forego dropping off family and luggage and jump right to finding a porter once I get downstairs. I will turn over my roll-a-bout and garment bag and liberally grease the palm of said porter. I am glad to see you said to get there early, (10/10:30), because that is the exact time I plan to arrive. I thank you again and according to your banner I also will wish you a great cruise on Queen Mary 2.

Jonathon, thank you for getting back to me. I am traveling alone so I can forego dropping off family and luggage and jump right to finding a porter once I get downstairs. I will turn over my roll-a-bout and garment bag and liberally grease the palm of said porter. I am glad to see you said to get there early, (10/10:30), because that is the exact time I plan to arrive. I thank you again and according to your banner I also will wish you a great cruise on Queen Mary 2.

You're most welcome Neil. I'm a liberal palm greaser too, the porters really appreciate it and it gives me peace of mind that our luggage will end up in the cabin with us.

The New York Cruise Terminal at 10/10:30 will be easy going, you should be checked-in fast and relaxing waiting to board.

You might also join the roll call for your cruise. These are other Cruise Critics booked on your cruise. It's a fun to chat with others, make some pre-cruise friends and learn about excursions and various on board events on board like a Slot Pull or Cabin Crawl.

Here's the link for your October 16, 2018 Breakaway Roll Call:

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2444687

We're very excited for the QM2, thanks for the bon voyage.

Happy Cruising.

Jonathan

Yay, you are on the last home port NYC cruise for Breakaway! I get on as you get off for the repositioning to New Orleans cruise!

So it's all easy and here's how it goes: You follow the signs to the cruise terminal and up the ramp for parking. After paying, (at pier 90 or 88) and proceeding along to pier 88 show your parking receipt and stop for dog sniffing. Park and roll your luggage back to the elevator near the dog. (You are on floor 3 by the way.) Strongly suggest you be able to move all your luggage by yourself as porters are hard to find - but if you have to watch for one who is escorting people to their cars and ask for help. It may take a while.

Take the elevator down to floor 1 and there are porters there. They are checking your tags, or writing new ones for you, and taking your luggage immediately into cages and carts that will all be forklifted aboard. No worries! Tip the nice man.

Take the elevator up to floor 2 and you are on the boarding floor. Go through security (did you leave your water in the car?) and check in, and wait for boarding or proceed aboard if they tell you to.

When you return: two days before arrival look for the departure schedule and tags. Choose if you want to get off self-assist with your luggage and an early time, or to put your luggage out the night before and choose one of those times and tags.

When your color is called, you get off and are directed inside and down an escalator to the arrivals hall. If you sent your luggage ahead, look for it here. Here is where you pick up a porter if you want help. With your luggage, proceed down the line to go through customs/immigration with your customs form and passport. Your porter will stick with you through here and beyond.

After that you walk a ways to the elevator area, get on, and head to floor 3 to get back to your car. Porter in tow if you have one. Tip the nice man!

The great thing is that if you choose self-assist, you could be in your car and driving home before 9am!

Take good care of the Breakway for us and wave as we pass you to board!

Yay, you are on the last home port NYC cruise for Breakaway! I get on as you get off for the repositioning to New Orleans cruise!

 

So it's all easy and here's how it goes: You follow the signs to the cruise terminal and up the ramp for parking. After paying, (at pier 90 or 88) and proceeding along to pier 88 show your parking receipt and stop for dog sniffing. Park and roll your luggage back to the elevator near the dog. (You are on floor 3 by the way.) Strongly suggest you be able to move all your luggage by yourself as porters are hard to find - but if you have to watch for one who is escorting people to their cars and ask for help. It may take a while.

 

Take the elevator down to floor 1 and there are porters there. They are checking your tags, or writing new ones for you, and taking your luggage immediately into cages and carts that will all be forklifted aboard. No worries! Tip the nice man.

 

Take the elevator up to floor 2 and you are on the boarding floor. Go through security (did you leave your water in the car?) and check in, and wait for boarding or proceed aboard if they tell you to.

 

When you return: two days before arrival look for the departure schedule and tags. Choose if you want to get off self-assist with your luggage and an early time, or to put your luggage out the night before and choose one of those times and tags.

 

When your color is called, you get off and are directed inside and down an escalator to the arrivals hall. If you sent your luggage ahead, look for it here. Here is where you pick up a porter if you want help. With your luggage, proceed down the line to go through customs/immigration with your customs form and passport. Your porter will stick with you through here and beyond.

 

After that you walk a ways to the elevator area, get on, and head to floor 3 to get back to your car. Porter in tow if you have one. Tip the nice man!

 

The great thing is that if you choose self-assist, you could be in your car and driving home before 9am!

 

Take good care of the Breakway for us and wave as we pass you to board!

You do not have to take the elevator down to level 1 to have the porters take your luggage and then take an elevator back to level 2 to check in. You just take the elevator down to level 2 and go a few steps outside the entrance doors where you'll find many porters. Hand over your luggage and then just walk back inside to go through security and check in.

Yay, you are on the last home port NYC cruise for Breakaway! I get on as you get off for the repositioning to New Orleans cruise!

 

So it's all easy and here's how it goes: You follow the signs to the cruise terminal and up the ramp for parking. After paying, (at pier 90 or 88) and proceeding along to pier 88 show your parking receipt and stop for dog sniffing. Park and roll your luggage back to the elevator near the dog. (You are on floor 3 by the way.) Strongly suggest you be able to move all your luggage by yourself as porters are hard to find - but if you have to watch for one who is escorting people to their cars and ask for help. It may take a while.

 

Take the elevator down to floor 1 and there are porters there. They are checking your tags, or writing new ones for you, and taking your luggage immediately into cages and carts that will all be forklifted aboard. No worries! Tip the nice man.

 

Take the elevator up to floor 2 and you are on the boarding floor. Go through security (did you leave your water in the car?) and check in, and wait for boarding or proceed aboard if they tell you to.

 

When you return: two days before arrival look for the departure schedule and tags. Choose if you want to get off self-assist with your luggage and an early time, or to put your luggage out the night before and choose one of those times and tags.

 

When your color is called, you get off and are directed inside and down an escalator to the arrivals hall. If you sent your luggage ahead, look for it here. Here is where you pick up a porter if you want help. With your luggage, proceed down the line to go through customs/immigration with your customs form and passport. Your porter will stick with you through here and beyond.

 

After that you walk a ways to the elevator area, get on, and head to floor 3 to get back to your car. Porter in tow if you have one. Tip the nice man!

 

The great thing is that if you choose self-assist, you could be in your car and driving home before 9am!

 

Take good care of the Breakway for us and wave as we pass you to board!

I thought there was another on the 27th.

Sent from my Pixel 2 using Forums mobile app

I thought there was another on the 27th.

 

 

Sent from my Pixel 2 using Forums mobile app

The cruise on the 27th is the repositioning cruise to New Orleans.