Delayed on Disembarking in New York

[Parttime Cruiser]

I was unable to get off the Epic in New York at the time posted we would get off. The custom officials backed up the process, many times during the Disembarking it was put on hold while the terminal was full.

 

We were suppose to get off at 1pm and it was not till around 4pm when I finally cleared customs. It was not a problem for me because I am spending 4 days in New York.

 

I was getting hungry, I did not eat a big breakfast, assumed would eat in New York for a late lunch. The Garden Cafe (buffet) and O'Sheehans closed at 10:30 am.

 

I was standing in the Garden Cafe when I saw Kevin Sheehan order the Staff to reopen the Garden Cafe and O'Sheehans.

 

The staff first brought out fruit, yogurt, milk, cereal and soft serve ice cream. Then they start cooking fried foods and made sandwiches.

I also saw hamburgers and fries, I think they came form O'Sheehans.

 

Thank you Kevin for making the disembarking process better in New York for me.

 

David -Parttime Cruiser

June 2010 Epic TA

[sdmike]

bummer on the delays, but very cool that they stepped up to feed folks when those delays happened, even if out of their control.

[erdoran]

I was in O'Sheehan's and it was done very well! They started by providing beverages, then word spread that there was food too! This was probably around 12:30 or 1 when the self-help people hadn't even completed disembarkation. They were doing table service for hamburgers & fries, and had lots of mini-sandwiches & cookies at the counter, cafeteria-style. They started with their regular staff and within 15 minutes there was wait-staff from all over the ship passing out food. It changed what could have been a bad ending into a pleasant one--imagine a ship full of hungry, thirsty, and delayed people!

 

I was supposed to disembark at 11:30 and finally did around 1:45.

[UK_Cruiser]

I was unable to get off the Epic in New York at the time posted we would get off. The custom officials backed up the process, many times during the Disembarking it was put on hold while the terminal was full.

 

We were suppose to get off at 1pm and it was not till around 4pm when I finally cleared customs. It was not a problem for me because I am spending 4 days in New York.

 

I was getting hungry, I did not eat a big breakfast, assumed would eat in New York for a late lunch. The Garden Cafe (buffet) and O'Sheehans closed at 10:30 am.

 

I was standing in the Garden Cafe when I saw Kevin Sheehan order the Staff to reopen the Garden Cafe and O'Sheehans.

 

The staff first brought out fruit, yogurt, milk, cereal and soft serve ice cream. Then they start cooking fried foods and made sandwiches.

I also saw hamburgers and fries, I think they came form O'Sheehans.

 

Thank you Kevin for making the disembarking process better in New York for me.

 

David -Parttime Cruiser

June 2010 Epic TA

 

 

It's always the same particularly for us non US citizens.

 

We cruised out of New Jersey in May on Explorer of the seas. We flew in the night before and had to queue for 3 1/2 hours to get through customs at Newark airport. Also when we disembarked Liberty of the Seas in Miami last year we had to queue for 2 hours to get through customs.

 

So rude as well.

 

However, when disembarking Explorer in May at Bayonne it was a breeze and the customs officials even smiled and said "have a good day" ! :eek:

[PokerDave]

I was standing in the Garden Cafe when I saw Kevin Sheehan order the Staff to reopen the Garden Cafe and O'Sheehans.

 

It's good to be the King! I only wish ( as I'm sure Kevin does ) that everyone down to your room steward was equally motivated and empowered to do the RIGHT thing for the business... Don't mean this for NCL specifically but for all businesses. Too many times you just get someone ( and even sometimes someone with authority to change it ) that simply says, the manual says we close at 10:30... sorry...

[DPurcell58]

That's why when i arrived at 1PM to take a look at the Epic there were people out on their balconies. My friends and I were wondering why they were still on the ship.

[Ldyandrea]

It's good to be the King! I only wish ( as I'm sure Kevin does ) that everyone down to your room steward was equally motivated and empowered to do the RIGHT thing for the business... Don't mean this for NCL specifically but for all businesses. Too many times you just get someone ( and even sometimes someone with authority to change it ) that simply says, the manual says we close at 10:30... sorry...

 

I was going to say! Way to make an executive decision, Mr. Sheehan! :)

 

I think he's smart enough to realize that there was basically a major ship-wide disgruntlement in the making. A little food and beverage probably diffused the situation very well......especially if people hadn't eaten since breakfast.

[BikerAl]

That's why he is the boss. Wonder why the hotel staff didn't think about it?

 

Did Mr S do the TA, or come on in NY?

 

Al

[Ldyandrea]

That's why he is the boss. Wonder why the hotel staff didn't think about it?

 

I'd be willing to bet that Mr. Sheehan asked them that same question. :cool:

[negc]

Good move by the CEO but I hope that it won't be necessary for him to be on every sailing to insure that the staff reacts promptly and properly to similar snafus. From some of the preliminary comments on the TA, NCL has a bit of work to do to correct some obvious problems and to turn around some initial poor impressions. A rather significant difference from the general impressions made when Oasis debuted.

[Parttime Cruiser]

Good move by the CEO but I hope that it won't be necessary for him to be on every sailing to insure that the staff reacts promptly and properly to similar snafus. From some of the preliminary comments on the TA, NCL has a bit of work to do to correct some obvious problems and to turn around some initial poor impressions. A rather significant difference from the general impressions made when Oasis debuted.

 

 

Yes feed us did improve everything, We sat talking with friends we met on the cruise that will not see for a long time. We enjoyed talking about our cruises and waiting for the last group to be called.

So feed me and I forget everything.

[time2cruise1]

I was lucky and off the Epic at 11:30 but did not clear customs until 12:30. I have never seen Customs operating so much by the book at the pier. It was like they wanted a full days work having had to report on an off Thursday.

Believe it or not with 3000 passengers waiting behind me to get off the ship the customs agent shut down his line to walk me to the cashier and collect $11.70 duty on cigarettes. I just had to laugh and shake my head. I always declare what I have and in 25+ cruises was never asked to pay the little duty. General rule they are not supposed to waste time to collect anything less then $20.

[Cruising89143]

I was lucky and off the Epic at 11:30 but did not clear customs until 12:30. I have never seen Customs operating so much by the book at the pier. It was like they wanted a full days work having had to report on an off Thursday.

 

Believe it or not with 3000 passengers waiting behind me to get off the ship the customs agent shut down his line to walk me to the cashier and collect $11.70 duty on cigarettes. I just had to laugh and shake my head. I always declare what I have and in 25+ cruises was never asked to pay the little duty. General rule they are not supposed to waste time to collect anything less then $20.

 

How many total passengers were on the TA?

[RSVE821]

Off the ship at 1:10 (sked for 11:15), cleared customs at 1:40 and hurried to catch a cab across the street from the terminal for a 3:00 flight from Newark. The line of people waiting for a cab stretched for ever it seemed. No way were we going to make the flight. But before joining the line a guy in a dress shirt and tie came up and asked where we were going. He said he would take up for the same price of a cab. I was not real comfortable about it but desperate times call for desperate measures! He walked us down the block to a beautiful stretch limo for just the two of us. We left at 1:50 and after a pedal to the metal ride we arrived at the airport at 2:25. After a generous tip, we raced to check our bags, get through security (got to use the short employee line) and on the plane by 2:45! Whew!

[time2cruise1]

how many total passengers were on the ta?

 

3459 (350 kids) ;)

[hj1860]

We opted for easy walk off and what a laugh that was. We queued all round Taste for 3 hours and weren't offered any food or drink and as it was our first cruise we didn't want to leave the line with all our cases to go hunting for food when there was no guarantee of getting any. The waiters were walking past with trays of sandwiches which we guessed were for the TA's coming on. The whole process was awful. We have since done a HAL cruise out of Seattle and we were off before our time it was so slick. I know they are used to it in Seattle but NY knew how many were on the ship and there should have been more staff in customs.

[Mc_Cruiser]

3459 (350 kids) ;)

 

And 3109 BIG kids :D

[time2cruise1]

And 3109 BIG kids :D

 

Plus a handful of cry babies. :D:D

[delondin]

Funniest thing I saw as we waited to disembark (we eventually got off at 4pm) was a lady in the buffet with an empty plate DEMANDING to see the Captain as there was no food. They made the announcement that there was food a bit prematurely and she said if the Captain wouldn't come, she wanted his second in command and if not she would make the sandwiches herself and she meant it! The food arrived soon after.