What is the earliest we could be off the ship in Bayonne?

[Wanderlust30]

How early can with be off the ship if we carry our bags off at Cape Liberty?

 

My husband and I are doing a much needed mommy and daddy only cruise on the Explorer to Bermuda. We live about 3 hours for port in PA, so we will driving.

 

I was told my daughters preschool graduation would be the week before but it got changed to the day we return at 11:00. We would have to be on the road by 8:00am to have any chance of making it on time.

 

The grandmothers will be there for her at the graduation, I am sure she wouldn't mind too much if we missed, but I am crushed that we are probably good to miss it.

[Esmerelda]

We were on the Explorer last October. We are a platinum couple, with an emerald and a diamond couple. (the tags reflected your level) The earliest we could disembark was 0900. We were not very happy at all. I am referring too putting your luggage out the night before and disembarking the next morning. We had too much luggage to self disembark. The times on this ship seemed much later than others, we really didn't understand what the deal was. We had a shuttle form our hotel scheduled to pick us up at 0830 so we missed that. :mad:

 

If you are self disembarking, you might do better but it all ran very late for us and we didn't get to the hotel to our parked vehicles until around 10:30AM making our arrival back home much later of course.

 

We will know better next time. I wish you the best of luck and have a great cruise. The Explorer was a great cruise!

[DJChick]

We were on the Explorer several weeks ago. We did the Express Off option and were some of the first people off the ship. But it was every bit of 8:15 to 8:30 am when we got off the ship. Hope this helps.

[BND]

The ship doesn't usually even get into Bayonne til after 7:30, unlike a lot of others so the earliest we've been off (D and in a GS) was around 9:15 (tag #1). This last trip we were D and in a JS and we didn't get off til almost 10 (tag # 6). There's no way you will get off in time to be on the road by 8 am. The ship didn't even clear customs til at least 8:30. Funny thing is, even with a later debarkation, the ship is usually ready for the next group to board by 11:45.

[DonnaK]

Can you self-disembark? You would need to walk off the ship handling your own luggage (we had to carry ours down some stairs, and then onto the shuttle bus).

 

If so, then you can leave the ship about 7:30am and breeze right through customs/immigration. The parking lot is very close to the port, so it is possible to be on the road before 8am using the self-disembark option. (We were on the road by 8am on both of our Explorer cruises in Jan 2012 and May 2012)

 

Of course, this is dependent on their being no unusual issues with the ship returning to port on time, or the ship being cleared for disembarkation by the authorities.

[BND]

Can you self-disembark? You would need to walk off the ship handling your own luggage (we had to carry ours down some stairs, and then onto the shuttle bus).

 

If so, then you can leave the ship about 7:30am and breeze right through customs/immigration. The parking lot is very close to the port, so it is possible to be on the road before 8am using the self-disembark option. (We were on the road by 8am on both of our Explorer cruises in Jan 2012 and May 2012)

 

Of course, this is dependent on their being no unusual issues with the ship returning to port on time, or the ship being cleared for disembarkation by the authorities.

 

Last month they didn't even let the self-debark people off til about 8:30. That's how it's been on all of our EX cruises. The ship didn't even get tied up til after 7:30 in March. And, no, we weren't running late. We were due in at 8. If you search the itineraries for EX, the ship is due in at 8 which means no way can they walk off earlier than that.

[edjny]

Last month they didn't even let the self-debark people off til about 8:30. That's how it's been on all of our EX cruises. The ship didn't even get tied up til almost 7:30 in March. And, no, we weren't running late. We were due in at 8.

 

And assuming that they are one of the first off carrying their own bags, then they have to get through Customs, get to their car and deal with the morning rush hour traffic...... If it were me, I would let them know in advance that it was not likely that they will get to the "graduation".

[DonnaK]

Last month they didn't even let the self-debark people off til about 8:30. That's how it's been on all of our EX cruises. The ship didn't even get tied up til after 7:30 in March. And, no, we weren't running late. We were due in at 8. If you search the itineraries for EX, the ship is due in at 8 which means no way can they walk off earlier than that.

 

Wow, something must have changed since the last time we were on Explorer (in 2012) because we were definitely on the road by 8am both times, and home by 9am.

[Clarea]

We were tag number 1 a week ago and were off the ship, through customs, and waiting for our ride at 8:45am. This was after a 5 day Bermuda cruise.

[Esmerelda]

Yes, I found my paperwork from last October, the self disembarking people were off starting at 0830. We were all shocked to see this since we all had an 9-11 hour drive. As I said, we were supposed to be picked up at 0830 by our hotel's shuttle which we missed of course.

 

We were not coming back into the port until well after 7am because I was up and taking photos of the Verrazano bridge and the times are on my photos. We will be better prepared the next time because we definitely enjoyed the ship.

[KMagz]

For what it's worth I watched the Explorer return to port yesterday AM on the NY Harbor cam and I don't think it was even tied up yet by 7:30 am.

[cabarr]

We live on LI and park our car at the port.

If you opt for early walk off (with your luggage)

you are first off the ship...

You keep your luggage w/ you and Customs is very easy!

But you must be ready EARLY...

anytime the ship has cleared customs you must be ready to get off...

7:30-8:15???

[nitlioner]

Our in-laws live in Easton, PA. In January we were off and at their house by 10:30. We did not self disembark, but did leave as part of Diamond group.

[lakelorain]

According to the Captain, the union contract says they arrive in port at 8:00am. If there is a special need, RC will pay extra to arrive early. Special need is medical emergency, equipment service etc.

 

We've been on EXoS several times and we arrived at 8:00am except once when we were late.