Disembarking Repo Cruise of Brilliance in Tampa

[flowers44]

I am thinking of booking the Repo Cruise from Boston to Tampa on the Brilliance of the Sea. This would be our first Repo Cruise. The Brilliance is supposed to dock at 6 AM. We travel by train. The spot to pick up the bus that will take us to Amtrak is less than 1 mile from the Port. The Bus leaves the station at 10:40 AM. If we do self disembarkation, would we be able to get to the bus station in time to catch the bus? Does disembarkation usually start by 8 AM? I am assuming there are taxies outside the terminal waiting to take people to their destinations. I hate to stay another day in Florida since the train trip is two days to get back to Rochester, NY. I am pretty sure we will be OK but just wondering if anyone can give me assurance that we will make it on time. I know you can't always count on everything going the way it is supposed to but just wondering.

[nolesrule]

I'm confused. Where are you boarding the train? There's an Amtrak station in Tampa that's less than a mile from the port.

[flowers44]

On the Amtrak site, it says we have to take a bus to Orlando. It leaves the Amtrak station in Tampa at 10:40 AM and arrives at the Orlando Amtrak Station at 1 PM. From there, we would board the Silver Metro and go up the east coast to NY City, an overnight train ride. Then we board a train that takes us to Rochester. I know the Amtrak station is on N. Nebraska Ave. in Tampa but don't know why we have to go to Orlando unless there are no passenger trains that go to NY City from Tampa.

[billsgal]

We have done this cruise for many years. You should have no problem

However, that is if everything goes well. Last year we booked a 10:30 flight from TPA to Boston, and made the airport in plenty of time and we did not do self debarkation. We asked for and received the luggage tag #2, and we waited for a taxi (the line for that took about 15 minutes), the airport was about 15 minutes from the pier, and we still had plenty of time.

 

People talked about the fog in Tampa keeping the ship from arriving on time, but we did not experience any problems and as I said we have done this cruise many times (the repo used to be Jewel from Boston to FLL but then the BR did it from BOS to TPA) and have never had a problem. Of course, you should remember Murphy's Law:D

 

Come on over to the rollcall for this cruise and introduce yourselves!

Edited January 7, 2015 by billsgal

[TravelerThom]

I'm confused. Where are you boarding the train? There's an Amtrak station in Tampa that's less than a mile from the port.

The Silver Star TRAIN leaves Tampa at 5:17pm arriving NYC at 7:32pm the next day. Amtrak also provides an Amtrak BUS that leaves the Tampa Amtrak station at 10:40am to meet the Silver Meteor in Orlando which then arrives NYC at 11:29am the next day. OP (and I) think that the morning connection is a better schedule fit.

[flowers44]

We have sailed out of NJ many times but we drove to the pier. I know we have been able to get off the ship and get back to our car on Long Island and still be on the road for home by 9:30 AM. They like the exiting passengers to get off so they can do their work. Thanks for answering my question from someone who has been there. I've been stalking your roll call site and seems that there are lots of people who have done this cruise many times. It will be our first Repo. We did our first B2B last year. Love being on the ship for two weeks.

[ksuds]

Amtrak runs through Tampa (Ybor City). Not aware of them stopping though. We usually see it roaring through full speed ahead.

[TravelerThom]

Amtrak runs through Tampa (Ybor City). Not aware of them stopping though. We usually see it roaring through full speed ahead.

If it is roaring South through Ybor City at full speed, it either has to stop in Tampa or end up in Tampa Bay:eek::D.

 

[it stops at the Amtrak Station at 601 N. Nebraska Avenue]

[nolesrule]

The train that goes through Tampa I don't think goes north up the coast. So it would require a transfer in Orlando. The timing may not work on that, so the bus would be necessary.

 

What bus line would you be taking?

 

You should be able to get to any bus by the time you specify assuming you arrive on time, but the Bay is prone to fog and delayed arrival as others have mentioned.

[flowers44]

The train that goes through Tampa I don't think goes north up the coast. So it would require a transfer in Orlando. The timing may not work on that, so the bus would be necessary.

 

What bus line would you be taking?

 

You should be able to get to any bus by the time you specify assuming you arrive on time, but the Bay is prone to fog and delayed arrival as others have mentioned.

 

I sort of thought that maybe there was not a northbound train from Tampa and that was why we had to transfer to Orlando.

 

Amtrak provides the bus transportation from Tampa to Orlando as part of the ticket. We are experienced Amtrak travelers. We have been across the US five times and back. I know there is the world's time and then there is Amtrak Time. I really think we will be fine catching the train on November 7th, when we return to Tampa. Thanks for all of your answers and input.

[RosieRoo]

You should be able to get to any bus by the time you specify assuming you arrive on time, but the Bay is prone to fog and delayed arrival as others have mentioned.

 

I am sure 99 out of 100 times there won't be a problem. However, that said, we sailed into Tampa last January on the NCL Dawn. The fog was so thick we were forced to park outside the channel until the fog lifted. We didn't arrive in port til noon. Needless to say a lot of people missed their flights. We were lucky our flight was 3pm.

[orville99]

We've lived in the Orlando area for almost 20 years, and I've never seen any Amtrak train run on time. Unless there's really heavy fog that rolls in unexpectedly, you should be fine. We just got off Brilliance, and on the last sea day the captain came on for his noon announcements and said he had been informed by Tampa that they anticipated fog late that night, so we were speeding up to beat it to the bridge. Instead of getting in around 6AM, we were docked before 4AM.

[TravelerThom]

Amtrak service from Florida to NY is provided by

 

1) Silver Meteor originating in Miami at 8:40am and going through Orlando; Amtrak has dedicated Thruway bus service from Tampa at 10:40am that connects with the train in Orlando to proceed to NY.

 

2) Silver Star originating in Miami at 11:50am AND originating in Tampa at 5:17pm; these trains merge in Orlando and proceed to NY.

 

Thom

 

There is NO rail passenger service THROUGH Tampa. Both Tampa and Miami are passenger rail termini, with no passenger rail service south beyond those points (Amtrak does have very limited bus service beyond Tampa).

Edited January 7, 2015 by TravelerThom

[mimsymarie]

I would appreciate some info from someone who has taken Amtrak from the north(DC)into Tampa. We are changing from the train unto the bus in Orlando. Is it confusing to do? Are there hotels that will pick you up at the train station. How far is it from the port? TIA

[flowers44]

I would appreciate some info from someone who has taken Amtrak from the north(DC)into Tampa. We are changing from the train unto the bus in Orlando. Is it confusing to do? Are there hotels that will pick you up at the train station. How far is it from the port? TIA

 

The train station in Tampa is about 3/4 of mile from the port. I have found that out in my research for our trip north.

As far as changing from train to bus to finish your journey, it is really easy to do. The buses are usually parked right outside the train station. Your transfer in Orlando should be easy.

I am not sure about hotels that will pick you up at the train station in Tampa. There are always cabs around the area when the passengers arrive. If not, go into the station and seek help from an employee.

[nolesrule]

I am sure 99 out of 100 times there won't be a problem. However, that said, we sailed into Tampa last January on the NCL Dawn. The fog was so thick we were forced to park outside the channel until the fog lifted. We didn't arrive in port til noon. Needless to say a lot of people missed their flights. We were lucky our flight was 3pm.

 

I wouldn't put the odds of success at 99 out of 100. Way too high. I lived there for 38 years. there were many more than 4 days a year when the fog was bad enough to halt ships in the channel.

Edited January 8, 2015 by nolesrule

[sliderturk99]

If it is roaring South through Ybor City at full speed, it either has to stop in Tampa or end up in Tampa Bay:eek::D.

 

[it stops at the Amtrak Station at 601 N. Nebraska Avenue]

 

Funniest thing I've heard this week....bravo sir