Breakaway- best time to arrive at port?

[WeRCruisien]

Heading to Bermuda in a few weeks on the Breakaway and looking for the best time to arrive to get on the ship early with minimal lines.

[cruiseelady]

Heading to Bermuda in a few weeks on the Breakaway and looking for the best time to arrive to get on the ship early with minimal lines.

 

I cant help with minimal lines, because I prefer no lines what so ever. So I get to the port at 1:45, no lines at all.

[BirdTravels]

10:00 am.

 

Priority boarding starts around 11:00, general boarding by 11:30. We arrived around 10:30 last week, and there were already lines.

 

Freestyle Dailies and Menus for the cruise can be found at http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2504449

[bbryan5]

10-10:30 am

[Maraprince]

Heading to Bermuda in a few weeks on the Breakaway and looking for the best time to arrive to get on the ship early with minimal lines.

 

I would suggest arriving between 10 and 10:30 AM to avoid any problems -- late arrival of previous sailing. At least you will be one of the first checking in and be able to find a seat until boarding begins if there is any delay. If there is a problem, processing will be shut down in the terminal and you may find yourself standing almost outside of it! If there is a wedding party, they will be given priority on the ship.

 

MARAPRINCE

[MICHLEV1974]

My boyfriend works on the ship and I have been to the port many times...it is the busiest and craziest between 10 and 11. I would highly recommend arriving between 1130/12 if you want to avoid lines and chaos. I just got off the Breakaway and we were waiting for our shuttle to arrive @ 1130...and voila---no lines at all in the terminal.

[jaee901]

Maybe I am confused, but when I did my check-in I had to pick an arrival time. Did anyone else have to do this?

[DKane]

Maybe I am confused, but when I did my check-in I had to pick an arrival time. Did anyone else have to do this?

 

Yes, we had to do it and we chose 9:30.

[smilz]

Yes, we had to do it and we chose 9:30.

So how do they enforce that? We chose 10:30. What happens if we arrive a little earlier?:confused:

[Fred Quimby]

We love waiting for the breakaway in NYC, we usually get there before 10 and get a good seat upfront to people watch,,,lol

[lumpkin8]

Hi, I work for the cruise port pier in NYC, and can assure you that the time that you choose or are assigned for check in is meaningless for actual check in. It is a suggested time in order to stagger arrivals. We do not check what time you are "assigned". You can arrive when you want, and in NYC terminal the security (TSA) opens at approx. 9:30AM (they control when they open, not NCL). After security, then you wait on line again to check in with an check-in agent, which might have a line or not..... Boarding often starts around 11:30/NOON, again depending on the completion of disembarkation of the prior cruise.

[DKane]

Hi, I work for the cruise port pier in NYC, and can assure you that the time that you choose or are assigned for check in is meaningless for actual check in. It is a suggested time in order to stagger arrivals. We do not check what time you are "assigned". You can arrive when you want, and in NYC terminal the security (TSA) opens at approx. 9:30AM (they control when they open, not NCL). After security, then you wait on line again to check in with an check-in agent, which might have a line or not..... Boarding often starts around 11:30/NOON, again depending on the completion of disembarkation of the prior cruise.

 

I think folks understand this but when you get there early, your chances of getting a seat are better.

[Kayjaybecruising]

Hmm...this is making me consider bumping our arrival time back. I selected 10:30-11, but it sounds like it might be better to do sometime after 12. We will not have any sort of priority boarding, so maybe it would be better to arrive later until most of those folks are done. We are driving to the port, so really can arrive whenever we want.

[Maraprince]

Maybe I am confused, but when I did my check-in I had to pick an arrival time. Did anyone else have to do this?

 

Platinum does not.

 

If there is a delay with the returning sailing it is still better to early and wait comfortably seated at the port than to arrive later and find that you are standing on long lines.

 

MARAPRINCE

[janetz]

heading to bermuda in a few weeks on the breakaway and looking for the best time to arrive to get on the ship early with minimal lines.

 

 

10:30 ;)

[Langham1865]

I always get there as early as allowed. Not only because of what others have mentioned about being able to sit while waiting to board. You also get an earlier boarding group, allowing you to board earlier. I paid to be on the cruise ship... not arrive later to possibly avoid lines

[Odanhammer]

If you want the fastest way onto the boat , arrive at 1-2pm. No lines and literally on the boat within 10 minutes.

[uneamie]

If you want the fastest way onto the boat , arrive at 1-2pm. No lines and literally on the boat within 10 minutes.

Actually, that sounds logical and a good idea...........if you are in the NYC vicinity. If not, and you are traveling, I would not suggest making that your time frame. Anything can happen on the way, traffic, accident...whatever to hold you up and 1:00 to 2 PM is cutting it close. We always arrive on the early side, around 10:00,10:30 AM, as we are driving to NYC from South Jersey.

[cantthinkofanythingfun]

I'd say 9:30 if you want a VIBE pass.

[jaee901]

I'd say 9:30 if you want a VIBE pass.

 

 

What is a vibe pass and who can get them???

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[cantthinkofanythingfun]

What is a vibe pass and who can get them???

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

It's an adults only section on deck 17. They sell passes to the first 70 people that come to guest services to buy them for $99 each. It's nice. There are two hot tubs and a bunch of padded loungers. There is also a bar and they come around and give you fruit skewers. It's a nice quiet spot where you should have no problem getting a chair.

[Maraprince]

I always get there as early as allowed. Not only because of what others have mentioned about being able to sit while waiting to board. You also get an earlier boarding group, allowing you to board earlier. I paid to be on the cruise ship... not arrive later to possibly avoid lines

 

 

If you are sailing on a Sunday, count on at least one or more street closures due to parades, festivals, events, etc. between you and the port. It only makes it harder to get to the port if you are in transit after 10:30 AM. You want to time your arrival at the port between 10 and 10:30 AM and not be stuck in traffic or having to detour to get there. It is far better to arrive early and sit comfortably while waiting to board the ship rather than stressing out about getting to the port.

 

MARAPRINCE

[uneamie]

It's an adults only section on deck 17. They sell passes to the first 70 people that come to guest services to buy them for $99 each. It's nice. There are two hot tubs and a bunch of padded loungers. There is also a bar and they come around and give you fruit skewers. It's a nice quiet spot where you should have no problem getting a chair.

Wonder how much that pass is for a 14-day cruise. Not so sure I want to spend double that for our entire cruise. Wonder if you can buy just one week...hmmm!

[ChelePA]

Just got off Breakaway. We scheduled a 1:30 arrival. However, we got there at 12:15. Checked bags and signed in within 20 minutes.