Has Breakaway Manhattan Debarkation Improved?

[SoCA6ft5]

I read the thread where it was mentioned that the Breakaway has recently instituted multiple self-assist walk off times. I was wondering if any recent cruisers would like to comment on the debarkation process after this change. Are the lines still horrendous? How long did it take you from joining the line to clearing customs?

-Thanks!

[BirdTravels]

• Yes, they instituted staggered walk off.
  
• Yes, the crew tried to enforce colors (at least not allow the later walk off colors to disembark early).
  
• No, the people with the early walk off times did not all exit on time, they were just getting into line an hour later causing congestion
  
• Yes, there was a [long] line waiting to go down the escalator into the baggage hall which was being metered so that there were not too many people in the baggage hall and customs line
  
• Yes, when we sailed a few weeks ago, 4800 people still all had to go through customs, so even with staggered disembarkation, there is still the bottle neck of customs
  
• Yes, immigration and customs were checking passports more carefully than in the past, slowing down the process.
  
• Yes, Havens guests were escorted to ship security, then bypassed the line waiting to go down the escalator into the baggage hall, and were escorted around most of the immigration and customs lines
  
• Yes, people with post-cruise excursions by passed all lines and were given a dedicated immigration and customs podium so that the excursions would stay together.
  

We always schedule a early afternoon flight so that we can sit back and watch the crowds until they die down.

 

 

Going back, the bottom line is that 4800 people have to clear customs. Multiple that by the time it takes to process each person at the immigration podiums, divide by about 20 podiums and you get the time it will take to process all passengers on the ship. Not to mention crew.

[NewbieCruiseee]

I got off the Breakaway on June 11th. We were in the 1st self assist group,pink tags. IMO, it went as smooth as butter. Started a little after 8. Across the street from the pier waiting for pickup by 8:25. Back at Hilton Garden Inn and in my SUV by 8:55 heading home.

[ChelePA]

Not sure if we got lucky. We did 8am self assist. Ate breakfast at 7 am. In elevator at 7:45. To car within 15-20 minutes. This was today. Also, two cruise ships disembarking at the same time. I thought we would be in line forever. Same thing when boarding. Got there at 12:15. On ship within 20 minutes. It was stress free for us :)

[SoCA6ft5]

• Yes, they instituted staggered walk off.
  
• Yes, the crew tried to enforce colors (at least not allow the later walk off colors to disembark early).
  
• No, the people with the early walk off times did not all exit on time, they were just getting into line an hour later causing congestion
  
• Yes, there was a [long] line waiting to go down the escalator into the baggage hall which was being metered so that there were not too many people in the baggage hall and customs line
  
• Yes, when we sailed a few weeks ago, 4800 people still all had to go through customs, so even with staggered disembarkation, there is still the bottle neck of customs
  
• Yes, immigration and customs were checking passports more carefully than in the past, slowing down the process.
  
• Yes, Havens guests were escorted to ship security, then bypassed the line waiting to go down the escalator into the baggage hall, and were escorted around most of the immigration and customs lines
  
• Yes, people with post-cruise excursions by passed all lines and were given a dedicated immigration and customs podium so that the excursions would stay together.
  

We always schedule a early afternoon flight so that we can sit back and watch the crowds until they die down.

 

 

Going back, the bottom line is that 4800 people have to clear customs. Multiple that by the time it takes to process each person at the immigration podiums, divide by about 20 podiums and you get the time it will take to process all passengers on the ship. Not to mention crew.

Thanks! BTW: I really enjoyed/appreciated your latest review of the BA.

[luvtheships]

It's fairly simple regarding the ba

 

1. Pack light and do self assist

 

2. Skip breakfast and debark as early as possible. 7am? Or perhaps earlier or slightly later. This is impossible to predict but the point is be ready to go ASAP and quickly and early

 

3. Take all the time you need. Sleep lounge get to breakfast at your leisure but within the specified times. Tell your steward to do your cabin last. I.E. be the last off the ship and don't worry. Remember you have your luggage with you already because you packed light and do self assist

 

4. Don't have a flight before 3pm

 

 

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[DKane]

I got off the Breakaway on June 11th. We were in the 1st self assist group,pink tags. IMO, it went as smooth as butter. Started a little after 8. Across the street from the pier waiting for pickup by 8:25. Back at Hilton Garden Inn and in my SUV by 8:55 heading home.

 

Question for you, when you do self-assist, do you have to use the escalators while maneuvering your luggage? Or can you take an elevator down?

[Jaime0528]

It's fairly simple regarding the ba

 

1. Pack light and do self assist

 

2. Skip breakfast and debark as early as possible. 7am? Or perhaps earlier or slightly later. This is impossible to predict but the point is be ready to go ASAP and quickly and early

 

3. Take all the time you need. Sleep lounge get to breakfast at your leisure but within the specified times. Tell your steward to do your cabin last. I.E. be the last off the ship and don't worry. Remember you have your luggage with you already because you packed light and do self assist

 

4. Don't have a flight before 3pm

 

 

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So what is the latest you can get breakfast? Buffet/main dining room or o sheehans? Going to use this strategy in November but don't want to miss it either!! Thanks!

[PorkChopKid]

Question for you, when you do self-assist, do you have to use the escalators while maneuvering your luggage? Or can you take an elevator down?

You do not have to use the escalators. In fact, using the escalators requires that you have a free hand so it's elevators for those who are dragging TWO cases. Anyway, you can wait for the elevators and go down that way.

[Sauer-kraut]

So what is the latest you can get breakfast? Buffet/main dining room or o sheehans? Going to use this strategy in November but don't want to miss it either!! Thanks!

Simplified breakfast, very short hours ...probably the latest is 9 am (not sure). One cruise we ate, had our stuff in the buffet eating area and sat and relaxed until they called final call for passengers debarking. Breezed through immigration and got a taxi to the airport.

[Jaime0528]

Simplified breakfast, very short hours ...probably the latest is 9 am (not sure). One cruise we ate, had our stuff in the buffet eating area and sat and relaxed until they called final call for passengers debarking. Breezed through immigration and got a taxi to the airport.

 

That sounds perfect! We're having a private bus pick our group up and would much rather wait on the ship having breakfast than in a line, waiting to go through customs:D I'll just keep a lookout for anyone who posts the daily sheets to see the info for the last day, but I haven't had much luck, they usually end with the day 7 sea day daily:(

[Maraprince]

You do not have to use the escalators. In fact, using the escalators requires that you have a free hand so it's elevators for those who are dragging TWO cases. Anyway, you can wait for the elevators and go down that way.

 

Don't even consider using the escalator unless you have a very small piece of luggage to carry off since it moves very quickly going down and you must have a free hand to hold on. If there is any build up at the bottom, an agent will step in and stop the next person on line until there is sufficient space between passengers. Better to take the elevator and be safe than risk having an accident in the terminal.

 

MARAPRINCE

[SoCA6ft5]

That sounds perfect! We're having a private bus pick our group up and would much rather wait on the ship having breakfast than in a line, waiting to go through customs:D I'll just keep a lookout for anyone who posts the daily sheets to see the info for the last day, but I haven't had much luck, they usually end with the day 7 sea day daily:(

 

If it helps, the Haven's debarkation breakfast is from 6:30-9:00. I would think other locations would have a similar schedule. We usually grab later tags and a late breakfast and wait for the crowds to die down before disembarking. Most ships we've sailed cut breakfast at 9:00. We do recommend not waiting until 9:00 to show up for breakfast though. They will shut the doors promptly and you want to give yourselves time to enjoy a leisurely breakfast.

[mking8288]

Kudo to NCL to try to refine the system of "clearing" the mega ship faster ... with 4,500+ pax and a fraction (in the hundreds, for sure) of them eager to do the Express Walk-Off.

 

Someone wanted to refresh my memories of how many working elevator(s) are there inside Pier 88 for passenger use ?? I know that when we did the Priority Disembark this May, we only saw one (1) working elevator and a long line of folks waiting for their turn ... behind or near the two sets of "down" escalators (yes, rather fast moving).

 

Thankfully, our luggage were already downstairs waiting for us to get reunited - in backpack mode with my convertible carry-on, both hands free to hold on to the rails, etc. Majority of the folks doing the walk-off went downstairs using the escalators ... ones at the Fwd gangway had to join the line from the AFT gangway to snake their way into the building.

[luvtheships]

So what is the latest you can get breakfast? Buffet/main dining room or o sheehans? Going to use this strategy in November but don't want to miss it either!! Thanks!

 

 

 

Well it's not going to be 10am and iirc it was 9 or 9:30. Of course you need to check the dailies the night before. My plan probably gets you to immigration by 10:30. Of course it's a huge ship with tons of families so if it's still a logjam just relax on the ship until it subsides or until they force you off. Again we only do carry on so I don't concern myself with the color coded luggage nonsense. Or worrying it will get lost

 

When we disembarked we went with very early off and FYI we know to have our ride pick us up at the drop off area ...same place where we got dropped off the week before. No need to cross the street or wait on a corner. Just get pickup in the same place you got drop off.

 

That's assuming you didn't park at the pier of course. Lol

 

 

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[Jaime0528]

If it helps, the Haven's debarkation breakfast is from 6:30-9:00. I would think other locations would have a similar schedule. We usually grab later tags and a late breakfast and wait for the crowds to die down before disembarking. Most ships we've sailed cut breakfast at 9:00. We do recommend not waiting until 9:00 to show up for breakfast though. They will shut the doors promptly and you want to give yourselves time to enjoy a leisurely breakfast.

 

Thank you! So if we show up around 8 we could have breakfast and hang out till they kick us off?! Sounds good! It also sounds like being aft is a better spot to disembark so we'll already be back there when we decide to leave.

[Jaime0528]

Well it's not going to be 10am and iirc it was 9 or 9:30. Of course you need to check the dailies the night before. My plan probably gets you to immigration by 10:30. Of course it's a huge ship with tons of families so if it's still a logjam just relax on the ship until it subsides or until they force you off. Again we only do carry on so I don't concern myself with the color coded luggage nonsense. Or worrying it will get lost

 

When we disembarked we went with very early off and FYI we know to have our ride pick us up at the drop off area ...same place where we got dropped off the week before. No need to cross the street or wait on a corner. Just get pickup in the same place you got drop off.

 

That's assuming you didn't park at the pier of course. Lol

 

 

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Good tip, I'll make sure our transportation knows where to pick us up, it's a local limo company for us so I'm not sure how often they do this but we got a great price for the 17 of us that was less than $200 more than parking at the pier and eliminates the hassle of driving down. Getting excited for our family cruise!!!!

[DKane]

You do not have to use the escalators. In fact, using the escalators requires that you have a free hand so it's elevators for those who are dragging TWO cases. Anyway, you can wait for the elevators and go down that way.

 

Thanks!

[DKane]

Don't even consider using the escalator unless you have a very small piece of luggage to carry off since it moves very quickly going down and you must have a free hand to hold on. If there is any build up at the bottom, an agent will step in and stop the next person on line until there is sufficient space between passengers. Better to take the elevator and be safe than risk having an accident in the terminal.

 

MARAPRINCE

 

Which deck do we disembark from?

[ChelePA]

Deck 7. We used the escalator with very large suitcases. We each had one.

[DKane]

Deck 7. We used the escalator with very large suitcases. We each had one.

Thanks. Can I ask why you didn't use the elevators?

[mjkacmom]

Thanks. Can I ask why you didn't use the elevators?

Not the PP, but I assume to save time.

[ChelePA]

It was quicker plus easily rolled onto escalator.