1st time cruiser - breakaway 9/3/17 super stressed about everything

[77marie]

I am trying to read all the threads but I am so stressed I am trying to have fun but I am crying because I am so nervous. We are driving from Michigan through canada and staying in pennsylvania. According to the google maps it is 2 hr and 15 mins from the terminal so I figured on 3 hours. I planned on parking at "park right" but now I am reading horrible reviews. I am afraid to park at the terminal because they might be full. I don't know if I can get my kids together early enough to wait in line. I think we can be there by 10 for sure or 11 with traffic. I don't know ny/nj traffic. I tried to call the cruise terminal parking lot number to see if they think I will be okay and it is just automated. I have read that people say that they just park at the pier and I don't know what that means. I googled to see if there was a parking lot called the pier parking lot. I haven't even checked us in because I don't really know what to do. I know I will just follow the prompts and print out boarding passes. If I have to pick a boarding time I will freak out and not be able to finish because I can't figure out how to park. I still have to go shopping today and we are leaving to go to get to our hotel tomorrow. I just want to know the safest place to park.

 

I am not a world traveler. This is my stress just about getting on the cruise. I have to get over this before I can move on to the fear of how to figure out Bermuda.

 

I don't want to cry about a once in a lifetime vacation for our family. This is our I turned 40 this year, my husband turned 40 two years ago, our son will be 16 next year, we will be married 20 years in 3 years celebration. We really aren't doing this again.

 

TIA for any help

[138east]

Please don't stress so much. It will be OK.

 

You're sailing Sunday in the middle of Labor Day weekend, which is really good news. Sunday mornings are the lowest traffic point of the week.

 

1). Where exactly are you staying in Pennsylvania? 2+ hours away sounds fine.

 

2). There is ample parking at the pier. Pier parking is for cruisers only, not the general public. No one has ever reported being turned away. Do you have the directions for coming across the George Washington Bridge to the Manhattan Cruise Terminal? If not, I can post these directions along with a thread with pictures.

 

3). Others can comment on the NCL online check in. I think you will find that you are so close to the sail date that you now can only check in at the pier. This should not be a problem at all as long as you bring the proper documentation for everyone in your group. This means valid passports or the appropriate birth certificates. I also am under the impression that NCL does not enforce scheduled boarding times.

[mjkacmom]

Sign for parking are clearly marked. The parking lot is right next to the ship, you will drive up a ramp, pay, have your vehicle sniffed by dogs, go park, get your luggage and walk to a big elevator, go down a level, hand your bags to a porter (tip a buck it two per bag), get in line for security (there will be employees directing you), go through security, get on another line, get all checked in, be given a boarding number, sit and wait to be called. Once on the ship, we go to Taste/Savor, the MDR's open, for lunch (really prefer this over the crowded buffet). Eat, and then an announcement will be made that cabins are ready. Go to your cabin, drop off carry-ons, explore a tiny bit before the muster drill. Go to muster, then head up to sail away!

[77marie]

Thank you for the responses! We are staying in Scranton and the directions do say to take the George Washington Bridge.

[perditax]

If you're a highly anxious person, you might feel stressed out for the first whole day, even after you're on board. They're going to try to push you to go the buffet once you're on board, and there are going to be TONS of people there. For most people, this is their first experience of cruise ship crowds, followed by the (also crowded) muster drill. The ship layout will also be confusing at first.

 

But ...

 

Relax. I promise that things will start to smooth out, the crowds will spread out, and you'll be in a rhythm before you know it.

 

Don't try to do everything.

[138east]

Crossing the George Washington Bridge eastbound to the Manhattan Cruiseport

 

If you end up on the upper bridge, you want to be in the far right lane and take the very first exit at the end of the bridge to get onto the Henry Hudson Parkway south. If you end up on the lower bridge, you want to be in the far left lane to take the very first exit onto the Henry Hudson Parkway south. The Henry Hudson becomes the West Side Highway at 72nd St and ends at the Manhattan Cruiseport.

 

Here are the details about getting into the Cruiseport. Unfortunately the pictures are not longer visible. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2057865

[marco]

Although it's a bit pricey, parking at the cruise pier in Manhattan is the most convenient cruise pier parking we've ever experienced. Park, take the elevator down, you're in the terminal. I can't say that it's never happened, but we've never (nor have any of our friends) experienced the parking lot "filled" and folks turned away. If you arrive shortly after the prior cruise has disembarked, all those parkers will have left and the lot should be quite available. As others have said, on the Sunday of Labor Day weekend, you should have no traffic issues. Don't stress.....you'll be just fine.....enjoy your cruise!

[mking8288]

Relax - it's a relatively easy & straight drive from Scranton, PA to NYC to park at the pier, as others noted above - highly recommend (strongly) doing rooftop parking, storm-proof with no chance of urban/flash flooding. $40 a day or $280 for the week, taxes & all chareges included, no extra for suv, vans and Hummers, etc. as long as it's under 84" in height (no Monster trucks)

 

Depending on your hotel in PA area, once you get back on I-81 to I-380 into NJ (I-80 East) - drive time is about 2.5 hours (2 is pushing it hard, not recommended) on a holiday Sunday, traffic should be fairly light - plan your restroom/fuel stop ahead (the truck stop about 30 miles inside NJ on I-80 East is a good one ... one of the last easy off/on as you are about 45 minutes to NYC via the GW Bridge)

 

There is plenty of roof-top parking so just show up whenver. As for completing online check-in, please do that before tomorrow morning if you could - NCL will block access & freeze access 24 hours before sailing - and, print out your eDocs as it will be easier to get thru port security. Otherwise have your NCL booking confirmation # available (it's listed on emails send to you from NCL) and the pier agents need that to check you in.

 

General boarding starts around 11:30 AM - buffet is open for lunch by then but I recommend going to the MDR for a nicer sit-down lunch, it's open at 12 noon - you board via 1 of 2 gangways onto Deck 7, Taste & Savor are the MDR on Deck 6, use the stairs & walk down one - elevators are crowded & often jammed pack.

 

Atlantic crossing later next week could be bumpy due to the uncertain storm track of Irma, pack & pickup some motion Rx (OTC) if you are prone, it might get a little rocky but it should be fine. Just be prepared to set sail earlier than planned to outrun the storm - NCL ship captains are very good at sailing safely in these storms.

[Got2Cruise]

There are plenty of other parking options in the immediate area. The parking attendant will direct you if necessary but I doubt very much it will be a problem. Remember your passports and credit card and everything will be fine.

 

 

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