Norwegian Gem Sailings

[mustymom]

On 12/14/2021 at 11:37 AM, seaman11 said:

Fresh off the Gem if anyone has any questions.  

Can you please explain the procedure for pre-testing at the pier? Where do they do the testing? Where and when do they take your luggage? I have mobility problems so I like to know what to expect.

Thank you

[CruisingNCLHokie]

48 minutes ago, mustymom said:

Can you please explain the procedure for pre-testing at the pier? Where do they do the testing? Where and when do they take your luggage? I have mobility problems so I like to know what to expect.

Thank you

It wasn't that bad, but could have been because the ship was pretty empty. 

 

If I remember correctly, the ship was docked at pier 88,which was where we had to drop off the luggage. After dropping off luggage, the first part of check in was at pier 90. They check your Bermuda authorization to let you in pier 90, then they check passports. Then you check in with eurofin. They assign you a serial number so you can track the tests. You then take the card to the testing station. They had maybe ten testing stations so they can give you two swabs tests. 

 

After the tests they direct you to a large waiting room with tvs that list the serial numbers as the tests are complete. Just wait for your serial number to show up (or a text from eurofin) which means your test came back negative. Just show the text or a photo of your number on the screen to the NCL employee and they'll give you a wrist band which let's you get to the next step. 

 

You then walk to pier 88 to start the check in that I remember from pre-covid. That's when you get your key card and take the photos and board. 

 

Honesty it wasn't nearly as bad as we thought it would be. I don't think it even took us an hour before we were having drinks at the bar. The longest part was the 20 or 25 minutes of waiting for your test number to come up on the screen.

[Turtles06]

10 hours ago, mustymom said:

Can you please explain the procedure for pre-testing at the pier? Where do they do the testing? Where and when do they take your luggage? I have mobility problems so I like to know what to expect.

Thank you

 

@CruisingNCLHokie has accurately explained the procedure we experienced at the Manhattan Cruise Terminal in October for our Breakaway sailing to Bermuda, except that we had to wait in long, snaking lines for nearly two hours at Pier 90 to be tested, standing the entire time.  (See photo.) This was not fun.  The fault was Eurofin's, which had started testing late and failed to open the number of promised testing booths.  It also did not help that NCL was not checking people's assigned arrival times.

 

Since you mentioned that you have mobility issues, ask for a wheelchair immediately. They were taking folks in wheelchairs past the snaking lines.  I'm not sure where they went, but I assume their testing was prioritized.  In any event, they did not have to deal with those lines. 

 

One other tip: we never saw our testing number on the screens (others have reported the same); keep checking your emails and texts.  But if you do see your number come up on the screen, take a photo of it so you'll have it for the next agent, in case there's any issue about whether your test results are available.

 

(photo by turtles06)

Edited December 22, 2021 by Turtles06

[seaman11]

6 hours ago, Turtles06 said:

 

@CruisingNCLHokie has accurately explained the procedure we experienced at the Manhattan Cruise Terminal in October for our Breakaway sailing to Bermuda, except that we had to wait in long, snaking lines for nearly two hours at Pier 90 to be tested, standing the entire time.  (See photo.) This was not fun.  The fault was Eurofin's, which had started testing late and failed to open the number of promised testing booths.  It also did not help that NCL was not checking people's assigned arrival times.

 

Since you mentioned that you have mobility issues, ask for a wheelchair immediately. They were taking folks in wheelchairs past the snaking lines.  I'm not sure where they went, but I assume their testing was prioritized.  In any event, they did not have to deal with those lines. 

 

One other tip: we never saw our testing number on the screens (others have reported the same); keep checking your emails and texts.  But if you do see your number come up on the screen, take a photo of it so you'll have it for the next agent, in case there's any issue about whether your test results are available.

 

(photo by turtles06)

correct long lines , took about 2 hours total.give your luggage at peir 88 then testing at  pier 90 and then walk back to pier 88 to again wait again for securtiy  on a line , and then on another line to register to "check in" and then wait to board the ship.   no faster lines for previous guests other than haven that i saw. 

Edited December 22, 2021 by seaman11

[CruisingNCLHokie]

We must have gotten really lucky, although the Gem was literally at 35 or 40% capacity so that probably had something to do with it. All of the testing stations and desks were fully staffed, so hopefully they learned a lesson or two over the past few months and got the process straightened out. We're sailing on the Epic out of San Juan in Feb, fingers crossed we have another good experience. 

 

I started doubting myself about how long it took us so I went back and and took a look. Our Uber dropped us off at 9:45 and I have a picture of as we were boarding at 10:54.

 

@Turtles06good tip on the wheelchair and looking for a text from EuroFins. I can see how those numbers could flash across the screen pretty fast at a busy time. 

Edited December 23, 2021 by CruisingNCLHokie

[Turtles06]

7 hours ago, CruisingNCLHokie said:

 

@Turtles06good tip on the wheelchair and looking for a text from EuroFins. I can see how those numbers could flash across the screen pretty fast at a busy time. 

It wasn’t the speed of the numbers. We were both watching the screens very carefully. We got emails and texts when our numbers had not yet shown up in the screens. Maybe they did at some point.