Transfers to Newark after TA - how is going through customs/immigration at Red Hook these days?

[neeuqdrazil]

I'll be doing the 13-20 November WB TA (96 days until departure, not that I'm counting or anything), and I'm having the WORST luck with flights. (Initial flight to London was cancelled,  along with the ticket for the flight from LGA back to Toronto, rebooked on a different airline to get to London, re-purchased the LGA-Toronto ticket, and now that flight has been cancelled and I've been moved onto a flight departing LGA at 7PM, which is WAY too late.) 

 

I've got two options, and it's been long enough since I did a TA (it was pre-covid) that I'm not sure which will be better. (Last time, I took a 4.55PM ET flight from LGA, and I felt like I was waiting FOREVER.) 

 

- There is a flight from LGA that departs at noon. (The airline also has codeshare flights at 2PM and 4PM, but I'm not sure if I can transfer my flight to one of those.) 

- There are multiple flights, departing every hour, from EWR, and I could book any of them, with the option to go standby for an earlier flight for free  

 

The last time I did a TA, there were only a few agents at Red Hook, and the lines were HUGELY long, but I didn't do self-disembark, so was coming out into the middle of the chaos. 

 

I've got a few questions: 

 

- How have the customs/immigrations lines been at Red Hook this summer

- Recommendations on flights

- Recommendations on getting to LGA/EWR from Red Hook (I'm travelling solo)

[MCC retired]

July cruise we did Self Walkoff and Uber ($90) to EWR in time for 10:40am flight.

[frankp01]

In December, while there were only three immigration officers (as I recall), the line moved very quickly. Again, in July, I thought it went as smoothly as it could. On the other hand, when we boarded on 1 July, there were apparently issues with immigration for the arrival of the ship that AM. That would have been the return of a late June voyage. You might see if anyone from that trip chimes in.

[57eric]

16 hours ago, MCC retired said:

July cruise we did Self Walkoff and Uber ($90) to EWR in time for 10:40am flight.

$90?  Yikes!  When I last cruised (Oct. 2019) I was charged $62 for the same trip.

[neeuqdrazil]

Thank you! I ended up booking a mid-afternoon flight from EWR. (There are other advantages despite the better timing - it flies into Billy Bishop, which is a much more civilized airport than Pearson, and is also closer to home, plus Porter are just nicer overall.) Now to just get over to EWR!

 

Oh, and wait the 94 days until I get on board...

[moses0]

2 hours ago, neeuqdrazil said:

Thank you! I ended up booking a mid-afternoon flight from EWR. (There are other advantages despite the better timing - it flies into Billy Bishop, which is a much more civilized airport than Pearson, and is also closer to home, plus Porter are just nicer overall.) Now to just get over to EWR!

 

Oh, and wait the 94 days until I get on board...

We just went through this. Very hectic at immigration. Dunno if it applies to you but a couple of things that helped us. We did luggage forwarding. It really helped and they did a great job. Coming through customs picking  up our suit cases we grabbed a porter. Doing that gets you through quicker because the agent works with the porter to get you the front of the line. Then whilst on board we booked a private car to the airport through Cunard and it was wonderful. All the arrangements were efficient and all went very smoothly.  Obviously this was all extra cost but we found it all worth the extra.