NYC embarkation process - how is it these days?

[KyleClark]

I have not cruised on NCL since 2018.  Has the Manhattan embarkation changed since then?  We are Sapphire, if I remember correctly there was a line for Latitude members?  Thanks... 

[vince_g]

Was on the Oct 15th Prima sailing out of New York. Got to the pier about 12:30 and didn't encounter any lines whatsoever. It was the smoothest best embarkation experience I have ever had. Normally I stay in Manhattan the night before a cruise and get to the terminal early, and always end up sitting around waiting. Arriving after the embarkation rush just made it such a relaxed embarkation.

[shof515]

Sailed on the Joy a few weeks ago, almost no lines at all. very smooth process. on the ship within like 5-10 minutes of entering the terminal

[footer6]

Boarded 10/23.  Was onboard about 20 minutes after arrival (before noon).  Very smooth.  P.S. - some people arrive as early as 9:30.  Don't know why you'd want to sit there.

[ChiefMateJRK]

October 12 was smooth as could be.  No waiting for anything other than a small line on the gangway.  Driving to the port?  Now that was a different story.  

[BirdTravels]

22 hours ago, KyleClark said:

I have not cruised on NCL since 2018.  Has the Manhattan embarkation changed since then?  We are Sapphire, if I remember correctly there was a line for Latitude members?  Thanks... 

There is a priority waiting area next to the boarding door. If you really want to get on quickly, don’t sit in that area. Just wait in front of the boarding door. Everyone in the waiting area has to get out of that area and over to the boarding door. 
 

We encountered a long security line because they only had two document checkers. No lines at check in. 

Edited November 5, 2022 by BirdTravels

[mking8288]

One can expect pier's security screening and check-in to be smoother & quicker starting next weekend, with Bermuda lifting the TA (and, ArriveCAN no longer needed) - both meant extra document checks, between security & getting check-in.  

 

Security does not open up until 9:30 a.m. at the earliest but apparently, folks thinking that getting there at 8:30 or 8 a.m. is a good idea ... when the earliest, likely boarding time to head for the gangway is no earlier than 10:30 if you are in Haven.  

 

Nowadays, it's a long walk to the middle of the terminal building and sometimes, all the way to the end of the building (750 ft. into the Hudson River complex) for VIP & to access the "special" waiting areas.  

[Turtles06]

19 minutes ago, mking8288 said:

One can expect pier's security screening and check-in to be smoother & quicker starting next weekend, with Bermuda lifting the TA (and, ArriveCAN no longer needed) - both meant extra document checks, between security & getting check-in.  

 

As someone who will be embarking on the Joy next weekend (Nov. 12 to Bermuda), I hope you are correct that there will be no screening at the pier for the Bermuda TAs.  But there's a little bit of a mess going on right now:  a number of folks on our cruise have contacted the Bermuda Hotline about getting a refund for the $40 we've paid for the TA.  A couple of folks seem to have been told there will be refunds, but others of us were told no refunds, that the TA is tied to the date of embarkation and not the date of arrival in Bermuda.  I was told that yesterday and again today, and when I pointed out the inconsistent answers that people are being given, I was then told that since the TA requirement had only been eliminated yesterday, the folks on the Hotline had not been given any guidance and were responding however they thought best.

 

A supervisor at the Bermuda Hotline is supposed to be contacting the powers that be for a definitive answer.  If Bermuda does not agree to refund what people on the Nov. 12 sailing have paid for the TA because it's "tied to the embarkation date," it's possible they will insist the TAs be shown at the pier.  I certainly hope that is not the outcome.

 

Assuming (as I hope) that Bermuda will not require TAs to be shown at the pier on Nov. 12, I hope that NCL and the folks at the pier can do that quick pivot this week.   🙂  

 

Unless things are really clarified before Nov. 12, I'll report back on embarkation.  (I will try to do so anyway, to update the info on how things are going.)

 

[Turtles06]

(Sunday morning.)  Out of curiosity, I just opened the Bermuda web site page to apply for a Travel Authorization for the Joy; four departure dates are showing: Nov. 5, Nov. 12, Nov. 19, and Nov. 26.   When I clicked on Nov. 19, it would not accept the choice; instead, a message popped up on the screen saying "Please adjust your selection.  You have selected 1 when only 0 are available."  Same thing when I tried to choose Nov. 26.   BUT when I clicked on Nov. 12, it would allow me to proceed to apply.   

 

It seems their system has now deleted the ability to apply for a TA for ships departing after the date on which TAs are no longer required.  It concerns me that our Nov. 12 departure date is still active.  (But so is Nov. 5.)  Hoping to find out soon if Bermuda is really going to require NCL to check for TAs at the pier on Nov. 12. 

Edited November 6, 2022 by Turtles06

[psac]

2 minutes ago, Turtles06 said:

(Sunday morning.)  Out of curiosity, I just opened the Bermuda web site page to apply for a Travel Authorization for the Joy; four departure dates are showing: Nov. 5, Nov. 12, Nov. 19, and Nov. 26.   When I clicked on Nov. 19, it would not accept the choice; instead, a message popped up on the screen saying "Please adjust your selection.  You have selected 1 when only 0 are available."  Same thing when I tried to choose Nov. 19.   BUT when I clicked on Nov. 12, it would allow me to proceed to apply.   

 

It seems their system has now deleted the ability to apply for a TA for ships departing after the date on which TAs are no longer required.  It concerns me that our Nov. 12 departure date is still active.  (But so is Nov. 5.)  Hoping to find out soon if Bermuda is really going to require NCL to check for TAs at the pier on Nov. 12. 

Interesting catch!

[Turtles06]

Good news!  I just received the promised call back from a supervisor at the Bermuda Hotline, and he confirmed that the folks on our cruise (Joy, Nov. 12) and the cruise following (Nov. 19) will be receiving refunds of the TA fees. 

 

Also, he assured me that NCL will NOT be required to ask for the TAs on Nov. 12 as a prerequisite to boarding, and that he expects all this to be clarified by NCL for cruisers and the folks at the pier this week. 

[Turtles06]

The check-in and embarkation process for the Joy on Saturday, Nov.12, was extremely efficient.  Those who parked at the pier were able to give their checked bags to a porter on the parking deck, no need to go down to another level to do this. And since Bermuda has dropped the TA requirement for anyone arriving on or after Nov. 14, no one was asked to show a TA, which helped speed up the check-in process.  Also, when we entered the terminal, no one was checking for anyone's scheduled arrival time.  If NCL isn't going to do this, perhaps they should stop making folks get an arrival time in the first place.

 

The security lines moved quickly, and then the actual check-in was divided up by decks.  (E.g., one set of desks handled check-in for decks 12-15, etc.)  At the check-in desks, those without embarkation priority were given a card with a boarding group number.  Latitudes members in the tiers with priority embarkation (Platinum and higher) were not given boarding group cards at all.  Instead, they called Latitudes members for boarding after those needing special assistance, and those in suites, and did so in order of Latitudes tier level (and our Sea Pass cards were checked for that).  We've never encountered that type of boarding of Latitudes members before, even last year sailing on the Breakaway out of NY.  Is this new? 

 

 

Edited November 14, 2022 by Turtles06

[Laszlo]

9 minutes ago, Turtles06 said:

The check-in and embarkation process for the Joy on Saturday, Nov.12, was extremely efficient.  Those who parked at the pier were able to give their checked bags to a porter on the parking deck, no need to go down to another level to do this. And since Bermuda has dropped the TA requirement for anyone arriving on or after Nov. 14, no one was asked to show a TA, which helped speed up the check-in process.  Also, when we entered the terminal, no one was checking for anyone's scheduled arrival time.  If NCL isn't going to do this, perhaps they should stop making folks get an arrival time in the first place.

 

The security lines moved quickly, and then the actual check-in was divided up by decks.  (E.g., one set of desks handled check-in for decks 12-15, etc.)  At the check-in desks, those without embarkation priority were given a card with a boarding group number.  Latitudes members in the tiers with priority embarkation (Platinum and higher) were not given boarding group cards at all.  Instead, they called Latitudes members for boarding after those needing special assistance, and those in suites, and did so in order of Latitudes tier level (and our Sea Pass cards were checked for that).  We've never encountered that type of boarding of Latitudes members before, even last year sailing on the Breakaway out of NY.  Is this new? 

 

 

Interesting, I wonder if giving your luggage to a porter on the parking deck is a new thing? We have sailed out of there 5 times and it was always the same deal. Pay for parking, drive down to the pier, vehicle is searched (pop open the rear trunk or hatch) Park, take elevator down and give your check in luggage to the porters on the street

[njhorseman]

11 minutes ago, Laszlo said:

Interesting, I wonder if giving your luggage to a porter on the parking deck is a new thing?

We've done it a number of times in the past. Porters weren't stationed on the parking deck but if you happened to arrive when a porter was done handling a departing passenger's baggage they would take your bags with them on their trip downstairs.

[Laszlo]

1 minute ago, njhorseman said:

We've done it a number of times in the past. Porters weren't stationed on the parking deck but if you happened to arrive when a porter was done handling a departing passenger's baggage they would take your bags with them on their trip downstairs.

Nice, did you ride down the huge elevator or just take the stairs? If their aren't too many cars pulling in when we arrive I try to pull over to the side and get our stuff out. My wife stays with it then I go park

[njhorseman]

27 minutes ago, Turtles06 said:

We've never encountered that type of boarding of Latitudes members before, even last year sailing on the Breakaway out of NY.  Is this new? 

They used to have a special seating area for higher level Latitudes members but IIRC you still got a low numbered boarding pass when you checked in. I don't recall having to show your room keys. I guess that replaces giving you the low numbered boarding pass.

[njhorseman]

1 minute ago, Laszlo said:

Nice, did you ride down the huge elevator or just take the stairs? If their aren't too many cars pulling in when we arrive I try to pull over to the side and get our stuff out. My wife stays with it then I go park

We always take the elevator. I usually also pull over to the side near the elevators and unload the luggage there. My wife stays with the bags while I park, just as yours does.

[Laszlo]

4 minutes ago, njhorseman said:

We always take the elevator. I usually also pull over to the side near the elevators and unload the luggage there. My wife stays with the bags while I park, just as yours does.

Thanks!

[Turtles06]

1 hour ago, Laszlo said:

Interesting, I wonder if giving your luggage to a porter on the parking deck is a new thing? We have sailed out of there 5 times and it was always the same deal. Pay for parking, drive down to the pier, vehicle is searched (pop open the rear trunk or hatch) Park, take elevator down and give your check in luggage to the porters on the street

 

1 hour ago, njhorseman said:

We've done it a number of times in the past. Porters weren't stationed on the parking deck but if you happened to arrive when a porter was done handling a departing passenger's baggage they would take your bags with them on their trip downstairs.

When we sailed on the Breakaway a year ago, porters were stationed on the parking deck, as they were on Saturday. I think this is a new procedure that began with the return to sail. I like it. 

[Turtles06]

1 hour ago, Laszlo said:

Nice, did you ride down the huge elevator or just take the stairs? If their aren't too many cars pulling in when we arrive I try to pull over to the side and get our stuff out. My wife stays with it then I go park

 

1 hour ago, njhorseman said:

We always take the elevator. I usually also pull over to the side near the elevators and unload the luggage there. My wife stays with the bags while I park, just as yours does.

The elevator wasn’t running. Having given our bags to a porter, we took an escalator down to the check-in level. It was really an easy process. 

[ChiefMateJRK]

3 hours ago, Turtles06 said:

We've never encountered that type of boarding of Latitudes members before, even last year sailing on the Breakaway out of NY.  Is this new? 

It's been like this our last three sailings.

[njhorseman]

2 hours ago, Turtles06 said:

 

When we sailed on the Breakaway a year ago, porters were stationed on the parking deck, as they were on Saturday. I think this is a new procedure that began with the return to sail. I like it. 

Sounds good to me.

[lilsdad]

5 hours ago, Turtles06 said:

The check-in and embarkation process for the Joy on Saturday, Nov.12, was extremely efficient.  Those who parked at the pier were able to give their checked bags to a porter on the parking deck, no need to go down to another level to do this. And since Bermuda has dropped the TA requirement for anyone arriving on or after Nov. 14, no one was asked to show a TA, which helped speed up the check-in process.  Also, when we entered the terminal, no one was checking for anyone's scheduled arrival time.  If NCL isn't going to do this, perhaps they should stop making folks get an arrival time in the first place.

 

The security lines moved quickly, and then the actual check-in was divided up by decks.  (E.g., one set of desks handled check-in for decks 12-15, etc.)  At the check-in desks, those without embarkation priority were given a card with a boarding group number.  Latitudes members in the tiers with priority embarkation (Platinum and higher) were not given boarding group cards at all.  Instead, they called Latitudes members for boarding after those needing special assistance, and those in suites, and did so in order of Latitudes tier level (and our Sea Pass cards were checked for that).  We've never encountered that type of boarding of Latitudes members before, even last year sailing on the Breakaway out of NY.  Is this new? 

 

 

Just wondering, with all testing requirements gone, do they take your temperature to board?

[Turtles06]

29 minutes ago, lilsdad said:

Just wondering, with all testing requirements gone, do they take your temperature to board?

Nope. They just asked if we had various symptoms. 

[graphicguy]

2 hours ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

It's been like this our last three sailings.

Same here.  They boarded in this order on my last NYC Breakaway cruise.....

 

1.  Haven

2.  Mobility impeded

3.  Latitudes

 -Ambassador

-Diamond and Sapphire

-Platinum

-Bronze, Silver, Gold

4.  numbered groups

 

Went smoothly 3 weeks ago.