OK to Drop off Luggage early at Brooklyn Cruise Terminal?

[amenuensis]

We will be flying into NY the night before we sail, and staying at a hotel in Brooklyn. The next morning we'd like to drop off our luggage at the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal early and then meet some friends for brunch a few blocks away (Port Defiance Bar & Restaurant), then get back to the cruise terminal by no later than 2:30 pm to board the ship. I think from what I've been reading it will be okay to leave our luggage with the porters, but has anyone done this? Some of the posts I've read suggest waiting until about 11:30--by which time the debarking passengers and luggage are cleared out. Others say it's okay to drop luggage off earlier than that and the luggage will be fine. Any advice will be appreciated! 

[lx200gps]

We did exactly that last September, on our first trip ever out of Brooklyn on Princess.  We had driven down and stayed in New Jersey the night before, planning to drive across the GW bridge, down the Hudson and into Brooklyn on embarkation morning. The traffic wasn't as bad as I had planned for and we ended up arriving at the BCT earlier than expected, around 9AM, right in the middle of all the disembarking passengers. Surprisingly, there were porters there already accepting bags from incoming passengers and we were literally among the very first to ditch our bags. Obviously I don't know if this is still the case now, hopefully some  folks will chime in with more recent experiences, but I expect you will be able to drop your bags early.

[Brighton Line]

What is your sailing time on your documents?
Most sailings have been listed as 3 pm so 2:30p arrival you would not be allowed to board as the manifest has to be given to Customs at least an hour before sailing. 

 

[amenuensis]

3 hours ago, Brighton Line said:

What is your sailing time on your documents?
Most sailings have been listed as 3 pm so 2:30p arrival you would not be allowed to board as the manifest has to be given to Customs at least an hour before sailing. 

 

Our ship departure time is 5 pm from port, so I think we're good. 

[GTJ]

5 hours ago, Brighton Line said:

Most sailings [from Brooklyn] have been listed as 3 pm . . . .

 

I know that 3:00 p.m. is the case for MSC Cruises, a relative newcomer to Brooklyn, as stated in its brochures. Most scheduled departures are around 5:00 p.m., and so I have not yet figured out if that is an actual intended sailing time for MSC Cruises, or if it is when MSC Cruises wants everyone to be checked-in (and with an actual intended sailing time of 5:00 p.m.). Having only two hours, from 11:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m., to embark everyone onto a large vessel can be a challenge. As well, the brochure text is typically drafted by marketing people, who do not always accurately and precisely describe transportation operations. It would be helpful to have feedback from recent passengers to confirm the actual MSC Cruises intended sailing time.

[Brighton Line]

The ship's horn sounded for vessel underway and operating astern at 4:10p on my sailing and that was the sailing they arrived an hour late due to weather the day before.Yacht Club MDR did not open for lunch until Noon but the buffet on the YC pool deck was open when boarding started at 11a for me. 

 

When we returned self-assist was already getting off at just after 7a. Yacht Club MDR allowed seating for breakfast until 9a and YC Buffet was closed. Then you could stay in the YC lounge until10:30a.

 

The use of facial recognition by Customs is making the Custom process very fast. The machines are staffed with Port of America personnel (Contractors); only if you don't match do you get on a line to see a Customs Agent. Did not even need my passport out. It was swipe off ship, pick up bag, a walk up to the machine that are in front of the unstaffed customs desks and stare. If it turned green of you went, turned red try again and still no match directed to a Customs Officer for document check.

 

I digress, really getting off topic here, appolgies. 

[GTJ]

5 hours ago, Brighton Line said:

The ship's horn sounded for vessel underway and operating astern at 4:10p on my sailing and that was the sailing they arrived an hour late due to weather the day before.

So it sounds as though MSC Cruises does, in fact, actually turn the vessel in the allotted amount of time. Good for MSC in being able to do so, though I am not thrilled with there being only two hours of effective embarkation time.

 

5 hours ago, Brighton Line said:

The use of facial recognition by Customs is making the Custom process very fast.

I have never liked the concept of taking photographs because of the implications of the government building a database that could be used for nefarious purposes (true, there is no reasonable expectation of privacy in public, the existing passport database could be so used, etc.). I have always taken my time with a manual inspection by an immigration officer.

[Brighton Line]

12 hours ago, GTJ said:

I have always taken my time with a manual inspection by an immigration officer.

I wasn't that observant this trip. I wonder if you can request to see a Customs Officer and not use the machines. This was the usual line for non-citizens I guess you could join that.

My face is in CBP's database from just renewed passport and 11-year-old Global Entry mug shot. 

[GTJ]

2 hours ago, Brighton Line said:

I wonder if you can request to see a Customs Officer and not use the machines.

Yes, one may. At least in the passenger terminal in Bayonne, in the corridor leading from the vessel to immigration inspection, there are number signs (on variable video screens) informing people of their right to do so. It is the typical small type used for many legal notices, and so most people likely ignore the notices.