Boston port

[vino100]

Is there just one port in Boston for ships to dock? I’m on the Emerald princess. 

[runner15km]

Just one, Boston Cruise Port and Terminal Information (cruisecritic.com)

[skynight]

I see Princess at the Flynn Cruise Terminal. Look here for your sailing.

https://www.massport.com/flynn-cruiseport/cruise-directory/cruise-schedule

[lx200gps]

23 minutes ago, vino100 said:

Is there just one port in Boston for ships to dock? I’m on the Emerald princess. 

We were on her just last week. It sails from the Flynn Terminal as stated above

[eclue]

We sailed from Boston on the 14th - Embarkation was totally chaotic. The boarding line went down the street and around the corner...

[skidroe]

It is the WORST cruise ship terminal in the US.

 

[lolo11]

41 minutes ago, eclue said:

We sailed from Boston on the 14th - Embarkation was totally chaotic. The boarding line went down the street and around the corner...

What time did you arrive at the port?

[1025cruise]

2 hours ago, skidroe said:

It is the WORST cruise ship terminal in the US.

 

Keep in mind it's only used 4 months of the year. 

[Teechur]

2 hours ago, skidroe said:

It is the WORST cruise ship terminal in the US.

 

We didn't have any problem with the port itself. The traffic leading to the port, and around Boston was horrific.

[Rick&Jeannie]

It's always interesting coming in/out of Boston because you have a direct end view of the main runway at Logan International.  Someone once said (I have no idea if it's true) that ship arrivals/departures are coordinated with the airport so that there are no takeoffs/landings when the ship is directly in line with the runway.  They certainly cut it close very often...

[candy4040]

4 hours ago, eclue said:

We sailed from Boston on the 14th - Embarkation was totally chaotic. The boarding line went down the street and around the corner...

I was on that same cruise.  Lines were immense, it was hot.  Port people didn't seem to know what to do.  They were, however, really nice. Waited in line for at least 2 hours.  I arrived at port around 10 AM.   Debarking was a breeze. 

[vino100]

Thanks for the info. I usually like to get on the ship early, but I think I will arrive around noon. Hopefully the rush to get on will be over. 

[cruisinsince75]

We will be disembarking in Boston on our Sapphire Princess TA cruise from Copenhagen in 2026.  How smoothly did the debarkation process go?

[1025cruise]

12 minutes ago, cruisinsince75 said:

We will be disembarking in Boston on our Sapphire Princess TA cruise from Copenhagen in 2026.  How smoothly did the debarkation process go?

Is Boston your first US port?

[Rick&Jeannie]

On 7/27/2024 at 2:31 PM, Rick&Jeannie said:

It's always interesting coming in/out of Boston because you have a direct end view of the main runway at Logan International.  Someone once said (I have no idea if it's true) that ship arrivals/departures are coordinated with the airport so that there are no takeoffs/landings when the ship is directly in line with the runway.  They certainly cut it close very often...

 

[latebloomer56]

On 7/27/2024 at 7:37 AM, vino100 said:

Is there just one port in Boston for ships to dock? I’m on the Emerald princess. 

Yes we have sailed from here many times but never on Princess.

[latebloomer56]

On 7/27/2024 at 2:31 PM, Rick&Jeannie said:

It's always interesting coming in/out of Boston because you have a direct end view of the main runway at Logan International.  Someone once said (I have no idea if it's true) that ship arrivals/departures are coordinated with the airport so that there are no takeoffs/landings when the ship is directly in line with the runway.  They certainly cut it close very often...

Our grandson loves the airport so close. Only had a plane fly over us once in the eight cruises out of this port. He got an awesome photo, he is a camera buff and planes were his thing back then. Maybe it's true they are careful with their timing.

[EDVM96]

On 7/27/2024 at 8:31 PM, Rick&Jeannie said:

Someone once said (I have no idea if it's true) that ship arrivals/departures are coordinated with the airport so that there are no takeoffs/landings when the ship is directly in line with the runway.

That's correct. The approach to runway 04R intersects the Port of Boston’s main shipping channel. But It depends on the ship's size what procedures the AT controller will use.

“The air traffic control tower at Boston Logan International Airport follows a Standard Operating Procedure, which outlines how air traffic control safely moves aircraft on and around the airfield,” said an FAA spokesperson. “The SOP includes procedures that controllers should use when a tall vessel is in the channel. Different procedures apply based on vessel size ranging from no action, to a verbal warning to pilots to visually observe the vessel, to prohibiting approach when very tall vessels exceeding height limits are close by.”

 

The Tall Vessel Detection System installed at Logan International Airport near runway 4R/22L. Credit: ProSensing, Inc.

 

Edited July 28 by EDVM96

[eclue]

On 7/27/2024 at 10:41 AM, lolo11 said:

What time did you arrive at the port?

WE arrived about noon - hoping to avoid all the early birds...disembarkation was a breeze because US customs took up half the day checking people on board...Of my very many cruises, this process was the worst and I do not blame Princess...

[cruisinsince75]

On 7/28/2024 at 1:33 PM, 1025cruise said:

Is Boston your first US port?

Yes

[cruisinsince75]

23 hours ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

 

Wow!  That is close!  Reminds me of Maho Beach near the runway in St Maarten.

[1025cruise]

45 minutes ago, cruisinsince75 said:

Yes

I would expect it to be a mess. The port doesn't have the best setup for immigration. And given that it's a transatlantic where they do more than just a summary glance at your paperwork, it could be pretty bad.

[roomba920]

Pay attention to the taxi meter if you use one at departure. Our driving didn't put the meter on and tried to charge us double. Also wanted cash when they have a card machine in the cab.

[skynight]

On 7/28/2024 at 2:20 PM, cruisinsince75 said:

We will be disembarking in Boston on our Sapphire Princess TA cruise from Copenhagen in 2026.  How smoothly did the debarkation process go?

I looked up the 2026 Sapphire cruises from Copenhagen. The itinerary indicates that Boston is the first U.S. port. In that case you will have to be processed through immigration after you retrieve your luggage. There is no way to know for sure how quickly the process will go. In Ft. Lauderdale Princess used facial recognition for immigration. Only a few were actually referred to an immigration official. I don't know if Princess has or will have this technology on the Sapphire.  

[1025cruise]

27 minutes ago, skynight said:

I looked up the 2026 Sapphire cruises from Copenhagen. The itinerary indicates that Boston is the first U.S. port. In that case you will have to be processed through immigration after you retrieve your luggage. There is no way to know for sure how quickly the process will go. In Ft. Lauderdale Princess used facial recognition for immigration. Only a few were actually referred to an immigration official. I don't know if Princess has or will have this technology on the Sapphire.  

This technology is based on the port, not the ship. As Boston is not a year round port, there is no push to install it there.