New Your port question

[BillyMetz]

Question for anyone who has ever used the New York cruise terminal. I will be on the Carnival Victory for a New England cruise that departs and returns to New York. The port address on the carnival web site list the street address on the Passenger Terminal and then 3 piers. My guess is the ship will dock at one of the three and it is up to the port authority to determine which. I am coordinating a private tour of New York after the cruise and have arranged to be picked up at the terminal. Not being there before does it matter which pier the ship comes into as far as my arrival and departure from the terminal? Would the pier I come into have any effect on where a tour company might pick me up? Or is it all the same once passengers are off the ship?

[wwinfl91]

We were on the Maasdam which docked at the New York piers in May. There was an NCL ship docked along side us. It looked to us that all the docks came out on the street at about the same place. Hopefully someone from New York can give you a better answer. I would imagine the tour company you arranging your tour with might be your best source of information.

 

Have a great next cruise.

[Host Caroline]

Tour company in NYC will know where you are .. have you called them to discuss? that would be my next step.. and there is really only one "ramp" into/out of terminal for vehicles that would probably be picking you up???

[Krazy Kruizers]

:)

 

All the tour companies in New York keep track of which ship is in what terminal. And all the tour companies enter the cruise terminal area in the same place and depart just about in the same place.

 

Your company may even have a man standing outside holding a card with your name on it.

 

:)

[BillyMetz]

It was actually the tour company that asked me the question! They asked me the name of the ship (makes sense) and the address where I wanted them to pick me up. When I gave them the address shown on the Carnival web site which includes 3 pier numbers they asked me if there would be a different pick up point depending on which pier the ship actually docked at. I of course had no idea. So should I just tell them it does not matter which pier because all passengers will exit out the same place?

[Host Caroline]

It was actually the tour company that asked me the question! They asked me the name of the ship (makes sense) and the address where I wanted them to pick me up. When I gave them the address shown on the Carnival web site which includes 3 pier numbers they asked me if there would be a different pick up point depending on which pier the ship actually docked at. I of course had no idea. So should I just tell them it does not matter which pier because all passengers will exit out the same place?

I agree w/ the above post.. the tour company should have someone there waiting for you and all of them know where the ships are..obviously you will want picked up right outside the apppropriate terminal. Was this company recommended? They just don't seem to be very "on top" of things IMHO only. Would just hate to hear things got mucked up on the pier when that should be so easy....

[Budget Queen]

The tour company will see THE SHIP, so mention that is where you want to be picked up in front. BUT understand fully- this is extremely congested and gridlocked with arrivals/departures, with traffic at stand stills. If you are able and have packed light with rolling luggage. I would make arrangements to be picked up on 11th Ave rather than 12th (you pick the cross st. ) - you will be way ahead with waits.

[Host Caroline]

The tour company will see THE SHIP, so mention that is where you want to be picked up in front. BUT understand fully- this is extremely congested and gridlocked with arrivals/departures, with traffic at stand stills. If you are able and have packed light with rolling luggage. I would make arrangements to be picked up on 11th Ave rather than 12th (you pick the cross st. ) - you will be way ahead with waits.

Depending on when you get off the congestion varies.. and take into account weather. You don't want to set a pick up point that will be inconvenient with luggage and your group. If you aren't familiar with New York and the terminal area (i.e. don't have a "visual") and an idea how get to cross streets etc. I'd stick with the terminal. It's a confusing area. The tour companies are often there to pick folks up, as Krazy Kruisers said and have signs etc. Be sure to check at purser's desk on last day if all in your group do NOT have same color disembarkation tags so that you will be together. Last year they did have self-disembark there but that's only for those needing NO assistance at all w/ luggage.

[Budget Queen]

Confusing for cross streets??? They are numbered- IN order. :) I travel to NYC ALL the time and see the huge amount of congestion, especially if there is more than one ship in port it is terrible. I always stay on 8th and 50th and see cruise line passages all the time, tramping by with their luggage even that far. :) Cabs are far easier to get on 10th and 11th Ave than on 12th. NYC is having a very difficult time, moving cruise passengers.

[BillyMetz]

OK folks, you are starting to make me a little uncomfortable here. Host Caroline this tour company was not recommened to me by anyone. I found them by way of their web site, and have talked to them several times on the phone to customize the tour they are going to provide us. I did a Better Business Bureau search of their company and found no problems. I have no reason to suspect they are not reputable. Hopefully that is the case. I have already paid them a large non-refundable fee. They are a small company and the agent I spoke to thought it was a great idea I had coordinating their service as a post cruise event. I got the feeling they did the majority of their tours with originations at hotels, conventions, etc. Not so much starting from the cruise terminal. I sent them an email explaining what each of you said and also told them what a Carnival rep said. I also asked if they might want to just suggest to me a pick up spot at the terminal where we would agree to be waiting. That way there is no confusion.

[Host Caroline]

I sent them an email explaining what each of you said and also told them what a Carnival rep said. I also asked if they might want to just suggest to me a pick up spot at the terminal where we would agree to be waiting. That way there is no confusion.

Yikes.. I didn't mean to imply that the tour company wasn't a good one.. I was more concerned that due to traffic problems that can occur around the cruise terminal -- and because you aren't familiar with area -- that it would might be better to try a pick up at the terminal rather than finding your way to another (albeit nearby) pick up point with your luggage.

 

I think you have definitely done the right thing... ask the company to suggest the pick up point and then get directions where to wait. That way there is less confusion. We have sailed from NYC several times but always use cabs from the port pn disembarkation but have seen tour groups being picked up outside the terminal.

[Host Caroline]

Confusing for cross streets??? They are numbered- IN order. :) I travel to NYC ALL the time and see the huge amount of congestion, especially if there is more than one ship in port it is terrible.

Nope, not confusing for cross streets.. what I said was "If you aren't familiar with New York and the terminal area (i.e. don't have a "visual") and an idea how get to cross streets etc. [from the terminal itself -- should have been added] I'd stick with the terminal. It's [the cruise terminal ] is a confusing area."

[katcar]

Hello all, cruising out of NYC on 9/21 with Dawn. Can someone be a little more specific on the drop-off for the taxi's when they let you off? Do they just stop in the street, is there a side-road or street that they pull into? How far is the luggage point from where you get out of the taxi.

Then, when we get off of the ship, how much of a trek is there to get to a taxi to leave? Again, are they parked in a street or all lined up in a separate ramp or area? I've been to NYC before but never near the cruise terminals. What magic words do I need to say to the taxi driver to get us to the correct terminal? "We need to go to the Manhattan cruise terminal" or what? Thanks!