Manhattan Pier Question

[mrtractor]

We've never cruised NCL from the Manhattan Terminal in New York City. Can anyone tell me if NCL has a VIP/Penthouse lounge for embarkation day?

 

MrTractor<-------just wants to know for future reference.......:cool: .............

[212cruiser]

The Manhattan terminal is a remnant from another age. There is only an upstairs herding "area" where Latitude and Suite passengers are allowed to congregate.

[smeyer418]

As pointed out above there is a upstairs holding area for Latitudes and Suites passengers. They have food and drink and escort you to the front of the line when boarding starts. If you arrive after boarding starts except for the suites passengers you are pretty much are on your own. The three pier fingers are being renovated with the first most southern one coming along fairly well. The piers are being widened(but not lengthened) and should have more modern amenities when completed within a couple of years.

[Got2Cruise]

As pointed out above there is a upstairs holding area for Latitudes and Suites passengers. They have food and drink and escort you to the front of the line when boarding starts. If you arrive after boarding starts except for the suites passengers you are pretty much are on your own. The three pier fingers are being renovated with the first most southern one coming along fairly well. The piers are being widened(but not lengthened) and should have more modern amenities when completed within a couple of years.

 

I would never disagree with SMeyer, but the berth they use for the Crown has no special Lattitudes area that I saw. We were seated in the regular area, but the chairs the lattitudes members sat in were facing the opposite direction as everyone else. Perhaps there is a special area for Suites, but I didn't notice any.

[mrtractor]

I guess I'll just to wait a couple more years.NOT!MrT--------can't wait that long!........

[RichNY]

The secret is to let the shore personnel know that you are in a penthouse...they will tell you where to wait....Yes the piers are different so it important to ask where they want you to wait....Penthouse, AE and above, get the first shot at priority boarding....

[smeyer418]

I would never disagree with SMeyer, but the berth they use for the Crown has no special Lattitudes area that I saw. We were seated in the regular area, but the chairs the lattitudes members sat in were facing the opposite direction as everyone else. Perhaps there is a special area for Suites, but I didn't notice any.

Its upstairs. They have a holding area in each of the two piers that are left open(above the bathrooms)....I have used both of them....the fact that you didn't see it doesn't surprise me its not well marked...

 

Its also before you check in only. Once checked in you wait with everyone else.

[Sea Hound]

(above the bathrooms)....I have used both of them.....

 

 

??!?!?!????!?!???!?

 

;)

[smeyer418]

??!?!?!????!?!???!?

 

;)

 

LOL

both of the latitude lounges on each of the two open finger piers.....only both of the bathrooms when I am dressed in drag :)

[Sparkylok6]

Once checked in you wait with everyone else.

 

I am Latitudes and I was there early enough to check in with non-latitudes and non-suite pax. Checked in, took a seat (even had a cup of tea) and then I watched the Latitudes and Suite pax line up to go through security and check in. Right behind them they lined up all of us who had already checked in. After we walked through security we kept walking right onto the ship......and the Latitudes and Suite pax were still checking in.

 

I had read this little "tip" on these threads and the women at the pier confirmed that this was faster, and it definately was!

 

Have a good time.

[smeyer418]

I am Latitudes and I was there early enough to check in with non-latitudes and non-suite pax. Checked in, took a seat (even had a cup of tea) and then I watched the Latitudes and Suite pax line up to go through security and check in. Right behind them they lined up all of us who had already checked in. After we walked through security we kept walking right onto the ship......and the Latitudes and Suite pax were still checking in.

 

I had read this little "tip" on these threads and the women at the pier confirmed that this was faster, and it definately was!

 

Have a good time.

 

My experience has been otherwise. The suite and lattitudes were walked through to the security checkpoint before any other passengers were permitted through the security check point(except once a wedding party was allowed through first). We then were the first to board. I am not saying its always that way but the last 5 times that is how they did it.

[mrtractor]

.......we just get a lowly balcony or even an outside. But we are some sort of superduperplatinumgolddiamond Lattitudes having spent most of our children's inheritance on cruises. Are those folks treated like the Suities?

 

And I'm still a little confused about where to go for embarkation. Is it really better to just get in the regular line if you get to the port early?

 

MrTractor<-------------is easily confused.......:confused:.........

[noenre]

.......we just get a lowly balcony or even an outside. But we are some sort of superduperplatinumgolddiamond Lattitudes having spent most of our children's inheritance on cruises. Are those folks treated like the Suities?

 

And I'm still a little confused about where to go for embarkation. Is it really better to just get in the regular line if you get to the port early?

 

MrTractor<-------------is easily confused.......:confused:.........

 

LOL...I have been reading this thread trying to figure out what to do this Sunday when we are leaving through Manhattan and I am confused too! We plan on getting there early and I am wondering if it would be better just to get on the regular line.

[Got2Cruise]

Its upstairs. They have a holding area in each of the two piers that are left open(above the bathrooms)....I have used both of them....the fact that you didn't see it doesn't surprise me its not well marked...

 

Its also before you check in only. Once checked in you wait with everyone else.

 

Well, I don't know how it happened, but my husband and I were the FIRST ones to embark the Crown this sailing. Other people were checking in before us, but I guess because it was only the two of us, and we filed our citizenship papers online, had a good credit card, it took about 2 minutes to check in. In fact, it could have been faster, but the computers were a little slow starting up. So my advice to lattitude members would be to ask the lady when you come in to sit in the chairs where do lattitude members sit. They don't mention anything to you if you don't ask. Get to the pier around 11:30ish, and you most likely will be on the ship by 12:00. That said, checking in at NCL at the NY pier is no problem at all. The system goes fast, and there are plenty of chairs to sit in while you are waiting. Has anyone taken a cruise out of Puerto Rico on RCI? Try waiting outside in the hot Puerto Rico sun waiting to be allowed in.

[Sparkylok6]

My experience has been otherwise. The suite and lattitudes were walked through to the security checkpoint before any other passengers were permitted through the security check point(except once a wedding party was allowed through first). We then were the first to board. I am not saying its always that way but the last 5 times that is how they did it.

 

Yes, suite and latitudes DID walk through security before anyone else, but, they still had to be checked in. SO, since they had to stop at the desks we walked right past them after we went through security.

[seahorse]

Yes, suite and latitudes DID walk through security before anyone else, but, they still had to be checked in. SO, since they had to stop at the desks we walked right past them after we went through security.

 

This is the best way to do it if you are suite pax. Check in first and then go to the suite area. When the concierge comes up to get you and tells you to check in, you already are and you can go right up:) Last cruise in Feb. we were the first ones on the ship.......sweet.:D

[mrtractor]

.....whether we are the first ones on the ship. We like to get on fairly early, but aren't going to be standing outside the terminal at 8:00 am waiting for the gates to open.

 

It's just that we hate to stand in line! I fill out all my stuff in line and have all my documents ready. It's just absolutely ponderous how people can spend thousands of dollars on a cruise, have months to prepare and when they get to the front of the line, they don't have their documents ready to show to the agents.

 

Then there are other times when the cruiseline has a problem handling passengers. We've shown up, stood in line for an hour and when we were finally to the front of the line, we were told that our cruise cards hadn't come down from the ship, so we had to stand in the hallway that led to the ship for 20 minutes while our card was printed. Haven't the cruiselines had about 3 months notice that we were going to be there? Were they surprised that we did? Haven't they done this before - about 999,999 times? You can bet that ended up in the review.

 

Someone mentioned embarking in San Juan. Truth is, we have always had a great experience embarking in San Juan. Because we don't try to get there first thing. After that, there is rarely any waiting. The reason is that the ships don't sail out until very late. Usually 10 or 11 pm. So you've got a long window for embarking. The last time we sailed from San Juan, we got over to the International pier around 2:30 after a nice relaxing lunch in Old San Juan. We got to the terminal building, gave our bags to the porters, walked straight to the embarkation desk handed them our paperwork, got our picture taken and were on the way to the gangplank. I'd say from the minute we stepped out of the cab to the time we stepped on the ship was less than 10 minutes!

 

We generally arrive around 11:30 am but sometimes we get there later. Seems to me that the biggest crowds are first thing and then between roughly 1 and 2 PM. If there is a lounge where we can relax, get a glass of water or just get out of the sun and embark in a relaxed and civilized way, that would be great. We won't be worried about whether somebody got on the ship a few minutes before us. I just dont' want to have to shuffle along in line, or after doing all our paperwork have to sit and wait. Is it reasonable to assume that NCL will be able to do this?

 

MrTractor<--------has been the first on the ship....AND THE LAST!!!........:eek: ..........

[smeyer418]

Yes, suite and latitudes DID walk through security before anyone else, but, they still had to be checked in. SO, since they had to stop at the desks we walked right past them after we went through security.

Now you have me confused. You can't check in until you are past security. I think what you are saying is that you don't necessarily wait on the Lattitudes line to check in. Once past security you go to the line that is the shortest to get your picture taken and your credit card swiped and through the formalities of checking in. I go to whatever line is shortest, latitudes, non latitudes non-us residents. Sometimes they do start the checkin before they are ready to board the ship, then you can go back to Latitudes suite area and wait for someone to escort you again...

[POOHISME2]

.......we just get a lowly balcony or even an outside. But we are some sort of superduperplatinumgolddiamond Lattitudes having spent most of our children's inheritance on cruises. Are those folks treated like the Suities?

 

And I'm still a little confused about where to go for embarkation. Is it really better to just get in the regular line if you get to the port early?

 

MrTractor<-------------is easily confused.......:confused:.........

You made me laugh.. I to am a superduperplatinumgolddiamond who has spent my kids inheritance on cruises.. Oh well, I guess they will have to work :eek:

 

Anyway, the only VIP boarding you will get is with the entire group of Latitudes, unless your in a suite. Then you get on 5 minutes faster.

 

Also, what others are saying is true. If you get to the pier before 10:30 AM, check in and wait with the downstairs people, you will be on faster, as you already have your sail and sign card and have been checked in.

 

Waiting upstairs gets you through the security door faster, but not onto the ship faster. I have done it both ways :D

[Sparkylok6]

We arrived at the pier at 10:15...walked past the Latitudes area and went right to check in. Once we were checked in they had refreshments set up and although we were "assigned" seats in that area we were free to walk around, go outside, etc. At one point they stopped checking in pax there because they moved the kiosks to the area inside by security. All of the pax that had not yet been checked in were "herded" into one area and they had to wait on tremendous lines.

 

The pax from latitudes and suite area were then brought downstairs to go through security, have the souvenir picture taken and then they lined up to be checked in.

 

Those of us that had checked in earlier were called from our "assigned" seats, lined up behind the latitudes and suite pax, went through security, had our souvenir pix taken and boarded the ship. The latitudes and suite pax were just being checked in at that point...not to mention all of the people that had been "herded" into the one area that still had to be checked in.

 

I suppose next year when I go I will try to check in the same way, but, this time go upstairs after I have checked in. I don't have the patience to wait around and once I get there I want the quickest way possible to start my vacation...