NYC Post Cruise Excursion?

[The Nice Family]

We've been lucky enough to sail into our home port on the past couple of cruises (Vancouver) but they always seem to offer those from out of town the opportunity to sign up for a city tour excursion if they need to kill some time before heading out to the airport etc. Is there anything on offer, through NCL, for NYC? We will probably disembark at around 10:00'ish in the morning but we don't fly out of JFK until 10:00 p.m.! We'll have done our own exploring for 3 days prior to embarking but, it would be nice to just get off the ship, leave our luggage and let someone else guide us around for the day.:)

[okfarmerswife]

I don't see anything on NCL's shore excursion site listed for my upcoming cruise in Oct. so they may not do anything in NYC. You can really do it on your own though your time is limited and you'll have to decide what you want to do. What are you wanting to do that day since you're there 3 days before cruise? While there last year we took a tour with Marvelous Manhattan Tours/King of New York. It's not your usual cattle call large bus tour. The bus only holds around 30 I believe and is very comfortable and the owner/guide is extremely knowledgable. We would have never been able to see all he showed us in the short time we were there on our own.

You can look on NYC port of departure board here

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=415

and hopefully get some ideas. Also, the tripadvisor board for NYC is great!

Here's the NYC Cruise terminal website:

http://www.nycruise.com/terminal.html

The address is: 711 12th Avenue

If you'll use hopstop.com you can calculate directions and walking distance to any address you type in(as well as subway, or other forms of transportation...it's a great site for help with NYC).

For example: it shows from the pier to Times Square (42nd & Broadway) is

.97 miles/22 minutes walk and gives you a map and step-by-step directions.

Some Broadway shows have matinees certain days of the week; check that out if you're interested.

Now the bigger question is what are you going to do with your luggage?

[The Nice Family]

Now the bigger question is what are you going to do with your luggage?

 

Exactly! We have friends who travel with their 9 year-old son for 6 weeks each winter with one carry-on suitcase apiece. I am NOT one of those travellers!

 

We're keeping things pretty simple on our other days. I don't want to try to do too much and end up frazzled so, full day #1 will be the Financial District (where we're staying)/Brooklyn Bridge/Statue of Liberty/Museum of Native Americans, full day #2 - Radio City Christmas Show/Rockefeller Centre skating/mid-town shopping. I'm loving your suggestion of a broadway matinee though - I'm gonna check that out!

 

Thanks for all of your great ideas and links.

[okfarmerswife]

One other thing: walking the Brooklyn Bridge consistently gets rave comments on tripadvisor so that's another option....DH and I hopefully will do this in Oct. while there during our 1 night pre-cruise. Hope you have a great trip!

[jame_g]

You can always do an internet search on NYC tours. There are plenty of things to do there. You might also want to search for broadway and off-broadway shows, there are places you can buy unsold tickets at a discount the day of the show. But you have to be prepared for whatever might be available.

[calmac]

We sailed to / from NYC last April on the Dawn and had hoped that NCL did "tours" after disembarking but there was nothing available (even checked with Shore Excursion desk while on board). I think it's probably because the majority of passengers are from easy travelling distance of New York and are not flying to / from the city.

 

We ended up just going to the airport early, having lunch there after checking in then spending time in the lounge as I couldn't find a suitable tour to fit our timescales (our flight was about 6pm I think). Storing the luggage was the main problem.

 

Hope you find a suitable solution.

[The Nice Family]

Thanks again to everyone on their input here. I do know that there are countless ways to spend a day in NYC, organized tours or not, but the main challenge for us will be luggage. That's why I was hoping NCL offered a post-cruise excursion, but it looks like they don't:( . If we kill as much time as we can on board in the morning (what, 'til 11:00 max?, any idea how long we can hang on?) then make our way to JFK I"m thinking we'll still have about eight airport hours. I've been to airports around the world and could happily kill a day in some(Schiphol and Singapore are my favs) - what's JFK like? We'll be flying to Vancouver so, I'm thinking it will be an international terminal instead of domestic.

 

I've probably gone off the NCL topic now and I'm not sure what will happen but, fingers crossed, I'll be able to find whatever answers you great CCers may provide.

[calmac]

You might want to post your question on "how to spend xx hours at JFK" over on the Cruise Air boards - someone there will be able to give suggestions

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=128

[The Nice Family]

Thanks Calmac - I've posted the question you suggested on the Cruise Air board.

[willysgrandma]

One other thing: walking the Brooklyn Bridge consistently gets rave comments on tripadvisor so that's another option....DH and I hopefully will do this in Oct. while there during our 1 night pre-cruise. Hope you have a great trip!

 

 

Why am I picturing the OP dong this pulling a ton of luggage, LOL?

[okfarmerswife]

Why am I picturing the OP dong this pulling a ton of luggage, LOL?

 

ROFL.....No way!!! Actually, when making my suggestions I was assuming they would find an excursion via NCL meaning their luggage would be taken care of while they explored a little! I too, would hate the thought of spending that much time in an airport!

[okfarmerswife]

sorry for the double post...