Voayger (5/16) out of Cape Liberty-Boarding Time

[WMJeffer]

I just finished calling customer service and was told that passengers could begin boarding the ship as early as noon, even though the boarding documents say 6pm. I'm going to take her word for it, anyone else hear this? I would be a little unhappy is my mother and I stay overnight in NJ only to have to wait all day to board, so I hope she's right!

[paminohio]

A bunch of us keep getting told different things. I spoke to someone who put me on hold and said she called the promo department (the one that set up the 2 day TA cruise before the 5/16 sailing) AND the innaugrual (sp?) department who takes care of first sailings and repositioning cruises and BOTH said the Voyager would be arriving that morning between 7:00-8:00 am and that we'd be able to board early afternoon. I called customer service, also, not the reps that you call to book a cruise or ask questions.

I think alot of us are planning on getting there around noon, also.

 

Pam

 

until Voyager

[WMJeffer]

Ok, good, that makes me feel better! Thanks for your reply

[shamda]

The question is really not about what time the ship comes back for the 2 day TA trip. Even if they come back at 7AM it does not mean they will let us on earlier than 6pm. If they are not serving lunch and if the employees are not staffed for boarding 3100 passengers they will not let us on. Maybe we should call the head chef in the galley! He is the only one that knows if luch will be served.

 

Voyager to Canada

 

[karen_cpa]

When I called regarding the boarding time, the gentlemen I spoke to said both lunch and dinner were being served that day. Of course - depending on who you call, you can get 10 different answers! Hubby and I plan on being at the port at about 12:30-1:00pm that day.

 

Voyager of the Seas - 05/04

Tahitian Princess - 10/03 (Our Honeymoon)

Carnival Paradise - 08/02

[shamda]

karen_cpa,

 

that is why we should call the head chef! he will know. we plan on getting there around noon also. if we wait then i guess we wait. we will make the best of it.

 

dealing with rci is worse than dealing with the irs, dont you agree? i think it would be easier to figure out the passive activity loss rules than to figure out what time we board.

 

Voyager to Canada

 

[rundogrun]

Personally, I'm going with the earlier boarding time and looking forward to a relaxing afternoon since I expect most passengers will be arriving much later.

[paminohio]

The lady I spoke to confirmed we would be having lunch and dinner on board. I don't know who SHE spoke to or where she got her information, though, but she seemed to be very sure and sounded much more 'officially informed' than anyone I had spoken to previously.

 

Either we'll all be on the ship having lunch in the afternoon, or sitting in a bar in New Jersey somewhere composing our complaint letters and assuring our spouses that we had NO idea we wouldn't be able to board until 6:00!!

 

Pam

 

until Voyager

[serene56]

Are you sailing the very first voyager cruise out of NJ?

If not then you can wait and see what happens.

 

If you are cruising after a 9 days to the Caribben then getting to the port at noon wont help because the ship is not expected in til noon.

 

I agree with the above poster. because the VOyager is new to the NJ area when you call Royal you can get differnt answers to the same question.

 

Going NOWHERE

 

 

Miracle, February 13, 2005

Legend, October 22,2004

Voyager August 31,2003

Victory September 22,2002

Regal Empress,June 2001

Sensation,August 2000

[Smile0808]

We are sailing in July On the 9 night Voyager, I cant wait until May to here from every one about the details for all these uncertainties(sp).Please give details from start to finish......Thanks

[WMJeffer]

Ok, everyone-this is the best I could do:

 

I called customer service again this morning and spoke to a lady who said boarding time is 6pm, regardless of what anyone else is saying. She said the Voyager was not due to arrive in Bayonne until noon and there would be passengers to disembark. This was not a reservationsist, but the same number I had called before! This totally contradicted what a previous rep had said, saying that we could board at noon!

 

A few minutes later, I called again, a little irate and asking for a supervisor. The gentleman I spoke to was very polite and I completely described my dilemma and frustration to him. He confirmed my sailing date (5/16) and put me on hold as he called Cape Liberty Cruise Port and spoke to someone with scheduling (don't remember the name of the office...). He then proceeded to tell me that on May 16 we would be able to OFFICIALLY board the ship at 2pm. He repeated "officially" when I asked again, because I was tired of the run around! I feel better with this time, but still plan to get to the port around noon.

 

Why all of this confusion? Well, here's what I think: The lady I spoke to that said 6pm also said that the cruise ship was coming in at noon with passengers. WRONG. In fact, that is for the May 30 sailing! On May 30, Voyager is arriving at noon in Bayonne with a boat full of passengers from a 9 night Caribbean cruise! Voyager's last cruise before the May 16 sailing is from April 25-May 2 in Miami. There should be no reason that we can't board the ship earlier on May 16 and after hearing it from someone who actually contacted the port, I'm feeling a little better. And, this is how I look at it: My mother and I will arrive at noon-either we're boarding immediately or in an hour or so OR they will be dishing out a massive amount of cruise credit after all of this mess

[serene56]

The cruise lines save face by telling you in the documents that boarding will begin at 6pm. So if you get to the pier at noon I dont see them offering any credits. Although it would be nice.

 

I see your point though that if this is the VOyagers first cruise from the port I dont see why they would wait to load passengers til 6pm. I know from talking to reps that the caribbean run is what they are telling people about the 6pm boarding time.

 

Going NOWHERE

 

 

Miracle, February 13, 2005

Legend, October 22,2004

Voyager August 31,2003

Victory September 22,2002

Regal Empress,June 2001

Sensation,August 2000

 

 

[shamda]

The 5/16 is the first voayger 5 day cruiise to canada, but not her first cruise out of bayonne. There is a 2 night cruise to nowhere for TAs on the 14th that will be coming back on the morning of the 16th. Therefore there will be the process of getting passengers off the ship before we can board.

 

Voyager to Canada

 

[jsargent34]

Maybe this will help everyone... I may be wrong in my assumption, but my math is certainly true!

 

Assumption: RCI has chosen 12:00 as an arrival time for nothing more than a safety net...

 

Here's the facts....

 

It is ~882nm from Freeport to Bayonne.

 

Assuming Voyager only makes 20-21kts

(she normally makes 20.5-22)

 

The total distance will require approximately 41 hours to complete the trip. Voyager leaves Freeport at 3:00pm followed by a full day at sea. If the 12:00 time is for real, that would be a period of over 45 to travel the same distance that can be done in 41 hours! Now, for the simple math... there's a difference of 4 hours, which COULD mean an 8:00am arrival (much closer to a "normal" time).

 

My guess is that there will certainly not be any 10:30-11:00 boardings for this cruise, BUT I cannot see boarding later than 12:30-1:00....

 

jmho

 

Until Voyager of the Seas

 

 

 

Mariner of the Seas 1/2004

Explorer of the Seas 5/2003

Voyager of the Seas 4/2001

USS Kauffman (FFG-59) 92-94

USS Connole (FF-1056) 90-92

(Hey they're cruises too!!!)

[shamda]

All I can say is that I am glad we have not over analyzed this boarding time thing.

 

Voyager to Canada

 

[theroos]

After getting a hundred different answers about boarding I decided to do an end-around. I found out that a private company was given the contract for a VITAL piece at the pier that ALL CRUISERS MUST USE after checking in. I will not name the company or what they do because RCL will then call them and tell them not to give out any info. They are only two miles from my home so I went their and they told me they will have the info two weeks before the ship sails. I will post it as soon as I get it. If this company says they start at 12pm, 2pm or 6pm it is cast in stone.

[Treacher1]

I think your question will be answered via your boarding documents - don't they always give time you are able to embark? Smooth sailing to all - we don't go till July - can't wait. Let us know all about it when you get back. Thanks!

[bobbie0253]

I learned one thing from all this "boarding time" talk.

 

There are a lot more cruise critics on this cruise than I thought!

 

 

You should all join our roll call.

 

We are still planning on getting there around noon. Now all we need is the name of a bar to hang out in near the port if we are denied boarding until 6:00....

 

Anyone know of one, and where it is located?

 

Bobbie

 

Voyager of the Seas in....

 

 

Adventure of the Seas 2-03

Enchantment of the Seas 3-03

Majesty of the Seas 5-03

Adventure of the Seas 9-03

Sovereign of the Seas 11-03

Sovereign of the Seas 1-04

Grandeur of the Seas 3-04

 

My albums can be viewed with this link...

http://public.fotki.com/bobbie0253/

 

[funduo]

Whenever it is that you do board, we all expect a review of this refurbished ship and your experiences out of NJ.

 

Have a great cruise!!

 

6/2000 Destiny (Carnival)

12/2001 Veendam (HAL)

08/10/03 Conquest (Carnival)

12/28/03 Paradise (Carnival)

07/30/04 Voyager of the Seas (RCCL)

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[bobbie0253]

I called RCI and the Voyager TA cruise on May 14-16,2004 is due in at 8:00am not the normal 12:00. Plus if it goes nowhere, then they shouldn't have to clear customs.

 

Bobbie

 

Voyager of the Seas in....

 

 

Adventure of the Seas 2-03

Enchantment of the Seas 3-03

Majesty of the Seas 5-03

Adventure of the Seas 9-03

Sovereign of the Seas 11-03

Sovereign of the Seas 1-04

Grandeur of the Seas 3-04

 

My albums can be viewed with this link...

http://public.fotki.com/bobbie0253/

 

[Smile0808]

The Voyager is going to canada 5 night and carribean 9 night. The time the ship is leaving or coming back could be different . Im sailing carribean we depart at 5 and arrive at noon...........Ive cruise before and know that when have an 8 am arrival back to the pier, we start down the causeway at 5:30 am and are off the ship before 8.

[paminohio]

I decided I'm staying over Saturday night somewhere a couple of hours away. We budgeted the cruise as our vacation and I don't want to start spending lots of money before we even board, which is what will happen if we stay in or near NY. So...maybe someone who is staying overnight closer to the pier can call me and let me know when the see the Voyager arrive and that's when we'll get up and drive the other two hours!!

 

Pam

 

until Voyager

[FinelyCruising]

[cruisegeek2004]

OK..HERE'S THE DEAL...I'M ACTUALLY ON THE T.A CRUISE ON MAY 14 FOR 2 NIGHTS..THE SHIP WILL DEFINTELY BE BACK IN BAYONNE BY 7AM ON THE 16TH...THE ONLY DELAYS MIGHT BE COAST GUARD INSPECTIONS, BUT THAT MIGHT ONLY TAKE A COUPLE HOURS...I WOULD SUGGEST ARRIVING AT THE PORT BY 2PM TO BEAT THE CROWDS...JUST REMEMBER THAT THE SHIP DOES NOT DEPART TILL 10:00PM !!

 

Email me Questions:

 

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