Kenlorz

Hello fabulous CC members,

I don't know why, but I am more nervous about our NYC end of our vacation than any other part of our cruise vacation combined :eek:. Maybe because I haven't been to NYC in about 10 years, but remember how HUGE it is. Maybe because I've never overnighted or traveled out of NYC before... who knows WHY I'm being a nervous nelly, but I am :confused::rolleyes:

So... with that said. We are planning to take an Amtrak train from Syracuse, NY to Penn Station. We plan on overnighting in the city (haven't picked a hotel yet). We would like to stay close enough to the pier that we can walk to it (but that's not written in stone). With all that said...

I would love your insight, input, pointers, tips & suggestions to help our NYC part of the vacation go wrinkle and worry free :o Anything from where to stay, how to travel about, what to do or see, insider secrets, and how best to handle the terminal without any hassles. Can you help alleviate some of my jitters?

Enjoying the review. Your pictures are really good. What camera set up are you using?

Thank you for the picture painting! When we sailed Allure last year we really didn't have much choice with using a porter, LOL. We had rented a car and dropped it off close to the pier. The car agency provided a shuttle to the pier and pulled up right in front of the porters who had our luggage in hand before we even got off of the shuttle. And once we walked through the doors of the terminal it seemed like we only walked a few feet until we hit security. I don't recall seeing a baggage area there, but I had been relieved of my bags faster than lightening, so I will admit I wasn't really liking either :rolleyes:

Thanks again for explaining!

If you are rolling your luggage from the hotel you can roll your own luggage to the luggage check in the terminal without the help if a porter.

 

We only do carry on of a 21 inch that can accommodate 14 days worth of stuff but still no reason to use a porter for larger pieces as you are walking with it anyway and can presumably manage it yourself

 

Just roll it in yourself

And inside the terminal ask the rep where to put the luggage. Have secure tags on it

Well that's good news! I would gladly deposit it myself to a luggage check...not because we're too cheap to tip a porter (we always do), but because we really are quite capable of bringing it to a luggage check area all by ourselves.

Honestly, I thought you HAD to use a porter, because I read a review of a woman who rolled her luggage past the porters and inside the terminal and once she passed through security she was stuck with the whole shebang until she could reach her room and had greatly wished someone would have told her there was no place to drop her luggage off inside. So can someone tell me exactly WHERE I can drop my bags off of not approached by a porter first?

Thanks everyone for the responses! We plan to get the UDP, so I didn't even think about the fact that it would be covered under that :cool:. It seems a pizza to go, plus some fried calamari and a desert will cost less than the stale cardboard-esque delivery in case! Great option for a late lunch on a day when we have a late night dinner planned, or a late night option on a day where eat extra early. My preference, though, would be if La Cucina were open for lunch and we could take the food up to our balcony and enjoy the sea go by. I really wish at least one out two specialty restaurants were open during lunch.

I've heard the pizza at La Cucina on BA is much better than the 24/7 pizza, so was just wondering if you can order a pizza to go from them? If yes, what would the charge be?

I've been seeing in recent reviews & dailies that Modernos on BA offers a lunch buffet. Has anyone tried it? If so, what kind of food choices do they offer?

We've had a few crises at home (skunked dog followed by sewer backup) and I haven't had a chance to scan and upload. I'll post the text from the menu in lieu of the uploads

 

Menu

 

Peking Duck Salad- Arugula, Boston, Green Asparagus, Fennel Walnut Oil Vinaigrette

 

Sirloin Manhattan Steak & Breaded Cajun Shrimp. Leek & Garlic Mash, Broccoli, Mushroom Sauce

 

Mocaccino Cheesecake with Banana & Dulce De Leche Sauce

 

 

Wines

1) Estancia Pinot Grigio, Monterey, California

2) Nobilo Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand

3) Penfolds Chardonnay, Barossa Valley, Australia

4) Beringer Founders Estate Pinot Noir, Napa Valley, California

5) North and South- NCL Proprietary Blend

6) Villa Sandi Prosecco Brut, Veneto, Italy

Were these small tastings? Or half or full glasses? Six full glasses and I would be SNOCKERED :p:eek:

Look more carefully. It's not the same page repeated three times. There are 4 scans (2 pages double sided) per day except for Day 7, where I only have 1 page front and back.

LOL!!! I actually think it's a problem with my internet browser not playing nice with the upload site :cool:. BEFORE I had to try 5 or 6 times to even get it to open (kept getting an error telling me to use Word to open the document). Then it finally opened and I got a page with day one repeating numerous times alternating with day 4, but a second window ALSO opened at the same time that gave me the dreaded error message.

JUST NOW, I tried again (to look more carefully :p:D) and I got one page that opened up with day one repeating over and over and over again along with day four just like before... BUT... I also got a second window that opened with the whole document in order days one through seven. Weird huh?:rolleyes:

But thanks again, and at least I got it now. For anyone else that has any trouble, try a different browser. I am using Safari on an IMac FWIW

I was able to open the files, but unfortunately it was day one repeated 3 times, then day 4, then day 1, then day 4, then day 1 :confused::confused::confused:

I so appreciate you uploading these, but can you please check to see the days that uploaded?

Kenlorz, I still have all mine scanned in but too big for CC to handle. If you PM me an email address, I can send them to you. Maybe there's something you can do with them to shrink them down? I haven't had the time to be able to try that. Let me know.

 

I have the full Freestyle Dailies, incl the Your Day Your Way (or whatever they're called) scanned in for each day. About 8-10 pages each day in pdf form

I think the photos from Cindy posted well. If you (or anyone else) want to email me any documents you have, I will start a new thread and post them all (menus, dailies, etc.). I'll be sure to recognize which CC member they have come from and which sailing if you list it in your email :)

You (or anyone else who would like to add something but isn't having luck getting it uploaded) can email me at:

kenlorziscruising at gmail dot com

Cindy_at_Home emailed me the images of the dailies. I will try to post a set using photobucket here and see if they are any clearer. I will not be re-sizing them as we are having such blur issues, so I apologize in advance for the large images. Tell me if this is any better. If it is, I will keep uploading them...

Day One:

.....and I'm not looking a gift horse in the mouth either. Just to be honest, I do find these somewhat better to read. All of the important stuff can figured out although the scans are still pretty blurry.

 

Again, thank you for posting.

 

:)

 

wasiii

Finding the same :) Blurry but somewhat better :) Thank you for the offer to email the docs. I'll contact you through the site. Thanks for all your efforts!

My husband and I just received an offer from Norwegian to open up a credit card and receive $100 OBC after you make one qualifying purchase. We applied and were approved. After looking over the points program (1 point for every $1 spent or double points for NCL purchases) it seems it would take quite a bit of card usage to rack up any additional useable bonus points for our upcoming cruise. Can anyone give me any insider tips on accruing points? I know with some points clubs, they offer different bonus points throughout the year for signing up for things or purchasing certain things. Does this card offer any similar ways to accrue additional bonus points?

Wasiii I just tried and they seem to be doing the same thing to me. I went back to the original scan and they seem fine. I will try to load them again, but it will be tonight before I get a chance. Thanks for letting me know!

THank you!! Thank you!!! I had the same problem as the other poster. I tried to print them out, but all that came out was a giant blur and they are completely illegible. I tried downloading them and enhancing them in a photo editor, but all that did was make a sharper blur, LOL. If you can get them uploaded in a crisper version, I would be over the moon ecstatic :D:D

I just got off the Breakaway and while the service was slow at times, the pricing was great! To only pay for MB and not minutes was wonderful! I had to check in with work and didn't know how much I would end up using, so I got the 1000 MB plan for $39 and over the course of the week I only used a little over 600 MB. There is a usage meter. I was online A LOT! Including uploading pictures to FB from my phone, even a short video of the fireworks. Checking emails constantly, browsing the internet. Once I realized how much I could do for so little MB, I used the internet often. The iConcierge doesn't use your MB, it's free.

 

I think it's a great plan and yes, you can switch from device to device. I used my phone, my tablet and my kids could log in from their phones when I let them use the password.

This is fantastic news! We were looking for an inexpensive way to keep touch with our teens who are remaining behind (romantic celebration=adult alone time ;)). I'm assuming this would work well with text over internet? So, if I turned my airplane mode on and just left my smart phone on wifi... would this work to be able to text back and forth with my family?

Show times have changed since the 5/18 cruise- hence why so many are asking about it :)

It is actually the sailing that the changes took place, but the blogger took pictures of the dailies and posted those and they are very blurry and illegible when I print them out. So, if you could please upload yours, we would still be very appreciative :)

1- yes, porters were ready and available

2- yes, we were able to enter straight away

3- no, security was not open. They lined us up in chairs in the order we arrived, and then when security opened around 9:45 we were escorted over to the security line in the order we arrived.

4- it was immediate. Cleared security, went straight to the check in desk, and did not have to wait for a desk rep to help us.

5- see #3 and 4

Thank you...very helpful indeed

I don't want to worry you, but have a look at the "Embarkation" review :

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=43105842&postcount=1

Yup...I've been posting back and forth with her on a few threads. Craziness!!! I still can't for the life of me figure out how she ended up with boarding group #23 and then regular pax arriving way after her got much lower groups. It's just insane ... and down right dis-heartening considering my plans. All I can do is try, right?

If she cant I will upload mine or I can mail the originals. I dont need them.

Then YOU ROCK, too!! :D

I know there are people itching to see the entertainment line up changes, so we would be much obliged if one of you can do it :)

I just read your review and like I mentioned in another thread, I am flabbergasted at what happened to you at embarkation :eek:. Especially since no one could offer you any explanation of what happened or why it happened.:eek:

Few questions for you regarding embarkation, as we plan on arriving around the same time as you...

1. Arriving at 8:45, were there porters readily available to take your bags?

2. Were you able to enter the building right away?

3. Was security open yet? Or how long did you wait for security to open?

4. How long from the time you went through security until you were able to check in?

5. By the time check-in began, were there a ton more people there and if so, do you think that was were some of the breakdown occurred...between security and check in? Were the check in people taking you in the order that you arrived?

i can provably get mine uploaded tonight

you rock!!!

I did- I posted the full story in my review. I simply ended up saying to heck with it all and boarded somewhere around group 7. They didn't try to stop me.

 

I was among the tail end of folks who got a Vibe pass.

Thanks for responding... Glad you got a Vibe pass... Now, I'm off to read your review ;)

Nobody has any clue what went so wrong! We were there by 8:45 and one of the first to pass through security. They line everyone up in the order that they arrived. We were not the only ones who had this happen-

I think it was a mistake/the fault of the person we dealt with at the check in desk because the people behind us got 16, and the ones after them got 28.

That just seems so outrageous! I feel so bad for you! Were you trying to get a Vibe pass? And if so, did you manage to get one even with the horrendous mix up? I'm still shaking my head over your story... what a mess. Again, so sorry. And since you never learned what the mix up was, I guess you don't have advice for us future cruisers... but if you do have anything to suggest that would help avoid this kind of mishap, I'm all ears.