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Arranging pick up time for luggages from mct


bromleypod
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Hi all

I am going to try out a luggage transfer service from Manhattan cruise terminal to JFK as our flight is not leaving till the evening and we want to spend our last day in New York without our luggages.

 

Question is, what is the earliest time should I arrange for the company to pick up our luggages from the terminal?

 

Thanks

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I assume you are collecting your luggage and then handing it over to the transfer service. But in any case I would call the service and they should be familiar with the routines at the MCT.

Yes I will be but not sure what’s the earliest we would be off the ship

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It would be helpful if you told us what ship you're on and when its scheduled docking time is. That way someone can give you an estimate of when you might reasonably expect to be able to be off the ship with your luggage.

 

By the way, what service are you using, because no cruise line I know of that docks in NY has am officially sanctioned luggage delivery service to the NY airports?

 

I can tell you that there's a long and and sad history of companies that tried to provide services such as off site valet parking at the Manhattan Cruise Terminal that when discovered by the port operator were banned from the facility because only the port operator has the right to offer car parking services there. Since the port operator is also the only agency permitted to handle luggage there and has a contract with the longshoremen's union to provide that service they could very well also ban whatever company you're expecting to pick up your luggage at the pier if the port operator discovers the activity.

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It would be helpful if you told us what ship you're on and when its scheduled docking time is. That way someone can give you an estimate of when you might reasonably expect to be able to be off the ship with your luggage.

 

By the way, what service are you using, because no cruise line I know of that docks in NY has am officially sanctioned luggage delivery service to the NY airports?

 

I can tell you that there's a long and and sad history of companies that tried to provide services such as off site valet parking at the Manhattan Cruise Terminal that when discovered by the port operator were banned from the facility because only the port operator has the right to offer car parking services there. Since the port operator is also the only agency permitted to handle luggage there and has a contract with the longshoremen's union to provide that service they could very well also ban whatever company you're expecting to pick up your luggage at the pier if the port operator discovers the activity.

I am going on the Escape to Bermuda and docking time as stated in the itenary is 8am. I am looking into the service of a company called freeyourarms

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I am going on the Escape to Bermuda and docking time as stated in the itenary is 8am. I am looking into the service of a company called freeyourarms

 

The Bermuda NCL cruises are normally docked well before their scheduled time. There's no guarantee, but disembarkation often begins well before 8. Do you get any priority disembarkation because you're in a suite or have platinum status ? Are you going to do self assist disembarkation or put your bags out the night before for the cruise line to handle? Do you have a schedule you want to adhere to or are you just spending a leisurely day sight seeing in Manhattan? Depending on how you answer those questions you could be off the ship and through customs/immigration anywhere from 8 am to 10 am. In many ways you can control the time yourself depending on your status and how/when you want to disembark.

 

As far as that company is concerned you're on your own. Not one person who posts here has ever reported using it, and as I said if the port operating company finds out they're picking up luggage at the pier they could boot them out. Of course you could meet them somewhere out on the street corner...and in fact you might have to anyway because their vehicle might not be allowed onto the cruise terminal grounds.

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The Bermuda NCL cruises are normally docked well before their scheduled time. There's no guarantee, but disembarkation often begins well before 8. Do you get any priority disembarkation because you're in a suite or have platinum status ? Are you going to do self assist disembarkation or put your bags out the night before for the cruise line to handle? Do you have a schedule you want to adhere to or are you just spending a leisurely day sight seeing in Manhattan? Depending on how you answer those questions you could be off the ship and through customs/immigration anywhere from 8 am to 10 am. In many ways you can control the time yourself depending on your status and how/when you want to disembark.

 

As far as that company is concerned you're on your own. Not one person who posts here has ever reported using it, and as I said if the port operating company finds out they're picking up luggage at the pier they could boot them out. Of course you could meet them somewhere out on the street corner...and in fact you might have to anyway because their vehicle might not be allowed onto the cruise terminal grounds.

Right I think they pick up from 12th Avenue, W48th . Is this a straightforward walk across from the terminal?

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Having seen the ship in port I agree disembarkation should begin earlier.

 

I would just arrange for 8:30 AM though.

 

Keith

The alternative for us I guess is taking NCL’s tour of New York which is quite pricey but does include airport drop off. I don’t know how good these tours though.

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The alternative for us I guess is taking NCL’s tour of New York which is quite pricey but does include airport drop off. I don’t know how good these tours though.

 

Why not hop into a taxi at the cruise pier, take your luggage to Schwartz Travel http://www.schwartztravel.com , do your sightseeing, and then when you're done pick up your luggage at Schwartz and take a taxi, car service or Uber to the airport ? Schwartz Travel is a legitimate business that provides luggage storage services.

 

As a native New Yorker I would never hand my luggage off to some stranger on the street corner who says they represent some company that will deliver your belongings to the airport. That "Free Your Arms" service may be legitimate, but who knows. Even if they are legitimate, what's going to happen if the vehicle transporting your luggage breaks down, gets in a accident or just gets caught in a classic NY traffic jam on the way to the airport? Even with 100% good intentions on their part the logistics of the process are shaky.

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