Veendam-Disembarking in NYC

[Ali70]

I'm on the Veendam sailing August 29th and after the cruise I'm going to Chicago for a few days ( I like to drag out my vacation for as long as possible).

 

My flight from LaGuardia to Chicago was at 1.30pm but I just got an email from my TA saying it's been changed to 12.15pm. I have booked transportation to LaGuardia with HAL so I was wondering how early do they let you disembark and what time the first bus leaves for LaGuardia?

 

I thought I'd be ok with a 1.30pm flight but I'm a bit concerned that a 12.15pm flight might not be do-able.

[sapper1]

I'm on the Veendam sailing August 29th and after the cruise I'm going to Chicago for a few days ( I like to drag out my vacation for as long as possible).

 

My flight from LaGuardia to Chicago was at 1.30pm but I just got an email from my TA saying it's been changed to 12.15pm. I have booked transportation to LaGuardia with HAL so I was wondering how early do they let you disembark and what time the first bus leaves for LaGuardia?

 

I thought I'd be ok with a 1.30pm flight but I'm a bit concerned that a 12.15pm flight might not be do-able.

We took the HAL transportation to La Guardia in June. Our flight was at 2PM so we had no problem. The 1PM people were OK too----just.

We were in the first group off the ship and seated on the bus quite early. Problem was, the bus had to wait until everyone who had booked was off the ship. One gentleman who had a noon hour flight went ballistic and put on quite a show for us until he stormed off the bus and took a taxi. The HAL rep told him within my hearing that flights should not be booked until afternoon if you are taking HAL transportation.

Another problem arose when the bus was too high to fit under an underpass to get to the American terminal so the passengers were dropped off at a shuttle bus stop and told to either walk to the terminal or wait for the shuttle to come along. With 1PM flights, they were very upset and had to drag their luggage to the terminal as they couldn't wait for a shuttle. That situation only applied to the American terminal.

 

After that experience, and the experience in San Diego in May with the ship not being cleared by US officials until almost 11 AM, I decided that I will never book a flight that leaves before 2 PM.

 

I guess what I am saying to you is that if you go with the early flight, plan on taking a taxi and forget HAL transportation.

[3rdGenCunarder]

We took the HAL transportation to La Guardia in June. Our flight was at 2PM so we had no problem. The 1PM people were OK too----just.

We were in the first group off the ship and seated on the bus quite early. Problem was, the bus had to wait until everyone who had booked was off the ship. One gentleman who had a noon hour flight went ballistic and put on quite a show for us until he stormed off the bus and took a taxi. The HAL rep told him within my hearing that flights should not be booked until afternoon if you are taking HAL transportation.

Another problem arose when the bus was too high to fit under an underpass to get to the American terminal so the passengers were dropped off at a shuttle bus stop and told to either walk to the terminal or wait for the shuttle to come along. With 1PM flights, they were very upset and had to drag their luggage to the terminal as they couldn't wait for a shuttle. That situation only applied to the American terminal.

 

After that experience, and the experience in San Diego in May with the ship not being cleared by US officials until almost 11 AM, I decided that I will never book a flight that leaves before 2 PM.

 

I guess what I am saying to you is that if you go with the early flight, plan on taking a taxi and forget HAL transportation.

 

I agree. You can choose your time to disembark. Pick the earliest time and take a taxi to the airport. As long as the ship is on time, you should be OK.

[RalphWiggum]

If you don't have a lot of luggage, and if the ship is on time to NYC, you can definitely walk off the ship and make it to LaGuardia with time to spare, even taking into account a few reasonable delays or glitches (road closings, minor NYC traffic, slow customs clearance).

 

I think having to wait for everybody to board the HAL bus while hoping to catch a 12:15 flight would be agonizing. You might make it, you might not, and you won't know until the day of. That said, it's been a while since I've flown, but aren't there flights on a hourly basis from NYC to Chicago. I know United and American had hourly service ten years ago, along with the other larger carriers. Have you asked your travel agent if there are any flights at 2 or 3?

[Canes#1]

We disembarked the Veedam on June 27th with a 9:25am departure out of LGA. We got to the GATE in plenty of time even with a 40 minute wait to check our bags.

 

The key is, besides the ship arriving on time, is NOT to choose the HAL transportation. If you do, you will not be allowed the early disembarkation time of 7:15.

[mamaofami]

You really can't count on leaving the ship at 7am. First, the ship can be late coming into port. Second, it has to clear customs ( or is it immigration) and there's no telling how long that can take.

Take a taxi to the airport. Personally, I would take a later flight.