Why does NCL make you cross street to get ride in NYC?

[Rahi]

On my last cruise we were sent across the street in NYC to get cab, or ride.. I was surprised this happened. Is there any way to still be picked up at the ramp area where you embark? Thanks! And what is the street name they make you get ride?

[smeyer418]

On my last cruise we were sent across the street in NYC to get cab, or ride.. I was surprised this happened. Is there any way to still be picked up at the ramp area where you embark? Thanks! And what is the street name they make you get ride?

 

they don't. Cabs pick up on the second level as do private cars. the street is 12th avenue and 48th street....You take the elevator to the second level and can pick up easily...

[runner15km]

I think it is 12th ave.

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

[Sam The Cat]

I got off the Jewel last week and was sent across the street. It was much faster than getting a cab upstairs where you wait your turn in line especially there were 3 ships in port I have done both

[Ask4Jay]

Agree with smeyer418, nobody is making you walk across the street. We, however, did it voluntarily because the wait for a cab upstairs at the ramp was way too long. So we just walked across (after taking the elevator down) and took an off-duty limo. Paid up front - in cash, no receipt, go figure.

[runner15km]

Agree with smeyer418, nobody is making you walk across the street. We, however, did it voluntarily because the wait for a cab upstairs at the ramp was way too long. So we just walked across (after taking the elevator down) and took an off-duty limo. Paid up front - in cash, no receipt, go figure.

Wondering why would you need a receipt? Writing off cruise as a business function.:D

[smeyer418]

Wondering why would you need a receipt? Writing off cruise as a business function.:D

actually IMO a receipt is a good idea..if you leave something in the car its the best way to find it. NY City yellow cabs accept charge cards and must give a receipt. A car service pick up the way they did is both violating the law and stiffing their central station of their fee...

[Rahi]

It sure seems like they made us.. Heading for elevator was told no .. And I just read this review of the Gem..

 

" This time however they made us wait across the street for pick up. A busy 6 lane New York City highway is not a safe place to cross. We were left to wait on the street which was unsafe. "

 

I didn't feel the street was unsafe though..and they did have someone there to help us across street.. BUT maybe they don't at all times.. we were first off.

[Bemis]

The 'hey do you want a ride' livery cab hustlers aren't supposed to be doing street pickups; only the yellow cabs. Thus, I'm not surprised at the lack of a receipt - I'd be inclined to stay away from them, personally.

 

There's a stoplight and crosswalk right at the exit, with a walk signal more than sufficient to get across even pulling luggage; I never perceived any particular problem with it. And, there's a cab stand right across the street - we've done easy-walk-off with our own luggage, and always have been able to immediately get a cab, no waiting or line.

[Rahi]

The 'hey do you want a ride' livery cab hustlers aren't supposed to be doing street pickups; only the yellow cabs. Thus, I'm not surprised at the lack of a receipt - I'd be inclined to stay away from them, personally.

 

There's a stoplight and crosswalk right at the exit, with a walk signal more than sufficient to get across even pulling luggage; I never perceived any particular problem with it. And, there's a cab stand right across the street - we've done easy-walk-off with our own luggage, and always have been able to immediately get a cab, no waiting or line.

 

So what everyone is saying is.. I have a choice to go across the street or not.. I can still be picked up at the ramp where I am dropped off at the start of cruise..right??

[SuiteCruiser]

The upper ramp, yes. Not down at street level.

[Rahi]

The upper ramp, yes. Not down at street level.

huh??

[shof515]

i dont know if any information is old or outdated but this is from the cruise terminal website at http://www.nycruise.com/:

Disembarking

 

Upon Returning From The Cruise:

Passengers will be directed to the baggage hall where baggage will have been positioned by porters under appropriate signs coded by letter, cabin number or color, depending on the system followed by the cruise line. After retrieving your bags, proceed past the customs inspector for customs declaration. You may be assisted by a porter according to your preference.

 

 

Bus and Limousine Passengers:

Descend to street level via two elevators or the escalator located at the far end of the lobby.

 

Taxi Passengers:

Exit the lobby area with your baggage onto the second-level viaduct; claim a numbered ticket from the taxi dispatcher and await taxi service on the sidewalk queue stripe.

[Rahi]

i dont know if any information is old or outdated but this is from the cruise terminal website at http://www.nycruise.com/:

TY ..but that is old. I was totally caught off guard last cruise when they honestly "made" us go across the street to wait for our ride.. I don't want to repeat that unpleasant time we had waiting in Feb temps.. for more than 30 mins.. They pretty much wrangle you all..(yea we felt like cattle) to the area in which I am talking of..It was real bad that I did not think I would ever consider crusing with them again.. but if the price is right.. I'll try again. And why are they doing that anyway? I was just on cruise with HAL>.and we got off ship..and met our transportation at ramp..

[ZoneHPH]

Taxis are to be obtained upstairs. There is a taxi line on the 2nd level.

 

and as for the title of the thread...once you disembark the ship (aside from NCL transfers/flights and post-cruise excursions)...you are really free to do "whatever"...NCL doesn't make you do anything. :D

[mw4357]

You could always use a car service and have them pick you up on the first level that's what I do when I travel from here, it's definitely worth the added expense, or I park in the port lot.

[rsinj]

We disembarked on a morning with 4 ships unloading.

 

Not wanting to deal with all the people trying to get a cab at the terminal, we just walked down two blocks by the Intrepid, walked across the street, and a cab pulled up for us - no waiting.

 

Howard

[auntierobin]

"Why does NCL make you cross street to get ride in NYC?"

 

Quick question and more importantly - How is the design of the pick up area in the Port of New York NCL's fault and did they have people (actual NCL employees) outside directing you across the street, did their disembarkation instructions tell you to go across the street? If they did then you should never sail NCL again, since they are so thoughtless and unfeeling.

 

Is this kind of like "why did the chicken cross the road"?

[Rahi]

"Why does NCL make you cross street to get ride in NYC?"

 

Quick question and more importantly - How is the design of the pick up area in the Port of New York NCL's fault and did they have people (actual NCL employees) outside directing you across the street, did their disembarkation instructions tell you to go across the street? If they did then you should never sail NCL again, since they are so thoughtless and unfeeling.

 

Is this kind of like "why did the chicken cross the road"?

Why is it Carnival, and HAL never since asked us to cross the street? .. or more like it demanded we do so.. Which I will now say not to.. but seriously.. why only NCL pretty much made us do this.. I am not making this up.. why would I????

[smeyer418]

Sorry I realise now I was rude.. I was just frustrated..

thanks...btw one experience does not always make an expert. I have disembarked three times this year in Manhattan. "the employees" even though they wear NCL jackets are hired by an independent company. There are actually very few NCL employees even though they wear an NCL jacket. Most are day employees poorly trained and not particularly experienced.

 

I have had different experiences each time and yes sometimes they try to shoo me across the street...which I avoid...

[auntierobin]

You do realize that once you disembark the ship and are in the hall with the luggage that there are no longer any NCL employees? They are all customs and Port Authority employees? With exception of maybe one customer service person.

[ZoneHPH]

thanks...btw one experience does not always make an expert. I have disembarked three times this year in Manhattan. "the employees" even though they wear NCL jackets are hired by an independent company. There are actually very few NCL employees even though they wear an NCL jacket. Most are day employees poorly trained and not particularly experienced.

 

I have had different experiences each time and yes sometimes they try to shoo me across the street...which I avoid...

 

and because of this knowledge, i ignore these folks on the way out. what sucks is that for those not from NYC...these are the people giving the first impression of a cruise line.

 

when checking in...however...i'm nice as pie! :) can't have these folks slow my path to an early boarding time.

 

someone mentioned disembarking with 4 ships in port. as much as i loved seeing Princess, MSC, AIDA, and NCL at the terminal this past Saturday...i drove right past the madness! :D

[smeyer418]

You do realize that once you disembark the ship and are in the hall with the luggage that there are no longer any NCL employees? They are all customs and Port Authority employees? With exception of maybe one customer service person.

customs employees(mostly immigration and customs services DHS employees) yes port authority no. its a common misconception that the port authority has anything to do with the passenger terminal at all. Its owned by the city through its Economic Development Corp subsiduary and operated by a contractor-P&O America not the NYNJ Port authority which operates mostly container and break bulk docks, the NY area airports, the Manhattan long distance bus terminals, some bridges, PATH and the WTC site..

[buckirj1]

This also happened to me when disembarking the Jewel a few weeks ago in NYC. We were directed downstairs to street level, most of us not knowing any better. I'm not totally familiar with the NY terminal, but I took one look and said, "this ain't right," and turned right around and took the elevator up one level. Once at that level, it all looked familiar and I got my bearings back. I felt a lot more comfortable standing in a long taxi queue than schlepping my luggage across six lanes of traffic. YMMV.

[coka]

Having disembarked NCL and HAL from the NYC terminal within the past few years, I only learned about crossing the street from the lower level by reading it on cruise critic. Here are my guidelines for getting out:

 

Before deciding which option, I look to see which line is the longest. Granted, you can not tell once getting your luggage, but taking a look before debarking the vessel can give you an idea how many ship passengers are waiting for a cab on the second level. This requires looking somewhere from the front of ship. After you get your luggage, you can look afar across the street to see the line too before getting on the elevator up. Having an idea of both situations will help decide whether or not to cross the street and whether or not take the elevator. Frankly, I think crossing the street with the extra duty policemen stopping and directing traffic for me to cross is safer than 50 to 100 passengers with luggage on an industrial elevator. Basically, I try to figure out where the others are not. Last time it was raining during debarkation. Surely, passengers were not crossing the street to get wet...but we did and jumped in a cab right away no problem.

 

Before I hire a porter to get me out of the terminal faster (when there are long lines inside at customs/immigration), I ask him if he can take me all the way to getting inside a cab (instead of dumping me at the exit to figure everything on my own). If he says yes, then I reward handsomely. I currently owe those guys my first born.

 

Regarding the poster who wrote never get into a vehicle for hire other than a yellow cab (if not prearranged)...I agree do not get in. They are not supposed to solicit down there and they are more expensive than taking a yellow cab. They may have a nice black town car but having done it once before...I think the crips and the bloods now own nice black town cars...

 

coka