QM 2 and New York pier checkin etc..

[JGR01]

I was reading on another forum (nameless) how horrible the pier checkin was in NYC. Crowded, noisy, use of freight elevators for passengers and very confusing. Some taxis would not drop people off close for fear of getting caught in the mess.. and once inside for checkin it was even worse!

 

1. What is the NYC Cunard checkin like? Is it the same place as other ships or their own pier/berth?
   
2. What time does check-in begin? Was told someplace 12:30 I think .. but what time would it pay to get there?
   
3. The hotel told me to take a taxi ... that they do not have a house-car. This the best way? OR Car Service? or?
   
4. I know Queens Grill and Princess Grill have their own check-in area. Anyone know WHERE it is .. at the main doors .. or to the left or right or?? Are there people there to help you go to the proper queue?
   
5. What is the proper tipping for porters on the docks to collect your luggage and move it to the ship for loading???
   

The other posting has me a bit worried. Hopefully Cunard will be more pleasant ... but want to be prepared!

[susietb]

As long as you are staying at a local hotel, be at the pier by 12:00-12:30. Your hotel should be able to get you a taxi to drop you off at the arriving passenger area. There are plenty of porters to take your luggage, the next time you see it will be inside your cabin. $3 per (2) two bags is a very nice tip. There are Cunard Personnel who will direct you to either grill check in lines or britannia ones, this is really not a problem.

 

Yes, it is crowded and noisy, but this is a big ship and this is New York!!!

[TITISSA]

I was reading on another forum (nameless) how horrible the pier checkin was in NYC. Crowded, noisy, use of freight elevators for passengers and very confusing. Some taxis would not drop people off close for fear of getting caught in the mess.. and once inside for checkin it was even worse!

1. What is the NYC Cunard checkin like? Is it the same place as other ships or their own pier/berth?
   
2. What time does check-in begin? Was told someplace 12:30 I think .. but what time would it pay to get there?
   
3. The hotel told me to take a taxi ... that they do not have a house-car. This the best way? OR Car Service? or?
   
4. I know Queens Grill and Princess Grill have their own check-in area. Anyone know WHERE it is .. at the main doors .. or to the left or right or?? Are there people there to help you go to the proper queue?
   
5. What is the proper tipping for porters on the docks to collect your luggage and move it to the ship for loading???
   

The other posting has me a bit worried. Hopefully Cunard will be more pleasant ... but want to be prepared!

 

I've sailed out of New York only twice and had two very different experiences. First time was with Carnival Victory going to Canada and 2nd time with the Seabourn Pride. With Carnival everything was horrendous. Embarkation, the ship, the people, the weather and disembarkation. Of course it was a huge ship. With the Seabourn Pride it was paradise. Very civilized and absolutely wonderful. Very samll yatch for 200 passengers only. Now we'll be taking the QM2 over Independence weekend on July 2nd. I know it is a big ship and I'm ready to wait and hopefuly it will not be as terrible as Carnival was. Towards the end of the summer we are once again sailing out of NY on the Norwegian Dawn. By then, we'll be pros on waiting in line...:D

I'll tell you just one thing: Yes, NY Pier is a hassle. It is old and obsolete.Some people can be quite rude and it is very crowded. But, there is no other place like NY and sailing out of NY looking at that skyline and The Statue of Liberty it is absolutely fantastic! I just keep doing it again and again. Relax and go with the flow. Happy Cruising! :)

[Gardyloo]

For what it's worth, our experience was thus (in April):

 

We had brunch with a friend in the city so didn't leave our hotel (opposite the WTC site, so way downtown v. the mid-town terminal) until 1:30 or so, figuring we'd be early for the 2:30 checkin suggested on our tickets.

 

We went up the West Side hwy, thus on the opposite side of the street from the terminal entrance. When we got close to the terminal (around 50th) we could see that the southbound ramps/driveways etc. were completely jammed - not just the QM2 but an NCL boat moored at the next slip south. Nothing was moving in that direction.

 

The cab driver said he'd be willing to go farther north and loop around southbound so we could get out on the water side of the street, but that it would take a fair amount of time. Or, he could drop us at the corner directly opposite the entry and all we'd have to do is roll our bags across the crosswalk, maybe 80 feet, and straight in.

 

We did that and found ourselves at the main bag drop point. I asked where to leave bags and a worker said leave them there (with tags on, duh.) He wasn't a porter - those I didn't see too many of - maybe they were at the elevated drive (over our heads) where the cabbie would have left us had we done the loop. We did so, then got on a big (freight-type) elevator for a one-stop ascent into the lobby of the terminal.

 

The signposting was clear; we queued very briefly to have our tickets and passports checked and photos taken for ID, then we were directed toward the main boarding area. I believe the Grillers were segregated from the mob at some point in the walk to the gangway, but didn't take notes. The usual smile-for-the-camera stops were there, but once on board there were no stewards to guide us to our cabin, only maps if we needed one. We didn't.

 

When we got to our cabin 2 of our 3 bags were already waiting at the door; the 3rd showed up around 5 minutes later. From the street to the cabin took, maybe, 20 New York Minutes.