NCL NY Motorcoach Program

[LizG12]

Does anyone have any experience with NCL Motorcoach Program - http://www.ncl.com/freestyle-cruise/getting-to-the-pier#newyork ?

[CruiserDee]

I have booked it but am not cruising til Sept. My boss does this all the time and says it is very convenient but has not done it for NCL. (She cruises only Celebrity and I most often cruise with NCL.)

 

Apparently it is through Academy bus services and they pick you up at a location. (I am going from Massachusetts). They service a couple different cruiselines so all of you are on the same bus and they drop you off at the pier. She swears by it so I put my faith in her. I will let you know after we sail how it worked out.

 

D

[WatchHill]

Academy was known as Entertainment Tours. They are located in Braintree MA.

 

I have booked directly with the bus company for both NYC and Bayonne. Not sure what NCL is charging you, but the last time I checked ENT's site it was $110 pp. The same bus carried those who book through NCL and independently reserved passengers. I was tempted to book again for our September cruise, but pick up time post cruise from NY is about 1: PM, and I didn't want to wait that long. From Bayonne, they pick up around 10: AM.

 

Darcy

[CruiserDee]

Hi Darcy!

 

I booked directly through NCL and the charges are the same. It worked out to be $220 for my self and my husband roundtrip. Easier and cheaper than taking the train and then a cab. I heard it is very hectic at the port so getting out takes some time. I am ok with a little bit of a wait. We do it at the airports when we fly so I figured no problem. Not to mention that I don't have to drive!!!! Woot! That seems like a bonus within itself.

 

Did you have any problems getting to the port on time? I always wonder about what happens if there is an issue.

 

D

[marco]

We've not used them for NCL, but they do bus service for Celebrity out of NJ. We've used them a couple of times and were quite satisfied with them.

[WatchHill]

CruiserDee - According to my TA, he has never heard of ENT not arriving on time - and he always includes one of the bus flyers in the booking confirmations he sends to clients cruising out of NYC or NJ. The drivers seem to use alternate routes and try to adjust the pit stop time to reflect traffic. Once, when returning from Bayonne, the traffic through NYC was so bad, we were running well over an hour behind schedule and were yet to get into CT. He asked the pax if they wanted to stop or keep moving. We decided to stop, but got all of our food to go, with some pax ordering for others who needed to use the rest rooms. That kept the stop to a reasonable time.

 

We have picked up the bus at Braintree and lately Providence.

 

Darcy

[CruiserDee]

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=on%20ncl%20-%20where%20do%20we%20wait%20for%20academy%20bus%20pick%20up%20&source=web&cd=4&cad=rja&ved=0CEEQFjAD&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cruisecritic.com%2Fmemberreviews%2Fmemberreview.cfm%3FEntryID%3D220730&ei=csH6UfXqHfen4APYoYC4CQ&usg=AFQjCNFZAqPoqz49XeBdGt9heV94tX8gPg

 

Ok so I don't know if that link worked but there is a review from the NCL Breakaway dated May 30th 2013 and the family took the Academy bus from Hartford to Pier 88 no worries. They got there just after noontime and were able to stay on the ship til 11:15am. By the time they made it through customs the bus was there ready to pick them up! Sounds encouraging to me!!!!

 

Thank you Darcy for the additional information! It makes a big difference knowing that they communicate with their passengers!!!

 

Now I can't wait to cruise!!!!

 

D

[smakle]

Any idea what's time do it usually get to NYC pier from Union Station DC? My husband and I worry to stay in the bus too long (8am to 4pm).

[janetz]

For some in the NY, Western Mass area, another option is Yankee Cruise Express from Albany. Excellent service. :D

http://tours.yankeetrails.com/Tours/NCL_Cruise_Express

[mking8288]

The official NCL bus program arrived & departing directly below the Manhattan Pier Terminal - if they are running late for any reasons, the ship will still be waiting for you (same for NCL-booked flights with connecting motorcoach from local airports) - very important for embarkation.

 

For disembarkation, usually - you cannot book their services with flights departing earlier than 1 PM. If you are using it for travel within the Northeast corridor (north to Boston or south to MD/DC/VA, etc. - you might be better off doing the Express Walk-off unless you are Platinum with Priority, then taxi over to the PA Bus Terminal to catch an earlier bus, if there is one) On the other hand, ships returning to NYC port do run late occassionally for various reasons (weather and/or customs/immigration, etc.) - you can just sit back & relax and wait for the special boarding calls for NCL buses.

[LizG12]

The official NCL bus program arrived & departing directly below the Manhattan Pier Terminal - if they are running late for any reasons, the ship will still be waiting for you (same for NCL-booked flights with connecting motorcoach from local airports) - very important for embarkation.

 

That's not what NCL told me when I booked the bus (MA to NY). She said the ship sails when it's scheduled, and they don't wait for the bus or flights. If the bus or plane was late and you missed the ship, it's the passenger's responsibility to get to the next port.

 

I haven't decided yet what backup transportation plans I need. If the bus can't leave MA because of weather, flying or driving myself to NY is also out of the question and Amtrak would be iffy. If it's just late, flying NY to FL is doable, but that means planning hotel/transportation/flight - all with a 100% cancel possibility on the weekend between Christmas & New Year's - which seems unlikely.

[janetz]

That's not what NCL told me when I booked the bus (MA to NY). She said the ship sails when it's scheduled, and they don't wait for the bus or flights. If the bus or plane was late and you missed the ship, it's the passenger's responsibility to get to the next port.

 

I haven't decided yet what backup transportation plans I need. If the bus can't leave MA because of weather, flying or driving myself to NY is also out of the question and Amtrak would be iffy. If it's just late, flying NY to FL is doable, but that means planning hotel/transportation/flight - all with a 100% cancel possibility on the weekend between Christmas & New Year's - which seems unlikely.

 

 

Have you considered driving over to Albany, NY the day before? You could stay over then leave your car at Yankee Trails and take their cruise express to NY. I am not sure where you are in Mass. We are in the Berkshires.

[Budget Queen]

Have you considered driving over to Albany, NY the day before? You could stay over then leave your car at Yankee Trails and take their cruise express to NY. I am not sure where you are in Mass. We are in the Berkshires.

 

Or drive to Poughkeepsi and taking Metro North, $34 round trip off peak? Parking is $30 for the week. I'm again doing this myself in 2 weeks.

[LizG12]

I'm in Eastern Mass so Albany or Poughkeepsie are 3-4 hrs(?) away, so it's do-able weather permitting :) But if the weather's bad enough that the bus isn't running, would I be able to get from Albany or Poughkeepsie to the NY terminal??

[Budget Queen]

I'm in Eastern Mass so Albany or Poughkeepsie are 3-4 hrs(?) away, so it's do-able weather permitting :) But if the weather's bad enough that the bus isn't running, would I be able to get from Albany or Poughkeepsie to the NY terminal??

 

There is no way to predict if you are going to "get there" in bad weather. IF bad weather is predicted the only sensible advice is to get out before it hits.

 

The train will run, 99% of the time. Nothing you can do about the other time.

[LizG12]

you're being too logical :) I can't get to NY too much earlier than the cruise because I don't have that many vacation days left (plus, it'll be Christmas so there's the "no room at the inn" thing going on too :) ) so it maybe time to trust that the travel insurance cancellation for weather part kicks in if I can't get to the ship. Or maybe figure out if I can get to Pt Caneveral and end up with at least part of the cruise...

 

maybe I'm overthinking all this.

[CruiserDee]

Ok so here is my OFFICIAL review!

DO NOT TAKE THIS BUS!!!!!

We almost missed the ship. After 17 phone calls they said they would hold for 30 mins but after that we were not going to be allowed access.

The bus was late departing Massachusetts and we were the first pick up - only 4 of us - and we were there 45 mins early! We picked the 4 more people up and proceeded to NY. About noontime we got into the city and the driver got lost!!!! We drove around for 3 more hours all while I was calling the dispatcher, NCL and anyone else I could think of to get us off this bus. (BTW we asked to get off at 2pm so we could get cabs to the port and the driver wouldn't let us off.)

Literally the last ones on the ship, we had to fight through the muster drill (luggage in tow) and this experience ruined the first two days of our cruise because our stress levels were so high.

After my husband contacted the bus company we were told essentially that they got us there and there is nothing further they can do. The driver still works for them ... just in case you were wondering.

Save yourself a LOT of anxiety... walking would be faster...

D

[Budget Queen]

Ok so here is my OFFICIAL review!

DO NOT TAKE THIS BUS!!!!!

We almost missed the ship. After 17 phone calls they said they would hold for 30 mins but after that we were not going to be allowed access.

The bus was late departing Massachusetts and we were the first pick up - only 4 of us - and we were there 45 mins early! We picked the 4 more people up and proceeded to NY. About noontime we got into the city and the driver got lost!!!! We drove around for 3 more hours all while I was calling the dispatcher, NCL and anyone else I could think of to get us off this bus. (BTW we asked to get off at 2pm so we could get cabs to the port and the driver wouldn't let us off.)

Literally the last ones on the ship, we had to fight through the muster drill (luggage in tow) and this experience ruined the first two days of our cruise because our stress levels were so high.

After my husband contacted the bus company we were told essentially that they got us there and there is nothing further they can do. The driver still works for them ... just in case you were wondering.

Save yourself a LOT of anxiety... walking would be faster...

D

 

I guess nobody knew how to get around NYC? Where was he, to be "lost" for 3 hours? You can drive the whole island of Manhattan in less time than that. I'm not sure why nobody had an I pod etc who could just mapquest?

 

You did make the cruise, which was all that is important. For some people, that would have been the end of it. It really took you two days to get over it? Sorry for that.

[CruiserDee]

I guess nobody knew how to get around NYC? Where was he, to be "lost" for 3 hours? You can drive the whole island of Manhattan in less time than that. I'm not sure why nobody had an I pod etc who could just mapquest?

 

You did make the cruise, which was all that is important. For some people, that would have been the end of it. It really took you two days to get over it? Sorry for that.

 

 

We tried to get him to the cruiseport but none of us had a commercial gps (because he needed to be on a bus route - even though clearly he was in many a residential neighborhood) and he wouldn't listen to the directions his dispatcher was giving him on the radio. He went down one way streets and got stuck (had to make a car move to get the bus around a corner).

I booked the bus for my group so I felt responsible for their first cruise starting this way. I still feel bad and that is why I am warning everyone about this service.