Manhattan Terminal Pier 88...what if I arrive extra early?

[Kenlorz]

We plan on taking Amtrak to Manhattan and staying at the Holiday Inn Express on West 48th and walking the next morning to the Breakaway terminal at pier 88. Quick question...

 

We plan on arriving extra early, around 9:00-9:30. What time do the porters start taking luggage at the curbs? What time do they open up the terminal for new pax? If we arrive before they open, will we have to wait at the curb? Basically, help me with getting there as close to the start of operations and the what I can expect if I get there just shy of them starting up, please and thank you :)

[smeyer418]

We plan on taking Amtrak to Manhattan and staying at the Holiday Inn Express on West 48th and walking the next morning to the Breakaway terminal at pier 88. Quick question...

 

We plan on arriving extra early, around 9:00-9:30. What time do the porters start taking luggage at the curbs? What time do they open up the terminal for new pax? If we arrive before they open, will we have to wait at the curb? Basically, help me with getting there as close to the start of operations and the what I can expect if I get there just shy of them starting up, please and thank you :)

why would you want to arrive that early and just sit around the pier? all you do is run into all the people leaving...I would aim to be there around 11 am...no earlier. Yes you can get there earlier and wait inside until the porters start taking the luggage....then go back out and drop it off...They normally start around 10:30am or so

[sebas030]

Hi,

 

The porters start working as soon as the pax from the previous cruise leaves the ship...so around 7:30am for the Breakaway.

 

I never arrived before 9am but I was there at 9 sharp and no problem accessing the parking level and go down to hand my luggage to porters...just make sure you mention you are LEAVING on the next cruise...you want your luggage to go on the ship and not stay on the curb as lost luggage ;)

 

Security screening normally starts a 10am. There will be a queue between the windows and the escalator from the lower level. Ncl personnel will be there to instruct you. When the security screening starts, they will move the queue to the area and the process will begin. ( there are restrooms available on the opposite side of the terminal just before the security check point, in case you wait for a long time ;) )

 

When we reached the waiting area before the check point at around 9:30, there was about 50 person before us.

 

 

Have a safe cruise !

[Kenlorz]

why would you want to arrive that early and just sit around the pier? all you do is run into all the people leaving...I would aim to be there around 11 am...no earlier. Yes you can get there earlier and wait inside until the porters start taking the luggage....then go back out and drop it off...They normally start around 10:30am or so

 

LOL...excellent question! We want to arrive extra early because this is our 25th wedding anniversary cruise (we are spending our actual anniversary onboard) and we were hoping to make it special by scoring a cabana in Vibe. We are not in the Haven or in a suite, so we have no priority boarding and if you are not one of the first people on board the ship and to the courtesy desk, you can pretty much count on missing out on a cabana (there are only 5). It's a long shot for us to get one, even arriving early, but we figure nothing ventured, nothing gained. From what we've been reading, people who have arrived as late as 9:30 are shocked to see many people already lined up. So, in hopes of getting in on boarding group #1 or #2, we plan to arrive at the fore-mentioned time and are prepared for a long wait before boarding :eek:

[Kenlorz]

Hi,

 

The porters start working as soon as the pax from the previous cruise leaves the ship...so around 7:30am for the Breakaway.

 

I never arrived before 9am but I was there at 9 sharp and no problem accessing the parking level and go down to hand my luggage to porters...just make sure you mention you are LEAVING on the next cruise...you want your luggage to go on the ship and not stay on the curb as lost luggage ;)

 

Security screening normally starts a 10am. There will be a queue between the windows and the escalator from the lower level. Ncl personnel will be there to instruct you. When the security screening starts, they will move the queue to the area and the process will begin. ( there are restrooms available on the opposite side of the terminal just before the security check point, in case you wait for a long time ;) )

 

When we reached the waiting area before the check point at around 9:30, there was about 50 person before us.

 

 

Have a safe cruise !

 

Thank you so much...very helpful. You were also confirming what I've been seeing... a bunch of people already in line even at 9:30... yeesh, how early does one have to get there to be one of the first in line? This is starting to remind me of the people who camp out in the parking lots before a black friday sale :rolleyes:. As mentioned above, I just want to give my dh a relaxing cabana for the week...he's been the best husband a gal can ask for and deserves it. I'm doubtful it will happen. But if anyone can give me pointers to help at the pier, I would be most grateful :):)

 

edited to add: OMG!!! I never even THOUGHT about a porter thinking my luggage was heading in the wrong direction (aka: off not on). Now THAT would suck!!!

Edited June 16, 2014 by Kenlorz

[sebas030]

Those who will get on the ship BEFORE regular pax like me :( are :

 

Heaven/suites

 

Casino at sea

 

Pax with disabilities

 

V.I.P.

 

and events...like a weeding ( all board early and the non cruisers have to leave at a certain time before sailaway )

 

Of course only the ones AT the terminal when boarding starts will make it on the ship before you...so not ALL suites, CAS, etc... will get onboard you two.

 

I have read of people arriving at 9:30 or 10 and were on boarding group #2

 

 

Good luck !

[sebas030]

I don't want to worry you, but have a look at the "Embarkation" review :

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=43105842&postcount=1

[Kenlorz]

I don't want to worry you, but have a look at the "Embarkation" review :

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=43105842&postcount=1

 

Yup...I've been posting back and forth with her on a few threads. Craziness!!! I still can't for the life of me figure out how she ended up with boarding group #23 and then regular pax arriving way after her got much lower groups. It's just insane ... and down right dis-heartening considering my plans. All I can do is try, right?

[sebas030]

I just noticed that you are cruising in almost a year.

 

There is plenty of time for Ncl to modify their policy...you might be able to book it online in a few months...you just never know !

 

 

Let's hope it is all for the best !

[mjkacmom]

The last time, we arrived at 9:45, got a great parking spot, had no lines, but still couldn't get enough seats for our family. We were in group 24 (I might have not mentioned lattitudes, because we weren't after Vibe passes - that might have put us in a different group). We boarded about 30 minutes after they started calling numbers.

[sebas030]

The first cruise I ever taken was from NYC. We arrived at the terminal at around 10:30 and we had boarding number twenty something. When they started to call slowly the numbers I remember saying " we will be here for 2 hours ", and then they skipped from, I think, 12 to 22 :eek: ... so we went fast on the ship but we were very far from the first ones.

 

The next 4 times I sailed from NYC I used the Latitudes line and we never had a number higher then 7 ( we were in port at 9:30 or 10 max ). Last trip we were there by 9:15 and were #4. They called 1 and 2 together and then 2 minutes later 3 and 4...so it took less than 10 minutes to get on the ship from the time they started boarding.

[Crusin6]

We always arrive by 10 and park and walk into the terminal get on line and check in then sit for an hour and then board by noon

 

Never a wait but we haven't done a mega ship on Ncl yet

 

But yes 930/10 porters are waiting.

 

I don't know why you need one though as their main function is to take luggage from cars and move it 20 feet into the terminal lol and wait for a tip.

 

If you are rolling your luggage from the hotel you can roll your own luggage to the luggage check in the terminal without the help if a porter.

 

We only do carry on of a 21 inch that can accommodate 14 days worth of stuff but still no reason to use a porter for larger pieces as you are walking with it anyway and can presumably manage it yourself

 

Just roll it in yourself

And inside the terminal ask the rep where to put the luggage. Have secure tags on it

Edited June 20, 2014 by Crusin6

[Kenlorz]

If you are rolling your luggage from the hotel you can roll your own luggage to the luggage check in the terminal without the help if a porter.

 

We only do carry on of a 21 inch that can accommodate 14 days worth of stuff but still no reason to use a porter for larger pieces as you are walking with it anyway and can presumably manage it yourself

 

Just roll it in yourself

And inside the terminal ask the rep where to put the luggage. Have secure tags on it

 

Well that's good news! I would gladly deposit it myself to a luggage check...not because we're too cheap to tip a porter (we always do), but because we really are quite capable of bringing it to a luggage check area all by ourselves.

 

Honestly, I thought you HAD to use a porter, because I read a review of a woman who rolled her luggage past the porters and inside the terminal and once she passed through security she was stuck with the whole shebang until she could reach her room and had greatly wished someone would have told her there was no place to drop her luggage off inside. So can someone tell me exactly WHERE I can drop my bags off of not approached by a porter first?

[Crusin6]

Well that's good news! I would gladly deposit it myself to a luggage check...not because we're too cheap to tip a porter (we always do), but because we really are quite capable of bringing it to a luggage check area all by ourselves.

 

Honestly, I thought you HAD to use a porter, because I read a review of a woman who rolled her luggage past the porters and inside the terminal and once she passed through security she was stuck with the whole shebang until she could reach her room and had greatly wished someone would have told her there was no place to drop her luggage off inside. So can someone tell me exactly WHERE I can drop my bags off of not approached by a porter first?

 

Be assured that you will not be allowed to carry a large piece if luggage through security so I don't know how that person you mentioned was allowed to lug it on the ship with her

 

21 inch roll on yes. Tote bag etc. yes. Much bigger? No. why? Because it won't fit through the carry on luggage scanner

 

When you walk into the terminal the rather brusque Ncl floor reps will grab you don't worry and they will demand to see your docs. The vast majority of these reps will not be too friendly either. They will direct you to where you can put your luggage and will direct you to the correct security/ check in line

 

You will not be alone in dragging your luggage either and porters will take yours and everyone else's luggage at a fast place. Of course those porters would rather not be doing this job which is what they are supposed to do in the first place as they would much rather perform personalized tipped service for one person curbside rather than take the luggage of a line up of 10 pax at the same time inside the terminal and put it on a cart

 

Outside service gets them the tip! Lol

 

Just think of it this way. They have a certain number of porters and a certain number of guests

 

Of course guests outnumber porters but if every guest was required to use a porter it would take hours to just center the terminal

 

The porters who take your luggage curbside are just a service just like curbside check in at the airport

 

No need to use them unless you choose to

Edited June 23, 2014 by Crusin6

[Kenlorz]

Thank you for the picture painting! When we sailed Allure last year we really didn't have much choice with using a porter, LOL. We had rented a car and dropped it off close to the pier. The car agency provided a shuttle to the pier and pulled up right in front of the porters who had our luggage in hand before we even got off of the shuttle. And once we walked through the doors of the terminal it seemed like we only walked a few feet until we hit security. I don't recall seeing a baggage area there, but I had been relieved of my bags faster than lightening, so I will admit I wasn't really liking either :rolleyes:

 

Thanks again for explaining!

[sebas030]

We always arrive by 10 and park and walk into the terminal get on line and check in then sit for an hour and then board by noon

 

Never a wait but we haven't done a mega ship on Ncl yet

 

But yes 930/10 porters are waiting.

 

I don't know why you need one though as their main function is to take luggage from cars and move it 20 feet into the terminal lol and wait for a tip.

 

If you are rolling your luggage from the hotel you can roll your own luggage to the luggage check in the terminal without the help if a porter.

 

We only do carry on of a 21 inch that can accommodate 14 days worth of stuff but still no reason to use a porter for larger pieces as you are walking with it anyway and can presumably manage it yourself

 

Just roll it in yourself

And inside the terminal ask the rep where to put the luggage. Have secure tags on it

 

 

I am sorry to say that there is NO luggage check IN the terminal. In fact the luggage doesn't even enters the terminal. The porters put 20 piece of luggage on a cart and takes it one level down with the freight elevator and then to the ship...

 

If you ask a rep where you can put your luggage, the answer will be "outside to a porter "

 

 

Well that's good news! I would gladly deposit it myself to a luggage check...not because we're too cheap to tip a porter (we always do), but because we really are quite capable of bringing it to a luggage check area all by ourselves.

 

Honestly, I thought you HAD to use a porter, because I read a review of a woman who rolled her luggage past the porters and inside the terminal and once she passed through security she was stuck with the whole shebang until she could reach her room and had greatly wished someone would have told her there was no place to drop her luggage off inside. So can someone tell me exactly WHERE I can drop my bags off of not approached by a porter first?

 

Again, there is NO luggage check area IN the terminal.

 

And yes you could put your luggage yourself on the big carts beside the porters...but what if that cart is the "returning trip" cart and not the "leaving on a trip" cart ?

 

And what if you improperly stack your luggage and it fell or made everyone else luggage fall while being rushed to the ship on the lower level ?

 

And like an other poster said, if it doesn't fit the x-ray machine, it doesn't go past the security check point.

 

We always have 3 piece of check luggage we carry. We get it out of the car in the rooftop parking, bring it to the check-in level, exit terminal and roll them just beside the cart and a porter. He takes the luggage and puts it on the cart...and I pay the 2$ per luggage and I can relax and know my luggage will be in my room in a few hours :D

 

 

.

[Crusin6]

The one time we checked one piece of luggage the Ncl rep Inside the terminal told us where to put it. And that spot was about 20 feet in the terminal to the left. It was not alone NOR would it ever be mixed up with the outgoing luggage. Why?

 

Because the outgoing luggage is next to customs at the exit. You know where the debarking pax would be looking for it and that is not near the embarking pax.

 

Regardless. Tip or don't tip there is no requirement to do so

 

Wheel your own like everyone else to the luggage check in or have the porter grab it from you at the entrance. Up to you

 

But a word to the wise the porters will swoop in on your car trunk the second you open it and grab it from you and make you think you must use the curbside service which of course they know you will tip more for

 

Just wondering do any of you think it is a requirement to use curbside check in at the airport? Hmmm

 

That should really answer this question I would think.

[sebas030]

The one time we checked one piece of luggage the Ncl rep Inside the terminal told us where to put it. And that spot was about 20 feet in the terminal to the left. It was not alone NOR would it ever be mixed up with the outgoing luggage. Why?

 

Because the outgoing luggage is next to customs at the exit. You know where the debarking pax would be looking for it and that is not near the embarking pax.

 

Regardless. Tip or don't tip there is no requirement to do so

 

Wheel your own like everyone else to the luggage check in or have the porter grab it from you at the entrance. Up to you

 

But a word to the wise the porters will swoop in on your car trunk the second you open it and grab it from you and make you think you must use the curbside service which of course they know you will tip more for

 

Just wondering do any of you think it is a requirement to use curbside check in at the airport? Hmmm

 

That should really answer this question I would think.

 

Except for all those pax who paid 20$ to use the service of a porter to have express access to the immigration/border officers and have their luggage carried one level UP to the curb...yes the same curb that you drop your luggage at.

 

I would not compare the airport process and the cruise process... Airport requires you to bring the luggage to the check-in counter, then weight them and have them roll away on a conveyor belt. Cruise has no weight station and the conveyor belt is replace by a porter and only carry-on luggage get to reach check-in counter.

 

I am just saying I have cruise only five times out of NYC and have never seen a luggage area IN the terminal on the left...maybe I was just not looking...but again 6$ to ensure my 3 suitcase arrive in my room is not over the top expensive...just saying.

 

Like you said "That should really answer this question I would think"

[Crusin6]

Except for all those pax who paid 20$ to use the service of a porter to have express access to the immigration/border officers and have their luggage carried one level UP to the curb...yes the same curb that you drop your luggage at.

 

I would not compare the airport process and the cruise process... Airport requires you to bring the luggage to the check-in counter, then weight them and have them roll away on a conveyor belt. Cruise has no weight station and the conveyor belt is replace by a porter and only carry-on luggage get to reach check-in counter.

 

I am just saying I have cruise only five times out of NYC and have never seen a luggage area IN the terminal on the left...maybe I was just not looking...but again 6$ to ensure my 3 suitcase arrive in my room is not over the top expensive...just saying.

 

Like you said "That should really answer this question I would think"

 

You never fly I see. All luggage gets to the check in counter unless you used curbside

 

I fly often and when I need to check a larger non carry on piece I bring it right up to the check on counter where the human then weighs it and moves it to the conveyor belt. I then finish up and happily walk away with my 21 inch roll on and tote and go thru security.

 

I guess I am the only one doing this and all those others at the airport line in front if the check on counter are just there for effect.

 

But whatever. You are correct in everything. I agree with whatever you say.

[Brighton Line]

I am sorry to say that there is NO luggage check IN the terminal. In fact the luggage doesn't even enters the terminal. The porters put 20 piece of luggage on a cart and takes it one level down with the freight elevator and then to the ship....

 

Not exactly true, both piers have large capacity luggage X-ray machines that are in the terminal on the pier level (can't leave them out in the rain).

 

The Porters take your luggage and your money and place the bags on a cart and money in their pocket (by the way tips are pooled).

 

 

The cart is rolled to the X-ray machine, and bag is processed. It is then placed in a ships owned luggage type container (who knows what they are called)

 

If your bag was scanned and found to contain a possible banned item per Cruise Line policy it is separated and placed into a different container and you will get a nice little letter in the cabin but that is another post.

 

You can actually SEE these x-ray machines in use if you exit the pier after custom and immigration control on the lowest level. Pier 88 its on the right side behind a large glass window.

 

So yah I guess technically the bags don't enter the larger terminal area but they do go inside, they do NOT go directly from the curb to the ship.

 

FWIW