New York Disembarkation Question

[david,Mississauga]

Some of my questions have been answered from earlier threads, but I want to ask about other passengers' personal experience. We are taking a Quebec - New York cruise on QM2 next year. On that voyage there are no US ports other than the final one.

 

Although we have sailed out of New York many times since, our last arrival in New York was over four decades ago. I understand that the immigration inspection is held ashore rather than in the ship's lounge as was the practice long ago. My DW has had two knee replacements and can walk and stand for a half hour or so, but an hour would cause considerable distress. Airports are often a mess and we now request wheelchair assistance. She doesn't need this at ocean terminals or railway stations, but I'm wondering if the New York arrival procedure can be a strain.

 

The voyage we have booked is one segment of a four-segment voyage: Southampton-NY-Quebec-NY-Southampton, so there will be many passengers who will have done the round trip to Quebec from New York and Southampton. I don't know if that will make the arrival procedure any easier. We may book a Cunard airport transfer. Are the disembarkation arrangements for passengers taking a transfer the same as in Southampton where there is a separate call for going ashore?

 

Thanks in advance to anyone who wishes to share their experiences.

[3rdGenCunarder]

If you don't have a US port before NYC, you'll go through Immigration in the terminal, not on board. The Brooklyn terminal is huge, and they follow the usual practice of grouping luggage by tag color/number, you collect your bags, then go to the line for Immigration.

 

Cunard transfers usually get their own tag color/number, so they get off as a group, usually among the earliest groups called.

 

It's a long walk through the terminal, but there are porters. When there are transfers, it looks like the porters collect luggage from several passengers to pile it on a cart. When you're on your own, you tend to have a porter to yourself.

 

When we arrived in NYC after "Cunard 175" crossing, we'd done Immigration on board in Boston (hellacious!) so going through the terminal simply meant handing in our customs forms. But the year before we did Immigration in the terminal and I don't think we stood in line for more than 10 minutes. I don't know if it makes a difference, but we loiter in Todd English until toward the end of the disembarkation process, rather than try to get off early.

 

This last time, baggage handling was so efficient that they were calling color/number groups earlier than had been predicted in the paperwork. The Brooklyn terminal really works well.

Edited August 8, 2015 by 3rdGenCunarder

[Salacia]

Just to mention that when you exit the ship and enter the terminal, you have the choice of taking an elevator or an escalator to the main floor of the terminal. The elevator (which is straight ahead, a few feet past the escalator when entering the second floor of the terminal from the ship) might be easier on your wife's knees. I believe you can also request wheelchair assist from Cunard to go from the ship through the terminal...perhaps others with experience will respond with details. Best wishes, -Salacia

[Underwatr]

In my experience if your wife has a cane the two of you will be given head of the line privilege in the immigration queue.

 

Even if she normally doesn't require a cane it may help to carry one on and off the ship to avoid long queues.

[jimmybean]

Hi David,

 

I echo that it is a significant distance from the ship to the exit of the terminal. Walk at your own pace and don't hurry and your wife should be fine. Possibly, speedier walkers may pass you, but that is of little consequence.

 

I kind of remember the gang-plank (exit ramp off the ship) goes up-hill (upwardly inclined). That may be the only physical challenge.

 

Do look for the elevator to the right of the escalators.

 

I think you will stop in Gaspe. ??? Have a wonderful voyage !!!

 

Jimmybean

[david,Mississauga]

Thanks to all for the replies. DW takes a cane with her on all out-of-country trips just in case she needs it, although she prefers not to use it. (It is the type that folds and can be placed in luggage when not needed.) If there is a chance we will have to queue for over a half hour, she will use it. We have sailed from Red Hook several times and have boarded efficiently thanks to membership in the Cunard World Club.

 

In the past 30 years all our arrivals have been in England with just two exceptions: once each in Vancouver and Halifax, and all those disembarkations have been extremely easy. Having been spoiled all these years, we will hope it won't be too bad in Red Hook.

 

We would prefer to take the previous segment of this multi-segment crossing/cruise - i.e. from New York to Quebec - but the itinerary of the southbound cruise was more appealing to us.

 

The cruise calls in Saguenay, then Gaspé which will obviously be a tender port, then Halifax.

Edited August 9, 2015 by david,Mississauga
Typo

[Underwatr]

My DW was essentially carrying one on and off the ship, just in case, and I was amazed at the doors it opened during embarkation and disembarkation.

[MeredithFairfax]

We recently had our first experience of immigration in NY - twice in the space of a few days. The first time we queued for nearly an hour in the terminal building, following the fairly long walk to get there. However, all wheelchair users bypassed the queue and went straight to the front of the line.

[MicCanberra]

Nice to know that Brooklyn can handle a huge crowd.