Arrival Time of GEM

[NoDayButToday00]

Hi Fellow Critics! I hope all is well and your time to your next cruise is short.

 

Wondering if any of you have been on the 10 day (9 at times) cruise to the Eastern Caribbean on the NCL Gem. What time you arrived back into New York? What time were you actually cleared by customs?

 

I know the itinerary says 10:00am but want to know real experiences. We are trying to arrange our car service back to Massachusetts and the 30 minute window that the company gives us makes me nervous due to the 1 time we hit a whale in the Hudson. Would a noon pick up be enough time for contingencies.

 

Thanks loves!

Edited September 18, 2015 by NoDayButToday00

[emcelh]

Hi Fellow Critics! I hope all is well and your time to your next cruise is short.

 

Wondering if any of you have been on the 10 day (9 at times) cruise to the Eastern Caribbean on the NCL Gem. What time you arrived back into New York? What time were you actually cleared by customs?

 

I know the itinerary says 10:00am but want to know real experiences. We are trying to arrange our car service back to Massachusetts and the 30 minute window that the company gives us makes me nervous due to the 1 time we hit a whale in the Hudson. Would a noon pick up be enough time for contingencies.

 

Thanks loves!

 

We did this itinerary 2 years ago and are doing it again in 3 weeks, the cruise before yours. We were off the ship by 930 and we didn't hurry. As I recall the ship was docked much earlier, probably by 8.

Edited September 18, 2015 by emcelh

[mizLORInj]

You will be back way before 10. NCL changed its NYC return times to 10am and we dont know why.

 

Listen to the captain's announcement the day before your return; he will update you on the time you'll board the pilot, go under the bridge, etc. Usually at the dock 2 hours after the pilot boards.

 

We are usually home before 10am after returning on either NCL ship in NY, and we live 45 minutes away!

[NoDayButToday00]

Good to know. First time on the GEM and I must admit the 10:00AM departure time surprised me just because previously the Breakaway is 8:00AM.

 

How late have you stayed on the GEM on the disembarkation day? I definitely don't want to be in anyone's way, when I know how busy they are. But I also don;t want our limo waiting for us.

[emcelh]

Good to know. First time on the GEM and I must admit the 10:00AM departure time surprised me just because previously the Breakaway is 8:00AM.

 

How late have you stayed on the GEM on the disembarkation day? I definitely don't want to be in anyone's way, when I know how busy they are. But I also don;t want our limo waiting for us.

 

We've usually gotten off between 9 and 930. I think they like everyone to be off by 10 at the latest so they can get ready for the passengers who will be boarding. If I remember, they like you out of your cabin around 9.

[mjkacmom]

We've sailed NCL three times out of NYC. One time we didn't clear customs until close to 11, because of customs issues (maybe just understaffing). Another tome they didn't start boarding until 12:30. We did have to call our car service when we realized there was no way we would be off the ship at 9:30.