Gem walk off for disembarking

[debshomespun]

Does the Gem still offer the express walk off, and if so, what time does it usually start? What time would be best to go down to get in line on the last morning? We need to plan a time for pick up from the cruise port. TIA.

[Savaann]

There was express walk off on the Gem when we were on her last month. I believe our ship arrived port at 8am and the walk-offs started shortly after. We had priority disembarkation and we were off by 9am.

[rvsullivan]

Walk off carrying your own possessions starts right after the suites exit. It varies by arrival time, and ships clearance time with the authorities. Our last cruise was ready to disembark the early ones about 7:30 when CBP decided to do their total crew check. We didn't start until after 9. For planning purposes you can try for about 8 am.

[skeeter195]

Actually the walk offs are first, then the suites. Our last two gem cruises, there were tons of people who got off before us and we were in suites. If you do walk off though you should be off the ship by 8:30 at the latest. Then customs which can delay you some at times also.

[meh56]

If you plan on disembarking with your own luggage, can you get in line when you want to or do you go at a specific time. We would like to depart around 10am for car service to Newark. Trying to figure out what time to tell the driver.

[zqvol]

Does the Gem still offer the express walk off, and if so, what time does it usually start? What time would be best to go down to get in line on the last morning? We need to plan a time for pick up from the cruise port. TIA.

 

Since you are going to be carrying your own luggage you pick your time. You can go early or late, it is up to you. Decide when you want your car service to pick you up, and then allow 45 minutes or so to get off the ship and through customs/immigration.

[bjlaac]

While they try to discourage you from lining up, they don't stop you. Go to where the shops are and wait in line there, usually about 10 to 20 people lining up there between 7:30 and 8:00

[mking8288]

Dial7 and Carmel car services, as well as ... Xber (for those that use them) do charge for waiting time, if you aren't ready for a pre-scheduled pickup at the specific address ... and, those charges can quickly run up if you are delayed inside the terminal by CBP (it's not unusual for 200 to 300 people to be in the "regular" lines.) Under the circumstances, make good use of the porter's dedicated/expressly exclusive lines, as they can get you out to 12th Avenue in a matter of 10 minutes or less (it is a long & often slow walk, once past the secured area downstairs, where many begin making their cellular calls for pickup and/or transportation arrangements, etc.)

 

If there's another ship or two, occasionally three ships in the port (NYC, assuming ... as this is her home port; except for a few sailings out of San Juan, PR this Fall/Winter) - CBP sometimes do have "trouble" processing thousands on disembarkation day. Check the NYCruise calendar online first.

 

If you get in line as early as 6:30 or 7:00 am - even before the ship is docked at the berth and be first in line for the Express track, once the ship is cleared and disembarkation is called - you can be outside on 12th Avenue & pass CBP as early as 8 AM (8:30 or 8:45 AM would be a "safer" time slot to arrange for a pickup). The Express lines has been known to be rather long & move slowly at times, and folks cutting in line and/or "joining" their friends already there earlier #cough #cough.

 

Not knowing OP's travel dates & post-cruise pickup plan (catching a midday flight at one of the 3 area airports, etc.) - I would recommend (unless in a suite or Heaven, or have VIP/priority disembark (Platinum) status, etc. - just plan for being off the ship at whatever time. Besides, with the heightened security at airports and elsewhere lately, it's highly recommended to allow time to get to the airport at least 2 hours, if not 3 hours, before flight departure time.

[debshomespun]

Thank you for your replies. This is for a friend, 1st time cruise on Gem, returning on August 13, Saturday. I have cruised out of Manhatten, but not returned there. They are planning to do express walkoff, then are taking the Megabus back to Philly. They just need to figure out which bus time to take.

[Turtles06]

 

If you get in line as early as 6:30 or 7:00 am - even before the ship is docked at the berth and be first in line for the Express track, once the ship is cleared and disembarkation is called - you can be outside on 12th Avenue & pass CBP as early as 8 AM (8:30 or 8:45 AM would be a "safer" time slot to arrange for a pickup). The Express lines has been known to be rather long & move slowly at times, and folks cutting in line and/or "joining" their friends already there earlier #cough #cough.

 

 

We did the "Express" walk off the Gem in NY a few years ago. It was a horrible way to end a vacation. The line to get off snaked all around the inside of the ship (it was never totally clear where it started or ended), and after waiting forever, we then had the great fun of giving our luggage a full tour of the inside and all around the deck outside as the line slowly moved forward. Awful.

 

OTOH, this past February, we were in a suite on the Gem with "priority disembarkation," except that after the walk-offs disembarked, CBP decided to stop everyone else from getting off until ALL the luggage had been taken down, sorted in the terminal, and every piece sniffed individually by dogs. This took about an hour and a half, with just about everyone on the ship (except those who had walked off) crammed into lounges and the theatre. It was nearly 11am by the time we finally got off. Awful as well.

 

In between those two cruises, we had another sailing on the Gem and just waited in the Great Outdoors till it looked as though the line outside the terminal had thinned out, and then we got off. Much more civilized. (But you can't do this if you have a plane to catch or anything else pressing.)

[Irene7]

Does the Gem still offer the express walk off, and if so, what time does it usually start? What time would be best to go down to get in line on the last morning? We need to plan a time for pick up from the cruise port. TIA.

 

We did the self assist walk off on the Gem last year and we were given the ok to leave the ship at 7:30 and we basically walked right off with no lines. They tell you the last night that it is 8:30 to 9:30, but if the ship clears customs quickly they announce that you are free to leave which we did immediately to beat the crowds. Last month we did the express walk off on the breakaway and again were given the go to leave between 7:30 and 8:00 and it was also painless. No long lines again but rather a fast moving short line. So far so good for us on Norwegian anyway, but I'm sure there can be sailings in which it will not go as well. I remember when we sailed on RCCL Explorer of the Seas in 2014 and we did the walk off but that time we were stuck in a long line which went up flights of stairs and it took an hour and 45 minutes to get off the ship.

Edited June 15, 2016 by Irene7