Best time to arrive at port for Anthem

[topsailgirl]

I am sailing on the anthem in May. We will be driving to the port and parking in the parking garage there. I have read on the boards that traffic can be horrendous getting into the port. there's a long line of cars waiting to drop off bags so I hear.

 

what time would you suggest that we arrive in order to minimize the likelihood will be stuck in a long line of traffic? even if we can't get on board the ship yet that would be ok....we would like to avoid sitting in traffic. (or can we avoid lines by proceeding directly to garage and then hauling our bags over to the terminal for drop off? Or is there potentially a long line for that too?)

Thanks for any info you can send my way!

[ljmandelbaum]

Last Sunday 2/19, we got there around 10:20. Wasn't too bad. There were still people waiting to be picked up from the last cruise.

We were on board with a drink in hand by 11:50 after having eaten lunch at windjammer. Took friends who arrived around noon much longer on the road leading to the ship.

[138east]

Between 10 and 10:30 is a good time to arrive if the ship is on time.

[topsailgirl]

Thank you!

[JessyCruises]

We are arriving there Sunday. Is it best to drop off bags then park, or can we easily parks and bring the bags from the garage?

 

 

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[Merion_Mom]

Between 10 and 10:30 is a good time to arrive if the ship is on time.

 

 

I agree with this 100%.

[Merion_Mom]

We are arriving there Sunday. Is it best to drop off bags then park, or can we easily parks and bring the bags from the garage?

 

 

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Depends what time you get there. And the mobility of your party. But the garage is "right there" so it's a very short walk with your bags if you choose to park first.

[138east]

I found a current YouTube of Cape Liberty!

 

Pause it at :25. You can see roof of the parking garage in the middle right. In the middle bottom you can see a yellow car - this is just beyond the exit from customs and just a bit further from the terminal entrance. IMO all easily walkable from the garage with rolling luggage.

[JessyCruises]

Thanks!

 

 

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[ljmandelbaum]

We are arriving there Sunday. Is it best to drop off bags then park, or can we easily parks and bring the bags from the garage?

 

 

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We had to drive past the bag drop to get to the parking garage last Sunday. So dropped of bags then we parked.

Getting off cruise very easy to walk with bags to car.

[slyster]

I do have a question...I didn't realize there was an option to just go to the garage and then bring your bag down. I think I would prefer that option especially if it cuts out all that traffic. Do you still sit in traffic to loop around to the garage or do you cut out most of the traffic? As long as there are elevators, I don't mind rolling my luggage from the car to where the porters are.

[138east]

I do have a question...I didn't realize there was an option to just go to the garage and then bring your bag down. I think I would prefer that option especially if it cuts out all that traffic. Do you still sit in traffic to loop around to the garage or do you cut out most of the traffic? As long as there are elevators, I don't mind rolling my luggage from the car to where the porters are.

 

 

You might be able to just go to the garage, but it doesn't help that much. When they built all this, they did not make it possible to cut out all the traffic. Unbelievable!

 

 

Look at the video. You can see a point at the upper left where there is a guy holding up traffic. When I parked last year, he let me turn left and go through the relatively empty area for buses and shuttles to bypass the actual drop off, but if that area is busy he might not let you do it. I think you can only go through the center path to get to the garage, so you must follow his directions. It does save a bit of time. Whatever you do, bring your patience.

[slyster]

Ha. I will. We were in 20 min of traffic but all was good because we were so excited. We were not phased by it. :)

 

 

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[luckyinpa]

after reading all this now has me worried. never was a problem in NYC with traffic getting to parking, the problem was everything AFTER you gave your bags in

 

i'm assuming the post parking stuff in NJ will be a lot easier though. i hope

[Beckery73]

We choose the 10:30 am time and would do it again. We dropped bags off, parked in garage and checked in. Then we went through security , were greeted and had our pictures taken and proceeded to the waiting area to board....we didn't wait more than a few minutes. They get you right through and boarded in no time once you go through security. Enjoy!!:cool:

[JPEvans]

We were in traffic for well over an hour. We got on the Anthem about 2pm. Checking in took awhile also. Ship sailed about 3pm.

[Chickpea19]

I have a noon "appointment" for embarkation. Does that mean I should arrive at the port by noon? Or does it mean that I should have the car parked, bags checked, and be waiting to get checked in at noon?

Would rather go much earlier, as we'll be traveling with a preschooler who will be hungry for lunch around that time, but took the earliest available when we checked in. If we do go earlier, can we get checked in sooner, or will we be stuck waiting for noon no matter what?

[Clarea]

I have a noon "appointment" for embarkation. Does that mean I should arrive at the port by noon? Or does it mean that I should have the car parked, bags checked, and be waiting to get checked in at noon?

Would rather go much earlier, as we'll be traveling with a preschooler who will be hungry for lunch around that time, but took the earliest available when we checked in. If we do go earlier, can we get checked in sooner, or will we be stuck waiting for noon no matter what?

It means you should arrive at check-in at noon.

 

You can go earlier if you like.

[AbeFroman2]

We did 10:30 for our 2-19 sailing and that was great. You'll definitely wait a bit in the roundabout to get to the luggage porter drop off point but based on the configuration of the place

I'm not sure there is a way around that.

 

Also be mindful of the signs in Bayonne that point you to the port. The signs are right, but your GPS may not be because of construction all over the area.

Just an FYI. We had to go rogue from the GPS but still had no issue finding it.

[BermudaBound2014]

Arriving by taxi - no luggage to drop off. Is there a way to bypass drop off lane?

 

 

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[138east]

I have a noon "appointment" for embarkation. Does that mean I should arrive at the port by noon? Or does it mean that I should have the car parked, bags checked, and be waiting to get checked in at noon?

Would rather go much earlier, as we'll be traveling with a preschooler who will be hungry for lunch around that time, but took the earliest available when we checked in. If we do go earlier, can we get checked in sooner, or will we be stuck waiting for noon no matter what?

I've sailed Quantum and Anthem 3 times and have always arrived at the port around 10:30 and been on the ship by 11:15 to 11:45. The lunch venues like the Windjammer, Solarium Bistro, Cafe 270, and Cafe Promenade were already open. I have always been assigned a later check in time.

 

The typical Anthem schedule is to be at Ambrose Light around 4:15 am to pick up the pilot to be docked between 6:00 and 6:15. Normally the ship is cleared quickly and folks start walking off at 6:30-6:45. However, delays have happened, so you should monitor to make sure everything is on schedule.

[138east]

Arriving by taxi - no luggage to drop off. Is there a way to bypass drop off lane?

 

 

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Not really. The drop off lane is to drop off passengers with or without luggage to check.

[starfish216]

OP, since we live 20 minutes from port we drive ourselves to this port all the time.

 

In order to enter the parking garage or drop someone off you have to pass the luggage/passenger drop off line. That's the way it's set up. All vehicles (cars, busses, taxis and limos ) follow the same route to the ship.

 

We usually arrive at port around 10:30 AM. The line isn't that long and moves quickly. There are people directing the flow of traffic for luggage drop off, as you get closer you will see RC has more then one bay to drop luggage off. There is someone directing traffic into the bays as they empty out. Guest can also be dropped off here or a little closer to the building entrance. It's fast and efficient.

 

As you exit the drop off area you will see the entrance to the parking garage on your right. You cannot get to the garage directly from the roadway, you must loop around and pass the luggage/passenger drop off area. It's the way the road is designed.

 

One trip my sister arrived at port around noon with lines as long as the eyes can see, I was on the ship already and saw the long lines, it looked like it would take hours but in actuality it took 30 minutes.

[BermudaBound2014]

Not really. The drop off lane is to drop off passengers with or without luggage to check.

 

 

Ha :).... I thought "drop off lane" was just a lane to drop off luggage and passengers went to another area. Since I don't want to do a drive by of the anthem- I'll get in the drop off lane :). As always, thank you carol :)

 

 

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