Considering New York or Boston Departure. Have some questions...

[Lyn1Lyn]

I am new to Norwegian and I am considering cruises that are leaving out of Boston and NY. I live within a good vicinity of these two cities and it would be quite easy to get to them. 1 1/2 to NYC and 4-5 hrs from Boston.

Any information about each port and departure process would be greatly appreciated.

Both cruises are leaving in November 2017.

1. If there is anyone who has been to both ports, which did you prefer and why?

2. Due to it being a Nov. cruise approx how many days does it take to get to warmer weather, where you can enjoy the outdoors of the ship?

3. The DAWN leaves from Boston but ends in Puerto Rico. Can anyone tell me how they have managed this? ( Not sure how to work the transportation) (drive to port but fly home, how did you make this work)

4. I have been to ports that are very nice and weatherized and others that are mostly outside or warehouse like. Are either of these like this?

 

Thanks for any information you can give me.

[momoftwinteens]

I am new to Norwegian and I am considering cruises that are leaving out of Boston and NY. I live within a good vicinity of these two cities and it would be quite easy to get to them. 1 1/2 to NYC and 4-5 hrs from Boston.

Any information about each port and departure process would be greatly appreciated.

Both cruises are leaving in November 2017.

1. If there is anyone who has been to both ports, which did you prefer and why?

2. Due to it being a Nov. cruise approx how many days does it take to get to warmer weather, where you can enjoy the outdoors of the ship?

3. The DAWN leaves from Boston but ends in Puerto Rico. Can anyone tell me how they have managed this? ( Not sure how to work the transportation) (drive to port but fly home, how did you make this work)

4. I have been to ports that are very nice and weatherized and others that are mostly outside or warehouse like. Are either of these like this?

 

Thanks for any information you can give me.

I have cruised out of both and I think I like Boston better simply because, since Dawn is a smaller ship, Black Falcon doesn't seem to be as crowded as Manhattan, which serves both the Gem and the Breakaway.

In 2013, we did the repositioning cruise from Boston to Tampa. We live in Vermont. What worked for us was we drove down the night before in a rental car and returned it to the rental car agency at Logan. Then, we had a hotel shuttle pick us up at Logan and bring us to our hotel for a pre-cruise overnight stay. The next day, grabbed a cab to the pier. After the cruise, a simple one-way flight home on Jet Blue. Easy-peasy.

As for the temps, well, your mileage may vary but, I have found that you are able to walk around in shorts by lunch time on the first sea day.

[spidybabe]

There is nothing as beautiful as a New York sailaway! The gorgeous skyline, the Freedom Tower, Ellis Island, Lady Liberty, Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges (in the background), and the best of the best - going under the Verrazano bridge, simply unbelievable. Pictures from different sailings

Safe sailing

 

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[cage keeper]

Have not sailed out of Boston. NY several times. Certainly warmer in NY. If it's early Nov. Boston is nice but can be quite cold later in the month.

[Lyn1Lyn]

Thank you so much for the responses.. Yes the NY cruise is Oct 26th and the Boston is November 3rd so I guess weather wise it might still be mild in NYC but maybe a little chilly in Boston.

Momoftwinteens: thank you so much for the rental car suggestion. That does make a lot of sense.

[Lyn1Lyn]

There is nothing as beautiful as a New York sailaway! The gorgeous skyline, the Freedom Tower, Ellis Island, Lady Liberty, Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges (in the background), and the best of the best - going under the Verrazano bridge, simply unbelievable. Pictures from different sailings

Safe sailing

 

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Totally forgot about the skyline. Very good point taken.

[Flatbush Flyer]

There is nothing as beautiful as a New York sailaway! The gorgeous skyline, the Freedom Tower, Ellis Island, Lady Liberty, Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges (in the background), and the best of the best - going under the Verrazano bridge, simply unbelievable.

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Forums mobile app

 

 

Agreed that NY harbor is stunning. But, just as beautiful is SF Bay and the Golden Gate at sunset. Another great experience is sailing into Sydney Harbor at daybreak.

 

 

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[AnitaVacation]

We have sailed from both....along with Baltimore...we prefer to drive to port, no airfare or flight hassles and expenses....

 

Sailing from NYC is fabulous....the view is stunning...parking right next to the ship ($40 per day) is expensive but super convenient... getting off the ship and getting right in your car and heading home (priceless)....but there is also the option of taking the bus or train into the city..

 

Sailing from Boston...especially late in the season, the waters can be quite bumpy....the view, eh....but in Nov, it will be dark before you even get out of the bay....we have never had to fly back to port, so, no advice there...other than to make sure you have a valid passport...

 

Take a look at the Carnival Pride in Baltimore....not sure where it will be going that time of year....but we love that ship....we always book a Vista Suite (back corner)...separate living room and bedroom, walk in closet, vanity area and huge bathroom with jacuzzi tub and a very huge balcony...(and affordable too)...When we sail out of Baltimore, we drive down the day before and grab a 'park and cruise' hotel....it's about $20 more than parking at the port, but you get a comfy room, breakfast and transportation to the front door of the cruise terminal...(so it's better than trying to park at the port)..you leave your car at the hotel...

[chengkp75]

With regards to the OP's question of how the cruise line "managed" a one way cruise from Boston to San Juan, it is very simple. Transportation between the mainland US and Puerto Rico is exempt from the restrictions of the PVSA, so this repo cruise is perfectly legal. Carnival used to (not sure if they still do) run a number of one way cruises from PR to the mainland US, and the next cruise from the mainland US to PR.

[NoDayButToday00]

The Boston vs. NYC is a very relevant topic in our house. We like Boston because the parking was easy and so much more affordable than NYC. But that terminal leaves a lot to be desired. It was one of the worst embarkations that we ever had with them corralling us and only letting a few people at a time go up the escalator to go to check in. This led to a line that must have been a half a mile long going back to the closest parking lot. With that said we are going back in October.

 

NYC while further away from us knows how to handle a crowd.Our latest trip we did a cruise and sail and stayed in New Jersey. We would probably do this again as it was super convenient. Also as previously stated the views are unduplicated leaving NYC.

[Lyn1Lyn]

With regards to the OP's question of how the cruise line "managed" a one way cruise from Boston to San Juan, it is very simple. Transportation between the mainland US and Puerto Rico is exempt from the restrictions of the PVSA, so this repo cruise is perfectly legal. Carnival used to (not sure if they still do) run a number of one way cruises from PR to the mainland US, and the next cruise from the mainland US to PR.

 

 

Actually the question if read correctly, was not about the cruise line at all.. Maybe you missed the whole last part of question #3. Here it is again.

3. The DAWN leaves from Boston but ends in Puerto Rico. Can anyone tell me how they have managed this? ( Not sure how to work the transportation) (drive to port but fly home, how did you make this work)

 

The question was posed to passengers who have taken this itinerary.. drove to port and ended in PR.. Having to fly home to the airport and then figuring how to get back to the car driven..

 

There was nothing referencing legality of the cruise line as you can see.

[Lyn1Lyn]

The Boston vs. NYC is a very relevant topic in our house. We like Boston because the parking was easy and so much more affordable than NYC. But that terminal leaves a lot to be desired. It was one of the worst embarkations that we ever had with them corralling us and only letting a few people at a time go up the escalator to go to check in. This led to a line that must have been a half a mile long going back to the closest parking lot. With that said we are going back in October.

 

NYC while further away from us knows how to handle a crowd.Our latest trip we did a cruise and sail and stayed in New Jersey. We would probably do this again as it was super convenient. Also as previously stated the views are unduplicated leaving NYC.

 

Thank you very much for the input.

[Lyn1Lyn]

We have sailed from both....along with Baltimore...we prefer to drive to port, no airfare or flight hassles and expenses....

 

Sailing from NYC is fabulous....the view is stunning...parking right next to the ship ($40 per day) is expensive but super convenient... getting off the ship and getting right in your car and heading home (priceless)....but there is also the option of taking the bus or train into the city..

 

Sailing from Boston...especially late in the season, the waters can be quite bumpy....the view, eh....but in Nov, it will be dark before you even get out of the bay....we have never had to fly back to port, so, no advice there...other than to make sure you have a valid passport...

 

Take a look at the Carnival Pride in Baltimore....not sure where it will be going that time of year....but we love that ship....we always book a Vista Suite (back corner)...separate living room and bedroom, walk in closet, vanity area and huge bathroom with jacuzzi tub and a very huge balcony...(and affordable too)...When we sail out of Baltimore, we drive down the day before and grab a 'park and cruise' hotel....it's about $20 more than parking at the port, but you get a comfy room, breakfast and transportation to the front door of the cruise terminal...(so it's better than trying to park at the port)..you leave your car at the hotel...

Thank you

[BostonGal35]

we live 20 minutes outside Boston, and we always sail from NYC. Manhattan Cruise terminal is nice, the parking at the pier is convenient, and we like having a couple different options for ships and itineraries. Many folks who live in our area take the Dawn from Boston, and for us, we just dont want to run into people we may know.

[Sally Forth]

Probably the best Cruise Critic advice we were ever given was to grab some wine and hop into a hot tub when leaving New York in November. It was very chilly getting out but wonderful sitting there after after walking about 7 miles that morning.

 

 

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