Escape NYC disembarkation

[bluesea777]

It's NYC port, not NCL. Also, it's the passengers, not NCL.

 

We have observed that the passengers do not always stick to the times of their colour-coded tags and would just join the queue to get off whenever they want. Also, there are many many pax that opt for the "easy walk-off" and join the queue whenever they feel like, not at 7:30.

 

Only a certain number of people can be in the baggage and Immigration/Customs hall at a time, so the port people have to stop the queue until the hall is 1/2 empty and then they get the queue moving until the hall is filled before stopping it again. This point is at the top of the escalators leading down to the hall.

 

That is why you see the long queues to the gangway and then outside the gangway leading to the escalators.

 

Platinum and Plat Plus do not have priority on disembarkation but they get yellow tags and their bags are located just behind the Gold Priority (Haven & Suites) closest to the Immigration/Customs and exit.

 

Haven & Suite guests regroup in Haven and are escorted off the ship bypassing the queues to the escalators. (we have done this once)

 

We are Plat Plus and we choose to stay on ship until the queues are gone (or small) as we have late afternoon flights.

[Gershep]

NCL disembarkation in NY is always a nightmare. NCL needs to have more control over this.

[CVA34]

This sounds like a horrible way to end your vacation.

 

On our Escape cruise this fall, we have booked an NCL post-cruise bus tour of NYC ending at the airport. Will we meet in the theater like any other excursion, and then be escorted off the ship as a group, or will we have to get ourselves off the ship in time to meet on the pier?

 

This will be our first cruise not being in a suite. Seems like I picked a doozy for our first attempt at non-suite disembarkation.

 

Can you tell us which airport the tour ends. I would think JFK, however there is LGA and EWR

[CVA34]

Never mind, its JFK and LGA, But only for flights departing after 5pm

[tumblew467]

Did anyone park at port that sailed on the escape? I was just wondering what time I need to get there to get a parking spot. I have parked at the port while sailing the Gem but never a large ship like this. I was wondering if the parking lot ever closes/ gets full due to the volume passengers of a large ship like the escape. thanks

[Briji04]

How many customs agents were there? It seems like they are short staffed some Sundays. Did you grab a porter before customs to get through faster?

 

It seems like every booth had an agent working. I’m sorry but I didn’t count the booths. We did not use a porter as we just had two bags to grab.

Edited May 7, 2018 by Briji04

[Pbwong]

Did anyone park at port that sailed on the escape? I was just wondering what time I need to get there to get a parking spot. I have parked at the port while sailing the Gem but never a large ship like this. I was wondering if the parking lot ever closes/ gets full due to the volume passengers of a large ship like the escape. thanks

 

Last Sunday we got there close to 11 and had to park pretty far from the elevators out towards the water. I would say there were approx. 20 spots left. That said, it’s hard to predict as the more local the passengers are, the less likely there are going to be available spots. I wouldn’t worry though, the port has an extra overflow lot further uptown and there are several private garages a block or two away. Some are evencheaper than the port itself and can provide a ride to the entrance.

[Briji04]

I don’t want to copy the whole set of pictures but someone posted a picture of the haven & priority line sign in this discussion. I asked the person standing by that sign who were the “priority people” they list on the sign. I was told Haven only. So why even mention priority? If you are in the Haven you already know to go to place marked Haven.

[Sand and Seas]

I don’t want to copy the whole set of pictures but someone posted a picture of the haven & priority line sign in this discussion. I asked the person standing by that sign who were the “priority people” they list on the sign. I was told Haven only. So why even mention priority? If you are in the Haven you already know to go to place marked Haven.

 

A theory....could or should be Ambassador/Plat Plus/Platinum?

 

My experience has been in Miami port that a lot of the local workers in the port itself do not understand the Latitudes priority statuses. You generally have to look around to find the 'Ambassador/Platinum' waiting area yourself.

[Mom2B&Z]

I don’t want to copy the whole set of pictures but someone posted a picture of the haven & priority line sign in this discussion. I asked the person standing by that sign who were the “priority people” they list on the sign. I was told Haven only. So why even mention priority? If you are in the Haven you already know to go to place marked Haven.

 

 

 

Not necessarily. It wasn’t until our third suite that we realized the priority disembarkation continued into the terminal. The concierge does not always make this clear.

Our most recent experience was in a non-haven suite on Gem, which has suite disembarkation. I had our suite (not Haven) ship card and a letter in my hands from the concierge and one of the staff in the terminal treated me very rudely when I did not show a Haven card. Fortunately another staff member realized the issue and waved us through.

Disembarkation in NYC has a lot to be desired. Not a great way to end a trip.

 

 

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[NEcruiser7515]

Always have stayed in Haven and this is a HUGE plus to disembarkation.

[mkerewski]

If you want to get off the ship without hassle, get up early and be the first few in line. As another person posted earlier and I had the same experience, was in line by 630 and when the all clear came, I was off the ship and waiting for my ride outside within 10 minutes. There will never be a simple solution since the terminal/customs area isn't built to handle this many people.

[Enavigo]

This is a big reason why we go Haven out of NY. From Haven lounge to curbside in about 10 mins. Helps us make sure we make our 11 am flight out of EWR.

[dexddd]

I saw a posting by a very experienced cruiser from New York City, saying that the disembarkation yesterday from The Gem was a nightmare--long lines everywhere.

 

That was MKing. On the smaller ships we've been pretty lucky in NYC but the larger ships like BA have been long, snaking lines.

[kroozbuddy]

We also disembarked this morning from the Escape. On our previous Breakaway cruises, it’s been a totalnightmare getting off so we planned ahead and decided to go as early as possible and drag our bags ourselves. We got to the 7th floor around 715 as the boat pulled in and waited right in front of the OSheehans bar. Best decision ever. We were off the boat and in our car about 15 mins after the gangway opened.

 

What they should do is within each color group, assign a number with each luggage tag and basically order everyone by that number. So within The Green group everyone is assigned a number and they will let you go by number. That way there’s no drama with people cutting in line and you know where you have to be.

 

 

But of course they won’t do this....they really don’t care or enforce the rules. They just want you off the boat. Plenty of people with Orange and Brown tags in front of us when we had Green

 

Exactly how RCI does it from AnthemOTS.

[Laszlo]

We disembarked the Escape this am after a beautiful cruise to Bermuda. I have no complaints with the crew of the Escape but they need to come up with a better way to get 4000 people off the boat.

 

The line to get off the boat started just passed the 7 th floor elevators and round through Osheehans twice, passed around the Staircase back through the casino and then merged with another line outside along the starboard rails. That was just to get to the ramp to get off the ship. It took us an hour to go through the line, get off the ship and passport control.

 

 

I had asked several people where the Platinum Plus priority line was. I was told every time I was already in it.

 

 

Again, I have no problems with the crew or the ship. Just wanted to put this out there incase someone was thinking about an early flight. You will need to schedule yourself time enough to get off the boat.

 

My wife and I have sailed out of NYC three times, once on the Gem and twice on the BA. Its always been a cluster puck. All I can say is get in line early. Our last two cruises on the BA we got in line at 6:45am and were off the ship, thru customs and driving away by 8:15am. We always do easy walk off taking our own bags. Getting on our last cruise (February 2nd) was a real miss and running late. We were group 1 and did not start boarding until 12:30pm. Their was an unusual amount of people in wheel chairs and not enough people to help them. People were still coming off at 12:20pm

[AshleyJax]

I have disembarked in NYC several times (on another cruise line) and remember them being fairly smooth. For those not in a rush to get off the ship, could you just hang out in one of the MDRs and wait for the crowds to die down?

[AshleyJax]

Last Sunday we got there close to 11 and had to park pretty far from the elevators out towards the water. I would say there were approx. 20 spots left. That said, it’s hard to predict as the more local the passengers are, the less likely there are going to be available spots. I wouldn’t worry though, the port has an extra overflow lot further uptown and there are several private garages a block or two away. Some are evencheaper than the port itself and can provide a ride to the entrance.

 

People who live in or near NYC know how terrible it is driving in Manhattan and most people won't unless it is necessary. Anyone close enough to taxi or uber, will likely go that route.

[Pbwong]

People who live in or near NYC know how terrible it is driving in Manhattan and most people won't unless it is necessary. Anyone close enough to taxi or uber, will likely go that route.

 

So we had to drive because our 4 year old twins require car seats and it’s incredibly expensive to request car sevice with age appropriate seats for our kids. I agree for a lot of travellers taking a cab or even public transportation is the way to go.

 

Traffic is not the issue, both going and coming you’re traveling Sunday morning and even the Cross Bronx moves Sunday mornings.

[Laszlo]

People who live in or near NYC know how terrible it is driving in Manhattan and most people won't unless it is necessary. Anyone close enough to taxi or uber, will likely go that route.

 

Actually unless your cruise is leaving on a weekday driving in Manhattan on a Saturday or Sunday morning is not bad at all.

[AshleyJax]

Actually unless your cruise is leaving on a weekday driving in Manhattan on a Saturday or Sunday morning is not bad at all.

 

Once you go below the 90s it can be hit or miss, especially in midtown. I have lived in NY for 30yrs.

[tumblew467]

Last Sunday we got there close to 11 and had to park pretty far from the elevators out towards the water. I would say there were approx. 20 spots left. That said, it’s hard to predict as the more local the passengers are, the less likely there are going to be available spots. I wouldn’t worry though, the port has an extra overflow lot further uptown and there are several private garages a block or two away. Some are evencheaper than the port itself and can provide a ride to the entrance.

 

 

Thank You for the info, what time does the lot open for parking?

[BostonGal35]

the only way to avoid this is to be up and ready to get off as soon as the announcement is made. then do the easy walk off with your own bags. the ship typically docks early (7am) and is cleared by 730. we've usually been off and in our car parked at the pier by 8am.

[Laszlo]

Thank You for the info, what time does the lot open for parking?

 

I believe they officially open at 9am. Last time we were pulling up to pay at 8:45 am and had to wait 10-15 minutes for someone to come to the booth

[mking8288]

Dexddd,

Good luck & enjoy sailing next month on the Escape and I look forward to your "briefing" on Bermuda.

... On the smaller ships we've been pretty lucky in NYC but the larger ships like BA have been long, snaking lines.

 

Princess & Carnival ships docking at MCT have far fewer problems disembarking their passengers coming off their big ships, no ?? NCL has been doing cruises year-round out of NYC since the arrival of the Dawn in 2003 ... the problem is just partially US Customs or CBP. With 15 years of hands-on experience, still can't seem to get it down right. Specifically, how it (mis)managed the crowds ... apparently in a non-orderly flow, indifferent to the crowds backing up along the length of the wall on the pier. Just dump the masses onto the pier, off their gangways & clear the ship of passengers is their mission to prepare for the next round of embarkation.

 

Last year, they had signage for Haven & Special Needs toward the exit ... last weekend, signage for Haven & Priority ... just an example of their competency level in management, lack thereof.

The privileged ones, whether in Haven, full suites, special needs and given VIP status for priority escorts aren't the problem - they are the "entitled" but the problem is with the people acting as part of the extended friends, families & strangers following them on the way out on Saturday ... probably doing the same or similar on Sunday morning. More suitcases & people with bottom tiered color luggage tags managed to cut the queues, unchallenged as there wasn't a single NCL badged crew member or contracted shore agent within 100 ft. on the terminal deck's wide walkway to do anything, easily a hundred of them gamed the broken system and barged their way to the double glass entrance door into the elevator & escalator lobby upstairs.

Distracting side chats about driving, parking & getting off the ship early - are just not helpful with the topics/matters being discussed directly.

 

To be among the first 100 or 200 to hit the CBP booth is fine, but I rather spend a little more time in bed and enjoy a leisure full & hot breakfast in the final morning in the MDR, and let someone deal with our 35 lbs. rollerboard thru the luggage hall ... poor souls that stood in line since 6 AM and had to drag their pair of oversized 28" jumbo spinners all over the ship, on the pier, into the elevators (not allowed to go down the escalators ... on Saturday, for safety reasons) and then faced the roped lines for queues to Customs.

 

Of course, our "transit" time once downstairs in the luggage hall to 12th Avenue for ground transportation was less than 15 minutes, including a 5 minute wait for the next available porter with a cart to haul our bags on the fast track ... watching those "cattles" in the regular CBP lines, "sweet revenge" for cutting ahead of us.