PIER 88 - Mahattan Cruise Terminal

[bromleypod]

Hi

We have ordered a car service to take us to the port, where do they usually drop you off and where are the check in desks?

[Budget Queen]

I've seen drop offs on both levels. .

 

The check in desks will easily be seen/found. They aren't hidden.

[Brighton Line]

Just like the airport, arrivals (departing pax) lower level and departures (boarding pax) on the 2nd floor parking on the third.

If you can handle your bags and cross 12th Ave it is quicker to be dropped across the street then sitting in the traffic to go up town to the vehicle entrance. Crossing 12th Ave there is a median in the center so you can take two cycles of the traffic signal to cross.

 

Can't miss your ship, that will tell you which pier, look for the aircraft carrier if you are coming from downtown (south).

[njhorseman]

Just like the airport, arrivals (departing pax) lower level and departures (boarding pax) on the 2nd floor parking on the third.

If you can handle your bags and cross 12th Ave it is quicker to be dropped across the street then sitting in the traffic to go up town to the vehicle entrance. Crossing 12th Ave there is a median in the center so you can take two cycles of the traffic signal to cross.

 

Can't miss your ship, that will tell you which pier, look for the aircraft carrier if you are coming from downtown (south).

 

Except that more often than not in the past several years no pick ups of departing passengers have been allowed on the lower level and it has been necessary to cross 12th Ave. and be picked up near the taxi stand or on a side street. This is particularly true if multiple ships are in port or one of the large ships such as NCL's Breakaway or Escape are disembarking passengers. Unfortunately the procedures have not been consistent from week to week so it's impossible to predict what's going to occur on any particular cruise.

 

This isn't particularly relevant for the OP who asked about drop offs, which as you say are normally made on the second level, but in case someone else is reading this thread for general information about the port I think it's important to include that caveat about pick ups of disembarking passengers.

[Brighton Line]

Except that more often than not in the past several years no pick ups of departing passengers have been allowed on the lower level and it has been necessary to cross 12th Ave. and be picked up near the taxi stand or on a side street. .

 

Not always, I've recently gone to the 2nd level and gotten in a cab that had just discharged departing pax. There were three ships in port, two were turning and one was on a port of call.

[Noxequifans]

Just arrived on Insignia this morning....short wait for yellow cab at 12 Avenue and 48th street. Dispatcher hailed the cab.

[njhorseman]

Not always, I've recently gone to the 2nd level and gotten in a cab that had just discharged departing pax. There were three ships in port, two were turning and one was on a port of call.

 

Well, I didn't say "always", I said "more often than not" , and I said the procedures are not always consistent.

In addition being picked up by a taxi that has just dropped someone at the terminal is different than allowing car services not dropping a passenger at the terminal to enter for a pick up. I know drivers from the service I use have told me they are often not allowed in to do a pick up, and that is consistent with what other posters have reported about having to cross 12th Ave, to meet their driver.

Edited July 25, 2018 by njhorseman

[njhorseman]

Just arrived on Insignia this morning....short wait for yellow cab at 12 Avenue and 48th street. Dispatcher hailed the cab.

 

Small ship...684 passengers, and the only ship in port today, so waits for a taxi should be short. It's a different story when a 4,000+ passenger ship and a couple of others are in port at the same time. It can be chaotic when 7,000 passengers are disembarking and another 7,000 are embarking.

[Got2Cruise]

Not always, I've recently gone to the 2nd level and gotten in a cab that had just discharged departing pax. There were three ships in port, two were turning and one was on a port of call.

 

 

 

Isn’t this technically illegal? The cab is supposed to go to the cab stand to pick up those waiting their turn. It worked for you this time but going to the cab stand is always best bet.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Brighton Line]

Isn’t this technically illegal? The cab is supposed to go to the cab stand to pick up those waiting their turn. It worked for you this time but going to the cab stand is always best bet. Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

That applies to the airport where the Taxi's go to a holding pen, the Dispatcher at the terminal then calls the pen for "X" amount of cars. The dispatcher at the pen issues a "voucher" if you will to the driver who has to give it to the Dispatcher at the terminal in order to get the fare. You the rider get the 2nd page of that voucher, it has the 311 and some basic taxi info and the fixed fare for JFK or tell you the meter should increase per average number of blocks with the ride number in case you do have an issue.

 

This system is not in place at the cruise pier, the T&LC uniformed officer is more enforcement and customer service though they do allow the next person in line to skip a taxi if it can't accommodate the number of bags/people.