Manhattan Cruise Terminal Debarkation

[Cyber Kat]

It’s been a couple of years since we have cruised out of and back into the Manhattan Cruise Terminal. We are doing so on Azamara - a new line for us. We will be having a local airport limo service drop us off and pick us up on our return. Because it’s a new line and ship (Journey) for us, I have no idea what time to tell the service to pick us up. 

 

The last couple of times we were on Carnival and did self assist, so we were off early and didn’t have to wait for luggage at customs. I don’t know if Azamara does self assist, so I’m not sure if our usual pick up time at 10:00am will work.

 

Do any of you have experience with debarking a small ship like Azamara Journey at the MCT?  I’m thinking a small ship should be less chaotic, but you never know. 

[Nitemare]

The whole process on the biggest Azamara ship takes less than 1/3rd the time it takes on a typical RCCL ship.

[Cyber Kat]

On 3/24/2019 at 1:23 PM, Nitemare said:

The whole process on the biggest Azamara ship takes less than 1/3rd the time it takes on a typical RCCL ship.

Thanks!  I'm assuming that includes US customs. We have Global Entry, but I don't think they have those kiosks at the port, yet.  I'm thinking we will tell the limo 10am, and work our departure as best we can with that.

[PelicanBill]

Try asking in the Azmara board about the debarkation process, and judge from those experiences.

In NYC, there is no global entry or similar speedy way through immigration/customs except those with luggage porters get into a special line that tends to go fast.  But with the small ship I think you will be off fast.

 

Even on a big ship - I choose self assist and on Breakway it starts around 7:30 and I am usually off the ship and in my car at 8:00am.  

[njhorseman]

1 hour ago, Cyber Kat said:

Thanks!  I'm assuming that includes US customs. We have Global Entry, but I don't think they have those kiosks at the port, yet.  I'm thinking we will tell the limo 10am, and work our departure as best we can with that.

Global Entry won't help you as it's not available at the NY port. You have fewer than 700 passengers on your ship so disembarkation should go quickly as long as Customs and Border Protection assigns a sufficient number of officers to your ship...which unfortunately once in a while doesn't happen.

I agree with PelicanBill's suggestion that use can use porters to go through a special line. We always do that and we never have an extended wait to get through the CBP checkpoint once we're in the terminal and have retrieved our luggage.

[DKane]

We just disembarked from the Escape on Sunday and we were so amazed how quickly we got off the ship.  

[Cyber Kat]

On 3/28/2019 at 2:12 PM, PelicanBill said:

Try asking in the Azmara board about the debarkation process, and judge from those experiences.

In NYC, there is no global entry or similar speedy way through immigration/customs except those with luggage porters get into a special line that tends to go fast.  But with the small ship I think you will be off fast.

 

Even on a big ship - I choose self assist and on Breakway it starts around 7:30 and I am usually off the ship and in my car at 8:00am.  

 

Azamara doesn’t sail from NYC very often, so no one knew. I asked there first. 

[PelicanBill]

9 hours ago, Cyber Kat said:

 

Azamara doesn’t sail from NYC very often, so no one knew. I asked there first. 

oh!  So what time is your arrival on your itinerary?

 

Now here's another point to know. The main cruise terminal is Pier 88, across from West 48th Street. There are actually 2 more piers, 90 and 92 that are part of the cruise terminal.  Pier 88 is needed for large ships when they are in port,  so a smaller ship often ends up on Pier 90, which is opposite West 50th street.  These piers aren't too far apart, but it is 2 city blocks, and annoying with all your luggage.

 

Unfortunately, it is very hard to know what pier you will be on.  We can check the terminal schedule for that day and see if there is a large ship, but, I have actually seen smaller ships on the other side of Pier 88 at the same time as a large ship as well.

 

So it will be hard to tell your pickup exactly where to find you, so make sure you have a phone number and can make contact to tell them which pier you have arrived.  Also, be aware that pickups have to take place across the street (12th Avenue) and there is no parking lot so you kind of have to hunt up and down the street for them.  It can help if they indicate if they tell you what cross street is closest to where they are waiting.  Or they may turn a corner and wait on the first block of a cross street.

[fred30]

Looks like the Journey is all alone on 4/10 when it leaves.

The Escape will also be in port on 4/21 when the Journey returns.

 

 

[Cyber Kat]

Thanks, but I guess I didn’t explain very well. We have cruised out of the Manhattan Cruise Terminal many times, but always on a much larger ship. 

 

I’m thinking it will take much less time to clear the ship, but with a large ship like the Escape debarking at the same time, I guess it’s going to be a bit chaotic. 

 

We usually use the same car service and they pick us up where the taxis come in. We usually coordinate by phone, but I need to give them a ball park time. Our cruise documents say the ship arrives at 8am which is a bit later than we are used to. 

[Cyber Kat]

10 hours ago, fred30 said:

Looks like the Journey is all alone on 4/10 when it leaves.

The Escape will also be in port on 4/21 when the Journey returns.

 

 

 

They’re going to be with us in Bermuda for the 2 nights also, but we have prime docking on Front St Hamilton. It’s one of the the reasons we booked this cruise. 😍

[PelicanBill]

Cyber Kat, if you are able to still read this after departure, I looked at return times.

 

Escape returns 7am so will be disembarking by 7:30am.

You return 8am so you will start a bit later - but no way around it you will be mixed in to the middle of theirs unless you end up at Pier 90 and have a separate immigration check from Escape.  If you are at the same pier and are mixed in there is no avoiding the crowd and lines I think.

 

I would think you could be on the street by 9:30am, perhaps 10:00am if the immigration line is slow.

[Cyber Kat]

3 hours ago, PelicanBill said:

Cyber Kat, if you are able to still read this after departure, I looked at return times.

 

Escape returns 7am so will be disembarking by 7:30am.

You return 8am so you will start a bit later - but no way around it you will be mixed in to the middle of theirs unless you end up at Pier 90 and have a separate immigration check from Escape.  If you are at the same pier and are mixed in there is no avoiding the crowd and lines I think.

 

I would think you could be on the street by 9:30am, perhaps 10:00am if the immigration line is slow.

 

Thanks. We left from Pier 90, so that would be so much better. 

[JuneauWhatIMean]

Is it still possible to grab a cab from an embarking passenger at the upstairs parking lot at the pier to go to EWR when we disembark?  Thx!

 

Alison

[njhorseman]

3 hours ago, JuneauWhatIMean said:

Is it still possible to grab a cab from an embarking passenger at the upstairs parking lot at the pier to go to EWR when we disembark?  Thx!

 

Alison

It's possible, but it could depend on whether they're strictly enforcing the rules that day as technically departing passengers are supposed to get taxis across the street.

 

BTW, it's not at the parking lot level, which is the third level of the cruise terminal. You want the check in level where taxis drop passengers,  which is the second level. (I'm calling street level the first level).

 

 

[Newfun4me]

On 3/23/2019 at 7:23 AM, Cyber Kat said:

It’s been a couple of years since we have cruised out of and back into the Manhattan Cruise Terminal. We are doing so on Azamara - a new line for us. We will be having a local airport limo service drop us off and pick us up on our return. Because it’s a new line and ship (Journey) for us, I have no idea what time to tell the service to pick us up. 

 

The last couple of times we were on Carnival and did self assist, so we were off early and didn’t have to wait for luggage at customs. I don’t know if Azamara does self assist, so I’m not sure if our usual pick up time at 10:00am will work.

 

Do any of you have experience with debarking a small ship like Azamara Journey at the MCT?  I’m thinking a small ship should be less chaotic, but you never know. 

2

I don't have any experience with this, but was wondering which car service you are using.  We need to set up something similar for next year.  Thanks!

[JuneauWhatIMean]

Thank you for the reply, njhorseman.  Guess we’ll drag our luggage-laden arses across the street.  😎

[Cyber Kat]

On 4/17/2019 at 2:44 PM, Newfun4me said:

I don't have any experience with this, but was wondering which car service you are using.  We need to set up something similar for next year.  Thanks!

We used a local company called Limo Express.  They aren't the cheapest, but they are very good and their drivers are all great!

[Cyber Kat]

Hi all!

We are back from our Azamara cruise.  Boarding was a piece of cake.  We got there a bit earlier than our scheduled check in time.  With a small ship like this there wasn't the usual craziness.  We got a porter right away, and headed into the terminal.  Smiling Azamara people showing us where to go.  Went through security with no issues.  No lines for check in.  Showed our boarding pass, got photos taken (even though we had submitted them online - it's new 😄 ).  They showed us where to sit and we were there about 10 minutes or less.  Didn't have a chance to have juice, coffee or pastries they had set up.  They called us for boarding and in a blink of an eye we were on the ship with a glass of bubbly in our hands!

Our debarkation was THE fastest ever!  We had arranged our own transportation, so we could leave the ship anytime before 9:30am.  Our driver called to let us know he was nearby and asked if we could get off early.  YEP! 🙂

We walked off the ship and there were porters waiting just inside the door.  They asked if they could help.  We asked about schlepping the luggage across 12th Ave.  The porter smiled and said, no problem - we have an in!  He told us to tell our driver to meet us at pier 90 level 2.  We were standing there with our luggage waiting for the car in less than 5 minutes.  We had to run tu keep up 🙂

All the port people up there were friendly and smiling.  No hassles, no issues.  Driver showed up about 10 minutes later and we were on our way home!

So get a porter - it's worth the tip not to have to drag your luggage across the street!

[Lois R]

I also just returned from Azamara (Hi Kat)..nice to have met you.

 

I took a post cruise tour since I had a late Sunday afternoon flight.  Got off the ship and went downstairs and there were buses lined up and I asked about the Sightseeing tour and was directed to the correct person.  We had a van with 12 of us (I think). We had a wonderful tour guide.

 

I also agree with the boarding review...…..it was EASY PEASY.

[Cyber Kat]

On 4/24/2019 at 7:10 AM, Lois R said:

I also just returned from Azamara (Hi Kat)..nice to have met you.

 

I took a post cruise tour since I had a late Sunday afternoon flight.  Got off the ship and went downstairs and there were buses lined up and I asked about the Sightseeing tour and was directed to the correct person.  We had a van with 12 of us (I think). We had a wonderful tour guide.

 

I also agree with the boarding review...…..it was EASY PEASY.

 

Just waving back at Lois!  Glad to have met you too!  Also glad you were able to get your meat locker turned back into a stateroom. That had to have been a dreadful first night!

 

 We will be back at the MCT again in the fall on the Viking Sea. We are doing a Montreal to NYC Canada/NE cruise!  Hope to meet up with you on another cruise some day.  

 

[Frncie]

On 4/24/2019 at 4:10 AM, Lois R said:

I took a post cruise tour since I had a late Sunday afternoon flight.  Got off the ship and went downstairs and there were buses lined up and I asked about the Sightseeing tour and was directed to the correct person.  We had a van with 12 of us (I think). We had a wonderful tour guide.

 

Hi Lois. We will be disembarking the Oceania Riviera in Manhattan on a Saturday morning in October. We expect to fly back to LAX that same day, but we haven’t booked our flights yet. The sightseeing tour sounds great!

 

Question: Is there a place to store your luggage at the terminal? Or on the van itself?

 

Thanks. Francie

[Lois R]

7 minutes ago, Frncie said:

 

Hi Lois. We will be disembarking the Oceania Riviera in Manhattan on a Saturday morning in October. We expect to fly back to LAX that same day, but we haven’t booked our flights yet. The sightseeing tour sounds great!

 

Question: Is there a place to store your luggage at the terminal? Or on the van itself?

 

Thanks. Francie

The luggage stays with you......they put it in the van...well, in the back is storage space......so no, not at the terminal. After the tour they go directly to the airports.  By the way, we had a FABULOUS tour guide.....he was informative, funny and VERY

knowledgeable.

[Frncie]

Lois, that sounds perfect. Is it advisable to try to reserve this tour in advance?

[Lois R]

28 minutes ago, Frncie said:

Lois, that sounds perfect. Is it advisable to try to reserve this tour in advance?

 

Yes, I would if you know you want to do it.  You can actually do it after you board the ship if you want as well. Just go see Shore Excursions the first couple of days.