Transatlantic Round Trip Query

[MamaFrog]

We enjoyed our first transatlantic voyage so much we have booked a roundtrip!

Does one have to disembark QM2 in New York or may one stay onboard?

(Presume we don't have to pack up and unpack again?!)

 

Any insight gratefully received 🙂

 

[Bigmike911]

You have to clear US Immigration and Customs so you must disembark. They usually announce a time for round trip customers to do this so that they can get back on with in a short period of time. You don't have to pack or unpack.

[deck chair]

27 minutes ago, Bigmike911 said:

You have to clear US Immigration and Customs so you must disembark. They usually announce a time for round trip customers to do this so that they can get back on with in a short period of time. You don't have to pack or unpack.

HI

 

No new packing or unpacking unless you are moving cabins.

Deck Chair

[TheOldBear]

I think you will have a lounge area set up in the terminal for continuing passengers while the ship is “zeroed out”, and may re board as soon as that is completed.

if you choose to leave the terminal, I think your ships card will let you walk past any passengers waiting to board when you return.

[MamaFrog]

Grateful thanks Big Mike, Deck Chair, and The Old Bear,
That's all really helpful 😊
 

Much as we enjoyed our stay in the US a couple of years ago, and will no doubt visit again, it was the fact we had such a wonderful time on the ship that prompted us to save for a return. She is the centre of the vacation - not a vehicle to it.

 

And, to be honest I am a tad old, slow and nervous - so the thought of getting stuck in a New York traffic jam for the sake of a spot of lunch feels too risky! I would be like an anxious child - " Shall we go back now?" every five mnutes! 😄

 

Kind Regards

 

[BigMac1953]

MamaFrog

We've done four round trips on QM2 and thoroughly enjoyed them all.

Thank fully, there are no traffic jams to worry about, as there is a relatively new  foot passenger ferry that leaves from a pier about 100 yds away from the ship and takes you to Wall Street. It's less than $3 each way, so ther's no excuse!

The ferry is also a great way to cross the East river, right beside the Brooklyn Bridge.

When you disembark, you tell the immigration people that you are "in transit" and you will skip the big queue and be put in the US citizen line.

Last year, we cleared immigration in 10 minutes.

It would be such a shame to go all that way and not soak up the fabulous NYC atmosphere.

Return to the ship by the same ferry.

Have a great time!

Stewart

[Underwatr]

11 hours ago, TheOldBear said:

I think you will have a lounge area set up in the terminal for continuing passengers while the ship is “zeroed out”, and may re board as soon as that is completed.

 

Even the Suites/VIP lounge area at the Red Hook terminal is best described as spartan. If you have any desire to see anything in New York (including the up-and-coming neighborhood just outside of the terminal area fence) I'd encourage that rather than waiting in the terminal.

[MamaFrog]

On 4/18/2019 at 9:50 AM, BigMac1953 said:

MamaFrog

We've done four round trips on QM2 and thoroughly enjoyed them all.

Thank fully, there are no traffic jams to worry about, as there is a relatively new  foot passenger ferry that leaves from a pier about 100 yds away from the ship and takes you to Wall Street. It's less than $3 each way, so ther's no excuse!

The ferry is also a great way to cross the East river, right beside the Brooklyn Bridge.

When you disembark, you tell the immigration people that you are "in transit" and you will skip the big queue and be put in the US citizen line.

Last year, we cleared immigration in 10 minutes.

It would be such a shame to go all that way and not soak up the fabulous NYC atmosphere.

Return to the ship by the same ferry.

Have a great time!

Stewart

Very many thanks Stewart 🙂

That's all really helpful, and sounds doable even for a nervous traveller like me!

Much appreciated 🙂

 

[MamaFrog]

21 hours ago, Underwatr said:

 

Even the Suites/VIP lounge area at the Red Hook terminal is best described as spartan. If you have any desire to see anything in New York (including the up-and-coming neighborhood just outside of the terminal area fence) I'd encourage that rather than waiting in the terminal.

 

Thank you 🙂 
It's not that I don't want to see anything - simply not fast on my feet, have no sense of direction and quite cautious by nature 🙂

 

Now feeling much encouraged by all the positive replies

Thank you all

[Bigmike911]

On 4/18/2019 at 3:27 AM, MamaFrog said:

Grateful thanks Big Mike, Deck Chair, and The Old Bear,
That's all really helpful 😊
 

Much as we enjoyed our stay in the US a couple of years ago, and will no doubt visit again, it was the fact we had such a wonderful time on the ship that prompted us to save for a return. She is the centre of the vacation - not a vehicle to it.

 

And, to be honest I am a tad old, slow and nervous - so the thought of getting stuck in a New York traffic jam for the sake of a spot of lunch feels too risky! I would be like an anxious child - " Shall we go back now?" every five mnutes! 😄

 

Kind Regards

 

Maybe you should look into Cunard's tours of NYC. The ship will not leave until all of their tours are back so you are isolated from traffic issues. There is one that drops you at Macy's for a couple hours, so you can shop or eat and get back to the bus in time to return to the ship. Check your Voyage Personalizer for their offerings. 

[Ynox]

If you didn't want to do your own tour, it's possible to take a Cunard organised shuttle to Macy's. Off the top of my head this was something like $60/person, but it does mean that as long as you're back on the shuttle in time, you'll be back on board without issue. Pricier, sure, but you might want that degree of insurance.

[MamaFrog]

4 hours ago, Ynox said:

If you didn't want to do your own tour, it's possible to take a Cunard organised shuttle to Macy's. Off the top of my head this was something like $60/person, but it does mean that as long as you're back on the shuttle in time, you'll be back on board without issue. Pricier, sure, but you might want that degree of insurance.

 

 

Hi Ynox and Big Mike 🙂 ,

 

And thanks for the Cunard shuttle/tour idea 🙂

I'm not a shopper (last time we stayed 2 days and visited The Morgan Library and Central Park on one and The Intrepid on the second) - there might possibly be other trips worth considering from the insurance perspective though... ' certainly open to ideas.

 

Wishing you a good weekend 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Ynox]

From Macy's it's actually pretty easy to get to the likes of Times Square and Central Park - it's just a shuttle there, you don't actually have to shop.

 

I took the shuttle on my first TA back in 2015. Ended up going to Central Park, Times Square, went for lunch, went for a couple of beers and then back to Macy's to do some shopping before getting the shuttle back.

 

From what I remember, the shuttle got into Manhattan pretty early (before 9am rings a bell) and we left to return to the ship at 3pm or so.

[MamaFrog]

On 4/19/2019 at 9:08 PM, Ynox said:

From Macy's it's actually pretty easy to get to the likes of Times Square and Central Park - it's just a shuttle there, you don't actually have to shop.

 

I took the shuttle on my first TA back in 2015. Ended up going to Central Park, Times Square, went for lunch, went for a couple of beers and then back to Macy's to do some shopping before getting the shuttle back.

 

From what I remember, the shuttle got into Manhattan pretty early (before 9am rings a bell) and we left to return to the ship at 3pm or so.

 

Now that sounds interesting!

Thanks so much for the clarification - your experience gives a good idea of what's doable 🙂 

Lunch in New York does have some attraction ; it's getting lost or delayed that scares me!

[wenlyn]

Hi MamaFrog

 

We travelled with you on your first crossing.  We did a round trip just before the ferry started from Brooklyn so that wasn't an option for us but its on my list if we do another round trip as all reports I've heard a good. On our trip Cunard offered 3 excursions one that stopped at 3 different locations for an hour or so each time one that dropped at Macy's (which we did - we visited Grand Central station, The Chrysler building, the Library, Times Square, a Mc Donalds and a phone shop to repair a screen as well as a quick walk round Macy's itself) The coaches started to return to the ship from around 2pm from memory so you should be fine to explore a little without getting lost or being late. I can't remember what the 3rd trip was, it had sold out before we decided to do anything official. I'd wanted to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge but hadn't felt confident about how to get from the port to the bridge having had differing views on the viability/safety of walking there or what transport options were. There are also some places to visit in Brooklyn that would easily be done by Uber, taxi or even water taxi now if you only wanted to go off for a couple of hours.

[3rdGenCunarder]

On 4/18/2019 at 9:16 AM, Underwatr said:

 

Even the Suites/VIP lounge area at the Red Hook terminal is best described as spartan. If you have any desire to see anything in New York (including the up-and-coming neighborhood just outside of the terminal area fence) I'd encourage that rather than waiting in the terminal.

"Spartan" is kind. Sometimes if things are running late, intransit passengers can be stuck there for quite a while. There's a huge photo on the wall, showing the Captain's table and a white-gloved waiter standing by. And it says something about a "gracious experience" or some such thing. Meanwhile, you're sitting on a hard chair in a warehouse, and maybe you can get a paper cup of less than wonderful coffee.

 

OP, I think the shuttle is a good idea if you don't want to go on your own. The good thing is that Midtown is a numerical grid, so it's easy to keep track of where you are. Just make sure you know where the bus pick-up spot is. Go to a site like tripadvisor and see what sort of attractions are nearby and plan a route to see them. I think Central Park is a bit far to go, depending on your timing. Wenlyn's list sounds like a good start in terms of finding places to see, although I'd skip McDonald's. I'd add Bryant Park behind the Library to the list. It's one of my favorite places in the city, perhaps because I can remember way back when it was "needle park" and people avoided going near it. Now it's beautiful, with lots of places to sit and several choices for a quick "al fresco" lunch if the weather is pleasant. 

 

[Underwatr]

Times Square (Broadway at 43rd-47th streets) is fairly close to Macy's (Broadway at 34th-35th) while the Empire State Building is one block east of Macy's on 34th. In that general area are also Grand Central Terminal and Bryant Park, while Rockefeller Center and Radio City is just a bit further north along 5th Ave. You don't walk long distances between sights in midtown. 

 

Heading north-south there are 20 blocks per mile. Typical an east-west block is about the same distance as 3 north-south blocks

[MamaFrog]

6 hours ago, wenlyn said:

Hi MamaFrog

 

We travelled with you on your first crossing.  We did a round trip just before the ferry started from Brooklyn so that wasn't an option for us but its on my list if we do another round trip as all reports I've heard a good. On our trip Cunard offered 3 excursions one that stopped at 3 different locations for an hour or so each time one that dropped at Macy's (which we did - we visited Grand Central station, The Chrysler building, the Library, Times Square, a Mc Donalds and a phone shop to repair a screen as well as a quick walk round Macy's itself) The coaches started to return to the ship from around 2pm from memory so you should be fine to explore a little without getting lost or being late. I can't remember what the 3rd trip was, it had sold out before we decided to do anything official. I'd wanted to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge but hadn't felt confident about how to get from the port to the bridge having had differing views on the viability/safety of walking there or what transport options were. There are also some places to visit in Brooklyn that would easily be done by Uber, taxi or even water taxi now if you only wanted to go off for a couple of hours.

 Hello 🙂

I remember your helpfulness well :-) Hope life is being good to you.

I never expected to go again, but we had such a fabulous time I have been saving for our return ever since 🙂

 

Sounds like the excusion to Macy's offers a good balance of freedom to explore and safe return - which is very attractive.Thank you  🙂

 

 

[MamaFrog]

42 minutes ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

"Spartan" is kind. Sometimes if things are running late, intransit passengers can be stuck there for quite a while. There's a huge photo on the wall, showing the Captain's table and a white-gloved waiter standing by. And it says something about a "gracious experience" or some such thing. Meanwhile, you're sitting on a hard chair in a warehouse, and maybe you can get a paper cup of less than wonderful coffee.

 

OP, I think the shuttle is a good idea if you don't want to go on your own. The good thing is that Midtown is a numerical grid, so it's easy to keep track of where you are. Just make sure you know where the bus pick-up spot is. Go to a site like tripadvisor and see what sort of attractions are nearby and plan a route to see them. I think Central Park is a bit far to go, depending on your timing. Wenlyn's list sounds like a good start in terms of finding places to see, although I'd skip McDonald's. I'd add Bryant Park behind the Library to the list. It's one of my favorite places in the city, perhaps because I can remember way back when it was "needle park" and people avoided going near it. Now it's beautiful, with lots of places to sit and several choices for a quick "al fresco" lunch if the weather is pleasant. 

 

 

Many thanks for your informative reply 🙂

I definitely think we'll give the hard chairs and paper cups a miss! ( I can do that anytime 🙂)

 

Have been looking on Google and am pondering the 230 FIFTH ROOFTOP LOUNGE for the view...

Guess much will depend on the weather so will have a flexible plan ready 🙂

 

[MamaFrog]

11 minutes ago, Underwatr said:

Times Square (Broadway at 43rd-47th streets) is fairly close to Macy's (Broadway at 34th-35th) while the Empire State Building is one block east of Macy's on 34th. In that general area are also Grand Central Terminal and Bryant Park, while Rockefeller Center and Radio City is just a bit further north along 5th Ave. You don't walk long distances between sights in midtown. 

 

Heading north-south there are 20 blocks per mile. Typical an east-west block is about the same distance as 3 north-south blocks

 

Thanks Underwatr 🙂 ( and sincerely hope you never are without submarine or snorkle 🙂 )

 

We didn't see any of the attractions you mentioned last visit - and the proximity is most encouraging 

[fizzy1]

Does anyone have any suggestions of a route for a couple of hours meander around Brooklyn 

[Underwatr]

Note that I haven't walked between the ship and there (in a town car the other side of the neighborhood the fare was around $10) but the neighborhood of Carroll Gardens (Henry, Clinton and Court streets and in particular the east-west streets named 1st Place through 4th Place) features a lot of classic brownstone architecture along tree-lined streets. Frankie's 457 Spuntino at 457 Court Street has a quiet garden in back which is nice for a relaxed lunch. 

[MarkBearSF]

All of these replies are great. I'd like to offer another piece of advice. The subway system in NY is extensive and safe and there are many connections to elsewhere in NY from Penn Station and Harold Square where the shuttle drops off. (Just beware that the station platforms can get hot in the summer, although the cars are air conditioned)
http://web.mta.info/maps/submap.html

Edited April 22, 2019 by MarkBearSF

[Underwatr]

*Herald Square. 🙂

[MarkBearSF]

On 4/22/2019 at 5:30 PM, Underwatr said:

*Herald Square. 🙂

Thanks for the correction, Underwatr!
It's funny. I had heard the name for a long time and that's the version of the word that I assumed when first hearing it and later never questioned it nor noticed the actual spelling, when encountering it on maps and the like.  [...and I assume, like Times Square, it comes from an old newspaper name.]

Always up to learning something new (and avoiding future faux pas)

Edited April 25, 2019 by MarkBearSF