Embarkation time from NYC port

[Underwatr]

Living in southern PA I have the options of either Amtrak (from Lancaster PA) or driving to get to the ship. While I have no personal anxiety with leaving home around 8 AM for the roughly 3.5 hour drive to Brooklyn, I just can't muster the courage to take Amtrak to NYC the day of embarkation. This is despite never having been delayed on trains to NYC to an extent that would have prevented my making an embarkation on that day.

 

Before my last QM2 voyage I drove up and stayed 2 nights at an Embassy Suites in Secaucus NJ. Free parking (parking in Manhattan is $$$) and there's NJT bus service to Port Authority throughout the day for a couple of dollars if you're 62 or older (maybe $4 if you're below that). On embarkation day I had a very leisurely morning before taking the Holland Tunnel and the Carey/Battery Tunnel to Red Hook.

 

You won't be turned away (at least in the past) if you show up earlier than your assigned time, but my experience with New York and Southampton is that if you do delay to 2 or 3 PM you'll arrive to a nearly empty check-in hall. So there are some potential advantages to waiting even though you'll be on the ship earlier if you arrive before then.

[navybankerteacher]

On 1/8/2021 at 6:39 AM, Underwatr said:

...

 

Before my last QM2 voyage I drove up and stayed 2 nights at an Embassy Suites in Secaucus NJ. Free parking (parking in Manhattan is $$$) and there's NJT bus service to Port Authority throughout the day for a couple of dollars if you're 62 or older (maybe $4 if you're below that). On embarkation day I had a very leisurely morning before taking the Holland Tunnel and the Carey/Battery Tunnel to Red Hook.

 

...

A slight variation on an old line: Second prize is two nights at an Embassy Suites in Secaucus, NJ - First prize is one night.

 

I would prefer training (or driving) up the day before and spending the night

in a Mid- town or Financial District hotel —- but to each his own.

 

I’m sure that one night plus parking would cost more than two in Secaucus, but you get what you pay for.

 

Is there direct Amtrak service from Lancaster to Penn Station?  The boarding process is always the annoying part of riding Amtrak - and a train change doubles the chance of delay.

Edited January 10, 2021 by navybankerteacher

[Underwatr]

The Embassy Suites was fine. Just don't pay extra for an Empire State Building view. I'm loath to pay $60-90 for inner city parking.

 

I've always ridden direct from Lancaster to NY Penn*. Some trains would require you to change in Philadelphia.

* On one trip the direct Keystone Service train had mechanical issues so we had to get off in Trenton, NJ and board the next train coming up from Baltimore/DC. The delay was minimal but when you're dealing with cruise luggage for two, transferring to a fairly full Northeast Corridor train was a hassle I'd rather not repeat.

Parking at the Lancaster train station is a bit of a gamble. Few spaces available. 

[Smitheroo]

The best laid plans.......... I sailed 1/3/2013 which was the voyage after norovirus hit the QM2.  I was sitting watching the news when this feature story came on.  I could hardly believe it,  norovirus was the main reason why I never went on a typical cruise.  I had already received all my boarding information. We received emails with the new instructions.   There had to be a delay in boarding because the ship had to be deep cleaned per CDC. Sounds like a chaotic mess, right?  I have nothing to compare my experience to but it seemed very streamlined to me. My husband dropped me off at the terminal and waited about a half hour. I  think I was told to check in late afternoon which I did.  No problems at all.  I cant remember when we actually left  but it had to be early evening. We were up on deck watching the lights of the city, Statue of Liberty etc.  Only for a few minuites though as it was bitter cold.   I agree with those who said stay the night before in NY. We were just coming down from Maine , maybe 6 hrs from home to the dock. We didnt know what the weather would be like so we came down the previous day, stayed over near the Meadowlands in Jersey and in the morning I took my husband through the town where I grew up, then Rutgers campus in Newark where I went to college, and we visited the area where we lived when we were first married.  After lunch we headed over to the ship. Driving in NYC is never fun but we managed.  It was a very nice send off with minimal confusion.  The next time (1/3/2022) we plan to go down the day before and stay at an AirBnB in Bayonne I have discovered in my travels. . I will hop on a train the next morning and  head over to the dock in Brooklyn and my husband will hop on the NJTP and head back to Maine. 

[DeeDee Groff]

On 1/3/2021 at 10:06 AM, Cruise NH said:

 

I would second this suggestion.  The last time we did a crossing we took the train down from Boston and spent the night in the Financial District near Pier 11.  The next morning we walked over to the ferry terminal with our rolling luggage and went directly to the QM2 in Brooklyn.  It cost $2.75pp for the ferry and it couldn't have been easier.

 

This is the link to the ferry website, the South Brooklyn line goes to Red Hook (QM2).

 

https://www.ferry.nyc/routes-and-schedules/

 

I am thinking you live in New Hampshire, as do I (north central at the back of beyond), so did you take a limo or a shuttle to South Station?  Your input would be most welcome and appreciated.

[Cruise NH]

7 hours ago, DeeDee Groff said:

 

I am thinking you live in New Hampshire, as do I (north central at the back of beyond), so did you take a limo or a shuttle to South Station?  Your input would be most welcome and appreciated.

 

Glad to help.

 

We took the Concord Coach down to South Station from Concord.  A limo would work just as good of course...we're just cheap yankees😄.  I think they also run buses from the lakes region, I can't remember now but I thought they at least left from Tilton.

 

We actually went down the night before and stayed at the Hyatt in Downtown Crossing but that was only because it was the dead of winter and we wanted to have more options if bad weather came in.  It turned out to be helpful because I had forgot to pack some stuff and we did some shopping in Boston before leaving for NYC.

[neeuqdrazil]

My first TA (Eastbound), I flew into La Guardia from Toronto the morning of embarcation. I wouldn't recommend it - I was stressed the whole time, even though my flight was scheduled to arrive in NY at around 10AM (which gave me enough time that theoretically I could have taken one of a dozen other flights to NYC to get to the ship on time). 

The flight ended up being delayed, so I didn't make it to the port until about 1PM, I think, which was still a lot of time before departure, but it wasn't a fun way to start my vacation.

 

My second TA (westbound), I flew into London overnight on Friday night, spent the day running around London like a madwoman, then took the train to Southampton on Saturday afternoon, had a night in a hotel, then a leisurely jaunt to the port on Sunday to get on board. Much more civilized. 

[BklynBoy8]

We enjoy arriving at the terminal earlier if possible to start the cruising experience.

 

Being Diamond, most of the time we get a Noon time assignment.

 

Arriving around 11:15 you may still experience the previous passengers departing the ship.

 

Arriving around 11:15 we are checked in and wait in the Priority Lounge till boarding around Noon time.

 

The staff on the pier understands the eagerness of the passengers and try to accommodate you the best they can. We all eventually get on the same ship.