Getaway 04/17/2022 NY to Bermuda

[Dcpelletier]

Embarcation was a nightmare, unfortunately. Over 3 hours in lines for us to get on the ship. We were fortunate though because some people waited in excess of 6 hours. We are not going to Virginia as planned due to the long embarcation time and are not leaving port here until midnight due to the water current. So I guess we will not have to test again since no one will be getting off the ship prior to our arrival there.

[Charles4515]

16 minutes ago, Dcpelletier said:

Embarcation was a nightmare, unfortunately. Over 3 hours in lines for us to get on the ship. We were fortunate though because some people waited in excess of 6 hours. We are not going to Virginia as planned due to the long embarcation time and are not leaving port here until midnight due to the water current. So I guess we will not have to test again since no one will be getting off the ship prior to our arrival there.

Were the lines caused by passengers not having a completed Bermuda Travel Authorization?

[JGmf]

Oh no, this does not bode well for us with NYC to Bermuda cruises in the coming weeks...

 

According to their roll call message board, any Bermuda TA snags are compounded by understaffing at the port.  Uggh.

[Dcpelletier]

1 hour ago, Charles4515 said:

Were the lines caused by passengers not having a completed Bermuda Travel Authorization?

No, it was said that they didn't have enough people working by one of the employees.  They were having people that didn't do the authorization submit it then and then we're allowed to board.

[JGmf]

Your cruise departed on Easter Sunday, a tough staffing day for any business.  Hopefully, it's a blip, not a trend...

[jfio1021]

26 minutes ago, JGmf said:

Your cruise departed on Easter Sunday, a tough staffing day for any business.  Hopefully, it's a blip, not a trend...

i hope you are right, i sail with RCL in october and i was blown away by the time it took for me to arrive and then be on the ship. it was so quick 

[shof515]

7 hours ago, JGmf said:

Your cruise departed on Easter Sunday, a tough staffing day for any business.  Hopefully, it's a blip, not a trend...

The Gem left NY on April 14 and from what was posted here it looks like the terminal had staffing issues

[JIMESOPUS]

We waited 2 hrs in pier 90, before getting to 88 for the check in which was fast, all around us folks didn't have the Bermuda TA, a couple didn't open up the second email and signed the form. One lady right in front of us didn't test or even knew anything about the TA. Staff was cut in half, some in 88 and some in 90. When we got through 90 at 1130, lines where out the door and only 7 agents at the desk.

[kayhil3]

leaving in three weeks from NY. We have to go to terminal90 first??

[Mike A]

Why did you go to 90 First? Did they do the COVID-19 check at 90 and security and check in at 88?

Also as an aside, the May 29th sailing on the Joy to Bermuda almost definitely will  be leaving out of Pier 90 instead of 88 due to Fleet Week Memorial Day Weekend. 

[JIMESOPUS]

3 hours ago, Mike A said:

Why did you go to 90 First? Did they do the COVID-19 check at 90 and security and check in at 88?

Also as an aside, the May 29th sailing on the Joy to Bermuda almost definitely will  be leaving out of Pier 90 instead of 88 due to Fleet Week Memorial Day Weekend. 

Someone thought they could vetted the TA better in 90, but the problem was those agents were trying to help the ones who screwed up instead of sending them over to other line which was there to help. Blocks of people went thru without any issues then everything stopped because of the screw ups. If you are going to Bermuda, follow their web site instructions, start the process early, don't wait till the last minute - bring paper copies, phone service was spotty and that also slowed down the lines.  

[shof515]

3 hours ago, Mike A said:

Why did you go to 90 First? Did they do the COVID-19 check at 90 and security and check in at 88?

Also as an aside, the May 29th sailing on the Joy to Bermuda almost definitely will  be leaving out of Pier 90 instead of 88 due to Fleet Week Memorial Day Weekend. 

Fleet Week usually does not effect the cruise terminals. If the fleet week ship do dock, they dock on the other side of the pier were cruise ships very rarely dock. Each pier can hold 2 ships

[www3traveler]

14 hours ago, shof515 said:

The Gem left NY on April 14 and from what was posted here it looks like the terminal had staffing issues

Of course, not only was it Easter Sunday, it was also Passover.  Probably several Port staff members took an unscheduled day off.

 

[Charles4515]

15 minutes ago, www3traveler said:

Of course, not only was it Easter Sunday, it was also Passover.  Probably several Port staff members took an unscheduled day off.

 

Passover began Friday evening April 15. Some take one day off and others take two days off. I doubt that any days off for Passover were unscheduled. Many busnesses allow employees to take off on Passover so I doubt absences were unscheduled. They would be scheduled . Particularly so in New York City. 

[Mike A]

1 hour ago, shof515 said:

Fleet Week usually does not effect the cruise terminals. If the fleet week ship do dock, they dock on the other side of the pier were cruise ships very rarely dock. Each pier can hold 2 ships

We returned to Pier 90 during fleet week on the Gem in 2017. We sailed from 88 the week prior. Our car was on the roof of 88 and we had to drag our luggage to the car on the roof of 88 from 90. Not Fun. There were war ships on the south side of 88. Nothing on the North where NCL normally sails from. They were using the terminal for Navy seamen hospitality. In addition the website  for Fleet Week states they will be using Pier 88. Believe me, I hope you are right as we will be in the same situation this year in the opposite direction. Leave from 90 on 5/29 return to 88 on 6/5.

Edited April 19, 2022 by Mike A