How strict is QM2 boarding time in NYC

[BklynBoy8]

3 hours ago, ace2542 said:

I am also on the August 23rd crossing and I got 2.30pm boarding time same as above. I am platinum member however. So I should be able to just rock up at my lesuire as has been discussed. Though solid arguments have beeb made about getting the lunch option in NYC or having the couple of extra hours to do something.

 

I agree everyone would like to board the ship and start the sailing while still docked but to avoid the initial crush would start the trip more pleasantly.

 

If wanting to lunch on board, the locations do stay open towards the 4 o'clock hour. So when ever you can board, you will have plenty of time to enjoy a memorable voyage. 

[Bell Boy]

On 8/2/2024 at 6:56 PM, Andee said:

Although we've cruised on several other lines, Aug 23 NYC> Southampton will be our first Cunard cruise.
To say that our pre-board experience has been frustrating would be a gross understatement. 
Because we're in a low class cabin, we have the very late boarding time of 2:30. On other cruises, we've been able to board before our official time. Is that common on Cunard? I'm not trying to beak the rules, just want to know how boarding actually works.
Thanks!

As an aside from your post re an earlier boarding , I'm also on this Voyage ( doing the round trip from Southampton) 

You may already be aware ( or not) that this voyage you have chosen is the 400th Transatlantic crossing for QM2 . It should be quite a celebration , there are some well known  insight Maritime lecturers onboard including the well known Stephen Payne OBE (navel architect) who designed the QM2   and Bill Miller ( maritime historian) his lectures are not to be missed !  

 

If you are passing through the Commodore Bar most evenings between 7pm & 8pm I'll be the good looking guy sitting at the Bar Top , come and say hello . 😅    

Edited August 5 by Bell Boy

[exlondoner]

49 minutes ago, BklynBoy8 said:

 

I agree everyone would like to board the ship and start the sailing while still docked but to avoid the initial crush would start the trip more pleasantly.

 

If wanting to lunch on board, the locations do stay open towards the 4 o'clock hour. So when ever you can board, you will have plenty of time to enjoy a memorable voyage. 

Grills usually close 2.30.

[Andee]

1 hour ago, Bell Boy said:

As an aside from your post re an earlier boarding , I'm also on this Voyage ( doing the round trip from Southampton) 

You may already be aware ( or not) that this voyage you have chosen is the 400th Transatlantic crossing for QM2 . It should be quite a celebration , there are some well known  insight Maritime lecturers onboard including the well known Stephen Payne OBE (navel architect) who designed the QM2   and Bill Miller ( maritime historian) his lectures are not to be missed !  

 

If you are passing through the Commodore Bar most evenings between 7pm & 8pm I'll be the good looking guy sitting at the Bar Top , come and say hello . 😅    

Great info--thanks!

Look forward to meeting you.

[BklynBoy8]

5 hours ago, exlondoner said:

Grills usually close 2.30.

 

Was talking about Kings Court before they close for Audio Muster Station Message over the PA System.

[Andee]

Thanks to all for your responses.
We'll meet a friend for brunch around 11 and get to the ship around 2.

[kitkat343]

The food on Cunard in the less expensive cabins is really good (we have three kids so we sailed in two interior cabins both times on Cunard) .  

 

Please note that if you have to board later or if you are delayed, the Manhattan terminal is very close to Gotham West Market and the Intrepid.  Sorry, I can't help you if you are sailing out of Brooklyn in terms of recommendations where to go nearby, but hope you will have a wonderful time.   

[BigMac1953]

It's been a while since Manhattan was in regular use

[buchanan101]

On 8/2/2024 at 10:34 PM, Andee said:

By lower class, I meant 1st time Cunard cruisers in a less expensive cabin.
We've never sailed on a cruise line with levels of cabins limiting dining venues, so that's odd to us. 

I thought a lot of lines had different restaurants for different staterooms; the Grills restaurants are a significant part of the extra price and I suspect a good part of Cunard's profits is from the Grills

[Andee]

Maybe we're just so used to Oceania and various river cruises that I never thought about "classes". I'm sure we'll be happy.
QM2 is definitely sailing out of Red Hook, Brooklyn.

[RK-NC]

1 hour ago, Andee said:

Maybe we're just so used to Oceania

 

We should meet up - would love to hear about Oceania! 

[Andee]

5 minutes ago, RK-NC said:

 

We should meet up - would love to hear about Oceania! 

And we live to talk about Oceania! A perfect match. 

[ace2542]

On 8/6/2024 at 12:55 AM, Andee said:

Thanks to all for your responses.
We'll meet a friend for brunch around 11 and get to the ship around 2.

Are you taking a yellow taxi? If you are a little tip for you. If you seat down in the cab the driver has to take you where you want to go. Some taxi drivers may not want to take you to the brooklyn terminal for whatever reason but if you sit down you have to be taken where you want to go.

 

Looking forward to meeting you onboard hopefully.

[Andee]

We haven't decided yet if we're going to take a cab or public transportation. It will probably depend on how we feel about managing our luggage.

Yes, I knew that about NYC cabs. I grew up in a suburb of NYC and have been back many times over the past 50+ years.

Maybe we could consider an informal Cruise Critic get together on Saturday.

[ace2542]

40 minutes ago, Andee said:

Maybe we could consider an informal Cruise Critic get together on Saturday

Sounds good to me. I have posted about doing something in the Roll Call. Let me know.

[ClipperinSFO]

We are also on this crossing and have been assigned a 3:15p boarding time as Platinum loyalty in Britannia.  We are also on the late sitting at dinner, which means we will have plenty of time to unpack and get settled before cocktails and dinner.  I am wondering if dinner seating is one of the factors for determining boarding time for Britannia passengers.

 

Totally ok with the later boarding time if it means no lines and smoothly going aboard (and less wait for the lifts!). We will look forward to a nice lunch in New York, before boarding, as suggested. 

 

So excited to hear Stephen Payne and Bill Miller will be our insights lecturers, as we are big fans of both.  Long live Cunard! Long live QM2!

[Pushpit]

27 minutes ago, ClipperinSFO said:

We are also on this crossing and have been assigned a 3:15p boarding time as Platinum loyalty in Britannia.  We are also on the late sitting at dinner, which means we will have plenty of time to unpack and get settled before cocktails and dinner.  I am wondering if dinner seating is one of the factors for determining boarding time for Britannia passengers.

 

As far as I can make out it's purely the distance of your stateroom from the entrance pier. The nearer you are to that pier, the later your assigned time. Which makes sense to manage congestion and blockages close to the entry route but I suspect in the end it doesn't greatly matter.

[ClipperinSFO]

11 minutes ago, Pushpit said:

As far as I can make out it's purely the distance of your stateroom from the entrance pier. The nearer you are to that pier, the later your assigned time. Which makes sense to manage congestion and blockages close to the entry route but I suspect in the end it doesn't greatly matter.

 

That's an interesting thought, and makes sense.  It also occurred to me that Cunard might allot boarding times for non-Grills passengers the way Southwest Airlines does in the US: early times get allotted to those that check in first, independent of dining time -- which might overly complicate things.  

[Brummel]

I'm also on the August 23rd TA from Brooklyn.

 

I'm in a sheltered balcony cabin on deck 4 and have a 1:30 pm check in time. I am also a platinum member and perhaps this was a factor in getting a relatively early check-in time.

 

I am using the transfer bus from JFK which leaves at about 11:00 am and which, depending on traffic, should get me there around 12:00 or 12:30. I will find out if my platinum status gets me aboard right away. 

[Pushpit]

1 hour ago, Brummel said:

I'm also on the August 23rd TA from Brooklyn.

 

I'm in a sheltered balcony cabin on deck 4 and have a 1:30 pm check in time. I am also a platinum member and perhaps this was a factor in getting a relatively early check-in time.

 

Are you near the stern or bow? Being away from mid should also work in your favour, but you are potentially arriving at a busy time so if arriving at 12:00 it may take longer than it would at 1:30 pm.

[Brummel]

Nearer the stern. You're right about noon being more busy and Brooklyn can be a nightmare; but this is my first time embarking in Brooklyn with platinum status so hoping that actually proves an advantage.

 

But if I have to wait a bit, that's fine. There is such a delightful air of anticipation and excitement in the hall during embarkation, the time goes by quickly and most of the passengers are in good humor and eager to chat. I consider it part of the experience.

[Pushpit]

18 minutes ago, Brummel said:

Nearer the stern. You're right about noon being more busy and Brooklyn can be a nightmare; but this is my first time embarking in Brooklyn with platinum status so hoping that actually proves an advantage.

Yes, once you get towards the front you will see some big signs up showing the way to the priority desks, and they will say something like "Priority - Diamond - Platinum" on them. Personally I don't find Brooklyn too bad, but I try to arrive by the public ferry (e.g. from the Wall Street pier) if I can, the only way to arrive, which with the free tour of QM2 is the best way to stoke up anticipation.

[ace2542]

1 hour ago, Pushpit said:

I try to arrive by the public ferry (e.g. from the Wall Street pier) if I can, the only way to arriv

Where do you get this ferry from? I really want to do it yet I have never been able to figure out where to do it from.

[BigMac1953]

The ferry port is on the river (obviously) at the east end of Wall Street.

 

It's about 20 minutes to Red Hook and is $4.00 each way.

[Pushpit]

54 minutes ago, ace2542 said:

Where do you get this ferry from? I really want to do it yet I have never been able to figure out where to do it from.

Your 2 options are Wall Street Pier 11 and Corlears Hook. The latter is a a bit strange, no hotels near there, it is just a nice park area, but there is plenty around Wall Street and near the pier. You can also change via the ferry system and thus start from half a dozen locations on Manhattan.

 

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

 

At Red Hook, the ferry comes right very close to the cruise terminal, it's only about 120 metres away.

 

Edited August 8 by Pushpit