Question Re: Embarkation in Red Hook for Golden Princess on May 3rd

[sfvoyager]

I know I will be super anxious to get onboard the ship as early as possible. What time is the earliest that porters will be available to assist with luggage, and check in to start that day?

 

I want to estimate the time a town car should pick me up from a hotel in Mid Town Manhattan.

 

Also, if I decide to be smarter and go when the crowds thin out, what would be a good time to leave manhattan for Red Hook? (I doubt I will have the patience for this, but just in case. ;-)

[edtonkin53]

I believe the Golden Princess leaves on May 6th to Europe not the 3rd

of May

[Merion_Mom]

Well, sfvoyager said that s/he IS eager to get on board early............

 

:D :D :D

[sfvoyager]

LOL!

 

Yes, May 6. May 3rd is my flight to New York, and no I don't intend to go straight from the airport to Red Hook.

 

So, now that we cleared up it is on May 6- What time?!

[bstrauss3]

There is a calendar for the NY ports here: http://www.nycruiseterminal.com/sched.html (Click on May).

 

It shows the Golden arriving on the 6th. So I seriously doubt they'll let you on on the 3rd :-)

 

AFAIK, this is the 1st call by any Princess ship @ Red Hook and only the 3rd by any ship, so I would not expect them to be ready for you too much earlier than they told you to arrive...

 

-----Burton

[JohnLauben]

This is an educated guess, based on what happens at the Manhattan cruise terminal.

 

The incoming cruise will arrive somewhere around 7:30 AM. All luggage must be unloaded, and customs must clear the ship before disembarkation can start. Also, everyone must have paid their tab at the purser's desk, and a few people will need to see the immigration officers. At the earliest, disembarkation will start somewhere between 9:00 and 9:30 AM; this process will take 2 to 2 and a half hours.

 

Therefore, you can figure that embarkation will commence around noon ... 12:30 PM at the latest.

[sfvoyager]

Thank you John,

 

Your answer was most helpful. One more question, since you seem to have a good handle on the ins and outs. What time would you estimate they would have porters curbside to assist with baggage for embarking passengers?

[JohnLauben]

I'm sure that the porters will be there around 9 AM, although, at this time, they will be assisting those disembarking. Also, until there's a better idea of how things are going to work at the new pier, I wouldn't count on getting to the pier (traffic-wise) until those disembarking have cleared out of the way.

 

So, with this in mind, I wouldn't plan on arriving until noon, at the earliest.

 

The GOLDEN PRINCESS will be one of the first ships to use the terminal (the third, I think, but may be mistaken on the exact number). I'm sure that they will still be getting the kinks out of the new terminal. It probably won't be until June, at the earliest, before any reliable pattern has settled in. For now, you will be one of Brooklyn's pioneer cruisers! And, hopefully, by the time I get to use the new terminal in October, things will be operating smoothly.

[ninapeter]

HI and welcome...please go to the Cruise Critic board for the Golden leaving on May 6th. We are having a get together on Sunday Morning at 11AM to meet friends who have chatted on the board. Also there has beeen quite a bit of chatter about the Red Hook pier. There are some links that will give you all the the details, including one from the Cunard Board about the first embarkation last Saturday....losts more information on our future cruise board, come on over.