New York Departures

[irv54]

Has anyone cruised from NYC during the winter? If yes do you recommend the cruise

 

Thanks

[kryos]

Has anyone cruised from NYC during the winter? If yes do you recommend the cruise

Why not? You're gonna be heading south anyway ... so it will quickly warm up. The first day or so onboard, you just do indoors kinda stuff.

 

The only concern I always have with traveling in the winter months is snow and closed airports. I live in Philly, so naturally I worry about this. A storm at either your departure or destination point can really foul things up, especially if you've got to fly or drive significant distances to get to the ship. So, I would definitely recommend arriving a day or so early for a cruise departing New York City in the winter months. This way at least you know you're safely in the port city on embarkation day.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[innlady1]

Has anyone cruised from NYC during the winter? If yes do you recommend the cruise

 

Thanks

 

I'm hoping for the best in this regard, irv. We're booking on the Noordam that leaves NYC on 2/7.

 

If the weather forecast is grim, it may be wise to travel to New York a day or two early, as the other poster suggested.

 

I, for one, look forward to the joy of seeing the New York skyline and the Statue of Liberty on the way out of port.

[AAAAmerican]

A cruise at any time of year from NYC/NJ is magnificent.

 

So many ways to get to the Three Major Passenger Cruise Terminals too.

Rail, Air and by Sea or Ferry too.

 

Borough of Manhattan, NYC Borough of Brooklyn, NYC and Bayonne NJ's Port Liberty which was the US Naval Base (MOTBY) are wonderful destinations as well departure port points.;)

 

 

Ice in winter on the Hudson usually is not a problem.

 

I did take my wife for dinner on the Hudson New Years Eve and the vessel was frozen in the ice drifts a few times.. but tne captain did use the rocking technicque to free her and did..

 

The Hudson river usually does not freeze as it has a tremendous flow rate and is tidal.

 

 

So the chances are almost nill.. That New Years Eve was frigid ...

 

Have a great cruise too it is wonderful from the Greater NYC Area to cruise from and so much around to see and do too.:cool:

 

Has anyone cruised from NYC during the winter? If yes do you recommend the cruise

 

Thanks

[AAAAmerican]

Sorry the White Screen Double

 

:p :eek:

 

Has anyone cruised from NYC during the winter? If yes do you recommend the cruise

 

Thanks

[bepsf]

Yes, sailing from NYC in the winter is tremendously fun.

 

Of course the first day out isn't going to be terribly warm, but it gives one a chance to relax and unwind indoors, then the second day is a lovely warm day w/ lots of sun.

 

Of course, returning north is just the opposite - the last day before returning to NYC isn't so warm, but you might still get some quality jacuzzi time in there ;)

[MattOsprey]

Hi,

 

We sailed out of Bayonne last october returned early November, with X.

 

It is very cold for a day or two either end. If you are a sun worshipper this could be a problem. Especially on a shorter cruise.

 

If however like us you go for the whole experience then it is enjoyable.

 

 

 

Matt & Lorraine

[MattOsprey]

Sorry,

Seeing double.

Matt

[irv54]

Thanks for all your responses

 

We are thinking of January from NYC because we do not have to fly . It is only a 2 hour drive and Holland will even provide a bus if we leave from Philly.

 

Anybody else thinking of going either Jan 6 or later in the month

 

Irv

[innlady1]

Thanks for all your responses

 

We are thinking of January from NYC because we do not have to fly . It is only a 2 hour drive and Holland will even provide a bus if we leave from Philly.

 

Anybody else thinking of going either Jan 6 or later in the month

 

Irv

 

Yes, yesterday, we finally booked the 2/7 sailing on the Noordam! Hope to see some CCer's on board.

[Sunshine91]

Irv -

We're on the Jan 6 sailing. Did the inaugural too! Sailing from NYC was glorious. The first & last days are chilly, but we've got 11 days - so what. It's a whole lot better than flying to FLA for only 7. The ship herself is a destination.

The bus ($49pp) picks us up at the SunPark near the PHL airport & it's a straight 2hr shot to the pier. The luggage gets loaded on the bus & you don't see the bags again until they are in your room. It's just that easy.

Take a peek at our roll call. We've got a nice group going. :)

[kruisekathy]

My family sailed the NCL Dawn last February. We left on a 45 degree day and stood on our balcony watching the Statue of Liberty shine as we left the city. The first sea day was chilly - a jacket was necessary. By the next day we were at the pool and enjoying our balcony. We had very calm seas. Coming back to NYC was a little more brusk. While on the way down we could sit outside with a jacket, the last day was very cold and windy and you didn't want to be outside. NCL did a terrible job of keeping people occupied that day. There was very little going on inside. We are sailing the Noordam 2-17 and hope that the retractable roof make things very different and that we will be able to sit by the pool, whatever the weather. Looking forward to the experience again. We are from upstate NY and the ease of getting to the ship was worth the couple of cold days. Have fun!

[CateW]

We have also sailed out of NYC in winter and agree that for us, since we don't have to fly this is the choice for us.

KruiseKathy - we are on the 2/17 as well. Have you visited the rollcall?

[wilton4]

Does have any info on bus from Boston and the pickups along the way. Thanx

[klee wyck]

We're taking the bus from New Haven for our cruise on 10/25. The schedule that we have shows the bus leaving Boston at 6:30 am stopping in Providence, New London, New Haven. On the way back it takes the same route arriving in Boston at 5:30pm. The times may be different later in the winter to allow for bad weather. I don't know the cost, because there was a promo and our trip on the bus was free.

[sail7seas]

We're on the January 6 Noordam sailing :) :) :) Can't wait.

 

We'll be flying to New York from Boston the day before.

 

[wldflr]

I have a friend sailing on the Noordam on 1/17/07 for a 10 day Caribbean cruise and I wondered the same thing...I can't imagine getting on a cruise ship in NYC in January!!! I've sailed from NYC 3 times - all in the summer - twice to Bermuda and once to Nova Scotia.

 

And the muster drill must be loads of fun that first afternoon standing outside in the cold!

 

If I am going on a cruise, I want to be in my shorts/t-shirt right after boarding, not still shivering in a jacket for the first/last day...

 

So we are booked for an 8 night cruise sailing out of Ft. Lauderdale on Feb. 3...And we would have to fly to NYC anyways so it doesn't matter where the sailing port is!

 

So I'll be really curious to hear how sailing on the Noordam goes next January....

[cruisinbulldog]

Will be on the Noordam 1/27.. One of the main reasons is we do not have to fly and be concerned w/ airports/ weather..

 

Its about a 1 1/2 hr drive and will allow plenty of time and of coarse watch the weather..

 

My job has me work alot outside year round so a day or two of chilly temps are not a concern..Beleive me there are not alot of concerns once I get on a cruise ship!!:D

[barante]

We took an 11-day cruise from New York on the Norwegian Dawn this past March. No probs. But the cruise before us had delays and all kinds of problems, including missing passengers at departure, due to a major snow storm. I don't even know what the port's parking garage would do in such a situation, when departing customers have to clear their cars and the arriving ones probably also have to do a snow job before they can park.

I agree with everyone else that departing from New York is fabulous. This was one of the reasons we took the cruise from there, because my wife had never arrived in New York by sea. (We are booked on the Noordam out of NYC again in March).

As to the Statue of Liberty, I was disappointed. And I know why. It's all in the lighting. When we departed around 4 p.m., the lighting was bad. Far better was the morning arrival when you really could get a good idea as to what's there.

[Toad]

I took the Noordam out of NYC last March with my family. I still did my walk but it was cool on the promenade deck. The water was quite rough and many people were effected by the seas. I however love rough water.... wierd I know but I do. Just figure on the first two, and probably the last two days being pretty cool. Still we had a great time, and so will you.

[WNYCRUISER]

It is all in ones perspective.

 

I would rather manage with some chilly air in NYC. It is actually usually 10 to 20* warmer in NYC than here.

 

The alternatives:

Stand in long lines at the airport

 

Wonder if the flight will be cancelled or delayed due to weather (Had it happen - missed the ships sailing, had to catch up on the second day)

 

Wonder if the luggage will arrive with you. (Didn't once until third day of 7 day cruise)

 

Wait long hours for the return flight (Can drive home from NYC in less time than the normal wait at the airport for a return flight)

 

Would hate to lose NYC as a port for HAL. Several recent threads about the Noordam not being fully booked are making me worry.

[JeriNP]

I've sailed out of NY harbor three times and it's my favorite point of departure - all we need to do is grab a cab or a friend and in 20 minutes, we're at the pier!

 

My very first cruise was out of NY, my homeport a week before September 11, 2001, and I'll always remember the way the afternoon sun looked on the Twin Towers as we made our way down the Hudson. My heart aches every time we sail by now...

 

We sailed aboard the QM2 this past January out of NY, DH and I with my Mom and Dad, who's a WWII Naval vet. We had a early seating for dinner with the older folks, so we were at dinner by the time we passed the Statue of Liberty. Well...a few minutes after we passed Liberty and Ellis Islands, I felt SLAM! on the side of the ship, and she started to rock & roll. Alarmed, I looked up from my soup and my father, who hadn't missed a spoonful, said "just left NY harbor - out in open sea now". Navy men.

 

NY in winter is beautiful, spectacular, and can be rocky. Bring your SeaBands and a fleece and you'll be fine. Bon voyage.

[wldflr]

Okay, sailing out of NYC is great if you're within driving distance, but what about those that will probably have to fly in or drive more than a few hours? Sounds kinda scary considering how a freak snowstorm could do some wacky things. Brrrrrrr.

 

I'd still arrive a day early, of course, no matter which port I was sailing out of!

[AlohaPride]

Okay, sailing out of NYC is great if you're within driving distance, but what about those that will probably have to fly in or drive more than a few hours? Sounds kinda scary considering how a freak snowstorm could do some wacky things. Brrrrrrr.

 

I'd still arrive a day early, of course, no matter which port I was sailing out of!

That's me! We are flying from Honolulu to Atlanta and then to LGA! We ARE flying in a day early, I just hope that's enough time!

[mister exec]

We sailed from NY I believe in March on one of the first cruises on the new Noordam. It was snowing in the afternoon and all the Phillipino and Indonesian staff were staring out the windows as some of them had never seen snow before.

 

The plus was it was great sitting in the crows nest as we left the harbor and passed the Statue of Liberty - very special. The porter service and customs was fine and easy.

 

The negative was it was pretty cool/cold for the first and last two days of the cruise. If you live close enough to drive or take a train/bus to NYC it's still a good way to go. For us, we still had to fly from the midwest anyway, so I will cruise from Ft. Lauderdale in the future and have all warm and sunny days. Also, we always arrive a day early to be safe and it is cheaper to get a decent room in Ft. Lauderdale (with a free transfer to the pier, than it was to get a room in NYC and then have to take a cab to the pier.