Noordam / NYC Embarkation

[GMoney]

I sail on the Noordam on 12/16. I sailed her back on her 2nd voyage, and the embarkation was insane - long, poorly organized and highly frustrating. I chalked it up to HAL being new to NYC.

 

Are things any better? Any advice on how to get through the process?

 

Thanks.

[inai]

It's really not that bad. Just like all the other cruiselines. From what I have read, it's much better now.

[Babs1121]

We just got back from a Noordam cruise and we had no problem leaving from New York..We arrived around 11 and the porters took our bags and we went inside..They then gave us a number and told us to have a seat and started calling people up right after that..it moved very quickly..We were in the Lido by 12:15 and in our cabin around 1:30...It is a beautiful ship..The outside elevators were really something..We really had no complaints about the whole cruise..Have a great cruise.

[canoeny]

Came home yesterday from Noordam cruise. Our feeling is the NYC terminal was the best experience we ever had. Easy drive, easy on, very easy off with great porters; polite, helpful, and just the best experince. We arrived at 10:30 AM and boarded at 11:20. Had a great cruise and left our stateroom at 8:50 Am. We were in our car and driving home at 9:28 AM. (Took time to load the car as we had another couples luggage and "booze". They were staying in town and later took the bus)

[Love Cruises]

When we went on the NOORDAM in March (the 3/15-3/25 cruise) we were on the ship a little after 12:00 noon. The terminal staff seemed quite inexperienced ... new to the game.

 

Then late September we went on a btb New England cruise on the ms AMSTERDAM out of NYC again. Checking in went much faster than in March. We got to the terminal around 10:30 am and they started check-in at 11:30. When we boarded and went up to the LIDO, the buffet lunch initally could not be served since there was a power outage and the guys couldn't cook. Passengers could go out by the pool and get hamburgers, hot dogs, tacos, and pizza though. By 12:45 pm they had it fixed and started to serve people their buffet menu. Everyone seemed happy just to be back on HAL so there was not too much complaining.

 

We love when we can take a cruise out of NYC. We live in Westchester County (suburb just north) and take a train down to Grand Central Terminal and grab a taxi over to the docks. Hopefully, HAL will continue using the NY Terminal. We just went on another cruise (our first - and probably last with PRINCESS) and their ships leave out of the new Brooklyn Terminal (the old Brooklyn Navy Yards). It's a little harder to get there. Had to take a taxi which cost us $98.00 for a 26.5 mile trip.

[AAAAmerican]

NYC, NY

 

 

 

When we went on the NOORDAM in March (the 3/15-3/25 cruise) we were on the ship a little after 12:00 noon. The terminal staff seemed quite inexperienced ... new to the game.

 

Then late September we went on a btb New England cruise on the ms AMSTERDAM out of NYC again. Checking in went much faster than in March. We got to the terminal around 10:30 am and they started check-in at 11:30. When we boarded and went up to the LIDO, the buffet lunch initally could not be served since there was a power outage and the guys couldn't cook. Passengers could go out by the pool and get hamburgers, hot dogs, tacos, and pizza though. By 12:45 pm they had it fixed and started to serve people their buffet menu. Everyone seemed happy just to be back on HAL so there was not too much complaining.

 

We love when we can take a cruise out of NYC. We live in Westchester County (suburb just north) and take a train down to Grand Central Terminal and grab a taxi over to the docks. Hopefully, HAL will continue using the NY Terminal. We just went on another cruise (our first - and probably last with PRINCESS) and their ships leave out of the new Brooklyn Terminal (the old Brooklyn Navy Yards). It's a little harder to get there. Had to take a taxi which cost us $98.00 for a 26.5 mile trip.

[Veryoldsalt]

We sailed the Noordam on 11/4. Embarcation was a bit longer (maybe too organized) than we're used to, but not that bad (1 hr. 10 min. curb to ship). Debarcation was a breeze. Called to debark at 8:55 a.m., in our limo by 9:15 a.m.

[tomc]

We were delayed quite a bit on Oct 14, but only because the Coast Guard, Public Health and Immigration all thought it would be a grand time to drop by the ship and make surprise inspections. It messed up embarkation, it messed up supper, it messed up everything. Not HAL's fault, although people were quick to blame them.

 

I set up a little shrine and sold votive candles for 25 cents each, prayer cards for a dime, all beseeching the Deity of the person's choice to have the authorities (a) burn in the afterlife of their religion, (b) be reincarnated as maggots, © be forced to pre-process what eventually will go into the chemical toilet facility.

 

After I got onboard and cooled down, I repented of my anger, but still kept the shrine donations to pay for my internet usage.

[rkacruiser]

Having just returned from the Noordam, I think one's experience at embarkation will vary with the time they arrive at the pier. From what I heard, those arriving early or later had a much more speedy embarkation than those of us who arrived in the 12:30 to 1:00 time slot. That said, the process moved along quite well. I thought. I do think completing the online immigration form prior to sailing helps one's own check-in process.

 

Two negatives, however: the security guard checking passports and tickets prior to getting to the x-ray device was just plain rude. An elderly Swedish woman was in front of me and did not understand his "demands". His behavior towards her, as well as some others, was uncalled for.

 

I had some 800 speed film that I did not want to have x-rayed and requested a hand inspection. The employees at the machine did not want to do this, but I insisted. It took a supervisor, after reading my printout from the TSA about 800 speed film, to approve the hand inspection.

[Love Cruises]

Having just returned from the Noordam, I think one's experience at embarkation will vary with the time they arrive at the pier. From what I heard, those arriving early or later had a much more speedy embarkation than those of us who arrived in the 12:30 to 1:00 time slot. That said, the process moved along quite well. I thought. I do think completing the online immigration form prior to sailing helps one's own check-in process.

 

Two negatives, however: the security guard checking passports and tickets prior to getting to the x-ray device was just plain rude. An elderly Swedish woman was in front of me and did not understand his "demands". His behavior towards her, as well as some others, was uncalled for.

 

I had some 800 speed film that I did not want to have x-rayed and requested a hand inspection. The employees at the machine did not want to do this, but I insisted. It took a supervisor, after reading my printout from the TSA about 800 speed film, to approve the hand inspection.

That's uncalled for that the security people were so rude. Being a New Yorker I feel bad that this happened. People like that are the ones who give us NYers a bad name. Photography is a hobby of mine so I understand completely about asking them to do a hand inspection on your film. BRAVO to you for calling them on this. Maybe, they learned a lesson!

[rkacruiser]

That's uncalled for that the security people were so rude. Being a New Yorker I feel bad that this happened. People like that are the ones who give us NYers a bad name. Photography is a hobby of mine so I understand completely about asking them to do a hand inspection on your film. BRAVO to you for calling them on this. Maybe, they learned a lesson!

 

Love Cruises,

 

I must say that with the exception of the people at the x-ray machine and that security guard, all other New Yorkers with whom I had any contact--hotel personnel, restaurant personnel, shop personnel, taxi driver, and HAL's onshore staff--were very pleasant. Even the TSA people at EWR returning home were polite and pleasant. After the gentleman inspected my film, he said "Have a pleasant flight."

 

I love New York!

[ekerr19]

We were more than impressed with everyone we encountered in NYC (both at the hotel and the pier) when we sailed on the Noordam inaugural.

 

The guys handling bags at the pier were just awesome! I couldn't have asked for better service. We'll be back - no doubt.

 

It was DH's first time in NY and he loved it. :)

[mariner]

Recently, the TSA people at Newark failed a security test, missing all the explosives and weapons that were in bags.

 

Haven't sailed outta NYC in a while, but there used to be a security guard who was just a crouch. The guy thought he was a dictator. He must be retired by now, but your description matches him.

 

Too bad the NYPD doesn't handle pier security. They're usually nice, professional and use common sense.

[rkacruiser]

mariner,

 

This security fellow was an older "gentleman". He may be the one you remember.

[nycruiser80]

Love Cruises, I also live in Westchester!!! I just went down to tour the Crown Princess and if you dont mind the drive its actually not that bad to get to. I live near the Mount Vernon area of Westchester and you just take the West Side Highway all the way down to the tip of Manhattan go through Battery Tunnel take 1st exit outside tunnel and follow the signs to the port it really was an easy ride. Left out of Bayonne and that was a bit of a schlep! But the West side piers are the best for us!

[Love Cruises]

Love Cruises, I also live in Westchester!!! I just went down to tour the Crown Princess and if you dont mind the drive its actually not that bad to get to. I live near the Mount Vernon area of Westchester and you just take the West Side Highway all the way down to the tip of Manhattan go through Battery Tunnel take 1st exit outside tunnel and follow the signs to the port it really was an easy ride. Left out of Bayonne and that was a bit of a schlep! But the West side piers are the best for us!

Hi nycruiser80... Well it looks like you are a neighbor of ours. We are in New Rochelle.

 

We went on the Star Princess on October 28th and it left out of Brooklyn Cruise Terminal. It was 26.6 miles from our house to the pier. Taxi was expensive though ($89 + tolls and tip). Coming back from the ship we were able to get a shuttle the ship provided for $19 each that went to Penn Station, the Port Authority and Grand Central. That was our first time on Princess and probably the last. We love HAL so much more. Hopefully, HAL will continue docking at the NYC Port Terminal on the west side of Manhattan which is just a train ride down and a quick cab over to the dock. We are leaving on the ms NOORDAM in March for another Caribbean cruise.

[pattie623]

I just got back from my cruise on the Noordam out of NYC. Just a word of caution, double check that you have received all room cards for your family. I received 2 cards and was told that was fine, once I got onto the ship, they made us walk all the way back to have them issue the cards for my children. I was upset that the person who was doing our paperwork did not catch that. They are trying to get everyone through as quickly as possible but they were not double cecking the information.

 

Also, if you do the on-line express check in....it is the LONGEST line that you have to wait in. I suggest NOT doing it and wait in the shortest line and do everything there. We had to wait in the "express line" for almost 30 minutes when we saw families walking into the other line where families didn't do the on-line forms and were seen immediately and on the ship about 15 minutes before us.

 

Good luck!!

 

Pattie, NJ