Crowding at embarkation time?

Hello. New cruiser here. Going out of NYC next September in the Gem for a seven-day up the coast. I have a bit of a problem with getting panicky in crowds when I can't get out of one. I'm getting a little nervous about embarkation, but I don't know exactly what people mean when they complain about crowding and being in line for hours.

Should I be worried? To the point of medicating myself before going? I'm not over the top about it. But it does get to me pretty badly if people are pressed all around.

Please help with information. Thanks.

I don't think you will have to medicate yourself. Does it get crowded, yes. You will most likely need to take the stairs because elevator banks and elevators are very crowded. There are long lines and you will find people who want to cut the line. Once you get to customs there will be more lines but it is organized. Take a deep breath and enjoy your cruise.

Thanks for that. I'm not freakish about it...just had a panic attack once when about a hundred people crushed around a bus with us in the middle!

Is it likely we'll have to stand for an hour or more in one spot?

We walk off with our own luggage. We have never had to stand in one spot for more than 10 minutes. If you are doing self walk off go to the Aft on deck 7 on the BA, it seems to move faster.

I hate crowds too and can get claustrophobic and never have had a problem other than some rude pushy people cutting the line.

Wow...we've NEVER been "crowded" to the point of needing medication.....get there about 11:30am...boarding will have started, but the crowds aren't there yet. You are worried about nothing! You won't be trampled!!!

Hello. New cruiser here. Going out of NYC next September in the Gem for a seven-day up the coast. I have a bit of a problem with getting panicky in crowds when I can't get out of one. I'm getting a little nervous about embarkation, but I don't know exactly what people mean when they complain about crowding and being in line for hours.

 

Should I be worried? To the point of medicating myself before going? I'm not over the top about it. But it does get to me pretty badly if people are pressed all around.

 

Please help with information. Thanks.

Don't show up to the port until about an hour and a half before sailing and you will be almost by yourself.

And don't let these people fool you into believing you have to be on the ship two hours prior to sailing (or even 1 1/2 hours before), that is simply not true no matter where they say they have read it.

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We walk off with our own luggage. We have never had to stand in one spot for more than 10 minutes. If you are doing self walk off go to the Aft on deck 7 on the BA, it seems to move faster.

 

I hate crowds too and can get claustrophobic and never have had a problem other than some rude pushy people cutting the line.

Just pointing out the OP is talking about embarking and you're answering about disembarking.....

I agree with cb and lido...... show up closer to embarking and have no issues

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I'm very happy to have information about both embarking and disembarking, and thank you all for replies.

We'll be taking a bus from Syracuse and, unless we get on the 4:30 AM bus, we likely won't get to NY in time to make the ship's terminal by 11:30. So I'm thinking we'll go the route of later arrival if that means no crowding. After all, we have a week.

The same advice applies to embarkation day, disembarkation day, and for all ports of call: Wait for everyone else to go first. The crowds and lines are worse at the beginning, because everyone wants to the first on board, and the first off the ship. Let them.

I'm very happy to have information about both embarking and disembarking, and thank you all for replies.

 

We'll be taking a bus from Syracuse and, unless we get on the 4:30 AM bus, we likely won't get to NY in time to make the ship's terminal by 11:30. So I'm thinking we'll go the route of later arrival if that means no crowding. After all, we have a week.

I think getting there at 11:30 AM is bad advice anyway. There will be a big crowd there at that time.

I would personally try to be onboard the ship 2 hours before embarkation. You have to go through the ship's safety drill (or whatever they call it); if you miss it, they will make you take it at some point during the first sea day, and it may be at a time that conflicts with something else you'd rather do. Many of us veteran cruisers don't pay much attention to these drills, but as a newbie cruiser, you may want to familiarize yourself with the procedure.

I can't recall when the drill is on the first day (and I was just on a cruise 6 weeks ago, d'oh!), but if you do a search on old Freestyle Dailies (or look at people's cruise reviews, they usually post a copy of their Freestyles), it will indicate the time on the first day. Then you can work backwards to figure out your schedule. You'll probably want to budget 30-45 minutes from the time you complete check in to getting on board the ship and checking out your cabin before the drill.

Hello. New cruiser here. Going out of NYC next September in the Gem for a seven-day up the coast. I have a bit of a problem with getting panicky in crowds when I can't get out of one. I'm getting a little nervous about embarkation, but I don't know exactly what people mean when they complain about crowding and being in line for hours.

 

Should I be worried? To the point of medicating myself before going? I'm not over the top about it. But it does get to me pretty badly if people are pressed all around.

 

Please help with information. Thanks.

The easiest way to avoid it is to not try to be one of the first on the ship. Give it a couple of hours to clear out, maybe around 1:00 and then go to the pier. At that time it is often walk right in, check in and go right on board.

Don't show up to the port until about an hour and a half before sailing and you will be almost by yourself.

 

And don't let these people fool you into believing you have to be on the ship two hours prior to sailing (or even 1 1/2 hours before), that is simply not true no matter where they say they have read it.

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You are incorrect in your statement about not having to be on board 90 minutes prior to sailing that is NCL's way of enforcing the time that the manifest has to be submitted to CBP. If it is not submitted in a timely fashion then the ship does not sail on time.

I would personally try to be onboard the ship 2 hours before embarkation. You have to go through the ship's safety drill (or whatever they call it); if you miss it, they will make you take it at some point during the first sea day, and it may be at a time that conflicts with something else you'd rather do. Many of us veteran cruisers don't pay much attention to these drills, but as a newbie cruiser, you may want to familiarize yourself with the procedure.

 

I can't recall when the drill is on the first day (and I was just on a cruise 6 weeks ago, d'oh!), but if you do a search on old Freestyle Dailies (or look at people's cruise reviews, they usually post a copy of their Freestyles), it will indicate the time on the first day. Then you can work backwards to figure out your schedule. You'll probably want to budget 30-45 minutes from the time you complete check in to getting on board the ship and checking out your cabin before the drill.

The safety drill is conducted about 30 minutes after all aboard. You can't miss it unless you miss the sailing.

We were on the BA out of NYC in October. Lots of crowds between 1100-1200 when we embarked. When we got to our cabin and I looked into the terminal from the balcony, the terminal looked like a ghost town. I estimate that was 1330-1400. The terminal has high ceilings which helps alleviate the anxiety ... just look up and don't forget to breath.

Now, if I could just work on my bridge anxiety :)

You are incorrect in your statement about not having to be on board 90 minutes prior to sailing that is NCL's way of enforcing the time that the manifest has to be submitted to CBP. If it is not submitted in a timely fashion then the ship does not sail on time.

According to whom?

I can't find anything on any government web site, but here's what is on Carnival's...

All guests are required to check-in at embarkation at least 60 minutes prior to the published sailing time. Guests who have completed their 'Online Check-In' will go through a quick verification process.

https://help.carnival.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/3422/kw/homeland%20security/session/L3RpbWUvMTQ4NTAxNjk0NC9zaWQvZlVNS1Q4RE9DaVpxUEZTRkptSUZLV002NV9ZWjVVYlppTWo5bUFueVVra2p3WE9USGNaMTl4bjhoY3JtY214a2dtJTdFTTdaOXpqcm9GMjRsRTZIRmVDdW43T2FXdTJxZ0VSdGhrTjlDT01MdjBHU0ltTTB6cmNEcFElMjElMjE%3D

This is what NCL says about embarkation times:

https://www.ncl.com/faq#boarding-times

Excellent information! Thanks so much!

This is what NCL says about embarkation times:

 

https://www.ncl.com/faq#boarding-times

There ya go, 1 hour prior if you have completed the Online Check-in.

If you can wait and arrive later, you'll be fine. We arrive early only to get parking. Since we leave at 3:00 AM and arrive at 9:00 AM to get parking on the pier (I know, it's expensive but we don't like having to drive around NYC). We usually take a snooze waiting to board between 11:30 -12:30 then get lunch.

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