mjkacmom

On 4/13/2024 at 2:41 PM, Essiesmom said:

The problem with suing the expired passport as ID is that if you have applied for a renewal, you have to send the expired passport in with the application.  So you wouldn’t have it is the new one didn’t arrive in time…but if it did, you wouldn’t need it anyway.  The great thing about the test period for online renewal was that you didn’t need to send in the expired passport.   EM

Not in this case, it’s not a renewal, it’s a new passport, the previous passports was a 5 year child’s passport. You can submit it if you want, but you don’t need to.

After all of the crappy weather we’ve been having, I’m very envious of those departing from nyc today!

21 hours ago, JGmf said:

 

That's really odd.  I've done 10+ trips out of MCT, 3 last year, all of them parking adjacent to the ship, all of them having luggage porters right there, as soon as you pull-in, to unload your luggage and take your bags.  It's a smooth operation.

When we’ve taken a car service, porters took our bags and we just walked in, when we’ve driven, we drove up the ramp, stopped for the dogs, parked, and brought our bags to the elevator, went down a level, and gave our bagels to a porter. We arrive between 9 - 9:30.

We always gotconnecting balconies with our 5 kids (youngest were 4 on our first cruise, no problem with balconies). 

22 minutes ago, stinkyharriet said:

My sister & I just booked the 8 day 2/15-2/23.  We are aware that NYC schools have off that week but we can’t do the longer cruises.  We loved the Escape when we sailed on her last year and decided we will just deal with the kids.  Probably book the Vibe.

 

I have tried to search for a web site that lists all public school district calendars for the country (or at least the eastern half of the country) but the only thing I came up with was a paid service meant for travel agents.  

It’s not just NYC schools, lots of NJ schools are off, and NE schools.

1 hour ago, OBSESSIVEWORLDTRAVELER said:

Is there something factually wrong with my post? I was giving a range that can be applied to any year. For example Villanova University Spring Break 2022 started February 28. Hence my starts late February comment. Easter 2025 is on April 20. Hence my ends mid to late April comment. Your comment is accurate as well. Just trying to determine if there's something incorrect with what I said.

No, there is a range, I believe the majority are in march thought. This list just shows the most popular weeks, and what state the colleges are in. My kids have had spring break all of the weeks in march (6 different universities). I’d assume most college students would prefer to drive to the port, so location can make a difference.

Ncl will book the cheapest.

7 hours ago, gizfish said:

Since mid winter break which happens during presidents week is only three weeks before the second cruise in your btb, the odds of spring break for school age kids being that week are quite slim, especially since the spring holidays are in April.  As others have said, college spring break is another story.  But since NCL doesn't allow under 21 to travel without parents or guardians, the odds of a cruise being a college spring break booze debacle are slim unless there are a bunch of masters and doctorate level students on board.  And obviously they can't afford a cruise or the drink package gratuities since they are paying for their higher education lol.

Most college students turn 21 during their junior year, so they have 2 years of being legal in undergrad.

11 hours ago, OBSESSIVEWORLDTRAVELER said:

Spring break for colleges start late February and once you include all grade levels including college it ends mid to late April.

The majority of public school spring breaks are later in march/April in the northeast, colleges are mostly in march. https://en.as.com/latest_news/when-is-spring-break-2024-complete-list-of-dates-for-us-colleges-and-universities-n/#:~:text=In 2024%2C the majority of,also check out the following.

12 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

 

wrt luggage, there are porters all along the curb and in the parking structure to collect your bags. They will have tags to put on your luggage. Make sure that the room number they write on the tags is clear and readable. 

 

There is a document check (red signs below)  before you get to the x-ray machines. Make sure to have your Guest Confirmation (printed better - it's only 4 pages) and passport/birth certificate. You will go through x-ray security and on to check-in.

 

Manhattan Cruise Terminal has two check-in areas based on what deck you are on - One immediately after security and one all the way at the back of the terminal (Haven check-in is about 2/3 the way back in the terminal). Chose wisely,,, your room keys are only at one. And with the late booking, they may have to go and print your keys manually, so expect a slight delay. 

 

Have a great cruise!

 

 

 

 

Except for me, I’ve never seen a porter on the parking deck level of the MCT, we bring our bags down the elevator and check luggage with porters there.

I’m guessing this will be moved to the NCL board. Some of your questions vary by ship. NCL is casual, but really wear what you want, especially if you want photos. We’ve never found the need to book reservations in a MDR, we show up when we want to. Specialty dining should be booked, but reservations are held back so if nothing you want is available, check when you board.

I’ve heard they do not, but folks do cancel.

On 4/9/2024 at 9:58 PM, sandiego1 said:

I only drink water - no alcohol, coffee, tea, soda, juice… I have been very content with the water on a cruise ship. No need to lug bottled water. Just being a refillable bottle. Most ships have a place where you can fill it.

I drink alcohol, coffee, tea and water, but A TON of water, gallons a day, all day long, I bring a yeti and fill it up at the dispenser, using a clean glass like the sinkage says.

2 hours ago, marktwothousand said:

I was booked for noon EWR. now the ship arrives at 10 (instead of 7) and I had to book a 4 PM. 

You never would’ve made it, at Newark we arrive 2 hours before our flight, 3 hours international.

I think it’s expensive for what you get, $100 for beach and pool access (paid $15 for this pass 15+ years ago). Plus it’s walking distance, minus it’s a harbor beach, same beach as Junkanoo for free (but no pool). 

2 hours ago, mafig said:

I believe you pay a corkage fee for the wine, even if you drink it in your cabin.  You pay upon boarding.

But if you take the free at sea alcohol package you can bring on unlimited bottles with no corkage fee and drink them anywhere.

10 minutes ago, RosieRoo said:

This is such a weird policy. You can get all the free drinks you want, but not bottled water. 

It doesn’t include water or specialty coffees, or fresh juices. You can pay extra for the next level package. I do appreciate being able to bring on all of the wine I want, and I’m fine with the ship’s water.

I’d say stick to after noon to be safe. We live in NJ about 20 minutes from the MCT if no traffic. We’ve been home by 8 am, but one Sunday disembarkment was a mess with the port short staffed, and we didn’t get off of the ship until 10:45 (after lining up before 7 am). 

6 hours ago, MadManOfBethesda said:

Exactly. It is one thing to blame the late eight for missing the ship, it is quite another to exonerate NCL's actions with regard to the 80-year-old stroke victim.  After all, what is the purpose of the cruise line requesting that passengers provide emergency contact information that includes the name, relationship, and telephone number of a person to be contacted in case of emergency if the cruise line isn't going to bother to actually make that phone call? And that doesn't even address the issue of whether the stroke victim would have been better served by remaining on the ship until she could be debarked at a larger mainland facility rather than what São Tomé could provide. And the ship's doctor didn't even make that determination. According to an article linked earlier in this thread, it was the ship's nurse who made the decision.

 

I have no problem at all with NCL leaving the late eight behind, but in my opinion, they really dropped the ball with regard to the stroke patient. 

The health center is owned and run by a 3rd party, they are in charge of determining if medical care is better provided on board or off. It’s a for profit business, I’m sure they’d have loved to collect money from the patient if it were safe to do so. 

Only those who book haven suites have access to the haven proper (on some ships there are suites that have access who aren’t adjacent to the haven, but can use the facilities and have a butler and concierge). Stays doesn’t give access. Haven guests do not have access to the the spa or vibe, that us still extra.

Those are not cruise ship employees, I’ve had good and bad experiences at the MCT.

18 hours ago, El Cano said:

We bought a Cruise to Labadee for 4 nights. My older brother, wife and two daughters bought the same package because we told them how awesome our experience in our three previous cruises with Royal were. Now, because of the political situation in Haiti, Royal decided to send us instead to Nassau, Bahamas. Without asking us if we were ok with that. We wanted to go to Labadee because we had such a great time at Coco Cay and thought that this was going to be similar. When we called to try to change it, because we don't want to go to Bahamas, now they say that if we do that, we will lose 75% of our money. Not even the regular $100 they charge to change a cruise. The situation in Bahamas is also a little hot with crimes against the tourists and we chose some other type of cruise. We don't want to go there. All we wanted to do was to relax in a beach and spend the day. It is funny that they decided to change our cruise to their convenience just after we finish paying the whole amount. The least they could do was to give us a choice without losing our money. It is not our fault that Haiti is going through that situation, and we know that Royal Caribbean cannot control that, but the least we should have a chance to reschedule or just pick another cruise like one of the many Royal have that go to Coco Cay. That was the kind of tourism we had in mind.  Not going to Bahamas again.

New to cruising? They can change or eliminate ports for any reason, not allow cancellations (with the amount of times cruise lines change ports they’d be out of business, sometimes there is something on the ship needing repairs, sometimes weather, some time political unrest, sometimes tides…). How many times do passengers board warm weather cruises and end up in Canada?

15 hours ago, PATRLR said:

So are you saying that you also wouldn't want the ships departure delayed?  May I ask why?  I'm not trying to be argumentative here with you or the other two posters.  I'm genuinely curious as to why anyone cares when the ship pulls away from the pier.  For me, I'd guess that on most of our recent cruises the only reason I'd even known we left was when I felt the ship moving and in the case of Miami, that would usually be well after the breakwaters.  NOTE:  If delayed departure would mean delayed arrival at next port, I am 100% in agreement.  But no one has said that would be the case here.

If they delay a ship, and it gets to the port on time, a lot of money was spent on fuel.

22 minutes ago, CruisingMomandKid said:

Yes, this is what I want but I thought Red Caps and checking bags are one and the same? How do I get a Red Cap to help me get the luggage off the train? I've used Amtrak multiple times but never with more than a carry on.

You let them know before boarding that you will need help getting on and off the train, they don’t actually check luggage but will put it somewhere.

Phil Murphy is not a happy governor.