Brighton Line

72 Bowne was the original 2006 street address of the Red Hook Pier 12 on Buttermilk Channel on the south side of the Atlantic Basin at Pioneer and Imlay Streets. The main gate for Pier 12 is Bowne and Imlay Streets hence you get that address. Converted from a 1954 freight terminal and was earlier site of the Atlantic Basin Iron Works. That's the address I used for all my Princess cruises prior to NYC Ferry arriving. When they built the Ferry slip, they changed the street name to 210 Clinton Wharf. The gate at Bowne and Imlay Streets is left LOCKED when a cruise ship is calling. If you use Bowne Street as the address some GPS' will bring you to that locked gate. Use 210 Clinton Wharf and you won't go wrong.

Same thing happen to Mrs. Brightonline but it was a C&BP agent, other than making her sign it in his presence, a non-issue. The cruise line didn't catch it at check in.

AIS signal switched identity to read MAS Islander. The AIS identity is a shortened version of Margaritaville at Sea Islander. I love the Spirt Class, they could fit under the Key Bridge and homeport in Baltimore.

No the Ikea Ferry is nowhere near the Brooklyn Cruise port and is run by a different company (NY Waterways) that runs the Ferries to New Jersey. Also, there are only four ferries that run Saturday and Sunday. https://www.nywaterway.com/ikea.aspx NYC Ferry operated by Hornblower is only $4, you could take the two Ikea Ferries that would make it in time to check in but then you would need transportation from Ikea. The NYC Transit bus from IKEA does not come near the ship you would have to transfer to the only other bus line in Red Hook so your $4 savings just came down to $1.10. I guess you could take the free Ikea Ferry from the west side Midtown/W39th Peir 79 to Wall Street Pier 11 then get on NYC Ferry for $4 Seriously the walk from the Red Hook Atlantic Basin Ferry stop is shorter than walking from bow to stern on the ship. https://www.ferry.nyc/

When you take a galley tour they explain it is based on where you are sailing. A Canadian cruise is not going to have a lot of watermelon. MSC is a little different for their cruises out of Brooklyn NYC to Florida and the Caribbean they do not provision in Brooklyn but take on stores in Port Canaveral or Port Miami. They might get fresh fruit/vegetables but then again they order that by ripeness as will as type and let the item ripe while in storage too. The ship carries weeks of food two to three voyages not just for the current sailing. Article on provisioning mega-ships: https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/cruise-ships-food-supplies/index.html MSC Bellissima compared to NCL Blis and Royal Symphony of the Seas

What other lines call "Behind the Fun" or "Behind the Scene" tour. It is only available to book on board and is limited to a group of 40. There is an age limit you have to be above a certain age for minors, no open shoes/cameras/cell phones etc. They split it into two tours on two different days and the price is split as well. There is a tour of the engine control room/navigation bridge on one day, a port day so it may impact your plans. The other tour is over the stage/dressing rooms, main galley, one of the laundry rooms and various storage rooms. The theater portion was impressive as you are on stage and they run a section of show with all the lighting and backdrops. All done on a sea day. The ECR/Bridge they split the group into two one set does ECR and the other the Bridge you pass each other in the hallway. The other tour its one group, you are required to done protective coverings before entering the galley. I think it was $48 per person per tour, the total two were under $100. Don't wait for it to be advertised in the daily, just go to the Shore-X desk or the Concierge if in YC to make a reservation. You don't have to do it as soon as you get on board just wait for the crowds to die down and then do it. Only engine control room that is above the waterline that I've seen, they even have two portholes, It is amazing the engineers can survive the sunlight. Oh and ask them about the retractable funnels, at high tide they have to retract them to fit under the Verrazzano. We did get a picture with the Captian on the bridge as well but could not find out where to pick them up. The photo place didn't know what we were talking about.

MSC is serious about food allergies. For non-YC, they have a totally separate section in the galley to prepare foods for those with allergies. Made a huge thing about it on the tour.

I had a 3p boarding that replaced my 9:30a boarding that replaced my 1p boarding that replaced my 10:30 boarding and on and on, 7 different times got new boarding time and accompanying cruise documents. This November cruise it hasn't changed then again I haven't finished the check-in process yet...

Yes the coffee station is called Your Buttler. Set a standing order with your assigned butler for coffee. Want it in the Top Sail Lounge it will be there. Delivered to your room, sure. On deck, yup there too.

Having a cabin on 16 we just went to the Top Sail Lounge even to just get a bottle of water. Yes we asked for diet drinks for the fridge, but rarely drank them.

Depending on the country, airlines have specific laws about fare errors. I don't recall any for cruise lines in the US.

Do they still refund an unused "restaurant"? We only did two and we got a prorated refund to the shipboard account for not using the third restaurant of the 3 restaurant package. (Top Sail Restaurant was just so much better)

Ask for the MDR menus and if you like something and give notice to YC Matradee you will get it in the Top Sail Dining Roo. Yes, a friend got, heaven forbid, mozzarella sticks when they were served in the MDR.

Actually, about the same price if there isn't any surge pricing like during a downpour in effect.

Terminal B is a new expiernece. You exit TSA into the gift shop just like Disney. Seriously you go up from TSA and walk thru a huge Cibo overgrown newsstand. From there you pass into a food court with a fountain that dances to music and displays projected on the water. There are two walkways over the taxiways to the Gates passing different sit-down restaurants and then at the gates there are more food outlets,coffee shops and newsstands or course all over priced. Should have taken the money for the fountain and spent it on gate design. Gates are close to each other and lines to board cross each other. Arriving passengers trying to pass thru those lines it is a mess. Seating at gates, get there early as there isn't enough.

OMNY is the MTA's "Tap and Go" contactless payment method. The new payment system will accept contactless debit and credit cards, digital wallets and OMNY cards. JFK AirTrain started accepting OMNY payments at turnstiles on Tuesday 10/10/2023, not all gates are equipped yet with OMNY readers. MetroCards are still available and the 10 Trip/30 Day AirTrain only MetroCard will save you money at $25 plus $1 if you don't have a MetroCard. 10 Trip can be used for multiple riders. https://abc7ny.com/airtrain-jfk-omny-tap-to-pay/13886835/

Why go to NJ to rent a car? 2 Miles away in "Downtown Brooklyn" all the major car rentals have local offices. Hertz has three HLE's, closest one is on Atlantic Ave another near the Barclay Center and one closer to Prospect Park. Avis is across the street on Atlantic Ave and I'm sure National has one nearby. From Atlantic Ave you can get right on the I278 and over the Verrazano Bridge (hah seeing it from the other angle) to points south.

You really want to do this hauling luggage? I gave you elevators, can't say they will be in service. AirTrain as of 10/10/2023 takes credit card at turnstile $8.25 pp. If party greater or equal to four round trips than the 10 trip/30 day Airtrain metrocard for $25 +$1 card fee would be cheaper. Airtrain to Jamica take Atlantic Terminal (Brooklyn) train to Atlantic Terminal (20 minute headway non-rush. 1 train an hour from Track 3 the rest from Track 11/12. Elevator for Track 3 is on the right, Track 11/12 by the stairs to platform on left. Exit Atlantic Ave at front of LIRR train make a left to entrance of Subway for 2/3/4/5, though the turnstile make left. Walk almost down the platform to the elevator to lower mezzanine. Exit Elevator, make left walk to elevator to upper mezzanine straight ahead. Make left (u Turn almost) walk to the elevator on right wall to D/N/R Coney Island Bay Ridge Platform. Take Bay Ridge bound R train to 9th St/4th Av stop (No Elevator) exit front of train stairs to street. After passing turnstile make right to 9th street. Make right on 9th St to B61 bus stop. Take B61 17 stops to Van Brunt St/Pioneer St. Exit Bus Right on Pioneer St, Left on Conover St. Let on Clinton Wharf look for the boat can't miss it.

Just go to the Shore-X or Concierge when you board and make a reservation. Don't wait for the advertisement. For us Bridge tour is done on a Port Day and stage/gallery etc was a sea day. They limit it to two groups for 20. We did the engine control room (first ECR I've ever been that was above the water line they even had two portholes. How can an engineer stand the sun?) and passed the other group doing the Bridge first as we walked forward in the hallway to the forward elevators. There was a picture with the Captian on the bridge but when we went to the picture place they knew nothing about it and Shore-X just said we had to pick it up from the photo people. Never got it.

My junior butler had all the cabins on the port side of 16 and 14. Junior butler is the cabin steward but has less cabins assigned than outside of YC. It is an earned position so they give it a special name, it is YC anyway. My butler did serve one dinner in our cabin at our request. If your butler is on break or off duty or doing something for one of their other cabins they will get another butler to fulfill your request. There are butlers assigned to the Top Sail Lounge that fill in. We were lucky on Ocean Cay our butler was assigned to the beach, she was wonderful. Back on ship another butler filled in for her if we had requests and were on board before she returned.

Does that include the non-Manhattan NYC parking tax rate of 10.375% which the Brooklyn terminal it is included? Manhattan if you are wondering is an 18.375% parking tax. Both rates include NYC and NYS sales and use taxes.

MSC Butler service was IMHO better than NCL though I did miss the doorbell NCL has since my butler knocked so softly I missed her half the time. My butler heard us talking about a show and even made the reservation for us, we didn't have to contact the concierge. She would see us leaving, ask where we were going, and escort us no matter where on the ship. Even to a meet and greet for another group (can't mention here) to the closed Brass & Anchor and stayed a few minutes to say hi to non-YC guests there.

Just an added note that in the US if you are not on a closed-loop cruise like a repositioning cruise then the entire ship's company has to clear customs as well. It will take even longer to clear the ship as those crew members that go ashore to assist with debarkation and embarkation have to clear customs first even though the ship holds their passports.

Marine Air Terminal or Terminal A at LGA is a historic terminal where China Clippers or Martin M-130 four-engine flying boats used to take off from. I guess the terminal wanted some nostalgia.

Met port staff outside, he checked a list. We were escorted by port staff through security to the separate YC checking. After check-in by port staff introduced to the butlers in the YC waiting room where there were liquid and solid refreshments. These butlers may not be your actual assigned butler. When the ship started boarding we were escorted by a butler on board to the Top Sail Lounge. We had lunch first as we boarded at 11a and after drinks the restaurant opened at Noon so why not. Our bags actually beat us to the room, or junior butler had already moved them inside from the hallway.