New York QM2 disembarking for an independent day trip?

We are hoping to visit the Statue of Liberty independently on our first trip to New York. A visit to the Crown has to be booked well in advance so we need to know when we are likely to get off the ship and how quickly we can get to the ferry dock. Any one with experience of an independent trip to New York able to help with advice please. Thanks:)

Are you disembarking in New York or are you doing the round trip ?

It might make a difference.

It's one of our ports of call on a Caribbean cruise, just day tripping.

Thanks

We are hoping to visit the Statue of Liberty independently on our first trip to New York. A visit to the Crown has to be booked well in advance so we need to know when we are likely to get off the ship and how quickly we can get to the ferry dock. Any one with experience of an independent trip to New York able to help with advice please. Thanks:)

Living next door in New Jersey we have not traveled from the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal to the Statue of Liberty, but I did a bit of research about it. You should be able to disembark anytime after 8 a.m. There should be plenty of cabs waiting to meet your ship. You will need to go through immigration first, I think, before catching a cab. The cab ride to Battery Park should be about 20 minutes, depending on traffic. Leave enough time (the web site recommends 30 minutes) to go through airport type security before boarding the ferry. The ferries from Battery Park go directly to Liberty Island and take about 30 minutes - have your cameras ready for iconic photos as you sail past the statue. There is a wonderful museum that you can see either before or after you climb to the crown. My best guess is to book crown tickets at 11:00 or 11:30. That will give you plenty of time to get to Battery Park, board the ferry and ride to the island. If you are there early, take some photos, look through the museum, check out the shop for a souvenir or get a quick bite to eat. Of course be careful about "All Aboard" time to be sure you don't miss the ship! I hope you have a brilliant, sunny day for your visit.

When does the ship arrive? You need to allow at least 4 hours for US CBP if you are not a US citizen if this is your initial entry.

Thank you cool cruiser for your advice much appreciated.

When does the ship arrive? You need to allow at least 4 hours for US CBP if you are not a US citizen if this is your initial entry.

Sounds a long time! I think the ship docks around 7.30 but leaves again around 4.30. Not long for visiting NY if 4 hours is used up!

When does the ship arrive? You need to allow at least 4 hours for US CBP if you are not a US citizen if this is your initial entry.

That does seem a long time, is that from recent experience of being an in transit passenger ?

That was QE in January in Manhattan. It was an overnight, everybody cleared, I was in no hurry, I was one of the last. Customs for debarkation was next morning 8 AM.US VISIT is a very slow process

The OP will probably be much quicker than that but they want to lake a firm booking, not a probably booking. "Anytime after 8 AM" is pretty optimistic and I've heard stories about long waits for cabs at Red Hook. Will it be a weekday rush hour?

It's a Sunday, which may help a little.

For what it's worth, if you cannot get a reservation to the crown or if you miss it, it's still a spectacular trip to the lady. There are many interesting exhibits at the (very elevated) podium level, with spectacular views - both of the skyline and harbor but also of the statue itself. Even more touching, to us, was the Ellis Island museum which is included in most tours.

And, of course you will see her from the ship while arriving/departing.

A suggestion from a native New Yorker -

IF you find that your time ashore is limited once you pass security and you don't have the time to devote to a tour of the Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island...hope in a cab outside the Terminal and tell the driver to take to you to the Staten Island Ferry Terminal.

Without sighing up for a tour (time consuming and expensive) the Staten Island Ferry will grant you excellent views of the Statue of Liberty at no charge, round trip! (I don't recommend the hot dogs sold on the ferry, but I have been told the beer isn't bad.)

Enjoy the free ride on the ferry and then hop back on the next ferry back to Manhattan. If you have time to spare before all aboard time, there are other interesting things to see. But walking all the way up and down the crown of the Statue??? To each his/her own.

If interested, you can find the Staten Island Ferry schedule here: http://www.siferry.com/schedules.html

Regards,

Salacia

<p>Thanks all for the advice.  I am excited to finally visit the Big Apple for the first time it's taken 62 years! So will be happy to see the grand lady, the Crown would just be the icing on the cake. It would be great if someone who has travelled on QM2 to New York could tell me of their experience. If the first entry to the Country takes so long maybe I will book a visit on the return from the Caribbean when the ship calls in again, before heading across the Atlantic.</p>

<p>It would be great if someone who has travelled on QM2 to New York could tell me of their experience.</p>

Unfortunately, due to the timing, many people miss seeing the Statue of Liberty on arrival, as it often happens before 6 AM - although the lady is brilliantly lit nonetheless. On arrival to Brooklyn, she will be visible on the port side. While docked, she is still visible from many vantage points aboard.

On departure, (starboard) she stands watch over the much more civilized late afternoon/early evening. Almost as breathtaking is the passage under the Verrazano Narrows bridge which the ship clears by a whisker.

Perhaps even more dramatic is the entrance to NY for ships docking in Manhattan, as QE & QV sometimes do. Besides passing closely to the statue (opposite sides from Red Hook) you'll also sail up the Hudson while the rising sun pours light down the crosstown canyons of the Manhattan streets. (Two times a year, the sun perfectly aligns and they call it "Manhattanhenge")

Although the westside piers are crowded, they are so convenient. I miss them.

A suggestion from a native New Yorker...

If you have time to spare before all aboard time, there are other interesting things to see. But walking all the way up and down the crown of the Statue??? To each his/her own.

Ditto to Salacia's excellent advice (as always). While it's been decades since I saw the view from the crown, I still remember the very hot climb up the Escher-infinity spiral stairs. It's a unique view - but it comes at a price.

- Mark

I seem to remember reading some time ago that only 250 people a day are allowed to visit the crown? That there are over 350 steps to the top? (and back down ;) )(not sure if that is from the top of the pedestal or from ground level?). Furthermore tickets for popular dates occasionally sell out up to a year in advance?

I think I may just visit the pedestal on a future visit :)

When does the ship arrive? You need to allow at least 4 hours for US CBP if you are not a US citizen if this is your initial entry.

We are UK citizens and have visited New York three times on the QM2 in the last 18 months and the longest we've taken to clear customs and immigration at Red Hook was 45 minutes, quickest was 15 minutes. It's obviously busier at some times than others, our advice would be to disembark as soon as you are allowed to, but if it did take 4 hours there must have been some other issue. It's certainly not typical.

I can't understand why one would need 4 hours to disembark unless there was some glitch or other with the computers. I have done the WB TA many times and always go for self disembark. You are off the ship by approx 7.30, there is a much shorter line for immigration control and also for taxis. On more than one occasion we have been in mid-town Manhattan shortly after 8.30 a.m. Going to the Battery area should be a shorter trip. If the taxis are a bit slow in arriving at Red Hook there are always town cars or limos and they not really much more than a cab, worth it if you are short of time (or patience) As you are on a day trip you won't have any luggage so self disembark should be a breeze but you need to register for self disembark at the pursers desk a couple of days before. At least that was the procedure as of June last year 2016.

Enjoy.

MM

Thank you, very useful, that's more the kind of timescale l might have expected, give or take some leeway for delays. I realise it will be wise to allow quite a bit of time to actually get to the Island too.

We visited New York on QM2 last September and were there for the day before heading up to Canada. We had booked a ship transfer to Manhatten and were advised to disembark at 7.30 am to enable us to go through immigration. We went through easily and in time to make our trip at 8.00 am. There were people who were doing their own thing and they also had no problems getting through immigration. I would suggest that you disembark as early as possible to avoid the queues once those who are getting off the ship start their disembarkation process. As you are in transit you shouldn't experience too many problems, I think the later you get off the longer you will take to clear immigration. As regards your return to New York from the Caribbean, you will have to go through the immigration process again so you won't necessarily gain anything by leaving your trip to your second visit to NY.

Most of the thread answers cover arrival disembarcation but not the re-embarkation time. We are intending to spend a few hours in Brooklyn with a local friend and would like to know what contributors think is the likely time period we will have with her - does landslide by 8 am seem reasonable? And what time should we be back at the terminal?

Thanks

Hi,From our experience last November 2018 we started queuing about 6.50 to disembark as quickly as possible and were certainly through and catching the ferry soon after 8.00. As for coming back to the ship we usually aim to arrive with at least 30-45 mins before the final boarding time. You should have a good 6 hours in NY with your friend, have fun:)

Thanks for such a speedy and precise reply - we shall assume 6 hours

Thanks for such a speedy and precise reply - we shall assume 6 hours

To help further with your planning, the typical "All Aboard!" time in New York for in-transit passengers is 4:30pm (for a scheduled 5:00pm departure). So, I'd personally plan on being back at the ship by 3:30pm to account for any possible traffic delays.

Thank-you