In Transit through Brooklyn

We are soon to travel Québec to Southampton via New York. I have used the search function and understand how this procedure has worked in the past few years. I was wondering if anyone who has done this recently could share their experiences? We don't intend to go anywhere so we will re-board the QM2 as soon as it is possible for the "in transit" people to do so.

Some have advised that it is best to wait until the last minute to disembark in order to minimise the waiting for re-board. I am concerned that there could be a huge mob scene at the Immigration desks at that time and was wondering if anyone has had a better experience by getting off earlier. "She who must be obeyed" would rather be sitting waiting to re-board than queueing an hour or more. We did the first leg of this voyage last year and noticed there were hundreds of passengers in transit to Southampton. I appreciate that every experience can be different, but would appreciate anyone sharing their experiences.

All I can say is we did self- disembark at Brooklyn in June, we breezed through immigration and were in manhattan by 8 am. Of course, if you get off that early, you won't be able to re board for hours...

We are soon to travel Québec to Southampton via New York. I have used the search function and understand how this procedure has worked in the past few years. I was wondering if anyone who has done this recently could share their experiences? We don't intend to go anywhere so we will re-board the QM2 as soon as it is possible for the "in transit" people to do so.

 

Some have advised that it is best to wait until the last minute to disembark in order to minimise the waiting for re-board. I am concerned that there could be a huge mob scene at the Immigration desks at that time and was wondering if anyone has had a better experience by getting off earlier. "She who must be obeyed" would rather be sitting waiting to re-board than queueing an hour or more. We did the first leg of this voyage last year and noticed there were hundreds of passengers in transit to Southampton. I appreciate that every experience can be different, but would appreciate anyone sharing their experiences.

Based on our experiences with self-disembarkation in Southampton on the 14th of this month, I'd say you'll either have to queue for self-disembarkation, or queue at immigration and customs, but you'll have to do at least one of those. We were told to arrive in the atrium at 6:55 to self-disembark at 7, we arrived at 6:45 am, we were probably the 15th or 20th people in the queue, and we didn't actually walk off the ship until 7:30-7:45.

We are soon to travel Québec to Southampton via New York. I have used the search function and understand how this procedure has worked in the past few years. I was wondering if anyone who has done this recently could share their experiences? We don't intend to go anywhere so we will re-board the QM2 as soon as it is possible for the "in transit" people to do so.

 

Some have advised that it is best to wait until the last minute to disembark in order to minimise the waiting for re-board. I am concerned that there could be a huge mob scene at the Immigration desks at that time and was wondering if anyone has had a better experience by getting off earlier. "She who must be obeyed" would rather be sitting waiting to re-board than queueing an hour or more. We did the first leg of this voyage last year and noticed there were hundreds of passengers in transit to Southampton. I appreciate that every experience can be different, but would appreciate anyone sharing their experiences.

Hi in June we did a back to back on QM2 and were hoping to spend a day in Manhattan, However my elderly mother felt unwell so we decided to stay on board. Announcements were made that anyone not going ashore should disembark by 11am as everyone had to go through immigration. Therefore at around 11am, along with the other 'remainers', we got off the ship, queued for ages to get through the border control, then had to walk up along the side of the building to where the 'newcomers' were arriving for embarkation. It was slightly chaotic but eventually they allowed us into the 'big' hanger were we all had to sit and wait (in a designated seating area) to be called. We waited there for at least one hour before we were allowed back on board. All in all it took almost 2.5 hours for the whole procedure.

I just don't understand why this procedure for 'in transit' passenger's has to be so inconvenient. I wonder if it is done this way in other parts of the world, or is it just the US bureaucracy that insists on it?

The better way would be to assemble all in 'in transit' passenger's in some venue of the ship, and have a couple of immigration officials come on board to screen them...

And why is even that necessary, if they are not going to get off in the US?:confused:

I just don't understand why this procedure for 'in transit' passenger's has to be so inconvenient. I wonder if it is done this way in other parts of the world, or is it just the US bureaucracy that insists on it?

 

The better way would be to assemble all in 'in transit' passenger's in some venue of the ship, and have a couple of immigration officials come on board to screen them...

And why is even that necessary, if they are not going to get off in the US?:confused:

I'm not sure when the procedure changed, but back in the 1970s upon arrival in N.Y. the immigration officers came on board and passengers were processed in a lounge. (This was normal in all ports at which we landed, including Southampton in the years before the Immigration officer travelled with the ship.) Once the passengers' landing cards were stamped they could go ashore. In-transit passengers, therefore, did not need to go ashore if they didn't want to.

I found the Landing Arrangements sheet from our arrival in New York last year. The final calls were expected for 11:00 and 11:15 and that was for passengers on Decks 5 and below. That is a lot of people. I think we had better disembark a little before that.

Our N.Y. disembarkation last year was unusually efficient - well, mostly. We were taking a Cunard-booked airport transfer so we left the ship around 8:15. The luggage of several passengers was misplaced and we were required to stand in a "holding pen" for about 40 minutes before we were allowed to look for it in the wrong area. We got through the immigration queue quickly, however.

Thanks to all who responded.

We were on another cruise line last January with a b2b from San Juan. On the last/first day we were told to assemble in a lounge at a certain time with SeaPass cards and passports. We expected to be given our new cards and then be walked off and then back onto the ship. At some point the staff member in charge got a call and we were told we didn't have to actually get off. They scanned our old card to show that cruise ended, got our new card which was scanned and we were officially onboard the new cruise. I think this was unusual. But even if we had to get off we would be allowed right back on.

Those wanting to spend the day in San Juan could get off early.