Need help! Looking to book NCL Escape from Manhattan

I’m looking to book the NCL Escape to Bermuda leaving Manhattan 5/6/18. I have a couple of questions. If you have any comments on this ship, Bermuda or leaving from Manhattan, those are also welcome

Anyone cruise to Bermuda in early May before? Any idea what the weather will be like on the sea days in between Manhattan and Bermuda?

What airport is the easiest to get to and from the cruise port?

Biggest question: we plan to walk off with our luggage. We are looking to book a flight home that leaves around 11:30am. This would be on Sunday 5/13/18. Is this flight late enough?

Below are our options:

Leaves at 11:30am from LGA

Leaves at 11:38am from JFK

Leaves at 11:30am from EWR

We have TSA precheck but just want to make sure we will have enough time to get off the ship and make it to the airport in enough time to catch our flight.

Opinions on taking an Uber or taxi to airport?

Lastly, I’ve read a bit on colored luggage tags for those who walk off. Can someone explain this a bit more? We always walk off but haven’t used colored tags for walk off.

I’m not familiar with the NY airports or cruise terminal and am intimidated by what traffic might be.

Thanks so much in advance!

I’m looking to book the NCL Escape to Bermuda leaving Manhattan 5/6/18. I have a couple of questions. If you have any comments on this ship, Bermuda or leaving from Manhattan, those are also welcome

 

Anyone cruise to Bermuda in early May before? Any idea what the weather will be like on the sea days in between Manhattan and Bermuda?

 

What airport is the easiest to get to and from the cruise port?

 

Biggest question: we plan to walk off with our luggage. We are looking to book a flight home that leaves around 11:30am. This would be on Sunday 5/13/18. Is this flight late enough?

Below are our options:

Leaves at 11:30am from LGA

Leaves at 11:38am from JFK

Leaves at 11:30am from EWR

 

We have TSA precheck but just want to make sure we will have enough time to get off the ship and make it to the airport in enough time to catch our flight.

 

Opinions on taking an Uber or taxi to airport?

 

Lastly, I’ve read a bit on colored luggage tags for those who walk off. Can someone explain this a bit more? We always walk off but haven’t used colored tags for walk off.

 

I’m not familiar with the NY airports or cruise terminal and am intimidated by what traffic might be.

 

Thanks so much in advance!

Are you flying in the morning of the cruise? If so, where are you flying from and what time would you arrive?

I’m looking to book the NCL Escape to Bermuda leaving Manhattan 5/6/18. I have a couple of questions. If you have any comments on this ship, Bermuda or leaving from Manhattan, those are also welcome

 

I'm getting off the ship the day you'd be getting on, but the ship seems pretty darn amazing from what my research shows... there's a lot of videos on You Tube.

 

Anyone cruise to Bermuda in early May before? Any idea what the weather will be like on the sea days in between Manhattan and Bermuda?

 

It seems to be the weather will be similar to what would be in North Carolina. Right now, Bermuda has been chilly, in the 60s and low 70s. I've cruised from NYC to the Caribbean in winter and I am happy to know it won't be that cold (it does actually seem like spring is coming in the next week or so).

 

What airport is the easiest to get to and from the cruise port?

 

I have a serious hate-on for JFK. Like haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaate JFK. That doesn't mean it won't be easy though. I am not opposed to using public transport, and very often will use NJ Transit to get to EWR since it is so easy.

 

Biggest question: we plan to walk off with our luggage. We are looking to book a flight home that leaves around 11:30am. This would be on Sunday 5/13/18. Is this flight late enough?

Below are our options:

Leaves at 11:30am from LGA

Leaves at 11:38am from JFK

Leaves at 11:30am from EWR

 

You'd probably be pushing it, but it's a Sunday, so probably not. I would probably book something slightly later in the day, but with that said, you should be able to get off pretty early so I don't think it's a problem. LGA is doing a lot of construction getting into the airport, so I may avoid that just in case fo traffic.

 

We have TSA precheck but just want to make sure we will have enough time to get off the ship and make it to the airport in enough time to catch our flight.

 

TSA PreCheck at EWR is beautiful, you have your own area, you just walk right up and go right through, takes less than 5 minutes start to finish.

 

Opinions on taking an Uber or taxi to airport?

 

Uber will be a lot cheaper depending on surge pricing I'd double check though.

 

Lastly, I’ve read a bit on colored luggage tags for those who walk off. Can someone explain this a bit more? We always walk off but haven’t used colored tags for walk off.

 

I'm not really sure about this, I think that's if you're giving them your luggage, we didn't self-assist on the Epic last summer and that was our first time on NCL. I know on other lines you do not have to use any tags.

 

I’m not familiar with the NY airports or cruise terminal and am intimidated by what traffic might be.

 

It's going to be a Sunday morning. It shouldn't be that bad, but I would check to make sure there aren't any parades or anything going on.

 

Thanks so much in advance!

I think the weather would be my biggest concern... right now I'm so stressed that it's going to be super cold and have been watching the weather forecasts slowly get warmer and warmer. So I'm hoping in another week and a half up here in the northeast and down in Bermuda are safely in the 70s.

I would definitely book a later flight. You never know if you will dock later than you are scheduled. Last June after doing self walk off in NY we waited over an hour to get thru customs. Traffic is always unpredictable.

Bermuda is absolutely beautiful and the people are the nicest.

We’ve cruised to Bermuda numerous times in early May and had everything from cool and the only 2 at Snorkel park, to very hot and humid. Just check the weather prior to leaving but chances are the weather should be good for beach, fun and activities in Bermuda.

As far as cruising weather, it also can vary but most times it’s been mild enough to relax by the pool, go swimming, and outdoor activities. Just plan to have a hoodie or windbreaker in case the weather is cooler or windy, if you like the outdoor decks as much as we do. Once we came home to cool rain in May, but going straight to a car or taxi or Uber is not a problem.

I’ll be honest, the NYC terminal and airports can be horrendous...the worst ever and it’s my home port and airports we always use. Just assume everything will take longer than you experience elsewhere and with big crowds. That’s NYC. If you prepare ahead of time, you will have a fantastic cruise. ... We’re going on our Bermuda cruise later and can’t wait.

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I’m looking to book the NCL Escape to Bermuda leaving Manhattan 5/6/18. I have a couple of questions. If you have any comments on this ship, Bermuda or leaving from Manhattan, those are also welcome

 

 

What airport is the easiest to get to and from the cruise port?

EWR or JFK in my opinion. Traffic to LGA always seems to stink.

Biggest question: we plan to walk off with our luggage. We are looking to book a flight home that leaves around 11:30am. This would be on Sunday 5/13/18. Is this flight late enough?

Below are our options:

Leaves at 11:30am from LGA

Leaves at 11:38am from JFK

Leaves at 11:30am from EWR

I would not take the chance of flights that early. While you could walk off and be at the airport before 9:30, you just never know.

Traffic is unpredictable on the best days. If the president comes to town, there will be major delays. Same if there is a UN meeting, any planned or unplanned protest, an accident, a marathon, bikeaton, walkathon .....you get the idea.

The last time we returned to NY, we waited nearly 2 hours for our rides to get to us. A few of our party wound up walking to Port Authority because traffic was that bad.

Opinions on taking an Uber or taxi to airport?

If you do chance it, I would walk across the street and maybe one block over and get picked up from there. It will save time.

Lastly, I’ve read a bit on colored luggage tags for those who walk off. Can someone explain this a bit more? We always walk off but haven’t used colored tags for walk off.

I've never used luggage tags when I walked off either.

 

Thanks so much in advance!

Good luck!

If you haven't already booked the flight, I would definitely book later. I live in NYC and it takes me an hour and a half to get from my office in midtown to my home on Staten Island. Things just take longer here and that's not counting unanticipated problems. The day your cruise is leaving, mine will be coming back and that's the day of the 5-boro bike tour (good for you that it's not the 13th). In any event, Newark should be your best bet from the cruiseport and is the one least likely to be impacted by traffic (especially given LGA's ongoing construction). Good luck!

I’m looking to book the NCL Escape to Bermuda leaving Manhattan 5/6/18. I have a couple of questions. If you have any comments on this ship, Bermuda or leaving from Manhattan, those are also welcome

 

Anyone cruise to Bermuda in early May before? Any idea what the weather will be like on the sea days in between Manhattan and Bermuda?

 

What airport is the easiest to get to and from the cruise port?

 

Biggest question: we plan to walk off with our luggage. We are looking to book a flight home that leaves around 11:30am. This would be on Sunday 5/13/18. Is this flight late enough?

Below are our options:

Leaves at 11:30am from LGA

Leaves at 11:38am from JFK

Leaves at 11:30am from EWR

 

We have TSA precheck but just want to make sure we will have enough time to get off the ship and make it to the airport in enough time to catch our flight.

 

Opinions on taking an Uber or taxi to airport?

 

Lastly, I’ve read a bit on colored luggage tags for those who walk off. Can someone explain this a bit more? We always walk off but haven’t used colored tags for walk off.

 

I’m not familiar with the NY airports or cruise terminal and am intimidated by what traffic might be.

 

Thanks so much in advance!

Your flight times are fine.

We are just off the Escape. Ship info can be found here https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2624246

We sailed this itinerary last year in late May and had good weather. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2504449

NCL Travel Information https://www.ncl.com/getting-to-the-pier/driving-directions#newyork

Lastly, I’ve read a bit on colored luggage tags for those who walk off. Can someone explain this a bit more? We always walk off but haven’t used colored tags for walk off.

You will only need to tag your bags for departure if you plan on giving them to the staff the night before disembarkation. If you think you can handle your own bags, you don’t need to tag them. You just keep them with you and “walk off” at first call.

Just remember it’s you, about 4,000 of your fellow cruisers and two banks of elevators.

FYI: the Escape is no where near docking yet this morning at 7:40.

She is still off the coast of south/central Jersey.

Stuff happens. *♀️

Your flight times are fine.

 

We are just off the Escape. Ship info can be found here https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2624246

 

 

We sailed this itinerary last year in late May and had good weather. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2504449

Or not fine. NYC is our home port, we’ve been through customs at 7:45 and home by 8:15, and we’ve been through customs at 10:45 and home by 11:15. There are more issues on Sundays. In both cases, we were lined up for disembarkment at 7 am.

I would book later flights, much easier to disembark after the initial rush is over, let everyone else panic to get off first. Think 12:30 to 1:30. I disembarked the Escape a week or so ago at 9 in Miami, walked right off. Much better than queing up.

12:02. Ship just about finished docking.

Disembarkation and subsequent embarkation time in NYC for NCL ships ... Breakaway, Gem (previously, the Jewel) and now he Escape being homeport here for next 6+ months has been consistently - INCONSISTENT.

Escape's arrival for its first Bermuda run for the 2018 season, with NYC has its new home ... ran late, very late - comments (unverified) from the Roll Call folks waiting to board, is that the Captain was concerned about low tide and adjusted timing for arrival.

Ground travel issues aside, LGA would be the closest airport from MCT at a distance of about 13 miles, 30 to 45 minutes typical travel time on weekend, up to 90 minutes or more when SHTF. TSA Pre-Check lines are NOT always open on weekend at LGA even if you have the fast track option, so being curbside (airline terminal) at 75 to 90 minutes is highly recommended,

Translation, unless one is 100% assured of being curbside on 12th Avenue, clear & free of CBP inside the terminal with all luggages gathered & ground transfer ready to roll by 8:45 to 9 am, no later than 9:15 am - one is at risk of not making her/his way over to LGA in time, let alone running the last 100 to 400 yards past airport security to the gate for the final boarding call. Of course, checked luggage might also be on a later flight ... carry-on only has a better chance of being gate checked as these days, overhead bins filled out very quickly (and, smaller jets can only handle a limited # of 22" rollerboards.)

EWR is almost as close but car service base fares & tolls are higher and it is also prone to unexpected delays or surprises. JFK is the furthest and at least 75 minutes under "optimal" travel time on weekends.

We mostly priority disembarked without our luggage as the Express "Walkoff " is a monkey circus, unless you are in Haven or suite with escorted walkoff - usually curbside waiting to meet our car service around 9 to 9:30 am, still not enough to feel comfortable if we have to make it out to LGA for a domestic flight connection.

Short answer to OP, and, we deal with these questions & challenges from others on the East Coast forum all the time ...

book a later flight, after 1 PM or even 2 PM, don't need to thank "us" later.

Here's a snapshot of the recent LGA airport re-construction, work in progress for another 2 to 3 years ... all terminals being moved & relocated, new roadways & overpasses, service access, etc.

Or not fine. NYC is our home port, we’ve been through customs at 7:45 and home by 8:15, and we’ve been through customs at 10:45 and home by 11:15. There are more issues on Sundays. In both cases, we were lined up for disembarkment at 7 am.

If you have a flight to catch and are time crunched another trick is to use a porter. You'll need to tip them around $20 but they skip the customs line and get you to the front.

I would book an NCL Airport transfer. They'll give you Luggage Tags for an earlier time and get you right to the airport. However, they would also recommend a later flight time.