Boarding the Majesty in Boston

[generalcindy]

This is our first cruise.. We are looking for tips regarding boarding the ship in Boston.. When is the best time to be at the pier ? also any tips regarding boarding would be helpful to.

 

thanks

[basketballmom]

Boarding the Majesty in Boston is very easy. We usually arrive at the pier between 11-11:30. We are usually on the ship by noon. It seems like the Latitudes line in Boston is sometimes longer than the first time NCL guests.

 

When are you going? The best part also is there is no traffic at all on a Sunday morning near the docks.

[suemac]

Here is some information I put together when I took a group on the Majesty a couple of years ago. Hopefully you will find it useful:

 

Norwegian Majesty Cruise

 

Arrival at the pier and boarding the beautiful Norwegian Majesty

 

The Norwegian Majesty sets sail at 4:00 p.m. out of the Black Falcon Terminal in South Boston.

 

Directions to the pier are as follows:

 

From the South:

Take I-93 north to Boston, take (new) Exit 20 to I-90 east/Logan Airport. You will travel into a new tunnel toward Logan. Inside the tunnel, take Exit 25/South Boston. At the traffic lights, you will be at Congress Street. Turn right onto Congress. Follow to the end at Northern Avenue. Turn right onto Northern Avenue and proceed into the Marine Industrial Park. Shortly after you enter the industrial park, turn right onto Tide Street. Follow to the end at Drydock Avenue. Turn left onto Drydock and make a right into the next curb cut, at the Design Center. The Black Falcon Terminal is the adjacent building on the water.

 

Boarding generally begins around 11:30 a.m. When you arrive at the pier be sure to follow the instructions of the State Police as you enter the drop off area. Once you have unloaded your luggage you should signal a porter to come take your bags to the loading area. Your luggage will be delivered to your cabin during the day on Sunday. It is a good idea to take any medications or other necessities that you may need prior to your luggage arriving at your cabin.

 

Once you have checked your luggage with the porter you will be ready to check in. Latitudes members (past guest program) may check in at Gate A and non-Latitudes members will check in at Gate C (this may have changed since I went in 2003). There will be plenty of people there to tell you which gate you need to be at. Be sure that you have your boarding passes, immigration cards, and proof of citizenship ready to show the agent. It is extremely important that you have a picture id and an official birth certificate with the raised stamp, or a passport. NCL will deny boarding to anyone who does not provide the proper identification. When you get to the check-in desk you will hand over your tickets, id, and credit card for your onboard charges. You will then have your picture taken for security purposes. Your picture will show on a computer every time you come back to the ship and your ship card is swiped.

 

Once you have checked in and are allowed to head to the ship, be prepared to have your picture taken. All cruise lines put you through the torture of the “Welcome Aboard” photo. The photographer is usually set up half-way up the gangway so it might be tough to sneak past without having to strike a pose. All pictures taken by the ship’s photographer are displayed in the Photo Gallery on Deck 6 and can be purchased on your on-board account.

 

Upon entering the ship you will be stepping onto Deck 5. There will be plenty of officers and crew there to assist you with directions to your cabin. Once you arrive at your cabin be sure to read the emergency evacuation information. This will tell you where you have to go for the mandatory life-boat drill. There will be more on that later. The keys to your cabin will be on the desk along with a welcome aboard memo. There are safes in most cabins and there will instructions on how to use them. Get yourself familiarized with your cabin and then let your vacation begin!!!

 

Shipboard Account

 

Cash is not accepted for purchases made on the ship. You will set up your on-board account as you check in at the pier. You can use cash or a credit card. If you choose to pay in cash then you will have to put down a deposit. You may go to the credit desk during operational hours throughout the week and check on your account. If you choose to pay cash then you will have to go down the credit desk on the last day and settle your account. With any luck you will be getting some money back!!! If you pay with a credit card then your account summary will be slipped under your cabin door on the last night of the cruise. There will be no need to go to the credit desk as the total charges will be listed on your summary and will be billed to your credit card.

 

Lunch

 

The usual routine on the first day is to go up on deck and enjoy the lunch buffet that is being served. However, the Seven Seas dining room is also open for lunch. The main pool area and buffet area is located on Deck 10. There will be many bar waiters anxiously awaiting your arrival as you step out on the deck. They will have a tray full of delicious looking beverages but remember that drinks are NOT free. If you take a drink from their tray you will have to sign for it and it will be charged to your shipboard account. The drinks often come in souvenir glasses that you can keep but also add about $2.00 on to the cost of the drink. You may want to buy one of the glasses but be sure to ask for re-fills after you pay for the first one. They will charge you for the drink only and not another glass.

 

The lunch buffet is located on Deck 10 towards the front of the ship (forward). There are also burgers, hot dogs, fries, and pizza located at the grill at the back of the ship (aft). Remember that all food is included in the cost of the cruise so you will not have to sign for anything that you eat.

 

Mandatory Life-Boat Drill

 

Norwegian Cruise Line conducts a mandatory life-boat drill at 3:30 p.m. It is very important that you attend this drill. The Captain will make an announcement prior to the drill and all passengers must proceed to their cabins to get their life jackets. The sign on the back of the cabin door will tell you where your muster station is and you must go to that designated area. Upon arrival there will be staff and crew members assigned to each muster station that will be taking attendance. They will also show you how to properly put on your life jacket. There will be a recorded speech which educates all passengers on the emergency procedures. This drill does not take a lot of time and is worth every minute that it does take. The captain will announce when the drill is over and then you are free to go back on deck (weather permitting) to enjoy the sail-away party.

 

General Ship Information

 

Freestyle Dining

 

NCL has created what is called Freestyle Dining. This means that you can eat dinner anytime between 6:00 and 10:00. There are two main dining rooms on the ship and both are located on Deck Five. The Seven Seas dining room is towards the back of the ship and is the older and bigger of the two dining rooms. The Four Seasons is located mid-ship and is quieter than the Seven Seas. The menu is the same in both of these dining rooms. Each day the menus will be posted outside of the dining room so that you know what the meal options are for the day.

 

The Royal Observatory on Deck Nine is transformed into an Italian restaurant during the dinner hour. This is a personal favorite of mine. The menu for this dining area is also posted outside the entrance each day. This room offers a great view and a piano player to accompany a nice dinner.

 

The pool deck offers a nightly buffet for those who may want to dine in their shorts and sandals. There are many choices that are offered on the buffet and will be posted daily outside the buffet area.

 

Le Bistro is a gourmet restaurant located on Deck Five. This restaurant is NOT free. You will be charged according to what you order. You will have to make a reservation if you plan on eating at this restaurant.

 

Breakfast and lunch are offered in the two main dining rooms as well as the buffet on Deck 10.

 

Tipping

 

Each person will be charged $10 per day on their shipboard account for tips. This money is given to the waiters, assistant waiters, maitre’d, and cabin stewards. If for some reason you feel that you did not receive the service to warrant these tips then you can ask that the amount be lowered. You should have a good reason to do this as that is the main contributor the crew’s salaries.

 

Daily Activities

 

Each evening of the cruise you will receive the daily newsletter which includes all of the activities for the following day. It is a good idea to keep it on you, especially on days that we are at sea. This newsletter will also list the hours of all of the services provided on the ship. I would also recommend bringing a highlighter with you so that you can highlight the events you would like to attend during the day.

 

Evening Entertainment

 

The main shows take place in the Palace Theater on deck 6. The shows are offered twice at night in order to accommodate all passengers. You may choose to either take in the show and then have dinner, or have dinner and then take in the show. The Fireworks Lounge also has entertainment in the form of a band and dancing. Karaoke is held in the Royal Observatory on Deck 9 later in the evening. Frame 52 disco is the late night spot and is usually open until 2 or 3 am. While in Bermuda there will be deck parties every night. They are usually themed parties such as a Carbibbean Island Party, 50’s and 60’s Sock Hop, and Mardi Gras.

 

Attire

 

The daily newsletter will indicate the appropriate attire for access to the dining rooms. There is at least one optional formal night which you may or may not want to participate in. This is on Monday night and it is the night of the Captain's reception I have heard that approximately 40% of the passengers actually dress up. For the most part the required attire is resort casual. For men this means slacks and a collared shirt and for women it is slacks, Capri pants, skirts, or casual dresses. Jeans, shorts, and tank tops are not allowed in any dining room. For those who prefer to be extremely casual the buffet on the pool deck does not normally require a dress code.

 

 

Dining Ashore Program

 

NCL now offers a new program which lets you take advantage of the many restaurants that Bermuda has to offer. You will receive vouchers in your cabin which cost $5 and can be used at the participating restaurants for a $25 lunch. You can also upgrade to a $10 voucher which will get you a $50 dinner on the island. These vouchers are automatically added to your shipboard account. If you do not choose to use the vouchers you must return them to the Purser’s office or your on-board account will be charged.

 

Transportation in Bermuda

 

Bermuda is a small island but can be very expensive to travel by taxi. Your best bet is to purchase the bus pass for $25 at the Tourist Center located right as you walk off the ship. This pass allows you to travel by bus or taxi for the entire time you are in Bermuda. They just added a ferry which goes from St. George to Hamilton. Many people enjoy taking the ferry over to Hamilton and then taking the bus back. This allows you to see the island from the water as well as the land.

 

Disembarkation

 

Your cabin steward will leave new luggage tags for you in your cabin the day before the cruise ends. Please pay attention to the color of your luggage tag as that is how you will know when you are allowed to leave the ship. You must have all of your luggage outside of your cabin by 2:00 a.m. on Sunday. The luggage will be collected and unloaded into the terminal for you to pick up as you exit the ship. If you paid by cash for your shipboard account you must go to the credit desk to settle your account. If you paid by credit card you do not have to visit the credit desk. There is a breakfast buffet offered prior to leaving the ship. Once your luggage tag color has been announced you are free to go to the terminal. The luggage will be arranged by color in the terminal. You will have to fight the crowd to try to locate your items. Once you have gathered all of your belongings you may exit the terminal and head on home and be depressed that vacation is already over. 

 

 

Recommended Activities Onboard

Liar’s Club – absolutely hysterical

Not So Newlywed Game – Also, very funny

Trivia Games – all sorts of trivia will be offered at different times

Bingo – it can be expensive but is also a good take on a rainy sea day

Deck Parties – Cruise staff does a great job entertaining the crowd

70’s Party in the Disco – cruise staff and crowd participation. Very funny

 

 

Things to Pack

 

Shorts

Tee-shirts

Bathing suits (towels are provided by the ship and can be taken to the beaches)

Dinner attire (there are two optional formal nights)

Sandals

Sneakers

Shoes

Sweatshirt or windbreaker (it could be chilly as we leave Boston)

Sleepwear

Sun block

Sunglasses

Hat or visor

Beach bag

Medications

Lip balm

Toothbrush

Toothpaste

Hair Brush

Makeup

Moisturizer

Hair Dryer (there is one in your cabin but it is not very powerful)

Soap

Shampoo

Hair accessories

Jewelry

Plastic bags (for dirty laundry)

Razors

Shaving Cream

Camera

Film

Plastic over the door shoe rack (these are good for toiletries)

Highlighter for Freestyle Daily

BOARDING PASS

BIRTH CERTIFICATE or PASSPORT

PICTURE ID

[Elel_in_Toronto]

We have a family booking aboard the Majesty leaving from Bermuda on October 2nd 2005.

This will be our first trip to Bermuda for all of us.

There are 8 family members, all adults in our party.

We were wondering if anyone knows how we can get from Logan Airport to where the ship leaves? Some way that is economical and will accomodate 8 people including 2 people in their 80's.:confused:

That is our first question.

#2 We were wondering if anyone knows if we could use a debit card from Canada to make a deposit on the ship. Several of our party are in their early 20's and do not have credit cards yet.:cool:

#3 Does anyone know if you can take the public transit in Bermuda to go to Hamilton? How long does it take? Are the buses air conditioned? Is it worth going to Hamilton?

#4 Does anyone know if we can take public transit to a nice beach? If there is, which one should we go to for snorkling and sunning? Also, is it possible to rent an umbrella there? I have a nasty allergy to the sun, if you can believe it!:eek:

Thanks for your time.:)

[Fam of 5]

We have a family booking aboard the Majesty leaving from Bermuda on October 2nd 2005.

This will be our first trip to Bermuda for all of us.

There are 8 family members, all adults in our party.

We were wondering if anyone knows how we can get from Logan Airport to where the ship leaves? Some way that is economical and will accomodate 8 people including 2 people in their 80's.

That is our first question.

#2 We were wondering if anyone knows if we could use a debit card from Canada to make a deposit on the ship. Several of our party are in their early 20's and do not have credit cards yet.

#3 Does anyone know if you can take the public transit in Bermuda to go to Hamilton? How long does it take? Are the buses air conditioned? Is it worth going to Hamilton?

#4 Does anyone know if we can take public transit to a nice beach? If there is, which one should we go to for snorkling and sunning? Also, is it possible to rent an umbrella there? I have a nasty allergy to the sun, if you can believe it!

Thanks for your time.

 

 

#1 Best way from the airport is taking a couple of cabs. 15 minute ride on a Sunday and not very expensive.

 

#2 Debit cards are okay, I don't see why one from Canada would be any different. Just keep in mind that they may put a hold on a certain amount of money in that account for up to 30 days.

 

#3 I don't think the busses are air conditioned, The ride to Hamilton takes about 1/2 hour and can be very crowded. Hamilton is a nice take if you've never been there. Lots of shops ( a little pricey) and some nice restaurants.

 

#4 You can take a bus to Horseshoe (very nice beach with nice pink sand) actually you need to take two busses. Keep in mind there is a little walk from the bus stop down a road to the beach. They are fully equipped with all facilities and umbrella and chair rental.

 

#5 Tobacco Bay and St. Catherines (walkable, but you may want to take a cab or bus). Both are good for snorkeling.

 

 

Just a thought. with two people in their 80's a taxi may be the way to get around for them. Even if the younger ones get the three day bus pass, the 4 older ones could cab it.

 

Enjoy your trip

[tigerlilycruiser12]

You will love the majesty and Bermuda It is a beautiful island

[nomie]

suemac,thanks so much for the info. Are the directions to the pier updated? We will be coming from the south. I am just worried about the big dig and getting lost.

[suemac]

Here are the most recent directions posted on the Massport website.

 

 

From the South:

Take I-93 north to Boston, take (new) Exit 20 to I-90 east/Logan Airport. You will travel into a new tunnel toward Logan. Inside the tunnel, take Exit 25/South Boston. At the traffic lights, you will be at Congress Street. Continue forward onto East Service Drive. At the next signal, turn right onto Seaport Boulevard. Continue straight onto Northern Avenue and proceed into the Marine Industrial Park. Continue to the end and turn right onto Tide Street and an immediate left onto Drydock Avenue. Follow Drydock Avenue as it turns right at the end of the Boston Design Center. Turn right again onto Black Falcon Avenue, traveling straight to the stop sign, where you will be directed by Port Officers for either passenger drop-off or to the parking garage.

[Elel_in_Toronto]

A few more questions...

1.We will be arriving in Boston around noon. Once we register and get on the ship, will we be able to disembark and do some sightseeing in Boston Mass? We have never been there.:rolleyes:

2. If yes, what should we see and what time does the ship leave? :eek:

3. Will the dining rooms allow gentlemen to wear dress shorts or Bermuda shorts at dinner?

We are just TOO excited about this trip. Some of us have sailed before but for 3 in our party, this is the first cruise for them and the first time so many family members are travelling together.

What suggestions can you make so we can wait until October?????

[basketballmom]

The pier is actually easier to get to now that the Big Dig is almost over!

 

The pink buses are airconditioned and the bus system is very easy to use to get around Bermuda. Taxi's can tend to be costly (one-way from Horseshoe Beach was $36 last year).

[Elel_in_Toronto]

What is the big dig. Sounds like part of Boston is missing?:confused:

[Fam of 5]

The Big Dig is a major revamping of our expressway through the city. Quite interesting if you look on line for Big Dig Boston. Basically it removed all overhead highways and tunnelled them under the city. It is currently the mose expensive public project in american History.

 

1 & 2 I probably would schedule any sightseeing in the city on your return. I believe you would be able to leave the ship however, you would need to take a taxi to get anywhere. Perhaps on the way back you can stop by Fanuel Hall. Charming area with shops restaurants and a real feel for Boston. Don't quote me, I believe the ship sails at 4:00 pm.

 

3. No shorts of any type in the dining rooms. A nice pair of Kaki's and a collared shirt will do just fine.

 

The only way to enjoy the countdown, I've found is to read these boards and live vicariously through others and thier stories.

[nomie]

Thanks suemac,this really helps a lot.

[suemac]

You are very welcome Nomie. If you have any more questions don't hesitate to ask.

[Manugit]

I agree with the other poster, wait till you come back. Boston could be busy, and for the short amount of time you have after boarding, not worth it. What if you missed the boat

[cd=cruise]

I agree, wait till after the cruise, if you can stay overnight. Being from Boston, it is one of the best cities in the world. Fanuiel Hall, a must, Boston's Italian North End for great Italian food, I recommend Piccolo Venezia for dining, and you have to make a stop at Mike's Pastry or better yet, not as well known as Mike's, Cafe Pompeii for a cappucino and cannoli. Boston Public Garden's and Boston Common are nice to walk around. Duck Tours are also very popular. They are those buses that turn into amphibous vehicles. ( not sure if I spelled that correct.) If interested, Blue Man Group is a great time. They perform at the Charles Playhouse in the Theater District. I have a great tourist map of Boston from historictours.com. I checked online if you can order a map but I can't seem to find where. I am a travel agent so I can get these maps in the office. If you are interested, I would love to send you this map. I'm not sure if I am allowed to put my email address on the post. If you are interested in the map, let me know and I will find out what info I can put on these boards.

 

CD

[Elel_in_Toronto]

Thanks for all the great info from everyone. We are interested in the map that you may be able to get us cd=cruise.

The Blue Men are also in Toronto this summer. We are planning to go see them. You liked the show?:D

If I miss the boat, I'll swim to it if I have to. There is NO WAY I'm going to miss this!:p

[cd=cruise]

I loved Blue Man Group. It really is a fun show.

 

My misc. email address is warmweathercruiser@yahoo.com. I'm really glad I can help. I have received alot of useful and helpful information from these boards and I am happy to help out. I'm really proud to live in Boston, and I am more than happy to give helpful information about this beautiful city.

[rogerpl]

We just returned Sunday, June 12th. We were very pleased with the ship and loved Bermuda. We arrived at the terminal at 12:30 and there were no lines, no wait what so ever, I mean nobody in line, a first for me. There was a line for Latitude members, so I guess will have to wait next time.

[Janearl]

I got most of my questions answered by you. I am not taking the Majesty out of Boston but will take it out of Charleston. I am sure most of what you said will work then too. This will be our first cruise and I need some general info on everything. Thanks

[BellaOnline]

I love Boston, it is a great city and very fun to walk around in. I really agree with the others, don't stress yourself out by wandering before the cruise. If you get stuck in traffic or forget the time, you will miss the boat. Do a ton of wandering after you return. That way you'll have something to look forward to, when everone else is depressed as the boat returns from Bermuda :)