Priority Check In

[crp46]

We are leaving on Sunday on the Breakaway from NYC to Bermuda. Family of 4. This is our 2nd cruise with NCL and are considered Bronze level. I just looked and at that level you get priority check in.

 

When we checked in I had to pick a time (12:00-12:30) to check in. How does priority check in work? Can we go earlier? Avoid lines?

 

Thanks!

[roger001]

Actually, I don't think that "time picked" is enforced at all. We like to arrive about 10:30 with check in just beginning. Reference priority check in, it not really any priority at all...unless you are a suite guest. It just means you will be shown the latitudes line checking in instead of the first time guest line. However, frequently the latitude line is as long or longer than the other since most guests have sailed with NCL before. Usually, an expediter will just point you to what might be the shortest line at that moment, whichever one it might be. And, once boarding begins about 11;30 or so, it moves pretty quick anyhow.

[crp46]

Great! I'm thinking I want to be there as early as I can. Last time, check in was fairly quick and easy anyway. We have a balcony family mini-suite which I am sure doesn't not qualify as a suite :)

Edited September 23, 2015 by crp46

[JohnIreland]

Until you get to Gold the line won't be any shorter.

[mking8288]

Allow a "little" extra, extra travel time this weekend - the Papal visit tomorrow & Friday will be over, but the annual United Nations GA will be in progress (haven't check the POTUS schedule) but other heads of states/VIP "packages" will be moving around the city with their protection details (i.e. spouses going on visits & shopping errands, etc.) so don't get caught or be surprised with moving road blocks and/or frozen zones. Avoid going thru or passing the East Side of midtown Manhattan, from E. 23rd Street/FDR Drive up to 96th. Street.

 

If you can, use mass transit to get to the MCT - those coming from Westchester & points north & east (CT) and NJ should be okay, for the most part - the #7 subway line extension is now open, with the last station stop in Manhattan stretched to 34th Street & the JJ Convention Center (the closest exit/entrance is 10th Avenue at 37 to 38 th. Street ... which is within walking distance of the pier (elevators provide access to the tracks & station concourse deep below ground/street level)

[crp46]

Ut oh! I have no idea what route we take. We leave Syracuse, NY on Sat and always spend the night at my SIL's house in Deer Park, Long Island. She drives us in and drops us off. Both times we've done this, it's taken us about an hour.

[maywell]

Allow a "little" extra, extra travel time this weekend - the Papal visit tomorrow & Friday will be over, but the annual United Nations GA will be in progress (haven't check the POTUS schedule) but other heads of states/VIP "packages" will be moving around the city with their protection details (i.e. spouses going on visits & shopping errands, etc.) so don't get caught or be surprised with moving road blocks and/or frozen zones. Avoid going thru or passing the East Side of midtown Manhattan, from E. 23rd Street/FDR Drive up to 96th. Street.

 

If you can, use mass transit to get to the MCT - those coming from Westchester & points north & east (CT) and NJ should be okay, for the most part - the #7 subway line extension is now open, with the last station stop in Manhattan stretched to 34th Street & the JJ Convention Center (the closest exit/entrance is 10th Avenue at 37 to 38 th. Street ... which is within walking distance of the pier (elevators provide access to the tracks & station concourse deep below ground/street level)

 

 

The NCL Pier is at 55th-57th on 12th Ave - that's not a short walk from the 30's for anyone that doesn't know any better...I can see Columbus Circle, 50th Street and even 42nd-Times Square being a closer to the Pier, but definitely not Penn or JJ...

 

 

Since the Pier is on the West side - unless there's a bicycle race, marathon, or a street fair this weekend on that side; they should be fine.

[meatball_nyc]

We are leaving on Sunday on the Breakaway from NYC to Bermuda. Family of 4. This is our 2nd cruise with NCL and are considered Bronze level. I just looked and at that level you get priority check in.

 

 

 

When we checked in I had to pick a time (12:00-12:30) to check in. How does priority check in work? Can we go earlier? Avoid lines?

 

 

 

Thanks!

P.S. Just realized race is scheduled for October 4th.

Have a great cruise!

Edited September 24, 2015 by meatball_nyc

[Philob]

Until you get to Gold the line won't be any shorter.

 

As Bronze you just get to go to the front of the regular line and wait for the next available clerk. There where two other parties ahead of us and the regular line seemed to go faster :(

[mking8288]

The NCL Pier is at 55th-57th on 12th Ave - that's not a short walk from the 30's for anyone that doesn't know any better...I can see Columbus Circle, 50th Street and even 42nd-Times Square being a closer to the Pier, but definitely not Penn or JJ...

Since the Pier is on the West side - unless there's a bicycle race, marathon, or a street fair this weekend on that side; they should be fine.

 

Not to hijack or go off-topic, I stand corrected on my info, cross-checked sources - MTA #7 subway line info was offered as extra info/alternative options, the elevators/inclinators at that newest MTA station in the entire system would/should be least prone to problems for travelers with luggage, regardless of events above ground. We've cruised out of MCT enough times over the years - specifically, in September to know that it's sometimes not fun to cross the Avenue when it's temporary gridlocked for special events, i.e. U.N. or bike tours or half-marathon, etc.

 

MCT's official address is 12th Avenue at W. 55th Street but I'm mindful of the pedestrian entrance/exit that we all used, including Taxi stand w. dispatch is at W. 48th & 12th - where we usually wait & meet our ride/car service mid-block as we have the good fortune of not needing to ride the bus/subway or do lines transfer to get to the pier with luggage or backpack in tow.

 

Yes, the closest subway in distance as measured by mapping APP is the W. 50th & 8th Avenue subway station on the C & E line (and not fully ADA-accessible) and the walk to W. 48th & 12th Avenue is 0.7 mile. The 7th Avenue & W. 50th subway station is 0.8 mile in walking distance with the Columbus Circle station being the further at 1 mile.

 

The #7 subway extension, Hudson Yard @ 34th Street is 11th Avenue (not 10th Avenue) - entrance/exit at 35th. Street not yet opened (below ground, it stretched to 36th Street) and technically, called Hudson Blvd. East - the walk is 0.8 mile to the pier's street level entrance at W. 48th Street - a walk straight up 11th Avenue before turning, 16 minutes on foot ... per sources (likely, slower with luggage) Compared to 50th Street subway stations - same or 0.1 mile difference - relatively insignificant, depending on one's starting points for travel within the system - heading to/from the pier.

 

BTW, it's air-tempered station with temperature maintained year-round between 72 and 78 deg. F - unlike many, many other stations all over NYC as you and I know. Over at the Destination/East Coast subforum, it's been discussed & known that cruisers often seek info about the possibility of walking to the PA Bus Terminal; and, yes, a few had chose to walk to NY Penn Station to catch their train, when they faced long taxi lines with the clock running.

 

Now, I shall have no further comment on this aspect of transit/travel & return the thread to OP's question of Priority Check-In (not the same as Priority Boarding ... etc.)

[roger001]

Great! I'm thinking I want to be there as early as I can. Last time, check in was fairly quick and easy anyway. We have a balcony family mini-suite which I am sure doesn't not qualify as a suite :)

 

No. Afraid not. But they've got it down to a science pretty much. Check ins have always moved pretty smoothly for us. In fact, I'm usually impressed at how so many can get on board so quickly with so few real problems.

[momckb]

Until you get to Gold the line won't be any shorter.

 

I am gold, is there a different line?

[Nydrogers]

Allow a "little" extra, extra travel time this weekend - the Papal visit tomorrow & Friday will be over, but the annual United Nations GA will be in progress (haven't check the POTUS schedule) but other heads of states/VIP "packages" will be moving around the city with their protection details (i.e. spouses going on visits & shopping errands, etc.) so don't get caught or be surprised with moving road blocks and/or frozen zones. Avoid going thru or passing the East Side of midtown Manhattan, from E. 23rd Street/FDR Drive up to 96th. Street.

 

If you can, use mass transit to get to the MCT - those coming from Westchester & points north & east (CT) and NJ should be okay, for the most part - the #7 subway line extension is now open, with the last station stop in Manhattan stretched to 34th Street & the JJ Convention Center (the closest exit/entrance is 10th Avenue at 37 to 38 th. Street ... which is within walking distance of the pier (elevators provide access to the tracks & station concourse deep below ground/street level)

 

 

 

 

Tunnel to Towers (9/11 tribute run) is this Sunday. Not sure what time it's at. This may mess up some peoples transportation, just wanted to give a heads up.

[roboclam]

Priority check in really only applies to Suite or Haven accommodations...All others will wait in some sort of line, whether it be for 5 min or 20 min...???Depends on the time...We have found that its busiest early and much easier to "board" regardless of accommodations or "Latitude" level after 1300...To each their own...

Rob

[maywell]

Priority check in really only applies to Suite or Haven accommodations...All others will wait in some sort of line, whether it be for 5 min or 20 min...???Depends on the time...We have found that its busiest early and much easier to "board" regardless of accommodations or "Latitude" level after 1300...To each their own...

Rob

That's because there's a extremely small number of suites /haven compare to the other room categories - i.e. there's 42 Haven rooms out of 2,014 rooms on the Breakaway. Just saying....[emoji52]

 

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