Breakaway Departure & Boarding

[limeyalchemist]

Can someone who has recently cruised on Breakaway let me know what time they start boarding now, since they depart at 3pm instead of 4pm?

 

And does anyone know why they depart at 3pm now? Curious if there is some specific reason.

 

We sail in two weeks on her.

 

Thanks.

 

 

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[BrownEyedGirl686]

Can someone who has recently cruised on Breakaway let me know what time they start boarding now, since they depart at 3pm instead of 4pm?

 

And does anyone know why they depart at 3pm now? Curious if there is some specific reason.

 

We sail in two weeks on her.

 

Thanks.

 

 

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we sail in 2 weeks as well, I wasn't aware that they changed the departing time.

[mking8288]

BA has been scheduled to sail at 3 PM on a fairly regular basis. For variety of reasons, actual embarkation time leaving the pier are sometimes delayed to 4 or 5 PM, even 6 PM but as late as 7 or 7:30 PM. Boarding time has been around 11 to 11:30 AM but sometimes as late as 12:30 PM.

 

We sailed her in 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017 - arriving at the pier around 10 to 10:30 AM since we have priority check-in & boarding, and, generally on deck between 11:30 and 12 noon.

 

This is true for the Gem also ... I believe some sailings destined for Canada/NE and Bermuda, possibly the Caribbean runs - leave at 4 PM, possibly because they need to load extra provisioning for the longer sailing, all from NYC - as ships will not be stopping in Florida.

[limeyalchemist]

We’ve sailed at least 8 times from NYC, just not in last couple years, and we always sailed at 4pm. So caught me by surprise. Moral of the story, check your eDocs. LOL. Glad that I noticed.

 

 

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[Jude73]

We sailed 2 weeks ago and they started boarding around 11. It was very smooth despite it being fully booked.

[BirdTravels]

On the Bahamas itineraries, the Breakaway provisions in Port Canaveral instead of New York. (Hint: things on embarkation day in NYC are less fresh than after PC).

[megreedy]

Can someone who has recently cruised on Breakaway let me know what time they start boarding now, since they depart at 3pm instead of 4pm?

 

And does anyone know why they depart at 3pm now? Curious if there is some specific reason.

 

We sail in two weeks on her.

 

Thanks.

 

 

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We just came back yesterday from the Bahamas trip on the Breakaway. We boarded early - roughly 11-11:30 and were sailing by 4. Very smooth.

 

 

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[limeyalchemist]

Thank you to everyone who responded. Still not sure why they moved departure time an hour earlier though.

 

 

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[rmurray847]

Thank you to everyone who responded. Still not sure why they moved departure time an hour earlier though.

 

Probably because no one responding actually works for NCL in a department that would have made this decision. All we can really do is speculate.

[Barb Nahoumi]

Would tide levels have anything to do with departure decisions?

[mking8288]

Would tide levels have anything to do with departure decisions?

RCL's ships sailing routinely out of NY don't run into tidal issues, AFAIK - the channel is deep enough, and, the changes in tides do not follow the 24 hour clock on a year-round basis.

 

The changes, as I mentioned earlier, as been done for a while, not recently or "now" as OP wrote. Here's our Breakaway schedule from March 2014, all abroad & sailing time was 4 PM. Morning arrival/disembarkation was 8 AM.

 

Note that ship sailed into PC at 12 noon and leave at 9 PM, all abroad being 8:30 PM ... we actually arrive a little earlier than planned, not by much. I am sure those that sailed lately can confirm, ship cruise at a leisure speed ... usually not averaging more than 17 or 18 knots. If and when there is an onboard medical emergency but short of medevac, they will run "all ahead, full speed, closer to 21 or 22 knots & get in earlier" - burning more fuel = $$$$.

 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/2ftgj2hvkd862eq/NCL%20Breakaway%20-%20March%202014%20-%20Florida-GSC-Bahamas%20ITN.jpg?dl=0

 

Fast forward to 2017, both the Gem and BA that we're on, had a 3PM sailing time out of NY, basically on time with a planned arrival of 1 PM at PC, 1 was early and 1 was later than 1 PM - and, due to pier runners late, didn't leave PC till 10 PM+

 

My point, being, that, it is NOT a "recent" change that happened almost now, been done that way for a way, for most NCL sailing ... and, NY harbor is a busy one, with vessels crossing the Hudson all day long as well as the Staten Island ferries, etc. - not just cruise ships.

[killer32]

I just got back. We went to the port around 10:30. I did talk to someone who go there around 8 or 9 (not as much traffic as expected) and was able to start the process.

 

Sorry- no idea why- I thought it was always 3pm

[coyote144]

they don't start boarding til noon, but you can check in earlier than that and wait around. Generally they send you an em with a boarding time. Maybe the winter sunlight hours have something to do with it, I don't really know.

Can someone who has recently cruised on Breakaway let me know what time they start boarding now, since they depart at 3pm instead of 4pm?

 

And does anyone know why they depart at 3pm now? Curious if there is some specific reason.

 

We sail in two weeks on her.

 

Thanks.

 

 

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[Laszlo]

Would tide levels have anything to do with departure decisions?

 

Yes, both tied and wind. On our Feb 2nd sailing with were suppose to leave at 3pm, did not leave until 6pm. We had not only a low tide at 3pm but had a very strong wind out of the north blowing. The high wind knocked the water level down another 2-3 feet

[Shidah]

Just got off the Breakaway, I arrived at 9:30, started the process immediately, security and check in lines open. They started boarding around 11. I had my Vibe pass in hand and was sitting down eating lunch at Taste or Savor can't remember which one, before noon. Very easy and efficient process.

[cruisingqueen86]

RCL's ships sailing routinely out of NY don't run into tidal issues, AFAIK - the channel is deep enough, and, the changes in tides do not follow the 24 hour clock on a year-round basis.

 

The changes, as I mentioned earlier, as been done for a while, not recently or "now" as OP wrote. Here's our Breakaway schedule from March 2014, all abroad & sailing time was 4 PM. Morning arrival/disembarkation was 8 AM.

 

Note that ship sailed into PC at 12 noon and leave at 9 PM, all abroad being 8:30 PM ... we actually arrive a little earlier than planned, not by much. I am sure those that sailed lately can confirm, ship cruise at a leisure speed ... usually not averaging more than 17 or 18 knots. If and when there is an onboard medical emergency but short of medevac, they will run "all ahead, full speed, closer to 21 or 22 knots & get in earlier" - burning more fuel = $$$$.

 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/2ftgj2hvkd862eq/NCL%20Breakaway%20-%20March%202014%20-%20Florida-GSC-Bahamas%20ITN.jpg?dl=0

 

Fast forward to 2017, both the Gem and BA that we're on, had a 3PM sailing time out of NY, basically on time with a planned arrival of 1 PM at PC, 1 was early and 1 was later than 1 PM - and, due to pier runners late, didn't leave PC till 10 PM+

 

My point, being, that, it is NOT a "recent" change that happened almost now, been done that way for a way, for most NCL sailing ... and, NY harbor is a busy one, with vessels crossing the Hudson all day long as well as the Staten Island ferries, etc. - not just cruise ships.

 

 

I can always count on you to have the answers. We sailed to the Caribbean last November on the Gem. It was the first time the Gem left after the breakdown on the Halloween sailing, you were most informative regarding the status of repairs in Barbados. We departed NY at 6 pm, I remember thinking there must be a problem because we were not departing at 4. Another example of the need to read edocs.

[Ox Fan Cruiser]

I just checked their website for my Transatlantic in a week & 1/2 and it still says 4 PM.