Boarding Times in NYC - Manhattan Cruise Terminal

[RHilla619]

Hi all, I am sailing on the Getaway in a couple weeks and I am looking for others experience with what time they got on board in NYC recently.

 

I will be taking the train in, so I can either arrive at the port by 10am or 12pm.

 

Getting there at 10am I would assume I would be within the first groups/zones to board, but I am trying to avoid the hustle and bustle.

 

If I arrive at 12pm is the cruise terminal usually cleared out by then because most people have already boarded? Or is it still packed around that time?

 

Leaning towards arriving later if it means I would be able to walk right on the ship, but if it's still going to be a sit around and wait for your group to be called situation I may opt to go earlier.

 

Thank you in advance for any insight you can provide! 

[dexddd]

Last time we were there on Escape boarding started nice and early at 10:50 for Haven guests with other groups to follow.  11:30 is pretty normal for NCL to start Haven from other trips and at NYC and other ports.  I don't think 10 will get you first group as we have been there before 10 before and already many people in terminal.

[BirdTravels]

This past Sunday, Haven started boarding around 10:35. Platinum at 10:50. General boarding around 11:00. By noon, the terminal should be clear. 

[gdy0354]

Did you park at the cruise terminal?

[phillyguy31]

Not sure what train you are taking but be careful delays are common. I would choose the 10AM just to be sure, but of course that is me and I always try to be early everywhere.

[RHilla619]

Thank you for the replies so far!

[tomk3212]

We've cruised out of NYC on MANY occasions on MANY NCL ships.  Some lessons we've learned:

 

1) If NCL sends you an email or a robocall in advance of your cruise warning that boarding time will be delayed BELIEVE IT.  Lotsa times the delays are beyond NCL's control (weather, USA TSA, Customs, USCG inspections, etc.) and they DO try to warn pax if possible.  Our boarding on our last cruise on the Breakaway in October was delayed till 130 and we had been warned via a phone call.  Lesson learned!

 

2) Boarding times will vary.  We're Platinum & have boarded as early as 1045 (Gem) or as late as I indicated above.  Your NCL status will also determine your boarding time.   Also NCL now schedules boarding times in an attempt to distribute the crowding.

 

3)  In answer to your question if your train gets in at noon & you Uber/Lyft or take a cab to the Terminal you should get there around 1230-1245 on a weekend.  That can be peak boarding time so unless you're Gold  status & up you'll get lumped in with the "thundering herds" & be waiting.  As others have stated I'd go with the 10am arrival time.

 

4) Something we've noticed in NYC lately; the bigger the ship the longer the boarding process.  I guess that's common sense but we have noticed that the Jewel-class ships (Gem, Jade, Jewel, etc) board in NYC more quickly than the Breakaway-class.  Am guessing that the larger ships have a MUCH larger number of Haven pax & they ALWAYS first to board.

 

In any case, hope you have a great cruise! We're also on the Getaway but we're on the 4/27 transatlantic crossing so if you're on THAT cruise maybe we'll bump into you in the NYC cruise terminal.

[rustyroo]

Is 10:30 an ok time to get there? We'll also be on the getaway april 20th. Big spring break week. Trying to balance getting there early enough to have seats, with not having to wait too long (will have 2 kids and  the grandparents with us).

[esm54687]

3 hours ago, tomk3212 said:

2) Also NCL now schedules boarding times in an attempt to distribute the crowding.

Could you confirm this?? My understanding is that NCL requests an arrival for "check in time" NOT boarding..    NCL wasn't enforcing this my last cruise.... is NCL now enforcing arrival times? 

[tomk3212]

My bad, I meant to say, "arrival time" NOT "boarding time".  My bad, my mistake.  Sorry.

 

After you check-in at the pier and receive your room key card, depending on when you arrive at the terminal, you're given a number & you sit down & wait till that number is called.  Your Latitude status determines how low that number is.  We've had #'s 1 & 2 the last two times we sailed out of NYC.  Haven guests check in in a separate room and board separately also.  They also board physically challenged folks way early also.  If you're Gold or Platinum Latitudes you'll get a LOW number.  We always arrive  at the pier/terminal super early (1030-1045) so we always end up doing some waiting.

 

There's also an online check-in that you do BEFORE you sail where you input your name, address, passport info, emergency contact information, etc.  When you do the online check-in you can request an arrival time at the terminal.  Platinum (and Gold, too, I believe) can arrive at the pier/terminal at any time so I've never had to specify an arrival time. To my knowledge, NCL has NEVER enforced the pier arrival times they ask you to request when you do your online check-in. 

 

Again, sorry for the confusion I may have caused with using "boarding" instead of "arrival".

Edited April 3, 2019 by tomk3212

[Greenpea2]

22 minutes ago, esm54687 said:

Could you confirm this?? My understanding is that NCL requests an arrival for "check in time" NOT boarding..    NCL wasn't enforcing this my last cruise.... is NCL now enforcing arrival times? 

They ask for an arrival time not boarding time. They don’t hold you to it, though. Not being enforced,

[RHilla619]

Thank you for the insight Tom, very helpful!

[yoohoo97]

I've only left out of New York, being I live on Long Island, for both my cruises. Once on the Gem and once on the Escape, both times we got dropped off at the terminal at 11:30 and both times were on the ship within a half hour. Faster for the cruise on the Escape. I've read some of the horror stories on here about NYC embarkation but thankfully haven't had an issue.

[Greenpea2]

Just now, yoohoo97 said:

I've only left out of New York, being I live on Long Island, for both my cruises. Once on the Gem and once on the Escape, both times we got dropped off at the terminal at 11:30 and both times were on the ship within a half hour. Faster for the cruise on the Escape. I've read some of the horror stories on here about NYC embarkation but thankfully haven't had an issue.

We always cruise out of NY too--never had a problem so far. 

[WestfieldTraveler]

Not that I'm planning to arrive as late as possible, I just want to know when I should start worrying if I encounter a traffic jam coming from New Jersey on a Sunday morning (I know, unlikely but...) - at what point do they really shut off boarding before the ship sails?