Meraviglia New York-worst embarkation ever!!

[QueenofEverything]

After 25 cruises I thought we had seen about every embarkation imaginable. Boy was I wrong. We arrived at the port about 11:45 and there was a line outside the terminal of easily a thousand people. I don’t believe they let anyone in the building until noon. So you had to stand in this huge line with your bags. You had to wait until just before you entered the terminal to drop your bags with the porters. Inside another huge line for security. 8 stations, 4 of them open. Then they sent you outside for another 1000 person line because the check in area was too crowded. Someone actually fainted waiting in line. Finally got to yet another line to check in and then of course the very long line to actually get on the ship.  3 hours and 20 minutes start to finish. Worst embarkation ever!  No one giving direction. Not enough security people and too many people giving wrong information. Never again out of New York and never again a ship this big 

[Cruiser Bruiser]

4 minutes ago, QueenofEverything said:

After 25 cruises I thought we had seen about every embarkation imaginable. Boy was I wrong. We arrived at the port about 11:45 and there was a line outside the terminal of easily a thousand people. I don’t believe they let anyone in the building until noon. So you had to stand in this huge line with your bags. You had to wait until just before you entered the terminal to drop your bags with the porters. Inside another huge line for security. 8 stations, 4 of them open. Then they sent you outside for another 1000 person line because the check in area was too crowded. Someone actually fainted waiting in line. Finally got to yet another line to check in and then of course the very long line to actually get on the ship.  3 hours and 20 minutes start to finish. Worst embarkation ever!  No one giving direction. Not enough security people and too many people giving wrong information. Never again out of New York and never again a ship this big 

Wow, that's a drag. Although, I had a similar experience boarding Norwegian Pearl in Los Angeles a few years back. Unfortunately I think it happens sometime, which does not make it any more pleasant. Hopefully you have a drinks package and can get the party started.

[Boschmann]

From pictures I saw it looked like they were taking embarking passenger's luggage on the lower street level rather than on the elevated upper embarkation level, can you confirm this?  Were there many debarking people still left from this morning?

[Beamafar]

I've been following the many reports on the debacle and feel so sorry for all embarking today.  We're boarding Friday week;  I am not looking forward to it.

 

I believe you're an Aurea guest, too, Q.  Thought I'd add that here for anyone thinking that it may have been different with priority boarding.

[Whimbrel Sailor]

they definitely take on st level we always take cab across st as well as 2nd floor parking access

[April42749]

25 minutes ago, Beamafar said:

I've been following the many reports on the debacle and feel so sorry for all embarking today.  We're boarding Friday week;  I am not looking forward to it.

 

I believe you're an Aurea guest, too, Q.  Thought I'd add that here for anyone thinking that it may have been different with priority boarding.

Wow...

We are going next week also and our "boarding time" is 1 pm.  However, sailaway is 7pm and I believe "all aboard" is 5pm (have to check).  Since we live "walking distance" (but will be taking a cab) to the terminal I'm planning to get there about 3pm based on this.

[Boschmann]

I've been through that terminal twice on NCL Breakaway and the larger ships always had drop off for embarkation on the upper level, security and check in were also on the upper level.  Disembarking passengers went down the escalator to pick up bags and go through customs on the lower level, then walked directly out onto 12th Avenue.

[April42749]

10 minutes ago, Boschmann said:

I've been through that terminal twice on NCL Breakaway and the larger ships always had drop off for embarkation on the upper level, security and check in were also on the upper level.  Disembarking passengers went down the escalator to pick up bags and go through customs on the lower level, then walked directly out onto 12th Avenue.

You can also drop off on the lower level.

[Beamafar]

Was that on weekend days, Joe?  I take it you've seen MrMike's post on our roll call about the porters' situation around weekends vs midweek.

[Boschmann]

24 minutes ago, April42749 said:

You can also drop off on the lower level.

Interesting, I know the bags were just put down a chute back to the lower level to be loaded on the ship.

24 minutes ago, Beamafar said:

Was that on weekend days, Joe?  I take it you've seen MrMike's post on our roll call about the porters' situation around weekends vs midweek.

Yes, I've only sailed from Manhattan on a weekend.  I'm sure that is some of the trouble today, hopefully they make better plans for the next two sailings also on week days.

[sidari]

Bea ... The weekend v weekdays post does make sense and it seems that this is what happened today, a poor effort by the port authority and by MSC not doing their homework from previous ship stops such as QM2 during the week.

[April42749]

10 minutes ago, Boschmann said:

Interesting, I know the bags were just put down a chute back to the lower level to be loaded on the ship.

Yes, I've only sailed from Manhattan on a weekend.  I'm sure that is some of the trouble today, hopefully they make better plans for the next two sailings also on week days.

OK....I've searched my memory.  DH and I travel light, just a carry-on each so we don't use porters.

However, our last trip was Carnival Sunrise, on a weekday.  There was a HUGE line waiting for the porters.  Since we only had carry-ons we walked to the front and went right up the escalator.  We got many "dirty looks" as we walked past the people and some snide comments.

If I had been unfamiliar with that port and set-up I probably would have joined "the line".

That was this past June.

[Beamafar]

Don't cruise companies pay port taxes and charges to have services provided??? (Rhetorical question!)

[Boschmann]

2 minutes ago, April42749 said:

Since we only had carry-ons we walked to the front and went right up the escalator.  We got many "dirty looks" as we walked past the people and some snide comments.

We're packing for 23 nights so will have checked bags.  I hope they will fix the claimed lack of a YC presence for the luggage drop.

[Bellfree Bat]

1 hour ago, sidari said:

Bea ... The weekend v weekdays post does make sense and it seems that this is what happened today, a poor effort by the port authority and by MSC not doing their homework from previous ship stops such as QM2 during the week.

Not only the weekend but Yom Kippur.

[CarolR]

We just got off the Meraviglia.  We boarded on September 21st in Kiel, Germany for the crossing.  Embarkation was a total disaster.  I've never seen anything like it in the 27 or so cruises I've been on. When we got to the port there were hundreds of people lined up outside and that turned into thousands.  It was chaos.  Then some busloads of people arrived who proceeded to run and cut through the lineup and push others out of the way.  Through all this you had to drag your luggage unlike the US where the porters are there immediately to collect luggage.  About an hour and a half during this process, they told Canadians and Americans to come to the front to another line for some reason.  We then were able to check in.  I can't imagine how long it took to board the other thousands of people.  

We boarded the Horizon from NYC a few years ago and there were no issues.

 

 

[CGTNORMANDIE]

3 hours ago, Beamafar said:

Don't cruise companies pay port taxes and charges to have services provided??? (Rhetorical question!)

LOL...Welcome to NY Bea!  You are dealing with the NY longshoremen...union gone wild.  My advice...tip them when you surrender your luggage...or you might find it floating in the East River.  

[Beamafar]

I hope there will be a few more of them working for our embarkation on Friday week, CGT!  Where were the workers today??? 

[April42749]

2 hours ago, Bellfree Bat said:

Not only the weekend but Yom Kippur.

Wouldn't be much of a factor....the holiday started about 6:30 and I doubt a  substantial number of the workers would have been affected.

[mianmike]

2 hours ago, CGTNORMANDIE said:

LOL...Welcome to NY Bea!  You are dealing with the NY longshoremen...union gone wild.  My advice...tip them when you surrender your luggage...or you might find it floating in the East River.  

 

Our NY embarkations at the same pier with NCL have always gone smooth a silk.  What's going on with the NY longshoremen now? 

[smileygirlmp]

Unbelievable what happened today. I've never seen anything like this at this port and it's not because of the size of the ship. It seemed as if there was literally 1 scanner checking in all 5500 passengers on deck 7. They better figure this out before next week!

[CruisingFox27]

6 hours ago, CGTNORMANDIE said:

LOL...Welcome to NY Bea!  You are dealing with the NY longshoremen...union gone wild.  My advice...tip them when you surrender your luggage...or you might find it floating in the East River.  

Is is compulsory to give luggage to a porter? We've always just given our luggage directly to MSC staff at the appropriate indicated luggage drop point.

Edited October 9, 2019 by CruisingFox27

[CruisingFox27]

9 hours ago, Boschmann said:

We're packing for 23 nights so will have checked bags.  I hope they will fix the claimed lack of a YC presence for the luggage drop.

Indeed!

[dexddd]

1 hour ago, CruisingFox27 said:

Is is compulsory to give luggage to a porter? We've always just given our luggage directly to MSC staff at the appropriate indicated luggage drop point.

All  US ports we've been to have porters curbside to take luggage.  They are not employees of the cruise line but typically union employees.  I would question at POM at YC though if the folks checking ID and taking bags are employees of MSC or not.  We initially had what seemed a combination of both but this year were the guys kind of dressed like butlers.

 

If you take luggage into terminal, you'd have to carry it on assuming it fits through scanners.  Is there any option once in a terminal?  Can't say for certain but has never really looked like it.

At Port Canaveral they have signs that porters are salaried and no tips required yet they have hands wide open.

 

Edited October 9, 2019 by dexddd

[CruisingFox27]

I think this is why I'm confused dex, even when sailing from Miami we've arrived curbside, handed our cases in at the YC tent to an MSC attired person and then off to check in. Elsewhere there's always been a YC or Aurea luggage drop off area at the terminal entrance. I feel uncomfortable giving our luggage to a non MSC person, especially with the reports that it may end up in the river!