Manhattan Cruise Terminal

I used a local parking garage. I dropped off our luggage and another couple first. Once back into the terminal around noon, the process was smooth. The line moved along and very easy for us to board our cruise ship. Air conditioned too! I highly recommend.

I've been cruising with NCL for well over a decade absolutely loved everything about the cruise line. For the first time ever their prices have gone up so ridiculously high for me they have made my ability to continue to cruise with them. Granted they do offer more perks than other cruise lines, but it's still way overpriced compared to MSC and other cruise lines out of New York. I would cruise at least two times a year religiously for over 10 years and now I can barely afford one cruise with them going forward. The worst now is you now have to pay 4 months in advance which I find ridiculous as so much can happen within 4 months. When I started cruising with them it was 30 days out then it went to 60 then it went to 90 and now 120 days that is a quarter of the entire year I'm so blanked off that they're holding my money that long. I can totally get 60 days which is reasonable. I but than pushing 90 days and now 4 months is off the charts. I have a cruise booked for 2025 I have to pay relatively soon and I booked it because the price at that time was just on my budget at the very top end. Out of curiosity I went to see what it's going for now not concerned because I locked in my price, but it is up $200. The average Cruise now has gone up from $200 to a staggering $400.00 some 4 day cruises which I would never do since it's too short of a time are actually after taxes adding beverage package in $2,000 hold on it's for a studio. I've spoken to many people on Facebook groups and they all say the same thing it's so unfortunate going forward I will book the last minute if the prices go down and if they don't "say la vie" The other issue I have now is you call and you're connected obviously to a cruise consultant and you just can't ask a basic question. They make you give your Consultants name and they have to be transferred I'm not asking for the codes to a nuclear bomb, they put you through basic Cruise hell LOL. This is also the third time my Consultants have either left the company or got promoted which im very happy for them, but they don't let you know until you call and they say oh they left well that would be nice to know thank goodness I was able to get a new Cruise consultant which I had spoken to Prior and actually took their extension I'm just kind of getting fed up with the Hoops that you now have to jump through. The online chat is a complete joke they actually can be condescending which is a miracle if you consider probably half of it is AI again they will not answer a basic question and most of the time the answer is wrong if it sounds like I'm frustrated it's because I am. My loyalty was obviously high considering as a very high latitude member, it's sad that I have to now question my future loyalty with NCL I wish I could give them five stars cuz that's what they used to be. I totally will welcome feedback

Compared to my last time two years ago, the embarkation and disembarkation process for going on NCL was solid. Full disclosure, I was part of the casino at seeds group so I did get priority lines. I also went during fleet week as well, and it wasn’t that bad.

Not fancy but functional. Really busy place. Very difficult to drive to so we stayed at a nearby hotel with parking and shuttle service. Returning to the US on a cruise and going through customs was very smooth and quick! Best thing is the view of the Statue of Liberty coming and going.

This terminal is very disorganized, and the staff were either incredibly sweet or incredibly rude, no in-between. This was also the very first port where we encountered an incredibly rude porter. The only other good thing about this terminal was how it was only a couple blocks away from our hotel. So, for the first time, we simply walked to the terminal, and my family found that to be an enjoyable experience despite the heat and pollution.

Amazing cruise to Bermuda. 🇧🇲 So much to do on Norwegian Joy Ship. Absolutely amazing.

This is the 2nd time cruising out of the Manhattan Cruise Terminal on NCL. Both times have been a pretty quick process but I believe more so due to being in the Havens. This Feb 2024 trip was a little less organized compared to one in 2018 but overall, still ok. For anyone cruising out of here not in Havens, get there early as the line to check in goes all the way down the road and terminal!

As for myself I took a cruise ship last year on the Norwegian Epic and it was beautiful most of the boats and ships that leave come there you got good for handicaps you got good for children you name it all the ship stop there as far as Transportation if you can't find Transportation there's a problem because in New York you can always find somewhere to get there but as far as my experience and my wife what do you have no problem whoever decides to go enjoy your trip and God bless.

Very well organized. This massive complex serves thousands of cruise passengers on multiple cruise lines. Ample signage to get you where you need to go, plus helpful employees (for the most part). The only thing they could maybe improve is seating, which is minimal to nonexistent.

My family and I took a cruise on the Carnival Venezia which sailed out of the Manhattan Cruise terminal. The terminal is smaller than others I have visited, not really many places for guests to sit. The staff was somewhat friendly, but the interactions were so short it didn't matter much. Traffic is horrendous and navigating around near the terminal is a nightmare! We opted not park at the terminal, which would have costed us nearly $400 for the entirety of the 8-day cruise. RIDICULOUS! I really don't see myself taking another cruise from this terminal, it was just a bit too hectic for me.

We departed from this terminal on a September Tuesday morning on the Norwegian Joy. That means there were like 3,800 of us converging here on the west side of mid-town Manhattan. The embarkation was smooth and efficient and I was quite happy with the experience. First, it was nice that our Lyft driver knew exactly where to drop us off as I have heard stories (in general and not of this specific terminal) of wrong dropoff points when you have lots of luggage etc, and a big terminal with lots of walking. No issue like that with this terminal and the locals. Secondly the luggage was handled smoothly by staffers, and the numerous check-in lines were well organized and moved along quite smoothly. Maybe that's a feather in NCL's cap, but the MCT personnel must have helped as well. A big elevator at Pier 88 readily got us up to the second floor check-in level from the ground level luggage dropoff. Thirdly, this is a very scenic port with great views of the mid town Manhattan skyline. The USS Intrepid aircraft carrier/museum is also docked right next door for what that's worth. On departure, as well as on arrival, the cruise passengers are treated to awesome views of the midtown and lower Manhattan skyline as well as the Statue of Liberty as you sail southward down the Hudson River. Overall, a very positive experience and I wouldn't hesitate to travel through here again as needed.

Very disorganized embarkation. Those who were early and late were sent to the same line. All lines stopped moving for over 45 minutes. I'm not sure of arriving later would have helped but I'd be prepared to wait. Also after the cruise you had to walk across 8 lanes of traffic to get to a taxi. The Uber corner was packed as well.

Just returned from our cruise on Venezia to Bermuda. This is my second cruise from Manhattan and just like the first a very positive experience. Staff was amazing and very pleasant. Answered all our questions and went above and beyond to help make this an easy embarkation and debarkation experience. I have sailed from Miami and Orlando also and this is by far the easiest most fluid port I have sailed out of!

I had a really good experience here at the terminal. Both embarkation and disembarkation were a breeze. There was plenty of space and signs were plentiful for directions. Staff were helpful as well. My only piece of advice is that taxi pick up is across the street so be prepared if that is your plan.

I guess the best way to look at this place is by category: The overall terminal experience during departure was probably the best part of the experience. There is a parking lot for cars (pricey daily rates) that is close to the port for people who are driving and don't mind risking the first come/first serve policy. There's also abundant drop-off lanes and plenty of people to load your luggage for you. The lines move fairly quickly and they get a lot of people through security at a reasonable rate, just don't leave yourself in a lurch by coming at what are normally peak hours around noon etc or of course it will be crowded. The gate agents and security folks are all helpful. The arrival experience is mixed. There are long lines to get back to the luggage area and customs/reentry. Finding the luggage isn't terrible but it's fairly straightforward to get back through customs. The issue is the chaos that ensues after you arrive as the car pickup/taxi area is across the street, so if you have a lot of luggage make sure to keep that in mind. Also there are many shady drivers here who will come and try to solicit business from you if you are not careful and price gouge you. Make sure you only travel with reputable places. If this is a port of call for you, the port is located about 4 or 5 very long city blocks from the nearest subway station on average. A lot of the streets nearby are very dark at night as it's not a commercial area until you walk closer to 9th avenue or so. Just keep that in mind when you think about transportation and safety considerations.

We set sail at sunset after an amazing weekend in New York City. Central Park, NY pizza and the city energy combined for the start of a great cruise!

Sorry NY not really feeling this Port especially for NYC my expectations were so.much more. I hadn't been to this Port in many years. So when I knew I was coming here to see a Silverseas ship I was looking forward to it. But upon arrival my bubble was burst. It seemed dark, dingy and dirty. If I had my choice I would sail out of Port Liberty in Bayonne. NJ instead. Not only is that terminal new and modern but you have views of the New York skyline as well as the Statue of Liberty. Thankfully my visit did not include seeing the restrooms. Based on everything else I see that would be a big pass. There was a couple vending machines if you wanted a soda while running through to catch a ship. Seating is limited so if you are planning a trip here plan to arrive on time pass security and get on board your ship as for the Port itself there is nothing to do or see here.

Easy to get to.. ease of parking for your cruise. Flat rate. First come first serve and I don't think one would be without a parking spot since cruisers come and go. You pay, pull up and drop your luggage(s), go park and go! I like that it's ONLY for cruisers. Definitely would park again if we ever cruise out of Manhattan. Bathroom was clean -- well, for the Disney cruise terminal anyway. :) Happy cruising.

We've been to many cruise ports and so far this seems to be the most unorganized so far. When you exit taxi rides are to the LEFT and all other forms of transportation are to the RIGHT. There is a gentleman standing there and that's all he says! Seems everyone walks out the door and stops! Yes, I understand that 3000 people are walking out at about the same time but they need clear information before they walk out the doors. Yes, I also understand that people are being dropped off at the same time and it's the same at all ports but this one just seemed out of control.

Overall Score: 1.25 Stars List of Issues: 1. Not signs of help when pulling into the cruise terminal with your car. 2. Herding cattle onto a cruise ship. 3. Rude Attendants 4. Smells 5. Disastrous Off-board process Overall: Sucks Thanks

Overall, this is a nice port. As with any city, expect lots of traffic. I came up here for a cruise on the Disney Magic for 7 nights on a cruise to Canada last week. Once I made it up here through the car service, the process was pretty easy. We got there about an hour earlier than expected due to low traffic (came from southern NJ). The terminal is very clean and it looks like they did some updating in this terminal since the last time I sailed out of this port in 2012. Now that we were at the port, we went to a large elevator that brought us to the second floor of the building. Once inside, you go to the line through security. There was another ship boarding the same day, but it was just one single line for both cruise line passengers. Although the line was long, the process moved quite smoothly. After that was completed, we ended up going to towards the back of the terminal where the check in was for Disney Cruise Line (DCL). There were several check in lines to choose from based on the number of prior sailings and/or if you were a concierge guest. Since we were there quite early, we got in the line for Gold Castaways (those that have sailed 6-10 times with DCL) and were immediately checked in, where you'll be given your boarding group number (used to limit the number of passengers boarding at the same time). All you needed to have was the required paperwork (passport, Canadian customs form, etc.). After that, it was a waiting game until boarding began. Given the number of passengers boarding our sailing (about 2,100), there wasn't enough seating for everyone in the terminal, which was one of the negatives at this terminal. Boarding began around 11:50 am and onto the Disney Magic. Fast forward one week. The following Saturday, we returned home from our cruise. The terminal wasn't quite ready for all of us, so it took a while before we could debark the ship. Once we were cleared to debark the ship, we went down to level 1 this time. This is where luggage collection is done, as well as where you need to clear Customs and Border Protection to return legally back into the U.S. Overall, that part of the process is quite easy if you've filled out the Customs Declarations Form properly. We had a porter help us with our luggage to get across the street. We had to cross the street because all taxi and car service pickups are done on the opposite side of the road at the corner of 12th Ave and 48th St. Overall, this is a nice, clean port. I would not hesitate to sail out of this port again in the future.

Pretty easy to walk to from most manhattan hotels. The guy who checked our bags did it quick and efficiently. I didn't use any of the parking so I can't give you any ideas on that. Our cruise was with NCL and they used the space well. I really liked the arrival time appointments. It made things move faster than even when we were in the suites the last time we cruised.

Just like an airport a cruise terminal processes thousands of passengers at a time. I found both the Embarkation and Debarkation to be pretty easy. Unlike others that have written reviews I found the security, porters and other personnel at the port to be polite and helpful. A tip for first time cruisers; READ your Cruise documents and ask your Travel Agent for tips to make the process easier. Security is not there to be nice, they are there to process thousands of passengers, and yes they may not say Please often enough but think about it...if you had to tell people the same thing all day long you may be grouchy too. Remember to have your documents out, just like you do at the Airport. Getting to the terminal was easy. Be sure to find a cab that offered a flat rate or get a ride share this way there are no surprises as to the price. Have them drop you off at the upper level where the porters are. Make sure your tags are on your bags and the porters will quickly take them and you're done,,,no worries. Give them a few bucks, they have a hard job. Get inside and go through security, have your documents out! Remember its security and you must go through the screening process. After Security you go to the Cruise Line check in process to get picture your boarding card. The terminal has limited food and beverage so eat before you get there. There are a lot of seats but it can get crowded especially if you're boarding one of the larger ships. The process is simple just realize there are lots of other people there too. DISEMBARKATION - My suggestion is to opt for taking your own luggage off. It's simple, you just walk off and you will avoid the endless wait and search for your bag among the thousands of others. We were off in a matter of minutes!

I had a positive experience leaving out. I arrived with my mother in the early afternoon. We waited in line to drop off our bags. There was a station with labels for suitcases if you forgot. There was an abundance of staff outside before you entered the terminal to help you and provide directions as needed. They kept things moving at a good speed. Inside there was staff as well. They worked for Carnival but they also helped the process along. Overall I had a good experience.

This was the port where my most recent Norwegian (NCL) cruise departed from. Nicely situated on the west side, on the Hudson with panoramic views of Jersey, as well as, the Statue of Liberty and the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum. The check-in process for my Norwegian Breakaway cruise was pretty smooth. Line was long, as the cruise was fully booked, but everything was orderly and we were through security and baggage check in and on the ship in no time. There's a parking area on the upper level if you wanna leave your vehicle there (probably for a fee), so that's convenient too.

This was our second time using this terminal and both times it was a long and drawn out process . Staff were pleasant to deal with . Place was clean. Reason for rating is due to not enough staff plus the 5 hour delay getting on the ship . Which most likely was NCL fault. Either way , both times we eventually got on and had a great time .

Not a bad cruise terminal as it's NY crowded, but efficient enough to make the boarding pleasurable! Walkable from Times Square as it's basically downhill!

Spring break 4/17-4/24 2022, what a nightmare 7 days cruise, 1st stop VA beach, 2nd stop Bermuda. We waited in line for almost 7 hours to check in, 3 of the hours were outside in the freezing cold. They had about 5 agents checking in over 4400 passengers/guests. They knew how many people were coming aboard but did not staff according to accommodate, blaming the shortest on the pandemic. we would packed like sardines, we had 5 kids from ages 4-11 with us. They did not offer food/water, they were fine accepting all the reservations and money. Because everyone did not get onboard until night time, the 1st stop was skipped, they blame rough waves. Three days before our cruise we get an email to let us know that the kids club would be close for drop off, again blamed Covin. All the activities were closed most of the time couldn't get reservation for dinner, even tho the restaurant is empty. There was nothing for the kids to do, the bars were packed all the time because there was nothing to do.

This is a review both for checking in for a cruise as well as departing after the cruise. Initially I came by Uber to the pier and was dropped off by Pier 88. It was crowded, lots of people milling around. Lots of confusion, lots of luggage, no real order or organization. I was able to speak with a porter while passing and asked if I was supposed to leave my luggage there. I was concerned that my luggage had not been checked and that I hadn't gone through a check-in before being instructed to leave my luggage. Sure, I was concerned the bag wouldn't arrive on the ship, but I took the chance as others seemed to be leaving their luggage. Just seemed very chaotic. Once inside, there were plenty of lines and plenty of people instructing me where to go and what documentation to have available. It was very easy and well setup once inside the terminal. Took me literally 15 minutes to get through the lines and checked and get my room card/pass and through and onto the ship. They do a great job once inside but need to work on the outside when dropping off luggage for your cruise. After returning from the cruise and getting off the ship, the lines were massive to get to the area to collect our luggage and move through customs. There was a spastic, arrogant women walking through and demanding we move forward a foot or so to fill up space. While we were just off the ship and moving as fast as the line allowed us to move. It didn't help that there were 6 customs stations available in our line, but only 2 were open. It seems the same in the other two lines waiting to speak with the customs agents. Why only have 6 open stations, when there were 10 others closed and over 5000 passengers debarking from the ship. Ludacrous to me! Once past customs, it was out to the street to find public transportation to the bus pick-up, for me it was a drop-off less than 2 miles away at 9th avenue and West 30th street. A number of people approached me on the way out as I was crossing 12th avenue at 48th street. When I got across, I was planning on taking a taxi as I didn't know if it would be easy to get an Uber there. Someone said yes, I can take you and grabbed my bags and started off to where he was parked. He put my luggage in his trunk and when we got into the car he said $38 + tip. I started to argue as that's a ridiculous amount for 2 miles, but by that point it seemed futile as he was acting as if I got out, he'd speed away and take my luggage with him. At that point I knew I had been taken for a ride by someone in a black car. I should have negotiated before I let him take the bag and walk in another direction. Highly recommend you grab a taxi that is waiting at the stand or call for an Uber or Lyft to pick you up at the corner of 12th Avenue and 48th Street. Don't go for a black car, I think they can charge you what they want and once you are in the car, like I was, you're screwed and have no room for negotiation. In coming to the cruise port, I paid $12 + tip for my Lyft ride from Penn Station to the cruise port and even that could have been a little less. I let my guard down coming out as I was in a great mood coming off a wonderful vacation. If I had the drivers' license plate number or medallion or whatever to identify him, I'd be reporting him for his actions pertaining to fares.

We had VIP checkin at this terminal and it's our 2nd time cruising out of Manhattan. The first port security was very polite and we went through the metal detector in just minutes. When greeted by a female security she was yelling to have your boarding passes out. We had ours out. When I questioned her about going through the VIP line we again were yelled at requesting boarding passes. OK, we had them out so no need to yell. She did let us through the VIP line and the rest was smooth sailing. For the 2nd time we had port employees either rude or yelling at us. The NCL employees were extremely professional and polite greeting us since we are platinum customers. Last time we cruised we complained to NCL about the rude behavior of port employees but all they could do was pass our complaint along. I don't get why one person can greet thousands of guests in their city with an attitude.

The terminal is very big. Use it for a couple of cruise lines like Disney and Norwegian. The customs to get on and off are fairly organized.

This is the worst cruise terminal I have ever been in and I have been in many We have been in line for over 2 hours and aren't even close to security yet. There is no where to sit down and no restrooms available. Warning! Never take a cruise out of Manhattan. The citizens of New York should be embarrassed! Update from earlier post. It took us 4.5 hours to go from curbside drop off to the ship. After standing and not moving, every joint is hurting. Shame on the cruise terminal and cruise line for letting this happen. I feel really sorry for the elderly on this ship.

Love seeing the ships arrive at the terminal. The check in process was efficient. Once you go though security, they will ask for your cruise documents and passport, keep your boarding papers out because you will need to show them to the reps. There are 2 checkin areas and depending on what deck you're on depends on where you checkin. This makes the longs lines easy to maneuver. Once you receive your cruise card have a seat and wait for them to call your number which the yellow card they gave you. Also there is kiosk selling lanyards and other goodies that you can purchase, credit cards only, and its very nice. I brought a nice beach bag that i was able to use right away with all of my junk . A great experience and looking forward to my next cruise out of the NYC Cruise Terminal.

The terminal workers are not friendly. Pointing and gesturing without speaking. That's not how you communicate with passengers. Once outside the terminal you will be approached with lots of "locals" trying to drive you to your destination. We had multiple men approach us saying, I have a card reader for your credit card and I will charge you less then an Uber to take you to your destination. Before leaving the terminal announcements were made that you should not let anyone take your luggage or hustle you into a car that is not regulated, most times they are not affiliated with Uber, Lyft, or a taxi service. In some cases, they are not licensed, insured, or will try to charge you more before or after your ride. It's obvious information to some but not always everyone so I did feel the need to review the terminal almost as a warning to more trusting visitors. (This announcement was almost made every 30 minutes inside JFK Airport.) It is a very serious issue that needs to be addressed within the city. The Manhattan Pier Terminal does not have a designated ride sharing Pick Up location, everyone is directed across the street to W48th & 12th which is hectic and loaded with traditional taxis.