Day 29 – 9/24 – New York, NY, USA
Early this morning we sailed into our final port – New York, past the Statue of Liberty.
Even early on a Saturday, the city is lit up.
Perhaps the worst part of any cruise is the end – not just because it is over, but because the debarkation process is usually a pain. Maybe because it is primarily driven by the passport control process. The process begins the night before when you have to have all of your luggage packed and outside your cabin shortly after dinner – some times this can present some logistical problems, particularly if you pack all of your clothes, not remembering to leave out the ones you intend to wear off the ship. By 8:00 in the morning you are asked to be completely out of your cabin. Depending on when your “group” is called, it may be 11:00 by the time you get off the ship – so there is a lot of jockeying around for spots to in which to wait. When at last your group is called, you exit the ship into a big warehouse full of luggage (supposedly arranged by group) and find your luggage and hopefully a porter (they are all longshoremen members of the ILA) and queue up for passport and customs. Regardless of the amount of your luggage – get a porter – their knowledge of the process is worth the tip. Bus trip to La Guardia, wait for the flight – and back to DFW and the land of omnipresent cell and internet service.
As always – I close with my favorite travel picture and quote.
It Doesn’t Matter Where or How You Go – It’s Who Is by Your Side!