We are on the 8/31 sailing out of Norfolk and since we are to be in NYC on Wed. 9/1,thought there might be a chance to catch a matinee but with the ship sailing at 1700 HRS that would really be cutting it close. Have any of you tried this?

Sure there are many more knowledgable than I am - so matinee on Wednesday??? 2PM or 3 PM two hrs long - I have always done Sat or Sun matinees - I would guess you can do it - Joanna

Evening Joanna, Wed. matinee(s)all look to be at 2 PM and the shows are 2 1/2 hours long. That would give us 30 minutes to get back to the ship. Unless the ship has a "pacakge" that I don't know about it is probably cutting it too close especially in NYC.
Pete

Hi Pete,

You have to board the ship about 1 hour before the posted sailing time, which is 5 PM.

We just saw Wicked and it ran a full 3 hours - 8 PM show let out at 11 PM.

Cruise to Bermuda was wonderful! We sailed out of NYC just to eat and see theater.

I'll be on your cruise (boarding in NY). See you on the deck!

I agree that you are cutting it very close.

We took in a Sunday matinee the last time we visited NYC. The play began at 3:00 and we got out at about 5:30.

You have to also take into consideration that your cruise leaves on a weekday. Therefore, also take into consideration traffic and lots and lots of people; many of them will just be concluding their workday.

Also, that will be smack in the middle of the Republican National Convention, which should add to the general traffic and lack of taxicab frenzy.

no sweat.. I'll call "wbua". he can arrange for a car...right!!.. and you are going to board in the city!! thank goodness we decieded to drive up to Norfolk and jump on there.

Pete: would make me too nervous...and the convention - forget about it - Joanna

methinks we will find a cozy spot with an adult beverage and watch all the "harried' folks come aboard. Downtown NYC is bad enough on Sunday afternoon in Aug. much less a 5 o'clock in the middle of the "GOP Convention".

chatkat, thanks for the review of your trip to Bermuda, it was a the "final push" that made up our mind to take the cruise this year.

pete

Pete:

Check with tour desk or concierge when you board. I seem to remember that some of the Norfolk boarding passengers were at theater when we embarked. I can't remember from whom I heard this. With a 2:00 pm start, most shows are too long to take a chance on a non-Radisson booked excursion although "Movin' Out" and "Little Shop of Horrors" come in at around two hours. That would give you plenty of time to get back to the ship. One of the New Yorkers can correct me but I think it would be faster to walk back from the theater district than to take a cab since a cab needs to go to 55th (IIRC) to get on ramp to pier while walkers can go against traffic.

Marc, Good Idea..although with the GOP in town not sure I want to "fight the battle". If it is a RSSC excursion that insures we make the ship I might try it. I can see me hauling the DW out to Newark to fly to Bermuda so we can catch the ship for the RETURN voyage.

Pete - enjoy. Marc was on the same sailing with us. Wonderful place to cruise to!

I'd go back in a heartbeat - have room in your luggage for me?

The convention is at Madison Square Garden (between 32nd and 34th); this will mostly disrupt the commuters from NJ and Long Island coming into Penn Station and those working in the Garment District. Most of the theaters are in the West 40s or 50s. That's far enough away from the action of the convention if seeing a show is important. Late August can be a good time to get tickets to the shows. Many of the Manhattanites have fled the city to get to the beaches. August can be beautiful, but it can also be sweltering.

Marc's suggestion to check with the concierge on timing makes a lot of sense. Walking is also the best way to get to and from the pier, but if you catch a sweltering day, it is no fun. Another option is to get tickets for half off at the TKTS booth on the day of the show. They generally have a choice of excellent shows but will have few, if any, tickets to the newest and most popular shows. It's at the north end of Times Square (47th & Broadway/7th Avenue) and opens around 10 or 10:30 am.

Enjoy your cruise! Cheers, Anne

I would recommend that you focus only on Radisson excursions. You really do need that guarantee that the ship will not leave without you when you are cutting it that close.

Marc's idea of walking back to the ship is a good one given the location of the theatres & the ship.

Re: the convention.... 1. theatre tickets will be somewhat harder to get due to all the out-of-towners in NYC. 2. That many people will, I am sure, clog up any area that can be defined as tourist-ie & the Times Square area surely qualifies.

Good luck.

Most New Yorkers I know plan to keep out of the city during this period as much as they can!

Doug

The convention will be centered at Madison Square Garden, so that area is likely to be the worst. I didn't realize until after I'd booked that I was going to be taking the train right into the middle of the convention. Even though I live in VA (albeit a 3+ hour drive to Norfolk), I booked from NY because there were no "low single supplement-able" suites available out of Norfolk. The irony is, it now looks like my mother will be coming with me (if she feels up to it near sailing time), so the single supplement consideration may be irrelevant. Oh well, watch me battle the GOP for taxis out of Penn Station.