Norwegian Epic - Transatlantic - Day 10

DAY 10 - FRIDAY - 12/16 - NYC

I didn’t sleep well and happened to be awake when I saw lights other than the ship’s in the distance. I turned off the airplane mode on my phone for the first time since Lisbon and checked out the map. It wasn’t cooperating and put our location on land.

It was pouring rain and windy, but I went on my balcony and saw that we were approaching the Verrazano Bridge. It was the Verrazano, right? It had to be. But we were early. And I question my geography at all times.

If I ran up to Deck 15, I thought I might miss the bridge, so I took video of it from the balcony and then headed up for the Statue of Liberty. I hoped that Adam and Fiza would also make it on time.They did!

We’d hoped to go to Deck 18 for the New York arrival, but the rain made it slippery and difficult to get around, so we stayed where it was safer and more sheltered.

Considering the weather and the time, there were quite a few people around.

I’d pictured the arrival ahead of time. In my head, it would be quiet and peaceful. I’d just stand there and soak it all in. In silence.

Fiza hadn’t been to bed yet and, somehow, she was full of energy. She hadn’t been to New York City since the 1990s and she had a thousand questions, all of which she asked me at what felt like lightning speed.

My patience was initially tried and I very nearly asked her to zip it. But I caught myself. I was able to shift my attitude, and appreciate her enthusiasm, as exhausted as I was.. She was happy and excited. I tried to keep up with her and answer all the questions I was capable of answering. I started offering information before I was asked - like pointing out the lights of Times Square, which we could see as we passed 42nd Street.

We were all cold and wet. And happy, I think.

When we arrived at the port, we went our separate ways.

We wouldn’t be allowed to disembark until at least 7am, so I went to my cabin and got a couple hours of sleep.

I got up again at 6am. I was already packed and ready to go, so I headed to the Garden Cafe. I knew I was unlikely to see any of my new friends, but still ate in the area where we all met up, just in case any of them came in. I had some coffee and corn flakes and looked at the city lights through the windows.

It was still raining and would continue all day.

I was carrying my own luggage off the ship, so didn’t have an assigned time to leave (though everyone was supposed to be off by 9am). I was in line to disembark by 7am. No announcement had been made and the line wasn’t yet moving, but it was the earliest we’d been told we could head out.

In line, I was given a taste of what I’d mostly managed to avoid for the duration of the trip. The man in front of me started talking to the woman behind me.

Man: On the whole, do you think people had a good cruise or a bad cruise?

Woman: It was the worst cruise I’ve ever been on!

That was the answer he was looking for. They fed off of each other and complained about everything on and off the ship - the change in itinerary, the service, the weather conditions, guns being taken away from them, having to use proper pronouns for people… It spiraled quickly!

I kept quiet and looked away from them.

At one point the woman tapped my arm and (to my surprise) said “I’m sorry you have to listen to all of this.”

I didn’t look at her or say anything. I just shook my head a little bit.

Luckily, the line started moving. There were no issues with customs or anything else. I crossed 12th Avenue, and found Rod waiting for me with his car half a block away on W. 48th Street.

I remembered the 10 year old from the hot tub a few days earlier, as I talked Rod’s ear off the whole way back to my apartment.

I was happy to be home, where Mark the Cat was waiting.

But also happy to relive it all through these posts. Thanks for joining me!