April 15, 2006
Queen Mary 2 arrives at Brooklyn Cruise Terminal
Cunard's Queen Mary 2 arrived at the new $56 million Brooklyn Cruise Terminal this morning but heavy fog blocked views of the Manhattan skyline, the Statue of Liberty and even Governors Island on the other side of Buttermilk Channel.
The ship arrived at its new New York home port around 5 a.m. and tour buses could be seen streaming into the gated terminal area. The streets in the surrounding industrial neighborhood had been cleaned of trash and at least one heavily-potholed street showed off a quick-and-dirty repaving job. Police officers stood in groups on most corners near the terminal, directing people toward the ends of Sullivan and Wolcott streets to catch a glimpse of the massive ship in port.
But fog was so thick, by 6 a.m. that even the "Queen Mary 2" sign was obscured along with most of the ship's lights. The National Weather Service has issued a dense fog advisory through 9 a.m. though the temperature is supposed to reach 80 this afternoon.
Passengers will board through the day and the ship will depart at 5 p.m. this evening. Spectators hoping for a glimpse of the ship's departure are advised to gather at Battery Park in Manhattan, on the Beard Street or Valentino Pier in Red Hook or along the Shore Parkway Bike Path in Bay Ridge. Cunard is also suggesting a ride on the Staten Island Ferry will offer a great vantage point.
 Today's arrival marks the official grand opening of the Brooklyn Terminal, but Carnival's Oriana was actually the first cruise ship to use the dock. In September, Oriana's passengers were processed under tents as the politicians (many facing re-election campaigns then only weeks away,) held a ceremony celebrating the move they hoped would boost the city's economy and help revive the waterfront. (Though the company operating the container port next door has long complained the city is forcing them out and shuffling Brooklyn's historic waterfront operations to New Jersey.)
The Brooklyn terminal will be used by Carnival's Cunard and Princess ships 38 times this year, though the city's primary cruise ship operations will remain on the West Side of Manhattan. Bayonne, New Jersey is the area's other main cruse ship terminal.
Earlier: Red Hook and Brooklyn Cruise Ship Terminal guide
The bovine history of Brooklyn's Buttermilk Channel
Red Hook hosts its first cruise ship: Carnival's Oriana
April 15, 2006 06:38 AM in Out of Manhattan, Sightsology
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