Your boarding time is not 1 pm....it is your Port Arrival Time that is 1 pm. Boarding starts much earlier than that.....but it is true that your boarding number will be based on your 1:00 pm PAT.
I have done 2 of the cruises out of NYC already...the very first one they did check port arrival times but all reports indicate (and my experience last week) that they are not adhering to the port arrival times out of NYC.
Try a google search for luggage storage to see if there are any near the port or near where you may want to sightsee (though I don't think you will have as much time to sightsee as you might think).
MJ
Do you know what time the port opens? We have an 11:30 port arrival time but my DH would like to check the possibility of an upgrade. TIA
Two other questions for experienced NY cruisers:
Is there a liquor store relatively near the Renaissance by the Newark airport? We'd like to take a couple bottles of wine on board.
After the cruise, we're headed to the Marriott Marquis. Will catching a cab be difficult? We're in no huge rush so would it be better to hang back until 8:30 or so?
TIA