Narrative:

ATC was in my opinion late in giving us marc at FL180 so I asked for lower and we were given marc at FL180. We continued with the arrival. The first officer and I remarked at how other aircraft were being talked to sternly by ATC for missing frequency changes, etc. The next thing I know, nyc asks us our altitude. We say FL180 and the controller mentioned that we were told to cross vibes at 13000 ft. We were immediately told to turn left and we did. Nothing was on TCASII. ATC again said we were given vibes at 13000 ft. There were several other aircraft on the same frequency with various levels of confusion about clrncs or frequency assignments. I really do not believe that we were given vibes at 13000 ft. We were both sure that there was no conflict. But again you never know.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR FLC ACCUSED BY ARTCC CTLR OF FAILURE TO MEET A XING RESTR ALT THEY SAY THEY WERE NEVER GIVEN.

Narrative: ATC WAS IN MY OPINION LATE IN GIVING US MARC AT FL180 SO I ASKED FOR LOWER AND WE WERE GIVEN MARC AT FL180. WE CONTINUED WITH THE ARR. THE FO AND I REMARKED AT HOW OTHER ACFT WERE BEING TALKED TO STERNLY BY ATC FOR MISSING FREQ CHANGES, ETC. THE NEXT THING I KNOW, NYC ASKS US OUR ALT. WE SAY FL180 AND THE CTLR MENTIONED THAT WE WERE TOLD TO CROSS VIBES AT 13000 FT. WE WERE IMMEDIATELY TOLD TO TURN L AND WE DID. NOTHING WAS ON TCASII. ATC AGAIN SAID WE WERE GIVEN VIBES AT 13000 FT. THERE WERE SEVERAL OTHER ACFT ON THE SAME FREQ WITH VARIOUS LEVELS OF CONFUSION ABOUT CLRNCS OR FREQ ASSIGNMENTS. I REALLY DO NOT BELIEVE THAT WE WERE GIVEN VIBES AT 13000 FT. WE WERE BOTH SURE THAT THERE WAS NO CONFLICT. BUT AGAIN YOU NEVER KNOW.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.