Can You Check In For the Cruise & Depart The Terminal?

[Georgia3]

Can you arrive at the terminal at 10:00am and have one person check in your entore family? Then leave the terminal and come back with your entire family at 11:15am? So you do not have the whole family waiting around?
Do they have paid upgrades available earlier in the morning or closer to the the sailing of the cruise?

 

[kcashner]

It isn't a jail situation where you can't leave, but I'm not sure what you gain from 10 to 11:15.

The port area opens at 10. The terminal supposedly opens at 10:30 for check in, but in reality it is more like 10:15. Any available paid upgrades will be at the supervisor's desk after you have checked in. However, they do become available. For instance, if someone who has a cat 6 purchases an upgrade to a suite, they now have a cat 6 available (which was not available until the previous guest had purchased their upgrade.) If you were the first person in line and they told you there were no cat 6 upgrades available, you wouldn't know that one opened up later.

However...the supervisor starts with a list of all cabins available. Am I as clear as mud?

I guess the thought of missing an hour of waiting at the terminal isn't worth it in terms of separating the group, getting you back together, etc. Also, there is no "short term parking" so your family will have to do something while person 1 does the check in...and you will all have to return for security photos.

 

[OKW Lover]

The entire family needs to be there at checkin so this wouldn't work.

 

[LadyOfNawlins]

The entire family needs to be there at checkin so this wouldn't work.

Is this true? I have seen people post about checking in their family while DH parked car. Then, DH only needed photo ID to get through security and have picture taken. Now, I am confused????

 

[dvcer57]

We cruised 1 1/2 yrs ago and I checked everybody in I had everybodys passports and charge info while my wife checked the kids in their clubs.

 

[Billinaz]

In our last 8 cruises, I have checked everyone in (I had all the passports and paperwork).


The family was in the terminal, but nobody ever verfied they were there until we boarded.

I had to actually leave the ship once I boarded one year (my DSLR picked the perfect time to die). I got into a cab and ran to Best Buy on Meritt Island to buy a Sony DSLR, then got back onto the ship.

The only thing they said was not to be late, they don't wait for you when they leave.

 

[kcashner]

The printed stuff says that all adults must be present in the check in line. However, this often isn't how it happens. In reality, it is totally possible for a wife to check in for her husband and vice versa. If you have his ID, you can get his KTTW card, If not, the CM will hold his KTTW till he shows up with his ID, but all his paperwork is already done and submitted. Then you have the security photos taken and you are finished. I've never waited behind more than 2 families for security photos, so it goes very quickly.

 

[smb6]

So, when exactly are the security photo's taken? We are a party of 7 and my initial plan was to have one adult drop off the other adult and the kids while returning the rental car and then taking a cab to the port. So, I'd really like to be able to check all of us in just using our passports..... I seem to hear conflicting reports as to weather or not this would work...

 

[Billinaz]

whenever you want to get it done.

You just go over to the kiosk and get your photo taken.

 

[kcashner]

It depends. If you check in at MCO or one of the resorts (this is being done on at least some cruises in preparation for more people on the Dream), the photos are taken at that time. If you are in the concierge line at the terminal, they are done right in that line. In the normal lines, after you check in and get your KTTW card, you go to the security photo line. In my experience this line has always been very short and moves quickly. They have either 4 or 6 stations, and your whole family goes to the one you are directed to. It takes about 2 minutes and is totally painless. You CAN go over as soon as you check in, or you can go over an hour later--your choice. You just won't get on the ship till you've done it.

 

[jlwhitney]

In november 2010, they took our security pictures right at check in we did not go to the kiosks afterwards like we had in the past. They were not even using the kiosks at all.

 

[mmouse37]

It depends. If you check in at MCO or one of the resorts (this is being done on at least some cruises in preparation for more people on the Dream), the photos are taken at that time. If you are in the concierge line at the terminal, they are done right in that line. In the normal lines, after you check in and get your KTTW card, you go to the security photo line. In my experience this line has always been very short and moves quickly. They have either 4 or 6 stations, and your whole family goes to the one you are directed to. It takes about 2 minutes and is totally painless. You CAN go over as soon as you check in, or you can go over an hour later--your choice. You just won't get on the ship till you've done it.

As mentioned this has changed....they now take your pic right at check in by the CM that checked you in. They have little hand held cameras.

This past October I checked hubby and I in while he returned the rental car. I had his passport and he had his DL for ID to get back into the terminal. All he had to do was go up to the CM that checked me in and have his photo taken...no problem at all.

MJ

 

[OKW Lover]

When we did PCC 2.0 (December 12th) they took our picture at the checkin counter in the terminal.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

Just a warning...

I have done several DCL cruises. Upgrades were practically never available. Don't get your hopes up too high. Message boards tend to "skew" the actual outcome to make it look like it happens more then in reality!

 

[Eeyore'sthebest]

In november 2010, they took our security pictures right at check in we did not go to the kiosks afterwards like we had in the past. They were not even using the kiosks at all.

This is exactly what happened on our 10/31 Wonder cruise. And this was different than our previous cruises. I had to quickly snag DH and DD and get them into line with me. They took the photos right at the check in.