Onboard Airline Check in - check in an extra bag at the airport?

[dvcdisney]

We are going to use the Onboard Airline Check in service but I was wondering if it's possible to check in another bag at the airport.

If we want to keep one of our small luggage with us and just check it in when we arrive at the airport, is that possible while using the Onboard Airline check in service?

Has anyone here done this? If so, what was the procedure?

Thanks for any help and suggestions.

 

[dvcdisney]

Any suggestions?

 

[dvcdisney]

Just bumping to see if anyone has any suggestions.

 

[mmouse37]

I do not know....I believe, as far as the airline is concerned, you are already checked in with your bags...do not know if you could add more. Also, you would have to wait on the check in lines to check your bags and explain it....thus negating the convenience of the OAC perk of not having to deal with luggage at the airport.


MJ

 

[dvcdisney]

Thanks for the info.

I figured if someone has done it already it would be here.

I guess we'll have to plan differently.

Thanks again.

 

[thepops]

If it's small enough, could you just use that as one of your carry-on bags? (as long as you don't have things that would cause issues with TSA at the airport ...larger bottles with liquid, etc.)

 

[mmouse37]

I just noticed you are from Canada.....are you flying to Canada after the cruise....I ask because I think OAC program is only for US domestic flights.

From the DCL website:

Onboard Airline Check-In

Enjoy the comfort and convenience of Onboard Airline Check-In when you purchase air or ground transportation through Disney Cruise Line.

When you register for Onboard Airline Check-In, you are entitled to:

Receive your boarding passes and check your luggage for your return flight before you disembark the ship.
Skip luggage claim at the port terminal.
Bypass the airline check-in counter at the airport.
Here's how it works:

Reserve air or ground transportation through Disney Cruise Line and sign up for Onboard Airline Check-In when you check in for your cruise at the port.
On the day prior to disembarkation, your airline boarding passes and valet luggage tags will magically be delivered to your stateroom, along with a letter answering common questions you may have.
Attach the tags to your luggage and leave your bags outside your stateroom on the evening prior to disembarkation. Disney Cruise Line will collect and deliver your luggage to your airline.
When you arrive at Orlando International Airport, proceed to security with your boarding passes already in hand and continue on to your scheduled departure gate.
Available to Guests flying out of Orlando International Airport on domestic flights (including Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands) on AirTran Airways, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Continental Airlines, Delta Air Lines, JetBlue Airways, United Airlines and US Airways.

Pre-registration is required and scheduled flights must be after 11:25 a.m. On the day your cruise ends. Guests are limited to 2 bags per person and each piece must not exceed 50 lbs. Additionally, some Guests may be selected to check in at the airport and will be unable to use this service.

We recommend that you allow a minimum of 4 hours at the beginning and end of your cruise for travel time, customs/immigrations clearances and security checks at Port Canaveral and the airport. Additionally, on the day of your sailing, all Guests must board the ship no later than 3:45 p.m. Please plan your arrival accordingly to avoid the possibility of not being permitted to sail with us.

For more information, please call (800) 951-3532. Guests under age

MJ


MJ

 

[ps17]

I am pretty sure that regardless of whether you have checked in prior or if your luggage is checked in, you are always free to go the the counter at the airport and check additional luggage - so presuming that you clear the Canada hurdle, if you do onboard checking, you should be able to go to the counter to check additional luggage.

Having said all that, why go through the hassle of checking in at the airport if you don't have to? What we do is leave all our luggage the out night before and then one or two of the standard rolling carry-ons are more than enough to put dirty clothes, pjs, shoes, toiletries + extra stuff. We then just take those to breakfast the next morning and roll then off the ship with us. No check-in lines at the airport.

The less bags you have to check may also save you some money and lighten the load of your checked luggage. Just something to think about...

 

[thomprod]

Many airlines, in an effort to reduce the number of carry-on bags due to the limited storage space onboard, will allow you to "gate check" a bag at no cost. This just means that you can check you carry-on at the gate, paying no fee for the checked bag, but you won't have access to it in flight. This works well for a bag that just contains clothes and last-minute supplies from the last night of a cruise.

 

[lark]

We've done this with a car seat from WDW. We used the luggage transfer service, but had a car, and when we got to the airport, just stopped at the counter to check in the car seat. Piece of cake. It was on Delta.

Car seats might be different, though, because they are free. The one issue I could see with checking a second bag after doing onboard checkin is that if you are not flying in F or don't have status and are flying on an airline that charges for bags, the second bag fee is usually higher.

When you use onboard checkin, I think DCL (if it's like WDW) uses a third party service to collect your baggage fee charges. So, I'm not sure how it all works when showing up at the airport with an additional bag for which a fee must be collected.

 

[dvcdisney]

If it's small enough, could you just use that as one of your carry-on bags? (as long as you don't have things that would cause issues with TSA at the airport ...larger bottles with liquid, etc.)

Actually, I am thinking about the toiletries and there are going to be a few liquids.

I guess I'm going to have to just throw them out.

 

[dvcdisney]

I just noticed you are from Canada.....are you flying to Canada after the cruise....I ask because I think OAC program is only for US domestic flights.

From the DCL website:

Onboard Airline Check-In

Enjoy the comfort and convenience of Onboard Airline Check-In when you purchase air or ground transportation through Disney Cruise Line.

When you register for Onboard Airline Check-In, you are entitled to:

Receive your boarding passes and check your luggage for your return flight before you disembark the ship.
Skip luggage claim at the port terminal.
Bypass the airline check-in counter at the airport.
Here's how it works:

Reserve air or ground transportation through Disney Cruise Line and sign up for Onboard Airline Check-In when you check in for your cruise at the port.
On the day prior to disembarkation, your airline boarding passes and valet luggage tags will magically be delivered to your stateroom, along with a letter answering common questions you may have.
Attach the tags to your luggage and leave your bags outside your stateroom on the evening prior to disembarkation. Disney Cruise Line will collect and deliver your luggage to your airline.
When you arrive at Orlando International Airport, proceed to security with your boarding passes already in hand and continue on to your scheduled departure gate.
Available to Guests flying out of Orlando International Airport on domestic flights (including Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands) on AirTran Airways, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Continental Airlines, Delta Air Lines, JetBlue Airways, United Airlines and US Airways.

Pre-registration is required and scheduled flights must be after 11:25 a.m. On the day your cruise ends. Guests are limited to 2 bags per person and each piece must not exceed 50 lbs. Additionally, some Guests may be selected to check in at the airport and will be unable to use this service.

We recommend that you allow a minimum of 4 hours at the beginning and end of your cruise for travel time, customs/immigrations clearances and security checks at Port Canaveral and the airport. Additionally, on the day of your sailing, all Guests must board the ship no later than 3:45 p.m. Please plan your arrival accordingly to avoid the possibility of not being permitted to sail with us.

For more information, please call (800) 951-3532. Guests under age

MJ


MJ

Thanks MJ. Yes, we are Canadians, but we will be flying within US to and from florida and it will be with a participating airline.

 

[kcashner]

I know that I was able to check in an "extra" bag on Southwest airlines...yes, I know that SW is not a participating airline, but let me explain what happened with us.

I had a group of teens. Yes, I sent all the info about what couldn't be in carry on bags, etc. We got to the airport and each kid checked in one bag. We got to security and DD and I cleared...and two kids cleared...and then the agent started taking stuff that you wouldn't believe out of bags--water, coke, shampoo, all sorts of toiletries. We basically had a choice to trash it all or check it. One of the girls had an "extra" bag. We put all the stuff in the bag, I sat the kids down and told them to STAY there (they were thru security), and I went back to the SW counter and checked the additional bag.

I will add that this was the nicest security person I've ever dealt with!

 

[dvcdisney]

I am pretty sure that regardless of whether you have checked in prior or if your luggage is checked in, you are always free to go the the counter at the airport and check additional luggage - so presuming that you clear the Canada hurdle, if you do onboard checking, you should be able to go to the counter to check additional luggage.

Having said all that, why go through the hassle of checking in at the airport if you don't have to? What we do is leave all our luggage the out night before and then one or two of the standard rolling carry-ons are more than enough to put dirty clothes, pjs, shoes, toiletries + extra stuff. We then just take those to breakfast the next morning and roll then off the ship with us. No check-in lines at the airport.

The less bags you have to check may also save you some money and lighten the load of your checked luggage. Just something to think about...

Believe me, I would rather just leave all the luggage outside the night before. But there will be a few toiletries that I won't be able to take as carryons (liquid restrictions). I just didn't want to throw them out.

 

[dvcdisney]

Many airlines, in an effort to reduce the number of carry-on bags due to the limited storage space onboard, will allow you to "gate check" a bag at no cost. This just means that you can check you carry-on at the gate, paying no fee for the checked bag, but you won't have access to it in flight. This works well for a bag that just contains clothes and last-minute supplies from the last night of a cruise.

Unfortunately, I can't take them through security - liquid restriction. But thanks for the suggestion. This would be a great idea for just clothing and things that I won't need.

 

[dvcdisney]

We've done this with a car seat from WDW. We used the luggage transfer service, but had a car, and when we got to the airport, just stopped at the counter to check in the car seat. Piece of cake. It was on Delta.

Car seats might be different, though, because they are free. The one issue I could see with checking a second bag after doing onboard checkin is that if you are not flying in F or don't have status and are flying on an airline that charges for bags, the second bag fee is usually higher.

When you use onboard checkin, I think DCL (if it's like WDW) uses a third party service to collect your baggage fee charges. So, I'm not sure how it all works when showing up at the airport with an additional bag for which a fee must be collected.

This bag with be free as well because we only have 1 bag per person. So I don't need to worry about the fees. Thanks for the info.

 

[dvcdisney]

I know that I was able to check in an "extra" bag on Southwest airlines...yes, I know that SW is not a participating airline, but let me explain what happened with us.

I had a group of teens. Yes, I sent all the info about what couldn't be in carry on bags, etc. We got to the airport and each kid checked in one bag. We got to security and DD and I cleared...and two kids cleared...and then the agent started taking stuff that you wouldn't believe out of bags--water, coke, shampoo, all sorts of toiletries. We basically had a choice to trash it all or check it. One of the girls had an "extra" bag. We put all the stuff in the bag, I sat the kids down and told them to STAY there (they were thru security), and I went back to the SW counter and checked the additional bag.

I will add that this was the nicest security person I've ever dealt with!

I guess I'm just concerned that if I check in with Onboard check in - only those luggage would be tied to my ticket and if I try to check in at the airport, it may get lost.

It doesn't seem like it's routine, so I won't chance it. I'll just toss the toiletries.

 

[Minniemiss]

Believe me, I would rather just leave all the luggage outside the night before. But there will be a few toiletries that I won't be able to take as carryons (liquid restrictions). I just didn't want to throw them out.

Couldn't you get some paper cups from the beverage center and put what you need in them the night before, then pack the rest?

 

[dvcdisney]

Couldn't you get some paper cups from the beverage center and put what you need in them the night before, then pack the rest?

Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[RAD]

We did this last year flying out of MCO on American. We used on board checkin for our two large bags and then checked in our carry on at the airport. Needed to do that since we had too much carryon stuff.