Two Staterooms, Two Boarding Times

[Orlando Disney Guy]

Has anyone booked multiple staterooms and had different check in times for each room? Is DCL accommindating enough to let both rooms board at the same time?

 

[mmouse37]

Has anyone booked multiple staterooms and had different check in times for each room? Is DCL accommindating enough to let both rooms board at the same time?

Technically later port arrival time guests (with later boarding numbers) are not supposed to board with the earlier boarding number guests. Whether DCL stops you is up to the CM at the gate.

MJ

 

[Orlando Disney Guy]

Thats what I thought, just seemed odd that I would book two rooms, get two reservation numbers and get two different boarding times. Not quite sure why they would split Families up like that. I guess I should call and ask about it as well making sure we are dining together, with my luck the way things are going we are probably in different dining rooms at this point too!

 

[ChristyTX]

We just realized that our group will have the same issue. This is our first Disney cruise so we didn't know about the different port arrival times. Luckily it's only 30 minutes apart so we'll just all plan on checking in together at the later time. How far apart are your check-in times?

 

[OKW Lover]

Has anyone booked multiple staterooms and had different check in times for each room? Is DCL accommindating enough to let both rooms board at the same time?

There is no reason that the group with the earlier boarding time must board then. They can wait for the group with the later boarding time is called and then all of you can be together when you board.

 

[DreamGirl90]

Has anyone booked multiple staterooms and had different check in times for each room? Is DCL accommindating enough to let both rooms board at the same time?

I recall another post where you mentioned that you are a Platinum CC member. As such, you do not have any assigned port arrival time and can board immediately after Concierge. If there is not a Concierge or Platinum member in the other cabin, they are not supposed to be allowed to board with you but you are free to wait until their assigned time and board with them.

 

[Orlando Disney Guy]

I recall another post where you mentioned that you are a Platinum CC member. As such, you do not have any assigned port arrival time and can board immediately after Concierge. If there is not a Concierge or Platinum member in the other cabin, they are not supposed to be allowed to board with you but you are free to wait until their assigned time and board with them.

Yeah I am Platnium, when I added the additional stateroom I just thought that it would all be one reservation and we would be able to board and dine together. Talked to DCL today and they said we would be in the same dining rotation but could not gaurentee that we would be at the same table. They suggested that we could see about changing that once on board. They also said that they would not gaurentee our rooms would be close to each other but it turns out they are conecting rooms! It seems over time that the knowledge level of the DCL Cast that answere the phones has diminished over previous years.

I'm not upset about it by any means, it is what it is and I accept that as the policy. There are far bigger things in this world to worry about! I'm spending 5nights on a boat with a good book, and a comfy deck chair, just steps away from a buffet!

 

[TheHippie524]

Yeah I am Platnium, when I added the additional stateroom I just thought that it would all be one reservation and we would be able to board and dine together. Talked to DCL today and they said we would be in the same dining rotation but could not gaurentee that we would be at the same table. They suggested that we could see about changing that once on board. They also said that they would not gaurentee our rooms would be close to each other but it turns out they are conecting rooms! It seems over time that the knowledge level of the DCL Cast that answere the phones has diminished over previous years.

I'm not upset about it by any means, it is what it is and I accept that as the policy. There are far bigger things in this world to worry about! I'm spending 5nights on a boat with a good book, and a comfy deck chair, just steps away from a buffet!

You didn't link the reservations? If you would have linked them, it would slightly fix your problem. Not so much the boarding time, but the dining rooms and whatnot.

 

[kcashner]

Each cabin is (and always has been) a separate reservation number. Even if you initially booked 4 people in one cabin and later split it to 2 people in each of 2 cabins, each becomes a separate reservation.

If you link the reservations (which has also been referred to as "cross referenced for dining" by a CM), you will be seated at the same table for dinner. If you fully link the reservations, you will have access to each others on line info and reservations for excursions, Palo, etc.

 

[kristinfly2]

I just called DCL today to add somethings to our reservation. We have two rooms booked (family of 6 with different last names). I asked what would happen if we got different boarding times. She said we go with the earliest time because we are one family.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I just called DCL today to add somethings to our reservation. We have two rooms booked (family of 6 with different last names). I asked what would happen if we got different boarding times. She said we go with the earliest time because we are one family.

Yes, but is that family of 6 one nuclear family (mom, dad and 4 kids)? Or is it extended family (mom, dad, aunt sue, cousin billy, grandad)?

If it's the nuclear family, they would view it as one family. The extended family is viewed as a group (separate families).

 

[kristinfly2]

Well that's not nice of them! LOL Family is family!! .

 

[Renysmom]

A friend just posted his trip report from last weeks cruise and said that his brothers family had a later boarding number than they did and that they were told they could board later with them but they were no longer letting the later boarding numbers board with the earlier numbers.

 

[lbgraves]

The fact is that the arrival times and subsequent boarding numbers are done in order to control the number of people at the port for fire code compliance. DCL is not saying that you cannot board with another party that you are traveling with. They are simply saying that if you wish to do that, you need to wait until the later PAT and boarding number to do so. What would not be nice if if they started to allow everyone who is traveling with someone who is a platinum cruiser to board when that platinum member is able to. It would negate the entire purpose of the program they have set in place in response to the port authority.

 

[lbgraves]

Yes, but is that family of 6 one nuclear family (mom, dad and 4 kids)? Or is it extended family (mom, dad, aunt sue, cousin billy, grandad)?

If it's the nuclear family, they would view it as one family. The extended family is viewed as a group (separate families).

Exactly! This is the same way Shutters does the CDs.

 

[mmackeymouse]

Yes, but is that family of 6 one nuclear family (mom, dad and 4 kids)? Or is it extended family (mom, dad, aunt sue, cousin billy, grandad)?

If it's the nuclear family, they would view it as one family. The extended family is viewed as a group (separate families).

But, see, I don't see the second group as "extended" at all. After all, Aunt Sue would be a sister, an immediate relation to either Mom or Dad. Cousin Billy would be the child of Aunt Sue, again a direct relation. And Grandpa, of course is the parent of either mom or dad and Aunt Sue.....PARENT....it does not get much more immediate family than that.

That would be like saying that my sister who was recently married is now "extended family" to me, which is ludicrous. She is my sister!

Family is family!! .

Exactly!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

But, see, I don't see the second group as "extended" at all. After all, Aunt Sue would be a sister, an immediate relation to either Mom or Dad. Cousin Billy would be the child of Aunt Sue, again a direct relation. And Grandpa, of course is the parent of either mom or dad and Aunt Sue.....PARENT....it does not get much more immediate family than that.

That would be like saying that my sister who was recently married is now "extended family" to me, which is ludicrous. She is my sister!



Exactly!

It does no good to argue with me. I'm not the DCL decision maker. I was only stating DCL's take on what is family (in spite of having 2 rooms) vs. what is a group (multiple rooms with all branches of "family")

The DCL definition of family (which they cater to) is Mom, Dad, and their (minor) children. Once a child has become an adult (with a spouse and/or children of their own) they are a separate family.

Otherwise you'd have parties (extended families) of who knows how many people trying to book excursions at the 120 day window because one of them is concierge or platinum. Or trying to do a CD with 17 rooms on it because someones grandmother happened to have 7 kids who all have spouses, and their kids and grandkids, etc, etc, etc.

DCL makes it simple. A family is Mom, Dad, and (minor)children.

 

[lbgraves]

But, see, I don't see the second group as "extended" at all. After all, Aunt Sue would be a sister, an immediate relation to either Mom or Dad. Cousin Billy would be the child of Aunt Sue, again a direct relation. And Grandpa, of course is the parent of either mom or dad and Aunt Sue.....PARENT....it does not get much more immediate family than that.

That would be like saying that my sister who was recently married is now "extended family" to me, which is ludicrous. She is my sister!

Exactly!

That is the definition of an extended family in the dictionary and society, not just DCL. The nuclear family is parents and children. Blood relatives beyond that is extended.

 

[mmackeymouse]

That is the definition of an extended family in the dictionary and society, not just DCL. The nuclear family is parents and children. Blood relatives beyond that is extended.

That's exactly my point. Grandpa is a parent to Mom/Dad and Aunt Susie. Aunt Susie is parent to Cousin Billy.

Anyway, I guess I was looking at it from a standpoint of "immediate family" and not necessarily "nuclear family," as even though my sister is married, we still consider my parents, myself, and her as "The Family" Yes, BIL is part of our family, too, of course, but our immediate family includes her.

I totally understand that DCL has to draw a line somewhere. As was mentioned before, there is a chance of 7 siblings, all married with broods of their own. At the same time, I think that families should be grouped together within reason. If my parents are in one room, and my sister and I, as adults, are in another room, don't you think it would be fair to consider us a family and not a group? Or, what if there was a family of 4, and grandparents staying across the hall? I think it is crazy to state that they cannot make Palo reservations for the whole group or have to buy 2 separate photo discs.

But, obviously, I don't work for DCL, so it is only my opinion.

 

[lbgraves]

If my parents are in one room, and my sister and I, as adults, are in another room, don't you think it would be fair to consider us a family and not a group? Or, what if there was a family of 4, and grandparents staying across the hall?

In the case that you give, your parents, you and your sister, then that is a nuclear family. I would talk to the CM at the port about the four of you boarding together and to Shutters about the CD, as long as you or your sister do not have children traveling with you. They would be the third generation involved. There has never been a limit on the age of children that I have heard.

If there is a family of 4 with 2 parents and 2 children, that is a nuclear family. Anyone else traveling with them would be extended family, including GPs, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc.