POFQ to Pier via DCL Transfers

[stitch teacher]

Hi Dissers!

We're taking our very first Disney cruise in November on the Fantasy, and we'll be spending the Friday night before our cruise at POFQ. We've stayed at POFQ several times, and remember that there is a little DCL desk in the lobby. Do we handle the check in process there, or do we check in at the pier?

We were wondering what the "timeline" is for departure on Saturday via the DCL transfers. Has anyone done the transfers from POFQ to the pier? What time do you normally get picked up? Do the busses normally pick up passengers from multiple resorts? Do they handle the luggage for us, and if so, what time does that need to be ready to go?

Thank you!

 

[jdb in AZ]

Hi Dissers!

We're taking our very first Disney cruise in November on the Fantasy, and we'll be spending the Friday night before our cruise at POFQ. We've stayed at POFQ several times, and remember that there is a little DCL desk in the lobby. Do we handle the check in process there, or do we check in at the pier? The hotels discontinued their check-in process nearly two years ago. DCL usually sends a cruise rep the morning of your cruise to answer questions and help everyone get onto the bus. He/she will probably find you in the lobby, not behind the cruise desk (which is no longer used.)

We were wondering what the "timeline" is for departure on Saturday via the DCL transfers. Has anyone done the transfers from POFQ to the pier? What time do you normally get picked up? The day before your cruise you'll receive a sheet of instructions in your hotel room. Bell services will pick up your bags from your room and it will be trucked to the ship. Your sheet of instructions will tell you what time to expect the luggage pick up. It's usually around 8-8:30 a.m.

Thank you!

Yes, the DCL buses usually stop at more than one hotel, depending on how many cruise passengers are staying at each hotel.

oops. That blue color didn't show up in my response. The buses pick up disembarking passengers and take them to the hotels/airport before they start picking up embarking passengers. So figure about 11:30 a.m. Gives you time for a leisurely breakfast. As mentioned above, you'll receive more specific instructions in your hotel room the day before your cruise.

 

[msteddom]

I took the DCL transfer from AKL, but I imagine the process would be very similar to POFQ. I received a letter in my room the night before stating what time I had to have my luggage outside my door in the morning and what time I had to meet in the lobby. My meet time was noon; so I had a nice breakfast and hung out by the pool.

The process of checking in and boarding the bus was very smooth. We did not pick up any other resorts, just headed straight to the port. At the port we still had to check in there. It was very crowded. I waited in line for about 45 minutes. Very frustrating!!!!

Once I checked in I was able to immediately board the ship. It was about 2:00 PM by the time I got on board. Enchanted Garden was already closed, and I felt rushed to get tickets for the tastings I wanted to do, try and switch my Palo reservations plus grab something to eat before the emergency drill.

While I thought the transfer process itself was really smooth, I did not like arriving at the port so late. For my next cruise I will be booking a town car, even though it will be an added expense.

Also, I have read many reports stating that the port was empty when they arrived via DCL, so maybe you will have a better experience than I did. It really was waiting so long at the port that soured the experience for me.

 

[Scillycruisers]

We did the DCL transfer from PORS for our first cruise. Instructions were left in our room the last afternoon of the stay, telling us luggage pickup time and meet time and place for the bus. Luggage was collected from our room at about 8am, we then had breakfast and relaxed in the kids play area until our meet time at 11.00. There was a rep at the meet area who checked we had everything we needed and answered any questions. The bus was at 11.30 and also picked up at POFQ. The drive took about 1 hour and DS loved the on board video! At the port we went straight to check-in (lovely to have no luggage to drag in). We joined a short but fairly slow moving non-US line, but got moved through this very quickly once a CM realised we were from the UK and therefore "easy" to check-in. This took a total of about 15 minutes from entering the building. We then went to the kids club registration desk - no queue, then went straight through to the embarkation photo and onboard, when were were told our room was already ready. A very easy process, no rush and onboard in time for lunch at Topsiders. We were impressed with the service and used it again for our second cruise - again very smooth, bit later pick-up & a short wait for embarkation photo, but still in time for lunch! Will use the same service for our next cruise, this time from AoA.