We have cruise 13 times on
DCL.....depending on what time you get to the terminal could mean long security check lines....it is the same kind of system the airports use.....when the DCL buses arrive that is when you get a concentration of people. I still have never seen it as bad as the airports as there are only a specific number of people to go thru the line...unlike the airlines where there are many thousands going thru the lines at various times. We do get there early, though.
Basically what will happen is you drop off your luggage with the porters at the terminal and then proceed to the secruity scanners.....once through you go up the escalator and then get on the check-in line...again how many people on this line is determined by how many people arrived around the same time. Once you check in you get on the boarding line. Boarding is around 11:45 to 12:00. If you arrive at the port after 12:00 noon, chances are you won't have a security line, check-in line or boarding line.
We always arrive when the port opens so have never encountered any long lines at all and we are mostly in the first 10 or so on the boarding line.
The last night of your cruise you will attach new luggage tags provided by your room steward. You fill them out and make sure your cabin number is on them...then you put your luggage outside your door by 11:00 pm and the CM's will take them away and store them. Next morning your luggage will be in a secure area of the terminal and you leave the ship, go down the escalator and look for your luggage...it will be sectioned off by color and cabin number that corresponds with your colored luggage tag. You find your luggage, hail a porter if you wish and be on your way...there will customs agents that you will have to hand your declaration form to and that is it...there is a line only because most people are collecting their luggage at the same time....we have found that the when you use a porter they just seem to hand the form to the customs agent (keep your photo ID out and ready)...they look at the id quickly and you are out. The line really moves fast.
Hints would be to make sure your customs declaration form is filled out completely, have your photo I.Ds. ready....leave the ship either when it first is cleared by customs or wait until later...we usually leave the ship around 9:00 am or so and don't seem to encounter any long lines.....most of the lines seem to form at about 8:00-8:30.
Here is a link to a pic of the terminal after we checked in...as you can see there is hardly anyone around....my hubby and DD are about to get on the boarding line (first ones on line).
http://community.webshots.com/photo/249426676/249461837CevzZw
