Airline check in at the port

[kalama]

Can anyone tell me if there are actual airline representatives checking in their passengers at the port? I've called the airline I'm on (American) and they know nothing of a counter at Port Canaveral. In fact, they refer me to the cruise company I'm sailing with.

I've seen information about airlines at the port in several places on the internet, but since the airlines themselves don't know about it, I'm wondering....

Thanks!

 

[Nick@ VB+OKW]

We just got back last week and had our luggage checked with US AIR at the port. The Major airlines have checkin at the port.............Continental,US AIR,American,etc.

If you have a flight before 12;30 at MCO you have to have the early breakfast(6:45 am) and be off the ship early if you want your luggage to make it.

 

[Jeanny]

I believe American is there, most of the big airlines are there. As you exit customs and go outside to get the bus (or whatever transportation arrrangements you've made), the airline desks are right there by the DCL busses.

I've heard that sometimes the airlines do change, I wonder if it's due to how many passengers they have or expect to have...not really sure why.

 

[dtuleya]

So then all we'll have to schlep to MCO is our carryons? We're flying USAir and have an evening flight.

 

[Nick@ VB+OKW]

Originally posted by dtuleya
So then all we'll have to schlep to MCO is our carryons? We're flying USAir and have an evening flight.

Yes...........we had a 5;00 pm flight and only had 1 carry on bag with us. We got a "day room" at the Hyatt(in the airport) and it was worth the $60. We went out to the pool, took a nap, showered, and ate in the airport and walked to our gate at 4;00.

The checked into our day room at 9;00 am.

 

[tvguy]

We flew back American after our 12-27-03 to 1-3-04 Eastern on the Magic. The rep was right under the awning outside the Disney terminal, and the busses were lined up by what airline you were flying back on. We had a 12:35 pm flight, and yes they do request you have your bags checked before 9 am IF you have a flight BEFORE 12:30 pm. We took them at their word, even if our flight was only 5 minutes after the deadline. We didn't get off the ship until 9:15 am, cleared customs, had our bags checked in by 9:30 am, were on the bus by 9:40 and on the way to the airport by 9:50. Don't know when my bags left, since they are put into a truck, not on the bus. But our bags were waiting for us when we got off the American flight in Sacramento, so it must have worked.

 

[lisab1291]

We are flying Southwest, I know they don't have a terminal at the port, so obviously, this means we have to take care of our own luggage.... We have DCL transfers, will the porter take our luggage to the bus for us? We flew Delta last year, Southwest is all new to me.

Lisa

 

[kalama]

Do you remember if they just checked in your bags or did you receive your boarding passes too? If you received your boarding passes, then you would not have had to stop anywhere at the ticket counter at the airport - you could have just walked straight through security to your gates.

 

[Nick@ VB+OKW]

Originally posted by kalama
Do you remember if they just checked in your bags or did you receive your boarding passes too? If you received your boarding passes, then you would not have had to stop anywhere at the ticket counter at the airport - you could have just walked straight through security to your gates.

This is the one thing we couldn't get a straight answer on the Wonder when we were on it last week, since we had a 5;00 pm flight.. So I didn't want to take any chances and printed our boarding passes from the Wonder (24 hours before) at the Internet Cafe.

But when we got to the US AIR stand at the port and gave her our luggage and boarding passes(to verify where we wanted our luggage to go) she printed new boarding passes for us. She did say my boarding passes printed from the ship would have been fine also.

We just walked right to security when it was time for us to go to our gate at MCO.

 

[PhotoLisa]

For Delta, the agent at the port said he couldn't print our boarding passes because it was more than 6 hours before our flight. We had printed our onboard so we were still just fine!

If you're flying Delta -- get off the ship quickly, collect your luggage with a porter and head straight to the Delta line.

We made it through the line in about 20-30 minutes. The other half of our party delayed getting into the ship exit line by about 3 or 4 minutes and were tied up in the Delta line an extra 45 minutes checking their luggage in. They didn't listen to our instructions of getting a porter either. I guess they will listen next time!


Lisa

 

[mmouse37]

PhotoLisa...we had the same experience with you on Delta (Song airline) a few weeks ago. It was great and you do not have to have bought DCL transfers to use this service.

We just got on the airport checkin line on time...I turned around and all of a sudden there were abut 60 people behind us!!!

We had an 8:05 pm flight and could not get our boarding passes at the port, but all we had to do at the airport was put our credit card in one of the kiosks and have our passes printed out...no waiting in a line at airport!!!

Our luggage was waiting for us in a secure area in baggage claim when we got back to New York at 10:30 pm that night. We were told that your luggage goes on the next flight, even though you might not be flying until hours later.

MJ

 

[DisneyForLife]

Hi Lisa, just a couple of questions if you don't mind.
What time did you actually get off the ship and what is the cut off time for checking in luggage for a flight at 11:35?
And what is the importance of using a porter?
So many questions!!!!!!!!
Thank You
Sharon

 

[DrCavin]

Hi Lisa:

Did Delta just take your bags to the airport or did they also provide transportation to the airport? We have a rental car reserved from Port to MCO, but if the airline is providing transportation we may cancel the rental.

Thanks!!!

 

[outahere]

The airlines do not provide any transportation from the port to MCO. They will gladly take your bags, but you must find your own way to the airport.

 

[DrCavin]

Thanks Outahere, I was going to be very surprised if they did!!!

 

[mmouse37]

There are sereral DCL buses that will take you to the airport if you had purchased transfers.....you can buy them only for that leg of the trip if you wish. We once purchased transfers from ship to MCO on the morning of debarkation at the Guest Services Desk....cost was $25.00 per person.

MJ

 

[PhotoLisa]

If your flight is before 12:30, your bags must be checked BEFORE 8 AM - which means, you better be one of the first people off the ship!

With such an early flight, I'd take a happylimo.com vehicle to the airport and take my bags with me.

For those of you who haven't been to the Disney cruise terminal on debarkation . . . this is how it goes regarding luggage.

The quicker you get into the line to get off the ship, the better off you are in departing quickly! We were down the hall on the side of Lumiere's when we entered the line (had first breakfast seating). We were in one of the first batches of people allowed off the ship. We cleared the Delta baggage line and were across the street in our happylimo van by 8:10. (The other half of our party didn't make it to the van until 9:05 because they DID NOT listen!)

Your luggage is in color coded areas according to the tag you were given the night before the cruise ended.

Most of your baggage will be pretty close together. Have all but one person in your party slip down the rows quickly to find the first piece and the others won't be far away. Have one of your party in the main aisle with his/her hand in the air to attract a porter and be the collection point for the rest of the party to deposit the found luggage. The porter will help you grab all your bags even if you haven't found them yet and load them up. He/she will take your customs form and scoot you through the line quickly. Porters are all about speed . . . . the more people they help, the better their tips are for the day.

Is the cost of the porter a bargain? . . . . IMO, you betcha!!

The porter will bring your bags to whichever pickup/dropoff location you need -- to your car, the white tent for hotel pickup, the white tent area for happylimo, the airline depot, etc. If you're going into the airport lines, they will bring your luggage nearby to the ticket agent while you wait in line. Get in line as soon as possible!!!!

Hesitating on any of these steps will land you an add'l 30 minutes waiting in a line somewhere.

Early seating for supper gets early seating for breakfast (6:45 AM)on the last morning. At Topsiders, breakfast is continental only. In the main restaurants, breakfast is pretty much made-to-order.

If you have late supper seating, skip breakfast in the restaurant, grab something at Topsiders and get into line to get off the ship if you have an early flight or plans for the day in Orlando.

Hope this helps.

Lisa


edited to add: Put something brightly colored on each piece of your luggage so that you can find it quickly, i.e. curling ribbon, yarn pom-poms, etc. It helps when collecting your luggage at the airport too.

 

[hsteacher]

So here's my question: If Im not using DCL transfers, can I still check my luggage at the port for a later flight? I was under the impression that you could only check your luggage at the port IF you were taking DCL transportation.

 

[DisneyForLife]

Anyone can use the port check-in, you do not have to be using Disney transportation.