boarding times

[Barbie C]

We are sailing on the Dream this Friday. This is not our first cruise, but is our first Disney Cruise. When we did the on-line check in we were asked to pick an arrival time. We chose between 10:45 and 11:00. I just now noticed that it states on the Disney Cruise line page that the terminal doesn't open until 11:00 and you cannot board until 1:00 p.m.. Is that correct?

 

[Maggie'sMom]

We are sailing on the Dream this Friday. This is not our first cruise, but is our first Disney Cruise. When we did the on-line check in we were asked to pick an arrival time. We chose between 10:45 and 11:00. I just now noticed that it states on the Disney Cruise line page that the terminal doesn't open until 11:00 and you cannot board until 1:00 p.m.. Is that correct?

The terminal will open at 10:30 and boarding usually begins sometime between 11:15 and noon. Have fun!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

We are sailing on the Dream this Friday. This is not our first cruise, but is our first Disney Cruise. When we did the on-line check in we were asked to pick an arrival time. We chose between 10:45 and 11:00. I just now noticed that it states on the Disney Cruise line page that the terminal doesn't open until 11:00 and you cannot board until 1:00 p.m.. Is that correct?

Not exactly.

The terminal opens at 10:30 with boarding beginning around 11:15-11:30. The 1:00 boarding time is the usual statement by most cruise lines. But it's generally earlier.

Your boarding number (which you get when you check in at the port) is tied to your Port Arrival Time. Once boarding begins they will announce Concierge first and then Platinum Castaway Club members (usually #1). Then they start announcing boarding numbers, about every 5-10 minutes, depending on how quickly the line moves.

The real pain in the process are the people who crowd the beginning of the queue area who are holding numbers that haven't been called yet.

Once the number being announced for boarding catches up with the number being issued at check in, Open Boarding is called (anyone holding any boarding number can board). This typically happens around 12:30-12:45.

 

[Anchors Away 2016]

Shmoo is completely correct. I just want to emphasize one thing.

If you call DCL directly, to get the "real" answer, they will only give you the "official" answer of 11:00 and 1:00, they won't even admit that earlier is possible, let alone likely.

When we were preparing our trip with my sister's family, she called DCL and was told 1:00, etc. and I almost couldn't convince her that we could and should arrive earlier and we would get on earlier. Lucky for us, that I read these boards! We took 11:00 PAT's and were on the ship by about 12.

They just tell you 1:00 in case things are running behind; they don't want you to be disappointed. Indeed the day we were there, the Carnival ship docked next to us arrived late and there was a huge line for them. I doubt any of them got on before 1:00 that day. But that is not typical.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Shmoo is completely correct. I just want to emphasize one thing.

If you call DCL directly, to get the "real" answer, they will only give you the "official" answer of 11:00 and 1:00, they won't even admit that earlier is possible, let alone likely.

When we were preparing our trip with my sister's family, she called DCL and was told 1:00, etc. and I almost couldn't convince her that we could and should arrive earlier and we would get on earlier. Lucky for us, that I read these boards! We took 11:00 PAT's and were on the ship by about 12.

They just tell you 1:00 in case things are running behind; they don't want you to be disappointed. Indeed the day we were there, the Carnival ship docked next to us arrived late and there was a huge line for them. I doubt any of them got on before 1:00 that day. But that is not typical.

Our eastbound TA (last May) they didn't start boarding until around 12:15. Talk about a mob of people to wade through for us Platinum cruisers!

 

[over50visits]

We typically see boarding at PC start about 11ish. Of course it depends on your boarding number, so if you're in a hurry get the earliest arrival time you can, thus a low boarding number. If you want a wonderful, leisurely arrival and boarding, arrive after 12 and see how uncrowded and unstressful it is (except of course, in the unusual circumstance where they start boarding late).

When boarding starts, a lot of folks are crowded around the entrance to the boarding line. Some "entitled" Platinum cruisers think everyone should make way for them, but really folks are genuinely excited about their cruise, and I understand they are just anxious to get on. We are platinum, and it's fun to have a low boarding number, but there's no need for us to feel put on by the other cruisers who paid just as much as we did and are trying to get as close as they can to the boarding process. Many have not cruised before, and are understandably excited about getting on board as soon as they can!

Point is, we make in on just fine, we are just part of the crowd, and you need to go with the flow. Like many other things on DCL, it's part of the experience, you'll get on board, and the cruise will be absolutely fantastic. Boarding a bit later than the first group is insignificant...walking on the ship to your family name announcement is magical.