Can anybody explain why DCL insists on knowing our post cruie plans?

[tonymoo]

There is no way to checkin without proving that information. There are four choices: Another DIsney Cruise, Flight, Parks, or Other and each has mandatory info for it. Address for Other, flight info for Flight, etc...

I don't want to share that info.

It is not required by the CDC.

It is not required by DHS for USA citizens (of which I am one).

It is not part of the Cruise Contract nor is such a requirement disclosed while booking.

I have exchanged emails with DCL twice and gotten utterly useless answers. "It is required by our safety and security procedures".

Sure, I could lie (e.g., Flight: Pan AM 103 to Lockerbie, or Other: and give address of Disney Headquarters) but I suspect there might be consequences to doing so.

 

[Mommb]

My guess is that Disney wants post-departure information so they know how many people might be affected, and in what ways, by changes to port arrival time or returning to a different port than scheduled (which has happened during hurricane season when a storm is expected to hit the scheduled arrival port or affect the path of the ship). It could also help in assisting passengers if there were a massive issue with air travel from the arrival port.

To my knowledge, there is no verification of this information, except perhaps for people taking Disney transportation or another Disney cruise, and no penalty for providing incorrect information. If you want to check "Other" and list your home address (which Disney Cruise would already have, to send luggage tags) that would be fine. I've done that when I wanted an early port arrival time and knew typing my home address would take less time than entering flight information. I then go back later and enter the actual information, just in case it would be needed, but if you don't want DCL to have that information you don't have to provide it.

 

[DCLMP]

I just check home and leave it at that. Embarkation I check not flying. I've never given them any information.

 

[wnissen]

There is no way to checkin without proving that information. There are four choices: Another DIsney Cruise, Flight, Parks, or Other and each has mandatory info for it. Address for Other, flight info for Flight, etc...

I don't want to share that info.

It is not required by the CDC.

It is not required by DHS for USA citizens (of which I am one).

It is not part of the Cruise Contract nor is such a requirement disclosed while booking.

I have exchanged emails with DCL twice and gotten utterly useless answers. "It is required by our safety and security procedures".

Sure, I could lie (e.g., Flight: Pan AM 103 to Lockerbie, or Other: and give address of Disney Headquarters) but I suspect there might be consequences to doing so.

It is absolutely unacceptable that they make it a required element of check-in. My plans are none of their business. And let me say, as someone who has been there, they provide exactly zero help in the event of a hurricane. Not even help booking an alternate hotel at Disney World. So that is not the reason.

I put in the address of the CVS nearest the port. Hopefully that reduces the quality of the data sufficiently that they stop asking.

It was noteworthy how poor, in general, the quality of the online check-in was. I've traveled with a half dozen airlines and cruise lines lately and this was by far the worst. The UI (user interface) make it look like uploading a picture of your passport is optional, but it's not. Then when I uploaded the picture it cleared the expiration date that I had already entered.

If you look at the recent ******* [apparently that's a banned word, there is a popular purple-themed chat service] breach where tens of thousands of photo IDs were released, it is a cyber security worst practice to collect information that is not needed. If DCL wants a picture of my passport (there is no legal requirement that they have it), they can collect it onsite. Ditto the required second picture of each passenger, required to be from the shoulders up, and without a hat. Who is working for whom here? If it was a discount cruise line, I could see it. But Disney is the most expensive mainline cruise company out there.

 

[Moonspinner]

It is absolutely unacceptable that they make it a required element of check-in. My plans are none of their business. And let me say, as someone who has been there, they provide exactly zero help in the event of a hurricane. Not even help booking an alternate hotel at Disney World. So that is not the reason.

I put in the address of the CVS nearest the port. Hopefully that reduces the quality of the data sufficiently that they stop asking.

It was noteworthy how poor, in general, the quality of the online check-in was. I've traveled with a half dozen airlines and cruise lines lately and this was by far the worst. The UI (user interface) make it look like uploading a picture of your passport is optional, but it's not. Then when I uploaded the picture it cleared the expiration date that I had already entered.

If you look at the recent ******* [apparently that's a banned word, there is a popular purple-themed chat service] breach where tens of thousands of photo IDs were released, it is a cyber security worst practice to collect information that is not needed. If DCL wants a picture of my passport (there is no legal requirement that they have it), they can collect it onsite. Ditto the required second picture of each passenger, required to be from the shoulders up, and without a hat. Who is working for whom here? If it was a discount cruise line, I could see it. But Disney is the most expensive mainline cruise company out there.

There is no way to checkin without proving that information. There are four choices: Another DIsney Cruise, Flight, Parks, or Other and each has mandatory info for it. Address for Other, flight info for Flight, etc...

I don't want to share that info.

It is not required by the CDC.

It is not required by DHS for USA citizens (of which I am one).

It is not part of the Cruise Contract nor is such a requirement disclosed while booking.

I have exchanged emails with DCL twice and gotten utterly useless answers. "It is required by our safety and security procedures".

Sure, I could lie (e.g., Flight: Pan AM 103 to Lockerbie, or Other: and give address of Disney Headquarters) but I suspect there might be consequences to doing so.

100%
It is obnoxious and intrusive for them to ask this and to assume that they have a right to violate customers’ privacy. I also agree that they are zero help when something “goes wrong” or gets altered. DCL customer service has slipped dramatically since COVID. It’s time for them to wake up and start valuing their customers again.

Great question btw

 

[AquaDame]

I just check home and leave it at that. Embarkation I check not flying. I've never given them any information.

This is the way. Added bonus that it gets you through the process faster.

Like others I assumed it was in case something went wrong. They'd want to know to wait for a delayed flight (it'd have to be a LOT of folk on that flight and I assumed booking airfare through Disney had something to do with it) or help if there is a delay disembarking, but if they don't do either then...