Can you talk me through online check in?

[jbuckent]

It’s been a few years since we’ve cruised so I’m feeling new again. We are gold level.

I feel like in the past I had the opportunity to update passport numbers, kids club info, payment info, and things like that before our booking window opens. Am I imagining that or has that changed? Do I need to do that all at midnight and then start pick PAT and excursions?

Adding to the mix we have 3 reservations this time, can just one of us go online and select for all 3 reservations at the same time?

Anything else I (or others reading this) should have asked?

 

[gotomu212]

I can’t help with everything, but we had 2 “links” on our reservation page. One was to check in and one was to book activities. You can book activities before doing the check in part. If your reservations are linked together you should be able to book activities for all 3 reservations at that time. If they aren’t linked call DCL and have them linked now.

I believe you need to sign in separately to each reservation to complete the online check in. The online check in is a little more comprehensive now and includes more detailed questions on the kids club. One weird thing that happened to a lot of my recent cruise group is that you need to select each kid and complete their information (what can they do in the clubs, can they leave the ship, etc). The page makes it look like like the kids names are just listed but you have to click each one (it’s pretty easy to figure out but if you are stuck and can’t figure out the problem check there).

 

[NZMUM]

You don't need to the check-in part first. You can do it after you have chosen activities. But the Check-in does have the Port Arrival TIme (PAT), so it depends what is more important - activities or PAT. You do have to do the check-in for each reservation seperately. But you can do things to get through it quicker so you can get to the PAT faster - chose cash payment instead of credit card, leave passport information as it is etc. You can go back to "fix" those things later.
For activities, if everyone is doing the same excursions, adut dining etc then you can book them through one reservation. The reservations do need to be linked, and they all need to be at the same CC member level - Gold members can't add silver or newbies to a booking if there is no Gold member in the other cabins (if that makes sense).
Doing it at midnight gives you more chance of getting what you want.

 

[lodge]

Doing it at midnight gives you more chance of getting what you want.

We are gold- when does the window open in relation to cruise date?

 

[NZMUM]

We are gold- when does the window open in relation to cruise date?

Gold is 105 days before the cruise .

 

[clten]

It’s been a few years since we’ve cruised so I’m feeling new again. We are gold level.

I feel like in the past I had the opportunity to update passport numbers, kids club info, payment info, and things like that before our booking window opens. Am I imagining that or has that changed?

I think you are mis-remembering. Online check-in - which is where you enter all this information - has always opened the same time that booking excursions opens.

Do I need to do that all at midnight and then start pick PAT and excursions?

You do not have to add all that information to pick excursions. You can book port adventures first if that is the most important thing. If PAT is most important, you do have to go through all the screens that ask for that information before you get to select your PAT. But as others have said, you can select basic information (cash payment, birth certificate as ID, etc.) and then go back at a later time to update to add a credit card or passport numbers.

Adding to the mix we have 3 reservations this time, can just one of us go online and select for all 3 reservations at the same time?

If you have all three reservations linked and the booking window is open for each of the reservations, you can book port adventures/onboard activities for all 3 reservations at one. If the booking window is not open for one or more of the reservations, you will be able to see the names on that reservation but will not be able to select them - they will be greyed out.

Anything else I (or others reading this) should have asked?

If your reservations are linked, only one person can be logged in to any of the reservation numbers at one time. So you cannot be logged in to select port adventures and have someone else log in to start the check-in information to get PATs selected.

Remember that you have to be paid in full to book port adventures. You do not have to be paid in full to start your check-in when your window opens.

 

[cheermom2four]

If your reservations are linked, only one person can be logged in to any of the reservation numbers at one time

Actually on our last cruise our reservations were linked and I had my oldest log into one reservation (under my husband's name and email) and I logged into the other (under my name and email) at the same time and we went through the pages together clicking on them. Now This was only for the info pages and selecting PAT as that was important to us. We did that quickly then she logged off so I could get Palo brunch and dinner reservations next. We did excursions ourselves so we didnt need to book those. This was a year ago so things could've changed since then.

 

[jbuckent]

Thanks! This is really helpful!

 

[monique5]

This info has been very helpful to me too! 1st time cruise, so low expectations about availability, but ways to move through faster definitely help.