Originally posted by Mike Bartenhagen
What I would like to do is take the bags over and then come back for the rest of the family. There will be 7 of us and 3 will be kids so I would think that we could take the luggage and come back and take everyone else. Is the terminal close enough to the Raddison that we could put all seven in the car at one time. This would be 2 adults in the front 2 adults in the back and also 3 kids in the back sitting on the adults laps. If we did have to make two trips would we have plenty of time to take the luggage come back for the people and still get a good spot in line?
The Radisson is probably no more than a mile or so from the
DCL dock. Sure, you can make several trips if necessary.
Our family did it the same way Dave mentioned. Although I didn't rent a car, I was leaving our car at the Radisson and taking the shuttle back to the dock. I dropped the family off at the dock where the porters took the luggage and my DW and two kids went to check in and get in line. We got there around 10:30 am and were 3rd in line to board the ship (after handicap and congierge people).
I arrived back at the dock about 15 minutes after I dropped off the family. Already, there were long lines. Since my DW checked me in, all I had to do was show my info to the woman that checked my family in (she told my DW to have me cut in line to show her). It took 5 seconds.
There's a more important question here. It sounds like you're renting a fullsize car for 7 people and luggage for a week-long cruise. Is that right? If so, I thinkyou sould reconsider your choice in vehicles. Driving any distance with three kids sitting on an adult's lap is DANGEROUS. You can't properly seat-belt them in while driving.
Try renting a mini-van. In fact, I'm not sure you can fit 7 people PLUS luggage into a mini-van. I have one and we comfortably fit the four of us and our luggage with little room to spare on our drive down from NJ.
Good luck!