Embarkation and disembarkation times ???????

[keisha1]

Can someone tell me what is the earliest time you are allowed to board the ship? What time do you have to be off? We are trying to book our flights and need to know these times.

 

[samily]

Welcome to the DIS!

The terminal usually opens about 10 am on embarkation day. When you enter the terminal, your group will receive a boarding pass #. When embarkation begins, you board in the order of the boarding passes. All suite guests automatically get into group 1 boarding. Boarding usually begins around 11:45.

On disembarkation day, you will be assigned breakfast in one of the dining rooms according to your dinner seating (early dining gets early breakfast, etc. - and early really is early - like 6:30 am!) The buffet will also be open. Once customs gives their ok, you can disembark the ship - this is usually around 7:30. Everyone is off the ship by 9am.

DCL recommends that you do not book flights before 12:30pm on that day, but many have reported making earlier flights.

 

[MagicMe]

Everyone is off the ship by 9am.

Well some of us manage to hang in a wee bit longer

 

[kcashner]

Under normal circumstances, everyone is asked to be off the ship by 9. If there is a normal Customs clearance, at 9:05 they will politely but firmly start moving any stragglers toward the doors.

Yes, we were on one cruise where the clearance was delayed and the big doors didn't open until 9:10 (and there was a long line to get off), but that's not typical.

 

[woody73]

Yes, we were on one cruise where the clearance was delayed and the big doors didn't open until 9:10 (and there was a long line to get off), but that's not typical.

That has happened to us as well.

Woody

 

[E&BMom]

I would also suggest flying in the day before the cruise. That way there is no worries about missing the ship. We always do this and also feel very rested for the start of the cruise. Good luck!

 

[lbgraves]

Under normal circumstances, everyone is asked to be off the ship by 9. If there is a normal Customs clearance, at 9:05 they will politely but firmly start moving any stragglers toward the doors.

Yes, we were on one cruise where the clearance was delayed and the big doors didn't open until 9:10 (and there was a long line to get off), but that's not typical.

This can be expected on all non-closed loop cruises since the customs process is more involved when not returning to the port you left from so all TA and repo cruises.

 

[tvguy]

Under normal circumstances, everyone is asked to be off the ship by 9. If there is a normal Customs clearance, at 9:05 they will politely but firmly start moving any stragglers toward the doors.

Yes, we were on one cruise where the clearance was delayed and the big doors didn't open until 9:10 (and there was a long line to get off), but that's not typical.

Our cruise must have just been plain slow. They opened the doors at 7:45 am, and the line moved steadily, but slowly until 10:15 am. No apparent issues. I know folks here have told me that is not typical, but I am still amazed that Disney can get 2700 people off a ship, get their bags, through customs and onto ground transportation in just 90 minute on average. That's 30 passengers a minute, a pretty brisk pace.