Embarkation Questions (4 night Wish)

[PetePanMan]

Looking for advice and info on how best to handle embarkation process for Wish. This will be first our first DCL cruise so we have no loyalty benefits/ tiers.
- Is it likely that we will be only able to board late given some many others will have priority boarding?
- Realistically, what boarding time should we expect?
- are there any benefits to boarding late?
- any advice on best plan after boarding late?
TIA for any info!

 

[Girl of the South]

Check in at Midnight EST and you may get an earlier Boarding Group Number. Which is not the same as your PAT (Port Artival Time). They try to stager people arriving.

If you take DCL transport you will get an earlier time, usually.

Benefits to arriving late - you don’t have to sit around waiting for your Boarding Group to be called. There’s an initial crush for lunch. And cabins aren’t usually ready until around 1:30.

People sometimes want to get on early to go stand in line to see about changing their dining time, getting on the waiting list for Palo . . . But it’s your first cruise. I suggest you just go with the flow and avoid the hassle.

I don’t think getting on the ship 90 minutes earlier than someone else is worth stressing out over. But that’s just my personal opinion.

Happy sailing!

 

[RedHead0186]

In addition to what @Girl of the South said, once you complete online check in and get your PAT, keep checking back. Sometimes earlier PATs open up and you can switch (if you want to, that is).

Also, port arrival time and boarding group are different. You'll be given a PAT, which is the time you should arrive at the terminal. Once boarding starts, they'll call groups in order, usually about 5-10 minutes apart. Once your group is called you can board. They usually start boarding about 11:30, but it can vary. You don't get a specific boarding time.