Expected Port Arrival Time

[zippyfan34]

We are going on our 1st Cruise on the Fantasy in late November so the soonest we can sign up for Port Arrival Times is mid September. I have read before peoples preferences of arriving early and late and I think we want as much time on the boat as possible and would like the earliest PAT as possible.

What are the chances that we will still be able to get a PAT of 10:30-11:00 so that we can be onboard by noon with us not being able to sign up until 75 days prior to sailing? Any other first time DCL sailors have experience being able to get an early PAT time (I know I will find out in about a month and a half but would like an inside scoop)?

 

[hcox31]

We got 1045 on our first cruise. so its possible.

 

[Pkltm]

We got 1045 on our first cruise. so its possible.

Us too! We sail Sept 29. We had not expected to get that early.

 

[truck1]

It's entirely possible. We were gold on the Fantasy Maiden and still got 1030

 

[sanglee23]

We got 10:45 as well. And I signed up when I work up in the morning instead of logging on at midnight.

 

[mathgeek]

I got an 11:00 PAT for a Dream cruise I booked less than 60 days out.

 

[NS8VN]

While a lot of frequent cruisers still want to get there ASAP and maximize ship time, many of them talk fondly of arriving at 1pm, checking in, walking straight on to the ship and straight up to Cabanas which is clearing out as everyone rushes to their just opened rooms. So it's not too surprising to still have some earlier PATs available even when the 75 day window opens. I'm glad it works that way too, nice when different preferences actually compliment each other rather than conflict.

 

[Dug720]

It really just depends on a) the number of Gold and Silver Castaway Club members on the cruise and b) how many of them are wanting to be there early. If there are not as many or there are more of them who aren't trying to be early on the ship, there will be more openings for early time slots.

Just to note in case you are not able to get an early slot... You generally could arrive at the teeminal earlier (they will allow you in as long as it is not full), but your Boarding Group will be tied to your PAT, so you could see non-Platinim people arrive after you but get a lower Bording Group number because they were at or closer to their PAT. I saw it happen with the first bus from MCO - I had a 10:30 PAT, but the family checking in next to me had a much later PAT. I got group number 3 (there were a LOT of Platinum cruisers that time) but they had like 20- or 30-something. I know because they started to complain and the CM gently explained that the Group was assigned based on the Port Arrival Time selected.

 

[Napoleon Dynamite]

We always get there when the terminal opens, even when we have had a later time assigned. In February our PAT was like 12 and we got there at before 10am and waited on the bridge for it to open. I travel solo with my kids, and like to leave a ton of wiggle room in getting there since usually drive from a hotel in Orlando, and just in case we have car trouble, etc. along the way! Never have been turned away, and we have plenty of time to wait in line to get character pictures before boarding. We don't mind waiting in the terminal for our number to be called...some don't like that though! On our cruise last Summer, we got there early and were chosen as Family of the Day, so that worked out great for us!

 

[adg06]

My 75 day booking window opened a few days ago, I logged on right at midnight, and got 11:30 PAT (the earliest available).

 

[SteveMP]

While a lot of frequent cruisers still want to get there ASAP and maximize ship time, many of them talk fondly of arriving at 1pm, checking in, walking straight on to the ship and straight up to Cabanas which is clearing out as everyone rushes to their just opened rooms. So it's not too surprising to still have some earlier PATs available even when the 75 day window opens. I'm glad it works that way too, nice when different preferences actually compliment each other rather than conflict.

Yeah when our kids were younger we liked getting food and hanging out at the pool for a while. Now they don't care so much about the pools so we tend to get there later, closer to getting our room and luggage.

To the OP, whatever your time, just get there early regardless to give yourself time to go through customs, check in and get all paperwork in, register for kids clubs, get bracelets etc. then you may get a lower boarding number and get on a little earlier than if you areived at whatever your official time is. Ita nice your first cruise to learn the ship, find where the stairs are etc and figure out how to navigate and just explore.

 

[Amandine]

I also booked immediately after midnight as soon as my window opened and 11:30 was the earliest PAT I could get (my cruise is a week before adg06's). 11:45 was the earliest available by the time I could get my in-laws registered, just a few minutes later.

 

[Anchors Away 2016]

If you don't like the PAT you got, check back occasionally (like once a week). Sometimes people switch to later times once they make their transportation arrangements. So you can sometimes see earlier times open up if that is what you want.

 

[Fyrefly]

Tangentially related question, how does it work if you're traveling in a group with different statrooms? I want to log in ASAP to do PAT and check-in for our room, but my in-laws will be at the 75 day instead of 90 and while I will tell them and my parents to check in as early as possible, I'm betting I could end up with say, 11am and they might end up with 1pm. Will Disney be willing to just let us all board with whoever managed to get the earliest PAT or will we have to either board separately or wait for the the last group if we want to go together?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Tangentially related question, how does it work if you're traveling in a group with different statrooms? I want to log in ASAP to do PAT and check-in for our room, but my in-laws will be at the 75 day instead of 90 and while I will tell them and my parents to check in as early as possible, I'm betting I could end up with say, 11am and they might end up with 1pm. Will Disney be willing to just let us all board with whoever managed to get the earliest PAT or will we have to either board separately or wait for the the last group if we want to go together?

If two parties, with different Port Arrival Times want to board together, DCL requests they board with the highest boarding number between them.

That said, Open boarding typically is called around 12:30-12:45 (around 45-60 minutes after boarding begins). Anyone holding any boarding number may board at that time. And the chances of them getting the same (or close to it) Port Arrival Time as you are not that bad.

 

[mhconley]

On our very first cruise we got an 11:30 PAT when I booked at midnight when our 75 day window opened. I kept checking the website and scored a 10:30 PAT about a week later. If you don't get an early time when your window opens just keep checking.

Martin

 

[truck1]

I also booked immediately after midnight as soon as my window opened and 11:30 was the earliest PAT I could get (my cruise is a week before adg06's). 11:45 was the earliest available by the time I could get my in-laws registered, just a few minutes later.

Keep looking. On occasion either people change their minds or DCL will open earlier spots.

 

[Amandine]

Keep looking. On occasion either people change their minds or DCL will open earlier spots.

Yep. I've been checking back daily, but no luck yet.

 

[Shanti]

We are going on our 1st Cruise on the Fantasy in late November so the soonest we can sign up for Port Arrival Times is mid September. I have read before peoples preferences of arriving early and late and I think we want as much time on the boat as possible and would like the earliest PAT as possible.

What are the chances that we will still be able to get a PAT of 10:30-11:00 so that we can be onboard by noon with us not being able to sign up until 75 days prior to sailing? Any other first time DCL sailors have experience being able to get an early PAT time (I know I will find out in about a month and a half but would like an inside scoop)?

One thing that will cost but will also be effective is to spend the night before at the airport Hyatt, booked via DCL (not booked independently), and use DCL transfers to get to the ship. You won't be tied to a PAT if you do that.

We did that. Even though we originally had a PAT, we later decided to add a Hyatt stay on via DCL & Disney transfers, and we weren't tied to our old PAT at all. We got on the DCL bus after breakfast (not the first DCL bus, as we weren't there early enough), arrived to a filled port, and were still given boarding #2 upon arrival. We were probably among the first 100 people on the ship.

 

[Fyrefly]

If two parties, with different Port Arrival Times want to board together, DCL requests they board with the highest boarding number between them.

That said, Open boarding typically is called around 12:30-12:45 (around 45-60 minutes after boarding begins). Anyone holding any boarding number may board at that time. And the chances of them getting the same (or close to it) Port Arrival Time as you are not that bad.

Thanks for the heads up! Hopefully it will all be pretty close - we got on around noon last time and nothing was very crowded - that would be be my ideal first impression for our parents!