First time cruise question

[glitzybabes]

My dd is going on a cruise for the first time and she had some questions about port arrival times. The time she selects during online checkin, where does she need to be during this time? Is it in the parking lot or inside the terminal? She is driving and plans to park in the parking garage.

 

[lanejudy]

Port Arrival Time (PAT) is just that -- the time you are expected to arrive at the port terminal. It's a 15-minute window, but not held to that tightly if she's a few minutes off. She should plan to be driving in the gates during that window.

 

[glitzybabes]

Port Arrival Time (PAT) is just that -- the time you are expected to arrive at the port terminal. It's a 15-minute window, but not held to that tightly if she's a few minutes off. She should plan to be driving in the gates during that window.

Thank you.

 

[0FF TO NEVERLAND]

Follow on that, if I book Disney Transportation from the airport, do I need to do anything related to online check in at that midnight time? If I land at 9am, when do I actually get to board when reaching the port?

Thanks

 

[lanejudy]

I believe DCL transfer from the airport do need to select a PAT to get a boarding group number. While the actual PAT time may be ignored, you’ll need the boarding group or end up waiting around the terminal longer.

 

[auntlynne]

Follow on that, if I book Disney Transportation from the airport, do I need to do anything related to online check in at that midnight time? If I land at 9am, when do I actually get to board when reaching the port?

Thanks

Depends on when the passenger manifest from the previous cruise is cleared.

If you land at 9, with no luggage (add 20+ minutes if checked bags), head downstairs and check-in with DCL transport, load a bus with 40+ other people. Then ride 45+ minutes to the port. unload bus and luggage. All before getting in line for check-in and security (carry-on x-ray). All that is at the earliest 10 am. I may have seen reports of 10:30. But more likely close to 11-ish for boarding. If everything goes perfectly.

Is there an underlying question about staying up to midnight if using Disney transport? ie, wait til morning?

 

[0FF TO NEVERLAND]

Depends on when the passenger manifest from the previous cruise is cleared.

If you land at 9, with no luggage (add 20+ minutes if checked bags), head downstairs and check-in with DCL transport, load a bus with 40+ other people. Then ride 45+ minutes to the port. unload bus and luggage. All before getting in line for check-in and security (carry-on x-ray). All that is at the earliest 10 am. I may have seen reports of 10:30. But more likely close to 11-ish for boarding. If everything goes perfectly.

Is there an underlying question about staying up to midnight if using Disney transport? ie, wait til morning?

Doesn’t Disney send me luggage tags to take my bags? At least that’s what I was reading, if I book Disney transport with them

I was reading in another thread people staying up till midnight at the 30 day mark to online check in and get an earlier port arrival time lol

 

[lanejudy]

Yes, DCL will send luggage tags to everyone. You still need to collect your luggage from the carousel at the airport and lug it to the old DME location to catch the DCL Transfers. For a while after the restart all luggage was going on (under) the bus with you; I'm not sure if that is still happening though - I think they take checked luggage by truck once you hand it off. You keep your carry-ons with you (or under the bus).

Online check-in begins at midnight (Eastern time) 30 days prior to your cruise date. That is when you will select a Port Arrival Time (PAT). As mentioned above, I don't think PAT makes much difference with regards to getting to the port if taking DCL Transfers, but the boarding group is directly tied to the PAT so an earlier boarding group means getting onboard sooner. Boarding typically begins at Port Canaveral around 11:30am (give or take ~15 minutes). Boarding numbers will be called every few minutes for the first hour or so; by then the boarding number has usually caught up to the PAT and the crowds have shifted out of the terminal onto the ship, so it becomes "open boarding" around 12:30/1:00pm.

when do I actually get to board when reaching the port?

The time you actually board will depend on your boarding group. The boarding group is assigned at online check-in and is directly tied to the PAT.

 

[OHVolunteer]

If we have a boarding group of 6 and a PAT of 1115 - around what time should we expect to be on the ship?

 

[lanejudy]

If we have a boarding group of 6 and a PAT of 1115 - around what time should we expect to be on the ship?

At Port Canaveral, boarding typically begins around 11:30am. They move through boarding groups fairly quickly. I'd guess you might be onboard having lunch by noon. If you are embarking from another port city, I'm not sure what time they begin boarding but probably similar.