Golds/Platinums - when do you choose to board?

[squirk]

We will be hitting Gold this February and, after four cruises, I am wondering if we get the earliest PAT possible, or get something later, like after 12:30.

I love the ships and can't wait to get on them, but that first crush to get on board, and the subsequent mob at Cabanas, and the languishing in the stairwells waiting for the cabins to be ready - I am wondering if it makes more sense to Sleep in that morning, breeze into the port at 12:30, after the huge crowds are already onboard and have (presumptively) already cleared out of Cabanas. We eat and by the time we are done, we can go straight to the cabins.

Downsides that I can see are losing good parking spots at the port and the ability to run right to the AquaDuck as soon as it opens and before it gets mobbed.

Do any of you Gold/Platinums do it this way? Or do you find that your earlier boarding priority alleviates some of these issues? Or am I being optimistic on how much Cabanas will clear out by 12:45-1:00?

Thanks!

 

[lanejudy]

Priority boarding is for Concierge and Platinum CC members, not Gold. Sorry.

Plus...is this your 5th cruise or your 6th cruise? You will not be Gold until after you complete the 5th cruise. So if you have cruised 4 times prior, this is your 5th cruise and you are still Silver CC. You'll have Gold status for your next cruise after February.

Enjoy your cruise!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

We will be hitting Gold this February and, after four cruises, I am wondering if we get the earliest PAT possible, or get something later, like after 12:30.

I love the ships and can't wait to get on them, but that first crush to get on board, and the subsequent mob at Cabanas, and the languishing in the stairwells waiting for the cabins to be ready - I am wondering if it makes more sense to Sleep in that morning, breeze into the port at 12:30, after the huge crowds are already onboard and have (presumptively) already cleared out of Cabanas. We eat and by the time we are done, we can go straight to the cabins.

Downsides that I can see are losing good parking spots at the port and the ability to run right to the AquaDuck as soon as it opens and before it gets mobbed.

Do any of you Gold/Platinums do it this way? Or do you find that your earlier boarding priority alleviates some of these issues? Or am I being optimistic on how much Cabanas will clear out by 12:45-1:00?

Thanks!

We like to arrive around 12. As you said, no lines at check in or boarding. The big rush has already happened at the buffet, and we generally just walk around getting used to the ship. We're not big "gotta be on AquaDuck ASAP" people.

That being said, our last set of cruises - Dream, 2 days at WDW, followed by B2B Fantasy cruises, we didn't really do that. Our plane arrived at MCO around 6:30 the morning of the Dream cruise, we just took the first bus to the port, arriving around 10:15. We had selected a 10:30 PAT, because I knew we'd be early, so had a low boarding number. Then, after WDW, we did DCL transfers back to the port, arriving around 1:30. Room was ready, dropped our bags, grabbed something to eat and just walked around. And the second leg, well, we were already there, and were boarded just prior to Concierge (at 11:10). Went directly to Cabanas, and were first in line. Took our time eating, and found a lounge chair up at Satellite Falls to wait for rooms to open.

 

[squirk]

Priority boarding is for Concierge and Platinum CC members, not Gold. Sorry.

Plus...is this your 5th cruise or your 6th cruise? You will not be Gold until after you complete the 5th cruise. So if you have cruised 4 times prior, this is your 5th cruise and you are still Silver CC. You'll have Gold status for your next cruise after February.

Enjoy your cruise!

Ah, I though Gold got priority over Silver. My bad.

This will be our fifth cruise, so we will still be Silver. However, I am considering trying for a port upgrade to Concierge, and even if that doesn't come to pass, I have a placeholder reservation for our sixth cruise, so I am already thinking ahead. Plus, I was curious how super-seasoned people chose to time their arrival.

We like to arrive around 12. As you said, no lines at check in or boarding. The big rush has already happened at the buffet, and we generally just walk around getting used to the ship. We're not big "gotta be on AquaDuck ASAP" people.

So you find Cabanas has ample seating available by 12:30 or so? That there is what primarily puts us off about boarding with the masses - fighting like starving wolves for a table that seats five.

I wonder if that priority parking lot would be full up by noon. We are big fans of that lot and find the speed and ease of unloading/reloading the van is well worth the increased price.

I am not over the moon about the AquaDuck (it's fun, but not nearly fast enough), but my kids love it. I can sate their AquaDuck jones in short order if we board ASAP with our swimsuits on and head straight there. Although this past June on the Fantasy, they didn't have it open at first and we had to wait a good while. Can't remember if it was high winds or a mechanical issue, but it totally burst our "let's beat the crowds" bubble.

Thanks to you both!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

So you find Cabanas has ample seating available by 12:30 or so? That there is what primarily puts us off about boarding with the masses - fighting like starving wolves for a table that seats five.

Well, there's only 2 of us. And we don't have a problem sharing, if we see a table that's not full. With 5, it may or may not be an issue getting a table right away. But we've never had to search very hard for a seat, regardless of what time we've been there.

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

On my recent cruises Cabanas is mad no tables available so I try to get to the port early and get on early and at noon Cabanas is fine, 30 minutes later it's a nightmare and you end up at the snack places instead.

We have had to search and get a server to find one and clear one, then as my children left people we knew joined us as there were no tables.

 

[ahain]

Another thought....To avoid the issues of trying to find a table for 5, (even if you choose to board early) you could choose to have lunch in the MDR. They will seat you and bring you drinks, and you can still enjoy a nice buffet. We did this for the first time on our recent Alaska cruise, where we had my mom (77) & her husband (82) along with me, DH & DD18. It was really quite nice - much more relaxed than Cabanas/Beach Blanket buffet

 

[joannjoe]

Another thought....To avoid the issues of trying to find a table for 5, (even if you choose to board early) you could choose to have lunch in the MDR. They will seat you and bring you drinks, and you can still enjoy a nice buffet. We did this for the first time on our recent Alaska cruise, where we had my mom (77) & her husband (82) along with me, DH & DD18. It was really quite nice - much more relaxed than Cabanas/Beach Blanket buffet

Really? That's a great ideal I didn't they would seat you in a DR.

 

[mmouse37]

Platinum here and I ALWAYS like to board ASAP! I like to be onboard first thing as I like to get the vacation started!!! I even like getting to the port early!!! We usually get boarding group #1 (sometimes Platinum have gotten #2) so as soon as we are onboard we go up to an empty Cabanas and enjoy lunch. Then we make any changes for Palo or dining rooms, etc. Tickets for meet and greets. Then relax.

Ask my husband...he knows I am pretty much obsessed with being at the port when it opens. I don't have to be first in line but I have to be pretty close!!! He just rolls his eyes and humors me!!

MJ

 

[ahain]

Platinum here and I ALWAYS like to board ASAP! I like to be onboard first thing as I like to get the vacation started!!! I even like getting to the port early!!! We usually get boarding group #1 (sometimes Platinum have gotten #2) so as soon as we are onboard we go up to an empty Cabanas and enjoy lunch. Then we make any changes for Palo or dining rooms, etc. Tickets for meet and greets. Then relax.

Ask my husband...he knows I am pretty much obsessed with being at the port when it opens. I don't have to be first in line but I have to be pretty close!!! He just rolls his eyes and humors me!!

MJ

I am right there with you in needing to board early (except that we are not platinum - yet)! One the Halloween cruise DH and I took in October, 2014, we were on the first bus leaving the Hyatt in the morning and I was the first person up the escalator and entering the completely empty cruise terminal. It was soooooooo cool! We then had boarding group #2 and did just as you mentioned....on the ship as soon as we can board, and directly to Cabanas.

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

Another thought....To avoid the issues of trying to find a table for 5, (even if you choose to board early) you could choose to have lunch in the MDR. They will seat you and bring you drinks, and you can still enjoy a nice buffet. We did this for the first time on our recent Alaska cruise, where we had my mom (77) & her husband (82) along with me, DH & DD18. It was really quite nice - much more relaxed than Cabanas/Beach Blanket buffet

I tended to avoid the MDR as I found that crowded and want to go to the higher decks asap to still have a look around the views and the pools.

 

[lorimay]

We are just like Mmouse, early port arrival is our thing. We are early risers so we are good to go pretty early. We are platinum so usually #1 boarding number.
We love to get to Cabana's early with an outside table near the railing, then off to sit by adult pool and relax till 1:30.

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

We are just like Mmouse, early port arrival is our thing. We are early risers so we are good to go pretty early. We are platinum so usually #1 boarding number.
We love to get to Cabana's early with an outside table near the railing, then off to sit by adult pool and relax till 1:30.

Yes that's our plan.

 

[Trera]

We are just like Mmouse, early port arrival is our thing. We are early risers so we are good to go pretty early. We are platinum so usually #1 boarding number.
We love to get to Cabana's early with an outside table near the railing, then off to sit by adult pool and relax till 1:30.

^^^^This!

 

[OKW Lover]

Like @mmouse37 we like to board as early as possible. We are Platinum and we live a fairly short drive away from Port Canaveral so we could go any time we want, including last boarding call, but we always prefer to be among the first to board. We love just being on board and reacquainting ourselves with the ship. We get something to eat in the sit-down restaurant (rather than going up to the buffet) and relax a bit. After that we head for the Cove Bar for a tropical drink until its close to time for the staterooms to be available. At that point, its down to the cabin to unburden ourselves of our carryon, put the wine in the refrigerator, and set up the electronics that were in our carryon.

 

[joannjoe]

Like @mmouse37 we like to board as early as possible. We are Platinum and we live a fairly short drive away from Port Canaveral so we could go any time we want, including last boarding call, but we always prefer to be among the first to board. We love just being on board and reacquainting ourselves with the ship. We get something to eat in the sit-down restaurant (rather than going up to the buffet) and relax a bit. After that we head for the Cove Bar for a tropical drink until its close to time for the staterooms to be available. At that point, its down to the cabin to unburden ourselves of our carryon, put the wine in the refrigerator, and set up the electronics that were in our carryon.

What kind of menu do they offer in the dinning room for lunch?

 

[cedricandsophie]

We are platinum and hZve been for last several cruises. We usually arrive about 11 or 1130 and walk on. We grab a table or two by pool depending on how many we have and load all our stuff on a couple chairs. We leave our carry ons there until rooms are open. Can't understand why people haul their stuff with them all around ship. We have never had s problem. Change into suits unless we have them on already. Get good lounges at adult area for those who are old enough. If some go to cabanas, which I rarely do, those who have bring trays back to table to eat. I usually just do grill. Cabanas usually offers meats, veggies, salad, bread, fresh shrimp and desserts. I'm sure there is lots more. I just prefer the grill or maybe a wrap or pizza. If weather is nice find a table outside. They don't care where you take trays. We have eaten in cove many times.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

What kind of menu do they offer in the dinning room for lunch?

It's still a buffet, with more limited offerings than the main buffet. But you can stash your carryons at your table before hitting the buffet line. And the servers will take your drink orders and bring your drinks.

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

I find the MDRs have very little space to " stash" your carry ons, we have been asked to leave them at the podium which we left was not safe, and as we had to share a table there was no space there whatsoever.

 

[joannjoe]

It's still a buffet, with more limited offerings than the main buffet. But you can stash your carryons at your table before hitting the buffet line. And the servers will take your drink orders and bring your drinks.

Do you just leave them a cash tip if you prefer?