How fast do PAT fill up?

[RedSox68]

I do think that DCL could make it clearer that your PAT and Boarding Group are tied together and getting there earlier won't bump you up in boarding.

While other lines may have better organization in the port (I only experienced having to wait for boarding to start my HAL Alaska cruise - my three RCCL cruises I walked right on...fathom I had to wait, and there were no numbers as to where to sit, but that ship only held 700 people, so no big deal), they also don't tie boarding to your scheduled time to arrive. You get there when you get there and just get whatever number is being given out.

Disney, on the other hand, does link the boarding group to the PAT, but it's not really communicated by them that they do, so people who are accustomed to different lines in particular are used to showing up early and waltzing on board - which is why there are people who want to argue about their number and/or clog up the works for everyone else.

And who also INSIST on standing front and center at the entrance doorway to the ship -- we have been pushed and given the evil eye and stepped on more than once trying to get through that blockhead crowd when our number is called. I put the blame strictly on Disney for not having that area cleared and handled better. It really does cause a danger to the elderly and those with little ones! Some of that crowd gets downright mean -- actually closing in and trying to block you from going forward!

 

[southerngirl528]

nd who also INSIST on standing front and center at the entrance doorway to the ship -- we have been pushed and given the evil eye and stepped on more than once trying to get through that blockhead crowd when our number is called. I put the blame strictly on Disney for not having that area cleared and handled better. It really does cause a danger to the elderly and those with little ones! Some of that crowd gets downright mean -- actually closing in and trying to block you from going forward!

I agree! This is NOT acceptable, and certainly not adhering to Disney's 1st Key of Safety! I think it's inexcuseable that they let things get so chaotic because it is not SAFE when the crowds are like that.

There needs to be Security assisting the CM's at both the entrances to the terminal and definitely where people get in line to board. NO one should be allowed in those queues until their boarding number is called, or ready to be called. And people need to stand back. It really does need to stop.

 

[Anchors Away 2016]

Thanks for the pic, Weedy! My question is do they have like hundreds and hundreds of chairs?? I cannot imagine that, but it would be nice!

When I went with Carnival recently, their solution was 10 groups of chairs clearly numbered with each group 1-10. There were maybe 20-25 chairs in each group. Thus, they started with group 1 and then group 2 and it came right from the chairs, so it was clear whose turn it was and others were seated so not in the way. Now, I know what you are saying "10 groups isn't enough." Correct, so once group 1 and maybe 2 or 3 boarded, people from group 11 were allowed to sit in the section marked "1," etc. So it kept rotating through the 10 groups of chairs until everyone was boarded. It didn't take a lot of space, there were not crowding or cutting of lines. It did require a lot of seats, but they were all in one area, near the boarding door.

Maybe DCL could try something like this. I will say DCL's debarkation procedure was MUCH better though. Much less waiting to get off than on Carnival.

 

[cwis]

Keeping track of the earliest PATs for my cruise:

• 40 days before cruise, earliest PAT was 10:45am;
• 30 days before cruise, earliest PAT was 11:00am;
• 25 days before cruise, earliest PAT was 11:15am;
• 20 days before cruise, earliest PAT was 11:30am;
  
• 14 days before cruise, earliest PAT was 11:45am;
• 8 days before cruise, earliest PAT was 12:15pm.

Keeping up with the updates:

• 40 days before cruise, earliest PAT was 10:45am;
• 30 days before cruise, earliest PAT was 11:00am;
• 25 days before cruise, earliest PAT was 11:15am;
• 20 days before cruise, earliest PAT was 11:30am;
  
• 14 days before cruise, earliest PAT was 11:45am;
• 8 days before cruise, earliest PAT was 12:15pm.
• 4 days before cruise, earliest PAT was 12:30pm.

 

[cwis]

Keeping up with the updates:

• 40 days before cruise, earliest PAT was 10:45am;
• 30 days before cruise, earliest PAT was 11:00am;
• 25 days before cruise, earliest PAT was 11:15am;
• 20 days before cruise, earliest PAT was 11:30am;
  
• 14 days before cruise, earliest PAT was 11:45am;
• 8 days before cruise, earliest PAT was 12:15pm.
• 4 days before cruise, earliest PAT was 12:30pm.

PATs are filling up quickly. I believe we have already reached open boarding now:

• 40 days before cruise, earliest PAT was 10:45am;
• 30 days before cruise, earliest PAT was 11:00am;
• 25 days before cruise, earliest PAT was 11:15am;
• 20 days before cruise, earliest PAT was 11:30am;
  
• 14 days before cruise, earliest PAT was 11:45am;
• 8 days before cruise, earliest PAT was 12:15pm;
• 4 days before cruise, earliest PAT was 12:30pm;
• 1 day before cruise, earliest PAT was 1:15pm.

 

[Educatingrita]

PATs are filling up quickly. I believe we have already reached open boarding now:

• 40 days before cruise, earliest PAT was 10:45am;
• 30 days before cruise, earliest PAT was 11:00am;
• 25 days before cruise, earliest PAT was 11:15am;
• 20 days before cruise, earliest PAT was 11:30am;
  
• 14 days before cruise, earliest PAT was 11:45am;
• 8 days before cruise, earliest PAT was 12:15pm;
• 4 days before cruise, earliest PAT was 12:30pm;
• 1 day before cruise, earliest PAT was 1:15pm.

 

[Educatingrita]

I'm so shocked by this thread.

we've only ever sailed Disney but from European ports mainly Barcelona and Dover and embarking is so simple.

you sit down on seats waiting for someone to walk around with your number on a flip board, wait for your number to come up and get on the ship. No pushing through crowds, it's mainly done in time order and it's completely calm.

i cannot believe that its like this in their home terminal.

dreading our American experience now!!

 

[mmmears]

I'm so shocked by this thread.

we've only ever sailed Disney but from European ports mainly Barcelona and Dover and embarking is so simple.

you sit down on seats waiting for someone to walk around with your number on a flip board, wait for your number to come up and get on the ship. No pushing through crowds, it's mainly done in time order and it's completely calm.

i cannot believe that its like this in their home terminal.

dreading our American experience now!!

Honestly it's not that different. We've boarded in Port Canaveral, Vancouver, and Copenhagen. The only time it was a mess was when we sailed on the Dream. Having twice the number of people made it worse. And then everyone showed up early, much earlier than their PATs. We had the first PAT and it took forever to get to the desk to check in. We got a very low boarding number (to match our PAT) and noticed the people around us were getting much higher numbers. Then we almost had to push our way to board the ship - people whose numbers weren't even close to being called were surrounding that Mickey entrance and not letting anyone through. I had read awful reports about how Copenhagen was a mess. Well it was wonderful. I'm not sure but the difference might have to do with the ships - the Magic is much smaller than the Dream and the Fantasy, so fewer people are trying to get on and off. Same thing at the ports, and also CC.

 

[dad of 3 addicted to DCL]

We recently sailed on Royal out of NJ. They had the line up in chairs. Worked great. Much less stressful in my opinion.
View attachment 341489

Looks like the setup in Vancouver. Not stylish, but it works and everyone gets a seat

 

[kylaura]

Not trying to be a Debbie Downer here but I don't even understand the point of having PATs if they aren't enforced anyway. We had a 10:30 - 10:45 slot last time. I waited up until midnight to get it and when we showed up at the port at 10:30 that day we ended up waiting in line for an hour behind a bunch of people who showed up before their PATs. The terminal was packed with people who had much higher boarding numbers than we did and they were packed in so tight around the ship entrance area that it made it nearly impossible to get through because they didn't want to move, even when we showed them our boarding number and asked to get through. We finally got on board just before noon. I know this isn't the case for every sailing but we won't be doing an early PAT again unless DCL/port staff or whoever is in charge finds a way to actually enforce PATs. Until then, we'll relax at our pre-cruise hotel all morning and show up at noon to avoid the mayhem. I'm sure I'm not alone so perhaps this is one of the reasons an early PAT was still left this close to sailing.

Same for us last time, we had a low boarding number and people we all crowded around the entrance, we had to fight our way through when our boarding number was called.

 

[RedSox68]

I agree! This is NOT acceptable, and certainly not adhering to Disney's 1st Key of Safety! I think it's inexcuseable that they let things get so chaotic because it is not SAFE when the crowds are like that.

There needs to be Security assisting the CM's at both the entrances to the terminal and definitely where people get in line to board. NO one should be allowed in those queues until their boarding number is called, or ready to be called. And people need to stand back. It really does need to stop.

Just got back from a cruise out of the Manhattan port in NYC (our 4th). Night and day difference between PC and this one -- and they handle ships with 4,000 passengers. While I've always complained about their computer system constantly going down during check in -- they provide a huge waiting area with a view of the ship and they insist that you wait there until your number is called. And even then, there is no rush to the door.

Edited to add: another really smart thing they do at this port is they have several stations IN the port to take your embarkation pictures, so that when you board you are free to go and get lunch, etc. without juggling with your bags for the pictures while a line waits behind you.