How strict are they with PAT

[bbn1122]

I unfortunately waited a day to do my check in and the earliest time I could get was 12:45pm.
I sail in 17 days. I usually have a PAT a before noon.

If I arrive at port about noon would I be turned away? I am to be onboard by 1pm.
I read that I maybe able to get an earlier PAT if I keeping checking where you choose a time.

 

[JoeFromSeoul]

What port are you sailing from? Our last cruise out of Port Canaveral saw them turning people away if they were early for their PAT. One family made three trips between the hotel and port on the hotel shuttle before they were allowed to get off at the port. This was August 2021 and DCL had just started sailing again post-COVID, so they may be more relaxed now. Good luck, and have a great vacation!

 

[TRTRguy]

Even if you arrive early, you boarding group is tied to your PAT, so you would probably just end up waiting in the terminal.

 

[Geomom]

We had a 12:45 PAT in Port Canaveral in June, got there right at 12:45. Dropped off luggage, parked, had docs checked to get in, made a bathroom stop, went thru security, and immediately boarded the ship. We were onboard by 1:15pm. I'd consider it open boarding by then...I think they were boarding thru group 36 (we had 16.)

I was worried initially about getting this time and hoped for an earlier one (never became available.). I think it ended up being the perfect time because there was no waiting around and short lines to enter and go thru security.

 

[Sherrilatte]

Can you drop off luggage if you have a rental car and return at designated PAT?

 

[lanejudy]

I am to be onboard by 1pm.

I think there is a good chance you'll be onboard by 1pm. From various posts it sounds like they've been calling "open boarding" around 12:45pm, so I suggest arriving around 12:30pm which should move you through security and check-in fairly quickly with little or no wait in the terminal.

 

[Clarkson U]

On our last sailing in July 2021 from Canaveral - they were allowing a 15 minute grace period - meaning you could show up about 15 minutes early and they allowed us through without any issues. I do agree with others that you do have to wait for your boarding group so if you arrive too early they will turn you away.

 

[stkgator]

Up until a few months ago, a CM would check your PAT before you were allowed to drop off your luggage - and they were fairly strict - probably as they were still doing port Covid testing and wanted to minimize wait times.

On our last two trips there is no longer a CM checking your PAT when you drop off your luggage - BUT they are now checking your PAT just before you enter the terminal for passport and security checks - it did seem that there were more passengers waiting outside, but I really did not pay attention.

But as one of the other posters stated, even if you were to get into the terminal early, there is a good chance that you would have to wait for your boarding group.

 

[meliscan]

Up until a few months ago, a CM would check your PAT before you were allowed to drop off your luggage - and they were fairly strict - probably as they were still doing port Covid testing and wanted to minimize wait times.

On our last two trips there is no longer a CM checking your PAT when you drop off your luggage - BUT they are now checking your PAT just before you enter the terminal for passport and security checks - it did seem that there were more passengers waiting outside, but I really did not pay attention.

But as one of the other posters stated, even if you were to get into the terminal early, there is a good chance that you would have to wait for your boarding group.

The same thing happened to us they wouldn't touch our luggage until they confirmed our PAT.

 

[unveilmyeyes]

The same thing happened to us they wouldn't touch our luggage until they confirmed our PAT.

What do you mean by same thing? The person you quoted said they don’t seem to be checking before luggage nowadays.

 

[bbn1122]

We had a 12:45 PAT in Port Canaveral in June, got there right at 12:45. Dropped off luggage, parked, had docs checked to get in, made a bathroom stop, went thru security, and immediately boarded the ship. We were onboard by 1:15pm. I'd consider it open boarding by then...I think they were boarding thru group 36 (we had 16.)

I was worried initially about getting this time and hoped for an earlier one (never became available.). I think it ended up being the perfect time because there was no waiting around and short lines to enter and go thru security.

Thanks for the info.

 

[bbn1122]

I think there is a good chance you'll be onboard by 1pm. From various posts it sounds like they've been calling "open boarding" around 12:45pm, so I suggest arriving around 12:30pm which should move you through security and check-in fairly quickly with little or no wait in the terminal.

I think that what I will do just get there a little earlier, if I can’t change the time. I want to be able to eat at Marceline’s Market. It’s only a 3 day cruise, lots to do.

 

[rochmom4]

Two weeks ago, staff was not checking PAT for luggage drop off. However, they were very strict and checked PAT for entry into parking garage and checked PAT twice before allowing entry into terminal for passport/security.

 

[Maggie'sMom]

For our August 8th sailing, PAT was not checked before dropping off luggage. We were 30 minutes early for our PAT and were told 30 minutes early was okay. I think since most people are doing their COVID tests on their own prior to arrival at the port, it allows DCL to be a little more lenient with PATs.

 

[badinnplaid]

Question related to this. We have two staterooms and will be arriving in the same car. Check in was a mess for one of our parties, so our stateroom has a PAT of 11:15 and the other party has a PAT of 12:30. We noticed the note when we were selecting that there's a note saying "if you are traveling with another party and your desired port arrival time is no longer available, please select a later time period and we will do our best to accommodate the entire group at the same time."

Anyone have any experience with this and if they do indeed try to accommodate the whole group at the earlier time?

 

[stkgator]

Question related to this. We have two staterooms and will be arriving in the same car. Check in was a mess for one of our parties, so our stateroom has a PAT of 11:15 and the other party has a PAT of 12:30. We noticed the note when we were selecting that there's a note saying "if you are traveling with another party and your desired port arrival time is no longer available, please select a later time period and we will do our best to accommodate the entire group at the same time."

Anyone have any experience with this and if they do indeed try to accommodate the whole group at the earlier time?

That is a usual occurrence for our trips - we are usually separated by 15-30 minutes in PATS. We have always used the earlier PAT and Boarding Group with no issues.

 

[datavortex]

Can you get the ship WiFi from the terminal? I was considering showing up pretty early to try to hop on the wifi and make reservations via the app as early as possible. We have no status so I expect a pretty unfavorable PAT.

 

[miss0033]

I just got a PAT of 2:30 on our upcoming DREAM cruise out of Miami, Boarding Group 29. I didn't even think they did PATs that late and figured it was just open boarding by about 1:30.

I really doubt our hotel is going to give us a check out after 12:00. What can we do to kill time for 2 hours? Keeping in mind we will have our luggage and no rental car... So we can Uber somewhere, but would still have luggage to haul around.

 

[meliscan]

What do you mean by same thing? The person you quoted said they don’t seem to be checking before luggage nowadays.

Apologies I mis-read. When we traveled a few weeks ago they were checking out PAT when we were dropped off. The man who talked to us didn't call the porter over to take our luggage until they confirmed we weren't arriving too early.

 

[Travel60]

Sigh.....I hate questions like this..... entitled....