Is boarding later in the day bad if you want character meet tix?

[Tashamu2004]

I really want to add a one or two night stay at Disney World on to our cruise but I think with Disney transport it will get us in a little later in the day to Port Canaveral to board. Would we miss out getting character meet tix if we aren't there first thing in the AM? We would love to do princess or Anna Elsa greet if they're on our 4 night Bahamas cruise.

 

[lanejudy]

I have not heard of people completely unable to get meet&greet tickets as long as they go to the distribution location before the muster drill. You may not get a choice of times, but you should be able to get tickets. The only reports I recall of people shut-out arrived after 3pm or requested tickets after the muster drill. I won't say it can't happen but unlikely as long as you go right for the tickets as soon as you board.
Enjoy your cruise!

 

[Tashamu2004]

I have not heard of people completely unable to get meet&greet tickets as long as they go to the distribution location before the muster drill. You may not get a choice of times, but you should be able to get tickets. The only reports I recall of people shut-out arrived after 3pm or requested tickets after the muster drill. I won't say it can't happen but unlikely as long as you go right for the tickets as soon as you board.
Enjoy your cruise!

Thanks for your reply! If we did miss out on tix for the princess greet are there any other chances to meet them maybe individually at a non ticketed event?

 

[mylittlebuttercup]

We didn't get on the ship until like 1:30 or so if I remember, and we had no problem getting meet and greet tickets. We were on a three-day Dream cruise.

ETA: We had Disney transfers like you want.

 

[rantnnravin]

The last time we used DCL transfers from POP to PC, we didn't arrive until 2:30 and after check in, just barely made it to lunch. It was very stressful. I do not wish that on anyone, but if that were to happen again, you may have to make a choice between lunch and M&G tix.

 

[*DisneyDreamer]

You need tickets for character meets? Is this for all of them or just special, select ones? If so, how do you find out which ones they are?

 

[cheapster316]

We had the same late arrival from AOA on the dream in 2015 January. I did not know about the meet and greet until after the muster drill. I got princesses on a sea day and A&E on Nassau day. It worked out because we had no plans to leave the ship that day.
I could not get Disney Jr tickets and felt bad for DS as he could have cared less about the princesses.
I even checked with guest services later without any luck.
If you get there . Late, skip lunch and go right for tickets

 

[TML2012]

You need tickets for character meets? Is this for all of them or just special, select ones? If so, how do you find out which ones they are?

Tickets are needed for only some of the meet and greets ... https://disneycruise.disney.go.com/faq/onboard-activities/disney-characters/

 

[Tashamu2004]

Thank you all! We really want to check out the new Epcot offerings the day before the cruise. I just didn't want it to start the cruise on a bad note, not getting tix for things we'd like to do.

 

[Madani]

I was just on the 4 night Bahamas cruise. We were boarding group 22, getting on at 2:30. Friends arriving on Disney transport were boarding group 30 and were on by 3. That day boarding was really slow because of computer problems (we sat in the terminal for over two hours before our group was called). I went immediately for princess tickets. Zero availability for the princess group meet. One option only on Nassau day for Anna and Elsa. That worked out because we did not get off the ship. But we did see all the princesses individually except we missed Belle. I had to work around a nap schedule and the timing was off for her session. Good luck!

 

[Hundredacre]

Some are gone by 12, or were on our december cruise. For our march cruise we didnt even bother standing in line to see what tickets were available. But there are other opportunities to see characters on the ship. I would not alter my vacation to get those tickets. I also have heard you can go to guest relations and get on a wait list.

 

[lbus42]

Thanks for your reply! If we did miss out on tix for the princess greet are there any other chances to meet them maybe individually at a non ticketed event?

Each princess will be available individually several times during the cruise. No tickets are needed and the times are listed in the Navigator. Never had to wait more than 15 minutes.

 

[Micki NJ]

On our Nov 2015 Dream cruise, Princess tickets were gone sometime around 1PM, but they still had A&E.