Just off Dream. Boarding...

[Samantha6174]

We had 11-11:30 AM boarding, and arrived at 11. Short lines, but we were given boarding number 14 by a CM before we even got on line, so it had nothing to do with anything other than the time we arrived at the terminal.
Boarding started a few minutes before 12, and we got on the ship between 1:30 and 1:45.
Fantastic trip, kids had a blast, already planning our next cruise. Questions?
Sam

 

[SuzanneSLO]

We had 11-11:30 AM boarding, and arrived at 11. Short lines, but we were given boarding number 14 by a CM before we even got on line, so it had nothing to do with anything other than the time we arrived at the terminal.
Boarding started a few minutes before 12, and we got on the ship between 1:30 and 1:45.
Fantastic trip, kids had a blast, already planning our next cruise. Questions?
Sam

Wow! 2.5 hours from arrival to boarding with an 11 am arrival and port arrival time! I am thinking more and more about having lunch before arriving at about 12:30 to 1 pm for our cruise next month. -- Suzanne

 

[marybaby08]

So this week was first come, first serve ?

 

[m&m's mom]

I called DCL about something else today and the rep told me they just got a memo today that states your boarding number is directly tied to the time you chose when you checked in online.
He read it off to me and it confirmed everything that had been suspected here.
He did say this was being implemented in stages so not 100% at the time.
He encouraged me to use the "Contact Us" on DCL website and let them know our displeasure.

 

[Doinitwell]

Just off the Dream also. I got to the terminal at 9:30a and received boarding #3. My check in time was listed from 10:30 - 11:30 but apparently that did not matter.

 

[VKtravel]

Wow! 2.5 hours from arrival to boarding with an 11 am arrival and port arrival time! I am thinking more and more about having lunch before arriving at about 12:30 to 1 pm for our cruise next month. -- Suzanne

I think I'm with you on that one Suzanne! I was going to try to wait until we get on the ship to eat lunch but maybe we should also eat prior to arrival. Shuttle service told us that they will pick us up at the hotel for an 11:00 arrival. Are there any restaurants in the terminal? Snack bars? CANDY MACHINES?!!? Maybe I should pack some snacks just in case to ease the tummy rumbling before we get on board!

 

[Samantha6174]

There's nothing to eat in the terminal. We had snacks with us.
It was pretty frustrating to get such a high number even though I arrived when I was told to. It didn't make any difference at all, because they gave me the number prior to my giving them any info. It was entirely first-come, first-serve.

 

[PhotoLisa]

When we cruised in February on the Magic, there was absolutely no rhyme or reason for the way the boarding numbers were given out!!

I was given #9 at the Castaway counter and my sister was at the window next to me and she was given #8! Other members of our party arrived about 15 minutes after us and they received #3 and #4.

We all compared online check in assigned arrival times and the numbers given at the counter did not have anything to do with those online times.

Absolutely random!!! I preferred when you were given your number as you went on the escalator! At least that was first come, first served.

 

[keishashadow]

I'm slow, somebody explain to me why I need to try & grab the earliest boarding slot in a few weeks. The 'enhanced' new system sounds broken to me.

I'll do the drill & try my best for an early slot, but until I read here that DCL enforces their own rules as to 'reserved' arrival times, i'll just mosey over on the beeline whenever it floats my boat.

OP i don't doubt your account & i did re-read your post several times and am still shocked. I have sailed several different cruiselines and cannot imagine any situtation (unless the boarding groups were ridiculously large or there was some mistake as to the ship not being cleared/security issue) how it could take 1-1/2 hours to finally get aboard the ship after the number is called.

Seriously sounds as though they need a mimosa stand outside the terminal to make it all go down a little easier lol

 

[dawne98]

I had asked all about this a few days a go and I am going on our DCL until May 2012 so I have a year for DCL to get this right but if it was this May I would be the last on on the ship LOL just so I would NOT have to wait 2 hours I hate to wait....Yes a few times I have been the to ran to a flight to get on it lol but that is when I fly alone with my DD's we are on time LOL but NO way would I wait two hours just to get on the ship to get to the pool and eat 1st.

 

[goofy4tink]

So, based on the OPs timeline, it is taking about 8-9 mins per boarding group?? Does that sound about right? If she got group 14 and it took close to 2 hrs before she got on board, that seems to be the average time per group. Not so sure I would be thrilled to have to hang around waiting for close to 2 hrs after boarding started! That is a total of close to 3 hrs from arrival to boarding!!!

 

[lbgraves]

That is crazy!!! I am not surprised that you got group 14 if they were giving them out in order of arival if you got to the port at 11. They had been giving out the numbers since before 10 so I am actually surprised that you got as low as 14 since we have gotten 5 or 6 when arriving by 10:10. They started boarding a bit late also but it should not have taken that long to get to #14. There goes a relaxing afternoon onboard after enjoying lunch onboard.

 

[Alexander]

We have received maybe as high as 4 or 5 before and we were on the ship literally minutes after they started boarding. I can't believe a 14 would be 1:30! Some people talked about getting a 29! When would then get on? After the ship has pulled away? Seriously, it sounds like something was wrong again! It shouldn't take 2 hours to go from 1 to 14!

 

[Zandy595]

We have received maybe as high as 4 or 5 before and we were on the ship literally minutes after they started boarding. I can't believe a 14 would be 1:30! Some people talked about getting a 29! When would then get on? After the ship has pulled away? Seriously, it sounds like something was wrong again! It shouldn't take 2 hours to go from 1 to 14!

I think the highest number I've seen posted was a 37.

As much as I hate to wait in long lines, I will still be getting to the port by 10am. We don't cruise very often and I want to spend as much time on the ship as possible (it's only a 3 day), even if it means we have to wait hours to get onboard.

First come, first serve - seems like the only fair way to do it without everyone getting upset.

 

[keishashadow]

I think the highest number I've seen posted was a 37.

As much as I hate to wait in long lines, I will still be getting to the port by 10am. We don't cruise very often and I want to spend as much time on the ship as possible (it's only a 3 day), even if it means we have to wait hours to get onboard.

First come, first serve - seems like the only fair way to do it without everyone getting upset.

one would think! jmho, if DCL really wants this new system of staggered arrival time to work (and it could, in theory); they need to enforce it, no exceptions!!! Those who arrive earlier than their stated arrival time, should be directed to a holding area & told to come back when it's 'their turn'.

However, I have long given up on disney actually standing by any of their pseudo rules...he who barks the loudest typically winsand I realistically can't see DCL chancing a 'scene' at the terminal wherein non-legit early birds are turned away.

 

[DaveH]

I find the boarding time thing is silly. I have found one spot on the DCL website about them. At the online check in only. The wording says it is a request. If they want this to work, they need to put this stuff when you book your cruise, not after we already did online check in. Then we had to do it again. If I did not go back and try to get a Palo ressie we would not have yet checked in a second time. Under the current management, DCL is getting far less organized. It is a shame.

 

[rcraw45425]

Also on the 4/3 sailing. We arrived around 11AM and entered from the third floor (thank you to the wonderful man that told us it was less crowded up there!) We had chosen 11-11:30 and received #10. We walked through the Mickey ears at around 12:40, were eating in Enchanted Garden before 1. Despite the notice saying cabins would be ready at 1:30, we were not allowed in the corridors until around 1:40. Luggage arrived pretty eariy.

 

[MrsMinease]

Also on the 4/3 sailing. We arrived around 11AM and entered from the third floor (thank you to the wonderful man that told us it was less crowded up there!) We had chosen 11-11:30 and received #10. We walked through the Mickey ears at around 12:40, were eating in Enchanted Garden before 1. Despite the notice saying cabins would be ready at 1:30, we were not allowed in the corridors until around 1:40. Luggage arrived pretty eariy.

Did you use the bridge from the parking structure to get to the 3rd floor?

 

[SHammett]

We sailed the Dream 3/27 and had an on-line time of 11-11:30 as well. We went through 3rd floor security at 12:40. Received boarding group number 5 after checking in and they were calling group 12 by that time (a little after 1). We were on the ship by 1:15, so total time was right around 30 minutes. I thought our number was low because our on-line time was pretty early, but I guess I was wrong. We are silver castaway, but I don't think that has anything to do with it. Maybe they're rewarding those who don't arrive earlier than their assigned time? It looks like they would just come out with a true answer to the crazy logic of it all.

 

[kikids]

We were on 4/3-4/7 as well. Had a check in time of 12-12:30 and arrived at 12:20. They were boarding groups 1-4 when we arrived. We got #23 and didn't get called to board until 2:15!!! It was agonizingly slow. Others next to us in line said they chose later boarding times online but showed up earlier and also received boarding #23. So no, the online time you pick is very much not currently enforced.

Also at 12:30 the line to register your kids for kids clubs was wound around to the end of the ropes and all the way back through the port to the front doors. We spent about an hour in line.

Lesson learned: this was absolutely the wrong time to arrive.