Latest you can get off the ship?

[jessicajulie]

Hi everyone -

What is the absolute latest you can get off the ship? Our flight doesn't leave until 4:30 pm. We are reserving a town car to take us from the ship to the airport but no matter how you look at it we are going to be there way early. SW won't let you check your bags and check in until 4 hours before our flight so we can't check in until 12:30 pm.

Also, any suggestions what to do with hours to kill at the airport. I know all of you are going to suggest renting a car and stopping somewhere but my husband does not want to drive, get lost, park, fill up with gas, return the car, etc..... So I guess we are stuck at the airport

Thanks for your help.

 

[Señor Ferrari]

This will vary depending on what time the ship ties up and when US Customs actually clears the ship for debarkation, but I believe that they want everyone off the ship by around 9:00am. They next cruise will begin boarding just after noon, so you can't really hang around on the ship for very long on the last morning.

You might consider getting a day room at the airport Hyatt. You could store your luggage there, take a nap, or hang out by the pool for a few hours before checking in for your flight. Just a thought. There's really not a lot to do at the airport except to overpay for food and drinks.

 

[jessicajulie]

Do you happen to know how much the Hyatt charges for a day room? Also, is it better to make a reservation or just show up and see if they have any rooms available - and do you think you get a better rate that way?

Thanks for the the info.

 

[>>^..^<<]

No two ways about it.. you are kicked off the ship as soon as breakfast is finished.. you are not even allowed to go back to your cabin after eating...

We decided to finish my roll of film and take some more photos and I felt decidedly unwelcome... the CM's were very busy getting ready for the next load of guests to arrive.. they really wanted us GONE.

Looks like you will be spending some time at the airport... but - I must admit I was pleasantly surprised at Orlando airport - it is much more civilized than Toronto.. there are some good stores, disney sotre, sea world store other shops along the concourse... so it's really not that bad... as airports go..

If your flight was later... I would have said take yor limo to a Disney Hotel, book a day room, leave your luggage and spend the afternoon around the pool.. then check out and grab a shuttle or taxi to the airport...

Good luck.. let us know what you decide.

>>^..^<<

 

[Señor Ferrari]

jessicajulie,

I actually do not know what a day room costs at the Hyatt, or even if they have a different rate for a day room. I've never actually done this. We always stay there the night before the cruise, but usually have a flight out at around noon or so. This still gives us a couple of hours to hang around in the airport, but that's different then being there all day.

I would think that you'd get a better deal if you booked in advance. We've gotten decent overnight deals ($79-$129) from both Travelocity.com and from the Hyatt website. The beauty of the Hyatt on the night before the cruise is that it's actually in the MCO terminal, so you don't have far to go once you get off the plane, and you don't have to catch a shuttle to the hotel, as you do with the other airport-area hotels. The downside is that it is a bit more expensive than the others.

If a rental car isn't totally out of the question, I'd go that route. You could drive to the WDW resort and hang around Downtown Disney for a while. If you pre-pay the gas, you don't have to worry about filling up, and it's fairly easy to get from port to resort and back to the airport. Dave's DCL Tribute Site has a wealth of information on car rentals, hotels and driving directions. Have a look!

 

[Michelle]

The day room rate I have heard of at the Airport Hyatt is $60, well worth it if you have time to kill at the airport and want to relax and enjoy the pool.

 

[JLSM97]

Our flight doesn't leave until 5:30 Saturday, so we're going to have several hours to kill at MCO too. We were thinking of spending them at Downtown Disney. Is there any way to get there and back without renting a car? Are there shuttles or convenient bus lines? What would cab fare be?

 

[dcbrown]

We have a day room at the MCO Hyatt for the disembarkment day as our flight does not leave until 6:15. It is $60 for sat. 4/26.

 

[Jeanny]

that's a great price!! I may even consider getting a day room if my plane leaves later in the day. That way we won't be just sitting around the airport, waiting, waiting and more waiting.

Jeanny

 

[jessicajulie]

We thought about taking the Disney transportationto Downtown Disney and then taking a cab to the airport but we couldn't figure out what to do with all our luggage.

We are flying SW and I don't think we can check it at the port. I also thought about taking the towncar to the airport and then taking a cab to Downtown Disney after we have checked the luggage but SW will not let us check it until 12:30 pm and by that time it hardly seems worth to to go to Downtown Disney when we have to be back at the airport by I would think no later than about 3:00 pm since our flight leaves at 4:30 and who knows how long security lines will be.


AGGGHHHH!!!

 

[mcnuss]

Originally posted by JLSM97
Our flight doesn't leave until 5:30 Saturday, so we're going to have several hours to kill at MCO too. We were thinking of spending them at Downtown Disney. Is there any way to get there and back without renting a car? Are there shuttles or convenient bus lines? What would cab fare be?

Renting a car really is the best option. We paid something like $40 including gas for the day. We had some big boat of a Buick - I think it was a "full size". Our flight was not until 7:30 so we met my parents - who live about 1 1/2 hrs. north of Orlando - at Downtown Disney. We called them as we were leaving the ship, and we beat them to DTD! It was a very easy process. By my calcs, the DCL bus fare plus a cab to the airport would have cost $110 for the three of us, so as you can see, the car was a bargain and we had total freedom to do as we pleased.

We were lucky to be on US Airways so we checked in at the port, got rid of the luggage and got our boarding passes. However, even if we could not have, the car's trunk would have been sufficiently large to hold our stuff.

 

[eml]

Jessicajulie- You are correct that Southwest does not check bags at port. We just flew home with them today!

 

[JLSM97]

Renting a car really is the best option. We paid something like $40 including gas for the day. We had some big boat of a Buick - I think it was a "full size". Our flight was not until 7:30 so we met my parents - who live about 1 1/2 hrs. north of Orlando - at Downtown Disney. We called them as we were leaving the ship, and we beat them to DTD! It was a very easy process. By my calcs, the DCL bus fare plus a cab to the airport would have cost $110 for the three of us, so as you can see, the car was a bargain and we had total freedom to do as we pleased.

Thanks for the info! I have a few other questions now, though!

1. We have already paid for Disney transfers from the port to MCO. What we would be paying for would be transportation from MCO to DTD--any suggestions on methods and estimated costs?

2. Can we rent a car right at the port? We've got transfers, so we probably wouldn't, but because it could save us some time I'm wondering if it's a possibility; otherwise we would rent at the airport.

3. If we don't rent a car we'll need to store our luggage somewhere for a few hours. This may be a dumb question, but are there lockers at MCO?

Thanks--

 

[Verandah Man]

Originally posted by dcbrown
We have a day room at the MCO Hyatt for the disembarkment day as our flight does not leave until 6:15. It is $60 for sat. 4/26.

We are in the same situation, our flight leaving MCO back to Atlantic City leaves at 6:30 pm. Could you please share the phone # I need to call about a day room. The $60.00 would be well worth it, rather than sitting in the airport all day. My DD would love to be able to get an extra swim in before coming home.

 

[Jeanny]

Try this link to the Hyatt~
http://www.orlandoairport.hyatt.com/property/index.jhtml


Plus there is more info on Dave's website...
Good Luck!
Jeanny

 

[NYDisneyMom]

You are correct that Southwest does not check bags at port. We just flew home with them today!

I never thought about this....so which airlines DO check bags at the port?

 

[DonnyFan]

Hi, we also have a late flight after debarking on a Sunday am. Are there any places to visit/shop on the route between the port and Orlando airport?
Thanks ahead for your answers!

 

[dcbrown]

Hey Verandah Man....My sister made the ressie, so I don't have the phone #. I hope that web site helped you out. I have also done a day room at the Cocoa Bch Hilton for $42....stayed there the night before as well....if you are interested in doing the beach thing instead of pool on the way in and out. You can get a van/car to take you to MCO after a day at the beach and /or pool, lunch and a nice refreshing shower. We are on that same Spirit flight ....but a different day of course....much sooner!!!!! Are you ready for the floods?

DCB

 

[cathie]

We loved our 3 Day Wonder Cruise but getting rushed off the ship was not fun....it's like they all become ice cold when it's time to leave. We travel with someone disabled, so getting rushed off is very stressful. Some ships stagger their departure time. That might be a better idea.

 

[JLSM97]

I reserved a day room at the MCO Hyatt for $60. Call 407-825-1234; if they tell you they don't "do" day rooms, tell them that YES INDEED they do! The reservations people didn't know anything about it, but I asked them to call the hotel and they then confirmed the info I'd found here!

I was told that day rooms have a checkout time of 6pm. When they asked what time I'd arrive, I said it would be about 9am or so, and that wasn't a problem.