MCO --> Port Canaveral Luggage Transfer

[GKG]

We're arriving at MCO the evening before our cruise and will be staying at the airport Hyatt. We're opting for private transportation because we're a large party and it's cheaper. I heard someone say that, even if you're providing your own transportation from MCO and not using DCL ground transfer, you can still use the DCL luggage transfer from the airport.

Anybody know if that's true? If so, is there any benefit to that, other than you don't need to drag your bags to your transportation or hand them over to porters at the port? Any quicker at the port?

Also, even though the DCL ground transfer from the airport is more expensive for us than private transportation, is there any added benefit to DCL transportation from the airport, for example Port Arrival Time not enforced? Do you end up waiting around for your embarkation group anyhow?



Thanks!

 

[lanejudy]

If you are flying in the same day as embarkation, you can use the DCL luggage tags and your bags will meet you onboard the ship. They separate the luggage right off the plane and it goes to the port by truck.

I don't know how -- or if -- that would work when arriving the night prior. You would need to collect your bags (or I believe Hyatt has a service that will do it for you) that evening; but where would you drop them off the next day? If taking DCL transfers, guests can bring luggage to the check-in point to be put on the truck, but I don't think they'll take luggage that morning without a reservation.

4 passengers is about the break-even point between DCL transfers and private transportation. The primary benefit of DCL transfers from the airport is entering the terminal early (if taking the first bus) which gives a head-start to check for upgrades. Also presumably the boarding number assigned will be the "next" available; however, reports of that have varied.

Enjoy your cruise!

 

[GKG]

Thank you for the quick and helpful response! I figured that the Hyatt could collect bags from our room and bring them down to the DCL truck, just like they do for guests with DCL ground transfer, but I get your point that it does not seem there is a process for "bags only".

Anyhow, thanks for the tip about the break-even point (there are 6 of us, so we'd save money doing private ground transportation) and that we might benefit from taking the DCL bus with respect to PAT and upgrade opportunities. Definitely some factors to consider. I'd like to try for an upgrade but if the odds are low anyhow, I'm not sure it's worth paying more for DCL transportation and possibly waiting at the terminal for a while if we're not likely to get one.

 

[kiford]

I heard someone say that, even if you're providing your own transportation from MCO and not using DCL ground transfer, you can still use the DCL luggage transfer from the airport.

If you are flying in the same day as embarkation, you can use the DCL luggage tags and your bags will meet you onboard the ship. They separate the luggage right off the plane and it goes to the port by truck.

AFAIK, the only way that you can have your bags transported with DCL without you going on with them either directly off a flight or from MCO Hyatt is if you book it, pay as if you were taking the transfers yourself, and then just not show up. So you're basically paying once for your luggage and once for yourself with private transfers. Can't see that it's worth it.