More transportation questions...

[AlwaysMouseTime]

Soooooo what will we miss out on if we don't board the ship ASAP? It seems that the most cost effective method of arriving at Port Canaveral from POR is to take the DCL transport, but seems that the ship will be a total zoo when we arrive that way. Are we really going to be missing out on a great time if we don't arrive until the bus brings us mid afternoon?
Also, if we don't have an outbound flight that night, we aren't able to utilize the DCL bus back to MCO? Is that what I'm understanding? Do they actually check into the flights? I mean, if I just *said* I was booked on flight # 33333 do they check that? KWIM?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Soooooo what will we miss out on if we don't board the ship ASAP? It seems that the most cost effective method of arriving at Port Canaveral from POR is to take the DCL transport, but seems that the ship will be a total zoo when we arrive that way. Are we really going to be missing out on a great time if we don't arrive until the bus brings us mid afternoon?
Also, if we don't have an outbound flight that night, we aren't able to utilize the DCL bus back to MCO? Is that what I'm understanding? Do they actually check into the flights? I mean, if I just *said* I was booked on flight # 33333 do they check that? KWIM?

We've arrived via DCL transfers for most of our cruises out of Port Canaveral. It's such a pleasure to just walk right up to the check in desk, and onto the ship without waiting (no need to wait for boarding number to be called). Yes the ship is pretty much close to it's guest complement at that time, so "at it's busiest" in the public areas (mostly because we can't get to the rooms until 1:30, but that's how it's going to be most of the time (especially sea days) - may as well get used to it.

You can use DCL transfers back to MCO, if you wish, but you can't participate in the Onboard Airline Checkin unless your flight is the same day as debarkation. You would just claim your bags in the terminal, hand them off to the DCL bus driver and claim them again from the driver once at the airport.

AFAIK, you don't have to claim any sort of flight, you just need to tell them you're taking DCL transfers to MCO.

 

[JP350Z]

Depending on where you want to stay that night before your flight home. You Might Be suprised how much private transfers are. For the DCL bus at $35 per head each way I was able to get a limo to the airport. We have a party of 6 at $190 plus tip for limo. DCL was $210. No need to use DCL if your not flying out that day and can't use the luggage service.

 

[Aby]

The only thing we missed when we arrived on DCL transportation was being able to eat in the MDR instead of Cabanas for lunch, since it closes a bit earlier. We were still able to make some dining changes and book beverage seminars, and a nice benefit was a very short wait until our room was ready and we could drop off our bags. We didn't really find the ship a zoo - we were able to find a table in Cabanas easily, and we still had time after eating to make it to the spa raffle.

I do see the appeal of being at the port early and boarding near the beginning, because I actually enjoy the anticipation of waiting to get on the ship, but we really enjoying arriving later on our last cruise, so I'd take the DCL transfers again in the future

Aby

 

[CaterFamily]

We have to fly in the day prior to sailing and are using private transfer ($150 from MCO to Hotel) to our hotel by the pier (we get in at 11:22 PM EST...bleh). When we get back we are taking DCL Transportation to PO:FQ ($150:Family of 4).

Basically since we were flying in a day early we couldn't use DCL transportation. So we panicked a lot the first several days - our first time booking a vacation ourselves (had to be our first DCL cruise too...) so yeah that was interesting. Read a lot about booking a limo but at 11:30 at night we thought, meh too much. So after about 3 hours of research on prices for a private firm from MCO to the hotel at Port Canaveral I figured that its all about $150 for our family. Booked and that worry was gone.

Read on these boards that we could do the Dream to Resort for $35/pp and called DCL and asked them to help. They did by taking $150 from us and saying, "We got you covered". That reduced 99% of our worry for transportation to and from basically everywhere.

Long story short: it pays (literally and figuratively) to get a TA or research everything before pressing PURCHASE.

 

[kiford]

Soooooo what will we miss out on if we don't board the ship ASAP?

IMO - not much. The only times we've arrived early is in the Med and Dover (still used DCL transfers but they arrived earlier). We ended up sitting in the Cove Cafe reading because I refuse to lug around a carryon until the room is ready. Could have done that in the hotel later in the morning.

We usually get there about 12:30-1:30 and still have time to get to our room, drop off the carryons, check our excursion tickets for accuracy and go make any changes, go to Guest Services to sign up for tastings, have lunch, wander about a bit, and get ready for the drill all before 4 pm. Can't say I feel that we've missed anything. I'd rather wake up later in the morning and have a leisurely breakfast and relax before the bus picks us up than get up early, snarf down breakfast, rush to the port, stand in line, and lug my bag around for a couple of hours.

 

[truck1]

The only real things you might miss out on are if you want to make changes to your cabin, dining, Palo or Remy. In some cases a ticketed.event. Things like Palo or Remy, if your not the first 2 or 3 peope in line for a date change, or trying to make one chances are you won't get it. Theres usually only 2 or 3 open spots. If you were hoping for an upgrade, chances are you won't get it at the terminal either. All of the above are first come first serve.