Onboard time?

[principessa0ox]

Do you have to board right at the onboard time?

This will be our first cruise and it says onboard at 3:45. Trying to figure out if it’ll be worth it to do a day at the parks before. Would we be able to stay at the parks until 1-2? Or do we need to be at the port early?

 

[happycamper47]

You still have your testing to go through and if you hit traffic on 417 or 528 you may miss the boat. I don't think it's worth taking the chance personally.

 

[CamColt]

When you do your online check in you will be given a port arrival time and a boarding group number. We recently had 10:45 with BG 6. We were on the ship by 12;30. Most likely you will get a PA time of much earlier than 3:45, and my personal opinion is get on board asap! You will want to have as much time as possible to check out the ship and explore.

 

[lanejudy]

3:45pm is the all aboard time - the latest anyone may board. You’ll want to arrive we’ll before that, most do lunch onboard for embarkation day. Definitely not time for the parks that day.

 

[principessa0ox]

This is very helpful, thank you all for the replies! We’ve never done any cruise before.

Based on this, I think we’ll move our 2 park days to the back end. The ship is supposed to dock at 7:30 on Saturday. Does it seem doable to have a park that day? I was thinking we’d hopefully be able to arrive by 10-11, but not sure if it’ll actually take way longer.

 

[NurseDave]

This is very helpful, thank you all for the replies! We’ve never done any cruise before.

Based on this, I think we’ll move our 2 park days to the back end. The ship is supposed to dock at 7:30 on Saturday. Does it seem doable to have a park that day? I was thinking we’d hopefully be able to arrive by 10-11, but not sure if it’ll actually take way longer.

Yes, that’s more doable. And unlike a flight, if there happens to be the rare hold up in debarkation all is not lost.

 

[happycamper47]

As NurseDave said doable, I'd even add very doable. We just had 2400 guests on the FANTASY this past week and docked at 6. We dropped friends off at the airport at 9:00 am., debarkation and leaving the Port went very fast.

 

[TheSpooph]

As NurseDave said doable, I'd even add very doable. We just had 2400 guests on the FANTASY this past week and docked at 6. We dropped friends off at the airport at 9:00 am., debarkation and leaving the Port went very fast.

the numbers are definitely starting to climb back up!

 

[Kwami]

the numbers are definitely starting to climb back up!

Sure, it's spring break season in the US. From mid-February through mid-April (or later this year, because Easter is on April 17), schools throughout the US take a week off. That, plus the receding Covid-19 wave and the loosening of restrictions will increase guest numbers.

We'll see if the increase is sustained, though. The same thing happened around Thanksgiving and Christmas, but then numbers fell again once school started and Omicron took over. I hope it ends better this time!

 

[Cheburashka]

Do you have to board right at the onboard time?

This will be our first cruise and it says onboard at 3:45. Trying to figure out if it’ll be worth it to do a day at the parks before. Would we be able to stay at the parks until 1-2? Or do we need to be at the port early?

I think 1:45 - 2pm is the latest Port Arrival Time they're offering now. That's the latest that was offered for my cruise which sails on Saturday, and I chose it so I could enjoy my Disney resort all morning. Covid testing takes almost an hour, so you can't currently show up at port right before the all-aboard time.

 

[ThinkTink1]

I think 1:45 - 2pm is the latest Port Arrival Time they're offering now. That's the latest that was offered for my cruise which sails on Saturday, and I chose it so I could enjoy my Disney resort all morning. Covid testing takes almost an hour, so you can't currently show up at port right before the all-aboard time.

2 -2:15 Lol I was like let me go look to see if they have any earlier boarding times for me cruise but I am scheduled for 10:45 and never seem to get there on time lol

 

[mousefan73]

I would not plan a park day unless you had EMH (do they still have those?) and you specifically wanted to do a certain ride, get pictures or get something park exclusive. AND only if I drove with a rental or my own car and had that packed and ready for a direct shot to park. I personally would not be comfortable leaving later than 11am towards port.

One year we stayed at BC and we did Soarin and TT first thing in the AM, while others were getting packed for port. but we were in the car by 10:30

simply to plan a park day without a specific goal no way., too stressfull and kinda expensive too if you go by standard price per day.

Now planning a park day on disembarkation is doable.. if you walk everything off, you could be in the parks well before noon.

 

[mousefan73]

I think 1:45 - 2pm is the latest Port Arrival Time they're offering now. That's the latest that was offered for my cruise which sails on Saturday, and I chose it so I could enjoy my Disney resort all morning. Covid testing takes almost an hour, so you can't currently show up at port right before the all-aboard time.

If they know you are running late, DCL will try their best. on our Magic sailing one guy in our FB group was stuck in a storm in Toronto, I believe he books flights with DCL, but not 100%. He said a DCL person was waiting for him ( he also had DCL tranport booked). I believe he boarded at just before our sail away at 5pm

but just showing up that late,, I dont think would work.