Online Check-in Experience

[Lizzie67]

For some reason, I was nervous as heck about online check-in. I just knew it was gonna crash or I was not going to have the correct things. DH knew I was nervous about something going wrong and offered to do it for me. But that would mean me giving up control, LOL. He did, however, buy me a snack and a high caffeine soft drink so I could stay awake until midnight.

In reality? Smooth as can be. In fact, I was offered an onboard at 11:45 and I actually chose later (12pm - group 10) so we wouldn't have to rush from our hotel in FLL (free breakfast there and counting for drive time). I think I had to refresh once but otherwise, I found it to be very self-explanatory. I used the guide that is stickied above on what to have and had all of my pictures / info in a folder ready to go. Otherwise, all the photos loaded easy, nothing seemed difficult, etc.

Having said that, I'm still 'pending' so maybe something is not going to be accepted or I did a major mess-up and I'll change my tune.

Anyway, the only other thing to do is get used to the app instead of a daily 'paper' once on board. We have cruised many times but this is our first 'electronic daily things to do' cruise.

 

[CarolynFH]

Thanks for posting - we don’t check in until December, but I want to learn all I can beforehand to make it easier when the time comes!

BTW what was the latest PAT you could have chosen? We’re sailing out of Galveston and live close enough that we’d like to eat lunch at our favorite restaurant there before we go to the port. So we’ll want a later PAT.

 

[RedHead0186]

Having said that, I'm still 'pending' so maybe something is not going to be accepted or I did a major mess-up and I'll change my tune.

That is very common (being listed as 'pending'), and it could be that way up to even a few days before the cruise. It doesn't mean you did anything wrong (it just means a human has to go through each and every one of the photos submitted to manually approve them and that takes time, lol).

Honestly, even if you do have to resubmit something, the fact that all you have to do is get something to upload in order to move on and select a PAT is a major plus. And if you do have to fix something, DCL will contact you and it won't affect your PAT; you'll just upload a new photo or document.

I think the staggering to check in based on CC status has helped a bit. Now instead of an entire ship trying to check in at the same time, it's just whoever on that particular ship is whichever CC status. Of course, if there are multiple DCL ships sailing on a particular date, that will up the number of people, but it's still better than it used to be!

 

[Lizzie67]

Thanks for posting - we don’t check in until December, but I want to learn all I can beforehand to make it easier when the time comes!

BTW what was the latest PAT you could have chosen? We’re sailing out of Galveston and live close enough that we’d like to eat lunch at our favorite restaurant there before we go to the port. So we’ll want a later PAT.

Gosh, off the top of my head I don't remember exactly. I seem to think there were six options in 15 min increments starting at 11:45 (I'm just remember two rows of three boxes). I cold be way off but I know that there was, at least, a little leeway.

Biggest tip is to follow the sticky above and have the photos ready to upload.

 

[auntlynne]

Congratulations!

I had problems with the app the first few days. I wish I had read something like this set of instructions - principally the part when it discusses the Explorer section - and how to see more categories (sliding the categories list).

https://touringplans.com/blog/step-by-step-using-disney-cruise-line-navigator-on-board/

 

[tlovesdis]

I had a smooth check in as well back in March. I am glad it went well for you!!

 

[auntlynne]

What was the decision on taking both kids? And the internship/ summer program?

 

[RedHead0186]

Thanks for posting - we don’t check in until December, but I want to learn all I can beforehand to make it easier when the time comes!

BTW what was the latest PAT you could have chosen? We’re sailing out of Galveston and live close enough that we’d like to eat lunch at our favorite restaurant there before we go to the port. So we’ll want a later PAT.

Not sure about Galveston, but at Port Canaveral I think I've seen PATs as late as around 2:30pm.

 

[Lizzie67]

What was the decision on taking both kids? And the internship/ summer program?

Both are going. Talked to instructor, he said it was perfectly okay to do 2 of the 3 weeks (she's only 12 so it is not like a college prep thing). In fact, he said that it was the perfect mix of success - education and a strong family foundation.

Also, she asked that her dad and I buy her math workbooks to 'keep her skills up' over the summer, LOL. She does a couple of pages a day so she is self-driven enough that we have to remind her to stop and enjoy life on the way up the ladder.

 

[auntlynne]

”education and a strong family foundation” - and some fun!

 

[Disneyland_emily]

We checked in last night and it was easily the smoothest once since they switched it.. 12:04 I was done..

 

[lanejudy]

I was offered an onboard at 11:45 and I actually chose later (12pm - group 10) so we wouldn't have to rush from our hotel in FLL

Just to clarify...that is not your onboard time but the Port Arrival Time -- quite literally the time you will arrive at the port terminal. Then there is security, check-in, etc. Boarding may or may not have already begun by then, but you will board once they call your boarding group number.