PAT and Open Boarding

[DisneyCruiseFamily]

Is there anywhere that people have noted what boarding number they received based on their PAT?

Also, what time (on average) does open boarding begin?

We are traveling with families who have later PATs and they are wondering how long it will take them to board. One family has small children and are deciding if it is worth getting to the port when the earlier families do or just wait at the hotel.

TIA

 

[Justacruiser]

Boarding number move quickly now most of the time at Port Cavaveral. Most of the time they are calling boarding number at around 11:30, sometimes earlier. Usually by 12:30 it is general boarding so everyone can board even if they have a later PAT. If they arrive at 12:00, they can get parked and checked in and wait a few minutes (hopefully) and then board when they announce general boarding. hope this helps.

 

[Bree]

Your PAT & boarding number will vary cruise to cruise. I had a 10:45am PAT last year on our Fantasy cruise and got boarding number 6.

 

[joannjoe]

So if I understand you right. You can get there at 11:30 go through security and get checked in and then wait for your number? It's not wait for your number then get checked in and board?

 

[lanejudy]

Correct. When you do online check-in, you select a PAT (port arrival time). This is approximately when you expect to arrive at the port terminal. If you arrive much earlier and it is crazy-busy-crowded, you MAY be asked to wait outside the terminal until your PAT. Once you enter the terminal, you go through security and then do check-in. At check-in, you are given a boarding number. The boarding number is directly tied to your PAT -- so an earlier PAT has a lower boarding number; a later PAT has a higher (later) boarding number.

As PP mentions, "open boarding" is usually called around 12:30pm. Once it is open boarding, your boarding number does not matter (and PAT also generally becomes moot as well).

Enjoy your cruise!

 

[Justacruiser]

correct

Your PAT is the time you should report to port. Once there you will proceed to the check-in with the required documentation. After you recieve your KTTW cards, they will provide you a boarding number. That's the number they will call to get you on board.

 

[DisneyCruiseFamily]

Sorry another question....when do PATs start and what time do they go till? We were platinum when this all started so I am having a hard time answering our friends questions on this one. Thank you for your help!!

 

[Dug720]

Your PAT & boarding number will vary cruise to cruise. I had a 10:45am PAT last year on our Fantasy cruise and got boarding number 6.

Definitely. I've cruised the past two Februarys - 2014 on the Dream and 2015 on the Fantasy. Both times I had a 10:30am PAT (and was using DCL transportation from MCO). In 2014 I got boarding group 2 and in 2015 I got boarding group 3. I don't know if they've decreased the size of boarding groups or if I lucked into one of the last 10:30 slots where Gold cruisers had grabbed them all before, but it was interesting.

I did notice this year that they had a lane for people who didn't want an embarkation picture, which seemed to move things along better.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Sorry another question....when do PATs start and what time do they go till? We were platinum when this all started so I am having a hard time answering our friends questions on this one. Thank you for your help!!

PAT times start when the terminal opens (10:30) and, AFAIK, run until arou8nd 3:00. But, because of the Open Boarding, they generally don't actually announce those boarding numbers that are tied to the times much past 12:30-1:00.

 

[over50visits]

Boarding number move quickly now most of the time at Port Cavaveral. Most of the time they are calling boarding number at around 11:30, sometimes earlier. Usually by 12:30 it is general boarding so everyone can board even if they have a later PAT. If they arrive at 12:00, they can get parked and checked in and wait a few minutes (hopefully) and then board when they announce general boarding. hope this helps.

Great answer - from our experience, and from a lot of postings here, that seems to be the "sweet spot" of arriving at port to get right on board, have lunch, a little exploring time, then to the cabin. Arriving early subjects you to huge crowds, and arriving later might mix you with a number of Disney busses, and you might miss lunch if you're too late.

Good advice from justacruiser

 

[Kenny1113]

Anyone know what time general boarding is at Port of Miami?

 

[MPS516]

When we went out of Miami they had a maintenance issue so they started late. Toilets did not work for first 1/2 hour to an hour depending where on the ship you were.