Pearl tier not required to select a port arrival time.

[insureman]

From the Disney Cruise Line Blog.

https://disneycruiselineblog.com/20...y-rolled-out-for-pearl-castaway-club-members/

 

[Fuzzycaterpillar1]

From disneycruiselineblog.com:

Posted on August 1, 2023 by Scott Sanders — 4 Comments ↓
Ok, this is what has been going on for the last few weeks – Pearl Castaway Club members checking in for an upcoming cruise are discovering they are no longer required to select a Port Arrival Time. That being said, it appears that Disney Cruise Line discovered another treasure which was once an exclusive to the Platinum level which they are currently extending to Pearl Castaway Club members in the form of a new benefit for guests who have sailed on 25 or more Disney cruises.

According to various reports from Pearl Castaway Club members, Online Check-In indicates they can now arrive anytime on embarkation day (at least 1 hour before all aboard time) without the need to pick a port arrival time!


The arrive anytime benefit began to appear quietly on guests accounts in July. Additionally, Pearl Castaway Club members began to notice their previously assigned boarding group number was lowered to boarding group #2. Over the weekend of July 15th, Pearl Castaway club members with upcoming cruises (even those already check-in) received check-in reminder emails. Upon logging into to Disney’s website they discovered the following message:

You are not required to select a port arrival time. Please arrive anytime during the Embarkation period, at least one hour prior to all-aboard time at the latest. Once you are fully checked in and boarding has begun, you may make your way onto the ship at your leisure.

DCL Castaway Club Pearl Online Chekcin PAT 20230717
The privilege to arrive at anytime with out a selected port arrival time was once a Platinum Castaway Club benefit before the industry shutdown in 2020. With the return to cruising in 2021 the cruise line required and enforced all guests regardless of Castaway Club status to select a Port Arrival Time (PAT) with the exception of guests booked in a concierge level stateroom (who may also arrive at anytime regardless of Castaway Club status) to manage guest arrival at the embarkation terminals to reduce congestion in the terminal as well as reduce the traffic in and around the port area.

As of this morning, Disney Cruise Line’s Castaway Club page continues to state “Select port arrival times and complete online check-in 40 days prior to sailing” under the Pearl overview.

DCL Castaway Club Benefit Overview 20230801
Moving forward, I would say enjoy this perk until it shimmers away, or becomes an official Pearl Member benefit. Either way, this is a potential perk/benefit Pearl Castaway Club members are noticing during recent check-in experiences.

 

[dwg]

Glad to see that at least Pearl is getting this perk but not happy that they did not bring this perk back for Platinum. Before COVID Platinum was also able to board behind Concierge. This is a perk that doesn't even cost Disney a penny but is important as it alleviates the need to stay up until midnight to fumble through the online check in so you can secure a decent PAT time. I guess too many platinum now.

 

[where's_my_prince]

someone twitter reported they are platinum and got the same message today

 

[CamColt]

@insureman and @Fuzzycaterpillar1 you both posted minutes apart. I have combined your threads.

 

[where's_my_prince]

here is the tweet

 

[o&smom]

Disney finally did the right thing!!!

 

[dwg]

My Checkin was 7/28. I am Platinum and I have not received any notices regarding not needing a PAT time. In regards to the Platinum member who tweeted today maybe the change only started after August 1st.

 

[JAM9842]

We are supposed to check in next week as Platinum… if I knew we would get a “board at anytime” PAT I would not be staying up until midnight.

 

[dwg]

We are supposed to check in next week as Platinum… if I knew we would get a “board at anytime” PAT I would not be staying up until midnight.

Exactly, This shouldn't be something that is done quietly by Disney. If this is a think than there should be an announcement from Disney to avoid any confusion.

 

[insureman]

Same here for the September 17th transatlantic. I'm Pearl but I wasn't checking in at midnight anyway. Those days are done.

 

[where's_my_prince]

yeah i mean they said they wouldn’t take anything away from any of the tiers but wouldn’t this technically be taking something away from the platinum level if they only make it for pearl

 

[DCLMP]

I got an email stating I needed to complete my online check-in again. All I needed to do was agree to my cruise contract again and it moved me from 1215pm to 11 am. It didn't say I didn't need to pick a PAT though.

 

[CarolinaBlue]

I just completed online check-in (platinum) a few minutes ago and had to pick a PAT. Earliest available was 12:00-12:15 and got boarding group 10. That’s the worst we’ve ever had. In December, we had 11:15 and group 5. Hopefully, it will move up to an earlier group.

 

[n2mm]

yeah i mean they said they wouldn’t take anything away from any of the tiers but wouldn’t this technically be taking something away from the platinum level if they only make it for pearl

I thought it would be better if Pearl boarded after concierge and give platinum their #1 back. While I’m pearl, my daughter and granddaughters finally got to platinum a few cruises ago and never got to enjoy that perk.

 

[CarolynU]

I don’t think that you should take perks away because you add a new tier.
Add more for the new tier not take away from what have been until recently your most loyal guests.

 

[where's_my_prince]

I thought it would be better if Pearl boarded after concierge and give platinum their #1 back. While I’m pearl, my daughter and granddaughters finally got to platinum a few cruises ago and never got to enjoy that perk.

yeah i agree i think that would be the most fair option as well. i am in the same boat i got platinum right before covid happened so never go to enjoy that perk

 

[where's_my_prince]

I don’t think that you should take perks away because you add a new tier.
Add more for the new tier not take away from what have been until recently your most loyal guests.

i agree! they said they wouldn’t be looks like they secretly did

 

[brentm77]

Just get rid of this nonsense and automatically assign boarding times based on tiers. Pearl may start boarding at X, platinum at Y, Gold at Z, etc. You can always board later than your tier so long as you are there by the all aboard time. It would be one of the few benefits that had any real meaning for many people, and would actually incentive people like me to want to have a higher tier status, which I couldn't care less about right now. It would also cost Disney nothing extra and make the load on their MIS systems lighter. What downside am I missing? A little less predictability on when people will show up? I suspect 90% of people would board in their window, and windows could be adjusted in length based on how many are sailing in each tier for a particular cruise.

 

[CarolinaBlue]

yeah i agree i think that would be the most fair option as well. i am in the same boat i got platinum right before covid happened so never go to enjoy that perk

Same here. Our 10th cruise was in Oct. 2019.