Port Arrival Time and Boarding Number

[GatorMomInNC]

So you made the reservation only 12 days out from the cruise? Maybe they're assigning the boarding numbers by when you sign up for the transfers, based on what's still available. Maybe.

No, I cruised 12 days ago - but seems so much longer

It was a place holder from 2016 and I booked this cruise about 6 mos before the sale date. About 3 mos before the cruise I added a 4th passenger and switched rooms, booked transfers and paid in full, including transfers (before the PIF date).

On the bus the woman said, you will get a boarding number based on when you did your online check in. Now, we all know that whether this is true or not is up in the air - you hear various things from various CMs all the time.

I'm gold so I did my online check in earlier than many if not most. But, if the check in thing is right, I guess at least 15 groups of people beat me to it??

Anyway, it is a mystery to me as to how it works.

 

[BruinEd03]

FYI: ( usually) at Port Canaveral
10:30 Terminal opens
When you arrive and check in you will be given a boarding number. The earlier your PAT the lower your boarding number. Concierge and Platinum get #1. Once they start calling numbers they call the next about every 5 minuets.
11:30 boarding starts.
12:00 Pools, slides, restaurants and bars open.
1:30 cabins ready
3:30 restaurants and pools close to get ready for the lifeboat drill.
So... if you want to board ASAP I would pick the earliest PAT you can get.
If you want to avoid the crazy busy terminal pick 12:30 by this time they go to open boarding meaning no more lines. You check in and walk on.

Actually once they call numbers its one number every minute or so after they finished the lengthy announcement. I timed it last time.

 

[Deaconfan]

We boarded the Fantasy May 12 on our 7th cruise. Booked DCL transfer from MCO and checked in at midnight at the opening of online check in for Gold Castaway members. Wasn't offered the opportunity to pick a PAT since transfer was already booked. On the second bus to arrive at port and got boarding group 12. Never had higher than group 5 previously.

Really doesn't make sense hove started they have started assigning numbers for transfers. They charge a premium for the transfer but then takeaway the incentive to pay them the premium by jacking up the boarding group number for those that use it.

Thinking for future cruises, we will not sign up for transfers until after online check in to be able to pick a PAT and then go back to book the transfer.

 

[MichelleCanada]

Here’s the part that confuses me: a couple of people have mentioned arriving late to their PAT and being able to board almost right away because the boarding number was already being called.

What would stop people from intentionally do that so they don’t have to sit around the port? Example: book a PAT of 10:30; arrive at 11:30 or 12:00 and not wait around?

This is only our second cruise and first from PC.

 

[Maggie'sMom]

Here’s the part that confuses me: a couple of people have mentioned arriving late to their PAT and being able to board almost right away because the boarding number was already being called.

What would stop people from intentionally do that so they don’t have to sit around the port? Example: book a PAT of 10:30; arrive at 11:30 or 12:00 and not wait around?

This is only our second cruise and first from PC.

There's nothing to stop people from doing it intentionally other than common courtesy to allow the earliest boarding times to the people who will be there the earliest. But I don't see a big deal about someone who knows they won't be there until 11:30 picking a 10:30 PAT so they can get the lowest boarding number possible and board as soon as they arrive. Boarding goes pretty quickly, and as long as it isn't delayed in starting, open boarding will begin around 12:30 so it's not like someone arriving at 10:30 won't be able to board until 2:00.

 

[MomOTwins]

We did the resort-to-port DCL transfer and I was so worried because they would not even let you choose a PAT. But the number they gave us at check-in was the number they are already boarding, so we had no problems. That said, that only worked because we arrived after boarding had started. I think it may be different for the airport transfers than the resorts because you can get to the port from the airport before boarding if you have an early flight ir are staying at the Hyatt, whereas you are assigned a time at your disney resort for pickup with no ability to choose an earlier time.

 

[LCoulter]

Thank you for the replies.

 

[Anchors Away 2016]

OP, so I think the trouble some people have reported is when they use DCL transfers from the airport or the WDW resorts, and thus don't get a PAT at all, and sometimes get a high Boarding number, seemingly for no reason. That is an ongoing mystery that I hope gets sorted out soon. In your case, with a rental car, your PAT should determine your boarding number.

As for when to drop off the rental car, my understanding is that you can pick just about any return time you wish, with the following provisions:

If the return time puts you so much as 5 minutes past a 24 hour increment, you will be charged for another day.

You need to return the car "close" to the time you selected to avoid penalty (varies by Rental Car company).

So if you change your anticipated return time prior to your trip, you should be fine (don't go over 24 hours), but if you just return it later on in the day than you said you would, there could be a penalty. The company can tell you the details.

As for the wait time, you will probably have to wait some unless you come once open boarding has been declared. As for the poster who mentioned coming after your PAT to shorten the line, you can shorten the line just by coming after open boarding, no line at all. If everyone intentionally came after their PAT it would break the system and the lines for everyone would be much longer.

 

[kiford]

They didn’t board until after 1:30. I am trying to avoid whatever mistake this family made.

As others have said, it seems to be a one-off. Open boarding is typically not much later than about 12:30 so it would seem like it was delayed for some reason.

I picked noon because I assumed the experienced cruisers would beat me to the earlier PAT’s but I will take earliest I can get.

Don't assume that. We prefer to arrive after open boarding, close to 1:30 when staterooms are ready. I don't like getting up early to get there, standing in line at the terminal, I don't like waiting to board, I don't like hauling my bag around until the room is ready. I'd prefer to sleep in, have a leisurely breakfast and relax prior to heading to the port, then being first at the counter, walking right on and up to my room immediately. Lots of people feel that way. You may not necessarily get the earliest PAT but you might be able to get a decently early one if you really want that.

Even if you get the earliest PAT, I wouldn't rush to get there right at that time. You still won't get on until 11:30 at the earliest and you'll be waiting around until then. On our last cruise, friends picked us up at the MCO Hyatt at 9 am and we got to the port early. They were coming in from Tampa and were worried about traffic so wanted to get an early start just in case. After parking the car we still had to wait in the parking garage until they opened the terminal at 10:30. We were reasonably close to the front of that line so didn't have to wait too long in line to check in but then still had to wait until the first boarding number was called. We were fortunate to be able to get a seat and start to set up the chat feature on our phones but had people crammed up against us like sardines for most of the hour we waited. Then we had to wait around a bit until they opened the MDR and jam our bags under the table to eat lunch. Not really my favourite way to start a cruise.

I think the trouble some people have reported is when they use DCL transfers from the airport or the WDW resorts, and thus don't get a PAT at all, and sometimes get a high Boarding number, seemingly for no reason.

I don't think boarding numbers are generally relevant when coming from WDW resorts since they usually don't arrive until close to or after open boarding. Coming from the airport is different. The only time I didn't get asked for a PAT when taking DCL transfers (not from MCO) was in Dover. I know that they seem to change back and forth about needing PAT when coming from the resorts, but I've always been asked about PAT when coming from a WDW resort so I always picked a late one since it never mattered. Twice in Barcelona we were asked for a PAT and I picked late ones but arrived on DCL transfers from the hotel relatively early and were given the current boarding number.

 

[Bonnie1222]

Our cruise in April we had a 11:45 Port arrival time, but arrived at 10:30 and were checked in before 11. We got boarding #13, and they were delayed letting people on board, but we still got on by 12:40. A family near us did not pick a port arrival time, just showed up. They were in line before us and they were #21. A large family in 2 groups arrived after us, and checked in separately (about 20 minutes apart) and they were all in boarding group 5 or 6. During past cruises if we showed up early, we got a low #, I thing DCL is trying to keep it fair and also discourage people from showing up early pushing those who reserved the early time further down the line. But if you show up early, you can take advantage of pictures with Mickey and Minnie after you get checked in.

 

[BruinEd03]

Here’s the part that confuses me: a couple of people have mentioned arriving late to their PAT and being able to board almost right away because the boarding number was already being called.

What would stop people from intentionally do that so they don’t have to sit around the port? Example: book a PAT of 10:30; arrive at 11:30 or 12:00 and not wait around?

This is only our second cruise and first from PC.

Nothing. Usually that's not the problem. Usually the problem is that people show up early.

 

[Dug720]

It seems like a way around it if you're going to be taking Disney transfers from MCO is to not buy the transfers until after you've done your online check-in and selected a PAT. You can select the earliest PAT available and THEN later buy the transfers.

I've not seen any reports of them removing the PAT if transfers are purchased after the fact.

 

[lbatesetc]

I am Silver. Thought online check in was 90 days. However, my reservation says check in is 75 days, Oct 7 for Dec. 21 Cruise. Any suggestions? My TA handled my booking.

 

[Dug720]

I am Silver. Thought online check in was 90 days. However, my reservation says check in is 75 days, Oct 7 for Dec. 21 Cruise. Any suggestions? My TA handled my booking.

Something is not right. Sounds like your Castaway Number is not connected to your reservation.

 

[lbatesetc]

Something is not right. Sounds like your Castaway Number is not connected to your reservation.

Thanks. Glad it’s still 90. Hopefully the TA can get it changed.