Question about checking in at port...

[TiredOfCold]

I am a first time Disney cruiser... or will be in February!

I have read on the first time trip tips thread to arrive at the port at 10 or 11 in order to secure one of the first boarding times.

1. We will be staying in port canavarel the night prior to our embarkation and will have a rental car. What I am wondering is if I can check in at the port and then leave and come back closer to the actual boarding time so we don't have to sit around for hours.

2. Or... can I check in for my whole family and wait and have my DH and DD join me closer to the actual embarkation time, or do we all have to check in and wait in the cruise ship terminal together?

3. If we arrive at 10 am - how long will we be waiting before we actually get on the ship?

Thanks in advance for any help with my questions!

 

[mmouse37]

I am a first time Disney cruiser... or will be in February!

I have read on the first time trip tips thread to arrive at the port at 10 or 11 in order to secure one of the first boarding times.

1. We will be staying in port canavarel the night prior to our embarkation and will have a rental car. What I am wondering is if I can check in at the port and then leave and come back closer to the actual boarding time so we don't have to sit around for hours.

2. Or... can I check in for my whole family and wait and have my DH and DD join me closer to the actual embarkation time, or do we all have to check in and wait in the cruise ship terminal together?

3. If we arrive at 10 am - how long will we be waiting before we actually get on the ship?

Thanks in advance for any help with my questions!

So many people think you are waiting around the terminal for hours until you board....truth is you get to the port at 10:00....check in soon after that and get security pics taken. You board the ship usually starting at 11:45. So, you are really only "hanging" around for 1:45 minutes which goes by very quickly. DCL is not a warehouse type terminal. It is gorgeous with huge glass windows that look out toward the ship. Beautiful large scale model of the ship (cut away) so you can see where everything is. comfy chairs to sit in. A small coffee shop. the characters come out and take pics with guests. The floor of the terminal has beautiful inlays of sea life and islands. The time goes by very fast. I would go to the port together and feel the excitement building until you board!!

We usually stay in the port area the night before and rent a car. What we do is hubby drops me, the fam and luggage off at the terminal and porters whisk away our checked luggage. I proceed through security with the carryons. Hubby goes to return the car to rental agency and hops the rental shuttle back to the terminal. This way you are not loading all the luggage in the shuttle with other people and luggage. Hubby hops off the shuttle, goes through security and meets us upstairs in the terminal. Just make sure he had a gov't issued photo ID to get into terminal. DCL has been allowing families to check in separately which we have done in the past but there was a recent thread that parties had to check in together now...not sure if that is policy or was just a fluke.

MJ

 

[samily]

Boarding usually begins between 11:30 and noon so there isn't that much time waiting around. While you are waiting you can get pics taken with a character or two, pick up the bracelets and pager for the kids clubs, watch tv...it always seems to go by quickly.

 

[poizenivey]

Last time, we got there right at 10..there were no lines to drop off luggage, very small line to go thru security and NO line to check in. One of us got in line to get the kids 'bands' for the club (which was a LONG wait, but we didn't get in line there right at the beginning)...boarding began a little after 1p. Mickey and Minnie both came out into the lobby and took pics! That was a GREAT way for us to get geared up for our trip! They had TVs w/ Disney movies playing and a snack bar. I was able to check us in w/o my DH being there, all he had to do was go up to the counter when he got there and get his pic made for his KTTW card, I had his passport to check him in. The girls were with me and it really wasn't that horrible of an event as waiting around sometimes can be!!!

Have FUN on your vacation!!!

 

[mmouse37]

Last time, we got there right at 10..there were no lines to drop off luggage, very small line to go thru security and NO line to check in. One of us got in line to get the kids 'bands' for the club (which was a LONG wait, but we didn't get in line there right at the beginning)...boarding began a little after 1p. Mickey and Minnie both came out into the lobby and took pics! That was a GREAT way for us to get geared up for our trip! They had TVs w/ Disney movies playing and a snack bar. I was able to check us in w/o my DH being there, all he had to do was go up to the counter when he got there and get his pic made for his KTTW card, I had his passport to check him in. The girls were with me and it really wasn't that horrible of an event as waiting around sometimes can be!!!

Have FUN on your vacation!!!

1:00 is on the late side for them to board....but if they are running late onboard getting things ready it could happen......the norm is 11:30-noon which is pretty amazing since the last passengers are off the preceding cruise at 9:00-9:30!!

MJ

 

[TiredOfCold]

Thanks MJ and Samily - that is very helpful, totally answers my questions.

and MJ I was thinking of doing the exact thing you suggested with the rental car and luggage drop.

I am also glad to hear that you can pick up the pagers, etc for the kids club before you board - sounds like we can get some of the "administrative" duties taken care of during our wait time.

 

[mmouse37]

You are very welcome!! Here are some pics of the terminal from one of our cruises.

















We always try to get to the port early and start our vacation....I always feel like it has started when we get to the terminal!!

MJ

 

[tjbaggott]

MJ, Awesome pictures! I'll have to remember to take some like that on the MNSSHC!! Already planning out my scrapbook pages!

Do you know if we can access the port as of 9:30? I understand the terminal itself won't be open yet, but can we pull up as early as 9:30 unload, park then wait in line outside for the terminal to open?

 

[TiredOfCold]

The pictures are great. Totally allayed my fears. I was envisioning this boring holding room crammed with 4000 people and huge snaking line-ups.
I'm sure it can get lined-up, but this gives me some hope that if we get there early enough we can avoid some of the masses.

 

[jilljill]

The pictures are great. Totally allayed my fears. I was envisioning this boring holding room crammed with 4000 people and huge snaking line-ups.
I'm sure it can get lined-up, but this gives me some hope that if we get there early enough we can avoid some of the masses.

Now that they hand out the boarding numbers it's much easier since you don't have to stand in line before boarding. They will start calling the boarding numbers and then you just have a very short line to deal with.

The worst line you will see is the line for registering the kids for the club. If the line is too long in the port you can do it after boarding.

 

[Cliffside]

Has there been changes to the terminal to get ready for the Dream and Fantasy. When we on boarded last October I remember seeing construction of some type. We sail on the Dream in April and are super excited.

 

[mmouse37]

MJ, Awesome pictures! I'll have to remember to take some like that on the MNSSHC!! Already planning out my scrapbook pages!

Do you know if we can access the port as of 9:30? I understand the terminal itself won't be open yet, but can we pull up as early as 9:30 unload, park then wait in line outside for the terminal to open?

I don't think so....in the past they have been pretty strict on letting people in the port area until 10:00. I believe the porters don't start helping incoming passengers until 10:00. They used to let you pull into the lot across the street to wait earlier than 10:00 but with all the construction going on right now not sure how they will handle early arrivals.....

And....for our cruise I think the Cocoa Beach Air Show is really going to mess up traffic the morning we go to the port. I was just reading about it at the air show website and they are predicting mass traffic jams getting into cocoa beach that morning. UUUGGGGHHHH! Which will also affect people getting of the cruise before us. Rental shuttles may be delayed....IMO.

MJ

 

[pluto1979]

I would definitely check in early after dropping the car off so that you get the full experience. You really are not waiting around all that long plus while you are waiting you can figure out what you want to do after boarding such as where you want to eat, when to go to your stateroom, plan your entertainment for the evening, etc.

You can also go outside on the upper level to see the ship and take pics of the ship as well as NASA and other sites.

Have a wonderful cruise!

 

[BealsRwe]

Has there been changes to the terminal to get ready for the Dream and Fantasy. When we on boarded last October I remember seeing construction of some type. We sail on the Dream in April and are super excited.

We just cruised in August, and it looks like they are expandinng the terminal. It apppears as if they are expanding it into the old parking area, where you used to drop off luggage many years ago.

 

[BealsRwe]

We are some of those early arrivals to the port. We love the time in the terminal, as it really sets the tone for our cruise. We get there between 1030-1100am. We check in, get DD checked into the kids area to get her new Mickey Band and our pager. We grab a seat on the couches to watch some of the great Disney cartoons showing. We enjoy getting our picture with Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, etc. who come out to visit in the terminal. We have foound that the past few cruises, we have really met some great people in the terminal, and the time goes by very fast. After all, this is one of your cruise days, enjoy it to the fullest!

 

[dizney-cruiser]

I love the whole being in the port experience! I love watching the kids faces as they see the cartoons playing. . . go look at the model and then when the characters start coming out! I think it is a lot of fun!!

 

[mocha1193]

This is such great info thanks so much for posting everyone.