Question regarding booking arrival time

[Chi35364]

HI all,

we recently booked our 1st cruise for this holiday on the Wish. In October i'm supposed to be able to perform Online check-in. My question is, does getting an early arrival time provide any benefit? I was thinking of trying to get early arrival so we can board the ship early and enjoy for extra few hours. Or should I book later arrival time? I'm not sure exactly how this works. Also what time does the check-in open?

 

[lanejudy]

At Port Canaveral I believe the earliest PAT is 10:30-10:45am. The terminal doesn’t open until 10:30. Boarding typically begins around 11:15/11:30. “Open boarding” is called around 12:30 or so - which is when the crowds have moved out of the terminal onto the ship and boarding numbers no longer matter. I’d aim for a PAT around 12:30 to avoid the chaos in the terminal with the earlier arrivals.

 

[rainbowredpanda]

The earlier PAT, the earlier you will get on the ship. However, we have found earlier port arrival means longer lines for everything. Security, check in ect. We usually arrive around 12:30pm and the lines are extremely short or non existent. By then it's open boarding too, so once we're checked in, you can walk on. Using this method, we have never been in the terminal beyond 30 minutes and that's with security, check in and usually a photo with character if they're meeting at the port.

 

[Clarkson U]

We have had earlier times (11 am) and waited until Noon-12:15 to board. We have had 11:45 PAT and walked on the ship by 12:30. It depends on if you are driving from FL local or flying in night before or using DCL transport from Orlando. Some folks want to be on the ship for every minute possible (since in theory you are paying to be on the ship so maximize your time) others want a more simple, less busy process and pick times after 12:30 pm so that it is easier and less busy. Some folks I know are driving in from other parts of FL that day or are working a half-day at their hotel in Port Canaveral before boarding the ship. Usually the last PAT is around 330 - 345.