S/O What do you consider a late PAT?

[dreamer17555]

With all the discussions about port arrival times and the platinum perk as well as how disney admittedly does maintenance on their servers at the worst possible time. I’m just wondering what do you consider an early PAT versus a late PAT?

 

[Ralph&Pam]

With all the discussions about port arrival times and the platinum perk as well as how disney admittedly does maintenance on their servers at the worst possible time. I’m just wondering what do you consider an early PAT versus a late PAT?

Anything after 1 pm. With the buffet usually closing at 2:30 pm (and the MDR that’s open on embarkation day usually closes earlier, I believe), it can be a challenge to get anything other than ”pool deck food” with a later PAT. That happened to us on our first cruise back in 2004, when DCL booked us on a morning flight to MCO as part of a “Who want to be a millionaire?” prize package. We would have preferred to arrive the previous day, but the award did not include lodging for that to happen.

 

[Snowwhyt]

1 o’clock is also the very latest I would be happy with so that we can get lunch at cabanas. Prefer lunch in the main dining room but understand can’t have us all in the main dining room and it takes longer to turn over that room for the first dinner seating.

 

[3DisneyFanz]

Anything after 1 pm. With the buffet usually closing at 2:30 pm (and the MDR that’s open on embarkation day usually closes earlier, I believe), it can be a challenge to get anything other than ”pool deck food” with a later PAT. That happened to us on our first cruise back in 2004, when DCL booked us on a morning flight to MCO as part of a “Who want to be a millionaire?” prize package. We would have preferred to arrive the previous day, but the award did not include lodging for that to happen.

If you’re on the Wish the pool deck food is your best option.

 

[Cheburashka]

If you’re on the Wish the pool deck food is your best option.

Not everyone wants to eat lunch that late, though, especially if they have early dinner.

 

[3DisneyFanz]

Not everyone wants to eat lunch that late, though, especially if they have early dinner.

I was mainly referring to food quality. Mickey’s Smokehouse and Donald’s Cantina are way better than Marceline Market.

 

[soniam]

At one point, they open up all boarding groups. I think they are also letting people in at least a little earlier than their PAT. Ours was for 2pm, but we ended up arriving closer to 1pm. They let us in and within probably 10-15 minutes they were allowing all boarding groups to board. We boarded before our PAT. Can't say this happens all the time at PC though, but I think it's pretty normal.

 

[auntlynne]

I’d say anything before 12 is an early PAT (I think the first is 10:30 or 11). And 1 pm or later as late. And that hour seems to actually make a difference.

The DCL bus transfers are probably the earliest for PAT if they have an early flight arrival or have lodging pick-up. (They just get processed when they arrive, I believe.)

 

[OKW Lover]

Hope everybody is remembering that PAT is not the same as boarding time. PAT stands for port arrival time. That's when you should be getting to the port, not when you should expect to board the ship.

 

[TestingH2O]

Hope everybody is remembering that PAT is not the same as boarding time. PAT stands for port arrival time. That's when you should be getting to the port, not when you should expect to board the ship.

Well, yes, but especially since the restart, PAT is directly tied to boarding group number. Early PAT means lower boarding group means earlier on the ship.

 

[nikem3]

Late for me is anything after 11:30 I'm always too excited for the cruise and want to get on as early as possible. I love the first day of the cruise and that first buffet lunch/drink.

 

[CamColt]

Pre Covid we would usually arrive between 10:30-11:00, go through the first outside check in, then security, then check in at the Platinum desk and board as soon as they called Boarding Group 1. That was usually around 11:45. I know many times we were at Cabanas before noon waiting for them to open. So being used to that routine, arriving any time after 11:30 is late to me.

 

[Sherrilatte]

The last cruise we went on was January this year. We used the DCL shuttle from MCO--2nd bus load (around 900ish). By the time they herded us to covid testing then the waiting area, then security--we stepped onboard the Fantasy at 1:30ish. Mickey and Minnie did not hang around to sing and dance and welcome for us aboard. A couple of crew members waved in passing as we were shuffled to a muster area where the crew there seemed confused about the process. I don't remember if we had lunch or not. The whole process was unpleasant--but we did enjoy our cruise of course.

 

[holula]

Agree with everyone else - 1pm or later to me is a late PAT.

 

[Chrissy-Mickey]

A late PAT to me is at whatever time I can no longer sit down for lunch.