Timing the DCL transfer

[babsnabbs]

My flight gets into MCO at 9 am. I certainly don't want to get to the dock too early, nor do I want to sit on a bus outside the airport waiting for more planes to come in. My questions are these:

Suppose I get off the plane and stop to get some breakfast at the airport. Will my luggage be taken off the carousel and loaded on the bus without me? Any possibility, if that happens, that my luggage goes to the boat on the first bus and I go on the second bus?

On the return, what time is the latest DCL bus leaving the dock? My return flight is 3 pm, so I intend to be the last person to disembark thereby extending my cruise and minimizing the time that I'll have to kill in the airport.

Advice?

 

[videogal1]

My flight gets into MCO at 9 am. I certainly don't want to get to the dock too early, nor do I want to sit on a bus outside the airport waiting for more planes to come in. My questions are these:

Suppose I get off the plane and stop to get some breakfast at the airport. Will my luggage be taken off the carousel and loaded on the bus without me? Any possibility, if that happens, that my luggage goes to the boat on the first bus and I go on the second bus?

On the return, what time is the latest DCL bus leaving the dock? My return flight is 3 pm, so I intend to be the last person to disembark thereby extending my cruise and minimizing the time that I'll have to kill in the airport.

Advice?

When you arrive at MCO get your luggage and go directly to the DCL shuttle. They will not get you to the port before time to go in. On the return trip, Get up, get dressed, grab your carry-on stuff, go eat breakfast and head out. Collect your luggage and catch your bus. There really isn't a lot of slack time built into the process. Just keep moving and you will do just fine. You need to be at the airport an hour or so before the flight anyway so if you hang out at the terminal for a half an hour or so just consider it insurance against Murphy's Law. The people who have lots of time to hang at the airport are those with 5:00 pm flights. I got to the airport real early once and they put me on an earlier flight just so I wouldn't be hanging around the airport.

 

[jandbabyk]

I thought that if you took the DCL shuttle/motorcoach you didn't have to get your own luggage . From my understanding, once you check your luggage in at the airport - from your departure city - it goes directly to your stateroom (hence the reason it's suggested you bring a "day" bag). Could someone please verify this??

 

[RAREHOTRODDER]

I am interested in this answer. I am confused. We booked our own air, but everything else is through DCL. I thought I read that they will take care of your luggage. But how would then know where to find it? They have not asked our flight information. Thank you!

 

[jrabbit]

For those on the Land/Sea package I don't know how your luggage handling works! But if you are flying in to MCO on the same day that your ship sails...

I thought that if you took the DCL shuttle/motorcoach you didn't have to get your own luggage . From my understanding, once you check your luggage in at the airport - from your departure city - it goes directly to your stateroom (hence the reason it's suggested you bring a "day" bag). Could someone please verify this??

I'm pretty sure that you are correct. The big yellow tags mean "take me to the Mickey ship" That is why you MUST take them off of your luggage before leaving the ship - because the baggage handlers will see them at the airport and send them back to the ship

I also believe that even if you don't have DCL transfers (for example you get a rental car) you get the luggage tags and if you have them on your luggage your luggage will go to the ship.

Remember the luggage tags only works if you fly in the same day that you set sail.

 

[mmouse37]

As far as being the last off the ship....that would only get you to about 9:00 am....everyone must be off by 9:00 am unless there is some sort of hold up in clearing the ship.

MJ

 

[Mickeyfan66]

For those on the Land/Sea package I don't know how your luggage handling works!

My first cruise was a Land/Sea Package. My bags were collected at the airport by DCL Staff and taken to the hotel room. The day we departed for the cruise, I left our bags in our room as we checked out of the hotel and had them in our stateroom when I boarded the Wonder. It was great not having to worry about my luggage.