What do I need to have prepared for online check-in?

[maui2k5]

We (4) cruise on Oct 6 out of Miami and have a question about the documentation for sailing. For my wife, we used her DL and Birth Certificate for our online check-in since her renewed passport had not yet arrived from the US Gov’t. We just got word it has shipped and arrive in a few days.

That being said, since our online check-in is still pending review and allows you to edit it (such as uploading a passport image), should we just leave it as is and bring her new passport, DL and a copy of her BC? Or is it ok to edit the check-in without risking losing our 11:15 PAT?

 

[Fuzzycaterpillar1]

As predicted, check in was a blue spinning nightmare. Only the app worked, plus I had to manually take pictures on the spot because the upload function didn't work. 2 hours total.

 

[chubbyzeus]

Couple of quick tips for folks trying to speed through to PAT.
Take selfies with your phone for your security photo. Then take a cropped screenshot of that selfie, and email yourself that screenshot. You’ll end up with a much smaller jpeg than the original photo, save it to your computer/phone (whatever you’re using for online check-in). Upload that copy when checking in. The smaller file size will upload way faster and get you to next step quicker. (Even if it says it’s no good, save it and move on anyway!)
Same goes for your citizenship document photos.
Also, do not wait until 12:01 to head to the site. The blue wheel is not the site crashing despite popular opinion. It’s throttling users to prevent double and triple booking. Think of a crowd heading through the same doorway. So the queue will favor those who arrive first with proper bandwidth. Start refreshing around 11:50-11:55. Time your last refresh to hit at exactly midnight.
And as was mentioned before, set your onboard account to cash and your travel plans to “parked at the pier” to speed through them. You can fix them later on.
Using the earlier tips and the ones I described I got an 11am PAT and boarding group 2. I was done checking in in about 5-6 minutes no exaggeration.

 

[maui2k5]

As of today, 12 days before we sail on the Dream out of Miami, our online checkin is now complete. For reference, we uploaded all of our documentation 30 days out and did not yet have my wife’s renewed passport. I uploaded her passport yesterday when we received it and then the next day we were all cleared for travel docs/photos. Also, once cleared for our travel documentation we were bumped up from our 11:15-11:30am PAT group 5 to group 4.

Also, we did not have to re-upload any of our vaccination cards (except our 12 yo who did not have her vaccine card in time last year) since we cruised last Dec. That was all approved in Safe Passage within 48 hours.

All in all, a smooth process and excited for our cruise in a week and a half!

 

[oopsi.daisies]

I just checked in for my family's cruise at the end of October. I just wanted to thank every one of you that left helpful advice in the thread. Other than timing out once and needing to sign in again, everything went really smoothly. Thanks everyone!!

 

[lynnfitz]

Sorry for this question, first ever cruise next summer. What’s the difference between the boarding time and the group number? Thanks!

 

[chubbyzeus]

Sorry for this question, first ever cruise next summer. What’s the difference between the boarding time and the group number? Thanks!

One is Arrival time, PAT, the time you’re allowed to arrive at the port. The other is how soon you’ll be getting on after arrival.

 

[Ensusieasm]

I am staying up late tomorrow (Wed) night to do online check-in or our cruise right at midnight Thursday morning at our 30-day mark, since I want to snag an early port arrival time.

What all will I need to have prepared with me to complete the check-in and get the arrival time? I read somewhere that I will need scanned images of everyone's passports, plus photos/headshots of everyone (not just their passport pictures). Is that right, and anything else I should know? I want to make sure I can finish it ASAP, and I don't want to have to wake anyone up at midnight!

Thanks!

Wow! Very helpful information!

 

[Want to Cruise]

I just want to thank everyone for all the great advice, I was able to check in in just over 10 minutes and am in the second boarding group with PAT of 11:00. Thank you so much, I would never have been as well prepared without these tips.

 

[KSL]

Getting prepped for my check-in soon. For emergency contact... I'm going with my wife - should I set our emergency contacts as each other? Or as our folks back home in case the boat sinks?

If our flight in (night before) has a layover, do I give my initial starting airport or the airport we stop in on the way to Miami?

I'm wondering the same things -- advice, anyone?

 

[maui2k5]

I'm wondering the same things -- advice, anyone?

Usually your emergency contact should be someone not traveling with you in the event there is a problem/accident/sickness while traveling.

 

[KSL]

Gotcha, right. I guess I was overthinking it (wondered if I should I put my DH there but presumably they'd be in touch with our travel party first, so they're looking for others not on the trip; makes perfect sense of course).

How about the second question: is there room to enter both legs of connecting flights? If not, I'm thinking just include the flight that arrives to Miami. Anyone know?

 

[chubbyzeus]

I'm wondering the same things -- advice, anyone?

I used to fill in that space “Call 911.” HR didn’t think it was funny, so I got married to use my In-laws as contacts

 

[lynnfitz]

Thanks everyone! Great information, especially for a first time cruiser!

 

[AB Tiago]

Gotcha, right. I guess I was overthinking it (wondered if I should I put my DH there but presumably they'd be in touch with our travel party first, so they're looking for others not on the trip; makes perfect sense of course).

How about the second question: is there room to enter both legs of connecting flights? If not, I'm thinking just include the flight that arrives to Miami. Anyone know?

I have the same curiosity about connecting flights. My family will be coming from Southeast Asia, arriving the day before. We have 2 stops (3 planes in total). Do I need to input all flight details?

 

[chubbyzeus]

I have the same curiosity about connecting flights. My family will be coming from Southeast Asia, arriving the day before. We have 2 stops (3 planes in total). Do I need to input all flight details?

Yes you can and do input all segments of arrival and departure.

 

[AB Tiago]

Yes you can and do input all segments of arrival and departure.

Thank you!

 

[Disneycouple99]

Delete.

 

[dwg]

We will be completing the online checkin next week and we used an iPhone for the selfie. We did not change any settings in the iPhone so the photo format is HEIC instead of jpeg. Has anyone had any issues with the selfie uploading or being accepted in the HEIC format?

 

[chubbyzeus]

We will be completing the online checkin next week and we used an iPhone for the selfie. We did not change any settings in the iPhone so the photo format is HEIC instead of jpeg. Has anyone had any issues with the selfie uploading or being accepted in the HEIC format?

Just screenshot the selfie and use the screenshot, it’ll be jpeg