When do late seating folks arrive back at airport?

[jclark3]

We have late seating on a 3-day cruise and are taking the DCL bus back to Orlando airport. What time will we be let off the ship and what time will we arrive back at the airport?

 

[poconoboatniks]

We were on the 4 night Wonder in Feb. I think we got to the airport between 11 - 12. We flew Southwest Airlines so we weren't able to precheck our luggage.

Poconoboatniks

 

[NCRedding]

jclark: They like for everyone to be off the ship by 9 am. Buses leave continually from the port, so I would think that you would be at the airport around 10 or 10:15.

 

[mickeyboat]

If you are concerned about arriving early to the airport, you can eat breakfast at Topsiders and debark whenever they first allow passengers to leave the ship.

Denae

 

[tvguy]

We had late seating on the 7 day, we were off the ship by 9:15 and at the airport by 10:15. Huge, slow moving line on the ship to get off was the problem. Unlike many I am not a fan of Disney's "leave the ship whenever you want" system. At least on our cruise it only added up to gridlock. Now, the on the pier system was great. But they really need to consider some organization on when folks get off the ship like over cruise lines do.
Most other lines have you wait in public rooms and exit the ship based on what time your flight leaves.

 

[mmouse37]

Out of 13 DCL cruises we only experienced a long, slow moving line to get off the ship once....when we were delayed getting back to port. Normally we have breakfast and just wander off the ship (late seating). We always leave the ship around 8:50 and 9:00 and do not normally encounter any lines....wonder if something specific was holding the line up???

I have also cruised on other lines and feel the "wait in a public area" is frustrating and drawn out. I think DCL's procedure is much, much better. What you experienced is not the norm on DCL.

 

[tvguy]

We got in port on time, only thing I can assume is that since it was a NYE cruise and packed, there were just a lot of people. We made it down to the dining room at 7:45, the line was there then, we watched it while we ate, and it just never seemd to end. It was always moving, just not quickly.

This was my 8th cruise, my first on Disney, and my first without some sort of organization on how people leave the ship. I guess each to his own, but sitting in a public room drinking coffee and juice is a lot better than standing 45 minutes in line.

 

[cristit14]

We didn't have to wait in any line at all to leave the ship. However we flew Delta and the line to check in our bag and get on the DCL bus was really long. They only had two people checking people in and half of the time one of them was gone. That was the only frustrating part of the trip.

 

[jclark3]

I'm told by my TA that Delta now has an agreement with Disney to take bags directly from the bus to the plane (or a storage area if your flight is later in the day.) I think that means we don't have to touch or see our bags again after we clear customs until we arrive in our home airport!

 

[poconoboatniks]

Jclark

This is true. Once you check your bags at the port, you don't see your bags again until you are picking them up at your home airport. This is a very nice benefit. I just wish Southwest was one of the airlines at the port.

Poconoboatniks