When does the cruise terminal open?

[Mrs Darling]

What time does the cruise terminal open and how soon can you start getting in line? Has anyone been there when they open and is there always a long line to check in already?

 

[KYCruiseCrazy]

the terminal opens between 10-10:30 am. lines are very short til the buses start showing up. we like to get to the port around 10 am. once you get in the port you can line up.

 

[Mrs Darling]

What time do they start checking in?

 

[staylor]

What time do the buses start coming?

 

[sweet angel]

I thought it said embarkation is at 1. I could be wrong though.

 

[KYCruiseCrazy]

the buses start rollin in around 11-11:30. they start checking in guests around 10:30 am and start letting people on the ship as early as 11:30-11:45.

 

[kcashner]

The port area opens to incoming traffic at 10, the counters open for check in at 10:30. The DCL busses from the airport start to arrive about 10:30, but the busses from WDW don't leave there till 12:30 ish (there is a small window depending on which resort you are at.)

We usually plan to arrive at the port about 11. Using this system, we are generally in the first 100-150 people to board, and I've never had any trouble getting any reservation I wanted. The only "downside" is that you do have to stand in line to board till they open the big doors at about 11:45.

 

[tvguy]

But yes, "official" boarding time is 1 pm. And from what I have read, sometimes cabins aren't ready until 1 or so even if you get on board early.

 

[aeryncrichton]

I've been on 6 cruises... and always, always we get there, WAY before they say you can 'board'... like around 11am....

In my experience... even though they say '1pm' it's normally about noon a little after, when they start letting people on, unless something happens...

on our last cruise, they wouldn't let anyone off (I think they were searching the ship for something) we got off around 11am, kinda late considering....

so, I seriously doubt the next crew got on at noon that time... (we joked that if they didn't let us off soon, they'd have to feed us lunch...)

 

[rocketralph]

The cabins are not ready till 1 but they do serve a lunch buffet.