Will DCL check me in for my flight?

[Rebecca Pocahontas]

I get a little confused when I read about the airline check in. I am flying out of MCO on United at noon and we have the Disney transfers from the port to the airport. We booked the airline on our own, not through Disney.

Some things I’ve read make it seem like they only check you in and deliver your boarding passes if you have booked your air through them.

So is it anyone who has a Disney transfer booked? Or is it only for people who booked with Disney?

 

[shoes99]

If you purchased transfers and you are on United you sign up for on-line check in at the beginning of your cruise. You are eligible if you flight
is after 11:30AM and you paid for transfers from ship to airport. They will check you in and give you your boarding pass and luggage tags the night before.

 

[NZMUM]

They will check you in if you are using DCL transport and on a participating airline (which United is). When you do online check-in you can enter your flight details. However I would check once you are onboad that they have the information and it is correct. We entered all our info online, but when I checked onboard, they had no record of it, so I had to fill out a form.

 

[pixiedustedme]

You need to sign up for Onboard Airline Check-In with DCL. It's been awhile since we used it, so I can't remember if you sign up in advance or onboard. It doesn't happen automatically- you have to sign up. It's fine for you to have booked your own flights, but not every airline participates (Southwest does not, for example, but American, Delta & United do). I recommend calling them in advance to get the details on when to sign up. You need to be using DCL bus transfers to be able to use the service.

It's a great service to use if you plan to check luggage, as they'll take care of that for you. You just put your bags outside your room the night before disembarking, and you won't need to bother with them again until baggage claim at your home airport. You will just head straight for security upon reaching the airport, with your DCL-printed boarding passes in hand. DCL does not charge for this service- it's complimentary.

 

[mocodis]

We were on a cruise out of Port Canaveral on the Dream, flying Southwest home. We booked our own flights out of MCO. I asked at guest services if they could check us in on southwest and print our boarding passes. They said yes. I instead was able to check in on my iphone with the free 50meg.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

They said yes.

Did you mean "They said no"?

 

[mocodis]

Did you mean "They said no"?

Guest services said they would check us in and print our boarding passes.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Guest services said they would check us in and print our boarding passes.

But then you said "I instead was able to check in on my iphone with the free 50meg." Making it sound like the original answer should have no.

Sorry.

One other question, were you concierge? Often concierge guests get perks that aren't available to others.

 

[mocodis]

But then you said "I instead was able to check in on my iphone with the free 50meg." Making it sound like the original answer should have no.

Sorry.

One other question, were you concierge? Often concierge guests get perks that aren't available to others.

no concierge, I asked and told them we flying southwest. she said she could do it. This was my backup plan in case my iphone failed

 

[PrincessShmoo]

no concierge, I asked and told them we flying southwest. she said she could do it. This was my backup plan in case my iphone failed

Well, then, a little pixie dust fell your way.

 

[shoes99]

When we were on our way to San Diego guest services were checking in guests
Pixie Dust for us flying on Southwest. This was the WBPC Cruise.

 

[clten]

OP - yes, sounds like you meet the qualification to use Onboard Airline Check-in. (We use it whenever we can and have never booked flights through DCL.) To use this service, you do have to fill out an extra form when you check-in at the port. (When you do online check-in, you are asked for your flight information but this is separate from the Onboard Airline Check-In program.) The form used to be in the booklet so you could fill it out in advance. With them changing the pre-cruise documents, I can't say if it is included there any more. At a minimum, when you get to the port, ask the people who are there directing you to the check-in lines about the form. (So you are prepared, you will have to list all the individuals they will be checking in for the flight, with the flight number and the number of pieces of luggage each person will be checking.)

If you don't do it at check-in at the port, you do still have the opportunity to do it onboard - go to Guest Services. This does have to be done a few days before the cruise is over so not something that can be left to the last minute.