CC silver boarding

How much earlier do castaway cay silver members get to board the ship before the first time cruisers?

How much earlier do castaway cay silver members get to board the ship before the first time cruisers?

Boarding is based on the boarding number you get at check in at the port. It's the same for first-time cruisers, silver Castaway Club members, Gold Castaway Club members. It's tied to the Port Arrival Time you select during the online check in process.

Only Concierge and Platinum Castaway Club members get priority.

How much earlier do castaway cay silver members get to board the ship before the first time cruisers?

Not at all. Boarding is based on your boarding card number, which is tied to your Port Arrival Time (scheduled). What you can do is complete your on line check in at 90 days before cruising and select a PAT at that time--15 days before a first timer.

Pick a PAT that reflects when you actually plan to arrive at the port and you will have minimal lines and waiting. If you arrive before your PAT, you MAY be kept waiting outside the terminal and it will not get you on the ship any sooner. The exception is if you have a time after 12:30. In that case, show up about 12:30 for best processing.

Priority boarding is available for Concierge level guests and for Platinum Castaway Club members (11 DCL cruises and up).

Not at all. Boarding is based on your boarding card number' date=' which is tied to your Port Arrival Time (scheduled). What you can do is complete your on line check in at 90 days before cruising and select a PAT at that time--[b']15 days[/b] before a first timer.

 

Pick a PAT that reflects when you actually plan to arrive at the port and you will have minimal lines and waiting. If you arrive before your PAT, you MAY be kept waiting outside the terminal and it will not get you on the ship any sooner. The exception is if you have a time after 12:30. In that case, show up about 12:30 for best processing.

 

Priority boarding is available for Concierge level guests and for Platinum Castaway Club members (11 DCL cruises and up).

That would be 75 days.

That would be 75 days.

Am I remembering wrong.

I thought:

first timers 75 days

silver 90 days

Gold 105 days

Platinum 120 days

So silver is 15 days before first timers.

Am I remembering wrong.

 

I thought:

first timers 75 days

silver 90 days

Gold 105 days

Platinum 120 days

 

 

 

So silver is 15 days before first timers.

Ah' date=' yes, you're right. I was reading it as when they could book [u']their[/u] PAT (at 75 days out), not the difference between the two.

I thought there was a special line for CC members to board the ship, only platinum?

I thought there was a special line for CC members to board the ship, only platinum?

There's a "special" check in counter for the Castaway Club members, but for boarding you're just like everyone else.

Only the Family of the Day, Concierge guests, and Platinum Castaway Club members get priority boarding.

It is not uncommon for the CC check in line to be longer than the first timer line....but there is a CM at the front of the lines keeping both moving.

IMO your not missing much. We had our first Platinum check in a couple weeks ago. It actually took longer than waiting in the regular cc line. There were only 3 counters open and many of the people in front of us had large families. I suspect some were concierge guests and taking care of some additional things on top of check in. I am sure it changes each week and with who is in front of you but that is what it was like for us.

IMO your not missing much. We had our first Platinum check in a couple weeks ago. It actually took longer than waiting in the regular cc line. There were only 3 counters open and many of the people in front of us had large families. I suspect some were concierge guests and taking care of some additional things on top of check in. I am sure it changes each week and with who is in front of you but that is what it was like for us.

Platinum check in has changed so many times that it seems to depend on the CM whim of the day. Sometimes platinum check in at the concierge desk (in which case the sign reads "Concierge and Platinum." Other times platinums check in at the regular CC line. In that case, the sign reads Concierge Check In.

What is consistent is that platinum cruisers board as group 1, right after concierge. Concierge boarding is not announced--they are just escorted in thru the side door. Group 1 is announced and is platinum cruisers.

I guess they look at how many Platinum cruisers they have for that sailing and switch the sign accordingly to minimize lines.

ex techie

in 2014, DCL carried over 920,000 Guests.

Total Guest numbers since the first quarter of 2011 is over 3,211,000 Guests.

There are a lot of Silver CC members, and lot more Gold and Platinums out there!

Only so much consideration can be given to a Silver CC member.

And DCL have only 4 ships. The likes of Carnival, RCL, NCL, Princess have many more ships, so many more Guests to recognize.

Source: http://disneycruiselineblog.com/2016/02/disney-cruise-line-releases-q4-2015-voluntary-crime-allegation-disclosure-report/

ex techie

IMO your not missing much. We had our first Platinum check in a couple weeks ago. It actually took longer than waiting in the regular cc line. There were only 3 counters open and many of the people in front of us had large families. I suspect some were concierge guests and taking care of some additional things on top of check in. I am sure it changes each week and with who is in front of you but that is what it was like for us.

That's exactly what happened to us. I took one look at the Concierge/Platinum check in line and then opted for the regular Castaway Club line. We would have #10 in the Concierge/Platinum line (yes I counted), but were #3 in the regular CC line.

It's a good idea to check and see what line is actually doing better before getting in any line.

Even though I did my online checkin pretty shortly after it was available, the earliest PAT we could choose was 12. We will probably be there before that due to our flight arrival time. How do you get to choose the earlier PAT? I hate the thought of waiting outside with three young kids (youngest 1 year old.)

How to get an earlier PAT--keep checking back on line to see if an earlier one appears. Some people take early times, realize they can't possibly be there that early, and change to something more reasonable.

The chances of having to wait outside basically occur on one of the bigger ships if you show up before boarding starts. The issue is fire safety. There is a limit to how many people are allowed into the terminal by fire marshall regulations. Once boarding starts, people rapidly move from the terminal to the ship, so no more crowding problem and everyone can enter. Even when people are required to wait, the typical delay is in the range of 15 minutes.

Not sure what time your flight arrives (you want to fly in the day of a cruise with 3 kids? Not my choice for so many reasons!). But it will take about an hour to get from MCO to the cruise terminal. IF you are on DCL transportation, you are immediately allowed in regardless of PAT. If you are on private transportation, you'd need to add a little bit to your transportation time to collect your luggage from the carousel.

Arriving after 11 or 11:15 is usually "safe" from a waiting outside standpoint even if you have a later PAT. You'll just get to stand and wait in the terminal.

It is so smooth at the DCL terminal, we have turned up, checked in and walked on every time we have sailed, no waiting at all.

Of course this is off season as I wouldn't sail when the kids are off school.

It is so smooth at the DCL terminal, we have turned up, checked in and walked on every time we have sailed, no waiting at all.

 

Of course this is off season as I wouldn't sail when the kids are off school.

Generally if you arrive at 12:30 or later, this will be the case. If you show up at 10:30, you're going to have a wait. It is also faster on the Magic and Wonder than on the larger ships.

Thanks for the great info. how do you guys get those great visuals on your posts detailing all the cruises youve taken?

Generally if you arrive at 12:30 or later' date=' this will be the case. If you show up at 10:30, you're going to have a wait. It is also faster on the Magic and Wonder than on the larger ships.[/quote']

 

Both on the Dream and Fantasy circa 11 am we walked straight on last 3 times or so, I just love the way it is so organised. I get there early living so near PC but we do park up at the long term and shuttle in so I book as near to 11 as I can.

Both on the Dream and Fantasy circa 11 am we walked straight on last 3 times or so, I just love the way it is so organised. I get there early living so near PC but we do park up at the long term and shuttle in so I book as near to 11 as I can.

Generally, the actual boarding process begins around 11:15-11:30. It can be earlier (not often), or later. Our last cruise they didn't start boarding until well after 12:00.

Generally, the actual boarding process begins around 11:15-11:30. It can be earlier (not often), or later. Our last cruise they didn't start boarding until well after 12:00.

I can only speak for all my own experiences and luckily we have never had to wait until well after 12, but as I mentioned we sail off season and not school holidays so I am sure that makes a big difference too. We are there before all the coaches too so just dribs and drabs of folks wandering in. I wouldn't turn up at 9.30 either though.

Sometimes we don't wait for a pre boarding photograph and just go straight on. So those times we went from the house onto the ship in about 2 hours. So just the luck of the draw.

I think it answer to the OP you should not have to wait an unacceptable amount of time even if it is busy before you can board as it is one slick operation.

The terminal opens to incoming guests about 10:30. Showing up before that means more standing around outside. When the first DCL bus arrives, those guests get in first. Then the doors open to the line of people who arrived by private transportation.

The ships almost always cruise full, whether a school vacation or not. The issue is more the age groups most represented and the amount of money DCL managed to charge to fill the cabins. If they aren't filling at full fare, DCL will offer FL res rates, *GT rates, travel agent rates, etc. to fill the cabins. If you cruise during school, you'll find more families with toddlers and fewer with school age kids; you'll also find more cabins of 2 people rather than 4.

The vast majority of the time, boarding starts about 11:15. Yes, I was on the cruise that disembarkation didn't finish till after 1 pm (thanks to Customs). Obviously, that cruise did not start boarding till some time later. BUT those are by far the exception rather than the rule.

Boarding is a very smooth process. If you show up at your PAT (or between 12:30 and 1 if you have a later time), you'll walk in and be on the ship with almost no waiting. If you show up at 10:30 with a 12:30 PAT, you're going to wait in the terminal.

Even though I did my online checkin pretty shortly after it was available, the earliest PAT we could choose was 12. We will probably be there before that due to our flight arrival time. How do you get to choose the earlier PAT? I hate the thought of waiting outside with three young kids (youngest 1 year old.)

Just wanted to say hello. We are also on the October 1st Fantasy sailing. My kids will be 9, 6, and 3.

The early port arrival times tend to get taken by CC members (those who have sailed with DCL before). However a friend of mine is a first time cruiser on this sailing and she got a PAT of 10:45 by booking as soon as her window opened.

Just wanted to say hello. We are also on the October 1st Fantasy sailing. My kids will be 9, 6, and 3.

 

The early port arrival times tend to get taken by CC members (those who have sailed with DCL before). However a friend of mine is a first time cruiser on this sailing and she got a PAT of 10:45 by booking as soon as her window opened.

People DO change their times. Check on line periodically to see whether anything earlier has opened.