Assigned Port Arrival Time

[Indy500Cruiser]

I just did my pre-cruise online registration and received an assigned time to arrive at the port. Does anyone know how strict they are to adhering to these? If I show up before my assigned time, will I have to wait, or is it more of a guideline? My time is 1:30.

[Shmoo here]

I just did my pre-cruise online registration and received an assigned time to arrive at the port. Does anyone know how strict they are to adhering to these? If I show up before my assigned time, will I have to wait, or is it more of a guideline? My time is 1:30.

 

Your PAT is tied to the actual boarding number you will receive when you check in at the port. Earlier PAT = lower boarding number. When you did the online check in was 1:30 the earliest available?

 

Don't know if you are asking about Port Canaveral, but the terminal opens at 10:30. If you arrive earlier than your selected, and the terminal is crowded (as it can be with the newer, larger ships), you will be asked to wait until either your correct PAT or the terminal is less crowded, whichever is first.

 

Arriving early, you MIGHT be allowed to enter the terminal and check in, but your boarding number will be the same, regardless of when you check in.

[moki'smommy]

With a 1:30 time, it is almost assured that you WILL be allowed in earlier if you show up after about noon or so. However, as above, that gets you into the terminal, not onto the ship.

 

Depending on which ship and which port, "open boarding" is usually started about 1:00 +/- 30 minutes. At this time, they stop using boarding numbers (which you get at the terminal and are tied to the PAT), and can board as soon as you have checked in. SO, showing up early may get you on board a little early, but not a whole lot. And DON't show up at 11:00 or you might have to wait outside for a few minutes depending on how crowded the terminal is! Showing up any time after boarding starts is "safe" as the people are moving rapidly to the ship.

[Moomin2009]

Funnily enough I was just coming on to ask a similar question, in fact it may even be the same question but I am totally confused. I have just been completing our on line check in as my daughters' new passports have arrived.

 

I can choose a port arrival time from 10.30 but then below it says

 

Your ship boarding time, as listed on your cruise itinerary, may be different than your selected terminal arrival time period. We thank you in advance for observing your selected terminal arrival time.

 

So does that mean I could choose 10.30 but still not be allowed on the ship until much later ? How do I find out what my ship boarding time will be ? I don't want to be hanging around the terminal for hours with a 4 yr old and 5 mth old .... and a grumpy husband ;)

[Shmoo here]

Funnily enough I was just coming on to ask a similar question, in fact it may even be the same question but I am totally confused. I have just been completing our on line check in as my daughters' new passports have arrived.

 

I can choose a port arrival time from 10.30 but then below it says

 

Your ship boarding time, as listed on your cruise itinerary, may be different than your selected terminal arrival time period. We thank you in advance for observing your selected terminal arrival time.

 

So does that mean I could choose 10.30 but still not be allowed on the ship until much later ? How do I find out what my ship boarding time will be ? I don't want to be hanging around the terminal for hours with a 4 yr old and 5 mth old .... and a grumpy husband ;)

 

They are just clarifying that your PAT is not the time you will be boarding. Boarding doesn't begin until about 11:15-11:30 or so. So, you will be allowed to enter the terminal and check in at 10:30, but they won't start the actual boarding process until later. With a PAT of 10:30, you'll be among the earliest boarders. The first to board are Concierge (and sometimes Platinum CC members). Then they start with boarding group number 1. My guess is you'll be onboard by 11:30-11:45 with the PAT you have. Earlier PATs have lower boarding numbers. You will receive the same boarding number whether you check in at 10:30 or 12:00.

 

If you don't want to be just sitting after you check in, I'd suggest you plan to arrive closer to 11:15 to check in and the wait will be minimal then. Don't forget that you can do your kid's club onsite check in in the terminal while you wait, that will take up some time. And there are generally photo ops with some of the characters in the terminal.

[moki'smommy]

Schmoo has it exactly right.

 

Boarding the ship starts between 11:15 and 11:45 (although on our most recent cruises, it has been toward the earlier time).

 

When you arrive at the terminal, you will go thru security and then check in for your cruise. There are lines, but they aren't bad with the scheduled port arrival time system. After you check in, there isn't really much to do. You can do your kid registration, but it is quicker and easier to do it later on the ship. There are some intermittent character appearances. There are some TV screens showing old Disney cartoons.

 

You will board by boarding group number. An earlier port arrival time = lower boarding group. Your boarding group number is assigned by the compute based on your port arrival time, so it won't matter if you arrive at 10:15 or 11:30--you will get the same number. After you check in, etc. you wait for them to announce your number. If you finish checking in after your number has been called, you can walk right on...say you get a number 5 and they are on number 8 when you finish checking in. No waiting.

[Moomin2009]

Thank you. This is like a whole new world to me. I work in the aviation industry so never have really had to think about things as it is just the norm to me, I am getting so anxious about this cruise as it is more than we would normally spend and I know my husband isn't particularly keen and I just want everyone to have a good time.

[moki'smommy]

My experience has been that Disney tries to make things easy. Granted that their systems are sometimes costly, but if you choose to use them, they do save you a lot of hassle. However, you can often save serious money by doing some things in other ways. The trade off is convenience vs. cost.

 

Example--fly in, take DCL bus = cost, but they handle the luggage and you don't have a port arrival time! On the way home, if you are on a participating airline, the on board check in service is LOVELY. For us, it is worth the cost of the transfers. Choose transportation other than DCL bus and you are more "on your own" with things. You will still have an amazing vacation, but not quite as seamless.

 

The one thing that DCL does poorly is flights. Been there, done that, won't ever do it again!

[runnergirl71]

My experience has been that Disney tries to make things easy. Granted that their systems are sometimes costly' date=' but if you choose to use them, they do save you a lot of hassle. However, you can often save serious money by doing some things in other ways. The trade off is convenience vs. cost.

 

Example--fly in, take DCL bus = cost, but they handle the luggage and you don't have a port arrival time! On the way home, if you are on a participating airline, the on board check in service is LOVELY. For us, it is worth the cost of the transfers. Choose transportation other than DCL bus and you are more "on your own" with things. You will still have an amazing vacation, but not quite as seamless.[/quote']

 

I have DCL transfers from MCO and still had to select a PAT. Difference being if I had gotten a later PAT I would be allowed in the terminal when the bus arrived - but my boarding group would be whatever was tied to my PAT.

 

Concierge, however, does not have to select a PAT.

[moki'smommy]

Concierge, however, does not have to select a PAT.

 

Neither does platinum. Sorry, didn't realize that DCL bus people still did as they are allowed to enter the terminal as soon as the bus arrives regardless of time.

[Bikeguy64]

 

If you don't want to be just sitting after you check in, I'd suggest you plan to arrive closer to 11:15 to check in and the wait will be minimal then. Don't forget that you can do your kid's club onsite check in in the terminal while you wait, that will take up some time. And there are generally photo ops with some of the characters in the terminal.

 

My PAT was 1:30 also. Just cruised last week. Got to the port at about 11:45. Thru security before noon. Was squared away with check-in at about 12:15. At 12:21 (I looked at my watch due to some bickering I saw in another thread), an announcement was made that anyone could board regardless of boarding number.

 

Was VERY happy I disregarded the assigned arrival time of 1:30.

 

Even the Disney rep I called lied to me and said boarding started at 1 PM. I called about another question and just asked. Was surprised they would lie so blatantly.

[Shmoo here]

My PAT was 1:30 also. Just cruised last week. Got to the port at about 11:45. Thru security before noon. Was squared away with check-in at about 12:15. At 12:21 (I looked at my watch due to some bickering I saw in another thread), an announcement was made that anyone could board regardless of boarding number.

 

Was VERY happy I disregarded the assigned arrival time of 1:30.

 

Even the Disney rep I called lied to me and said boarding started at 1 PM. I called about another question and just asked. Was surprised they would lie so blatantly.

 

In all fairness, it's not just Disney that does this. Most cruiselines will say that boarding begins at 1:00-1:30. Most cruiselines actually begin boarding around 11:00. It just covers them for those cruises that may be late boarding (for various reasons).

 

I'll also point out that the DCL phone reps generally are reading from a script to answer questions. Many of them have never even been near the ships.

Edited December 17, 2013 by Shmoo here

[CariBear]

I also think it depends if the cruise is at capacity or pretty empty. We went on the April 27th Fantasy cruise and because we booked last minute.....we had a PAT of 2:30pm. We had cruised with Disney previously so knew that they start boarding around noon.....and arrived at the port at 11am. The terminal was packed.....and we had boarding #32. We finally boarded at 2pm. I need to get 4 more cruises in so I can be Platinum and arrive/board whenever I get to the port!

[Host Mick]

My PAT was 1:30 also. Just cruised last week. Got to the port at about 11:45. Thru security before noon. Was squared away with check-in at about 12:15. At 12:21 (I looked at my watch due to some bickering I saw in another thread), an announcement was made that anyone could board regardless of boarding number.

 

Was VERY happy I disregarded the assigned arrival time of 1:30.

 

Even the Disney rep I called lied to me and said boarding started at 1 PM. I called about another question and just asked. Was surprised they would lie so blatantly.

 

That wasn't a lie. That is the official boarding time. If the ship is ready before then, and it usually is, boarding starts early.

[moki'smommy]

I also think it depends if the cruise is at capacity or pretty empty. We went on the April 27th Fantasy cruise and because we booked last minute.....we had a PAT of 2:30pm. We had cruised with Disney previously so knew that they start boarding around noon.....and arrived at the port at 11am. The terminal was packed.....and we had boarding #32. We finally boarded at 2pm. I need to get 4 more cruises in so I can be Platinum and arrive/board whenever I get to the port!

 

The CM quoting 1:00 was stating the "official" policy, but most things Disney start early. They allow people into the parks before the official opening time (and I don't mean Extra Magic Hours). They board the ships as early as possible..but by quoting 1:00, they officially aren't disappointing people if there must be a delay. While I haven't personally experiences a late/delayed boarding since 1998, there have been some. These are typically caused by US Customs, not by DCL.

 

Yes, how quickly boarding goes depends on how big the ship is and how full it is. The Magic boards more quickly than the Dream! To be clear, Platinum cannot board whenever they get to port. You can arrive at the terminal as early as 10 or 10:30, but I've never seen boarding start before 11:15. Platinum can arrive at any time they choose (within Port Authority regulations) and can board as soon as concierge priority boarding is complete.

Edited December 18, 2013 by moki'smommy

[beheis]

I have a 10:30 pat time but was told o. The phone by a Disney cruise rep that the terminal doesn't open til 11:00...that doesn't seenu right from these posts....I want to get on the ship early...to start enjoying the fun!

[moki'smommy]

I have a 10:30 pat time but was told o. The phone by a Disney cruise rep that the terminal doesn't open til 11:00...that doesn't seenu right from these posts....I want to get on the ship early...to start enjoying the fun!

 

The terminal opens at 10:30 for guests using something other than DCL transportation. It actually opens a few minutes before that, but people from the DCL buses get to go in first (usually only one bus load). As soon as they are thru security, it opens to everyone.