1st Time Cruiser first day questions

mcompanik

mcompanik

Member
Original Poster
We are sailing on The Dream in October and I have questions about boarding and the first day on board. We were able to get a port arrival time of 11:00-11:30 and plan to be there right at 11:00. How long after we arrive at the port until we board the ship on average?
Once we are on the ship, can we go right to our stateroom to put away our day bag and change clothes? If not, what time can we?
Are the pools open, and if not, what time do they open?
Is food available on board, or should we plan on a late breakfast before we arrive at the port?
I'm sure I will have more questions, but this is all I can think of right now.
 
Kristia

Kristia

Well-Known Member
We had the same port arrival time as you for our trip in April. We arrived in port at 10:30 and were in the terminal about 10:45. We were able to board the ship about 11:45 and had been given a boarding group number of 5. We were sailing on the Magic which is a much smaller ship, so the terminal was not very crowded. With the Dream it may be a bit more crowded and take a little longer to get on. Our rooms were not available till 1 pm but the pools were open and some restaurants are open buffet style so that you can have a meal as soon as you get on. It was great! If you want to swim, pack your suit in a carry on.
 
sweetpee_1993

sweetpee_1993

Well-Known Member
Hi there!

The cruise terminal should still be fairly quiet when you arrive at 11. Our first cruise was Sept last year and we arrived at about 10:50-10:55 if memory serves. In May we sailed on the Magic and arrived at 10:30. Both times the port had already opened to embarking guests. Soooo, if you arrive a few minutes before 11 you shouldn't have a problem. :D

Boarding begins somewhere around 11:30. Sometimes it's earlier sometimes it's later. 11:30 or so seems pretty average.

When you board the ship the pools will be open. I want to say that the buffet, Cabanas, opens at 11:30. Enchanted Garden will be your dining room option & they open at like 12:15. The poolside walk-ups will open at 12:00. No need for a late breakfast. There will be food aplenty when you get onboard!

Staterooms aren't ready until 1:30. I know, the thought of hauling around your carryons isn't fun. It is what it is. We like to go sit & eat first thing which kills a lot of the wait time before staterooms are ready. You'll see lots of people poolside before 1:30 having changed but have their bags on or beside loungers. You have to find the right balance of what to put in which of your bags. Put as much as you can into checked bags but keep everything you will need prior to your luggage arrival in your carryon. Your checked luggage won't necessarily be in your stateroom when you get there. Luggage is still being delivered up until like 5:30. On our May cruise we were in the late category getting our checked bags. It happens.

Hope that helps!
 
Phonedave

Phonedave

Well-Known Member
As far as getting onto the ship "first" you should be just fine. As long as you are there before 11:00 you are good. As sweetpee said, they start calling group numbers around 11:30, and group numbers go quickly. Maybe 5 minutes between groups (buy man those 5 minutes seem long). We were the second family in the terminal once, and it still seemed like we got on board the same time we always do.

If you want, there is a small breakfast place in the terminal (coffee, muffins, etc) - it is not free- better to save your appitite for the ship.

As for the rooms, they do all open at 1:30. It is like rope drop at the parks. The stateroom halls are roped off, and at 1:30 all the rooms open at once. It is not a question of will my room open at 1:15 or 1:45. However, as was said, your luggage MAY arrive later (mine has been in the room by 2:00 on the 3 cruises I have taken)

If you really want to swim, you can change in the locker rooms in the spa before your room is ready. My kids like to, but so does 80% of the ship. Last cruise, I really felt that the pool had become unsafe. There was so many people in it that there was no way to see the bottom, and there were kids running and jumping into it continously. My advice, save your swimming for later in the cruise, when the pools calm down a LOT. Instead goa nd check out the ship, sign up for things, take your time to learn the layout of the ship.

-dave
 
ExRoadie

ExRoadie

Member
For the August 5th Dream cruise boarding started promply at 11AM. We had an 11:30 boarding and were assigned Group #10. They called us exactly at 11:30 and we had our pictures taken and were on board in mere minutes.

To optimize your time you should be at the terminal before your boarding time to allow for the cruise check-in presenting your documents, getting your picture taken and Key To The World printed for your party.

We got to the terminal an hour before our boarding time and got everyting taken care of with time to spare for the girls to pose for pictures with Captain Mickey and enjoy the terminal building.
 
ChuckElias

ChuckElias

Well-Known Member
mcompanik said:
We were able to get a port arrival time of 11:00-11:30 and plan to be there right at 11:00.
Click to expand...
sweetpee_1993 said:
Our first cruise was Sept last year and we arrived at about 10:50-10:55 if memory serves.
Click to expand...
Kristia said:
We had the same port arrival time as you for our trip in April. We arrived in port at 10:30 and were in the terminal about 10:45.
Click to expand...
Are all you guys late sleepers??? We're up and in the car by 7:30 and in Port Canaveral by 8:15!!! :D

I'm just kidding; we would probably do that if they'd let us, though! We're usually there by 10 or 10:15. A little on the early side, but since we've cruised so often, they don't assign us an arrival time. So we get up, hit Dunkin Donuts on Route 192 in Kissimmee, and roll! The terminal is so beautiful, I don't mind being there a little early. We've had some really nice conversations with cast members while we've waited.
 
ChuckElias

ChuckElias

Well-Known Member
Phonedave said:
If you really want to swim, you can change in the locker rooms in the spa before your room is ready. My kids like to, but so does 80% of the ship.
Click to expand...
I've heard that this is also the best time to try out the Aquaduck, b/c most people are in the pools or eating lunch.
 
sweetpee_1993

sweetpee_1993

Well-Known Member
Phonedave said:
As for the rooms, they do all open at 1:30. It is like rope drop at the parks. The stateroom halls are roped off, and at 1:30 all the rooms open at once. It is not a question of will my room open at 1:15 or 1:45. However, as was said, your luggage MAY arrive later (mine has been in the room by 2:00 on the 3 cruises I have taken)
Click to expand...

It IS just like a rope drop....complete with people camped out in front of the rope anxiously waiting! I don't know aaaaanybody who's done that.... :cool:


Phonedave said:
If you really want to swim, you can change in the locker rooms in the spa before your room is ready. My kids like to, but so does 80% of the ship. Last cruise, I really felt that the pool had become unsafe. There was so many people in it that there was no way to see the bottom, and there were kids running and jumping into it continously. My advice, save your swimming for later in the cruise, when the pools calm down a LOT. Instead goa nd check out the ship, sign up for things, take your time to learn the layout of the ship.

-dave
Click to expand...

I agree. Embarkation day thus far is our time to get oriented with the ship. It's all about checkin' stuff out, getting familiar with where everything is, and settling in. When those pools get crazy there's no stinkin' way you'll get me in them. I don't even wanna know what the actual water content is with all those kids... :confused: Sometimes, there's just not enough bleach no matter how much you have..... LOL!


ChuckElias said:
Are all you guys late sleepers??? We're up and in the car by 7:30 and in Port Canaveral by 8:15!!! :D

I'm just kidding; we would probably do that if they'd let us, though! We're usually there by 10 or 10:15. A little on the early side, but since we've cruised so often, they don't assign us an arrival time. So we get up, hit Dunkin Donuts on Route 192 in Kissimmee, and roll! The terminal is so beautiful, I don't mind being there a little early. We've had some really nice conversations with cast members while we've waited.
Click to expand...

We'd so be there earlier than 10:30 if we thought it would do us any good. I've not actually seen it with my own eyes but it's my understanding and from pictures that I've seen that the port no longer opens to embarking passengers before 10:30-ish. It used to be closer to 11 that they'd still turn you away or keep that gate by the curb closed. I'm sooooo not standing out in the heat/humidity. I'm made of sugar. I'll melt. :p It's okay, you can laugh now! :D


ChuckElias said:
I've heard that this is also the best time to try out the Aquaduck, b/c most people are in the pools or eating lunch.
Click to expand...

As early as possible before the throngs have decended upon the pool decks! It gets so crazy up there! I'm planning on maybe hitting the AquaDuck during early dinner. I hear it's pretty dead then, too.
 
Phonedave

Phonedave

Well-Known Member
ChuckElias said:
Are all you guys late sleepers??? We're up and in the car by 7:30 and in Port Canaveral by 8:15!!! :D

I'm just kidding; we would probably do that if they'd let us, though! We're usually there by 10 or 10:15. A little on the early side, but since we've cruised so often, they don't assign us an arrival time. So we get up, hit Dunkin Donuts on Route 192 in Kissimmee, and roll! The terminal is so beautiful, I don't mind being there a little early. We've had some really nice conversations with cast members while we've waited.
Click to expand...


As I said, once we were there so early that we were the second family to walk into the port when it opened. We were also Castaway Club, so we breezed through registration. Then we waited and waited and waited and waited and got on roughly 10 minutes before people who arrived 2 hours after us. I don't think the terminal is all that super :)


-dave
 
Phonedave

Phonedave

Well-Known Member
ChuckElias said:
I've heard that this is also the best time to try out the Aquaduck, b/c most people are in the pools or eating lunch.
Click to expand...


We did do the Aquaduck during boarding. We also did it a number of other times. Suprisingly there were a lot of times it was not that crowded .

-dave
 
flynnibus

flynnibus

Premium Member
Get breakfast.. goto Ron Jon Surfshop to shop and buy some deck clothes.. show up at terminal just prior to your boarding time. Get in line, check-in, wait for boarding call, go on board.

Bring a small bag with you outside your checked luggage for the afternoon items you will need (bathing suits, lotion, etc) and enjoy the ship when you get on board. Hit the guest relations stuff if you need to (food requests, etc) and take it all in.

Check-in doesn't have to be this 'race to here, race to there' thing.. really the only important things are 1) checking in 2) kid registration 3) any onboard or late requests to take to the staff. Some things you can't do ahead of time and they ask you to speak to the headwaiter or ship staff to get your needs addressed. Besides that.. relax :)
 
Disneyfalcon

Disneyfalcon

Well-Known Member
Count me as someone who likes to be there ASAP! I've heard the port is opening earlier and earlier. One of our agents got there at 10:30 last week and parked. No problem. Boarding is starting earlier then it used to also.

It's great to be among the first to board, but the biggest draw for me is possible port upgrades. If they have any, they're gone quickly. :)

I also like to be onboard ealy if I need to add Palo or change any dining.
 
tracyandalex

tracyandalex

Well-Known Member
Disneyfalcon said:
Count me as someone who likes to be there ASAP! I've heard the port is opening earlier and earlier. One of our agents got there at 10:30 last week and parked. No problem. Boarding is starting earlier then it used to also.

It's great to be among the first to board, but the biggest draw for me is possible port upgrades. If they have any, they're gone quickly. :)

I also like to be onboard ealy if I need to add Palo or change any dining.
Click to expand...

Are there generally big discounts on upgrades? Am I potentially missing out? We always stay in Orlando the night before and get to the port as early as we can too.
 
Disneyfalcon

Disneyfalcon

Well-Known Member
tracyandalex said:
Are there generally big discounts on upgrades? Am I potentially missing out? We always stay in Orlando the night before and get to the port as early as we can too.
Click to expand...

Very big discounts. You'll generally pay 1/3 to 1/2 of what it would have cost if you'd upgraded before you got there. If you're interested, go to the Supervisor's desk immediately after checking in and see what they have!
 
tracyandalex

tracyandalex

Well-Known Member
Disneyfalcon said:
Very big discounts. You'll generally pay 1/3 to 1/2 of what it would have cost if you'd upgraded before you got there. If you're interested, go to the Supervisor's desk immediately after checking in and see what they have!
Click to expand...

OMG I can't believe I didn't know this!! Thank you thank you thank you
 

Register on WDWMAGIC. This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.

Back
Top Bottom