Dumb Questions, I Know...

[MomofPrincessGrace]

Sorry if the title is misleading, I wasn't sure how to word it. We are 29 days away from our first ever cruise. A couple of weeks ago we received a little booklet that contained our luggage tags and itinerary. Will we receive anything else in the mail prior to cruising? Another question, although it may sound dumb. Our port arrival time is 10:45 - 11:00. Is the time that we will get one the ship? Or is this the time that we will need to check in at the port? How does that whole boarding process work? Do we get to the port at 10:30, check in and give them out documentation, and then get one the ship? As soon as you check in do they take your luggage for screening? Sorry if all of these questions sound dumb, but this is a new experience for us.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Master Yoda]

If memory serves me correctly, that is all the paperwork you will receive. Make sure to put the luggage tags on all of your checked bags before you arrive at the port. If you are driving, you will drop of your checked luggage as you are pulling in and then park your car. Once you are parked you will walk to the port to check in.

The arrival time is when you will arrive at the port. That will be preceded by check in and boarding. The amount of time check in can take will vary, but I don't think we have ever waited more than an hour.

You will show all of your documentation at check in. They will give you your room cards, Personal Navigator newsletter, etc. Once that is done you should be able to board the boat, grab lunch and explore the ship.

Your room and your checked luggage typically will not be ready until after 1:30ish.

 

[MomofPrincessGrace]

If memory serves me correctly, that is all the paperwork you will receive. Make sure to put the luggage tags on all of your checked bags before you arrive at the port. If you are driving, you will drop of your checked luggage as you are pulling in and then park your car. Once you are parked you will walk to the port to check in.

The arrival time is when you will arrive at the port. That will be preceded by check in and boarding. The amount of time check in can take will vary, but I don't think we have ever waited more than an hour.

You will show all of your documentation at check in. They will give you your room cards, Personal Navigator newsletter, etc. Once that is done you should be able to board the boat, grab lunch and explore the ship.

Your room and your checked luggage typically will not be ready until after 1:30ish.

Thank you so much! This is beyond helpful. I get anxiety doing things that are new to me for the first time. Thanks for helping me understand! DCL doesn't seem to hold your hand as much as WDW does when it comes to pre-planning.

 

[Master Yoda]

Thank you so much! This is beyond helpful. I get anxiety doing things that are new to me for the first time. Thanks for helping me understand! DCL doesn't seem to hold your hand as much as WDW does when it comes to pre-planning.

That is because they don't really need to.

The port and the check in process are pretty intuitive...just follow the crowd and do what they do and you typically will be fine.

As to the ship, you really don't need to rush, rush, rush like you do in the parks. There is not staking out a fireworks spot 2 hours prior or arriving at the parks 3 hours early so you can sprint to an attraction as soon as they open.

About the only thing you might want to do is arrive at the main shows in the front of the ship about 20 minutes early so you can have your seat of choice.

 

[MomofPrincessGrace]

Great! I am definitely looking forward to not having to wake up at the break of dawn to rope drop, or stay up until midnight trying to book ADR's. Hoping this will be the first of many Disney cruises.

 

[Fear]

Hoping this will be the first of many Disney cruises.

We got back a month ago from our first one and are booking our next one this week. The Disney Cruise bug is very real.

 

[MomofPrincessGrace]

Haha I arleady have a WDW problem, I guess DCL will be my next. Now if only money wasn't a problem

 

[DisneyJoe]

Thank you so much! This is beyond helpful. I get anxiety doing things that are new to me for the first time. Thanks for helping me understand! DCL doesn't seem to hold your hand as much as WDW does when it comes to pre-planning.

Have you done their online check in process? If so, there are a handful of forms that it is helpful for you to print and sign in advance. They should also be referenced in the booklet that you received.

Take the time to read thru the document book that you received, most questions are answered there.

Very important - download the Disney Cruise Line Navigator app to your phone BEFORE boarding the ship.

 

[ScoutN]

Sorry if the title is misleading, I wasn't sure how to word it. We are 29 days away from our first ever cruise. A couple of weeks ago we received a little booklet that contained our luggage tags and itinerary. Will we receive anything else in the mail prior to cruising? Another question, although it may sound dumb. Our port arrival time is 10:45 - 11:00. Is the time that we will get one the ship? Or is this the time that we will need to check in at the port? How does that whole boarding process work? Do we get to the port at 10:30, check in and give them out documentation, and then get one the ship? As soon as you check in do they take your luggage for screening? Sorry if all of these questions sound dumb, but this is a new experience for us.

Thanks in advance!

You can have an early port arrival time and not board for two hours. Port arrival time/check-in time does not directly correlate to boarding time. Boarding is calculated based on boarding windows and when those within that window initially booked the cruise. So let's say that 100 people have the same check-in time as you and they will board group two (one is typically just concierge and sometimes platinum), they board 75 people in group two, you are group of 25 while the other 75 booked two days before you, they would get an earlier boarding time.

They have a pretty complicated method of figuring out who gets on at what time.

As far as your port process goes, I will bullet point it.

• Park/get dropped off at the front.
• There they will take your tagged luggage. The next time you will see it is at your stateroom.
• After that, there is a CM/Port Sec/whatever that will look at your cruise information book you have received and contrast that vs your passport(s). PLEASE remember to put your passport(s) in a bag that goes on to the ship with you.
• Next you will wait in a line that is typically not long to put your carry-ons through a scanner just like you see at the airport and walk through a metal detector.
• Once you have cleared that step you then head up the escalator(assuming you went through ground-level security) and get in line to do the actual check-in.
• While in the line, if you have your documents already signed, get them out alongside the passport(s).
• You will check-in with an agent at the desk who will take your photo, and everyone with you. You will obtain your Key to the World card there. Those photos go in to the DCL-SHIPNAMEHERE file to verify who is using the KttW card. You will also get your boarding group number there.
• Typically Boarding Group 1, mostly concierge, platinum and Family of the Day (NO clue how they are chosen but I am sure @Disneyfalcon knows) boards followed by the rest.
• Boarding for Group 1 typically begins between 1130-1145 at Port Canaveral. The other ports I have taken DCL out of have varied on the time boarding actually begins.

 

[MaryJaneP]

We will second that the "port arrival time" does not, necessarily, equal the boarding time. We have found that they (DCL) try to spread out the load on their sign-in and registration people by bunching groups to overwhelm the staff at varying times.

It seemed to us that there was some time to sit around the lobby, view the model ship, meet Mickey as he walks through the crowd, and read the navigator they handed you at sign-in, before they would begin calling groups to board. Again, this was staged in groups to avoid creating a huge mass of people trying to rush the narrow gangplanks to get on as well as to allow proper time for the initial photographer to take the needed group photo.

Have a great cruise and do not fret! The ship will not leave without you. We also wish to MOST STRENUOUSLY remind you to keep your passports and cruise documents with you and DO NOT put them in a checked bag.

 

[MomofPrincessGrace]

Have you done their online check in process? If so, there are a handful of forms that it is helpful for you to print and sign in advance. They should also be referenced in the booklet that you received.

Take the time to read thru the document book that you received, most questions are answered there.

Very important - download the Disney Cruise Line Navigator app to your phone BEFORE boarding the ship.

Thanks for this! I did online check in but havent printed anything off. I'm going to go ahead and do that now before I forget!

You can have an early port arrival time and not board for two hours. Port arrival time/check-in time does not directly correlate to boarding time. Boarding is calculated based on boarding windows and when those within that window initially booked the cruise. So let's say that 100 people have the same check-in time as you and they will board group two (one is typically just concierge and sometimes platinum), they board 75 people in group two, you are group of 25 while the other 75 booked two days before you, they would get an earlier boarding time.

They have a pretty complicated method of figuring out who gets on at what time.

As far as your port process goes, I will bullet point it.

• Park/get dropped off at the front.
• There they will take your tagged luggage. The next time you will see it is at your stateroom.
• After that, there is a CM/Port Sec/whatever that will look at your cruise information book you have received and contrast that vs your passport(s). PLEASE remember to put your passport(s) in a bag that goes on to the ship with you.
• Next you will wait in a line that is typically not long to put your carry-ons through a scanner just like you see at the airport and walk through a metal detector.
• Once you have cleared that step you then head up the escalator(assuming you went through ground-level security) and get in line to do the actual check-in.
• While in the line, if you have your documents already signed, get them out alongside the passport(s).
• You will check-in with an agent at the desk who will take your photo, and everyone with you. You will obtain your Key to the World card there. Those photos go in to the DCL-SHIPNAMEHERE file to verify who is using the KttW card. You will also get your boarding group number there.
• Typically Boarding Group 1, mostly concierge, platinum and Family of the Day (NO clue how they are chosen but I am sure @Disneyfalcon knows) boards followed by the rest.
• Boarding for Group 1 typically begins between 1130-1145 at Port Canaveral. The other ports I have taken DCL out of have varied on the time boarding actually begins.

Thank you so much for this! It really helps to have an idea what to expect. I definitely don't mind waiting at Port to board, as long as we are on the ship before it departs! Haha

We will second that the "port arrival time" does not, necessarily, equal the boarding time. We have found that they (DCL) try to spread out the load on their sign-in and registration people by bunching groups to overwhelm the staff at varying times.

It seemed to us that there was some time to sit around the lobby, view the model ship, meet Mickey as he walks through the crowd, and read the navigator they handed you at sign-in, before they would begin calling groups to board. Again, this was staged in groups to avoid creating a huge mass of people trying to rush the narrow gangplanks to get on as well as to allow proper time for the initial photographer to take the needed group photo.

Have a great cruise and do not fret! The ship will not leave without you. We also wish to MOST STRENUOUSLY remind you to keep your passports and cruise documents with you and DO NOT put them in a checked bag.

I actually read an article not too long ago of this elderly couple who were going on a cruise (can't remember which cruise line it was) but they left their passports in their luggage, the luggage ended up on the ship, they couldn't get on the ship, and their luggage cruised without them. They ended up getting comped another cruise, but ever since reading that article I have been paranoid about keeping my documents in my bag that I am carrying onto the ship.

 

[Phonedave]

Two more points.

- When you drop off your checked luggage, it is not at a desk, or a counter, or anything like you would find at an airport. There are a bunch of people (luggage handlers) with big luggage carts by the curb. You hand them your luggage, they throw it on a cart, and you go on your way. There is no receipt, there is no computer check in or paperwork. You just hand them your luggage and they throw it on a cart. What does this mean? It means PUT YOUR TAGS ON YOUR LUGGAGE, and as others have said, DO NOT PUT ANYTHING YOU NEED IN YOUR LUGGAGE. If you get into the port and say "oh geez, that document is in my luggage" there is no way for them to know what cart it is on, or where that cart is. It WILL show up in your room, don't worry about the seemingly haphazard method. It's how all cruises are.

- Yes, it is a lot more laid back than the parks, and you don't have to be held to a tight schedule and rush to stake out spots. However, if you want to change your dining assignment, make upgraded dining reservations, or spa reservations, and you have not done so before you cruised, you should do those quickly. I'm not saying shove the elderly out of the way as you rush to make your reservation, but don't linger around at the buffet thinking you will do it in a few hours either. Good time slots book up quickly.



-dave

 

[MomofPrincessGrace]

Two more points.

- When you drop off your checked luggage, it is not at a desk, or a counter, or anything like you would find at an airport. There are a bunch of people (luggage handlers) with big luggage carts by the curb. You hand them your luggage, they throw it on a cart, and you go on your way. There is no receipt, there is no computer check in or paperwork. You just hand them your luggage and they throw it on a cart. What does this mean? It means PUT YOUR TAGS ON YOUR LUGGAGE, and as others have said, DO NOT PUT ANYTHING YOU NEED IN YOUR LUGGAGE. If you get into the port and say "oh geez, that document is in my luggage" there is no way for them to know what cart it is on, or where that cart is. It WILL show up in your room, don't worry about the seemingly haphazard method. It's how all cruises are.

- Yes, it is a lot more laid back than the parks, and you don't have to be held to a tight schedule and rush to stake out spots. However, if you want to change your dining assignment, make upgraded dining reservations, or spa reservations, and you have not done so before you cruised, you should do those quickly. I'm not saying shove the elderly out of the way as you rush to make your reservation, but don't linger around at the buffet thinking you will do it in a few hours either. Good time slots book up quickly.



-dave

Thanks so much! I had no idea how the luggage thing worked. We are taking an Uber/Lyft from Hertz to the port, so I was unsure of how that would go! Thanks for the insight!

 

[ChuckElias]

Two more points.

- When you drop off your checked luggage, it is not at a desk, or a counter, or anything like you would find at an airport. There are a bunch of people (luggage handlers) with big luggage carts by the curb. You hand them your luggage, they throw it on a cart, and you go on your way.

It's not mandatory, by any means, but these guys will really appreciate a tip of a couple bucks per bag. So I carry a bunch of small bills on Embarkation Day.

PUT YOUR TAGS ON YOUR LUGGAGE,

If you forget your luggage tags, or if you've lost them, or if you don't get your cruise documents before you leave, don't freak out!! As long as you know your stateroom number(s), the baggage handlers (or someone nearby) will have extra tags that they can put your room number on.

 

[Master Yoda]

It's not mandatory, by any means, but these guys will really appreciate a tip of a couple bucks per bag. So I carry a bunch of small bills on Embarkation Day.

If you forget your luggage tags, or if you've lost them, or if you don't get your cruise documents before you leave, don't freak out!! As long as you know your stateroom number(s), the baggage handlers (or someone nearby) will have extra tags that they can put your room number on.

and to add to that...you will want to do the same on the trip out as there are baggage handlers/sherpas that will assist you when you are leaving the port as well. We typically spot those guys a $20 per room and they are worth every penny.

 

[cdoza]

Thanks Mom Of Princess Grace for asking. We are cruising on Disney for first time end of April. I have been on other cruises so generally know how it works but all this is great.
We are driving from MCO airport to Hertz. I think I read somewhere that Hertz by the port has a shuttle to the port. You may want to check and use that instead of Uber/Lyft. Athough if I have to wait around forever for shuttle I will be doing the same- Uber/Lyft.
Enjoy your cruise- I know we can't wait!

 

[MomofPrincessGrace]

Thanks Mom Of Princess Grace for asking. We are cruising on Disney for first time end of April. I have been on other cruises so generally know how it works but all this is great.
We are driving from MCO airport to Hertz. I think I read somewhere that Hertz by the port has a shuttle to the port. You may want to check and use that instead of Uber/Lyft. Athough if I have to wait around forever for shuttle I will be doing the same- Uber/Lyft.
Enjoy your cruise- I know we can't wait!

That would be great if they have a shuttle. They do offer pick-ups to take you back to Hertz, which is what we are doing after the cruise. I'm sure they get enough business that it would make sense to run some type of shuttle.

 

[21stamps]

All I want to say is-

Please do a trip report!!!

Have a magical trip!

 

[The Mom]

Aside from the usual have any important documents, medications, etc in your carry -on, you might want to put a small tube of sunscreen, hat (if you aren't wearing it) and even a bathing suit or change of tops if you're flying in from a colder climate, in it. So you can relax on deck and enjoy yourself if your bags have any delay in getting to your cabin.

And don't forget to leave one complete outfit out on your last evening/morning (most cruise lines want your bags put outside the door before you retire on your last night). Pretty common sense, but there always seem to be a couple of passengers who forget.

 

[MomofPrincessGrace]

And don't forget to leave one complete outfit out on your last evening/morning (most cruise lines want your bags put outside the door before you retire on your last night). Pretty common sense, but there always seem to be a couple of passengers who forget.

Actually didn't think of this! Thanks!