Is DCL still being strict on Port Arrival Times?

[n2mm]

You can drop your luggage and enter the garage at any time they don't check PAT prior. The PAT restriction now applies to entering the terminal for check in. They have designated lines where you wait based on the PAT.

this is exactly what we had during our cruise last month. There were several lines to get into the checkin area. They were designated with PAT times. We were late, so went straight in. We had a 11am, but got to the line up area and it showed 11:15. There were maybe 3-4 more lines which were exact 15 minutes from each one. I thought it was very organized

 

[Clarkson U]

I’m here to board the Dream, PAT is 11:15, and it’s noon. They haven’t started loading people yet. I hope the rest of the cruise is better or I’m not cruising Disney again.

PAT is different than boarding time. PAT is meant for the time you should show up at port - after which you can drop off your luggage , park the car, go to check in and work through security and up to the terminal.

Boarding the ship is different from this and could be compounded by a variety of factors including customs clearance, some maintenance or unscheduled issue that delays boarding the ship by passengers. It’s very common in my own experience to wait to board even when arriving at the PAT and not early.

 

[BK2014]

We boarded the Wish in Port Canaveral on Monday. Our PAT was 11:15am, BG was 5. We arrived at the port via our car earlier than expected, but we were were let into the parking garage and into the terminal by 11:00am. We were on the ship around 12:15.

 

[tntstults]

Any updates to this topic? I saw a YouTube video where someone said they were allowed in a hour before their port arrival time.

 

[happycamper47]

If true, they got lucky.

 

[lanejudy]

Any updates to this topic? I saw a YouTube video where someone said they were allowed in a hour before their port arrival time.

Define "allowed in" -- allowed to enter the port and park or get dropped off? Yes, that's been standard for a while.
Allowed to enter the terminal early? I have read a couple of reports that a later PAT may be allowed into the terminal early after "open boarding" is called -- so that would likely be a PAT later than 1pm or 1:30pm. But such reports have been sporadic so I wouldn't count on it.

 

[tntstults]

Define "allowed in" -- allowed to enter the port and park or get dropped off? Yes, that's been standard for a while.
Allowed to enter the terminal early? I have read a couple of reports that a later PAT may be allowed into the terminal early after "open boarding" is called -- so that would likely be a PAT later than 1pm or 1:30pm. But such reports have been sporadic so I wouldn't count on it.

The people I watched had a rental car and dropped it off and we’re sitting inside their terminal an hour before their port arrival time of 11:45 am. I’m not sure when they boarded. Maybe it was a perk of being YouTube famous.

 

[MillauFr]

Any updates to this topic? I saw a YouTube video where someone said they were allowed in a hour before their port arrival time.

No way. In San Diego in January they were making you wait in queue outside based on your boarding times.

 

[tntstults]

I rewatched and they weren’t actually inside the terminal so now I’m wondering if they waited outside in a line until it was their port arrival time.

 

[n2mm]

No way. In San Diego in January they were making you wait in queue outside based on your boarding times.

This was the same for port Canaveral in November. We got stuck in traffic on 528 and got there at 11:30 for a 11:00 pat, so bypassed the lines and went straight in

 

[Hwing]

I went about 30 minutes early on Presidents’ Day weekend to my arrival time around 12:30. By that time when I got in they were boarding all groups and we walked onto the Wish by 12:38. I’ve never done that before but it was magical!

 

[kiford]

Any updates to this topic? I saw a YouTube video where someone said they were allowed in a hour before their port arrival time.

We boarded on Jan 30 and had watched a video filmed the week prior where you lined up outside the terminal behind a sign that had different PATs listed and they took in one line at a time. We had our reservation linked to that of our friends who were driving us to the terminal. They had a PAT of 11:15 (boarding group 5) and we had 12:45 (boarding group 17). We asked outside the terminal if we could get into the same line outside as them because of the linking and we were told that everyone was just going into one line. We got into line, entered the building in about a minute and were divided into Platinum (us & our friends) and Gold/Silver lines. When we got to the person checking documents we explained about our PATs being different but coming together and having a linked reservation and he changed our documents to align with our friends. We boarded at the same time. We got to the terminal around 11:15 am. So it may depend on how many people there are, but they never even checked our PAT before allowing everyone into line and into the building.

 

[tntstults]

We boarded on Jan 30 and had watched a video filmed the week prior where you lined up outside the terminal behind a sign that had different PATs listed and they took in one line at a time. We had our reservation linked to that of our friends who were driving us to the terminal. They had a PAT of 11:15 (boarding group 5) and we had 12:45 (boarding group 17). We asked outside the terminal if we could get into the same line outside as them because of the linking and we were told that everyone was just going into one line. We got into line, entered the building in about a minute and were divided into Platinum (us & our friends) and Gold/Silver lines. When we got to the person checking documents we explained about our PATs being different but coming together and having a linked reservation and he changed our documents to align with our friends. We boarded at the same time. We got to the terminal around 11:15 am. So it may depend on how many people there are, but they never even checked our PAT before allowing everyone into line and into the building.

Once you got into the terminal how long was it before you boarded? Also, what is the check in process now that we do most of it online? Thank you!

 

[RedHead0186]

Once you got into the terminal how long was it before you boarded? Also, what is the check in process now that we do most of it online? Thank you!

There is a great pinned post in this forum about online check-in:https://www.disboards.com/threads/what-do-i-need-to-have-prepared-for-online-check-in.3885775/. It details what you need to have ready. Online check in happens 30 days out at midnight Eastern, regardless of your CC status.

The time between getting into the terminal and boarding may depend on your boarding group. In September, we were group 5, PAT of 11:15. We were allowed into the terminal a hair before 11:15 if I recall correctly, went smoothly through all the check-ins and security, and I think we waited about an hour to board. If you have a later PAT and they've switched to open boarding, you might be able to pretty much walk on the ship once you get through all the 'protocols.'

 

[kiford]

Once you got into the terminal how long was it before you boarded? Also, what is the check in process now that we do most of it online? Thank you!

We got into the terminal about 11:30 and boarded (group 5) at 12:05. They started boarding at 11:45 with the family of the day.

The check in is now done as you enter the terminal and before you go through security (downstairs) not in the main hall as it used to be. All they appeared to do was check passports against the record from the online process and visually confirm that the picture was me and scanned the boarding pass (wrote a manual change on ours so that our boarding group 17 was changed to 5). That was it, then through security. Your room cards are at your stateroom door. I don't recall them checking anything about onboard charging but we'd already entered our credit card information with no intention of changing that.

 

[Chipmunkmaniac]

I cruised three times in January/February, twice Miami once PC and got the same experience at both. For early PATS there is little to no room to arrive early. For later PATs at a certain time they start allowing everyone. I saw messages in all three cruise groups coming in around noon/12.30 that everyone was allowed in the terminal;
As others said PAt and boarding time are two different times. Boarding starts with b2b cruisers followed by family of the day, concierge guests, BG1 etc. The time they start board depends on various factors such as clearance status by customs but also technical things on the ship for which they may not want guests around.

 

[Spotthecat]

So our room cards are at our stateroom door. And they are linked to my credit card. Hopefully I don't have an evil twin on the same cruise that will take my card and go shopping like crazy, lol.

 

[NAB]

So our room cards are at our stateroom door. And they are linked to my credit card. Hopefully I don't have an evil twin on the same cruise that will take my card and go shopping like crazy, lol

We had the wrong cards when we’re were on the Magic in January. wonder why they weren’t opening the door looked and they were the cabin across to us. I felt bad because the envelope was open when they put them back there.

Really they can only use it at the bars ….lol stores are closed. The person would get caught pretty fast too…lol

 

[Calantha]

We had the wrong cards when we’re were on the Magic in January. wonder why they weren’t opening the door looked and they were the cabin across to us.

We were on the Wish in January, and I accidentally grabbed the card from the room next to us. I realized as soon as I opened it, of course. I hurried into our room and wrote a note on the stationary to explain what happened to our neighbor. It happens!

 

[tntstults]

My port arrival is 11:30 and my boarding group is 6. I’m hoping to get on the ship early enough to change to early dining. I figure some people in my group will be lining up before 11:30 so I should probably arrive before 11:30 as well.