Looking for MCO-PC Transfer Experiences with Concierge Booking

[pangyal]

Hopefully the title says it all ! I received a few comments on another thread that indicated that there *might* be some advantage given to Concierge guests with regards to whether they are allowed to board the first bus or two out of the airport the morning of the cruise...does anyone have any experience with this, either yes or no? We are going to be at MCO around 9am, and I’m thinking I remember reading that the first bus leaves around then for the port? We’ve never done Concierge before, so we would like to get to the ship around 10am if possible to take advantage of being able to board earlier for once! Thanks in advance for any experiences or suggestions.

 

[Starwind]

We have not done concierge, so I don't know if they hold back some space for concierge guests. However...

When we sailed on Fantasy in December, the "which bus you are on" coloured cards they handed out *appeared* to be handed out according to first come first served. The "line" started before 8 am (not an actual line, but people orderly sitting and waiting). We were on the first bus. By 9 they were handing out cards for at least the third bus if not later.

I have a photo of us in the nearly empty terminal walking to the checkin line at 10:14. The picture before is on the bus showing the ship as the bus is winding through the port roads, at 9:58.

Our previous cruise we were on the second bus from MCO and even then there is a fair bit of waiting once you are at the terminal and checked in before boarding for anyone starts.

SW

 

[Dug720]

We have not done concierge, so I don't know if they hold back some space for concierge guests. However...

When we sailed on Fantasy in December, the "which bus you are on" coloured cards they handed out *appeared* to be handed out according to first come first served. The "line" started before 8 am (not an actual line, but people orderly sitting and waiting). We were on the first bus. By 9 they were handing out cards for at least the third bus if not later.

I have a photo of us in the nearly empty terminal walking to the checkin line at 10:14. The picture before is on the bus showing the ship as the bus is winding through the port roads, at 9:58.

Our previous cruise we were on the second bus from MCO and even then there is a fair bit of waiting once you are at the terminal and checked in before boarding for anyone starts.

SW

Agreed.

I just cruise regular status, but I've gone twice out of MCO on the DCL bus - stayed at a Hampton Inn close and took their shuttle to MCO by 8am. As SW reported, they started checking people in for the buses a little before 9 on what seemed to be a first-come first-served basis. Both times I was on the first bus, and once we got the colored card we were put in a line through some stanchions and boarded from there.

In neither of those two trips was anyone escorted to the front of that line before we started boarding. BUT they had moved onto a different color card before we started boarding just before 9am. So either anyone who was cruising concierge was on our bus, took a different color card without pulling "But I'm cruising Concierge!!!" (or tried it and were told it didn't matter), or there was no one there cruising concierge.

But I did NOT see them holding back any cards of any color - and the bus is as full as they can make it without splitting parties - and I don't see them going up to the last people with a certain color and taking that away from them just because someone in a higher category came up.

 

[pangyal]

For sure, I would never pull the entitled PITA guest card! This is why I wanted to ask here first. How often do the buses run from the airport? If we arrived around 9, would we not be at the port until around 11am since so many would already have been in line an hour or more prior?

 

[Dug720]

For sure, I would never pull the entitled PITA guest card! This is why I wanted to ask here first. How often do the buses run from the airport? If we arrived around 9, would we not be at the port until around 11am since so many would already have been in line an hour or more prior?

They run them as soon as full, so it's possible there could be 2 or 3 buses on the road by 9:30. Once that original crowd is gone, I believe it's every 20 minutes or when full (so you wouldn't sit longer than 20 minutes before it left - if you were the first ones loaded and the previous bus had just left.

The one thing you wouldn't have to worry about even if you arrived at 11 is whatever boarding group is being handed out. Boarding usually doesn't start until 11:30 or so, and you'd be doing that with Concierge.

 

[Starwind]

Agreed.

But I did NOT see them holding back any cards of any color - and the bus is as full as they can make it without splitting parties - and I don't see them going up to the last people with a certain color and taking that away from them just because someone in a higher category came up.

For our cruise we were one of if not the last family on the first bus: we are only two; the family who arrived before us and the one after us were both at least 4 (IIRC even bigger), so they went on bus #2. When we saw them hand bus #2 colored tags to the family in front of us we were a bit disappointed as we had hoped for bus #1 [we were the first family on bus #2 our cruise previous to that], but then they handed us the card for bus #1 as we were only the two of us so there was room for us [they also mentioned that was why]...

sw

 

[Dug720]

For our cruise we were one of if not the last family on the first bus: we are only two; the family who arrived before us and the one after us were both at least 4 (IIRC even bigger), so they went on bus #2. When we saw them hand bus #2 colored tags to the family in front of us we were a bit disappointed as we had hoped for bus #1 [we were the first family on bus #2 our cruise previous to that], but then they handed us the card for bus #1 as we were only the two of us so there was room for us [they also mentioned that was why]...

sw

Well yeah, obviously if they only have 2 and there is a group of 4 they will not split them up - and if the bus has not left before the party of 2 gets to the front, as in your case, that party of 2 will be given the tickets.

I meant I don't think they have a pile of tickets set aside in case anyone from concierge comes up.

 

[lanejudy]

we would like to get to the ship around 10am if possible to take advantage of being able to board earlier for once!

Arriving at the port around 10-10:15 will not get you on the ship that early. As Concierge you’ll have a separate check-in line and waiting area, and the “early boarding” simply means before the regular boarding numbers are called. But boarding is still likely to be around 11:30am — maybe as early as 11:15 if they are ready then.

Enjoy your cruise!

 

[Starwind]

Well yeah, obviously if they only have 2 and there is a group of 4 they will not split them up - and if the bus has not left before the party of 2 gets to the front, as in your case, that party of 2 will be given the tickets.

I meant I don't think they have a pile of tickets set aside in case anyone from concierge comes up.

exactly. the bus was completely full and we were the last couple seats. i did not see them hand out more bus 1 cards after us. pretty sure it is first come first served no matter what category stateroom

also, fwiw at least for our cruise they started handing out the cards at about 845 and told people to sit and wait once they got their card, then at 9 invited people with the red cards (bus 1 cards) to come into the roped line. i am guessing they did that for the next couple buses as by 9 they were into the 3rd or higher # for bus cards. it made managing the crowd much easier i think than our previous cruise where they did not hand out cards so everyone got into the line [mostly in roughly the order they arrived, but still it was a very very long line].

 

[coloradocutie]

We took the first bus out of MCO once… We’re hoping for port upgrade, which is why we did it, and it was successful, but I would never get to the port on the first bus otherwise. We just had to sit around for 90 minutes. Concierge is able to be were the first people at boarding but that’s not until 11 or 1130.Hang out somewhere more fun, and plan to arrive around 11 and you will be fine.

 

[Marc D]

We sailed Concierge and took the DCL bus two weeks ago. Being Concierge will not get you bumped to an earlier bus. Places are assigned on a first-come, first-serve basis. They give you a character card. They have the same number of cards as there are places on each bus.

What you do get now when Concierge is a dedicated check in line and priority boarding. When you get your bus assignment, if the CM doesn’t notice you are Concierge, mention it. They will come and get you when your bus is ready to load, bring you to dedicated check in line and board you before beginning to check in regular guests.

As other have mentioned, there is no point getting of the first or second bus if you are Concierge, unless you want to upgrade to the Walt/Roy/1BR at the port. If your bus departs at 9:45 or before (approx busses 1-4), you’ll get into the terminal before it opens to guests arriving independently. You will not get onboard any faster than if you arrive anytime before 11:30 when group 1 is called.

 

[jlemieu1]

Here is a photo at MCO for concierge. I always try to get on the first bus So basically they called us up first and let us board the bus first before the rest of the people. I'm not sure if my card was different versus non concierge. It is kind of funny it gave us a bit of advantage for trying to snag the open Cat R. Two parties were kind of racing for it.....B2B snagged it :-(

https://photos.app.goo.gl/MCKg5Tk29POm2gc12