Port Everglades boarding and PAT

[lorenni]

Cruising out of Ft Lauderdale next week.

Due to communication and photo issues with senior parents located in a different country I didn’t manage to get everyone checked in as early as I would have hoped and our PAT are the latest I have ever had (I am Platinum and we got 2:30). (As an aside one parent’s passport photo is still being rejected and I’ve given up - a human can look at it when we get to the terminal )

I’m not seeing much information about this fairly new terminal or how logistics have been panning out for the recent cruisers.

Are they holding people outside this terminal until your PAT? If we arrive before 2:30 are we really going to be standing around outside? (We will be ubering from downtown - my parents cannot wait until 2:30 for lunch so I’ll find a place to sit and have lunch before we arrive at the terminal)

I’m assuming that by 2:30 general boarding will be well underway and so I’m not fussed about a boarding group (though of course that begs the question why have PATs and boarding groups that are so completely unaligned?)

I have read all the info and sailed from the other terminals so hoping some of you can share experiences with this terminal specifically.

Thanks!

 

[Reckoner]

I'm cruising out of this terminal at the end of January - so I can't help with advice yet, but I am also interested in people's recent experiences, as my family is currently juggling three different PATs

 

[epcotrulz]

FtL was a nightmare for me a few weeks ago. I had an 11:30 PAT and didn’t get inside until 12:30. They had everyone outside in corals by PAT time and the inside waiting area was completely empty … made zero sense.

 

[lorenni]

FtL was a nightmare for me a few weeks ago. I had an 11:30 PAT and didn’t get inside until 12:30. They had everyone outside in corals by PAT time and the inside waiting area was completely empty … made zero sense.

Ugh. Definitely not what I was hoping to hear but I guess I’m not surprised.

 

[epcotrulz]

Ugh. Definitely not what I was hoping to hear but I guess I’m not surprised.

I hope that it’s better for you. The Dream crew was amazing but was a terrible start to the cruise. If you have a bad experience I would be vocal about it. The land side management team seemed to be clueless and not really receptive to any feedback. They thought everything was fine …

 

[Reckoner]

I'm HOPING that since the terminal opened less than a month ago, that was just early hiccups. Fingers crossed.

 

[happycamper47]

The land side management team seemed to be clueless and not really receptive to any feedback. They thought everything was fine …

We had issues in Miami when we boarded the Magic for the WBPC. I complained and they said it would be better once we move to Port Everglades. Well I guess that didn't work.

 

[Jason Martin]

We are on the dream now, boarded yesterday from Port Everglades terminal 4 Had an 12:00 PAT with boarding group 7. We arrived the the terminal at 11:30 - they were letting everyone in (it was raining) but you are always under cover. Surprisingly we were on board at 11:47. There were so few people in the terminal they did one group per minute.

 

[happycamper47]

We are on the dream now, boarded yesterday from Port Everglades terminal 4 Had an 12:00 PAT with boarding group 7. We arrived the the terminal at 11:30 - they were letting everyone in (it was raining) but you are always under cover. Surprisingly we were on board at 11:47. There were so few people in the terminal they did one group per minute.

Hopefully they got the kinks worked out.

 

[SteveMouse]

Cruising out of Ft Lauderdale next week.

Due to communication and photo issues with senior parents located in a different country I didn’t manage to get everyone checked in as early as I would have hoped and our PAT are the latest I have ever had (I am Platinum and we got 2:30). (As an aside one parent’s passport photo is still being rejected and I’ve given up - a human can look at it when we get to the terminal )

I’m not seeing much information about this fairly new terminal or how logistics have been panning out for the recent cruisers.

Are they holding people outside this terminal until your PAT? If we arrive before 2:30 are we really going to be standing around outside? (We will be ubering from downtown - my parents cannot wait until 2:30 for lunch so I’ll find a place to sit and have lunch before we arrive at the terminal)

I’m assuming that by 2:30 general boarding will be well underway and so I’m not fussed about a boarding group (though of course that begs the question why have PATs and boarding groups that are so completely unaligned?)

I have read all the info and sailed from the other terminals so hoping some of you can share experiences with this terminal specifically.

Thanks!

Where are you staying downtown Fort Lauderdale? It may very well be easier to eat near your origin point than near the port (if you can walk to/from where you're staying to lunch, it will save you a transfer).

There are lots of good restaurants on Las Olas. Riverside Hotel's Boathouse has probably one of the nicer locations.

If you'd rather be closer to Port Everglades (it's less than 12 minutes' ride), I'd recommend Dockside @ 15th Street Fisheries, The Boatyard, and/or Quarterdeck.

They are all within 8 minutes of the port, with The Boatyard being closesr.

 

[CarolynU]

I’m platinum on DCL and no status on Princess. Earlier this year I took my first two cruises with Princess (not B2B) out of FtL.
The year before I took a cruise with DCL out of Dover. It was carnage!
The whole Princess experience was so easy both before arrival day and on the day. You uploaded a few documents and you were clear to sail having seemingly been offered a large arrival choice beginning fairly early in the morning.
On the day you rocked up entered the building and after a few questions you were free to go through security and after a few more minutes on you got!
Expecting the fastest finger first race on the DCL website on checking in day then the boarding hassle I was stunned. How could it be this easy? Was I just lucky? The second cruise a couple of weeks later was the same. Was I just lucky twice?
I wowed to not sail DCL again because of this , as the prior Platinum perk of turning up whenever you wanted to was my absolutely favourite perk which rewarded my loyalty.
Then I forgot and booked two DCL cruises in April and May 24. When I remembered again I just can’t get my head around why it seems so easy with one cruise line and much more difficult with another.

 

[lorenni]

Where are you staying downtown Fort Lauderdale? It may very well be easier to eat near your origin point than near the port (if you can walk to/from where you're staying to lunch, it will save you a transfer).

There are lots of good restaurants on Las Olas. Riverside Hotel's Boathouse has probably one of the nicer locations.

If you'd rather be closer to Port Everglades (it's less than 12 minutes' ride), I'd recommend Dockside @ 15th Street Fisheries, The Boatyard, and/or Quarterdeck.

They are all within 8 minutes of the port, with The Boatyard being closesr.

Thanks for this! Super helpful. We are at the Courtyard Ft Lauderdale Downtown. I will probably stay close to the hotel so we can stash our bags with bell services, have lunch, then grab the bags and Uber from the hotel to the Port. Google maps says it’s an 11 minute drive

 

[SteveMouse]

Thanks for this! Super helpful. We are at the Courtyard Ft Lauderdale Downtown. I will probably stay close to the hotel so we can stash our bags with bell services, have lunch, then grab the bags and Uber from the hotel to the Port. Google maps says it’s an 11 minute drive

If you are getting in fairly early the night before, I'd srrongly consider changing hotels if mobility is an issue. The Courtyard is a newer hotel, to be sure, but there is little within a block or so that may be of interest, unless hockey is on your ticket- the Florida Panthers just opened a brand new practice facility in Holiday Park, which is pretty close to the Courtyard.

I'd stay at the Riverside in a superior (tower) room. You would have easy access to the Water Taxi (the station is about 100 feet from the hotel entrance), plus being able to easily walk along Las Olas. Bell services at the Riverside are very efficient and friendly.

As a hotel guest, you'd have access to their outdoor pool, which is directly on the New River, the main water thoroughfare going through the heart of Fort Laiderdale.

Federal Highway, where the Courtyard is located, is a busy road. There are decent sidewalks, but it would not be my choice to walk it (I'd go a block either east or west).

Getting a rideshare at any time should not be a problem, day or night.

 

[lorenni]

If you are getting in fairly early the night before, I'd srrongly consider changing hotels if mobility is an issue. The Courtyard is a newer hotel, to be sure, but there is little within a block or so that may be of interest, unless hockey is on your ticket- the Florida Panthers just opened a brand new practice facility in Holiday Park, which is pretty close to the Courtyard.

I'd stay at the Riverside in a superior (tower) room. You would have easy access to the Water Taxi (the station is about 100 feet from the hotel entrance), plus being able to easily walk along Las Olas. Bell services at the Riverside are very efficient and friendly.

As a hotel guest, you'd have access to their outdoor pool, which is directly on the New River, the main water thoroughfare going through the heart of Fort Laiderdale.

Federal Highway, where the Courtyard is located, is a busy road. There are decent sidewalks, but it would not be my choice to walk it (I'd go a block either east or west).

Getting a rideshare at any time should not be a problem, day or night.

We arrive tomorrow so changing hotels is not a viable option. Fortunately mobility is not an issue.

 

[SteveMouse]

For tomorrow, most/many restaurants are likely to be open. especially later in the day. You might want/need a reservation, especially if you are looking to dine at 7;00pm or later. If you are sailing on Tuesday. it could take several extra minutes to get to the port after lunch- you'll be "competing" for lunch space with those of us back at work.

 

[lorenni]

Here now - so wanted to provide an update.

They clearly have NO IDEA what they are doing.

Arrived at 1:30 - admittedly early for our 2:15 and 2:30 PAT. We are platinum, but checked in late.

First they sent us across the parking garage to go stand in lines arranged by PAT. The earliest line said 2:45, so I asked where to stand. After radioing multiple people they sent us BACK to the check in line where we have been standing still, outside. The line curves all the way around two sides of the building. I would estimate each side to be about 100 yards.

There are a mere handful of benches on each side of the building so even those with mobility issues or other visible or invisible disabilities have to stand.

Needless to say, I am NOT IMPRESSED.

 

[lorenni]

Update #2:

They have half as many check in counters here as at Port Canaveral. They simply cannot manage the volume of passengers for the Dream.

 

[braysmommy]

Here now - so wanted to provide an update.

They clearly have NO IDEA what they are doing.

Arrived at 1:30 - admittedly early for our 2:15 and 2:30 PAT. We are platinum, but checked in late.

First they sent us across the parking garage to go stand in lines arranged by PAT. The earliest line said 2:45, so I asked where to stand. After radioing multiple people they sent us BACK to the check in line where we have been standing still, outside. The line curves all the way around two sides of the building. I would estimate each side to be about 100 yards.

There are a mere handful of benches on each side of the building so even those with mobility issues or other visible or invisible disabilities have to stand.

Needless to say, I am NOT IMPRESSED.

We have experienced this with DCL out of Miami. Lines around the building and they were actually bringing chairs to those that needed them while waiting in line. It was like a big Southwest boarding group line trying to figure out where to stand.

 

[lorenni]

Finally got inside. Another set of lines inside. The iPads aren’t working or are slow. They weren’t able to complete our check in and sent us to a second line.

Meanwhile this is the inside of the terminal. Absolutely empty…

 

[jdb in AZ]

Finally got inside. Another set of lines inside. The iPads aren’t working or are slow. They weren’t able to complete our check in and sent us to a second line.

Meanwhile this is the inside of the terminal. Absolutely empty…

I hope you report the problems to the head of DCL!