Disney Cruise Line Online Check-In - What Will You Need?

Online Check-In - You Will Need the Following: 

Proof of Citizenship:

Be aware it can take 4-5 months to get a passport once applied for. If you choose to get a passport and don’t have one plan ahead and get one early.

·        Passport OR State Issued ID and official copy of Birth Certificate for each member of your party.

•  A Passport is NOT required for closed loop cruises. (Cruise starts and ends at the same port.)
• A Passport is required for both Open-Jaw and Repositioning Cruises. (Open-Jan Starts and one port and ends at another. Even if the Open-Jaw cruise starts and ends at US Ports you will need a Passport. Repositioning Cruises are moving the ship from one region to another.)
• A passport is highly recommended for all cruises. If there is an emergency and you need to fly home from another country for any reason you will NOT be able to fly without a BOOK type Passport.
• A Card type Passport is acceptable for check-in and boarding, but you cannot fly with it, even in an emergency.
• Minors only need their Birth Certificate for most cruises.
• You will need to bring your proof of Citizenship with you when boarding.

Pre and Post Cruise Travel Information:

• How will you get to/from the port.
• If you fly flight information pre and post cruise.
• If driving just say home for pre and post cruise information.

Shipboard Folio Payment:

• How will you pay your expenses on the ship. This includes Gratuities, Purchases, Port Adventures, and Adult Dining.
• ·        Will all charges for everybody in the cabin be charged to one credit card.
• ·        Will charges be split per person and each putting their credit card information down.
• ·        Will charges be paid in cash.
• ·        You can prepay your Gratuities before sailing and then add more once on the ship if you wish.

JPEG Photos of the following items:

You will need JPEG photos/scanned images of the following.

Proof of Citizenship Documents.

• ·        Passport if you have and choose to use one. (In ONE photo BOTH the signature and information page of the Passport Book or both front/back of the Passport Card.)
• ·        State Issued ID, if you do not use a Passport (Front only)
• ·        Birth Certificate, if you do not use a Passport

Security Photo.

·        Selfie style photo of each guest. Head and Shoulders no hat, big bows, Mickey/Minnie ears, or glasses that obscure your face.

When can you do Online Check-In:

• ·        First Time Cruisers – 30 days before Cruise
• ·        Silver Castaway Club Members (2-5 Cruises) - 33 days before
• ·        Gold Castaway Club Members (6-10 Cruises) - 35 days before
• ·        Platinum Castaway Club Members (11-25 Cruises) - 38 days before
• ·        Pearl Castaway Club Members (26+ Cruises) - 40 days before

Is a Passport Required for a Cruise?

Is a Passport Required for a Cruise

What Citizenship Paperwork Do is Needed?

A major question asked by people cruising is do you need a passport to sail. The answer depends on the cruise and your choice.

 

Officially you need either:

·        A Passport or

·        State Issued ID and Birth Certificate.

 

Let us start by talking about the difference between a Passport Book and a Passport Card:

·         US Passport Book:

o   This is what most people think of when you say Passport. It is a book with pages that are stamped as you enter a country.

o   It is good for international travel.

o   Some people may have limitations placed on where they can go with their Passports.

·        US Passport Card:

o   It looks like a State Issued ID Card.

o   It is good for walking, driving, taking public transport such as a bus, or train to Mexico or Canada.

o   It is also good for taking a cruise ship on Closed Loop Cruise going to the Caribbean, Bahamas, Virgin Islands, Mexico or Canada.

o   It is NOT good for boarding a plane to fly in or outside of the US.

 

Here are the answer to the question “ Do I need a Passport”:

A Passport is always highly recommended! A Passport Book will allow you to fly home from another country in an emergency without waiting for the State Department to issue you an emergency Passport.

·        If you are sailing out of a US port and returning to the same port (a Closed Loop Cruise) you do not require a Passport. This is the only type of cruise you do not require a Passport.

·        If you are doing a cruise that either starting or ending port is a non-US port (a Repositioning Cruise) you will require a Passport.

·        If you are doing a cruise that starts at one US port and ends at another US port (an Open-Jaw Cruise) you will require a Passport.

·        If your cruise starts and ends in non-US ports you will require a Passport.

 

If you do not need a passport, why should you get one? If you need to fly home from another country, due to an emergency you will require a Passport Book to fly. It costs $130 to get a passport and it will be valid for 10 years. It is expensive but for peace of mind it is worth it.

Will a Passport Card suffice if doing a Closed Loop? Yes, for the sake of getting on a it will. It will not get you on a cruise starting or ending at a non-US port or to fly out of or into the US. It will NOT get you on a plane heading out of or into the US.

 

In reality all you need to sail a Closed Loop Cruise is an official copy of your Birth Certificate and government issued ID, like a Driver’s License. But again, for safety and peace of mind a Passport Book is highly recommended.

 

If you wish to get a Passport here is the US State department Website to get the information and the form to apply for a Passport. A Passport Book is $130. If you wish both it is $160.

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports.html

 

What Time Should You Fly In for Your Cruise?

What Time Should You Fly In for Your Cruise? 

Many people want to fly in the day they board the ship. The thought is the ship leaves at 4 pm so I have plenty of time to get to the port if I arrive at the airport at 8 or 10 am. Nice in theory bad in practice!

 

It is highly recommended that you fly in the day before and get a hotel for the night. You Don’t want to take the extra time off work or from school? Don’t want to waste the money on a hotel for the night? Here is something to think about. Is that extra day off or the money spent on a hotel worth missing the cruise? Is it worth losing the money you spent for the cruise? Consider that earlier flight and the hotel as insurance for you getting to your ship on time. Scroll to the bottom of this article for some statistics on flight delays.

 

About the choice of hotel! Many hotels near the airport have a free/low cost shuttle to/from the airport. You can catch the shuttle from the airport to the hotel when you land at the airport. Then take the Shuttle back to the airport to catch the DCL shuttle to the port the next morning! Some hotels have shuttles to the port as well.

 

With the number of flight delays going on now a days you never know if your flight will be canceled or delayed to the point where you’ll miss your ship. You miss the cruise!! If you do not have travel insurance you lose the money you spent for the cruise!! Even with Trip Insurance you may only get 70% back! This is not said to scare you, it is just simply the facts.

 

When should you fly? According to people in the airline and travel industry it is suggested you take a flight early in the morning the day before you board the ship. Get that hotel for the night and have a relaxing morning before you board the ship!

 

Booking a flight for 5-9am that gets you to your destination the evening before allows time for delays! If your morning flight gets delayed, you still have time to catch a later flight and get to your destination on time. Those on the morning flights are the first Canceled/Rescheduled. They will be the first to be rescheduled for the next flight. Again better chance of getting there on time!

 

The final decision is up to you. Just take a moment to consider these words of wisdom I’ve gotten the following information from Flight Attendants, Pilots, Booking Agents at DCL and guests who booked flights that got them there “just in time” but missed their cruise. Book that Hotel!

 

For flying home after the cruise, the timing depends on the port you are at. If the airport is near the port, you should be ok with a 12:30 pm flight if you do a walk off and do not check your luggage the night before for the crew to carry off the ship. Later is better if you wish to have them take your bags off and be able to make sure you get breakfast. 1:30 pm or later is better. If the port is farther away consider a 2-3 pm flight. You need to make sure you can get to the airport without undue stress. Orlando Airport (MCO) is over an hour drive from the port. Also, you must consider going through TSA and customs.

 

FlightAware.com/live/canceled/today tracks flight delays at many key airports. Here are some of the numbers for a 3 day span of time. I think it speaks for itself.

 

02/06-09/23

Orlando

·        Total flights 4,747

·        Delayed 490

·        Percentage delayed 10.3%

·        Total Departure 2,447

·        Total Delayed 259

·        Percentage Delayed 10.6%

·        Total Arrivals 2,300

·        Total Delayed 231

·        Percentage 10.45

·        Canceled 1

 

Miami

·        Total flights 6,398

·        Delayed 576

·        Percentage delayed 8.9%

·        Total Departure 3,145

·        Total Delayed 323

·        Percentage Delayed 10.2%

·        Total Arrivals 3,253

·        Total Delayed 253

·        Percentages Delayed 7.8

·        Canceled 10

 

Los Angeles

·        Total flights 7,041

·        Delayed 556

·        Percentage delayed 7.8%

·        Total Departure 3,392

·        Total Delayed 306

·        Percentage Delayed 9%

·        Total Arrivals 3,649

·        Total Delayed 250

·        Percentage 5.8%

·        Canceled 15

 

(These number were calculated from daily data. There is a very small margin of error due to the methodology. The complete daily accounting is available upon request. Just send an email to us.)

Carolyn-Tinky@PixieDustedMemoriesTravel.com

Scott-Sparky@PixieDustedMemoriesTravel.com

 

Embarkation and Debarkation days on the Disney Cruise

Embarkation and Debarkation days on the Disney Cruise

Embarkation day is the most exciting day of a Disney Cruise! But what do you do!

 

30-40 days prior to your cruise you should have done your online check-in and gotten your Port Arrival Time (PAT) and your boarding group number. The date you can do it is based on your Castaway Club Membership Level. You arrive at your assigned time and do your check in. This is a simple process of showing your Citizenship Paperwork and going through a security check much the same as airports. You will drop your checked bags off with the porters and take your checked bags with you into the terminal. Once through security you will wait for your boarding group to be called. Once your boarding group is called you will board the ship.

 

You have a choice to choose available times when you do your online check-in. Should you choose a early or later boarding time? Personally I figure I’m paying to be on the ship and want to start my vacation/cruise early so I’ll go as early as possible.

 

Once you board the ship you can grab something to eat, explore the ship, or swim. You will need to keep your carryon items with you until your cabin is available.  Your cabin will not be ready until about 2pm.

 

What do you need to keep in your carryon bags? Make sure you have your Proof of Citizenship Paperwork and PAT Form. Electronics, Valuables, Medication, and any Medical Equipment must be taken on board by you. If you desire to being the allowed wine, beer or water it must be carried on. You can not check it in.

 

Debarkation day also known as the saddest day of a Disney Cruise.

 

The process of debarkation begins the night before. You have the choice of putting all the bags with items you do not need in the morning out for your Stateroom Host by 10pm the last night. The crew will make sure your bags are taken off the ship in the morning and you will find them in the port in the morning after you disembark. You will be given a character tag and your bags will be near the sign with that character.

 

If you choose to send your bags off the night before remember to keep the clothes, ID, other paperwork your need for your travel home, Medication, Medial Equipment and valuables with you. Do NOT pack them in your checked bags! Understand you will not be allowed to disembark until the character on your tag is called. Nobody is allowed to disembark until the ship has been cleared by customs.

 

The morning of debarkation you can have breakfast in the same restaurant you ate at the night before. Your servers will inform you during your last dinner what time you should be at the restaurant. You can also choose to eat at Cabanas or Marcelene Market one last time. There is no assigned time for the buffet, so it is easier if you are running a little late for breakfast.

 

There is a way to disembark quicker. If you keep all you bags with you there is express walk off. As soon as the ship is cleared by customs you can disembark and head off to your next destination. You have all your bags so you will not have to go to the pick up area to get them. I recommend this if you have an early flight.

 

You have a choice of many ways to leave the port. You can rent a car, get a ride share or taxi, or take the DCL bus to the airport or to Walt Disney World if you are in Florida.

 

 

IMPORTANT DATES TO KNOW AND REMEMBER FOR YOUR DISNEY CRUISE

IMPORTANT DATES TO KNOW AND REMEMBER FOR YOUR

DISNEY CRUISE

 

 These are important dates you should know.

Some are based on your Castaway Club Level. Some are not.

 

Pay in Full Date:

·        Depending on the length of cruise it could be 120 or 90 days before sailing.

·        This information is on your Cruise Confirmation from Disney.

·        This is the LAST day you can pay without Disney Canceling your cruise reservation.

·        If you are a Castaway Member you must Pay in Full by your booking date to be able to book when your booking date opens.

 

Booking Opening Dates:

This is the date you can book Port Adventures, Adult Dining, Spa, Mixology, Tastings, and other things. You MUST be Paid in Full (PIF) to start booking. Dose not matter if the PIF date has arrived or not. It is important to book as soon as you can because many adventures fill up fast! If port adventures and adult dining are not important to you then wait until the last day if you wish.

 

·        1^st time Cruisers:

o   75 days before sailing.

·        Silver Castaway Club Level  (2-5 DCL Cruises):

o   90 days before sailing.

·        Gold Castaway Club Level (6-10 DCL Cruises):

o   105 days before sailing.

·        Platinum Castaway Club Level (11-25 DCL Cruises):

o   120 days before sailing.

·        Pearl Castaway Club Level (26+ DCL Cruises):

o   123 days before sailing

o   Pearl Castaway Club Level is a NEW club level just announced! Added May 1^st, 2024.

 

Online Check-In:

·        What is Online Check-In?

o   This is the date you do your online check-in. You do NOT need to do it on that date. You can wait until you get to the port to do check-in, but it will delay your boarding.

o   Suggest you do it early to make sure DCL has time to check documents and you can upload it again if needed.

o   This is when you will get your Port Arrival Time (PAT).

o   The earlier you do your Online Check-In the earlier PAT and boarding group you will get.

·        Check in date is now based on your Castaway Club Level

·        Pearl Castaway Club Level

o   40 days before the cruise.

·        Platinum Castaway Club Level

o   38 days before the cruise.

·        Gold Castaway Club Level

o   35 days before the cruise.

·        Silver Castaway Club Level

o   33 days before the cruise.

·        1^st time Cruisers:

o   30 days before the Cruise.

·        3 days before your cruise:

o   Last date to do online check-in.

o   Waiting until the last day means you do not get your pick of PAT. You get left overs.

o   Not doing the online Check-In will slow down boarding and delay you getting onto the ship.