Embarkation, arrive early or late?

Embarkation, arrive early or late?


  • Total voters
    57

V2000

DIS Veteran
Joined
Nov 4, 2011
I would like to hear the different benefits to arriving early or late. This is my first cruise.
I am interested in having lunch at cabanas. Wondering if it is better to arrive late to avoid the rush?
Let me hear what you like best about arriving early or late. What time would that be?

Any other tips are appreciated.
We will be cruising on the Disney Dream.

:sail:
 
We like to arrive early. We are platinum so we get boarding #1 and are usually one of the first groups on board. We even end up waiting for the buffet to open. I often hear people discuss how chaotic the embarkation buffet is but when we arrive at that time it's not at all. We are done eating early enough to be out of the way of the crowds and we then feel as though we almost get a full day on board that day. I feel missing even a few hours would change that feeling to only having a small part of the day.
 
I like to get there early. It's more exciting to me. There are characters taking pictures and even if you get a later boarding time if you checked in they might let you board a little earlier. I want to go to cabanas and explore the ship and start my vacation already. When you get there early there may be a long line to wait in and lots of people but I don't mind. It's just so exciting. We got there at 2:30-3 one time when we took the DCL bus and they were starting to clear some things away in cabanas but I guess at least you can go straight to your room. You sometimes see some tired people sitting on the stairs waiting for their rooms to be ready just before 1:30. Sometimes getting there early can be too much of a good thing. Once you've eaten and explored the ship and maybe still have a half hour to go before your room is ready. And you have your alcohol and carry on bag.
 
I've always done early, but this next cruise I may be later as I am probably staying on property and will take the bus from there (too much hassle to get to MCO early enough) so i will see how that goes.
 


We always do early seating, so a late lunch wouldn't work well for us. We are trying to do early this time to have more time on the ship to swim and sign up for things.
 
We get there early. The lines aren't long and we rarely wait long to board. After going to the buffet, we spend time by the pool. We like to make the most out of the first day as possible.
 
Early- if it's your first cruise, if it's a short cruise, you have littles who want to hit the pools before they are inevitably closed or kid soup, if you want to go to Cabanas before it's a zoo

Late-if you're and experienced cruiser, if you're a laid back, it's a longer cruise, you like to make it after the cabins are open

I've gone from being the first on our cruise in the terminal-"hello, we're here" to strolling on after my boarding number has long been called (before I was platinum) and there are advantages to both. In your situation, I'd agree with early.
 


We arrived at the port shortly before 12:30 last Jan. for our Fantasy cruise, not sure if that is considered early or late. It worked out great, no waiting for anything. We were able to find a seat at Cabanas, there were a lot of people there, but it didn't feel crowded at all. We were able to go to our cabin right after lunch. Dd went with my dh to check out the kid's club and I went to guest services to add gc to our acct. Our luggage arrived and I was able to unpack and join my family at the club before the safety drill. We will arrive around the same time for our next cruise.
 
I would like to hear the different benefits to arriving early or late. This is my first cruise.
I am interested in having lunch at cabanas. Wondering if it is better to arrive late to avoid the rush?
Let me hear what you like best about arriving early or late. What time would that be?

Any other tips are appreciated.
We will be cruising on the Disney Dream.

:sail:
We like to arrive early to enjoy an uncrowded pool deck, and so I can make a request at dining changes, if needed.
 
Early! There are lots of things to do onboard the first day--reservations, spa times, etc. we usually don't eat at Cabanas but eat in the available restaurant. It seems to be calmer and quieter.
 
I've always done early, but this next cruise I may be later as I am probably staying on property and will take the bus from there (too much hassle to get to MCO early enough) so i will see how that goes.
We are taking a DCL bus our next cruise too, our first time.
 
We are taking a DCL bus our next cruise too, our first time.

I've always taken the DCL bus from MCO. As a solo traveler, I can't do better price-wise. My big debate for February is between these three...

1. Stay where I usually do (Hampton Inn Gateway Village), Lyft it back and forth to Disney Springs (which will put the cost of hotel and transportation in the range of staying at a mod on property), free hotel shuttle to MCO and 1st or 2nd DCL bus from there.
2. Stay on property (likely a mod as it would be about the same price as option 1 - though I'm not really a fan of POR or POFQ, I hate CSR, and CBR is a disaster zone of construction, so...blech), DME back to MCO by around 8am (ew early wake-up), 1st or 2nd DCL bus from there.
3. Stay on property (likely a mod as it would be about the same price as option 1 - though I'm not really a fan of POR or POFQ, I hate CSR, and CBR is a disaster zone of construction, so...blech), DCL bus from the resort getting there later than I am used to.

Of course, I could always see if a friend in the area wanted to hang out and could either pick me up and/or take me back...that would make option 1 a lot more palatable...
 
I've always taken the DCL bus from MCO. As a solo traveler, I can't do better price-wise. My big debate for February is between these three...

1. Stay where I usually do (Hampton Inn Gateway Village), Lyft it back and forth to Disney Springs (which will put the cost of hotel and transportation in the range of staying at a mod on property), free hotel shuttle to MCO and 1st or 2nd DCL bus from there.
2. Stay on property (likely a mod as it would be about the same price as option 1 - though I'm not really a fan of POR or POFQ, I hate CSR, and CBR is a disaster zone of construction, so...blech), DME back to MCO by around 8am (ew early wake-up), 1st or 2nd DCL bus from there.
3. Stay on property (likely a mod as it would be about the same price as option 1 - though I'm not really a fan of POR or POFQ, I hate CSR, and CBR is a disaster zone of construction, so...blech), DCL bus from the resort getting there later than I am used to.

Of course, I could always see if a friend in the area wanted to hang out and could either pick me up and/or take me back...that would make option 1 a lot more palatable...

How about staying at the MCO Hyatt?
 
How about staying at the MCO Hyatt?

That would be more expensive than the Hampton Inn for the room. And not address the fact that I want to do Disney Springs the day before the cruise as I plan to get the earliest flight out. Meaning the Lyft fare would be about the same from either.

Plus I've had bad experiences with Hyatt brands in the past and tend to use them as a last resort.
 
We arrived to the check in counter almost exactly at our check in time. The port was packed. But my girls and I sailed through check in and walked right onto the ship. I would have liked to have gotten there somewhat earlier so we could take our time and look around.
 
Since you're not big on any of the mod hotels, why not go with option 1? Especially, if it's going to cost the same?
 
Since you're not big on any of the mod hotels, why not go with option 1? Especially, if it's going to cost the same?

I probably will... Depends on what our retro-pay lump (still partial) looks like probably. If it's big enough I might splurge on a Deluxe.
 
I probably will... Depends on what our retro-pay lump (still partial) looks like probably. If it's big enough I might splurge on a Deluxe.

I know that you say you aren't a fan of POR or POFQ but since your plan is Disney Springs - don't forget the boats to and from the resort. That's one of our main draws when we stay at either of these properties.
 
I know that you say you aren't a fan of POR or POFQ but since your plan is Disney Springs - don't forget the boats to and from the resort. That's one of our main draws when we stay at either of these properties.

See, those don't appeal to me. I rode them once IN NOVEMBER and got covered in mosquito bites. Give me a bus any day.

Edit to add: Sorry to have hijacked the thread. Back to the regularly scheduled discussion.
 
Definitely early! We select the earliest PAT, board around 11:30ish, snag an outdoor table at Cabanas for lunch, swim or ride the.AquaDuck while lines are low and pools aren't foggy, lol. I clearly remember our very first cruise, lounging by the pool with a drink in hand after already having had a fabulous lunch, feeling nice and relaxed prob around 3ish, carryons already dropped off in our room and seeing people just boarding. .. I felt like I'd already been enjoying my cruise for hours and they were just starting!
 
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