Large group with multiple PATs

[BeckyPhD]

We are sailing to Alaska this summer with me, DH, DD6, DS4, my parents and in-laws, so 8 of us. We are Silver members, and got a PAT of 11:30. The grandparents are first time cruisers, so the earliest PAT they could get is 12:30. My question is, since we're all traveling together, would they be allowed to board on our boarding number? or should they wait another hour before coming to the port?

 

[cvjw]

A couple weeks ago at the port of Miami, we were in line to board the ship and there was a large party in front of us. Most everyone in that large group was allowed to board the ship, but a couple ladies were not. Turns out, they were in a different boarding group and tried to board with the rest of their party. They had to wait until their number was called.

 

[quickcat]

You have to get the same boarding number. They do check, for the most part. The numbers go quickly though! If I was in your shoes, I would just wait and board with them when their number is called. Have a great Alaskan cruise!!!

 

[Rob1872]

My question is, since we're all traveling together, would they be allowed to board on our boarding number? or should they wait another hour before coming to the port?

Wow, I've got to admit that I would have expected the question to be, "would they be allowed to board on our boarding number, or should we all arrive at the later port time?" Doesn't seem like a family friendly way to start the trip by dumping the grandparents to come later on their own, especially on their first time.

 

[lindsay0526]

We are traveling in as a large party this summer- 15 people in 4 cabins. I am sure that everyone has different PAT times, and honestly, we haven’t even talked to everyone else to figure out what theirs is. My sister and parents are silver so they could check in before us and I assume they are boarding earlier. Everyone is responsible for getting themselves to the ship- my parents & sister are staying in PC the night before, my brother will be coming from Disney that morning, and I will be driving in from Tampa. Then we will just meet up on the ship. There are no plans to board together.

If we were literally all traveling together- flying/driving in, then I would consider boarding the hour later so we could keep our group together.

 

[BeckyPhD]

Wow, I've got to admit that I would have expected the question to be, "would they be allowed to board on our boarding number, or should we all arrive at the later port time?" Doesn't seem like a family friendly way to start the trip by dumping the grandparents to come later on their own, especially on their first time.

We aren't a spend every waking minute together kind of family. I don't even think we'll all be coming from the same hotel. They are adults perfectly capable of managing themselves.

Thanks all for the replies!

 

[mmouse37]

DCL wants you to all to board with the highest boarding number in the group, not the lowest.

Have a great cruise. WE LOVED our Alaskan cruise!!

MJ

 

[n2mm]

We are boarding number #1. Our family can not board with us. They are normally a #2 or #3. We board without them and take pictures when they board after us. In the past they were not so strict, but over the last year, they don’t make any exceptions and want to see that number!

 

[LittleMissMagic]

Guests with the 12:30 PAT won't be able to check-in at 11:30, but guests with 11:30 PAT will have no problem checking in at 12:30. You don't have to get there immediately at your PAT, that's just the soonest you can board.

 

[Dug720]

Guests with the 12:30 PAT won't be able to check-in at 11:30, but guests with 11:30 PAT will have no problem checking in at 12:30. You don't have to get there immediately at your PAT, that's just the soonest you can board.

Close... The 11:30 or 12:30 is the Port Arrival Time (PAT) - the time you should plan to arrive at the port. Boarding Groups - when you board the ship as until much later in the day it is not "check in then board right away" - are assigned based on the selected/assigned PAT. Your PAT is tied to your Boarding Group. The 11:30 group could still check in at 12:30, but they would receive their lower assigned Boarding Group - or the 12:30 PAT group could check in at 11:30, but they would receive a higher Boarding Group based on their selected PAT.

Boarding begins later than the earliest available PAT - usually by an hour or so.

 

[LittleMissMagic]

Close... The 11:30 or 12:30 is the Port Arrival Time (PAT) - the time you should plan to arrive at the port. Boarding Groups - when you board the ship as until much later in the day it is not "check in then board right away" - are assigned based on the selected/assigned PAT. Your PAT is tied to your Boarding Group. The 11:30 group could still check in at 12:30, but they would receive their lower assigned Boarding Group - or the 12:30 PAT group could check in at 11:30, but they would receive a higher Boarding Group based on their selected PAT.

Boarding begins later than the earliest available PAT - usually by an hour or so.

Good to know. However I thought Disney's literature discourages you from arriving sooner than your PAT though, as not to overpopulate the terminal.

Personally I'm just not the type to arrive at the terminal immediately at my PAT. I've always arrived a little later than PAT (like 1 PM) and then there is very little waiting period from checking in to boarding the ship. I think the later you arrive, the less time you spend waiting around in the terminal because most other people have already boarded the ship.

 

[Dug720]

Good to know. However I thought Disney's literature discourages you from arriving sooner than your PAT though, as not to overpopulate the terminal.

Personally I'm just not the type to arrive at the terminal immediately at my PAT. I've always arrived a little later than PAT (like 1 PM) and then there is very little waiting period from checking in to boarding the ship. I think the later you arrive, the less time you spend waiting around in the terminal because most other people have already boarded the ship.

It does. But there will always be people who think that they need to get there ASAP regardless and who think that will get them on the ship sooner.

There always is the possibility that a terminal may reach capacity and will be closed to people coming in until boarding starts and it thins out a bit. If that happens, yes, everyone coming in would be held, but once they can let people in, they would go by PAT - those there for earlier PATs who were shut out and those who have the current PAT would be let in and others held. It's rare - especially in Port Canaveral - but it can happen.