Post Disney Cruise Flight Time Question

[westcruzer]

We are going on a Disney Cruise for the first time and we will be cruising out of Port Canaveral. We booked a cruise around my son's auto racing schedule and the racetrack ended up changing the schedule to have a race the night we get back from the cruise. There is no option for him to miss this race. Based on all flights available there is one flight that seems to give us enough time to get to the airport and get back home in time. I've cruised on Carnival before and we just did self debarkation which got us off the ship right away with our own luggage.

 

My question is directed to those of you who have cruised out of Port Canaveral and flown from MCO (Orlando). Is a flight time of 12:13pm on American Airlines enough time to get off the ship and to the airport? The Cruise schedule says we will get back by 7:30am and I know it can take time off the ship.

[Shmoo here]

We are going on a Disney Cruise for the first time and we will be cruising out of Port Canaveral. We booked a cruise around my son's auto racing schedule and the racetrack ended up changing the schedule to have a race the night we get back from the cruise. There is no option for him to miss this race. Based on all flights available there is one flight that seems to give us enough time to get to the airport and get back home in time. I've cruised on Carnival before and we just did self debarkation which got us off the ship right away with our own luggage.

 

My question is directed to those of you who have cruised out of Port Canaveral and flown from MCO (Orlando). Is a flight time of 12:13pm on American Airlines enough time to get off the ship and to the airport? The Cruise schedule says we will get back by 7:30am and I know it can take time off the ship.

Actually the ship gets back into port around 5:00. The big doors open for debarkation to begin around 7:30. Since DCL says to plan flights after 11:30, your flight is fine.

[moki'smommy]

A noon flight is more than OK. As above, DCL says to not book flights before noon, but THEY book people on 11:30 flights.

 

You will have plenty of time regardless of how you plan to get to the airport--DCL transfers, car, towncar/limo service.

 

One thing to consider. American is a "participating airline." This means that IF you use DCL transfers, you can put your luggage outside your cabin the last night and not have to see it again till your HOME airport. To me, this is worth the price of the DCL transfers. You will get your luggage tags and boarding passes in your cabin--again, saving time at the airport because you don't have to check in at the front. You can go directly to security and to the gate and check in there.

 

On Carnival and many other lines, you pay extra for this service. On DCL, it is included IF you are using DCL transfers, on a domestic flight, on a participating airline.

 

As noted, while all the literature says the ship gets in at 7:30, this is really the start of disembarkation. The ship gets into port before dawn. And, unlike other lines, there is no scheduled disembarkation. You get off when you are ready to leave. You must be off the ship by 9. If I remember correctly, guests with onboard check in must be off by 8 (but that was many years ago and may have changed).

Edited March 21, 2016 by moki'smommy

[cj1000]

The on board airline check in is great - you don't have to claim your bags to go through customs however they say that you cannot use it if your flight departs before 1pm. I don't know that they will generate airline luggage tags for you if it is earlier than that. You should call and ask because it's very convenient.

[Shmoo here]

The on board airline check in is great - you don't have to claim your bags to go through customs however they say that you cannot use it if your flight departs before 1pm. I don't know that they will generate airline luggage tags for you if it is earlier than that. You should call and ask because it's very convenient.

 

This must be a change - it's always been "no flights before 11:30" on our cruises. When/where did you see that the flight must be after 1:00?

[cj1000]

It was in the on board airline documents that they delivered the night before. It was the first time I saw any mention of the 1pm cut off. I know that to use the DCL transfers it says after 11:30a but this pertained to the airline luggage check in. I don't know if it is really enforced or when it started but it was in the paperwork they delivered.

[Shmoo here]

It was in the on board airline documents that they delivered the night before. It was the first time I saw any mention of the 1pm cut off. I know that to use the DCL transfers it says after 11:30a but this pertained to the airline luggage check in. I don't know if it is really enforced or when it started but it was in the paperwork they delivered.

 

When was this? On our 2014 cruise this is what the documents said regarding onboard airline check in and flights:

From Port Canaveral: (from cruise documents 8/9/2014)

The requirements are below

• You must have purchased DCL Air and/or DCL Ground Transfers

• Your flight has to leave from Orlando International Airport after 11:30 am on the same day your cruise vacation ends.

• Your flight must be on a participating airline:

AirTran Airways (no longer in business)

Alaska Airlines

American Airlines (USAirways merged)

Delta Air Lines

JetBlue Airways

United Airlines

 

• Your final destination must be within the U.S. (including Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands)

• Each luggage piece can weigh no more than fifty (50) pounds.

• Airline specific baggage fees may apply and can vary by airline. Please check with your specific carrier for more details.

• Applicable airline baggage fees will be posted directly to your shipboard account.

• Some Guests may be selected to check in at the airport and may not be able to use this service.

[cj1000]

Last week. Everything you copied is exactly what I had until the last night. As I said before, it was only this one document that I ever saw it say 1p. Let me see if I can find that paperwork. I'm not sure I kept them because I started dumping stuff from my backpack but I will check.

[moki'smommy]

If it is now 1 pm for onboard airline check in, that is new. As above, it used to be 11:30.

 

To OP, you can always try. If they say no, you still have plenty of time to check in at the airport. You'll just have to claim your bags in the terminal and take them with you. You DO need to sign up for the onboard check in before the cruise. This (at least in the past) could not be added while on the ship.

[Jestocost]

Actually, what we got this past Friday for our Fantasy cruise that ended Saturday was a little different than that. I think 11:30 a.m. was still the absolute earliest, but if you were using Onboard Airline Check-in and had a flight before 1 p.m., you had to be off of the ship no later than 8 a.m. or they would pull your bags and you would have to take them to airport on the bus with you. So passengers on flights between 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. could use the service but only if they were off by 8 a.m.

 

We were on Southwest so it didn't really matter and we had to deal with an absolute mess at MCO. We still made our noon flight with plenty of time to spare, however.

Edited March 21, 2016 by Jestocost

[moki'smommy]

Actually, what we got this past Friday for our Fantasy cruise that ended Saturday was a little different than that. I think 11:30 a.m. was still the absolute earliest, but if you were using Onboard Airline Check-in and had a flight before 1 p.m., you had to be off of the ship no later than 8 a.m. or they would pull your bags and you would have to take them to airport on the bus with you. So passengers on flights between 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. could use the service but only if they were off by 8 a.m.

 

That is the same as it has always been then, and is why I referenced the need to be off the ship by 8 in my earlier post. And the way they determine "off the ship" is that you have had your card swiped on leaving. Yes, if you are on the list of "early" flights with onboard air check in they will pull your bags and you'll have to claim them in the terminal and take them on the bus with you. If your flight is after 1 pm, you must be off the ship by 9 (like everyone else).

[Jestocost]

That is the same as it has always been then' date=' and is why I referenced the need to be off the ship by 8 in my earlier post. And the way they determine "off the ship" is that you have had your card swiped on leaving. Yes, if you are on the list of "early" flights with onboard air check in they will pull your bags and you'll have to claim them in the terminal and take them on the bus with you. If your flight is after 1 pm, you must be off the ship by 9 (like everyone else).[/quote']

 

Your prior post said just that guests with onboard check-in had to be off by 8 a.m. and did not reflect the nuance of the before/after 1 p.m. flight issue. So while it may be the same as it has always been, the specific matter had not previously been addressed in its entirety in your posts or anywhere else in this thread.

[westcruzer]

Thank you all for the great information!!! The transfers with luggage is AWESOME. I will make sure to do that.

[theBOAT]

...The transfers with luggage is AWESOME. I will make sure to do that.

 

I agree with @westcruzer - this is a fantastic feature that I had not seen on the DCL website yet. Our first DCL cruise is going to be this fall on the TATL from Barcelona to New York. Does anyone know if this option for baggage delivery to JFK (or EWR) is available there, too, assuming of course that I buy the Disney ground transfer?

 

I haven't booked flights home yet, so I have complete flexibility on departure airports & times.

 

theBOAT

[moki'smommy]

I agree with @westcruzer - this is a fantastic feature that I had not seen on the DCL website yet. Our first DCL cruise is going to be this fall on the TATL from Barcelona to New York. Does anyone know if this option for baggage delivery to JFK (or EWR) is available there, too, assuming of course that I buy the Disney ground transfer?

 

I haven't booked flights home yet, so I have complete flexibility on departure airports & times.

 

theBOAT

 

My experience is that it is not available on TA or international cruises because when you enter the US, you must reclaim your luggage and take it thru Customs. Sorry. We've done several TAs and several cruises departing (or arriving) in Barcelona. It is sort of the same deal as on an international flight where they can't check your luggage from Barcelona to your home airport--you have to claim it at the international terminal, go thru Customs, and drop it off to be sent to your home airport. Yes, I am aware that you are technically re-entering the US on arrival from Caribbean cruises, but these closed loop cruises are handled differently.

Edited March 24, 2016 by moki'smommy

[theBOAT]

My experience is that it is not available on TA or international cruises because when you enter the US' date=' you must reclaim your luggage and take it thru Customs. Sorry. We've done several TAs and several cruises departing (or arriving) in Barcelona. It is sort of the same deal as on an international flight where they can't check your luggage from Barcelona to your home airport--you have to claim it at the international terminal, go thru Customs, and drop it off to be sent to your home airport. Yes, I am aware that you are technically re-entering the US on arrival from Caribbean cruises, but these closed loop cruises are handled differently.[/quote']

 

Ah, yes, that certainly makes sense. My euphoria about potentially not having to worry about lugging around baggage must have masked my memories of all the inbound international flights & associated 'fun.' Great analogy about airline baggage experience. Thanks

 

theBOAT

[ArthurUSCG]

8AM is pretty early after sleeping in during the cruise. You are looking at a 6:00-6:30 ish wakeup to get off the boat in time.

[Hidden Minnie]

8AM is pretty early after sleeping in during the cruise. You are looking at a 6:00-6:30 ish wakeup to get off the boat in time.

 

If you have the early seating for dinner, your assigned breakfast time for the MDR will be 6:45am....late seating is assigned 8am (I think). They want you out of the room by 8 and off the ship by 9 or 9:30. The buffet is also open the last day, but no room service.

[moki'smommy]

You can't sleep in anyhow on the last morning. The noise in the halls will start about 6:30. It gets progressively louder with announcements coming into the staterooms...and if you are still in your room, you can expect a knock on the door about 8:05. We had the 8:15 breakfast seating and figured we'd follow the CD's instruction that when you leave for breakfast, you are out of your room for good. But our room steward was on the "everybody out of the rooms by 8:00 instruction! We were doing the last minute check of everything, but it was startling.

[ArthurUSCG]

If you have the early seating for dinner, your assigned breakfast time for the MDR will be 6:45am....late seating is assigned 8am (I think). They want you out of the room by 8 and off the ship by 9 or 9:30. The buffet is also open the last day, but no room service.

 

That's right, then 5:30 wake up.

We did the buffet breakfast or are the left over fruit and cheese in the fridge. Also at the previous day breakfast you can take extra cereal and milk so you don't have to go up to Cabinas.

 

That way the kids can eat while half awake in the room. While one of the parents runs up to the Cove for Americano coffee with 3 or 4 shots of expresso.

 

Sent from my XT1060 using Tapatalk

[moki'smommy]

I have never gotten up at 5:30 the last morning. We have everything ready to go before we go to bed that last night. In the morning, it is get up, brush teeth, quick shower, and on our way to breakfast. If I have to get off the ship early, that would be 6:30 up for breakfast in Cabanas and off the ship at 7:30. If I' not in a hurry to be off, I'd be setting the alarm for 7:30, knowing that it would get noisy before that time.