Port Arrival Time and Testing

[Norf9]

Hi All! We are sailing out of port Canaveral next week with our 1 year old.  I understand that when we get to the port we will have to get her tested again for covid. However, does this happen as part of checkin or separately? We have a not so great port arrival time and I'm wondering if we can show up before the assigned time to do the testing and then get in the checkin line at our assigned time, or if you have to show up exactly at the assigned time.

[alohayall]

The plan is you arrive at your designated PAT and then test. Once cleared, you move to the next step - check-in.

[Norf9]

Hi All, just wanted to give an update in case someone finds the thread via a search. Before the cruise I had called DCL and they confirmed what was mentioned earlier in the thread that I could only show up at my PAT. However.......

I had a 1:30 arrival time. Due to various timings in dropping off my rental car and taking the shuttle I arrived at port Canaveral at 12:55. When we arrived no one checked the PAT and we were directed across the street to the testing area. Over there no one cared about the port arrival time and they gave our kid the test and we waited for the results. We ended up going over to the check in area at 1:25 or so and they let us in and we checked in without issue. So long story short, it was as I thought and the port arrival time only matters for when you actually go to enter the check in line. I don't know how strongly they are enforcing the PAT at checkin as we were technically allowed in early, but by the time we got there they were boarding all groups so I don't know if we had a earlier time if my experience would have been different.

[ArthurUSCG]

On 8/9/2022 at 9:21 AM, Norf9 said:

Hi All, just wanted to give an update in case someone finds the thread via a search. Before the cruise I had called DCL and they confirmed what was mentioned earlier in the thread that I could only show up at my PAT. However.......

I had a 1:30 arrival time. Due to various timings in dropping off my rental car and taking the shuttle I arrived at port Canaveral at 12:55. When we arrived no one checked the PAT and we were directed across the street to the testing area. Over there no one cared about the port arrival time and they gave our kid the test and we waited for the results. We ended up going over to the check in area at 1:25 or so and they let us in and we checked in without issue. So long story short, it was as I thought and the port arrival time only matters for when you actually go to enter the check in line. I don't know how strongly they are enforcing the PAT at checkin as we were technically allowed in early, but by the time we got there they were boarding all groups so I don't know if we had a earlier time if my experience would have been different.

DCL enforces the early PAT times, due to people showing up early and needing to spread out the workload/crowd. Once they transition to open boarding, they stop looking at the PAT. The exact time this happens varies on each cruising based on a lot of things. My rule of thumb, is anything before noon, don't arrive before your PAT. For the early PATs, if your lucky, they will let you arrive 15 minute early. I've arrived 16 minutes early and the guy held us there for a minute before we could drop off our luggage.

[Norf9]

21 hours ago, ArthurUSCG said:

 I've arrived 16 minutes early and the guy held us there for a minute before we could drop off our luggage.

Wait, so when you arrived who was checking the PATs? When we showed up only the porters were in the drop off area, and the DCL folks were over by the checkin line (and since we were testing first we did not have to interact with them).

[ArthurUSCG]

On 8/11/2022 at 11:29 AM, Norf9 said:

Wait, so when you arrived who was checking the PATs? When we showed up only the porters were in the drop off area, and the DCL folks were over by the checkin line (and since we were testing first we did not have to interact with them).

The post covid restart DCL had someone by the turn into the terminal checking your PAT. But has since moved that person near the check in area.