Ahoy Andrew! Thanks for cruising on by with your question - we're happy to be able to help!
Disney Cruise Line has got boarding your ship down to a science, despite the challenges they've been faced with these past couple of years. The health and safety of guests and crew members are still a priority, so things work a little differently now than they did even just a few months ago.
When you do your
online check-in 30 days prior to sailing, you'll be asked to choose a port arrival time. Until recently, you were not permitted to arrive at the port until that time in order for the cruise line to accommodate guests while following COVID-19 health and safety protocols. You can now arrive at the port a bit earlier than your chosen time, but when you get there, you'll notice that there are queues for each port arrival time. You'll go to the queue that indicates the time you chose as your port arrival time, and someone from the cruise line will let you know when you can board. In my experience, you'll board just about on time for your designated port arrival time.
Andrew, you'll still be able to inquire when you check in to see if room upgrades are available. Aim for the earliest port arrival time available when you check in.
I also want to encourage you to keep an eye on the
Know Before You Go section of the website. This information can change between now and the time you sail, and that's the place to go for the most updated information available.
Happy cruising, Andrew!
Anna