Ahoy, Mary!
No matter how many times my family sails with Captain Mickey, we always feel the same excitement on embarkation day! There is nothing quite like this feeling, and it all begins when we first spot our Disney ship as we approach the port. I'm sure you'll be over the moon when it's your turn to cast off with Disney Cruise Line.
Since I'm not sure on how you'll be getting to the port, I'll give you all the information I can about embarkation day. If you are arriving on
Disney Cruise Line transportation, you'll be able to enter the terminal after passing through security. You'll be asked to check-in with a Cast member and will be given a boarding number. When this number is called, you'll head up the gangway to start your magical vacation! The actual time can vary with each sailing, but you can typically plan on the first boarding group to be called around 11:30 a.m.
If you are driving to the port or using a shuttle/car service, you'll want to arrive during your scheduled "Port Arrival Time." This 30-minute window can be selected when you complete your Online Check-in (Guests using the DCL transportation do not have to worry about their port arrival time). Disney Cruise Line likes to stagger the arrival of Guests so the terminal does not get too crowded. Once you arrive and check-in, your
boarding time will coordinate with the port arrival time you chose. If you happen to arrive earlier than your set time, you may have to wait or receive a later boarding number. But, the good news is, the groups are called pretty quickly, and you may have an opportunity to see one of your favorite Disney Pals while you wait! With a 4:00 p.m. all aboard, all Guests will need to be on the ship by 3:45 p.m.
Bon Voyage,
Nancy