Welcome aboard planDisney Kristina!
For a lot of seasoned seafarers on Disney Cruise Line, the online check-in process can feel like a real competitive challenge that can affect how your first day on board will play out. From our observations, repeat guests or
Castaway Club Members do as much as they can to be best prepared for the earliest possible day when they can complete their Online Check-In process. I've heard tall tales on the seas of folks waiting with bated breath late at night, eagerly looking forward to the "Cinderella Hour" to begin this process at the stroke of midnight - the reasoning being that they want to be able to snag a desired
Port Arrival Time on the day that they embark in order to come earlier and make the most of their time on board.
To this end, efficiency is key when completing your Online Check-In process so it's best to make sure that you have the information that you need compiled and ready to go. This also includes the required images of your face and travel documentation and I checked with a Crew Member on board who provided me with some additional insight to go with my personal experience with this:
- The currently supported image file types are JPG/JPEG, GIF or PNG. Guests who attempt to upload a PDF scan or other unsupported image file type may encounter errors or have to retake and reconfirm these images upon their arrival at the Port. While this is subject to change without prior notice, they recommend converting your photos to JPG/JPEG files if possible.
- Most folks are able to take photos with their phone or mobile device with little to no issues, but it's always best to have these already cropped to fit the required specifications, especially for your personal photo. While there may be the opportunity to crop images to fit during the Online Check-In process, this may not be the most efficient and could affect how quickly you may be able to proceed.
As a personal
Princely Pick, Tip or Trick I find it handy to have copies of the image files that you intend to upload readily available on both your computer and mobile device in the event that you encounter an error on either end. (Be mindful that you may be attempting to complete the same thing as thousands of your fellow sailors from around the world, so don't fret if you encounter technical delays.) I hope this was helpful to you Kristina, don't hesitate to
sail on back over here at planDisney for any more handy bits of nautical knowledge ahead of your ocean adventuring!
Here's to getting an early start before you set sail!
Prince