Hello, Nancy! I’m honored to welcome you to planDisney!
Checking in for your cruise is super exciting because it’s one of the final preparation steps right before you sail! I know that when I check in online, I’m grinning from ear to ear because I can practically hear my family’s name being welcomed aboard! I would be happy to explain the check-in process to make it smooth sailing for you.
All guests must check in for their cruise about a month in advance of their sail date. You can find the exact date to complete your Online Check-In in your reservation information, on the
Disney Cruise Line Navigator App, or on the Disney Cruise Line website.
This date will vary by stateroom, as it depends on your
Castaway Club status. I find that completing my Online Check-In as soon as I'm able to gives me a sooner Port Arrival Time and more time to provide Disney Cruise Line with more information if they need it. Therefore, I recommend completing it as soon as you're able to.
The Online Check-In has different sections. There is a section with
citizenship and documentation information about each guest in your stateroom, a section about
payment during your cruise, another about your pre-and-post-cruise travel information, one about the
Youth Clubs (if this applies to your stateroom), and finally (and the most exciting, in my magically humble opinion!), a section where you should choose a
Port Arrival Time to embark on your cruise.
I also recommend having all the information you need ready when you begin completing your Online Check-In. You will need:
- Every guest’s passport and/or citizenship documentation
- A clear photo of each guest from the neck up
- Travel information for before and after your cruise (If you’re taking Disney Cruise Line Ground Transportation before or after your cruise, Disney Cruise Line will already have this information, and you won’t need to reenter it.)
- Credit card or another form of payment to be used during your cruise
- Any information you would like to relay to the Youth Clubs on board (if this applies to the guests in your stateroom).
After you’ve completed your Online Check-In, it will be sent to Disney Cruise Line for review. They will email you back if additional information is needed, and once it has been approved. Upon completion, you will also be prompted to email the completed Port Arrival Form to yourself so that it can be saved and printed. You will need this printed Port Arrival Form in order to board your cruise on the day you embark. Woohoo, Nancy, you’re one step closer to hearing, “Welcome Aboard!”
Nancy, I hope that I clarified how to complete your Online Check-In. I wish you many magical memories during your cruise. Please sail back to planDisney if you have any other questions.
Bon Voyage,
Rana