Ahoy there Jacqueline, and welcome to planDisney!
From the sounds of it, you're keen to see whether you'll be able to make it onto one of the very special voyages celebrating
Halloween on the High Seas this September! Whether you're in for a Spooktacular sailing or just looking to while away your time upon the waves, I'm glad that you've come to us to help you plan ahead and determine your departure as you hope to embark the ship in
Port Canaveral.
You may be happy to hear that very rarely do the ships ever leave prior to noon when docked in Port Canaveral, as this is not only time for the Crew Members on board to fastidiously turn over the ship and prepare it for a new voyage - but also for supplies and ship stores to be restocked. In fact, looking historically at the All Aboard times for Guests embarking in Port Canaveral, it has been typically set for 3:45 p.m. EST in recent years with few exceptions.
From the perspective of a seasoned sailor, you'll want to bear in mind that the time spent at any Port of Call and especially a ship's Home Port is highly regulated for safety and even cost reasons, so there's always incentive for a ship to make sure that they strictly follow their scheduled time in port. For this reason, these times are determined months ahead of time and can be accessed online via a quick search of the Port Authority's Master Schedule - specifically for cruise ships. For example, through the end of May 2023, Disney Cruise Line vessels are scheduled in Port Canaveral no later than 5:00 p.m. EST, but as guests and Crew Members are typically expected to be all aboard at least an hour prior to casting off the lines securing the ship to the dock, I would certainly only recommend going with the post Guest All Aboard time for that voyage. (Times are however always subject to change without prior notice for a multitude of reasons which may include weather-related safety during Hurricane Season so be sure to keep a keen eye for any changes!)
Don't hesitate to come back to planDisney to
ask me for any more bits of nautical knowledge that I'm always happy to bestow upon future seafarers; our Disney Cruise Line specialists
Tracie and
Adrianna are also at the ready to answer the call of any other wanderers upon the waves!
Here's hoping you'll be able to make it in time to hop aboard; your next adventure is out there!
Prince