Bishoparc
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Aug 23, 2014
I had been watching the recent DIS Unplugged episodes where Pete and others had been discussing their experiences on DCL since they resumed cruising and couldn't wait any longer. I had seen the December 24 3-night sailing on the Dream listed as a Florida resident discounted cruise and I knew this would be the most affordable Disney Cruise I could ever possibly take that was sailing on Christmas Day, so I surprised my DW and went for it.
We booked a Florida Resident VGT rate which is a guarantee of at least a category 07A Deluxe Oceanview with Navigators Verandah. I booked the cruise on December 12, and we got our room assignment on December 20. We were given a category 04E which is a Deluxe Family Oceanview w/Verandah on deck 6. I uploaded our vaccination cards to the Safe Passage website (which is required before you are cleared to sail) on December 14 and they were approved by December 16. I also complete online check-in on December 14. If you haven't sailed since COVID, one of the things you must do now is upload your security photo which they used to take at port. It needs to be a headshot from your shoulders up with nothing behind you. Those were uploaded on December 14, and we received approval on our check-in at 10:33AM on December 21. Those will show as "pending review" until 2-3 days before your sail date so don't be concerned if you're still weeks out. They are uploaded via the DCL website, and it does some basic analyzation of your photos when you upload them to tell you if they are ok or not.
Fast forward to the morning of our sailing date, Friday December 24. At 5:15 AM we received an email from DCL asking us to complete our health questionnaire. This is an online version of that paper form we used to all fill out when we checked in asking if we'd had fevers, etc. The survey is now more COVID focused and has 5 questions that one member of your party must answer. You can answer the questions when you arrive at the port, but it really slows everyone else down if you do so, please try to complete them before you arrive at port.
Pulling into the port for check-in is very similar to the process we've always done. As you can see in the picture above, they have tents in the front parking lot for the people that arrive via methods other than their own cars (such as busses, Uber, etc.) to receive their COVID tests. We arrived at the port at exactly 11:30A and by 11:35A we had dropped off our luggage out front. They have extended the luggage drop off area to pretty much the entire length of the road in front of the cruise terminal so the luggage drop off goes pretty quick. Of note, please remember to bring some cash with you for tipping the porters that help you unload your luggage. It's recommended to tip at least $2-3 per bag. I mention this because I overhead them saying that very few people had tipped at all, and it was Christmas Eve. A Disney CM did ask us what our boarding group time was so, as others have said, they don't want you there before that boarding time.
After unloading our bags, we were directed around to the parking garage entrance. We paid our parking fee and then got in the line of cars waiting to be tested for COVID. We got in the line of cars at 11:40AM. It starts as a single line of cars and then splits off into 2 lines for the 2 COVID testing lanes under the parking garage.
As you make your way into the garage, this is the first place you will need your boarding pass that you either printed off or have on your smart device. Up until this point we had not presented any sort of ID or boarding passes. A cast member will scan your boarding pass and, if you completed everything you needed to online ahead of time, will hand you sealed bags with your nasal swab, the test container, a label, and an ink pen. If the line is backed up, they'll direct you to go ahead and write your name and birthdate on the label and then wait until a spot is open. As you can see in the below picture, they have several spots to pull into. You will not do your actual nasal swab until they direct you to do so. Once you have pulled into a spot, a medical personnel member will once again scan your boarding pass. They will then work with each person in your party individually to complete your COVID test. (Basically, what they have you do is, attach the label to the test container vertically, you'll then swab each nostril in a circular motion 5 times, you insert the swab partially into the specimen tube and it breaks off so the swab falls into the specimen tube, you then seal the tube, place it in the bag, and give it to the tester.) The entire testing process is done with you seated inside your car. Once they have collected your samples, a Disney Cast Member will come and scan your boarding pass again to ensure you completed all of your online check-in and direct you to go park. We completed all of that process by noon.
All in all from dropping off luggage to completing our COVID test took 30 minutes. Once you've completed your test they will tell you, and this is true, that you will get your results quicker by checking online via the Safe Passage website instead of waiting for the email. When you login to the Safe Passage website, you're looking for the second checkmark to turn green "Embarkation Screening" with a result of "Clear to sail". We received our "clear to sail" at exactly 12:40PM so 40 minutes on the dot from when we completed the test and then the email came at 12:47PM (so email wasn't too much slower but still a few minutes behind the website.)
It may be just me, but I didn’t allow myself to get excited about the cruise until that moment when I saw “Clear to Sail”. I didn’t think I had COVID but with how crazy things are right now, I had no excitement until that moment. Then like a flood, all these emotions hit me. I was beyond excited and in tears. It was just overwhelming.
We were told after we got our "clear to sail" to head to level 3 and talk the walkway over and then down to check-in. Outside the terminal building they will again look at your boarding time to make sure you aren't there early and then direct you in the building. One thing that wasn't obvious was where Castaway Club Members check-in. I knew there was a special place for the various levels but I only saw Silver when I walked in. I walked on around the corner and found the check-in lanes for Gold, then Platinum, and lastly the concierge check-in. (So, if you're Gold or above, don't just walk in the first line, go on around a bit and you'll see the banners.
There was no one in the Platinum line so we walked right up. They once again scan your boarding pass and then ask you to hold each of your passports (or other citizenship documents) up to the plexiglass for them to scan with an iPad. They asked if we had any questions and then directed us on to security. We then went up the escalator and were greeted by another Disney CM who asked what our boarding group number was. We were group 13 and they were on group 11. It was about 12:55PM when we got fully into the terminal. The terminal was of course decorated for Christmas, and they have greatly increased the seating capacity. It felt very much like an airport terminal. There are still a few check-in desks in the building but, if you completed everything ahead of time, you have no need to go to them.
Rolling to the next post.
We booked a Florida Resident VGT rate which is a guarantee of at least a category 07A Deluxe Oceanview with Navigators Verandah. I booked the cruise on December 12, and we got our room assignment on December 20. We were given a category 04E which is a Deluxe Family Oceanview w/Verandah on deck 6. I uploaded our vaccination cards to the Safe Passage website (which is required before you are cleared to sail) on December 14 and they were approved by December 16. I also complete online check-in on December 14. If you haven't sailed since COVID, one of the things you must do now is upload your security photo which they used to take at port. It needs to be a headshot from your shoulders up with nothing behind you. Those were uploaded on December 14, and we received approval on our check-in at 10:33AM on December 21. Those will show as "pending review" until 2-3 days before your sail date so don't be concerned if you're still weeks out. They are uploaded via the DCL website, and it does some basic analyzation of your photos when you upload them to tell you if they are ok or not.
Fast forward to the morning of our sailing date, Friday December 24. At 5:15 AM we received an email from DCL asking us to complete our health questionnaire. This is an online version of that paper form we used to all fill out when we checked in asking if we'd had fevers, etc. The survey is now more COVID focused and has 5 questions that one member of your party must answer. You can answer the questions when you arrive at the port, but it really slows everyone else down if you do so, please try to complete them before you arrive at port.
Pulling into the port for check-in is very similar to the process we've always done. As you can see in the picture above, they have tents in the front parking lot for the people that arrive via methods other than their own cars (such as busses, Uber, etc.) to receive their COVID tests. We arrived at the port at exactly 11:30A and by 11:35A we had dropped off our luggage out front. They have extended the luggage drop off area to pretty much the entire length of the road in front of the cruise terminal so the luggage drop off goes pretty quick. Of note, please remember to bring some cash with you for tipping the porters that help you unload your luggage. It's recommended to tip at least $2-3 per bag. I mention this because I overhead them saying that very few people had tipped at all, and it was Christmas Eve. A Disney CM did ask us what our boarding group time was so, as others have said, they don't want you there before that boarding time.
After unloading our bags, we were directed around to the parking garage entrance. We paid our parking fee and then got in the line of cars waiting to be tested for COVID. We got in the line of cars at 11:40AM. It starts as a single line of cars and then splits off into 2 lines for the 2 COVID testing lanes under the parking garage.
As you make your way into the garage, this is the first place you will need your boarding pass that you either printed off or have on your smart device. Up until this point we had not presented any sort of ID or boarding passes. A cast member will scan your boarding pass and, if you completed everything you needed to online ahead of time, will hand you sealed bags with your nasal swab, the test container, a label, and an ink pen. If the line is backed up, they'll direct you to go ahead and write your name and birthdate on the label and then wait until a spot is open. As you can see in the below picture, they have several spots to pull into. You will not do your actual nasal swab until they direct you to do so. Once you have pulled into a spot, a medical personnel member will once again scan your boarding pass. They will then work with each person in your party individually to complete your COVID test. (Basically, what they have you do is, attach the label to the test container vertically, you'll then swab each nostril in a circular motion 5 times, you insert the swab partially into the specimen tube and it breaks off so the swab falls into the specimen tube, you then seal the tube, place it in the bag, and give it to the tester.) The entire testing process is done with you seated inside your car. Once they have collected your samples, a Disney Cast Member will come and scan your boarding pass again to ensure you completed all of your online check-in and direct you to go park. We completed all of that process by noon.
All in all from dropping off luggage to completing our COVID test took 30 minutes. Once you've completed your test they will tell you, and this is true, that you will get your results quicker by checking online via the Safe Passage website instead of waiting for the email. When you login to the Safe Passage website, you're looking for the second checkmark to turn green "Embarkation Screening" with a result of "Clear to sail". We received our "clear to sail" at exactly 12:40PM so 40 minutes on the dot from when we completed the test and then the email came at 12:47PM (so email wasn't too much slower but still a few minutes behind the website.)
It may be just me, but I didn’t allow myself to get excited about the cruise until that moment when I saw “Clear to Sail”. I didn’t think I had COVID but with how crazy things are right now, I had no excitement until that moment. Then like a flood, all these emotions hit me. I was beyond excited and in tears. It was just overwhelming.
We were told after we got our "clear to sail" to head to level 3 and talk the walkway over and then down to check-in. Outside the terminal building they will again look at your boarding time to make sure you aren't there early and then direct you in the building. One thing that wasn't obvious was where Castaway Club Members check-in. I knew there was a special place for the various levels but I only saw Silver when I walked in. I walked on around the corner and found the check-in lanes for Gold, then Platinum, and lastly the concierge check-in. (So, if you're Gold or above, don't just walk in the first line, go on around a bit and you'll see the banners.
There was no one in the Platinum line so we walked right up. They once again scan your boarding pass and then ask you to hold each of your passports (or other citizenship documents) up to the plexiglass for them to scan with an iPad. They asked if we had any questions and then directed us on to security. We then went up the escalator and were greeted by another Disney CM who asked what our boarding group number was. We were group 13 and they were on group 11. It was about 12:55PM when we got fully into the terminal. The terminal was of course decorated for Christmas, and they have greatly increased the seating capacity. It felt very much like an airport terminal. There are still a few check-in desks in the building but, if you completed everything ahead of time, you have no need to go to them.
Rolling to the next post.
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