Check In Process For Disney Cruise Line
The time has arrived for you to check in for your long awaited Disney cruise! It’s almost as magical as boarding the ship itself. You have planned, prepped and now you get to check in and book all of your fun! If you have never sailed with DCL, the check in process can be exciting. Maybe even a little nerve wrecking. But don’t worry! We’ve compiled a step by step process of your Disney Cruise Line check in!
Final Payment and Cancellation Policy
Your cruise must be paid in full before you can check in. Disney Cruise Line just recently changed it’s Final Payment and Cancellation Policy for non-suite/non-concierge staterooms:
- Final payment for all non-suite/non-concierge staterooms on 1-5 night sailings will be due 90 days prior to arrival with cancellation fees beginning at 89 days prior.
- Final payment for all non-suite/non-concierge staterooms on 6 nights or more sailings will be due 120 days prior to arrival with cancellation fees beginning at 119 days prior.
Any reservations made prior to September 11, 2018 will follow the previous final payment and cancellation policies as outlined in your Disney Cruise Line terms and agreement.
Check In Date/Time
Your check in date will be determined by your Castaway Club membership status.
- Platinum Castaway (begins after 10th completed cruise) – 120 days prior to sailing
- Gold Castaway (begins after 5th completed cruise) – 105 days prior to sailing
- Silver Castaway (begins after 1st completed cruise) – 90 days prior to sailing
- First Time Cruiser – 75 days prior to sailing
Online check in begins at midnight (12:00pm EST), so be sure to log in a few minutes prior. Recently, we’ve discovered that some cruisers are able to get their check in done beginning at 7pm EST, (5 hours before the posted time). On board activities, port excursions, and spa appointments were excluded from this and were able to be booked at the standard midnight time. This may not be available for your sailing but it never hurts to check!
Log In To Your Disney Cruise Line Account
Here is a screen we all know and love! Visit the Disney Cruise website shortly before your check in time to log in.
If you hover over ‘My Disney Cruise’, you’ll see ‘My Online Check-In’.
Once you’ve clicked it, it will allow you to log in.
My Cruise Reservations
Once logged in, you’ll see your cruise reservation. If you have logged in before the online check in opens, you’ll likely see this message:
Keep refreshing! You will eventually see this:
Once this appears, click ‘Check In’ and begin!
My Online Check In Overview
The first page is the overview. You’ll see your reservation details including your sailing, ship, dates, stateroom and party information. There is a very cute video also where Goofy explains the check in procedure.
Also on this page is Optional Forms. This includes the “Special Services Information Form” (for things like medical equipment needs, dietary issues, etc), “Authorization for Minor to Travel Without a Parent or Legal Guardian Form” (if you are taking a minor on board and their parent(s) aren’t sailing), “Debarkation Authorization for Minors Form” (allows your child to leave the ship unaccompanied or with an adult not assigned to your stateroom).
Once you have confirmed your cruise information and filled out any necessary optional forms, you can click ‘Begin Now’ to start the check in process.
Guest Information
Here is where you will check over your address, enter Emergency Contact information, etc.
There is a section at the bottom where you can apply address and emergency contact information to everyone in your stateroom or you can enter them all manually if they don’t happen to be the same.
Important Information on This Page
One of the most important questions is located at the bottom of this screen. It will ask “Will anyone in your travel party be pregnant 24 weeks or more at any point during the sailing?”
Disney Cruise Line’s Policy on Pregnancy:
“Women who have entered their 24th week of pregnancy as of their embarkation date or who will enter their 24th week of pregnancy during the cruise will be refused passage due to safety concerns. Neither a doctor’s medical statement nor a waiver of liability will be accepted. In addition, Disney Cruise Line cannot be held responsible or liable for any complications relating to pregnancy at any stage.”
Identification
On this screen, you will be able to enter passport details for each person in your stateroom. An option to sail with a birth certificate is also located in the drop down menu.
Pre- and Post-Cruise Information
Disney needs to know how you will be getting to the ship and where you will need to go afterwards. This screen allows you to select your transportation information.
You can choose to apply Guest #1’s transportation information to all guests in the stateroom to save time.
Onboard Account
Your onboard account is very important on the ship as no money is actually used while you are cruising. Souvenirs, specialty drinks and dining, port excursions, on board activities, etc are all charged to your onboard account and settled at the end of the sailing. This screen allows you to enter how you will settle those charges. You can use Credit or Debit Cards or Cash. Each guest can also be selected to be responsible for their own accounts as well.
If you do choose the Cash/Other option, the Cash Account Agreement will pop up. Once you have reached your spending limit, your account will need to be brought up to current before any other charges can be made. If you choose the Credit or Debit Card option, your card will be charged at the end of the sailing or when you reach a set amount.
At the bottom of this screen, you can also select who to grant charging privileges to. This is important if there is someone in your stateroom that you would like to not be able to charge things to your account such as children, teenagers, friends, etc. You can select different payment methods for others in your stateroom.
Port Arrival Time
Ok sailors! This is the big one! Your port arrival time is the time you should arrive at the port to physically check in and get ready to board. These times keep the terminal from being crammed with passengers so Disney likes everyone to select what time they think they should be arriving. Keep in mind, your room will likely not be ready until at least 1:30pm so anything that you are carrying on will need to stay with you until you are able to drop it in your stateroom.
Youth Activity Registration
If your children will want to go into the kids clubs on board (and they really, really will), you will need to fill out the Youth Activity Registration page. On this screen, you can select if your children can check in and out of the clubs themselves or if they need an adult (dependent on age). You can also select authorized individuals that can drop off and pick up your children (at least 13 years of age or older). There is also a place where you can tell the Cast Members any needed information about your child so they can have the best experience possible.
A very important part of this screen is the Secret Word. You will create a secret word that will be used when checking your child(ren) in and out of Youth Activities. Guests must provide this secret word before they will be allowed to pick up children.
Traveling with Minors
If you are traveling with others in different staterooms, you’ll want to pay attention to this screen. This allows persons from different staterooms to go ashore with your children. You can choose that option or that your child(ren) will only debark with adults in the same stateroom.
Review Cruise Contract
The cruise contract is an incredibly important document that must be reviewed and signed. If you disagree with anything in the contract and do not sign it, you will not be allowed to sail.
It is recommended that this form be printed and placed with your other cruise documentation. You can also choose to send it to yourself via email.
Port Arrival Form
The last part of the check in process is the Port Arrival Form. You will need to bring this form with you to the terminal.
Once you have printed your Port Arrival Form, click “Complete My Online Check-In”. Be sure to pack this form with your cruise documents and identification in your carry on bags, NOT your check ins!
You are all set to sail! Now to get to the fun stuff!
Cruise Activities
Once you have completed your online check in, you get to select your cruise activities. This includes On Board Fun, Port Excursions, Dining, Spa and Fitness as well as the Nursery.
You’ll see your daily itinerary for your sailing. Click “Add Activities” to see what’s available.
That’s it! You are officially checked in and your cruise activities are booked! Now you just have to wait on the sail date, (which can feel like an eternity). You can always modify your check in details if needed.
Dreaming of a Disney Vacation? Contact me today to start planning your perfect Disney trip and get all of the best insider tips. Fill out the form below, send an email to brooke@mickeytravels.com, or follow me on Facebook. As a Travel Agent with MickeyTravels (a Platinum-Level, Authorized Disney Vacation Planner) I offer a full range of complimentary planning services to make sure your Disney Vacation is everything you’ve dreamed. I specialize in all Disney Destinations including Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, Aulani and Adventures by Disney. Let’s make your Disney vacation magical!