How should we disembark?

[Brudette]

Leaving on the Carnival Liberty in a couple of weeks, and trying to figure out the timing for getting to the airport. (No, this is not a "can I make this flight?" thread).

 

Disembarking in Miami, flight out of Fort Lauderdale at 1:30. Already have a reservation with QLS to pick us up at POM at 9:00. Is that a good/reasonable pick up time or should I change it?

 

The only other cruise we've done was on RCI, and we did self-disembarkation. I'm all for doing that again, as it was very easy, but will that leave us waiting at the airport for 5 hours? Or should we take it easy and just disembark whenever they assign us to? How exactly does that work?

 

Thanks in advance for the help!

 

p.s. I know no one can predict what time the ship will get in, or what customs lines will be like, I'm just looking for general advice.

[CruiserBruce]

Should be fine. No special disembarkation is required.

[SeaPA1]

If I didn't have to be somewhere, I'd let the staff shlep my luggage off the ship, get up at my convenience, and go have some breakfast. That way you can relax for a bit longer - and not make things more congested for those who DO need to rush off the ship to catch a flight home.

 

Typical procedure for assigned exits goes something like this:

*night before you pack your bags; they'll give you new name tags that are color coded, just remember your color

*one of the dining rooms is open for breakfast. You can go there to eat.

*they'll ask that you clear your room by a certain time & have designated waiting areas (typically lobbies, maybe the show room, and the pool areas)

*they'll make announcements for what color is now exiting the ship (i.e. "those with Red luggage tags, please proceed now to the exit")

*when you leave the ship, luggage will be sorted according to the color of the luggage tags

 

I've done both self and staff debarks. If I'm not in a rush, I prefer to do it the lazy, leisurely way.