How early to drop luggage at Miami port

[YoHoHo]

Would appreciate some advice based on your experience.

 

While we have disembarked in Miami a couple of times (both very bad - not O's fault, both due to port and ship clearance delays) we have never boarded at that port. Based on our previous experience I'm not sure how accommodating the Port will be.

 

Also no experience with this as we have never arrived for an O cruise so early to the Port as we will this time for an upcoming Panama cruise at the end of the month.

 

Our flight is scheduled to arrive at 7:15 am. Assuming it is on schedule and no significant delays at the airport, I expect we will be ready to taxi to the port by 8:30. I'm just a guessing that will take an hour to disembark and collect baggage. We fly Vancouver to Seattle to Miami so *assuming* we will clear customs/immigration before leaving YVR or perhaps in Seattle (again a guess.) So I am thinking we could be at the port as early as 9:00 a.m.

 

Also I would like to make a purchase at a local store for a few bottles of wine and something for the occasional 'balcony beverage'. I understand a Gin & Tonic is a preventive for Malaria when travelling in these environs :) So for medicinal reasons I think such a stop before embarkation is critical.

 

My questions is how soon can we drop of our luggage at the port?

 

Should we make the shopping stop at an 'open early' liquor store en route to the port or go direct to the port, drop off the luggage and then take a cab back to do the shopping and enjoy a bit of Miami?

 

I've tried some searching on-line for a suitable store. Looks like the nearest shopping mall to the port does not have a liquor/wine shop. And I've read here on CC that deliveries to the port are no longer allowed. (Cruise critic is very helpful.)

 

If anyone has a suggestion on a nearby vendor, better even if an 'on-line order waiting for pickup' can be made I am all ears.

[LHT28]

since you have disembarked in Miami you know what a fiasco it is there in the mornings

I would not drop your bags until at least 10am

You could rent a car or ask the taxi driver to stop at the Liquor/wine store

 

There was some posts here before on liquor store locations ,maybe a search would find the thread, or ask on the Florida forum

[caribbeansun]

You will clear customs in YVR and definitely not in Miami so once you are off the plane all that will be left to do is pick up your baggage.

 

We fly Vancouver to Seattle to Miami so *assuming* we will clear customs/immigration before leaving YVR or perhaps in Seattle (again a guess.) So I am thinking we could be at the port as early as 9:00 a.m.

[no fuss travel]

What about doing a private tour in Miami before you board the ship? There are lots of interesting areas to visit and this way your luggage would be stored in the car for you until your tour ends. The few times we have landed in Miami to catch a cruise we have found that flying in from Vancouver, our luggage is usually the last to come off the plane and it does take a bit of time. The airport itself is nice to look around if it is not busy.