Disembarking off VV amid Miami Port Construction

[Sophie's Mom1]

I have read about traffic woes coming and going at the Port of Miami while the new MSC terminal is being built. In March, we are on a Virgin Voyage cruise that is to arrive back to Miami at 6.30 am. The couple we are with have a 12 noon flight home out of Fort Lauderdale. With disembarking & these traffic  delays, is it likely that they won"t make it? (it's a Friday)

[cakewalk73]

Just got off Valiant last week, I don't know how it will be in March, but if you get off first available at 7:30 or so, you should have plenty of time.

[cantgetin]

We've not had a problem on our last 3 cruises, but no one can ever predict.  If time is tight, do self disembarkation (you handle your own luggage, do not put it out the night before) and depart as soon as they announce that you can.  Last trip, we encountered about a 10 minute traffic tie up, but once past that, it was all smooth.

The problem is that ANYTHING can happen to delay disembarkation.  If your last port is Bimini, it is a very short distance to Miami, so delays are less ikely....but if there is a medical or legal situation on board, passengers will not be able to disembark until that situation has been managed.

[Sophie's Mom1]

Thank you both. Yes, our last stop is Bimini and we do plan to do the self assist option. I read somewhere that you can select a departing time on the VV app the day before disembarkation, or do you just go as early as possible with your luggage? My main worry is construction chaos at the port. 

 

[cantgetin]

2 hours ago, Sophie's Mom1 said:

Thank you both. Yes, our last stop is Bimini and we do plan to do the self assist option. I read somewhere that you can select a departing time on the VV app the day before disembarkation, or do you just go as early as possible with your luggage? My main worry is construction chaos at the port. 

 

Selecting a departure time is to spread out people and to work with the luggage placement in the terminal.  We were able to select a departure time several days in advance, not the day before.  But no one checks.  The bottom line is that if you are doing self-disembarkation, you can leave the ship as soon as the disembarkation announcement is made.  This is typically about 7:30 under normal circumstances.

No one can predict the construction issues in March.  We can only speak to what has happened recently, and in our case, it hasn't been bad at all.

[Sophie's Mom1]

Thank you….good to know.