Need info on day of debarkation...

[MamaParrotHead]

Our first cruise it was a NIGHTMARE (Miami), didn't get off the ship until well past 12:30 and had to reschedule our 2:00 flight.

 

This time (cruising in and out of Miami again) we booked a 4:30 flight out of FLL.

 

So my questions are these.

 

What kind of ballpark time am I looking at to be one of the last of the ship?

 

Are the bars/Lido buffet open the entire time? I know the bars are on a cash only basis at that point.

 

What time would be most likely kicked out of our cabin/s?

 

 

We're debating between doing self-debarkation and searching for somewhere to store our luggage and doing something "touristy", doing a Carnival post-cruise Art Deco tour/FLL transfer excursion or waiting til the last minute and just cabbing it to FLL.

 

Any thoughts?

[steveaaaa]

Our first cruise it was a NIGHTMARE (Miami), didn't get off the ship until well past 12:30 and had to reschedule our 2:00 flight.

 

This time (cruising in and out of Miami again) we booked a 4:30 flight out of FLL.

 

So my questions are these.

 

What kind of ballpark time am I looking at to be one of the last of the ship?

 

Are the bars/Lido buffet open the entire time? I know the bars are on a cash only basis at that point.

 

What time would be most likely kicked out of our cabin/s?

 

 

We're debating between doing self-debarkation and searching for somewhere to store our luggage and doing something "touristy", doing a Carnival post-cruise Art Deco tour/FLL transfer excursion or waiting til the last minute and just cabbing it to FLL.

 

Any thoughts?

 

11am the latest as a rule.

Main bar ussually open the whole time.

Kicked out at around 8-9 am. I always tip the steward and we stay until 10-10.30.

Steve

[choclitsnda]

Nov06, we sailed out of Miami(Imagination), however, the day b/4 we set sail & theday after we stayed in a hotel in Ft. Lauderdale.

 

Our travel agent informed us that flying in & out of FLL, is better than Miami.

 

On disembarkation day, we were told by one of the staff,crew, security personel, that if we left bags out the night b/4 & used a "porter" to carry our luggage the next day, we would get off the ship quicker.

 

It worked!!!:) :D From the time we left our cabin to the time we were picked up by a car rental shuttle, only took about 15-20mins.

 

The porter p/u our luggage & told us to have our passports in hand & to stay to the left of him.

 

He took us to the FRONT of the line, bypassing everyone else who was carrying their own luggage off.

 

I must admit, the whole process took a LOT LESS time than I expected.

 

The customs people didn't even take our passports from our hands...we held out our opened passports & they flipped thru them while still in our hands & then told us we were clear to go.

 

Needless to say, we were VERY PLEASED!!!:D

 

BTW...We NEVER Fly the Same Day.(coming or going)We Always Fly a Day or Two Before we have to be somewhere & Fly Back Home the Day After we Finish what we are doing.

[MamaParrotHead]

Last time, we stood in line FOREVER to get off the ship, so by the time we hit the luggage area we grabbed our stuff and exited quicky, stood in line for a few minutes to grab a cab.