Drop Bags Early--Tampa?

Anyone had any experience dropping bags at the ship BEFORE check-in opens in Tampa? How early? We'd like to go for a portside walk rather than sit around in the hotel waiting for embarkation to begin. (FWIW this is the Rhapsody...)

I know you can drop them at 11 as that is around the time we arrived at the pier for Rhapsody back in January. But we just checked in and went on board. I figure we are paying for that day on board, might as well start as early as possible. :D

Anyone had any experience dropping bags at the ship BEFORE check-in opens in Tampa? How early? We'd like to go for a portside walk rather than sit around in the hotel waiting for embarkation to begin. (FWIW this is the Rhapsody...)

We've dropped them as early as 9:30am.