Carnival transport from MIA to PortMiami - which terminal pickup is better?

[ev98]

We're taking the Carnival-sanctioned MIA to POM transportation for our July cruise, and are flying in a day prior to the sailing. The somewhat convoluted process (which we've done before when sailing with NCL) is to stay at a hotel close to MIA with a free airport shuttle, take the hotel shuttle back to the airport on the day of sailing, then board the cruise-chartered coach bus from the airport.

 

Complexities aside, the Carnival website indicates that guests arriving prior to their sail date, like us, must show up at MIA on the actual date of sailing no later than 11:00am and meet at either baggage claim #1 (Terminal J) or baggage claim #22 (Terminal D). My questions for this esteemed group are:

 

If you had to pick which terminal to meet and wait for the coach bus at, which one would you pick (D or J) and why?

 

(eg: do the buses start at one terminal, then collect guests at the other before proceeding to the port? Is there better signage or more available staff at one or the other?)

 

And:

 

This is our first cruise with Carnival and we will not be paying for early boarding; is it worth showing up for the coach before 10am? 

 

(This one I'm thinking "yes, be there early regardless"; as the day goes on it's possible that shuttles going back and forth experience delays, or if the coach gets stuck in traffic, etc.)

 

Thanks for any input - I know we'll likely be fine either way, but if anyone has feedback I'm interested in hearing it.

[capriccio]

Since your questions are very much Carnival specific, you will probably get more responses on the Carnival board:  https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/133-carnival-cruise-lines/

[ev98]

21 minutes ago, capriccio said:

Since your questions are very much Carnival specific, you will probably get more responses on the Carnival board

 

Thanks, I'll post there as well if it's not too much of a faux pas. I debated doing just that, figuring someone would redirect me here - but you're right that this is highly specific to one cruise line and their (contracted) operations.

Edited June 6, 2023 by ev98
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[CruiserBruce]

To be honest, the easiest and least expensive route is just hotel shuttle and cab, rather that Carnival transportation. 

[LHT28]

Do you have to pay for the Carnival transfer?

 

 I would just find a hotel  near the port   then take a taxi/uber  some hotels offer a fee based shuttle to the port

[ev98]

Without getting too much into it, taxi/Uber/Lyft/van from the hotel direct to PortMiami are not feasible for our party on this trip - I've used those options before and would certainly prefer them. 

 

If we can assume in good faith that the Carnival transfer is already arranged, I appreciate that this is not an optimal choice - just trying to get the best information I can to make this leg of the trip as good of an experience as possible.