Royal Caribbean Embarkation Questions for Miami

[sherryillk]

So my family and I will be going on our second cruise, first in Miami and first time with Royal Caribbean next week. I don't deal well with unknowns so hopefully some seasoned cruisers will help soothe some of my anxiety relating to this trip.

 

The first cruise we went on was an Alaskan one out of Vancouver and it was very easy since we had a relative drop us off at the port. Miami will be very different since I will be traveling with my elderly parents and my sister, her husband and their two young kids. Trying to work out logistics so it would be easy on my parents and my sister's kids is making me uneasy.

 

I will be with my parents and we will have a rental minivan. Unfortunately it won't fit all of us and our luggage (apparently kids have a ton of stuff) so I figure we will need to split up. Our hotel has a shuttle to the port that should be easy. But my sister and her family have a later embarkation time than we do. Can they join us on our earlier time? Can I take their luggage with me in the rental and drop it off on behalf of them along with ours? Or will we need one of them with me to leave their luggage with the porters? Would I be able drop off our luggage and then leave the port area (I heard traffic might be bad and chaotic) to return my rental and meet up with them on the ship later? 

 

Should I send my parents with my sister? Their English is not the best and are a bit technologically challenged so they would need someone with them or should they come with me? We're all in the same room so if I send them off, would I be able to check in later without them or they without me? I would be returning the rental car at the downtown Budget location which should have a shuttle but I heard that can be iffy too? I'm cool with needing to Uber back there but would just need to plan things accordingly.

 

If anyone can help me not try to spiral with all these unknowns, I would greatly appreciate it!