How long is disembarking process at Port Canaveral?

[Grand Michig(ian)?]

To make it to a DCL transfer coach bus by 9:00am, when should we be walking off of the ship? Is there anything we need to do to arrive back in port like customs or anything like that, luggage handling, walk time to the transfer buses. Or do we simply walk off ship and into the lines for the buses like at airport into Magical Express.

 

[Shanti]

To make it to a DCL transfer coach bus by 9:00am, when should we be walking off of the ship? Is there anything we need to do to arrive back in port like customs or anything like that, luggage handling, walk time to the transfer buses. Or do we simply walk off ship and into the lines for the buses like at airport into Magical Express.

Yes, you have to pick up your luggage if you had the porters carry it off the ship for you. This doesn't take long. Yes, you have to go through customs. The line looks long, but moves quickly. 10 minutes or less is typical. The DCL transfer buses are just a minute's walk from the terminal.

So to be on the bus at 9, leaving the ship at 8:30 is safe, and even 8:45 would probably work.

 

[kiford]

Is there a particular reason you want to be on the bus by 9 am? You aren't required to make any particular bus time - it's at your convenience, pretty much like they do at MCO. Obviously, they're not going to hold them forever but they do know how many people should be taking the buses and it's a fairly continuous process definitely until well after 9 am. We usually disembark near the end of when they want everyone off the ship (9-9:30-ish) and there's always still been buses filling even after passing through customs.

How long it takes to get through customs depends on whether you're on the larger or smaller ships, how many people get off early, how many are disembarking when you are, how many agents they put on that day and how fast they go. It's taken us as little as 15 minutes and as long as 45 (although that was several years ago - I think they're more efficient now). They do move at a fairly regular pace but if there's lots of people, it takes longer.