Carnival at PortMiami

Carnival Cruise Line operates from Terminals D, E and F on the PortMiami island, with D and E having been expanded in 2018. Which of the three your ship uses depends on the sailing, and it can change — so we confirm the terminal against your booking before the day rather than guessing from last season.

On embarkation day the approach roads onto the port island back up from mid-morning. If you are sailing on a Saturday or Sunday in high season, leaving your hotel by late morning avoids the worst of it. On disembarkation morning the pressure runs the other way: several thousand people want a vehicle between about 7:30 and 10:00.

Pickup and drop-off

Arriving: we drop you at the terminal's passenger drop-off, where porters take your checked bags. That is as close as any vehicle gets — it is the same for a taxi, a rideshare or a private car.

Departing: once you clear customs and collect your bags you come out into the terminal's ground transportation area. Your driver waits there with a name board, and you will have his name and mobile number by text the night before. We track the ship's real berthing time, so an early or late arrival is already handled.