It's one thing if you getting in at 6 am and have time but if you are getting in at 9 or 10 or later, then you really want to board as early as possible, if only to avoid the long lines, get yourself situated on the ship, have lunch, walk around and rest.

After the cruise, I'd find a dinner spot around your hotel because you will most likely be tired and just need some downtime from being stuck on a ship in a small cabin all that time.

Don't get me wrong, I love cruising but at the end I want to rest and have some personal space and plus at that point I don't' really care about food.

We'll be doing a Disney Cruise out of Miami during spring break and staying overnight on the back end in South Beach. I figured we'd be exhausted by then and would just lounge at the hotel and maybe stroll south beach and run in the sand in the afternoon.

OP, what time does your flight actually get in? Most ships start boarding before noon, so it's really not that long. If I were you, I would just find a place in the airport to have brunch, and then head over to the pier.

As for after the cruise, I would just look for a dinner spot near your hotel. You will be getting off the cruise early in the morning, and will likely be exhausted by dinner time.

South Beach is not far from the port. Lots of options there.

I've done a few of these trips. It is not worth the trouble. Relax and board as early as they will permit.

We are taking a cruise out of Miami and our flight gets in about 5 hours before we can get on the ship. Any ideas on what to do in the meantime while towing around our luggage? Any good brunch spots close to the port? Would love to try and eliminate having to take Uber multiple places so a place near the port would be ideal, but not knowing Miami, I'm not sure if this is ideal. Also, when we get back we are spending a night in Miami and are taking an Everglades tour, but then looking for a dinner spot. Any ideas for that? TIA.