The entire disembarkation process usually takes between 2 and 3 hours for the whole ship, but your individual time depends on your "departure group." If you choose "Self-Assist" (carrying all your own luggage off the ship), you can often be off the ship as early as 30 to 45 minutes after the vessel is cleared by local authorities, typically around 7:30 AM. If you leave your bags outside your door the night before, you will be assigned a "luggage tag number" and must wait in a designated lounge until your group is called, which could be anywhere from 8:00 AM to 10:30 AM. Once your number is called, the actual walk off the ship and through customs takes about 15 to 30 minutes. Factors like ship size, the number of people clearing immigration, and "port congestion" can cause delays. To be safe, most cruise lines recommend not booking a return flight earlier than 11:30 AM or 12:00 PM to account for the time needed to get from the pier to the airport and clear security.