We just returned from a Carnival cruise and found the debarkation experience to be very simple, and it didn't take long. We were eating in the buffet restaurant when we heard them clear our deck's staterooms for exit. Carnival offers a self-assist option, which means you can elect to carry all your own bags off the ship and save quite a bit of time (they let self-assist travelers off first; you also don't have to waste time finding your luggage in the terminal since you'll have it with you). We were off the ship by 7:30 and in our car headed for home within an hour. We had heard horror stories about this, but our experience was very positive.