Quick verdict: Worth it.
For our Royal Caribbean sailing out of Tampa, we used Port Tampa Bay Terminal 3, and the experience was straightforward.
We were dropped off at the terminal rather than parking. That ended up being a good decision for us because it eliminated both the parking expense and the walk from a parking area to the ship.
What worked for us
Boarding went smoothly, and we did not run into any notable problems getting onto the ship. Disembarkation was also easy.
The biggest advantage was simplicity. Getting dropped at the terminal meant we could arrive, unload our luggage and focus on boarding instead of dealing with parking logistics.
What I would do again
If I had the same option again, I would arrange a drop-off instead of paying to park. For us, that made the whole terminal experience easier.
Worth It Scout verdict
Worth it. Our experience was easy both getting on and getting off the ship. Sometimes the best part of a cruise terminal is that everything simply works.
My original takeaway
We sailed out of port 3 and had no issues, easy to board and disembark. We were dropped off which kept us from having to pay for parking and walking.