KimS

It's true that rooms aren't ready until 1:00 pm. Show up when you want, especially if you're in a Grand Suite...bring a carry on with essentials.
If you board in the morning starting around 10:30, you can go to lunch or the pool or both.
Ideas for complimentary lunch are the Windjammer, Park Cafe, and I believe the Solarium Bistro...you can also get food at the Promenade Cafe
Chops, Jamie's are open for an extra charge.
I wouldn't sweat when you board.

The embarkation times for US sailings are not enforced by Royal.  You can get to the terminal as soon as it opens and get on board once boarding begins.  Usually there's no issue with getting to the terminal around 10:30am and being on the ship by 11:00am.  Since you are in a suite you will be among the first set of passengers to board if you are already waiting in the terminal when boarding begins.  Port of Miami has a nice waiting area for Suite passengers, so it would be a comfortable wait if you do decide to go early and the ship hasn't been cleared for boarding yet.
Tons of people board before the rooms are ready.  If you pack swimsuits in your carry-on or wear them under your board clothes you can take advantage of the pool deck or you can just explore the ship and grab some food.  If you have a drink package it will work via your SetSail pass that you used to board the ship.  You don't even need to wait until you fetch your SeaPass from your room to take advantage of it.

Usually everyone is off the ship by 10 or 10:30 - if not, several crew members will be hunting down the remaining passengers to kick them off. ?Your embarkation will not begin until everyone from the previous sailing is off the ship. The rooms are not ready until around 1 or 1:30pm, so we get lunch first so we can get out of everyone else's way. Then we explore until the rooms are ready. This time, we'll have the kids with us, so we'll probably be going from lunch straight to the pool instead. 
 

I have never had an issue at all on any of my cruises.  We only take our sea pass card with us to the pool. I am old school, so I don't even take my tablet to read,  instead the good old fashion paperback book. My husband and I go in the pool or hot tub together and never have someone watch our stuff.
1st.  You are not talking about humungous pool areas, even on the larger ships.  Your lounger is always going to be in your eyesight.  
2. If somehow someone steals your sea pass, you will know immediately when you get to your lounger.  Just go to the guest services desk and report it.  
3. Your picture is on your sea pass card.  Sometimes the bartender will look at it, and sometimes they won't, but if someone steals it that is a risk they are taking.  If you go to the casino or the shops, at least in my experiences they always look at the picture.  Same is true when you come back on the ship from any port.
4. The only time we are more cautious is when we are at Coco Cay, because we typically will take our wallets and phones.  You can get a locker there to guard your personal items.  
FWIW, I am a Jersey girl that lives in VA, and have also lived in NC.  In other words going to the shore is a common weekend jaunt.  If I wanted to steal from someone that would be the easiest target since most people do the same thing...put their wallet, phone and keys in the toe of their shoes or under the corner of the beach blanket.  I am 54 and can state for a fact that never once did someone steal from me at the shore.
JMPO, I am more paranoid about someone trying to move my stuff to get a lounger than them taking any of my property.  Pool chair hogs are really a hot topic.
1 tip I would give you is to either take your own beach towels with you on the cruise or buy towel clips.  The reason why is that it is an easy way to find your chair very quickly.  Realize that there are tons of chairs around the pool, all covered with the RCL powder blue pool towels.  Having your own beach towel or the clips makes them stand out right away since few passengers do either.    

We do this too frequently! Jane

We arrive at 10:30 a.m. . Everything is checked but a backpack and a small carry on. And away we go.  Royal does not enforce boarding times ever.  Nothing like getting on board and making various reservations and checking on MDR table.  Eating lunch by noon before the crowds arrive.  The early bird gets the worm.  

Royal does not enforce boarding times.  They try and control the crowds with suggested boarding times, but you can show up any time you want to.  10:30-11:00 is optimum, usually. 

We were gonna check out the ruins, but the port itself looked pretty nice, so as of now we’re just going to the Port! ( Aug. ) Check it out on YouTube .

I enjoyed the aviary in the port area. It's raised above so there's a lovely breeze and connected by suspended bridges. I want to say it was $15-$20/adult and I spent almost an hour in there. Part of the time was spent watching the dolphin pool that's available in port.

Thanks BB1!  I booked the Hooked restaurant to get the lobster tails 2, instead of the surf & turf— just gonna try to get 2 tails!  Yep, that Coastal Kitchen should be on their app. Think I’ll use that number to call to reserve Coastal, just to be safe ?           I even booked Flight & Hairspray on the 2 sea days, even though suites have reserved seats, saw they both were on at 3:30. Thanks for your advise ❣️??

If you have a Grand suite or higher, the Concierge will email you the week before you leave. You can give them your requests and they will make the reservations for you. The only time Coastal Kitchen would be a problem is for dinner and you can tell them the times and days you want. I thought that it was also possible to make reservations yourself but according to Twangster, I was wrong. It might be a good idea to make the specialty restaurant reservations in advance yourself though since they will be cheaper and could fill up.

Thanks to everyone for helping me decide❣️ I had reservations for the 2nd night ( our anniversary ) at Cho ups because we like lobster tails. Didn't want the big Maine lobster….. thinking the tails would be better? Maybe just used to getting the tails, easier! But….. now see that at Hooked you can get the Surf & Turf- lobster tail…. & gonna change to Hooked if possible, & ask for 2 tails instead of the filet & tail. Wish me luck as I wish all you guys luck making reservations! They really need to fix that in the site. 
Happy Cruising to all, KimS
PS: I'm sure I'll be asking more questions, lol……. ?

Suggestion:  If you ask for "the lobster" in the Coastal Kitchen on lobster/formal night, be sure you make it clear that you want the lobster tail being served in the MDR.  We once asked for "the lobster" on lobster/formal night and they brought us some nasty, rubbery lobster bits in a yucky orange sauce.  NOT what I had in mind.  So there is apparently a "lobster dish" that they make in the CK; they might misinterpret what you are asking for and bring that, instead of the lobster tail.
We just got off NAV and had the whole Maine lobster in Hooked a couple of times. It is not large, but it is far and away better than the lobster tail that they serve either in the MDR or in Hooked as an accompaniment to other dishes.  Currently, they are not charging anything extra for the whole Maine lobster in Hooked.  I cannot see that continuing. You can get surf and turf in Hooked for nothing extra, but the surf and turf in Chops is +$21 ?  Makes no sense. I look for Hooked to start charging an up charge for either their whole Maine lobster or their filet.  Get it while you can.

Part of what you pay for is the ambiance.  Most specialty venues have the feel of restaurant like at home compared to the hotel catered mass meal feel of the MDR.

My opinion of the Coastal Kitchen is that it is the environment and the service, if not necessarily the food, that makes it superior to the large scale venues like the MDR and/or WJ.  This is especially true on the Oasis class ships as the CK has such a spectacular view and ambiance.  The food is good...but not great, IMO.  On the Quantum class ships CK is not quite as impressive as it is smaller, darker and much less festive than on the O class, but still very good.  I will say, however, that the filet at the CK was the best on the ship, IMO.  I have found this to be true on both the Anthem and the Oasis class ships. If you are a steak lover, be sure you eat at the CK on the night that they serve the filet.  I have never had the rib eye, but have heard it is also very good.
The CK is much more sedate, quiet and enjoyable and that makes it so much more enjoyable.  For breakfast, you can't beat it.  The dinners are very good.  It is certainly a step up from the MDR, no doubt about that.

Do you have thoughts on the specialty restaurants, (Jamies, Chops, etc) versus Coastal?  

Food is subjective but in general terms I find CK between MDR and specialty. 
Some CK items are better than speciality and some remain between MDR and specialty but that too is highly subjective.

We always enjoy the specialty restaurants.  Have we ever had a really bad meal at a specialty ?  Yes - Wonderland.  Have we ever had a really bad meal in the MDR ?  Yes.  Have we ever had a really bad meal in the CK ?  Yes.
That being said, we have had extraordinary meals in all 3, also.
Personally, I prefer Giovanni’s to Jamie’s (and Portofino’s....long gone, was better than any of them !).  We almost always have a very predictably good meal at Chops and have never been disappointed in Izumi.  We truly dislike Wonderland but absolutely love Hooked.

@KimS, I can speak to Anthem and Freedom, if either one helps; only Anthem has a CK out of those two, but I did Chef's Table on Freedom so I figure it helps complete the picture. ?
I've dined in Wonderland, Izumi (Anthem's is sushi only, no hibachi), CK, MDR, and did Chef's Table once. Chef's Table blows everything away, and if you're doing a milestone anniversary sailing I can't recommend it enough. But, it's not cheap and not covered by any dining plan, so it's generally something you just once per cruise.
Wonderland and Izumi on Anthem were both good, but not stellar IMO. I was actually disappointed with the quality of the tuna when I went to Izumi, but it's possible that it's because I went on Day 4 of our sailing and the ship's stores were starting to get old. Were they worth the price of admission? I'd say yes for Wonderland since I bought it in the Cruise Planner and saved vs. buying on board, not so much for Izumi (though I will be having lunch there again, just will try something different).
CK was, IMO, better than both Wonderland and Izumi, and blew the MDR out of the water. A big thing to know about CK is that they have their own dedicated kitchen, and everything you order is actually cooked to order, not mass-cooked for the 20 or 30 people who ordered the same entree as you like in the MDR. Nothing sits under a heat lamp waiting for staff to pick it up, it's all delivered the moment it's plated.
So my ranking from best to worst (and worst is not bad by any stretch) is:
Chef's Table CK Wonderland Izumi MDR

I cruised with my parents for their 50th.  We bought a gold mini cake topper for about 79 cents at Hobby Lobby.  I had it in my purse and when the waiter brought out the cake for them I stuck it in while he was singing.  It showed up great in the photos.  You could do something similar for a room service breakfast or even a special cocktail.

Congratulations on 40 years!!  You'll actually be going before me, we are on Harmony in February, I will be curious to see how it went for you ?

CFL, Let me know how it turns out ❣️ I do know you can order decorations from the ship that they will put up in your room. I just really like the more personal touch with the pillow cases, etc...
Also Congratulations to You too, time flies so quickly, it’s so hard for me to believe it’s gonna be our 40th!! BTW....we leave on Symphony of the Seas on 8/17 in case you’re on the same ship! ?

CFL, Let me know how it turns out ❣️ I do know you can order decorations from the ship that they will put up in your room. I just really like the more personal touch with the pillow cases, etc...
Also Congratulations to You too, time flies so quickly, it’s so hard for me to believe it’s gonna be our 40th!! BTW....we leave on Symphony of the Seas on 8/17 in case you’re on the same ship! ?

Coastal Kitchen shows up in the cruise planner but it is often not "bookable" online.  That is common.  I have several suite bookings in GS or higher and it shows but does not allow me to go through with the booking process.  Don't worry, just wait for the concierge email about 1 week prior to sailing and they will make reservations for you.  You can also wait until you get on board and reserve with CK directly.

For our 20th anniversary cruise my plan is take my pillow cases and magnet in my carry-on and somehow get to our cabin before my husband (not sure how yet....) and set it up myself real quick.  I'm also printing out an 8x10 copy of our wedding picture to hang up inside the cabin with magnets.