Welcome aboard, Anne! One of the great things about booking Disney Cruise Line's Port Adventures is that Disney takes care of all of the details.
Most of the
Port Adventures will have a meeting point either on the ship itself or just off the ship at the port area. There you meet with your guide and they lead you off to your included transportation, whether it be boat or bus or by foot, to get to your adventure. You will be with the group the entire time, and once the adventure is over, your guide will return you to the port area where you can do a bit of shopping or walk right back onto the ship.
It simply couldn't be easier. Some guests consider booking adventures on their own in the ports. While that can be fun and at times allow you to save a few dollars, I'd always recommend booking through Disney. Disney Cruise Line has spent quite a bit of time and effort making sure their adventures are safe, reliable and most importantly exciting! If the adventure is running late, you are sure that you will not be left behind, as they notify the ship. Non-Disney adventures will not do this, so you could run into some serious trouble if you aren't back in time with those groups.
I recommend booking your adventures once your 75-day booking window opens prior to your sailing, for
first time cruisers. Some excursions fill up, so you will want to ensure you get the ones you are hoping for by booking as early as possible. On the ship, if there is still space on an adventure, you are welcome to add that to your itinerary as well, but your best bet is to pre-book before you sail.
I hope you enjoy planning for your cruise, Anne, as I find it to be so much fun in itself, before we even set foot on the ships! Please let me know how else I can help you!