Been there, done that, don't do it if I have any choice.
Here's how it goes--we get up well before dawn to be at the airport for a ridiculously early flight. It's always a connecting flight. Even when Delta had direct flights to Orlando (leaving an hour before what DCL would book us on and arriving earlier), DCL air always used the connecting flights. Pray there was no connection problem or delay of either flight. Get to Orlando about noon or later, and if lucky, get to the terminal in time for lunch. And about 6 pm., I'm dead due to the early morning rising.
Here's what we're doing on our next cruise--direct flight on Southwest the afternoon before. No luggage fees. Staying at the Hyatt this time although we've used other area hotels that cost less. Breakfast in the morning after we check in for our transfers to the terminal. Sleep about 4 hours more than I would have been able to otherwise. And, if there is a problem with our flight, there are several other possible options that afternoon as well as the next morning--none as good as we've booked, but it would get us there. AND, when my DD's finals schedule changed, SW enabled us to change to these good flights (we had a connecting flight later in the day originally booked to depart after finals.)
I know DCL flies you in the morning of the cruise. That's not my choice if I have ANY other option including arriving at midnight. If I am in Orlando, I WILL be on that ship. If I'm sitting at my home airport, I can't say the same.