Cruisetour Luggage Question

We are going to Alaska and will be doing the cruisetour...land portion first, then southbound from Whittier to Vancouver. We are in Fairbanks two nights, Denali two nights and then will take the train from Denali to Whittier for the cruise. I'm confused about how the luggage is handled. Can someone help me? What can we carry on the train. I'm afraid my camera bag is too big but I'm not willing to let it go separate from.us.

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From their website: http://www.princess.com/learn/faq_answer/cruisetours/cruisetours_alaska.jsp

All Princess cruisetours include our hassle-free luggage handling service every step of the way. During the land portion of your vacation, we'll take care of transporting your luggage from one location to the next.

Important luggage reminders:

• Essential medicines, travel documents, valuables and breakables should be hand carried in your possession at all times.
  
• All Alaska luggage tags for the land portion of your cruisetour will be distributed by Princess Representatives in Alaska. Luggage tags for the cruise portion of your cruisetour should be printed prior to leaving home.
  
• Luggage fees imposed by airlines are the responsibility of each guest. Please check with each carrier prior to departure for specific guidelines.
  
• Many domestic airline carriers now impose baggage fees for one or more bags and bags weighing over 50 lbs., so check with your carrier regarding weight restrictions.
  
• Princess will make every effort to assist you in safeguarding your belongings. But remember, you are responsible for your things at all times. Princess is not responsible for money, jewelry, cameras, binoculars, documents or any other articles you retain in your personal control.
  
• All luggage should have a sturdy personal identification tag that will not be lost or damaged in the course of typical airport and trucked luggage handling.
  
• On journeys including air travel, luggage will be subject to a considerable amount of handling and we would recommend that your luggage be of sturdy construction.
  
• Princess recommends that your travel protection is adequate enough to cover any possible loss or damage which may occur. Any loss or damage caused by Princess or an airline must be reported immediately to the responsible party.
  
• For guests who have purchased an Air Advantage package, please refer to your detailed itinerary found in the Cruise Personalizer® for additional details regarding luggage.
  

Packing for your Land Tour

Cruisetours involve many modes of transportation including motorcoaches, trains and sightseeing vehicles so make sure you take only the things you need to ensure comfort for you and your fellow travelers. There are different types of bags to consider for the land portion of your cruisetour.

Hand-Carry Tote/Backpack

• You'll want this bag with you every step of the way, so include only the essentials.
  
• Items to pack in this bag include travel documents, photo ID, important medication, toiletries, camera, and any extra layers of clothing such as jackets or hats.
  
• Your hand-carry tote bag should be a size that is comfortable to carry and should be able to be stowed under your seat. We recommend soft-sided tote bags or backpacks no larger than 17" x 14" x 4" with a zip enclosure.
  
• Wheeled carry on cases that are used to carry-on luggage on airlines are too large and are not suitable as hand-carried luggage on motorcoaches and trains.
  

"Join Me Tonight" Luggage

You are allowed one piece of "Join Me Tonight" baggage per person on the land portion of your cruisetour. You will simply pack one bag and place luggage where instructed. Our handlers will pick it up and deliver it to your room at the next overnight location on your land tour.

• This bag will be transported separately from you and will not be accessible during transit.
  
• Items to put in this bag include clothing, sleepwear, nonessential toiletries, extra shoes and anything else you might need at your hotel but do not need access to during the day.
  

"Join Me Onboard" Luggage (for guests who cruise after their land tour)

• Guests who cruise after their land tour should pack a separate bag for items they will not need on land.
  
• This bag is perfect for the items you may need on your cruise but will not need on your land tour, such as formal wear, dress shoes, or dinner jackets. On the land portion of your cruisetour, the dress code is always casual so there is no need for any formal wear.
  
• All luggage is delivered to the first destination on your land itinerary. Upon departure from that city, the "Join Me Onboard" tagged bags will be securely stored until they are delivered to your stateroom onboard.
  

"Join Me in Fairbanks/Anchorage" Luggage (for guests who cruise prior to their land tour)

• Guests who cruise prior to their land tour should pack all the items they used on their cruise and will not need on land in this piece of luggage. After disembarkation from the ship, these bags will be inaccessible until delivered upon your arrival in the final destination of your itinerary.
  
• Please identify your chosen pieces of luggage (excluding the one "Join Me Tonight" bag) with the "Join Me" tags based on your final destination.
  

Camera bag needs to fit under the seat unless you want it in your lap for 14 hours on the train. Or you could stand out on the platform where folks are taking pictures and let your bag occupy your seat (I certainly spent most of my time standing outdoors taking pictures). On buses it goes overhead or under the seat. Keep your carry-on as small as possible - jacket, paperwork, medications, cash.

Your "travel with me" bag will get picked up at the hotels and magically appear in the next hotel (usually they go in a van and trailer ahead of the bus/train). Clothes, chargers for the land portion.

Your "join me onboard" bags will likely get shipped to the Captain Cook hotel in Anchorage until the day before the cruise and stored in a couple of conference rooms full to the brim with other luggage. There are a couple of hotel employees whose sole job is to organize all the luggage. As you are approaching Whittier these bags are sent down to the ship and magically appear in your room.

Download the Cruisetour guide - it does a great job of explaining all this. http://www.princess.com/downloads/pdf/faq_answer_legal/CAB_Alaska.pdf

Luggage handling is covered in my report on an the tour part of an Alaska crtuisetour (land first).

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1727858

Luggage handling is covered in my report on an the tour part of an Alaska crtuisetour (land first).

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1727858

A truly great and informative review that I have pointed folks to several times. It really helped us to make up our mind about the cruisetour we wanted to take.

I had a bigger issue having to get on a small commuter aircraft leaving Vancouver.

I took an old 9 x 10 x 18 inch shoulder camera bag and it fit under seats on the train, bus and plane.

IMHO a small international size carryon roller should work under the bus & train seat, 9 x 14 x 21.

framer