Royal Caribbean northbound cruisetour luggage

At the beginning of cruise tour, will RCI herd us from ship to our bus like regular excursions? Do we collect our luggage or does ship take it to the bus? Are we first off the ship?

At the end of the tour in anchorage, we arrive by train at 8 pm. We are taking a red eye flight at 1 am because of work commitments. Can we retrieve luggage from the train or must it go to the hotel? And if hotel, is it on our bus with us?

Bus tour transit people were meeting around 6an and taken off the ship in groups. Meeting was mostly in the theater, as example. Bag tags were handed out prior, and you had to have them out the night before. They were transferred for you. Hopefully you aren't going to Denali the same day, it's at least a 9 hour transit that people were upset about.

At the end of your tour- does it mention airport transfers are included? You will claim your bags where your documents state, at the depot or airport. You will not have bags transferred to any hotel unless you are staying there.

Bus tour transit people were meeting around 6an and taken off the ship in groups. Meeting was mostly in the theater, as example. Bag tags were handed out prior, and you had to have them out the night before. They were transferred for you. Hopefully you aren't going to Denali the same day, it's at least a 9 hour transit that people were upset about.

 

At the end of your tour- does it mention airport transfers are included? You will claim your bags where your documents state, at the depot or airport. You will not have bags transferred to any hotel unless you are staying there.

Thanks. Yes, we are going to Denali the day we debark. We have a limited amount of time because of work so are just doing the best we can. I know it's a long way and tight schedule. We do have the last night scheduled at the Marriott in Anchorage with airport transfer the next morning. I'm hoping to freshen up at hotel then catch a red eye. I don't want to miss my bags. I'm hoping someone else has done this also and can reassure me.

You booked the hotel with the cruise tour? Your flight leaves the same night, you arrive in Anchorage? Not sure of the value of that costly room in that case? IF booked through the cruise line, then it will be transferred to the hotel. You will have special tags given to you. As always- verify everything with your tour director if you have questions, but information is pretty clear when you have the tags on your bags.

You booked the hotel with the cruise tour? Your flight leaves the same night, you arrive in Anchorage? Not sure of the value of that costly room in that case? IF booked through the cruise line, then it will be transferred to the hotel. You will have special tags given to you. As always- verify everything with your tour director if you have questions, but information is pretty clear when you have the tags on your bags.

Absolutely. Some of the people in our party are staying the night at the hotel, we just don't have the time.

Absolutely. Some of the people in our party are staying the night at the hotel, we just don't have the time.

So the people who booked the hotel are going to get extra luggage tags for you? That is the ONLY way your bags will be delivered to any hotel.

It is likely your included airport transfer will be from the train station. So why do you want your bags to go to a hotel for a couple hours, then you having to transfer them yourself to the airport?

You just can't have them taken to the airport without you. They will be considered unclaimed bags, since as far as I know, airport luggage tags are no longer issued outside the airport and requires ID check in.

So the people who booked the hotel are going to get extra luggage tags for you? That is the ONLY way your bags will be delivered to any hotel.

 

It is likely your included airport transfer will be from the train station. So why do you want your bags to go to a hotel for a couple hours, then you having to transfer them yourself to the airport?

 

You just can't have them taken to the airport without you. They will be considered unclaimed bags, since as far as I know, airport luggage tags are no longer issued outside the airport and requires ID check in.

I wasn't clear. Yes, we are booked at the hotel also as part of the cruise tour. My concern is collecting my bag to go with me to hotel or it arriving by 10-11 pm at the hotel so I can take it to the airport. That's why I'm wondering how they transport our luggage from train to hotel. Is it on our new bus or a separate delivery? I will definitely have to make my tour director aware of my situation.

I wasn't clear. Yes, we are booked at the hotel also as part of the cruise tour. My concern is collecting my bag to go with me to hotel or it arriving by 10-11 pm at the hotel so I can take it to the airport. That's why I'm wondering how they transport our luggage from train to hotel. Is it on our new bus or a separate delivery? I will definitely have to make my tour director aware of my situation.

And you are only at the hotel a few hours? If so, I see no benefit in this costly room?? Plus with you needing a 2 hour window and 30 minutes for the transit, there is no assurance your bag will be delivered first, to you. I would think a superior option would to just get a refund of the hotel and book the airport transfer and have you going in a single direction after the train. Not back and forth to a hotel.

It takes TIME to unload a train full of luggage, and the trains are not always on time. I wouldn't expect a bag to be at the hotel before an hour, then it requiring sorting and delivery. Shouldn't be a stretch seeing problems, IF you are leaving that night.

And you are only at the hotel a few hours? If so, I see no benefit in this costly room?? Plus with you needing a 2 hour window and 30 minutes for the transit, there is no assurance your bag will be delivered first, to you. I would think a superior option would to just get a refund of the hotel and book the airport transfer and have you going in a single direction after the train. Not back and forth to a hotel.

It takes TIME to unload a train full of luggage, and the trains are not always on time. I wouldn't expect a bag to be at the hotel before an hour, then it requiring sorting and delivery. Shouldn't be a stretch seeing problems, IF you are leaving that night.

Yes. That night. I have already paid in full so I doubt a hotel refund is possible. I had expected to shower, change clothes and rest a bit at the hotel. Plus some airports won't allow check in until 4 hours before flight. We could get a taxi from train right to the airport. But it still comes back to getting our bags at the train. I think I'll have to call RCI tomorrow. It sounded like a good plan but I didn't realize that they would control the bags, not me. Thanks for your help.

Yes. That night. I have already paid in full so I doubt a hotel refund is possible. I had expected to shower, change clothes and rest a bit at the hotel. Plus some airports won't allow check in until 4 hours before flight. We could get a taxi from train right to the airport. But it still comes back to getting our bags at the train. I think I'll have to call RCI tomorrow. It sounded like a good plan but I didn't realize that they would control the bags, not me. Thanks for your help.

Ok piece by piece information is being disclosed. A question- did you book this hotel in addition to a cruisetour, or is it included in the cruise tour???? IF booked separately, I would definitely call and try to get it refunded.

If you were to go to the airport from the train- then you would be able to check your bags with at most a short wait. It will take you at least 40 minutes to get to the airport from the train pulling into Anchorage. IF the last night is part of your cruise tour, then there isn't going to be any airport shuttle available. IF it is an add on night, then I'd suggest you just get airport transport baggage tags and try and get that hotel canceled.

It is a waste of time to call "RCI:" you will be talking to someone in Florida who hasn't even been to Alaska. Instead, call the Alaska RR direct and the hotel direct. Ask the hotel what their cancellation policy is. You aren't going to know when you will get the luggage until you get there. IF you check it with a RCI tag, you have no control. And no way to get any answer when you will get it. Too many variables with it being unloaded if it goes by train. This is done by Alaska RR employees, and there can be several baggage cars to deal with, including their own.

Sorry, but I see no point in even going to the hotel. As I already mentioned with numerous cruise tour passengers the luggage delivery probably isn't going to be quick.

Thanks for your advice and all the info. I will come back in two months and let you know how it goes. Royal Caribbean said no problem and documented my flight information. They said I could get bags at train station or at hotel. I'm sure our tour guide will know how the system works and best way to handle it.

Ok piece by piece information is being disclosed. A question- did you book this hotel in addition to a cruisetour, or is it included in the cruise tour???? IF booked separately, I would definitely call and try to get it refunded.

After thinking, I did try your idea to cancel the hotel. The room is part of the cruisetour package. But it is a package, and Royal Caribbean doesn't allow cancellation of the hotel. No changes. I did, however, come across a rule that says the tour part of a cruise tour can be cancelled without penalty up to 42 days before the tour portion begins and only the cabin kept. That might come in handy for someone else.

Thanks for your help, Budget Queen. I've used your Alaska advice from other posts too. Thanks for being there for all of us.

Reporting back. We were on RCI postcruise tour 9A. No problem getting luggage and making our same night, 1 a.m. red eye flight. Our luggage never went on the train. The bus dropped us at the train in Talkeetna then the bus took all luggage to the hotel. Luggage was waiting in our hotel room for us when we arrived in Anchorage. (Bus is faster than train.) Train was half hour late picking us up in Talkeetna but made up the time so arrived only 5 minutes later than the scheduled 8 pm. There was a tour-sponsored shuttle from hotel to airport at 10 p.m., 11 p.m. and midnight as well as the next morning. At least three other couples also had first night red eye flights. We used hotel to freshen up then caught the 10 o'clock shuttle to the airport. Loved our tour and flight plan worked perfectly.