Can you walk on with your luggage?

We will be going on the Liberty out of Galveston for a 4 day cruise, can we just walk on with our luggage? Is that what is referred to as "self assist"?

Is this difficult? (Lots of stairs, etc?) I can't really remember our boarding last year - it was my first time and was so excited nervous that it is a blur. This will be at the port in Galveston.

We are all trying to pack lightly, 1 carry on and 1 larger bag and thought it would be nice not to have to wait to get our bags delivered to the cabin. We all have faster to the fun, (3 cabins in our group) but I remember on our last cruise on the Magic we had to wait some time before our bags arrived even though we had FTTF that time also.

Just wondered what the protocol was for doing this? And any tips or advice about it.

Thanks!

It depends on the size of your luggage. It has to be able to fit through the scanner in order for you to be able to carry it on.

Yes you can! With FTTF, getting on early you should have no wait with the elevators. I have done it before and it is actually kind of nice having all your stuff right when you board!

I saw security on our last Carnival cruise tell a passenger his luggage was too large to go through the scanner and to check it in. My rule of thumb is, if it can't fit through the airline scanner, it won't fit through the cruise scanner.

Of course you can take your own luggage on board!

That's what we've been doing for years and years!

We each have a rolling suitcase and either a large tote or back pack. Really easy but I am a "packing queen" and can do only carryon for all sorts of trips !

I've seen luggage too large to go through the scanner and the people were told they had to check it.

We've only checked luggage a few times over the past 10 years we've been cruising. Started when RCI put my duffle in the wrong cabin.

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Dont be mislead by the we carry on our luggage all the time. Everyone who carries their luggage on must have it pass through the airport type scanner, no exceptions. You can find the luggage size requirements on the Carnival web site.

We did it on our last cruise, when we didnt see a porter.

Over the years they have destroyed several pieces of luggage so was glad to do it.

Dont be mislead by the we carry on our luggage all the time. Everyone who carries their luggage on must have it pass through the airport type scanner, no exceptions. You can find the luggage size requirements on the Carnival web site.

That's true. Scanners will fit 16x24xwhatever. Our older airplane carrying is 24x13x9, that fits fine. A 24x24x24 box won't fit.

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Yes you can! With FTTF, getting on early you should have no wait with the elevators. I have done it before and it is actually kind of nice having all your stuff right when you board!

In January on the Dream we had FTTF and what I remember is that most, if not all of the elevators were tied up with the luggage delivery people and shut off for regular guests. I would be prepared to lug the luggage up the stairs. Only you know what floor you are on and if that might be a little unmanageable. There may have been one or two elevators open but they seemed to never come.

So we are all on deck 6. Is that too many flights of stairs? I can't remember what deck you get on the boat. I do remember the elevators being closed off because of the luggage issues tho.

Not all elevators are closed. Usually just one bank is closed.

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So we are all on deck 6. Is that too many flights of stairs? I can't remember what deck you get on the boat. I do remember the elevators being closed off because of the luggage issues tho.

Generally boarding is on Deck 3. We've never had trouble finding an elevator on embarkation. You may wait a minute or two but it will come.

You can carry on anything that will fit through the scanners. Sometimes we do, and sometimes we don't.

Have fun!

Not all elevators are closed. Usually just one bank is closed.

 

 

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From our perspective it seemed as though every elevator bank we went to seemed closed, but then maybe that was just in the areas of the ship we'd have to use to get to the areas we wanted to go.

Most times they block off one elevator in each bank for luggage delivery. The other 3 are usually operational. Also the glass elevators are always open, unless one is out of service for maintenance.

Anything that fits through the scanner can be carried on. Just remember you have to lug it through the entire check-in process, lug it up the ramp (and many of them are quite steep), lug it while on the ship and keep it with you until rooms become available after 1:30. You can't drop it off (unless you have FTTF) and can't leave it unattended.

One of my pet peeves are all the people who load up the chairs and booths on the Lido deck with their stuff and then sit with it for several hours as they wait for their rooms to open up. Means the rest of us have no where to sit and enjoy lunch.

I have always checked my one case with a porter, until the last cruise. My taxi dropped me at a place where there was a huge crowd of debarking passengers, and I worked my way through the crowd, followed signs to check in, and never once saw, or was approached by a porter.

once inside the terminal, I was told that at this point I should just take it with me, or have to go back out and find the porters and check it. Well, my bag is not huge, but bigger than airline carryon size, so I took it with me. Even though I have some mobility problems, the bag is on wheels and can be pulled, so I took it with me. It went through the scanner fine, and no problems.

Most times they block off one elevator in each bank for luggage delivery. The other 3 are usually operational. Also the glass elevators are always open, unless one is out of service for maintenance.

That was not true on the Dream. They all had the X in the bank of elevators that was nearest our room, and remained that way for several hours-we tend to stay in the center of the ship so it would be the center set of elevators that were like this. There were also MANY valet luggage carts piled high with everyone's luggage waiting to be delivered to the cabins.

That was not true on the Dream. They all had the X in the bank of elevators that was nearest our room, and remained that way for several hours-we tend to stay in the center of the ship so it would be the center set of elevators that were like this. There were also MANY valet luggage carts piled high with everyone's luggage waiting to be delivered to the cabins.

We were on the Dream in May and at least one elevator in each bank was out of service the entire cruise.

Usually can get an elevator reasonably quickly during embarkation

Anything that fits through the scanner can be carried on. Just remember you have to lug it through the entire check-in process, lug it up the ramp (and many of them are quite steep), lug it while on the ship and keep it with you until rooms become available after 1:30. You can't drop it off (unless you have FTTF) and can't leave it unattended.

 

One of my pet peeves are all the people who load up the chairs and booths on the Lido deck with their stuff and then sit with it for several hours as they wait for their rooms to open up. Means the rest of us have no where to sit and enjoy lunch.

Did you read the original post? They have FTTF. Hope you feel better for venting.

We will be going on the Liberty out of Galveston for a 4 day cruise, can we just walk on with our luggage? Is that what is referred to as "self assist"?

 

Is this difficult? (Lots of stairs, etc?) I can't really remember our boarding last year - it was my first time and was so excited nervous that it is a blur. This will be at the port in Galveston.

 

We are all trying to pack lightly, 1 carry on and 1 larger bag and thought it would be nice not to have to wait to get our bags delivered to the cabin. We all have faster to the fun, (3 cabins in our group) but I remember on our last cruise on the Magic we had to wait some time before our bags arrived even though we had FTTF that time also.

 

Just wondered what the protocol was for doing this? And any tips or advice about it.

 

Thanks!

Will your larger bag fit through the security scanner? If not, then you'd have to check that one bag.

We will be going on the Liberty out of Galveston for a 4 day cruise, can we just walk on with our luggage? Is that what is referred to as "self assist"?

 

Is this difficult? (Lots of stairs, etc?) I can't really remember our boarding last year - it was my first time and was so excited nervous that it is a blur. This will be at the port in Galveston.

 

We are all trying to pack lightly, 1 carry on and 1 larger bag and thought it would be nice not to have to wait to get our bags delivered to the cabin. We all have faster to the fun, (3 cabins in our group) but I remember on our last cruise on the Magic we had to wait some time before our bags arrived even though we had FTTF that time also.

 

Just wondered what the protocol was for doing this? And any tips or advice about it.

 

Thanks!

It must be carry on size that goes thru the scanner.

For those guests who wish to carry on their luggage, it must fit through the security screening machine; when laying flat, it should not exceed 16 inches high x 24 inches wide (40.64cm x 60.96cm); the length of the bag is not a factor. Anything larger, must be checked-in with a curbside porter.

These are the requirements from the Carnival website. Enjoy your cruise.

I had no idea you could carry on your luggage, so thank you for asking. And now I feel like my life has been changed forever. Ha ha! We have FTTF and I will carry on my luggage so we will have it immediately--even with FTTF, we have had to wait awhile for luggage delivery, so this will be much better!

Cruising in 2 days, and I will carry on! I'll be able to completely unpack before lunch.