can we check luggage in early-board later?

[r&rfraz]

i have been reading lot sof posts from people wanting to know if there are places to store their luggage for the day while they sight see before boarding a carnival cruise. here is my question. if we want to spend a couple of hours at the queen mary and queen mary village right next to the cruise port why can't we just check our bags with the porter at the curb around noonish and then walk ove to the queen mary & village until around 2pm and then walk back and board the ship. is there any reason why this wouldn't work? i am counting on you veteran cruisers to have the answer. we will be a group of 3 families (14 people in all,8 of them kids) so we want to have all the details in place before we come. thanks in advance for your help!!

[salty dingo]

If the porters are accepting bags, sure, you can do that. Just be aware of the check-in cutoff times as mandated by law.

[ccruisequeen]

We arrived early (10:30 ish) & the porters took our bags right away. We did early check in at the Queen Mary & had 90 minutes to spare before we were the first to board, if that helps.:D

[uppitycats]

I don't see why not! We've not yet been to a port where there was much of anything within walking distance worth seeing, but always our checked luggage was long gone (taken by porters and hustled off, presumably to the ship) before we ever got close to being checked in! :o Like the others said, though -- just be sure you know what time the ship is to sail, and you're back at least 2 hours before! Have a great cruise!

[UpstateCruizer]

YES, you can do this without any trouble. What I would suggest is to hand over those bags to the porters and get checked in then go visit the Queen Mary. When I sailed the Splendor last April the porters would not accept the bags until 9:30am. There is a place in the parking garage where you need to go stand until they start accepting the bags. When you get to the port head towards the parking garage and ask the staff they will direct you to where you need to go.

 

Once you hand over your bags there will be an early check in area outside which will be located right in front of the dome to the left. Check in was really quick and a boarding zone card was given. We were in boarding zone 1. They will encourage you to either sit in the zone 1 area (assuming you are zone 1) OR go check out the Queen Mary. The Queen Mary is right there and has a resturant that serves breakfast or you can walk around and check out the ship.

 

It's really that easy :) Enjoy your cruise~!

 

Edited to add.....If you are sailing on the Splendor there is no Early Check in at the Queen Mary. It's done in front of the dome as I mentioned. However if you are sailing on the Paradise the last I knew they still do early check in on the Queen Mary.