Is Room Available Upon Boarding Ship?

[champ.49er]

We're going on the Carnival Splendor in July and was planning on checking in some of our larger bags with the porters and carry-on our smaller bags (like an airline trip). We have our medication and other "need it now" stuff in our carry-on bags. I'm concerned that once we board the ship, our room is not available, so we'll be lugging around our carry-on bags for a few hours. Assuming we arrive at the port 3-5 hours before departure time, would our rooms be available upon boarding the ship?

[uppitycats]

We're going on the Carnival Splendor in July and was planning on checking in some of our larger bags with the porters and carry-on our smaller bags (like an airline trip). We have our medication and other "need it now" stuff in our carry-on bags. I'm concerned that once we board the ship, our room is not available, so we'll be lugging around our carry-on bags for a few hours. Assuming we arrive at the port 3-5 hours before departure time, would our rooms be available upon boarding the ship?

 

When does your ship leave? Generally boarding starts around 11:30, but cabins aren't ready until 1:30 or 2 p.m. You do need to be checked in/on board at least 2 hours before departure, so plan accordingly.

 

Once you're on teh ship you really won't need that much, so maybe you can shift some of your carry-on stuff to your larger bags before you check them in at the port?

[paul929207]

Many cruise lines do not have the cabins ready when they start boarding. If you cabin is not ready, then you will be carrying your luggage until it is.

[wwinfl91]

Generally if you board after 1:30 to 2 PM you should be able to go straight to your cabin. If you arrive earlier you will need to take care of your carry-on bags until the cabin is ready.

 

Have a great next cruise.

[paul929207]

Generally if you board after 1:30 to 2 PM you should be able to go straight to your cabin. If you arrive earlier you will need to take care of your carry-on bags until the cabin is ready.

 

Have a great next cruise.

It depends n th cruise line. With Princess, we are in our cabin 11:30 or 11:45.

[wwinfl91]

Interesting, we have cruised Princess 3 times and have always tried to get to the ship around 12-12:30 and had to wait for a cabin everytime. I don't know if we had bad luck or you had good luck.

 

Have a great next cruise.

[paul929207]

Interesting, we have cruised Princess 3 times and have always tried to get to the ship around 12-12:30 and had to wait for a cabin everytime. I don't know if we had bad luck or you had good luck.

 

Have a great next cruise.

We sail mostly on the little girls. I don't know why that would affect cabins be ready, but we have always been able to go to rooms when we boarded.

[LexLee]

This may be a dumb question...but can you drop your carryon outside your cabin even if it isn't ready? That is what the people that handle the luggage do. I was just wondering if there is some reason that no one does this?:o

[T&Dcruisers]

They generally do not even let you into the stateroom hallways and ask that you avoid the elevators as they are occupied by all the crew and luggage working to get things ready, so you wouldn't be able to get to your cabin. At least thats how it was on our last cruise.

[paul929207]

The rooms are unavailable because the Cabin Stewards are trying to finish cleaning them and setting them up for the new passengers. If you go to the cabin, you are just getting in their way.

[cb at sea]

On some ships, they will close the doors to the cabin hallways, until the cabins are ready. On other ships, you might be able to drop things off....it really depends on the ship, and each sailing.

If you are arriving early (and that's what you should do!), check as much luggage as you can, bring only the very neccessities and valuables....all of your other luggage, give to the porters and let them haul it onboard!

[silentbob007]

Some people also believe that it is their right to barge through the closed bulkheads to drop off their luggage even if staterooms are not availalble ... the stateroom attendant might not say anything, but remember also that your bags are just sitting there, usually in a room with an propped-open door, and there's also usually a reason why you specifically chose to carry on those items (expensive, not-to-lose things).

[paul929207]

Some people also believe that it is their right to barge through the closed bulkheads to drop off their luggage even if staterooms are not availalble ... the stateroom attendant might not say anything, but remember also that your bags are just sitting there, usually in a room with an propped-open door, and there's also usually a reason why you specifically chose to carry on those items (expensive, not-to-lose things).

Closed doors are mant to keep out the "other" people, not "me"

[Arwenmark]

On my last cruise on NCL where they greet you as you board the steward or someone led us to the cabin so we could leave our things then leave.

 

If you board and can't get to the cabin take the bags with you to which ever dining room is serving lunch and by the time you have eaten a leisurely lunch your cabin should be ready.

 

Don't let them tell you ONLY the buffet is open for lunch, that is not the case.