Baggage Handling: Embark/Disembark

[mll1013]

I'm a bit perplexed by what to expect from baggage handling. We are a family of four (children are 10, 12) taking our first ever cruise on a HAL RT cruise out of Vancouver. How is baggage handled? Can I carry everything on and/or off myself to avoid the procedures?

 

For example, I simply don't get how I'm supposed to place my baggage outside of my room the night before. What about the fact that we'll need four changes of clothes plus all of our toiletries, not to mention a place to pack all of our pajamas the next morning.

 

It seems like this would just be sooo much easier, if we can simply carry on everything. Is that possible to do? What tips do you have for making the baggage transfer as smooth as possible?

[Keith1010]

You can carry small bags (the kind that you would carry on an airplane) with you on and off the ship. In terms of getting onto the ship they must fit through the security belt similar to the one at an airport. Carry on with you valuables, electronic equipment, prescriptions, breakable items and anything else that you are worried about checking in.

 

The night before you get off the ship you will put your larger suitcases outside the door. Leave enough room in your carry on bags to accomodate items such as those that you wear to sleep the night before.

 

Keith

[cb at sea]

The last evening does require a bit of planning...and you don't HAVE to put everything out!

We keep the smallest suitcase in our cabin, and pack everything that we DON'T need into the larger bags. They go in the hallway to be picked up.

That leaves the clothing I'm wearing that evening, toiletries, shoes, etc....that I'll pack the next morning and carry off. Just don't forget to keep out clothes for departure day!

[uppitycats]

I'm a bit perplexed by what to expect from baggage handling. We are a family of four (children are 10, 12) taking our first ever cruise on a HAL RT cruise out of Vancouver. How is baggage handled? Can I carry everything on and/or off myself to avoid the procedures?

 

For example, I simply don't get how I'm supposed to place my baggage outside of my room the night before. What about the fact that we'll need four changes of clothes plus all of our toiletries, not to mention a place to pack all of our pajamas the next morning.

 

It seems like this would just be sooo much easier, if we can simply carry on everything. Is that possible to do? What tips do you have for making the baggage transfer as smooth as possible?

 

Well, since generally we're going home after our cruise, we don't worry that we "need a change of clothes". We get back to our cabin, figure out what we'll wear the next day, set that out, pack the rest and put it outside our door. As for toiletries -- since we usually fly to the port and with airline regulations being what they are, we pack small-sized toiletries that are nearly used up by the end of the cruise anyway, and so just leave them behind. And again, since we're just flying home, we don't need to "look our best", so cosmetics and any expensive toiletries that we want to take home are packed in the luggage that goes outside the door anyway.

 

We keep one carry-on each INside the cabin with us, with everything valuable in it -- meds, camera, binoculars, etc., and room for our sleepwear.

 

It's really not that hard. The luggage goes outside the door as you go to bed, it's gone the next morning, you stuff your jammies into your carry on, throw in your toothbrush and hairbrush, and go.

[paul929207]

You can carry all your luggage off if you wish. There will be no one to help you for a good distance so you will have to carry/lug it all while keeping track of two kids.

[tak81288]

Unless you pack extremely lightly, you might find it to be a pain to carry all your luggage off. You will be dealing with a lot of people trying to get off the ship at the same time, narrow hallways, crowded elevators etc.

 

As others have mentioned, it's not the hard to figure out the outifits and necessities you need first thing in the morning. Just keep that in the room with your carry-ons. I think you will find it easier to just let someone else handle the larger, heavier stuff and you are only separated from your luggage for a few hours.

 

As for embarking, you can only carry on what will fit thru the security scanners, like at the airport. Plus, when you first embark you will probably want to grab lunch, explore the ship...etc..I doubt you will want to have all your luggage with you until your room is ready.

[mll1013]

Unless you pack extremely lightly, you might find it to be a pain to carry all your luggage off.

 

We do plan on packing extremely lightly. We are actually viewing the cruise a bit different than most cruisers. For many, the cruise ship is the vacation. For us, it is merely the mode of transportation we selected to see SE AK. In fact, we'll be packing very similarly as if we are going camping: casual clothes for daytime and hiking clothes for our time in port. The difference, of course, will be the formal wear, which we have already decided will be very simple (if we take any at all.)

 

You will be dealing with a lot of people trying to get off the ship at the same time, narrow hallways, crowded elevators etc.

 

This is an excellent point! If everything is crowded, I can appreciate how difficult this will be... thanks for bringing this to our attention.

 

As for embarking, you can only carry on what will fit thru the security scanners, like at the airport. Plus, when you first embark you will probably want to grab lunch, explore the ship...etc..I doubt you will want to have all your luggage with you until your room is ready.

 

Considering our luggage, I think we will have one large piece of luggage that won't fit through the scanner, but otherwise, we will all have our backpacks with valuables, and a small roller bag that will fit through the scanner. We did notice that boarding time starts at 10:30 AM, but the room won't be available until after 1:00 PM. Is there any reason we shouldn't board after 1:00 PM, so we can go straight to our rooms to relieve ourselves of our carry-on bags straight away?

 

Thanks to all who have posted for helping us understand the boarding procedures better... your tips are (as always) VERY helpful!

[tak81288]

Well it sounds like most of your luggage consist of carry on type baggage. If that is the case, then you and your family might not have a problem carrying things off the ship. I was picturing a few suitcases. It's up to you though!

 

If you prefer to board when your room is ready, then that is fine. I personally like to get to the port early, check in and board as soon as they start letting people on, (usually between 11:00-11:30pm) as do a lot of people. I figure since I am paying for that day, I might as well take advantage of it by getting on the ship ASAP, grab something to eat before the lines get long, take a dip in the pool early...etc. However, if you and your family would rather board later, there isn't anything wrong with that either!

 

Enjoy your trip!

[uppitycats]

You can board any time up until about 2 hours before the ship is to set sail! But like the others said, you're paying for that first day .. may as well take advantage of it! Yes, you have to drag your luggage around with you for a couple of hours, but you can still get lunch, tour the ship, figure out the best spot to enjoy sail-away..then be among the first to head to your cabin when they announce the cabins are ready! :)

 

But yes, after 1 p.m. would work just fine, if that suits you.

[mll1013]

Well it sounds like most of your luggage consist of carry on type baggage. If that is the case, then you and your family might not have a problem carrying things off the ship. I was picturing a few suitcases.

 

One issue with having "a few suitcases" is where to unpack it all. I've heard that the cabins are tiny, and don't have a ton of room to unpack. For those of you who are experienced cruisers, what tips do you have for unpacking in such tiny quarters. This is one reason we decided we wanted to pack ultra-light, because we didn't want stuff cluttering the room everywhere.

 

If you prefer to board when your room is ready, then that is fine. I personally like to get to the port early, check in and board as soon as they start letting people on, (usually between 11:00-11:30pm) as do a lot of people. I figure since I am paying for that day, I might as well take advantage of it by getting on the ship ASAP, grab something to eat before the lines get long, take a dip in the pool early...etc. However, if you and your family would rather board later, there isn't anything wrong with that either!

 

Enjoy your trip!

 

You can board any time up until about 2 hours before the ship is to set sail! But like the others said, you're paying for that first day .. may as well take advantage of it! Yes, you have to drag your luggage around with you for a couple of hours, but you can still get lunch, tour the ship, figure out the best spot to enjoy sail-away..then be among the first to head to your cabin when they announce the cabins are ready! :)

 

But yes, after 1 p.m. would work just fine, if that suits you.

 

What are typical wait queues for boarding early. I would assume that most people would want to get on board early, thus making the queuing time rather long. This is one reason we figured that we shouldn't be in too big of a hurry to board, simply because it would be less crowded with an easier boarding process if we came on board early- to mid-afternoon.

[mapleleaves]

I just got back from my first cruise. It greatly exceeded my expectations! We arrived at the ship around 11:30am, left our carry-on bags in our room, then had lunch. Our suitcases were in our room when we returned at 2:30pm. We quickly put our clothes away then explored the ship until the sailaway. We had read on CC that an open suitcase fits perfectly under the bed. How true! Great hint! We had plenty of room - 8 drawers plus 2 in each nightstand, and the closet. We each brought a plastic bag for dirty clothes so every night we pulled out the suitcase a little ways and put our dirty clothes away. Cuts down on "stuff" lying around.

When we disembarked, we had our PJ's and previous days clothing in our carryon, as well as toiletries and valuables.

The previous day the cabin attendant left luggage tags in our room with an assigned time. It was an early time which we didn't need so we swapped for a later one.