laurasue Posted March 17, 2005 #1 Share Posted March 17, 2005 Someone told me not to place my luggage out on the last night because it is much easier to carry it off yourself (especially if you don't have much luggage). How common is this? Is this a problem? We're only on a 4 night cruise, so I don't expect to have many bags. It would be nice if we could just disembark and get on the road instead of searching for our bags. Any advice would be appreciated! Thanks for your help! :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nikki303 Posted March 17, 2005 #2 Share Posted March 17, 2005 I'm interested in this as well. Anyone know?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
39august Posted March 17, 2005 #3 Share Posted March 17, 2005 You certainly may carry off your own luggage. We have done it on both RCI and Princess. However, you still will need the colored tag provided by your cabin steward on the luggage in case they are checking for colors as they let you off the ship. You are disenbarked by color. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
critterchick Posted March 17, 2005 #4 Share Posted March 17, 2005 We've always been able to disembark at will with our carryon bags, and this has been announced as OK by the CD. As long as you aren't going the be retrieving luggage, which is set out by color, you should be able to get off at any time. This policy may vary by ship, but nobody has ever checked for luggage tags when we've gotten off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanabanana Posted March 17, 2005 #5 Share Posted March 17, 2005 This is so good to know. It took so long to retrieve our luggage in Miami that I would love to tell my husband that process could be expedited some way. We don't mind wheeling our own luggage. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy ks Posted March 18, 2005 #6 Share Posted March 18, 2005 Just be aware that you may have to go down several flights of stairs, the elevators are very crowded and the waiting areas can also be quite crowded. You may encounter long lines to go through customs. If there are any delays with disembarkation, you will be stuck with all your luggage to carry around for several hours. If none of this bothers you, then go for it, many times we have had a real easy off from ships. I would not be bothered with it unless I had a pressing need to get off the ship in a hurry. If you clearly define your bags, it is really no big deal to pick them up after you disembark. The only time we ever had a problem was when I didn't put a special tag on a small black bag. I learned my lesson that day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
navel1ring Posted March 18, 2005 #7 Share Posted March 18, 2005 We have never put our luggage out & have never had a problem.. We usually just have a carry-on & backpack a piece. Wendy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NYCchic Posted March 18, 2005 #8 Share Posted March 18, 2005 I would NEVER put my luggage out - I will always carry it on and off with me! Use carry on size luggage only. I have heard way too many horror stories from people on these boards about missing luggage - either just lost or being picked up by someone else thinking it was theirs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
debandbill Posted March 18, 2005 #9 Share Posted March 18, 2005 Well, we have more than carryons but our pieces either roll or attach and we take them off ourselves. We are aware that we are a bit bulky and try to keep the obstuction down during debarkation. We have never had much of a problem, there has always been an elevator available. I hate the idea of my luggage sitting in a hallway for any and all to have access to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
negc Posted March 18, 2005 #10 Share Posted March 18, 2005 If you have only one or two pieces of carry-on size luggage you can probably carry it off on your own without difficulty. I would not want to maneuver the hallways, stairways etc. with much more. However, in these days of heightened security, I would think that Customs officials might pay special attention to those folks who have chosen to skirt the usual luggage off-loading procedures, where their dogs sniff for illegal drugs etc. and you might end up being detained for an up close and personal inspection. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stretch Posted March 18, 2005 #11 Share Posted March 18, 2005 Like Bill said above, prepare to be sniffed on your way out. Stretch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
critterchick Posted March 18, 2005 #12 Share Posted March 18, 2005 In Vancouver there are sniffer dogs positioned outside the area where you pick up your bags. I've never seen them in LA. I seriously doubt that you will be subject to extra scrutiny if you don't put your bags in the hall. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HotRod3 Posted March 18, 2005 #13 Share Posted March 18, 2005 I would love to just carry my bags off the ship. If you would see how my wife packs, you would understand that this would not be a good idea for anyone involved. As a matter of fact, if we tried to carry off our luggage, we could ruine it for everyone that would everr want to try it agin. So I can only dream of that luxery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobBeaSea Posted March 18, 2005 #14 Share Posted March 18, 2005 When we got off Voyager last Sat. there were 2 groups of "Travel Lite" allowed, one in the first grouping to debark and one in the second grouping of colours to debark. They did warn that it may be difficult-ramps, stairs, escalators etc. and no porters available for assisstance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tn1728 Posted March 19, 2005 #15 Share Posted March 19, 2005 We were on the Monarch 4 night and signed up for Express disembarkation on the 2nd day. We had laminated passes that allowed us to carry all of our luggage off on our own, the passes were collected-don't know if they stopped people without passes. Customs was not a problem, and we were back in the car an hour later. The express option was not offered to passengers who had RCI travel arrangements. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StacyinKs Posted March 19, 2005 #16 Share Posted March 19, 2005 We carried our own luggage off as well and after seeing the "Land of Luggage", I am so glad we did! We went through customs with no problems at all. After reading about lost and stolen luggage, we were also uncomfortable leaving our luggage out after midnight..esp since we had alot of mischievious kids running up and down our hallways all hours! We had white tags(you still need to get a colored tag) and were off by 8:30. I didn't expect to disembark so fast! We had just finished breakfast at the Windjammer, then our tags were called. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy ks Posted March 19, 2005 #17 Share Posted March 19, 2005 You can lock your luggage when you put it out for disembarkation off of the ship. Either use TSA locks or take the locks off before you get to the airport. Yes, there are sniffer dogs in Los Angeles. I have a goal to be able to pack light enough to be able to walk off with our luggage. It could only happen if we can pack in carry on sized rollaboards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
randyat1001 Posted March 19, 2005 #18 Share Posted March 19, 2005 We have never put our luggage out & have never had a problem.. We usually just have a carry-on & backpack a piece. Wendy How do you smuggle booze with just a carryon and backpack? :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeannetteC Posted March 20, 2005 #19 Share Posted March 20, 2005 I just got off Voyager this morning. We had two very large suitcases and a heavy carry-on. We had no problem wheeling the luggage down the hall to the elevator and going to Deck 4 and exiting the ship. No one checked our "color" luggage tag and most people with their own luggage didn't bother to attach any colored luggage tag. There were no dogs and no questions. To make things even easier, we checked our luggage with AA at the Port (they open at 9AM) and we were free of luggage the entire day in Miami before flying home. We'd do it again!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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