Carry-on only for 7 day cruise?

[Ba' Datz]

I assumed the original poster meant carry-on the plane. I was under the impression that you had to turn over your luggage to RCCL once you hit the port. If you are allowed to carry on your "carry-on luggage" when you check-in then all the better:-). However, it would mean no free hands on deck till you got to check in your room. If you planned to swim or doing another activity then someone needs to be keeping an eye on the luggage I would think.

 

 

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:):)

Edited May 13, 2014 by badatz

[leisuretraveler223]

It's definitely doable. Especially if you're not opposed to sending out a little laundry. I do it all the time. Carry-on plane, carry-on ship.

 

But as far as I'm concerned, those are two separate things. The days of me giving my bag to the porter and waiting hours for it to come to my room are over. I will always carry my bag in myself, rather than being at their mercy. I like to get on, unpack and get settled. I don't want to have to wait until some undetermined point that evening.

[bluemarlin1]

To clarify, I was talking about airline AND ship carry-on. I have always brought my carry-on onto the ship and never had a problem having to wheel it around with me while waiting for my cabin and the rest of our luggage. The convenience of having my stuff with me outweighs the pain in the rear of dealing with large luggage at any point in the trip.

[bluemarlin1]

I appreciate all the good input and advice...but please fellow cruisers, dont argue about it! (oh wait...I forgot I'm on Cruise Critic) :p

[Spurschick]

I assumed the original poster meant carry-on the plane. I was under the impression that you had to turn over your luggage to RCCL once you hit the port. If you are allowed to carry on your "carry-on luggage" when you check-in then all the better:-). However, it would mean no free hands on deck till you got to check in your room. If you planned to swim or doing another activity then someone needs to be keeping an eye on the luggage I would think.

 

 

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:confused::confused: of course carry on is able to get on the ship with you. It goes through the scanner when you go through security to check in like when you go through airport security.

 

We get on, find somewhere to sit. Park the luggage right up against the table so not blocking anyone (try to get a table in a corner if we can). Take turns leaving one designated person with the luggage whilst everyone else has a wander and switch out until rooms open. It's not restrictive if planned.

Easily manageable and highly convenient.

 

That way we are unpacked before muster and don't have to rush around after muster working out what to do getting ready for dinner.

[alfaeric]

I assumed the original poster meant carry-on the plane. I was under the impression that you had to turn over your luggage to RCCL once you hit the port. If you are allowed to carry on your "carry-on luggage" when you check-in then all the better:-). However, it would mean no free hands on deck till you got to check in your room. If you planned to swim or doing another activity then someone needs to be keeping an eye on the luggage I would think.

 

 

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Unless you are wearing a swim suit, then you are probably carrying it in a bag when you board, right? And it's recommended that all passengers carry high need items when the board- electronics, medicine, perhaps a change of something. Basically, everyone has a bag of some type that needs looking after.

 

Which is also why I suggest trying to step on board at 1pm. So you can go to your cabin, do what you need to do, and get on with the day. be that with all of your bags, or just one.

 

Unless, of course, there's something pressing on board right at 11am. :D

 

And if one is worried about eating too much- climbing the stairs with your luggage is a good work out! :eek:;)

[goodycruising]

You don't have to carry around your carry on. When you get to the terminal give it to the porter and it will be delivered to the room. In your smaller personal item put all valuables, meds, electronics etc and swimwear if you want.

 

No problem carrying that around

 

I get your point, you are giving another option, but one of my main reasons for the lighter packing is so that I wouldn't need to check stuff in, and I could keep it with me to take to the room as soon as they are open. We have received our cases anything from mid afternoon to mid evening, and I would like to get the unpacking done so then I feel like the trip has really started.

[Cindy]

My kids and I are sailing Freedom in August 2015. I want to do carry-ons only, I think it would just make everything that much easier. Do-able? We are over formal nights so there will be no formal clothes to bother with. And I NEVER wear or use everything we bring. I have no problem paying for laundry service for a few items during the week. If anyone else does/has done this, input is appreciated! Thanks in advance!

 

Good for you if you can do it! I've cut down a lot over the years, but I'm not there yet.:o

 

I'm currently packing for a 12-Night Baltic cruise, with the potential for cool and wet weather, and I'm wondering how I'm going to fit everything in two suitcases and two carry-ons because I don't want to give the airline $100 for an extra or overweight bag. One lady on my roll call is checking one bag for herself and her husband combined...everything else is in their carry on! I was impressed!

[mickeycrz03]

My goal is to pack with just carry ons for this trip. We are forced to fly in the same day the ship leaves (has me a nervous wreck but can't change our plans). Knowing that .. I am really hoping to pack lighter than I ever have before and make it with just carry ons. My main concern is liquids / shave gel / sunscreen. Not sure I can find all that I need in the FAA size containers and we won't have any time at all to shop prior to boarding ship.

[alfaeric]

My goal is to pack with just carry ons for this trip. We are forced to fly in the same day the ship leaves (has me a nervous wreck but can't change our plans). Knowing that .. I am really hoping to pack lighter than I ever have before and make it with just carry ons. My main concern is liquids / shave gel / sunscreen. Not sure I can find all that I need in the FAA size containers and we won't have any time at all to shop prior to boarding ship.

 

I think you can. The pharmacy that we shop at has a specific travel area, where it's all sized in so that it will fit.

 

And if you wear contacts, pack ALL of the contact stuff in a 3rd bag- it does NOT count toward the 2. We always have 3 bags- one for contacts and perscriptions, and two for liquids and gels.

 

YOU CAN DO IT! :D:)

 

(and it's incredibly liberating to see how much less you can live very comfortably on)

[relaxatsea]

We have been cruising for years with just one roll aboard suitcase each.

 

This includes three TAs, and our cruise last year to Iceland and Norway.

 

I also take a purse, and DH takes his camera bag.

 

We prefer not to check in any bags with the airline or with the ship.

 

On boarding day, we get there as early as possible, find a nice place to sit and have lunch, keep our bags with us, and go to our cabin as soon as it is available.

 

We take only the basic things we need, layer our clothes, and hope for the best!

 

Less is truly more!

[cruiselife4me]

I have done it once. It was my hubby, son and I on the Liberty. I did find (just me) that partway through the week, I was running out of outfits.

 

I was so excited that with our upcoming Grand Suite (2016) they had luggage valet...oh but too bad, not out of San Juan. WAAA!

 

Best of luck, do what feels best for you. Check a bag together and bring a full carry-on if it makes it easier on you.

[sr4mjc]

We're doing 10 days in Europe in 22" carryons. But we also have a washer and dryer and wear the same outfit from morning to bedtime. We usually fly Jet Blue to San Juan for our southern cruises, so I am ok with checking one bag per person as it is free.

 

I'm not sure how I would do a carryon only with shorty wetsuits, masks, snorkels, sunscreen, gym wear, dinner wear, beachwear etc. I think this would be easier on a TA or Europe. But good luck to you!

Edited May 13, 2014 by sr4mjc

[Ramblin' Ma'am]

I just did it on a 5 night, plus a night in FL beforehand. I took a rolling carry-on and a large purse. I wore my heaviest clothes and my sneakers on the plane. At dinners, I switched between dark jeans (which I wore on the plane) and black dress pants. Since you are only wearing the "nice" clothes for a few hours a day, you can re-wear them. I did not re-wear my shirts, but they don't take up much room if packed carefully.

 

For toiletries, I bought the travel-sized items at CVS.

 

I can see that an Alaskan or Canadian cruise would have been harder, with heavier clothing, but for a Caribbean cruise it was pretty easy.

[Harooni]

how big can the carry on be?

[Rala]

how big can the carry on be?

 

The X-ray machine on the ship is very similar to the one you have to go through at the airport. Your bag will have to fit through the ship's X-ray scanner. Obviously, if you are going to bring the bag on the plane , it would have to fit in the overhead compartment. :)

[Donut23]

That said, I LOVE doing no-fly cruises where I can pack the kitchen sink;)

 

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Was just thinking the same. Our last few have been from Bayonne and boy are we spoiled!

 

This weekend we pack for 2 1/2 weeks in Alaska.

 

I'm hardly a shy packer but Hubsters is the cloths horse. We do laundry ashore in hotels but not on the ship. Neither do we like to re-wear our clothing.....or hand wash.

 

We have never found traveling with suitcases any kind of a burden......plenty if porters to do the schlepping.

 

Skeevey to think of only having a carry on bag. But that's us. We are on vacation and enjoy fresh cloths.

[MandyMooToo]

 

I personally couldn't do it, I bring everything I could possibly want to use to avoid pack regret later.

 

Yep, that's me. It is really the shoes that do it to me...every time, it's the dang shoes :o

[Blue Darter]

My kids and I are sailing Freedom in August 2015. I want to do carry-ons only, I think it would just make everything that much easier. Do-able? We are over formal nights so there will be no formal clothes to bother with. And I NEVER wear or use everything we bring. I have no problem paying for laundry service for a few items during the week. If anyone else does/has done this, input is appreciated! Thanks in advance!

 

We did 17-day trip to Ireland with a carry-on and small backpack each. 7-day cruise would be a piece of cake. Check out packinglight.com for some useful tips.