Managing luggage on a Cruisetour

[edgee]

We are frequent Celebrity cruisers. With upcoming retirement we will have more time for our vacations and are considering cruisetours, including those in Australia and South America which include local air travel. For long cruises we normally take two large suitcases and a medium size duffel bag for our checked luggage in addition to one small carryon for each of us. Is this too much luggage for cruise tours---I am thinking on and off of busses every day or two as well as intra country air? Other than advice to "lighten our load" we would appreciate input from others with experience taking cruise tours and how they have dealt with the luggage logistics on the land part of their vacation. Thanks!

[HappyTvlr]

I did a cruisetour with Celebrity around Peru, and we never touched our luggage as it was handled for us. We always had people meeting us at airports and hotels, and there was help for the bus trip as well. Celebrity really set a high bar for this type of tour for me.

[Sloop-JohnB]

We have not done a Celebrity Cruise Tour...

 

But Mr Sloop & I travel regularly... In a variety of business / vacation modes (air, train, car). If it is a trip of a week or longer we typically do so with 1 Large Suitcase each - 1 Carry On item each (can be a small wheeled bag, duffel or overnight bag) and then we each bring one additional item which depends on the nature of our travels... Could be any of the following: Garment Bag - Laptop Bag - Knapsack - or a Day Bag (into which I also fit a small purse)

 

Our luggage is a set (matching pieces) so everything stacks together... Makes it easy to haul anywhere... ie the Small Wheely and the Overnight Bag can both be easily stacked / strapped onto a larger suitcase. Means as individuals all we have to carry is one other piece, when cruising that is the Knapsack & Daybag... When travelling for business could be the laptop and/or garment bag with just carry on luggage for a short trip (leave the suitcase t hoe). Week or more then the bigger suitcase will be included in the mix

 

The key is being able to handle it all on your own relatively easily... Although we don't do public transit... We do do Hotel Shuttles, Car Service & Cabs

 

Cause everything stacks together we can manage fairly easily

 

Hope this helps,

 

Cheers!

Edited September 24, 2014 by Sloop-JohnB

[CHEZMARYLOU]

We've done 2 cruise tours in Alaska with Celebrity. They request that you pack so that one suitcase only has items you will want on the ship. They will tag and store that bag during the land portion. The cases you are using on land will be handled by the tour director and hotel staff. All you will need to do is have it outside your hotel door by a certain time when you are changing cities. We kept a small bag for last minute items that we took with us on the bus or train. If touring from the bus we were able to leave that bag on the bus because it was locked and the driver stayed with the bus.

 

Since your tour might involve flights there may be more restrictions than we had in Alaska.

 

Mary Lou

[CruisinNole]

For long cruises we normally take two large suitcases and a medium size duffel bag for our checked luggage in addition to one small carryon for each of us. Is this too much luggage for cruise tours---I am thinking on and off of busses every day or two as well as intra country air? Other than advice to "lighten our load" we would appreciate input from others with experience taking cruise tours and how they have dealt with the luggage logistics on the land part of their vacation. Thanks!

We have taken two Celebrity cruise tours -- Alaska and Europe. Like has been stated before, we didn't have to touch our luggage. On the Alaska cruise tour, we were given the option of keeping one bag with us and letting them handle the other luggage but we hadn't packed with that in mind so we chose not to do that. On the Europe cruise tour, that option was not even mentioned. Just an aside, we enjoyed both cruise tours very much. Yes, they are expensive but were handled so well and we had a wonderul time.

[CapeCodCruiser]

I can't even imagine what I'd pack in that much luggage! We did 42 days including an 11 nt TA and a month in Europe in a carry-on each plus DH had a backpack and I had a big a@@ purse. In that we even managed a nice sport jacket for DH and several dresses that could be dressed up or down with accessories.

 

If there will be someone to handle your bags all the way - great - but if you will have to do much of the toting & hauling then at the very least see if you can pare down to one bag each plus a carry on.

[gardiner41]

One thing not mentioned in any of the posts...check the luggage requirements.

MOST land tours have a maximum baggage allowance AND a max they will handle.

For example, we did a Tour of Ireland in July and we could have brought 2 checked bags each according to our airline however the Bus tour limit was one. Anything over that we would have had to handle ourselves.

So we opted to only go with one checked bag each plus our carry on and of course my big a@@ purse ;)

 

Since we have to fly almost anywhere, cruise or not, we go, we are used to baggage restrictions and have become pretty adept at packing only what we need, and packing light.

 

We have a 21 day cruise coming up in Dec and will only have 1 checked bag between us (we have to pay for checked baggage each direction) and each of us will have our carry on and personal item.

In January we have an 11 day cruise we have to fly to and will each only be bringing our carry on and a personal item ..aka big a@@ purse ;)

 

Yes some compromise has to be made, when packing light. So for us, we will not be bringing any "formal" clothes. so on Formal nights we will choose alternate dining other than the MDR (room service, buffet, pub etc)

By not packing any formal wear we save a LOT of baggage space.

 

Enjoy planning for your retirement! With a few small adjustments you will learn to pack lighter and enjoy all of the wonderful extended holidays you can now take.

[edgee]

I can't even imagine what I'd pack in that much luggage! We did 42 days including an 11 nt TA and a month in Europe in a carry-on each plus DH had a backpack and I had a big a@@ purse. In that we even managed a nice sport jacket for DH and several dresses that could be dressed up or down with accessories.

 

If there will be someone to handle your bags all the way - great - but if you will have to do much of the toting & hauling then at the very least see if you can pare down to one bag each plus a carry on.

 

I posted on the Celebrity board to get advice from folks who had actually been on a Celebrity cruise tour and specifically requested that the advice not be for us to "lighten our load." --only wanted to know if our current level of packing is doable. I chose not to go into the personal and medical reasons for the latter request, hoping that folks would respect my wishes and be helpful.

[edgee]

One thing not mentioned in any of the posts...check the luggage requirements.

MOST land tours have a maximum baggage allowance AND a max they will handle.

For example, we did a Tour of Ireland in July and we could have brought 2 checked bags each according to our airline however the Bus tour limit was one. Anything over that we would have had to handle ourselves.

So we opted to only go with one checked bag each plus our carry on and of course my big a@@ purse ;)

 

Since we have to fly almost anywhere, cruise or not, we go, we are used to baggage restrictions and have become pretty adept at packing only what we need, and packing light.

 

We have a 21 day cruise coming up in Dec and will only have 1 checked bag between us (we have to pay for checked baggage each direction) and each of us will have our carry on and personal item.

In January we have an 11 day cruise we have to fly to and will each only be bringing our carry on and a personal item ..aka big a@@ purse ;)

 

Yes some compromise has to be made, when packing light. So for us, we will not be bringing any "formal" clothes. so on Formal nights we will choose alternate dining other than the MDR (room service, buffet, pub etc)

By not packing any formal wear we save a LOT of baggage space.

 

Enjoy planning for your retirement! With a few small adjustments you will learn to pack lighter and enjoy all of the wonderful extended holidays you can now take.

 

Thanks for your good wishes on retirement. As I noted earlier, it will be hard for us to take less luggage, but some efforts will be in the cards for us....just will never get down to carryon only or just one suitcase. We have some close friends (non cruisers) who travel for weeks at a time all over the world with just carryon each. The wife has told my DW that their secret is lots of spraying of clothes with Fabreeze:rolleyes:..not our style! We will figure something out.

[CruisinNole]

I posted on the Celebrity board to get advice from folks who had actually been on a Celebrity cruise tour and specifically requested that the advice not be for us to "lighten our load." --only wanted to know if our current level of packing is doable. I chose not to go into the personal and medical reasons for the latter request, hoping that folks would respect my wishes and be helpful.

My husband and I took 2 large bags and 2 carryons on both of our cruise tours and we had no problems. When we took the Alaska cruise tour, we were asked if we wanted to only keep one bag but there was no pressure to do that. The subject never came up on the European tour. We never touched our bags except to put them out in front of the hotel room door before departure. We were asked to verify that our bags were by the bus before loading. It's all very well organized and definitely "doable" with your baggage requirements.

[terigo]

We had 6 bags between the 2 of us on a cruisetour. We were not required to keep just one or hand luggage or anything at all. The only thing we had to do with our luggage at any time was make sure it was outside our hotel room at a certain time, so it could be collected. Other than that, we never touched the bags. They were carried from the bus to our rooms and from our rooms to the bus.

Easiest touring we have ever done.

[CapeCodCruiser]

I posted on the Celebrity board to get advice from folks who had actually been on a Celebrity cruise tour and specifically requested that the advice not be for us to "lighten our load." --only wanted to know if our current level of packing is doable. I chose not to go into the personal and medical reasons for the latter request, hoping that folks would respect my wishes and be helpful.

 

My post was not meant to be disrespectful - I did want to point out if you were to have to handle your bags much you might want to pare down.

 

Sorry if posting my travel style offended you - I posted that as an example that long tours can be done with less luggage.

 

Funny - you did not find it necessary to scold any of the others who suggested you consider less baggage or who had not taken a Celebrity cruise tour.

 

It's your world - pack what you want.

[lovetotraveltx]

We are frequent Celebrity cruisers. With upcoming retirement we will have more time for our vacations and are considering cruisetours, including those in Australia and South America which include local air travel. For long cruises we normally take two large suitcases and a medium size duffel bag for our checked luggage in addition to one small carryon for each of us. Is this too much luggage for cruise tours---I am thinking on and off of busses every day or two as well as intra country air? Other than advice to "lighten our load" we would appreciate input from others with experience taking cruise tours and how they have dealt with the luggage logistics on the land part of their vacation. Thanks!

 

I don't think any of the replies were disrespectful. I reread your OP and you asked if this is too much luggage for a cruise tour. Some people said yes it was. Unfortunately, on any forum you get all kinds of responses some not exactly what you asked for. But, rarely do I see intended malice. That is just my 2 cents!

 

I over pack always for every trip long or short for the past 30 years and are doing our first cruisetour in June in Alaska. We will have 2 big suitcases, 2 big carry on's a backpack and a purse, I am guessing. My plan is to leave one luggage the first day not to be seen until the ship and use the carry ons and one big luggage for the land tour. I intead to keep one small carry on and a daily back pack with me at all times so they don't have to be outside my door in the early am like the rest of your cruise tour luggage.

 

Best of luck!