Cruising Cunard with carry on bags only

[sandancer]

Probably meeting trouble before it arrives here but we are flying with BA - domestic to HRW and onwards to the US to cruise on QE. The flights are early August just when BA staff are planning to strike. IF we are able to fly I’m really concerned about the luggage making it and our only alternative is to fly with cabin bags only. On any other cruise line I could get along but not Cunard. One of our main reasons for booking Cunard is to dress for Gala nights and indeed every night. Any thoughts on how this could be managed?

[North West Newbie]

6 minutes ago, sandancer said:

Probably meeting trouble before it arrives here but we are flying with BA - domestic to HRW and onwards to the US to cruise on QE. The flights are early August just when BA staff are planning to strike. IF we are able to fly I’m really concerned about the luggage making it and our only alternative is to fly with cabin bags only. On any other cruise line I could get along but not Cunard. One of our main reasons for booking Cunard is to dress for Gala nights and indeed every night. Any thoughts on how this could be managed?

 

You could maximise on BA's generous carry on allowance which is per person:-

 

1 cabin bag
Max. 23kg / 51lbs
Up to 56 x 45 x 25cm / 22 x 18 x 10in

PLUS

1 handbag
Max. 23kg / 51lbs
Up to 40 x 30 x 15cm / 16 x 12 x 6in

 

[Host Hattie]

You could use a luggage forwarding company.

[Lanky Lad]

I'm not sure how pratical this suggestion is, but if you have time, maybe buy some extra clothes in the USA and if necessary a case to bring them home.

[Victoria2]

19 minutes ago, Host Hattie said:

You could use a luggage forwarding company.

Excellent idea if possible but, worse case scenario, not if the flights were booked separately and subsequently become  victim of a strike or cancellation. In that instance, the bags will be with Cunard but without the owners

[Port Power]

19 minutes ago, North West Newbie said:

 

You could maximise on BA's generous carry on allowance which is per person:-

 

1 cabin bag
Max. 23kg / 51lbs
Up to 56 x 45 x 25cm / 22 x 18 x 10in

PLUS

1 handbag
Max. 23kg / 51lbs
Up to 40 x 30 x 15cm / 16 x 12 x 6in

 

Wow! That weight in one item accidentally falling on someone’s head could cause real damage, which is why single items are usually limited at 10kg by many airlines.  I note BA also gives maximum dimensions and that you must be able to lift the bag into the overhead locker yourself.  
 

Can you imagine the cabin if everyone carried a 23kg suitcase on board as well as a 7kg carry on? 😲 No wonder BA also states it can choose to check the bag in if they so wish.

[sandancer]

1 hour ago, Lanky Lad said:

I'm not sure how pratical this suggestion is, but if you have time, maybe buy some extra clothes in the USA and if necessary a case to bring them home.

Thought about that. If we are able to travel as planned we will have 5 days before we cruise. Maybe an Uber to Sawgrass Mills would work. 

[sandancer]

1 hour ago, Victoria2 said:

Excellent idea if possible but, worse case scenario, not if the flights were booked separately and subsequently become  victim of a strike or cancellation. In that instance, the bags will be with Cunard but without the owners

Flights booked direct with BA so no help can be anticipated from Cunard and we wouldn’t expect any. Worse case scenario we will travel with cabin bags and buy more when we arrive. Just hope the strikes don’t go ahead. 

[TexasKrysia]

2 hours ago, Host Hattie said:

You could use a luggage forwarding company.

do you have experience with any of the luggage forwarding companies? Initially was interested just post cruise, but now am considering both ways

[Victoria2]

20 minutes ago, sandancer said:

Flights booked direct with BA so no help can be anticipated from Cunard and we wouldn’t expect any. Worse case scenario we will travel with cabin bags and buy more when we arrive. Just hope the strikes don’t go ahead. 

I guess if you're 'strike bound' luggage will be the least of your problems.

In a non strike situation, get to the gym and get those biceps

working!  🙂

 

Fingers crossed for you either way.

Edited June 26, 2022 by Victoria2

[sandancer]

Sorry Victoria, Sandancer is a 5ft 2in, non exercising female, whose biceps are definitely not in prime condition for lifting 23kg above the head haha. I’m definitely leaning towards going on a shopping spree (if only the £ would pull itself together against the $). To be honest given the awful problems travellers are having right now I think we’ll be past caring, as you say least of our problems. Just under 6 weeks until we fly. Hopefully all parties will get round the table and work things out in that time 🤞

[D&N]

We recently flew BA Nice to Heathrow and back for a 14 night B2B TA on QM2, with same allowances as a domestic flight.

Our total bagage weight was 58kg. Theoretically that would have easily fitted in BA's cabin limit of 92kg for 2 people.

Our problem would have been volume. Our total was around 264 litres, spread between 2 x 80 litre cases, 2 x 44 litre backpacks and 2 x 8 litre underseat bags.  The max on BA in cabin would have been 162 litres.

If we'd been pushed we could have left 7 of 16 pairs of shoes behind and I didn't really need 6 suits!

My wife might have selected more separates than gowns, and we might not have planned for her to wear dressy outfits for lunch every day, but we could have probably done it.

One issue might have been keeping liquids and gels to less than 100ml containers that would fit in 2 x 1 litre clear bags. But we don't normally use any of the shampoo or shower gel other than those we use at home.

[exlondoner]

20 minutes ago, D&N said:

We recently flew BA Nice to Heathrow and back for a 14 night B2B TA on QM2, with same allowances as a domestic flight.

Our total bagage weight was 58kg. Theoretically that would have easily fitted in BA's cabin limit of 92kg for 2 people.

Our problem would have been volume. Our total was around 264 litres, spread between 2 x 80 litre cases, 2 x 44 litre backpacks and 2 x 8 litre underseat bags.  The max on BA in cabin would have been 162 litres.

If we'd been pushed we could have left 7 of 16 pairs of shoes behind and I didn't really need 6 suits!

My wife might have selected more separates than gowns, and we might not have planned for her to wear dressy outfits for lunch every day, but we could have probably done it.

One issue might have been keeping liquids and gels to less than 100ml containers that would fit in 2 x 1 litre clear bags. But we don't normally use any of the shampoo or shower gel other than those we use at home.

 

You have more than two suits, and sixteen pairs of shoes?? I just can't imagine.

[D&N]

25 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

 

You have more than two suits, and sixteen pairs of shoes?? I just can't imagine.

This isn't fair!  You know that I couldn't resist the photo editing! 🤣

 

I stand corrected anyway. Nora left a pair of walking sandals behind that I thought had been packed, so it was only 15.

 

But we'd both have left the pool sandals, I could have done without 1 of the blacks, the red and Nora would have left the gold and brown.

[Victoria2]

2 hours ago, sandancer said:

Thought about that. If we are able to travel as planned we will have 5 days before we cruise. Maybe an Uber to Sawgrass Mills would work. 

I'm guessing you board in F.L. if Sawgrass might be in your sights. Huge mall, one of the biggest in Florida. We spent a few hours there years ago and I had great fun, but then the $$ was definitely more friendly to us Brits in those days. 

 

I hope you won't have to make a pit stop there but if you do, you should find something there

[lissie]

Those carry on weight limits are more generous than what we have with (paid) checked bags from New Zealand! (1x 23 kg each plus 7kg cabin bag  + personal item total) . Our issue is weight not volume.  You'd have a volume issue rather than weight: wear bulky items. I suspect the man would need to wear his suit though. And the liquids would mean you'd probably need to go shopping for them on arrival.  Limit shoes because of their bulk. 

[Port Power]

1 hour ago, D&N said:

This isn't fair!  You know that I couldn't resist the photo editing! 🤣

 

I stand corrected anyway. Nora left a pair of walking sandals behind that I thought had been packed, so it was only 15.

 

But we'd both have left the pool sandals, I could have done without 1 of the blacks, the red and Nora would have left the gold and brown.

I’m going on a 9-night cruise on QM2 in summer and fully intend to use my extra luggage allowance to the full, dusting off gowns and outfits long unworn.  I usually take only two pairs of dressy sandals to suit everything, but you have encouraged me to go for broke!  I know I can manage two medium suitcases on the train home upon arrival. 

Edited June 26, 2022 by Port Power
Ship

[Jacqueline]

  Buying toiletries and such, as well as needed clothing items in New York is easy and not very costly. The checked baggage situation is really a nightmare now. I am on another travel board and I am seeing a lot of problems with bag. You could check a bag with stuff you can do without and hope for the  best,

Definitely take advantage of the generous travel allowances. We are headed to London next Saturday for our daughters graduation and my husband is wearing his sports jacket on the plane. 
 

Edited June 27, 2022 by Jacqueline

[Victoria2]

9 hours ago, Port Power said:

I’m going on a 9-night cruise on QM2 in summer and fully intend to use my extra luggage allowance to the full, dusting off gowns and outfits long unworn.  I usually take only two pairs of dressy sandals to suit everything, but you have encouraged me to go for broke!  I know I can manage two medium suitcases on the train home upon arrival. 

I'm the opposite. All my evening clothes are tailored to a certain heel height so I now just take one pair of black patent shoes which are timeless and elegant in design, and two pairs of the same on a long cruise as a just in case.

My day wear is a different matter. My trainers are in bright fluorescent colours [I always travel in them to save space] and I am the Imelda Marcos of low heel to ballet flats, highly colourful and downright in your face wow shoes. Colourful shoes brighten my day but even so I rarely take more than two pairs plus trainers and some 'slides' and soft Sketchers for sun deck wear, on a short [two weeks or less] cruise. I don't need any more and with them being so jazzy in design, they go, or don't, with everything.

 

[exlondoner]

12 hours ago, D&N said:

This isn't fair!  You know that I couldn't resist the photo editing! 🤣

 

I stand corrected anyway. Nora left a pair of walking sandals behind that I thought had been packed, so it was only 15.

 

But we'd both have left the pool sandals, I could have done without 1 of the blacks, the red and Nora would have left the gold and brown.

 

Extraordinary. I can't imagine living In a house cluttered up with all these. By the way, this is totally hypocritical, as we have thousands of books, even though you can only read one at a time. But at least they save on wallpaper.

[sandancer]

Thanks for all the advice. Unless things change in the next few weeks we will definitely be travelling with one cabin bag each, def not weighing 23kg and a couple of fold up holdalls which can be used as cabin bags on the return. The others can go in the hold on the return flight. If they get delayed it’s no biggie. I usually buy all the sun lotion etc from Walgreens or CVS so no change there and we are very happy with the toiletries provided by Cunard.  Called Cunard to ask about booking flights through them. The flights offered are the same ones we are on so still have the BA problem except that we would have more security if booked with Cunard. However, the sum they are asking for is over double what we paid for the cruise. Not happening. 

[exlondoner]

10 minutes ago, sandancer said:

Thanks for all the advice. Unless things change in the next few weeks we will definitely be travelling with one cabin bag each, def not weighing 23kg and a couple of fold up holdalls which can be used as cabin bags on the return. The others can go in the hold on the return flight. If they get delayed it’s no biggie. I usually buy all the sun lotion etc from Walgreens or CVS so no change there and we are very happy with the toiletries provided by Cunard.  Called Cunard to ask about booking flights through them. The flights offered are the same ones we are on so still have the BA problem except that we would have more security if booked with Cunard. However, the sum they are asking for is over double what we paid for the cruise. Not happening. 

 

In any case, if the delay is due to a foreseeable cause, which a strike definitely is, it is up to the airline to get you on to another flight the same day.

[sandancer]

I didn’t realise that. We have 5 days in between flight and cruise so as long as they get us there before sail date we can live with it. 

[exlondoner]

7 minutes ago, sandancer said:

I didn’t realise that. We have 5 days in between flight and cruise so as long as they get us there before sail date we can live with it. 

 

See here for all,the ins and outs.

 

https://www.caa.co.uk/passengers/resolving-travel-problems/delays-and-cancellations/delays/

[Victoria2]

3 hours ago, exlondoner said:

 

Extraordinary. I can't imagine living In a house cluttered up with all these. By the way, this is totally hypocritical, as we have thousands of books, even though you can only read one at a time. But at least they save on wallpaper.

Ditto, but they're a bit of a ...... to dust!

I frequently get told off about the number of books I have, and that's excluding the boxes and boxes of complete sets of my teen reading such as Jean Plaidy, Georgette Heyer, Anya Seton. etc,m in the loft!