Bringing own luggage on board?

[kek123]

I had a bad experience on my first cruise with the luggage. Delivered to original cabin assignment, Royal Carribean clueless. Anyway finally went to original cabin and found the happy couple in there going thru our things! They claimed the luggage looked the same..yeah right! RC also refused to do anything about it, I wanted to prosecute for theft but they would not call the police.

 

Anyway my TA says it is perfectly acceptable to hand carry luggage on board. I pack fairly light and have no trouble carrying it. I also have no patience and don't want to sit around and wait for it. Once on board I really just want to relax and start my vacation. I asked this question on the main Princess board and people generally responded that I would be bothering other people if I did this. Why I am not sure...

As this board is MUCH more friendly I wanted to ask here. Any thoughts on this?

[wrp96]

Part of it depends on the size of your luggage and part of it depends on the port. Your luggage has to be small enough to fit through a scanner like at the airport. Generally around a 22" is the biggest that will fit through the scanner. Then you have to be willing and able to drag it through the terminal, including standing in multiple lines, up elevators, up gangplanks, etc. Then on the ship you will have to wait for crowded elevators or carry your bag up and down flights of stairs. If you are willing and able to do all that, then yes you can carry stuff onboard.

 

If you can't, then just lock your luggage before you give it to the porters - and don't put anything valuable in your checked luggage.

[Sansouci]

;)

I had a bad experience on my first cruise with the luggage. Delivered to original cabin assignment, Royal Carribean clueless. Anyway finally went to original cabin and found the happy couple in there going thru our things! They claimed the luggage looked the same..yeah right! RC also refused to do anything about it, I wanted to prosecute for theft but they would not call the police.

 

Anyway my TA says it is perfectly acceptable to hand carry luggage on board. I pack fairly light and have no trouble carrying it. I also have no patience and don't want to sit around and wait for it. Once on board I really just want to relax and start my vacation. I asked this question on the main Princess board and people generally responded that I would be bothering other people if I did this. Why I am not sure...

As this board is MUCH more friendly I wanted to ask here. Any thoughts on this?

 

It might depend upon which cruise line you're traveling on, but I did it on my last cruise on the Carnival Liberty without incident. I don't do the formal nights, so I don't need all the extra clothing, shoes, jewelry, etc. that dressing up requires. And as wrp96 suggests, my bag is a smallish one. Since all the luggage now pretty much has wheels, I found it was not much of a hassle and I loved being able to get squared away as soon as I got to my cabin. IMHO the peace of mind that comes with knowing that your stuff is safe was worth a little extra work!:cool:

[kitty9]

I would not do it. Your bags have to fit through the scanners, and on some ships, even ships from the same cruise line, have different size scanners. And I would have to agree that it can be a problem with your fellow cruisers. Those terminals are crowded, the gangways aren't wide, and you have people getting on, and crew members getting off the ship, people in wheelchairs and walkers and if you have luggage, it just gets to be a hassle. And, depending on when you arrive at the terminal, you're room might not be ready and you'll have to schlep your bags all over. I've now done 50 cruises, and I've, knock on wood, never had a problem with the delivery of my luggage to the cabin. When I get out of the taxi at the terminal, I just want to hand over my bags, get on the ship, and not hassle with dragging bags, trying to fit into elevators and keeping the bags until 3pm, as that's the time you can access your cabin on some cruise ships.

[Sansouci]

Wow -- two diametrically opposed views! kek123, you'll just have to try it once and see what you think! I will say that I did board the ship after 3:00, so didn't have to do any schlepping around, except up to my cabin. Good luck!

[Solo Cruiser]

I vote for handing your luggage over to porters unless it is carry on sized. This coming trip I'm taking a 25" piece which I will check and a backpack with wheels as my carry on. I'll be pleased as punch to turn over the 25" piece to the porters. All my valuables and can't live withouts will be in the back pack. HAL has early boarding so I'll be onboard probably an hour before I can get to my cabin. Sure hope I don't get tired of schlepping around the backpack.

[Sansouci]

To the OP: One thing I forgot to mention in my first post on this thread was that -- not being a very experienced cruiser -- I had no idea that it was possible to bring your own luggage on board. But on this last cruise on Carnival Liberty, when I went to turn my bag over to the porter, he looked at me quizzically and said "You can handle that, can't you?" I had to make a split second decision and replied, with a smile, "I sure can." I was pleased as punch to have my stuff! I will also say that I got caught by a tropical downpour upon landing at the airport and arrived at Port Everglades (Ft. Lauderdale) much later than originally planned. When I arrived for check-in around 3:30 or so, most of the pax had already boarded, so I didn't impede the progress of anyone in a wheelchair or using a walker and there was absolutely no one in line. In fact, the ship left port one hour later than originally scheduled to give more time to those who had been delayed by the storm. So perhaps my situation was not typical.

[gxchan]

I had a bad experience on my first cruise with the luggage. Delivered to original cabin assignment, Royal Carribean clueless. Anyway finally went to original cabin and found the happy couple in there going thru our things! They claimed the luggage looked the same..yeah right! RC also refused to do anything about it, I wanted to prosecute for theft but they would not call the police.

 

First, thanks for asking this question. It never ocurred to me that one could carry their own luggage on board, but as others have noted mine would be too big for the scanner. Bummer. Second, holy smokes, you actually found the people going through you stuff and stuff was missing?? That is awful. On my first cruise I don't think I locked my suitcase because I went straight to the ship from the airport but there wasn't anything valuable in it. Still this is a good reminder to lock them before turning them over to the porter.

[kek123]

To the poster who asked, yes the people were going thru the bags and had jimmied off at least one lock! Everybody has given me some good feedback, not sure which way to go but I now have some new perspectives.

[mpw2002]

I travel light and always use just a carry-on bag. If it meets airline size restrictions then you won't have any trouble getting through airports or cruise ports in record time and you won't have the hassles or worry about lost luggage.

 

While I travel light I still have all the essentials including formal wear and snorkel gear, although I leave the fins at home (they don't match my tux :D ).

[LuvBNatC]

I used to travel with a friend who would come from London with a huge, heavy suitcase packed for 2 weeks' stay that he would insist on taking onto the ship himself. They let him do it, although this was before 9/11.

 

I made him stop it because of all the things people have already said. It was just in the way.

 

When I was last on NCL, most passengers took their own luggage OFF the ship (because they parked at the pier) and it was the biggest unholy mess I ever saw. Those who escaped without multiple bruises were the lucky ones. I just hung back and watched them go at it.

 

My carry-on is a rolling suitcase, and plenty for me to handle through the obstacle course of getting on board without schlepping the bigger case with all my clothes. Unless you pack so light that everything fits in your carry-on, I'd suggest you put on the fattest lock you can find and give your luggage to the porters.

[boatboat]

I let them take one bag, the big bag that has to be checked anyway at the airport because of liquids etc., even a good supply of sun block or shampoo defeats carryon now.

 

My carryon has wheels, no weight to handle, plus we all have valuables that should never be checked like laptops, cameras, etc.

 

If the big bag has screwups, the carryon should get one through a couple days of changes for the cruise.

 

I haved experienced the screwups. :)

[yellowbird23]

I haven't locked my suitcases for years because I didn't think it was allowed anymore. Please, someone tell me where it says it is okay to lock suitcases??

[boatboat]

I haven't locked my suitcases for years because I didn't think it was allowed anymore. Please, someone tell me where it says it is okay to lock suitcases??

 

use TSA locks .... they can be unlocked by TSA for random checking .... widely available and cheap