carry-ons, coolers, and luggage

[vyk]

How strict is Carnival about the size of the cooler you can bring on? I just got one that has a rolling cart which can be used or not with the cooler. It is a soft one but it is probably about 15-18 inches high and 12 inches wide.

 

Is there a limit to the number of carry-ons you can bring? Weight for carry-ons?

 

Do they really stick to the size limit for luggage that you check in? I just realized the main one I was planning to take may be bigger than the specified size allowed.

 

Please help I leave this Sunday! Please don't scold either I just discovered this site about a week or so ago.:o

[kitty9]

Are you flying to the port? Is that what you mean by the size of luggage you check in???

 

If you're flying, they are terribly strict with the size and weight of your luggage. And they will charge you for both an oversize bag and a bag that's too heavy, so that's two charges.

 

No limit to the number of carry ons, but you don't want to be schlepping more than two. There's usually long lines for checking in, and then a rather long walk to the ship, and stair climbing. You really don't want to be weighted down with a lot of bags. And, your carry on must fit through the scanners they use on the gangway.

[cb at sea]

I know what kind of cooler you have--it will fit through the scanner (on it's back or side!)

The ship doesn't limit your luggage like the airlines do--you can generally bring up to 200 lbs PER PERSON!!!!!!

Just remember, if your cabin isn't ready, you'll have to drag all your carryon stuff around with you--you can check the cooler--they will deliver!

[vyk]

Thankfully we do not need to fly to the port, so that is one less hassle to deal with. I just don't want to get there and be faced with having to take something back out to car because it doesn't meet some exact specification.

 

I primarily want the cooler to bring on a good amount of bottled water, I drink a lot of water. If I check in the cooler, should I leave the cart part home or will they take it on the cart?:)

[jenniferluvs2cruise]

If we take a case of diet 7-up and a case of water can I check that in with my bags at the cruise terminal?

[Morgsmom]

You CAN check soda & water at the pier. My recommendation is to put it in a cardboard box and label it with your cabin #. I also recommend NOT sealing it up airtight.... what I recommend is a loose seal and you writing "contains water and soda" or something to that effect. What you want to avoid is being sent to the "naughty room" to claim your box which the scanner might think is beer :eek: . Much easier to head this off at the pass. However, a case of soda and a case of pop is a LOT of liquid! Ask yourself if you really need 48 beverages for 7 days.

[firefly333]

Carnival has a new rule this year on coolers. they cannot be larger than 12 X 12 X 12 or they will be confiscated. Port Canaveral has been the worst about confiscating coolers.

 

Even a cooler 13 inches long has been confiscated. I wouldnt bring it because either you might have to give it up or take it all the way back to your car. Not worth it.

 

the Xray machine cannot see into coolers is why, because of homeland security Im told.

 

PS if it is a soft sided cooler, you could just put it in your luggage if you are on a ship without refrigerators.

 

You can carry on any suitcase the same size you can carry onto a airplane. If you are doing self disembark, you can carry off any size, no limitations.

 

Carnival has also been cracking down and changing the wording lately on what is a reasonable amount of soda or water. If you are bringing say 6 cans or bottles put them in your checked suitcase. I wouldnt carry on cases of either, they are getting strict with it, maybe due to wanting to sell it onboard or the extra weight, but on the Carnival board Host Mach has written to Carnival about what is a reasonable amount and such and posted some updated answers.

[jenniferluvs2cruise]

You CAN check soda & water at the pier. My recommendation is to put it in a cardboard box and label it with your cabin #. I also recommend NOT sealing it up airtight.... what I recommend is a loose seal and you writing "contains water and soda" or something to that effect. What you want to avoid is being sent to the "naughty room" to claim your box which the scanner might think is beer :eek: . Much easier to head this off at the pass. However, a case of soda and a case of pop is a LOT of liquid! Ask yourself if you really need 48 beverages for 7 days.

 

Not really for 14 days, that's only about 3.5 per person per day. We drink caffine free, sugar free light colored drinks, 7-up and sprite mainly and I have never found that any cruise ship we've been on carries those drinks. Believe me I woudl never take them if they offered them on the ship and paying for them is not an issue with us except with the bottled water which they charge way to much for.

[cathyz]

Not really for 14 days, that's only about 3.5 per person per day. We drink caffine free, sugar free light colored drinks, 7-up and sprite mainly and I have never found that any cruise ship we've been on carries those drinks. Believe me I woudl never take them if they offered them on the ship and paying for them is not an issue with us except with the bottled water which they charge way to much for.

Carnival has Sprite Zero.

[satxdiver]

Remember that whatever you bring onboard whether carried on or checked has to fit in your stateroom. These rooms are not very large particularly after the furniture/bed is taken into consideration. Do you really want to climb over a large cooler all week? It will get old. Unless you have a suite (with refrigerator) why bother? Several lines now have small under counter refrigerators in them but they don't keep things very cold. Also consider the ice. You cannot jump off and go to the nearest 7-11 to get more ice. Ice is available for free in limited amounts but it is not self service.

[NCTribeFan]

The people in front of us as we were first entering the terminal in May (Carnival Glory in Port Canaveral) had their cooler taken away, and it was not a large one. Just larger than the new limits, apparently.

 

Here's what Carnival says about carry-on luggage...

 

http://www.carnival.com/CMS/FAQs/Baggage_Information__Embarkation_Debarkation.aspx

 

"...guests have the option of carrying luggage on board at embarkation and off the ship at the end of the cruise as long as it does not exceed 24"w x 16"h....

 

Small, personal-sized coolers no larger than 12” x 12” x 12” for the purpose of housing small quantities of non-alcoholic beverages and/or medications are permitted as carry-on luggage...."

 

Cabins aren't that tiny. Not on Carnival, at least. Plenty of space under the beds for two suitcases and two carryons (just 2 of us travel, though; families in one cabin may have issues).

 

Your cabin steward will bring extra ice. Simply request it. Tip accordingly when requesting extras.

 

I can't imagine bothering dragging on all that liquid, but then I don't drink pop very often and am most certainly not a "water snob." The last thing I'm going to do is pay for water unless it's a last resort! The water from the buffet is cold and tastes fine. I simply refill a small water bottle a couple of times a day and before leaving the ship on excursions.

[robinlbe]

very strict with cooler size....we had to empty ours out (just water bottles, and some soft drink cans), and take the cooler back to our van.

[JHCALLAHAN]

Interesting. In Feb. I took a fairly large soft, wheeled cooler as a carry on. The kicker may have been that I didn't have much in the way of drinks (one bottle of wine I believe) but was really using it as a case, I had a whole bunch of misc. crap in it. I just liked the size and wheels/handle it has. It was ALOT bigger than 12x12. Perhaps because I didn't have it full of drinks no one said anything. I sort of thought we might keep it full of ice and/or take it on excursions (we did neither as it turned out.)

 

Fair winds,

JHC

[love2relax]

An interesting thing happened to me a few weeks ago. I was carrying a small, soft-sided cooler that measures 10 x 10 x 8. I had my digital cam, video cam and small purse inside it. When I went to put it through the X-ray machine, they stopped me, and asked if it had ice in it. I told them no, and then they passed it on through. It wasn't lying on it's side, so I don't think they were worried about leakage....but I didn't ask why they asked.

[Kurbanfan]

Also consider the ice. You cannot jump off and go to the nearest 7-11 to get more ice. Ice is available for free in limited amounts but it is not self service.

 

Ice is no problem. Although we don't bring a rolling cooler with us, we do bring the collapsable kind that fit in our luggage. The room steward always keeps it filled with ice and replaces our beverages daily. We just keep it out on our balcony..........

Oh and they will even bring it inside when the sun hits the balcony;)