luggage drop prior to getting on board

We want to drop our luggage at the ship and then go to lunch in town (Southampton) prior to sailing. Will Princess allow us to do this? We are not supposed to check in until 2pm for a 4pm sailing. Hate hanging around the pier or even on board before we sail. Cabin will not be ready.

Not a problem. Just follow the signs to the luggage drop

Why don't you want to have lunch on board? Or wait until you've had lunch then drop your bags off.

Why don't you want to have lunch on board? Or wait until you've had lunch then drop your bags off.

A lunch and a bit of wandering about would be a lot more comfortable without luggage in tow. We will be sailing out of Southampton in early November - I like the idea.

We want to drop our luggage at the ship and then go to lunch in town (Southampton) prior to sailing. Will Princess allow us to do this? We are not supposed to check in until 2pm for a 4pm sailing. Hate hanging around the pier or even on board before we sail. Cabin will not be ready.

If you have a 4:pm sailing then 2 would be the latest you would or possibly could check-in.. cabins are ready by 12:30

If you have a 4:pm sailing then 2 would be the latest you would or possibly could check-in.. cabins are ready by 12:30

So it would be great to drop yor bags off at 11:00 - walk around, have lunch ashore, get back about 2:00 and go right on board (the bulk of the passengers having gotten on earlier) and go right to your cabin where your bags would be waiting for you: sounds like a good plan.

We want to drop our luggage at the ship and then go to lunch in town (Southampton) prior to sailing. Will Princess allow us to do this? We are not supposed to check in until 2pm for a 4pm sailing. Hate hanging around the pier or even on board before we sail. Cabin will not be ready.

The check in time is only a suggestion. If you want to board at the time you take your luggage to the pier they will let you.

Shak

So it would be great to drop yor bags off at 11:00 - walk around, have lunch ashore, get back about 2:00 and go right on board (the bulk of the passengers having gotten on earlier) and go right to your cabin where your bags would be waiting for you: sounds like a good plan.

My husband and I do this now when we sail as we enjoy getting to have a last look around the port and eating local food. As we have usually sailed on the ship before we don't need to explore it and like going straight to our cabin when we do get on. No waiting when we get on, we can then unpack, go to muster drill and enjoy sail away knowing everything is stowed how we like it in our cabin.

It might be different if the port of embarkation is one we sailed from a lot.

Normally they either have a luggage drop before you even get to check in or a porter to take t from you. Drop go for a wander sans luggage and then board, not an issue anywhere I've ever sailed from.

Naturally you are left with your carry on to take with you.

I'm not sure which dock you'll be sailing from, but a few months ago we saw the gates open at the City Dock around 10am, and we just walked through- some stevadores pointed to the luggage drop and left us to it. We went back to our hotel for coffee.

I'm not so sure about turning up early these days....because there's so many vast ships using Southampton this year, some lines are sticking to the time allocated on your forms- eg last May our time for an RCI ship was deck 8, boarding at 12.15, and the next deck was 30 mins later. I believe they were going to start this with Princess....we've always just turned up in the past, but I've read that they're being much stricter on some lines....perhaps the Princess page can tell you more.

Have a good day in Southampton! :cool: