Carrying our own bags on?

Ok... I hope no one is gonna lecture me here, lol... we have been on 10 or so cruises and every single time we have carried our own bags on without a problem. We always make sure we can handle the bags no problem, we would not do it if it caused any delay to any one else... When we started cruising years ago it was kind of frowned upon but Carnival now encourages it... will we be able to do this on NCL? We are on Pride of America in May.

We would just rather take our bags on, go to the room, unpack, THEN go explore and have lunch...

This isnt an issue of not trusting the port workers or not wanting to tip or whatever, its just a personal preferance of preferring to unpack and get settled in before we get started on our vacation :)

You will have no problem with NCL......lots of folks carry on their own bags.

Enjoy your trip!

Thank You :)

Just a note...you will be able to carry on your baggage as long as it fits through the x-ray units.

PE

Another thing you should know.....

Of all the cruiselines we've sailed (granted, only 3) NCL is the latest in having cabins ready for incoming cruisers. So you may not be able to get in and unpack immediately. You might even need to carry your luggage around with you until rooms are ready (usually 1:30 or 2pm)

If you board later in the day, this won't be an issue of course. We like to be onboard as early as we can.

Happy sailing!

And before some not so smart person makes the wrong statement, getting it though xray is not a problem. It is NOT the same as the airport. I have seen full size bags go through the xray on the pier.

WRONG STATEMENT> "It is the same as the airport, so it should be small"

MichelleP- glad you mentioned how great the tradeoff is. NCL has very civilized debarkations. I don't have to dash to the ship hours before I'm expected. The slow, gentle departure is wonderful.

Like the others have mentioned, we do our own carry-ons. All a part of that free-style attitude I like so much. Our only grumble (under our breath, of course) is when the elevators are tied up with un-encumbered, able bodied folks going down a deck or two. That's why we are prepared to lift our cases off their wheels and hike up the staircase with them.

Well, we have only sailed on Carnival and RCCL but have taken 10 or 11 cruises and every single time we have boarded early. Usually on the ship by 11:30 or 12 and we have never had a problem. Usually our room is either finished or almost finished, or the steward has let us leave them in the room and go have lunch while they finish... (a little extra tip never hurts ;)) We actually have NEVER had to take our bags with us to lunch or some thing...

That being said, I know its always presumptuous of us to assume we can put the steward out by letting us drop our bags off and we would not hold it against them or complain if we had to do so...thats the risk we take by boarding early and carrying our bags on and we are willing to take it and deal with the consequences :)

Yes, I was going to mention that -- and furnish the explanation. It's tied to the "freestyle" disembarkation. NCL doesn't boot you from your cabin at 7:00 AM to wait a few hours in some lounge until you are permitted to leave the ship. You can spend a leisurely last morning in your cabin, go have breakfast, come back for a shower and final check of belongings -- but the trade off for that is it means that various decks aren't ready for passengers until somewhat later than some other cruiselines are able to offer. Personally, I like that tradeoff -- the end of the cruise is depressing enough without having to stand/sit on the floor in some overcrowded, hot lounge with a few hundred other people until they let you off the ship! :)

 

But on the front end, what that means for the OP is that whatever you carry on you will almost certainly have to keep with you/watch/move around until your deck is announced as "ready." In our case, we boarded the POH about 1:00 PM, and our cabins weren't ready until 3:30 (ours happened to be the last deck on the ship on that day to be ready). With just a couple of carry-ons that was no big deal for us -- but if you and everyone in your party has 2-3 bags, it could become a nuisance.

Actually carnival has gone the same way for disembarkation. The last three carnival cruises we were on, in November 07, May 07 and November 06 you could stay in your room until you get off. They prefer it that way now. You can go have breakfast and all that and then come back and hang out in your room until your ready to get off the ship.

We usually bring one rolling suitcase each and one small carry on bag that attaches to the top of the rolling suitcase. Out of 10 cruises we have never had to take them with us. That being said, we wouldnt mind it if we had to. I wouldnt "count it against them" or anything...

At the same time... does how early you check in have any bearing on how soon you get your bags?

re: early checkin and bags... no bearing at all, other than very late checkin. All the bags go into a massive amount of crates and movement.

re: Elevators - It is amazing how many able bodied people will stand for a long time to take an elevator up or down one level. We actually make it apoint to walk, even up 3-4-5 flights. With all that eating, it is the least we can do. Actually, for 1-2 flights, it is usually faster than the elevator.

And before some not so smart person makes the wrong statement, getting it though xray is not a problem. It is NOT the same as the airport. I have seen full size bags go through the xray on the pier.

 

WRONG STATEMENT> "It is the same as the airport, so it should be small"

This is news to me :confused: . We've always brought a carry on each and checked a medium sized bag each. Are you saying we can get our medium size bags (that have to be checked by the airlines) through the xray at check-in for the ship? When did this become available? Is it available in the Ft. Lauderdale and Miami ports?

I can't tell you how happy this will make me if I don't have to check two bags :D !

This is news to me :confused: . We've always brought a carry on each and checked a medium sized bag each. Are you saying we can get our medium size bags (that have to be checked by the airlines) through the xray at check-in for the ship? When did this become available? Is it available in the Ft. Lauderdale and Miami ports?

 

I can't tell you how happy this will make me if I don't have to check two bags :D !

At least over a year ago they removed those plastic frame covers from the XRay machine which prevented large suitcases. Last three cruises out of Miami you could bring medium AND large cases through the xrays.. We've seen people with HUGE suitcases being carried on.

I have seen cruises where the room was not ready until 1 PM. On our last cruise, extra cleaning due to a norovirus outbreak delayed rooms being available until 3 PM.

You can board early, but you may be sitting on a lot of luggage in a public space... not exacty a fun way to start your vacation. But if you want to carry everything on, you should be able to as long as it fits through the airport-style x-ray designed for carry-ons.

I have to disagree with your statement that it has to fit through the xray for airport style carry on. Unless the pier in Honolulu isnt doing what most other piers are doing now, we have NEVER had a problem with our full size luggage at several other ports. That being said, we generally carry two rolling suitcases (one each) ARE carry on approved for airlines anyway... just because we are light packers. But in the past we have brought larger suitcases without a problem and have seen people with much larger bags than ours go through no problem. The port in Miami removed those plastic covers from the front of the xray machines which is actually what limited you to smaller bags.. probably two years ago I would say...

....you should be able to as long as it fits through the airport-style x-ray designed for carry-ons.

I just made a statement about "same as airport", and others confirmed it. And sure enough, somebody comes along and makes the WRONG statement.

IT IS NOT THE SAME AS AT THE AIRPORT. STOP SPREADING FALSE INFORMATION, PLEASE!

But, as mentioned above, if you are an early boarded, this is a real bad idea. You will have to drag your bags everywhere. You might have to carry them up or down stairs, or a steep incline.

As to the comment about news to me... just WATCH what people bring. They go right through the xray machine, no problem.

But, as mentioned above, if you are an early boarded, this is a real bad idea. You will have to drag your bags everywhere. You might have to carry them up or down stairs, or a steep incline.

If you are willing to carry your bags up or down stairs or up a steep incline I dont see why its a real bad idea. Its a chance you take. I've taken that chance 11 times and I've been able to put my bags in my room 100% of the time even though we are early boarders (i.e. 11:30-12:00). Obviously its the risk you take and you should ONLY do it if you are ABLE and willing to carry your bags up and down stairs, NOT cause an inconvenience to other people etc. If I felt that I would not be able to carry my bag in a manner which would cause the line to move right along and have no effect on other people, I dont see why its any problem :)

All this fuss over whether one should carry one's own bags!

Personally, I would not -- I let the porters do their job and earn their living. But if someone else wants to carry their own bags -- live and let live.

If you are willing to carry your bags up or down stairs or up a steep incline I dont see why its a real bad idea. Its a chance you take. I've taken that chance 11 times and I've been able to put my bags in my room 100% of the time even though we are early boarders (i.e. 11:30-12:00). Obviously its the risk you take and you should ONLY do it if you are ABLE and willing to carry your bags up and down stairs, NOT cause an inconvenience to other people etc. If I felt that I would not be able to carry my bag in a manner which would cause the line to move right along and have no effect on other people, I dont see why its any problem :)

From reviews I have read, some fire doors are locked until you are allowed to enter the rooms, (after all are cleaned). This may mean that you will not have access to drop off the bags early, I just want to help you out so you are not surprised!

HoopTroop

From reviews I have read, some fire doors are locked until you are allowed to enter the rooms, (after all are cleaned). This may mean that you will not have access to drop off the bags early, I just want to help you out so you are not surprised!

 

HoopTroop

They say that on Carnival also but the doors are closed, not locked, and you can just open them and go right in. Never had a problem. But yes I competely understand that we might have to hold on to the bags until the rooms are officially "ready"

Isn't NOT having to drag your bags around supposed to be one of the great things about cruising? I'm more concerned with getting our luggage from Detroit to Miami. LOL. We thought about carrying our bags on the ship with us, but we will probably take our chances and let the porters do their "thing." I must admit, though, that freestyle cruising allows for a lot less luggage ( no suits, sportcoats, etc.). Sailing on the Norwegian Dawn, February 10-17. First Norwegian cruise.

Berniewin

Isn't NOT having to drag your bags around supposed to be one of the great things about cruising? I'm more concerned with getting our luggage from Detroit to Miami. LOL. We thought about carrying our bags on the ship with us, but we will probably take our chances and let the porters do their "thing." I must admit, though, that freestyle cruising allows for a lot less luggage ( no suits, sportcoats, etc.). Sailing on the Norwegian Dawn, February 10-17. First Norwegian cruise.

 

Berniewin

I'm with you Berniewin, but to each, his own.

BTW-we'll usually bring a little carryon anyhow (especially if we think we might want to use the pool/hot tub) and we put a bathing suit in the carryon

We too have been considering carrying our bags on. Would the fact that we are in a penthouse suite and have priority embarkation impact the decision in any way? Are the suites typically "ready" any sooner?

The only reason I would consider this is a fetish for being all unpacked and organized before commencing my quest to find the perfect adult beverage at one of the bars....

Thanks,

BK

We also like carrying our own bags on ... we've had suitcases damaged by porters in the past, and it is just easier. We have always been able to do this with NCL except when we took a cruise out of NYC. They were VERY adamant that we not take our large suitcase into the building. We've encountered that attitude from aggressive porters before and just ignored them, but that time, an NCL representative said we could not go in to the building to check in with the large suitcase. We left it outside ... of course, as luck would have it, we got upgraded when we checked in, so our suitcase got taken to the wrong cabin ... but I digress ... :-) Every other time we have had good luck both carrying the suitcases on and putting them in or directly outside our stateroom (even if the fire door was closed -- have never seen them locked...).

Its just that I like to unpack... I like to put everything away, be organized and hang up my clothes etc THEN go get a drink and some lunch... we have actually never ever checked our bags and we have never had a problem... even on my last cruise when our room was not ready, we went to the room and stuffed our bags under the bed and tipped the steward a few bucks... then as soon as he was done with the room we came back and unpacked... never had a problem... I would rather be stuck with the bags for a little while as opposed to checking them and not knowing when/if they will show up etc...