Luggage delivered to cabin

[stoneharborlady]

Is luggage usually in your cabin before dinner? If not, is is unwise to board the ship in shorts? I really dont want to be out on deck for sailaway in the July heat (in Ft. Lauderdale) in slacks. Someone said there is a wonderful seafood buffet in Horizon Court the first night, shorts OK for that?

Caribbean Princess July 3 2004

[sue d. miller]

Yes it is. But you can also pack a sundress in your carry on, and if it needs pressing, you can go to the laundry room on just about every deck. The first and last nite are travel clothes nites anyway. Not to worry. [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]

Sue
7 days on Star Princess 10/24

[GloriaF]

You will most likely have your luggage within an hour or two of boarding, but shorts are allowed in DR the first night since some will not have their luggage by then.

Gloria

Grand Princess, Eastern, April 2001
Grand Princess, Western,April 2002
Regal to Hawaii, April 5-20, 2004

[srphnx]

As an aside, many couples cross pack in case one bag is lost or delayed, if you have some clothes in his bag and visa versa.. you stand a better chance of having clothes to wear.

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[Andee]

We've had our luggage within a couple of hours, but we've also had it delivered way after dinner.

I travel in long pants and shoes and socks because I get cold easily, but have my bathing suit, sandals, a clean shirt and some toiletries in my carry-on.

If I'm in my suit at the pool with a drink in my hand, I'm a lot less cranky about waiting for my suitcase. If I can freshen up and change my shirt for dinner, I'm a lot happier, too.

[geoherb]

If we fly in the day of the cruise, I always make sure that I put shorts and a swimsuit in my carry-on luggage so I can change right after we board. If we fly down early and stay in a hotel the night before, I make sure to put slacks and a nice shirt in my carry-on luggage in case big bags don't make it before dinner. Since we always have second seating, we've always had our bags delivered before dinner. In one case, though, it was about 30 minutes before.

[Toto2Kansas]

After 20+ cruises, we have always received our baggage in time to change for dinner, no matter which seating we have choosen.
Unless you plan to get to the ship right before sailing, you should not have a problem.

Tahitian Princess 10/14/04
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[WillB]

Always take a carry-on with the following items:

Sunscreen
Shorts or swimsuit
prescription and non-prescription medicines
your jewelry or other valuables
toiletry items that could get you by

That way, if your bags are delayed, you are okay. (By the way, if your bags are lost, well, that's just another reason to buy the insurance.)

[Bob-A-Loo]

Our last cruise we boarded at 12:30 - finally got our luggage at 9:30 p.m. At least we got it!!

[Pam in CA]

On our recent Regal cruise, my sister and brother-in-law boarded at the same time I did, around Noon. I got my luggage right after muster and theirs was in their cabin after returning from late (traditional) dining -- about 10PM, long after the ship sailed.

So, unless you're prepared to go to dinner in your shorts, I'd stick 'em into your carry-on.

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[CruiseFever]

[I]Is luggage usually in your cabin before dinner? [/I]

Sure and you don't have to go on 20+ cruises to find that out. Still, it's prudent to pack a change of clothes in your carryon or, even better, cross-pack as suggested above. We always make a point of introducing ourselves to our cabin steward asap upon embarkation and in the course of the conversation we describe the unique markings our luggage has on it to help her/him find it easily. A $20 bill is not inappropriate to get the ball rolling on a little extra service too. But that's not one of our steadfast rules.

On our Golden cruise earlier this year, for example, our steward made a point of finding US as we entered our cabin for the first time then bowled us over with service to the point that I felt it would have been rude and tacky to slip him a twenty. He went on to provide some of the best service we'd seen at sea or on land. Ever.

We did take care of him generously at the end of the cruise however.

[I]If not, is is unwise to board the ship in shorts?[/I]

I don't think so unless you're boarding someplace cold (you're not) shorts and other casual wear are the order of the day on embarkation.

[I]"I really dont want to be out on deck for sailaway in the July heat (in Ft. Lauderdale) in slacks. Someone said there is a wonderful seafood buffet in Horizon Court the first night, shorts OK for that?"[/I]

You bet! I don't specifically remember a seafood buffet but the Horizon court sure will be in full swing as you board and that night too.

Thanks for asking those great questions. As you are asking about embarkation, here's some other information that may be helpful to you also:

[url="http://www.lifeiscruising.com/embarkation"]http://www.lifeiscruising.com/embarkation[/url]

Happy Cruising

Chris

[url="http://www.LifeIsCruising.com"]www.LifeIsCruising.com[/url]

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