Large suitcase?

[Seagirl123]

Hi from what I am reading it looks like max width for checked bags are 24in just like carryons. Is that enforced? A 24in suitcase is not very large so trying to figure out how to pack. I swear I brought a larger one on the last cruise I went on but it was 10 years ago and I can’t remember for sure. Thanks for the help!

[summersigh]

For winter cruises we always take - and check - our large 28" suitcase.

I"ve noticed while luggage is being delivered and when it's set out in the hall for debarkation there are many, many other bags that size.

Copied from Carnival's site:

Each checked suit case and carry-on suit case should not weigh more than 50 pounds, and when lying flat, bags must not exceed 16 inches high by 24 inches wide (the length of the bag is not a factor). For security screening purposes, all luggage should be unlocked. Oversized luggage and locked luggage may cause delivery delays.  

 

Edited January 6, 2019 by summersigh

[tallnthensome]

We bring four very large suitcases on every cruise including Carnival and there has never been an issue. 

[Shaded Lady]

I've brought suitcases larger than 24" on many cruises, usually as checked baggage... in one case I even brought a 28" onboard as carry-on... it was a Red Hatter cruise and the suitcase was filled with hats and other damageable items so it weighed next to nothing but I was concerned about scanning- no problems.

[Joebucks]

I've never heard of a bag size limit for all bags. The scanners for carry ons have generally been smaller. 

[Purvis1231]

I have seen some huge suit cases being delivered to the cabins. 

[ShakyBeef]

Among the many suitcases DH and I use for every cruise are a couple of huge ones.  I mean really huge - his is somewhere around 36" tall (when standing on its wheels as in diagram below).  But none of our suitcases exceed 24" in width.  Width and length (referred to as height when suitcase is laying flat on its back) are the only two dimensions that need to be considered to meet Carnival's checked luggage guideline. 

 

Edited January 6, 2019 by ShakyBeef

[Seagirl123]

Okay great! That makes me less stressed. Thanks everyone! 

[ProgRockCruiser]

21 hours ago, Shaded Lady said:

I've brought suitcases larger than 24" on many cruises, usually as checked baggage... in one case I even brought a 28" onboard as carry-on... it was a Red Hatter cruise and the suitcase was filled with hats and other damageable items so it weighed next to nothing but I was concerned about scanning- no problems.

 

So as pointed out by @ShakyBeef, the width of the bag is not the height, and I suspect you were quoting height with your 28" suitcase.  I don't recall the last time I saw a suitcase with a width greater than 24" or so.

 

Basically, the bag has to fit through an opening 24" x 16" - that's why it doesn't really matter how long it is, as long as it feeds through that cross-section. Whether you call those width, depth, thickness, span, whatever, it just needs to fit through the x-ray machine.  Airlines typically have an official policy of something like 10x16x24 (i.e. needs to fit through an opening 16" wide x 10" high, laying down), but you will see passengers push those dimensions...

Edited January 7, 2019 by ProgRockCruiser