Do I need a carry on?

[MrsGrohl]

1 hour ago, evandbob said:

I would definitely need my one carry on, since that will have all the clothes I need for a week long or longer cruise or vacation.  I just roll it onto the ship myself.  I use a shoulder bag for meds, phone, kindle, travel docs, etc.

 

That's what I call traveling light, no checked luggage, unless it's an Alaskan or Med trip.

We are a family of 4, when we travel I manage to get by with 2 suitcases, a duffel bag,and  my camera bag which doubles as my purse.
I don't even like carrying a purse, so carrying the bags on just doesn't appeal to me. although now that my boys are older they could also be my personal baggage handler.

[tobyt]

We have started to pack lighter and lighter and the last few cruises have not porter checked luggage  We carry our small backpacks and suitcases and are ready to start our fun immediately no waiting! If you can manage especially the stairs on both embarking and departing it works great!

[navybankerteacher]

Reading these, in the context of the theme, everybody needs a carry on.  Some people only use carry ons;  but everyone has something they (or their significant other) carry on, no matter what else they bring along.

[clo]

It just occurred to me.  I've been assuming that my "checked bags" on a cruise ship are way, WAY more secure than on an airplane.  No?  I mean, how far awry can they go?

[ducklite]

8 hours ago, clo said:

It just occurred to me.  I've been assuming that my "checked bags" on a cruise ship are way, WAY more secure than on an airplane.  No?  I mean, how far awry can they go?

I remember sometime in the past 5-10 years, an entire pallet of passenger luggage went into the water at Port Canaveral pretty much ruining all of it.  While many of us have luggage that will keep your items dry even if caught on a tarmac in the pouring rain while being loaded or unloaded from a plane, there's a large difference between that and needing to be pulled out of not so clean port water by divers after being submerged for 10-60 minutes.

 

It's not going to keep me from checking a bag at the pier, but it's food for thought in terms of checking things that would be destroyed in sea water such as medications, C-Pap machines or nebulizers, electronics, etc.

 

There was another situation a few years (?) ago where two ships from the same line (I want o think either NCL or HAL but could be wrong) were loading next to each other in port.  The luggage of a half down or so guests was loaded onto the wrong ship and they sailed off in different directions.  It took several days for people to be reunited with their bags.  

While it's not something that happens as much as lost, damaged, or misdirected luggage does on airlines, it can and does happen.

Edited August 2, 2019 by ducklite

[Slugsta]

There was a series about cruises (Princess in particular) on UK TV very recently and staff had to explain to a pair of passengers that their luggage had ended up in the water while being loaded. Fortunately, the lady concerned had most of her clothing in plastic bags and it looked as if little damage had been done.

[clo]

3 hours ago, ducklite said:

While it's not something that happens as much

Hmm.  I think I'll hold onto the carryon like I do on an airplane.  Thanks.