Seven Secrets to Great Cruising.....

[Mikel1733]

Secret #4 in the article "7 Secrets to Great Crusing" in the new Currents magazine states you are now able to bring your luggage on board yourself. I wasn't aware this was an option. Has anyone done this? Seems like it might slow the whole process down if people are handling all their luggage. But if you were traveling light it would be nice to have your clothes in the room right away.

[BirthdayGirl30]

I didn't get this issue. Anyone willing to illuminate the other 6 secrets?

[ladycaveat]

I can understand why people may want to carry their own bags "off" the ship (especially if they aren't planning to spend the night before their flight home). However, I can't understand why anyone would want to carry their own bags "on" the ship. It's hard enough to carry your tote bag around before your cabin is ready . . . let alone your suitcase and garment bag or whatever second bag one might have. Also . . . wouldn't one have to have their bags "checked" before getting on the ship? Seems like it would really slow things down . . . :confused:

[Sandgnat]

Secret #4 in the article "7 Secrets to Great Crusing" in the new Currents magazine states you are now able to bring your luggage on board yourself. I wasn't aware this was an option. Has anyone done this? Seems like it might slow the whole process down if people are handling all their luggage. But if you were traveling light it would be nice to have your clothes in the room right away.

Just came back from a cruise, you can carry anything on as long as it fits through the scanner in security. I haven't read this issue but are you sure it doesn't say getting off the ship? You now can carry your luggage off the ship, took over 1 hour on the Inspiration for them to get through with self assists on Monday then all others were allowed off. Very unorganized, We were supposed to have priority debarktation being Plantinum, no such thing, as too many people were crowded at the entrance and nothing was done about it. About one hundred got off to find thier luggage before Plantinum members could get off the ship.

[dpal2208]

Sandgnat,

Did you just get off the Inspiration? We are doing a back to back on her on Sept 30th. Can you give me a review please.

thanks in advance.

djp

[Mikel1733]

The article says you can carry on and off your own luggage. I checked carnival.com/currents and they don't have the new issue online yet. I received the new issue at home yesterday.

[serene56]

as long as it fits through the scanner you could always carry your own stuff-- but be aware that elevators might not be available or running very slowly. Your cabin might not be ready til 1:30 and you get onboard at noon so you have to schlepp that stuff all over with you for 1 1/2 hours.

[mrdood]

I can understand why people may want to carry their own bags "off" the ship (especially if they aren't planning to spend the night before their flight home). However, I can't understand why anyone would want to carry their own bags "on" the ship. It's hard enough to carry your tote bag around before your cabin is ready . . . let alone your suitcase and garment bag or whatever second bag one might have. Also . . . wouldn't one have to have their bags "checked" before getting on the ship? Seems like it would really slow things down . . . :confused:

 

ladyc - I am a relatively young, very strong and would prefer to manage my own bags, that way A) they will never get lost B) I will never have to wonder when they will arrive. It is no more work for me that it would be for you to carry your purse. I can move faster with my bags than most people move.

 

I also have never had a steward that would not let me stash them in the closet if the room was not ready.

 

I have always had at least one bag get "lost", never permanently though (knock on wood)

[nalady98]

Is there a list or website that informs as to what items aren't allowed onto ships? I have a hobby that I'd like to be able to bring with me that requires a couple of small hand "tools", I just want to make sure it'll be ok to bring them.

 

Thanks

[mrdood]

Is there a list or website that informs as to what items aren't allowed onto ships? I have a hobby that I'd like to be able to bring with me that requires a couple of small hand "tools", I just want to make sure it'll be ok to bring them.

 

Thanks

 

www.carnival.com go to the FAQ found at the bottom of the screen you can also e-mail or call them with a specific question.

[nalady98]

www.carnival.com go to the FAQ found at the bottom of the screen you can also e-mail or call them with a specific question.

 

found it, thanks! Looks like I might ought to leave the hobby at home !! It'll be there when I return.

[Leo Jay]

Handling your own baggage is all well and good, but how do you pack for eight days in carryon-size luggage? :confused:

[Stircrzy]

Handling your own baggage is all well and good, but how do you pack for eight days in carryon-size luggage? :confused:

 

Chicos!...and years of experience organizing, traveling and packing!

[ladycaveat]

ladyc - I am a relatively young, very strong and would prefer to manage my own bags, that way A) they will never get lost B) I will never have to wonder when they will arrive. It is no more work for me that it would be for you to carry your purse. I can move faster with my bags than most people move.

 

I also have never had a steward that would not let me stash them in the closet if the room was not ready.

 

I have always had at least one bag get "lost", never permanently though (knock on wood)

 

Nick . . . youth does have it's advantages . . . :) I'm almost sixty and can barely carry my tote . . . :p It just seems like getting on the ship would take so much longer if everyone's bags had to go through the xray machine (unless they've inlarged them quite a bit). And having to open big suitcases to be searched if the screener saw something . . . it just seems like it would be more trouble than it's worth. But then I've never had a bag lost . . . if I had . . . I might be doing the same thing . . . ;)

[Sandgnat]

Sandgnat,

Did you just get off the Inspiration? We are doing a back to back on her on Sept 30th. Can you give me a review please.

thanks in advance.

djp

I'll write a review this evening. Loved the cruise. Great service, comfortable beds, easy embarkation, horrible debarkation,still would go back today though. I Love Cozumel but it was sad to see the pier and building gone but the people of Cozumel are rebuilding at record speed and are proud of their Island, even more so this trip than other trips to the beautiful Island. Can't wait for our Miracle cruise in December. I have to go pick up a kitten (manx) now and will write the review when we get back and after she is introduced to the older one. Maybe the next cruise our 1 year old manx will not be a brat (ignoring me then biting me) when we return because he will have company while we are gone.

[dpal2208]

what is a manx?

[happy cruzin]

Handling your own baggage is all well and good, but how do you pack for eight days in carryon-size luggage? :confused:

 

Certainly not. :eek: But, the article in the Currents magazine does not clarify if it is regular luggage - or not. It just says that you can carry your luggage on board.

 

It will be interesting to see how this goes....:confused:

[logbook]

I got my magazine today.

 

"#4 "Take it with you". Now you can. If you prefer to bring your luggage on board yourself, you'll like Carnival's new "sellf assist" option. Take your bag to your room, unpack your suit and sunscreen, and you're off to the Lido Deck."

 

Sounds like you can carry on any size luggage to me.

[Mikel1733]

Worst case scenario you are standing in line behind a person who has all their luggage waiting to get thru the embarkation line. But between them being on their cellphone constantly, having their carryon booze confiscated, looking for a place to have a cigarette, not having their funpass filled out, already trying to get the tips taken off their S&S account, find out their notarized photocopy of birth certificate won't work, trying to figure out a way to skip the muster drill you finally make it on the ship just in time to sail.:(

[LizaMM]

I got my magazine today.

 

"#4 "Take it with you". Now you can. If you prefer to bring your luggage on board yourself, you'll like Carnival's new "sellf assist" option. Take your bag to your room, unpack your suit and sunscreen, and you're off to the Lido Deck."

 

Sounds like you can carry on any size luggage to me.

 

 

To me it sounded like any size bag as well.....am wondering if this is so.

 

I also think that it must add to the procedure. I would hope that there would be a seperate check in line for those bringing on their own luggage. Certainly it has to be screened fully. In this day and age I can't imagine that they would not!

[Sandgnat]

what is a manx?

A cat that has no tail or a stub of a tail. They are very playful and keep us laughing. The older one seems to like the new one, at least so far.

[osiebosie]

I just got my capers.

 

the seven secrets, abbreviated are:

 

1. meet the cruise wizard: carnival.com/cruisewazard.aspx

2. book shore excursions online

3. check in at home: that's the fun pass thing.

4. take it with you.

 

Now you can. If you prefer to bring your luggage on board yourself, you'll like Carnival's new self assist option. Take your bag to your room, unpack your suit and sunscreen, and you're off to the Lido Deck. If you choose to take your luggage off of the ship as well, you don't have to put it out the final night. (And you can wait until morning to decide what to wear!) Of course, porters are available if you'd rather have them carry your bags on and off the ship.

 

5. massage your choices: book spa treatments on the first day.

6. drink up savings: a prepaid fountain card.

7. connect with your family: connecting staterooms.

 

 

We did do the fun pass online check in before we cruised on the Glory. I don't know how much time it saved us since we still took a long time once we got up with the "checker-in" woman.

 

I bring my purse, which counts as luggage as far as I am concerned; it's that heavy! We bring on a small wheeled travel bag and the rest is left with the porters. The statement says: take your bag to your room. I don't know if that literally means one bag, or if they left the s off. I cannot imagine taking a seven day cruise with one bag. :eek:

 

Shay

[serene56]

We did do the fun pass online check in before we cruised on the Glory. I don't know how much time it saved us since we still took a long time once we got up with the "checker-in" woman. . :eek: Shay

 

Doing fun pass saves some time-- if you do not do the fun pass when you check in the clerk will need to type in all the information before you get onboard- some clerks type with one finger.

By you filling in the funpass before you get onbaord the information is already done so it saves a few minutes.

[PADutchman]

If CCL wants to start bring your own bags on board, they better have a different line to do so or they will have alot of problems with the rest of the people. That should be real neet 500+ people in line with all their bags. Some people have 2 or 3 bags. You think there are problems now at some ports standing out in the heat before getting on board that will add to more time in line and more short tempers. Guess Bob wants alot of E-mails.

[Zyzygy]

Worst case scenario you are standing in line behind a person who has all their luggage waiting to get thru the embarkation line. But between them being on their cellphone constantly, having their carryon booze confiscated, looking for a place to have a cigarette, not having their funpass filled out, already trying to get the tips taken off their S&S account, find out their notarized photocopy of birth certificate won't work, trying to figure out a way to skip the muster drill you finally make it on the ship just in time to sail.:(

 

My guess is they would also want at least six retakes of their embarkation photo.