Can you carry your own bags on board?

[SmokinActuary]

Because I am really concerned with the efficiency of how things are handled with San Juan Embarkations.

[lvtotrvl1]

they have to fit through the scanner so probably not. Plus you would have to lug them all over the ship until you can get into your room. I wouldn't worry about it, if the airlines don't lose the luggage, the porters will get it to your room fine.

[Colo Cruiser]

I agree only if they fit through the scanner. :)

[paul929207]

We were on the Regal P out of San Juan last Thanksgiving. I did not hear of any problems getting luggage to cabins. Ours arrived in a reasonable amount of time.

 

As stated, if you carry yours on and arrive early, you will have to carry them until your cabin is ready.

[Doug R.]

I am not certain what you mean by "efficiency". We cruised out of San Juan this fall and, if anything our bags got to our cabin more quickly than any of our other cruises. We used Princess transfers so we turned our bags over at the airport around 12:30pm, checked in around 1:15pm and our last of 3 bags arrived in our cabin just after 3 pm. I would trade that for lugging them to a 10th deck cabin anytime.

[willysgrandma]

I have yet to have a problem getting my luggage in any port. I

 

Getting it from the airlines is the worst part of traveling. Our luggage last year on a direct flight from NY to Miami went to San Juan.

 

I worry more about the airline than a cruise ship.

[GoBlueCruiser]

I wouldn't worry about it, if the airlines don't lose the luggage, the porters will get it to your room fine.

 

Most of the time you don't need to worry about your luggage getting to your stateroom, but there are exceptions.

 

On our first cruise in 1982 on Carnival, we gave our luggage to the porters on the dock and boarded the ship. By the time we sailed, all of our luggage had been delivered except DW's bag with all the new clothes she had purchased for our 1st cruise. We never received this bag and got no help from Carnival in terms of offering clothing from the on board boutiques. Thanks to the extreme generosity of several fellow passengers who offered to share their wardrobes with DW, our cruise wasn't totally ruined.

 

Two week after we returned home, we were notified that the bag was located in a storage hold when the ship was in dry dock. All of the appropriate identifying baggage tags were still affixed. Carnival finally offered us a discount on a future cruise.

 

The bottom line is that 17 cruises later we still have some trepidation from the time we leave our bags at the dock until they arrive in our stateroom.

 

Mike

[RSWBADGER]

Because I am really concerned with the efficiency of how things are handled with San Juan Embarkations.

 

Yes. I have seen many cruisers do exactly that, but don't try it with numerous bags. The cruisers I have seen had only 1 bag with wheels.

[SmokinActuary]

I should have elaborated a bit more in my OP. I have read about the various embarkation problems with the KP in San Juan, including people not getting their luggage until 9PM.

 

 

Also, you have to forgive me, but I am going through some pre-cruise obsessiveness because I am very excited and this is my way to kill time before my cruise!!!!:D

[mauiedin87]

The scanners on most cruise ships are no wider than they are at the airport, so only a carry-on size will fit through. As to the speed with which luggage arrives in your cabin, that can vary tremendously, depending on where in the stack of 4-6000 pieces of luggage (on a 2000-passenger ship) yours wind up. Last spring, my husband's and my large cases were put on the cart next to each other at the same time. Then we checked in. His suitcase arrived in our cabin within 1 hour, mine got there about 7 pm that night, long after sail-away!! I got nervous at one point and called the purser's desk and was told "Ma'am, we still have a couple thousand to go!". :D

[sultan_sfo]

Also depends where the security scan is done on embarkation -- before boarding the ship or after. In many Ports, for example in SF and Seattle that I know, the scanning is done after one gets the cruise card, but in the pier building before boarding. In Seattle, our guests asked and the porters said it was OK. They had large scanners. Peep into the check-in area and look.

[Pam in CA]

Not only does your bag have to fit through the scanner but you can only use the elevators nearest embarkation. If you have luggage other than carry-on, you'll make other people, who are just as anxious as you are to get to their cabin, wait for another elevator.

 

A suggestion, and this is something I ALWAYS do, whether it's on a cruise or checking in for a flight, is that I wait to see that my luggage goes on a belt or onto whatever is being used to load the ship. I NEVER just hand it over and walk away -- I want to see where it's going.

 

I've never had a suitcase lost when boarding a ship. Yes, I've had suitcases that haven't made connecting flights but they've always been found.

[Lynda90]

Just back from cruise and only carry-on bags are allowed for carry-on.

[MaryPoppinz]

The scanners on most cruise ships are no wider than they are at the airport

 

That's true of the onboard scanners, but not necessarily true of the port scanners that are used at embarkation.

 

We carry our stuff on regularly and have never had a problem. The only thing we haven't tried to carry on is a golf club bag.

[chasetf]

Because I am really concerned with the efficiency of how things are handled with San Juan Embarkations.

My first reaction is why would you want to inconvience everyone in the lines awaiting registration, awaiting security checks (and maybe find out your bags won't fit), awaiting embarkation photos, walking up the gangway (which usually has stairs), awaiting boarding the ship, awaiting the ships elevators to get to their deck, walking down the aisle to get to their cabin ...... while you drag your excess baggage through those lines because of a concern about efficiency :confused: .

 

If one quarter of the other passengers had the same concern, and did the same thing.... you all would probably add two hours to the entire process.

[SmokinActuary]

Don't worry Chase - I got things straight several posts ago.:p

[pris993]

We always travel with 2 suite cases, plus two garment bags, plus a carryon.

 

We carryon the two garment bags with our best clothing, plus the carryon. All must go through the scanner as indicated in other messages. Sometimes our garment bags are pretty full. Sometimes security have even questioned us bringing the bags but we assure them we have always done this way and being persistent they let us go.

 

We tip the ports at the dock well and watch to see that they place our suite cases in the appropriate area for transferring to the ship.

 

We do this in each and every port without exception. Better safe then sorry.

 

Relative to airlines, we try to fly the most direct route and mark our bags inside and out. We also carryon the garment bags and carryon to the plane. Even so, we had a suite case that did not show up in Rome on our last Royal Princess cruise. Checked with Air France, it was delivered the following day. We always fly in a day in advance to allow time for luggage to catch up with us, if possible.

[critterchick]

We carry on whatever we will need to get us through the first night onboard - a change of clothes for dinner, toiletries and an extra set of undies. And our valuable items, of course. Then we are ok waiting until whenever to receive our luggage. We've been lucky - have always had it well before dinner - but there's always a first time

 

Enjoy your cruise!

[SmokinActuary]

Thanks everyone.

 

We will prepare ahead of time and I am sure everything will be ok.

 

 

I am just getting antsy! :)

[Pam in CA]

We always travel with 2 suite cases, plus two garment bags, plus a carryon.

Wow! I must be missing something. I have one 25" suitcase and one rolling backpack carry-on, even for 3-week cruises with temperatures ranging from cold to hot, and still have room left for the stuff I buy. My sister and BIL bring one medium-sized rolling duffel bag each, and they're only about 3/4 full. I might bring another 18" suitcase for my 31-day plus 4 pre-cruise days cruise in April but it'll depend on what I pack.

[pris993]

Wow! I must be missing something. I have one 25" suitcase and one rolling backpack carry-on, even for 3-week cruises with temperatures ranging from cold to hot, and still have room left for the stuff I buy. My sister and BIL bring one medium-sized rolling duffel bag each, and they're only about 3/4 full. I might bring another 18" suitcase for my 31-day plus 4 pre-cruise days cruise in April but it'll depend on what I pack.

 

To each his own, difference styles for different folks. My husband likes to dress, what can I say. :) We had 3 suite cases on our recent trip, because we took gifts for family in Europe.

[Pam in CA]

We had 3 suite cases on our recent trip, because we took gifts for family in Europe.

That I can understand. :)

[Tinwoman]

Your post rang alarm bells with me from the beginning.

Why would you want to carry your own luggage on?

We live in strange times okay.

The bomb dogs need to check all the luggage.

Anybody wanting to carry on their own luggage, if I was working security I would pull them out straight away and check them at least twice and more if possible.

I am sorry if that sounds harsh, but such is the times we live in.

[OuiOnboard]

Yes indeed...to each his own. We carry all our luggage onto the ship (1 or 2 carryon size each). We leave all the stuff we don't need to enjoy a cruise at home. :)

[SmokinActuary]

Your post rang alarm bells with me from the beginning.

 

 

I would expect them to be scanned, just like my carry-ons on a plane.

 

Do you really think I am stupid enough or dangerous enough to want to usurp security?

 

And again if you read my later posts, I said I posted this because of the reported problems with the Crown in San Juan AND I am antsy with 65 days to go!