1st cruiser questions

[stargazer78]

I have booked my first cruise for this summer on Carnival Freedom and have a few questions.

 

Dh and I are planning to only bring one suitcase, one case of soda and one carry on each, can we carry our own luggage onboard?

 

Can we go straight to our room to drop it off?

 

Our first port is going to be Key West, I have read on here that people buy cases of soda in Key West and bring that on board, does Carnival allow this?

 

Does Carnival search your bags when you leave and return in port?

 

Can you take food (desert) from the dining room to your cabin if you're too full to eat it at dinner?

 

We pre-paid our tips and plan to deposit cash on our s&s account do they still require the $200 pp deposit or can we put down less? We're not big drinkers and don't plan to spend a lot onboard.

 

This is all I can think of right now, Thanks in advance.

[cb at sea]

If your luggage fits through the scanner, you can lug it aboard. Whether you can take it to your room depends if the hallway is open--if you're too early, you'll have to drag your stuff around the ship with you!

Yes, you can bring on soda from any port. (That's alot of soda you're bringing!!!!)

Yes, they will scan your bags when you re-board the ship at ports. They don't check anything when you get offf the ship.

You can take your dessert, or get more in the buffet area....your choice! There's also room service, if you'd like that!

I think you'll have to put the required "downpayment"--if you don't spend it, they'll refund it!

[stargazer78]

If your luggage fits through the scanner, you can lug it aboard. Whether you can take it to your room depends if the hallway is open--if you're too early, you'll have to drag your stuff around the ship with you!

Yes, you can bring on soda from any port. (That's alot of soda you're bringing!!!!)

Yes, they will scan your bags when you re-board the ship at ports. They don't check anything when you get offf the ship.

You can take your dessert, or get more in the buffet area....your choice! There's also room service, if you'd like that!

I think you'll have to put the required "downpayment"--if you don't spend it, they'll refund it!

I was thinking if we could get soda in Key West that would be one less thing we would have to bring on the first day.

[Arwenmark]

You can only take carry on size luggage on board full size suitcases must be checked and scanned by the big equipment they have anything you carry must fit through standard size airline type carry on scanner.

You cannot drop off until the rooms are ready so if you board early you cannot drop them in cabin.

[JSQ01]

I have booked my first cruise for this summer on Carnival Freedom and have a few questions.

 

Dh and I are planning to only bring one suitcase, one case of soda and one carry on each, can we carry our own luggage onboard? I have seen people carrying their suitcases, but checking your bags with the porters is safe and easier. I know some people do not get bags delivered until a few hours after sail away, but we haven't had that experience...we've always had ours in time to change for early dinner seating. I know when we sailed on Carnival Valor, the porters told us to put any drinks we had in our suitcase, we could not just put a luggage tag on a case of drinks...but I know other people say you can just keep them out in the open and have them delivered to your room...so I don't know the exact answer on this one.

 

Can we go straight to our room to drop it off? Usually the rooms open by about 1:30, since the room attendants are still cleaning from the passengers who got off earlier that morning. Sometimes they open a little earlier though. I would count on carrying around your suitcase for a while though, if you board between 11:00 and 1:00.

 

Our first port is going to be Key West, I have read on here that people buy cases of soda in Key West and bring that on board, does Carnival allow this? I haven't been to Key West and have always brought my drinks on board the first day, so I am no help here.

 

Does Carnival search your bags when you leave and return in port? They x-ray them when you return to the ship. Nothing when you leave.

 

Can you take food (desert) from the dining room to your cabin if you're too full to eat it at dinner? Yes, food is everywhere! Room service is free too, so take advantage of that (except for a few late night hours when there is a small fee.)

 

We pre-paid our tips and plan to deposit cash on our s&s account do they still require the $200 pp deposit or can we put down less? We're not big drinkers and don't plan to spend a lot onboard. If you do not want to use a credit card for onboard expenses, you will have to put down the deposit...when you approach that deposit, they will cut off your sail and sign card until you deposit more, according to a few friends who use cash. We always use a credit card...you can always pay the bill the last night with cash at the pursors desk without having to worry about putting down a cash deposit at the beginning, if you don't want to have to give up the cash they require.

 

This is all I can think of right now, Thanks in advance.

 

Have a great time on your cruise!

[Houndmom]

I was thinking if we could get soda in Key West that would be one less thing we would have to bring on the first day.

 

I admit to being a soda addict. I plan to buy some in Galveston and bring my own aboard. That will mean more money I can spend on prezzies for the grandchildren! :)

[stargazer78]

I admit to being a soda addict. I plan to buy some in Galveston and bring my own aboard. That will mean more money I can spend on prezzies for the grandchildren! :)

Yeah Dh and I are both soda addicts and we like different kinds. I don't think a case each for a six day cruise is all that much. It averages out to 4/day each. One for each meal and then one extra. I'm not a coffee drinker so, yes I have soda with breakfast. :cool:

[travelfreak]

just got off the phone with Norwegian and I am not a happy camper! We rec'd our cruise docs via U.S. Mail with room assignment on them. However our luggage tags did NOT have a room number! I am sure our bags would be at the bottom of a pile somewhere and we may never receive them. I went round and round with them trying to get them to re-print our tags WITH the room number....no can do unless it's more than 21 days out. HMMMMM...let's see IT WAS 21 DAYS OUT WHEN I STARTED THIS!!!!!! They advised that I CAN, though they don't reccommend it, carry my luggage (even large bags) on with me and they WILL scan/wand them at security right on the ship. What would YOU do? I know what I'm doing.....schelping those bags right along with me!!!!!! Thanks I needed to VENT!!!!

[deanaw72]

just got off the phone with Norwegian and I am not a happy camper! We rec'd our cruise docs via U.S. Mail with room assignment on them. However our luggage tags did NOT have a room number! I am sure our bags would be at the bottom of a pile somewhere and we may never receive them. I went round and round with them trying to get them to re-print our tags WITH the room number....no can do unless it's more than 21 days out. HMMMMM...let's see IT WAS 21 DAYS OUT WHEN I STARTED THIS!!!!!! They advised that I CAN, though they don't reccommend it, carry my luggage (even large bags) on with me and they WILL scan/wand them at security right on the ship. What would YOU do? I know what I'm doing.....schelping those bags right along with me!!!!!! Thanks I needed to VENT!!!!

 

Why can't you just write your cabin number on the tags? We always book a guarantee and rarely have our cabin number on the pre-printed tag, there's a blank space for it to be written in. Only been on NCL once so maybe they do it differently?

[lissaw16]

just got off the phone with Norwegian and I am not a happy camper! We rec'd our cruise docs via U.S. Mail with room assignment on them. However our luggage tags did NOT have a room number! I am sure our bags would be at the bottom of a pile somewhere and we may never receive them. I went round and round with them trying to get them to re-print our tags WITH the room number....no can do unless it's more than 21 days out. HMMMMM...let's see IT WAS 21 DAYS OUT WHEN I STARTED THIS!!!!!! They advised that I CAN, though they don't reccommend it, carry my luggage (even large bags) on with me and they WILL scan/wand them at security right on the ship. What would YOU do? I know what I'm doing.....schelping those bags right along with me!!!!!! Thanks I needed to VENT!!!!

 

We got e-docs for our RC cruise, it had a "sample" tag, which showed our room number on it.

 

At the pier, I showed that page to the porter, he wrote the room number on the tag, and our suitcases showed up without a problem (about an hour after we boarded).

[ivywynne]

If you and DH like soda, why not just get the soda card? Pay one price and drink all you want.