tell me about your River Cruise carryon please

[usavvy2]

Avalon's restrictions for carryon states:

 

"Carry-on bags should not exceed the dimensions of 12"x11"x6". For safety reasons, wheeled carry-on bags are not suitable as hand luggage on motorcoaches and mini-buses. Carry-on bags must be small enough to store in overhead bins or under the seat in front of you on motorcoaches and other transportation."

 

So, just what did you take as your carryon bag, what stuff did you put in it, and how well did it work out for you?

 

All ideas welcome! And, if you've got a particular brand/model in mind, please post your specific recommendations.

[pjtraveler]

I can't speak for your cruise line, but I will share my experience. My DH and I take as carry-on one wheeled tote, and one other small wheeled piece of luggage. Upon arrival at the airport, these will go on a transport bus with the 2 checked luggage pieces.

 

When traveling on the river cruise, we store the two smaller bags inside the other two bags. When we are motoring to sites along the river, we only carry a small purse or bag for camera supplies.

 

If the river rises and you have to travel by bus, I think this plan would still work because your wheeled smaller bags can just go in the space allotted for luggage in the bus storage bins.

[hcross888]

My back pack has saved the day several times. I usually don't pack much in it, but it fits much chocolate coming back and when I have to run for a plane, it makes it much easier.

[usavvy2]

... If the river rises and you have to travel by bus, I think this plan would still work because your wheeled smaller bags can just go in the space allotted for luggage in the bus storage bins.

 

according to the terms and conditions, porterage of only one bag is included. I don't mind paying extra for my wheeled carry on; however, the terms and conditions make it seem like there won't be additional space (I assume under the bus) if everyone brings a wheeled carry on.

[letsgo39]

I can't imagine that EVERYONE would feel the rules do not apply to them. IF EVERYONE did bring a wheeled carryon there would not be enough room for all the wheeled carry ons and the regular large suitcases. I have been on the coaches many times and there is usually someone with a wheeled carryon but not usually more than 1 or 2 people whose wheeled carryons must be placed under the coach with the large suitcases. The wheeled carryons definitely do NOT fit in the overhead or under the seat in the coaches. Better to just bring a small carryon so you would have access to it when needed. For sure the coach is not going to stop so you can get your stuff out of your carry on that is under the bus. I am sure that most people will go by the restrictions imposed by the cruise line.Why would you want to get everyone ticked off at you???

[pacmom]

We have been on 8 river cruises and I have used a wheeled carry on on each. It takes up much less space than the people that travel with 2-3 suitcases. Most of us tend to overpack, but the reality is you can travel for 2 weeks with one suitcase and a carryon, especially on a river cruise. On our second river cruise there was a woman with 3 suitcases and another with 4. I don't think you will find putting the carryon under the bus from airport to boat will incur a charge. I do carry a small cloth shopping bag to use on the daily bus tours. Good luck and don't forget to enjoy both the planning and the trip.

[pjtraveler]

I didn't mean to imply that you should disobey the Avalon rules as I've never had to deal with the wheeled carry-on restriction. I need to use a wheeled tote because of arthritis problems.

 

Since the restrictions are pretty specific, you, of course, should comply with them. I checked quickly and found that my DH's wheeled tote fits Avalon's size restrictions. He's short and just places it between his feet on the bus, never in the overhead.

 

It might be worth a call to Avalon to be sure that their guidelines are absolute restrictions. Other posters on other threads have done this aout luggage and have found that the restrictions may not actually be so limited as the published ones.

 

I would agree with PacMom that it is best not to overpack, and many people on these boards will be able to help you with suggestions. We've just returned from Russia, and I took the slightly larger carry-on to allow room for any "goodies" we found along the way and to have a change of clothes for both of us in case our luggage was lost. We put any valuables (camera, cell phone), a book or two, travel documents, and all meds in the carryon.

[usavvy2]

I can't imagine that EVERYONE would feel the rules do not apply to them. IF EVERYONE did bring a wheeled carryon there would not be enough room for all the wheeled carry ons and the regular large suitcases. I have been on the coaches many times and there is usually someone with a wheeled carryon but not usually more than 1 or 2 people whose wheeled carryons must be placed under the coach with the large suitcases. The wheeled carryons definitely do NOT fit in the overhead or under the seat in the coaches. Better to just bring a small carryon so you would have access to it when needed. For sure the coach is not going to stop so you can get your stuff out of your carry on that is under the bus. I am sure that most people will go by the restrictions imposed by the cruise line.Why would you want to get everyone ticked off at you???

 

I certainly wouldn't want to purposely get anyone ticked off at me as all my life I've tried to be a "good girl scout." Yes, I do feel the rules apply to ME for sure. (On our trip to Switzerland we were able to abide by those regulations and each carry a small day pack. And it worked well since there was absolutely NO room under the seat in front of us... even my knees touched the seat ahead of me and the space above the seat was smaller than a breadbox!) However, circumstances have changed.... that's the issue.

 

Medical necessity requires we travel light so we each take only one 24" checked bag per person (I have to navigate both cases plus the carry on). In the past, we've each used small day packs but I've since hurt my back this past year, I can't do that in the future and DH has Parkinson's so there's no way he can continue to use a day pack. We understand the window of opportunity is slamming shut quickly but we're hoping to make this trip in September and realize it might be our "last hoorah" as far as travel is concerned.

 

As I respond to your comment, I think I'll ask the operator for "reasonable accommodation" re a rollaboard carry on since their terms and conditions state that they'll try to do so and I don't think making an exception for 1 couple re a piece of rollaboard carryon luggage of 22" should jeopardize the storage space under the bus.

 

Thanks for getting me thinking again.

[Bill S]

For our Avalon Christmas Market cruise last year, which involved a 3 hour bus ride from Prague to Nuremburg, it was not a problem for me to use a back-pack in addition to my rolling suitcase. I also used the travel bag that Avalon furnished, for essential travel documents, water bottle and incidental small items.

I was able to stow my back pack under the bus along with my suitcase. I checked with Avalon before leaving for the cruise, and they told me that there was chance, however small, that the bus company could charge for an extra bag. However, no one in our group was charged for any extra bags.

The size limitation is for the busses. We had no problem storing our bags onboard the Tranquility, which is a beautiful ship.

[Acrusa]

We also travel for our up coming cruise next summer on the Affinity with 2- 24 inch luggage and 2- 19 inch rollabouts.

I checked with Avalone and there rules are the same if you took a Globus or Cosmo bus tour.However all we are doing is going from hotel in Vienna to our rivercruise.Cant see the need to carry a small tote. Wife has a tote bag that she carries for tour and I a small over the sholder tote for my water and camara.

[letsgo39]

I am sure based on your special circumstances that it will not be a problem if you need the larger bags due to a medical condition. Since you have traveled on the coaches before I am sure you realize just how limited the space on the coach is and that the larger bags will have to go under the bus. If that is not a problem for you I can't see that Avalon would have a problem. Hopefully your time on the bus will be very limited. You can always carry the bag they give you as your bus carryon and put things you need access to in there.I hope you have a wonderful vacation.. Rivercruising is the most relaxing way in the world to travel. I can't wait to do another one.

[jacksonnh]

Looks like congress is getting involved with this issue for airlines

http://m.usatoday.com/Travel/672772/full/

[rico567]

Well, the less said about the quantity of stuff people drag around with them on vacation, the better. Let's just say it's a mystery to me. My theory is that it's a very deep-seated "security blanket" thing, and that lots of people would take the living room furniture and the kitchen sink with them, if they could fit that stuff into suitcases.

 

Actually, I'm a little mystified by some of the responses to the OP, so I'm going to have to preface my remarks by saying I'm not sure whether what's being discussed is one of those little wheeled soft carryons with the LONG collapsing handle, or a small wheeled SUITCASE.

My wife and I have been engaged in foreign travel for a decade, and we started with a large wheeled suitcase, then switched to the two much smaller wheeled American Tourister suitcases, because of ease of handling. Ours are very easy to maneuver, but too large for carryon, nor do we attempt to do that, or "gate check," etc. In addition, we each have a shoulder bag.

 

Hers is an Ameri Bag Healthy Back Bag, which I can unreservedly recommend. It's the mid-size microfiber model, and it's held up like iron for 10 years of our use, and being loaned out to our children. It will hold an astonishing amount of stuff and is well-equipped with pockets. For a day trip, it will accommodate a two-liter bottle of water upright. This is not a cheap bag, but you will not regret your purchase.

 

I use an L.L. Bean nylon shoulder bag that I employed as a briefcase before I retired. It's an excellent carryon travel bag, but not as versatile as the Healthy Back Bag.

[Acrusa]

We traveled to Florida last November and took 2 -22" travelpro carryons,They did not fit the Delta carryon requaerments the flight attendend told us and was about to make us check them but then said ok.

We went out the next week and bought 2-19" rollerabouts also travelpro so we woulndt have that problem this summer when we flew to Venice for our Oceania cruise.

So we are going to travel with them as our carryon when we fly to Vienna for our Avalon cruise this summer.

[usavvy2]

Looks like congress is getting involved with this issue for airlines

http://m.usatoday.com/Travel/672772/full/

 

now that's a good way to spend our tax dollars! And, the ironic part is that the Airlines created this monster themselves! On a recent flight, the FA asked me if I could put MY bag under my seat since it was softsided and another pax had a rollaboard. I was not happy at that request since I had priority seating and clearly followed the "one bag per person" only guideline for overhead storage. I told her I preferred not to do that because my spouse would have problems getting out (medical condition) if there was anything under the seat. All of a sudden, space opened up miraculously in the next bin for the other person's bag!

[usavvy2]

Actually, I'm a little mystified by some of the responses to the OP, so I'm going to have to preface my remarks by saying I'm not sure whether what's being discussed is one of those little wheeled soft carryons with the LONG collapsing handle, or a small wheeled SUITCASE.

 

actually the "carry on" would be one I could carry onto the plane (in my case a 22" Samsonite 4 wheeled spinner case b'c there's no weight on my hand/arm/shoulder/back when I push it). Our checked luggage is the 24" Travelpro Walkabout case - we each have one and find we can get everything we need in a 24" case for a two week trip if we plan right. Unfortunately, medical supplies and equipment (that shouldn't be checked on a plane but could definitely be stowed on a bus) need to be carried on the plane and what's necessary won't fit in those 12x11x5" bags which Avalon provides to its pax.

 

Our travel docs came today as well as the nice little tote bags that Avalon offers as part of their package. We can certainly use them for the bus and store our...

1. Passport

2. Airline tickets

3. Tour docs

4. health record

5. Maps/tour guide pages (copied & reduced 50%)

6. water

7. Rx meds (for the day)

8. Tour & Phrase book

9. Picture Card (Kwik Point - in case phrase book doesn’t work)

10. Reading glasses

11. bandaids, eye drops

12. tissues

13. batteries

14. cell phone

15. hand sanitizer

16. sweater

17. sunglasses

18. pen & paper

19. fold-up umbrella (I hope NOT)

20. shout clean up wipers

 

But, I will check out the carry bags you mention. thanks for the tips!

[usavvy2]

It might be worth a call to Avalon to be sure that their guidelines are absolute restrictions. Other posters on other threads have done this aout luggage and have found that the restrictions may not actually be so limited as the published ones.

 

I would agree with PacMom that it is best not to overpack, and many people on these boards will be able to help you with suggestions. We've just returned from Russia, and I took the slightly larger carry-on to allow room for any "goodies" we found along the way and to have a change of clothes for both of us in case our luggage was lost. We put any valuables (camera, cell phone), a book or two, travel documents, and all meds in the carryon.

 

yes, I plan on calling Avalon to see if an exception could be made for a 22" rolling carry on to go under the bus and offer to pay the fee for a 2nd piece. Re overpacking, I believe we fall into the category of NOT overpacking with 24" checked bags for 15 days in Europe. Especially when one considers that DH's shoes take up 1/2 the space in the 24" bag by themselves! :eek: And, once I pack the portable grab rail... it leaves little room for clothes so I pack a flat sink plug and wash the unmentionables in the bathroom sink during our travels! Like you, what I need to carry on the airplane - in addition to a bag full of meds that must be in the original container, are valuables like camera, cell phone, travel docs, cell phone, something to read and a sweater. (I also include a change of unmentionables... just in case our luggage goes astray. There's no way my camera will fit in a 12x11x5" with those other items! In fact, my camera bag is a Tamrac Velocity 7x bag which is just about the size allowed for a carry on (12" x 11.5" x 5.5")

[usavvy2]

We traveled to Florida last November and took 2 -22" travelpro carryons,They did not fit the Delta carryon requaerments the flight attendend told us and was about to make us check them but then said ok.

We went out the next week and bought 2-19" rollerabouts also travelpro so we woulndt have that problem this summer when we flew to Venice for our Oceania cruise.

So we are going to travel with them as our carryon when we fly to Vienna for our Avalon cruise this summer.

 

I love Travelpro luggage! I have used a 22" Travelpro on DL flights up until last November when a 4 hr. delay caused me to wheel that bag one too many minutes and caused pain that radiated up the arm, into the shoulder and down my back. (Ok, I admit I was having back problems b4 the trip and that incident inflamed it. Plus the carry on was all I had for a weekend meeting in Chicago so it was chock full of not only clothes but business papers so it was heavy.) Anyway, after that incident, I bought a carry-on that had spinner wheels that exerted NO pressure on my hand/arm/shoulder/back! And I have to say, it's heaven. So easy - I don't have to drag it, I can push it, pull it, turn it sideways, get it down the aisle, you name it!

 

Ok so I transgressed. What I really wanted to reiterate is that Avalon terms and conditions state that "portage for one suitcase is included in the vacation price" (whether it be 22" or 29" as long as it complies with the 62" maximum Avalon doesn't care). It goes on to state: "Due to limited motorcoach capacity, your single bag should have dimensions not exceeding 30x21x11" (aka 62" total) "and weight not exceeding 50 lbs." So far, so good...

 

Re the carry on, the terms and conditions state: "Carry-on bags should not eceed the dimensions of 12x11x6" (NOT a 19" wheeled carry on). It also states: "For safety reasons, wheeled carry-on bags are not suitable as hand luggage on motorcoaches and mini-buses. Carry-on bags must be small enough to store in overhead bins or under the seat in front of you on motorcoaches and other transportation."

 

I understand the reasoning; if the river cruise part had to be switched to a land cruise and we needed to be on a bus the entire time... that would be a problem if the carry on was a 22" suitcase! Imagine carrying that on your lap for 2 weeks! (And I know first hand that a 19" or a 22" carry on would NOT fit under the seat in front of you or in the overhead on a bus. A sweater is about all you can store in either of those two locations.)

[Acrusa]

Undersatnd all of what you are saying. But my expierence on motorcoachs only extends to cruise lines taking lugage to and from airport to ship and vis versa.They can store alot of lugage in those bus's.That being said I still think the only reason for there restriction is the fact they did not want to print another page for there Avalon cruise and their Globus and cosmo tours. I have checked with Tauck Uniworld and Vicking and they say all your lugage can be stored in there bus's. My wife does carry a tote bag and I carry a bag also to store under my feet or under my seat or above in the bin.

[pjtraveler]

Usavvy, I empathize with your physical problems and would have all kinds of shoulder and wrist problems carrying around a heavily-packed tote! Let me share an idea I picked up on some travel forum that has worked great for medications.

 

My DH and I pack each separate prescription med in the necessary number + extras for the trip in a separate plastic snack bag with a copy of the prescription. (The pharmacy always provides a duplicate anyway.)

This helps both with space and weight.:)

[usavvy2]

Usavvy, I empathize with your physical problems and would have all kinds of shoulder and wrist problems carrying around a heavily-packed tote! Let me share an idea I picked up on some travel forum that has worked great for medications.

 

My DH and I pack each separate prescription med in the necessary number + extras for the trip in a separate plastic snack bag with a copy of the prescription. (The pharmacy always provides a duplicate anyway.)

This helps both with space and weight.:)

 

from what I've read, that idea might work in the USA but there are some countries where they scrutinize controlled substances and I don't want to take any chances. However, I have a recommendation for you. Many of our Rx have a 1x fill at the local pharmacy (trial first) b4 sending them away for mail order (3 months worth). We save that Rx bottle (even though it may be outdated), then count the # of meds needed (and double that # in case another awful situation like 9/11 were to transpire that would isolate us away from home). Then we put the meds in the smaller container which has a valid Rx on it. In addition, b4 mailing the Rx to mail order company, I have the Rx copied on color paper. It looks so much like the real Rx that only a pharmacist could tell... unless you turned the paper over to the backside that is. Then we carry color copies of each of our Rx in case there's any question. But when you have a chronic illness like Parkinson's there's a lot of meds plus nutritional supplements, etc. so the bag fills up quickly! (and then there are those size 12 shoes!)

 

thanks for the tip though.

[shoshona2]

We have been on many many bus tours and we now use a 22x18x10 carryon on wheels. On bus tours, they just put them with the luggage. That is the size that British Air and other European airlines allow to be brought on the airplane along with a purse or laptop case.

 

Sheila