Alaska Cruise Tour 2011 Luggage Question

[arizonaperson]

Anyone have a photo of what their carry on looked like on a recent Princess Cruise Tour? The size Princess says is 17" X 14" X 4". I am trying to picture this.:confused:

We will have lots of stuff to cram in this bag.:eek: Binoculars,laptop, important paperwork,camera, toiletries,clothes we did not put in suitcase that was left out to be transported by truck,etc.

[Loonbeam]

Realistically? Think a photo backpack. I don't have a picture of mine in use but this is similar:

 

http://products.lowepro.com/product/Fastpack-350,2087,14.htm

 

People had larger but couldn't always find a spot.

 

It will also depend on if you are going bus or train, as with a bus you can sometimes put things below (with no access). On the train its underseat storage unless you get lucky enough to score a seat against a wall like we did, there's a ledge.

 

 

 

It will also depend if you are going bus

Anyone have a photo of what their carry on looked like on a recent Princess Cruise Tour? The size Princess says is 17" X 14" X 4". I am trying to picture this.:confused:

We will have lots of stuff to cram in this bag.:eek: Binoculars,laptop, important paperwork,camera, toiletries,clothes we did not put in suitcase that was left out to be transported by truck,etc.

[arizonaperson]

Realistically? Think a photo backpack. I don't have a picture of mine in use but this is similar:

 

http://products.lowepro.com/product/Fastpack-350,2087,14.htm

 

People had larger but couldn't always find a spot.

 

It will also depend on if you are going bus or train, as with a bus you can sometimes put things below (with no access). On the train its underseat storage unless you get lucky enough to score a seat against a wall like we did, there's a ledge.

 

 

 

It will also depend if you are going bus

Thanks for your reply.We will be going by bus from Anchorage to lodge,then bus from lodge to another lodge, then the train to Whittier to catch the ship. Thanks, I should think small. Hopefully someone will come up with a photo before I go. I have awhile.

[327055kk]

I don't have a photo. I have a bag that is this size. If you have a rolling laptop bag that is the size. Best description I can give you is - Look at the bags Flight Attendants have and cut it in half. Think about being on a plane with no overhead bin space. Only place to put it is under the seat in front of you. The bins/ledges on most buses/trains are not very tall or wide. Most space is actually under the seat. If you need to purchase a bag to meet the size requirement check out Kohls or Macys. They usually have the best prices.

[Pia1913]

No matter what you are told, I used a regular 21" wheelie; same as I use on the plane. And yes, it did fit under the seat on the Denali train. Had to put it widthwise, but it fit fine.

[Toto2Kansas]

No matter what you are told, I used a regular 21" wheelie; same as I use on the plane. And yes, it did fit under the seat on the Denali train. Had to put it widthwise, but it fit fine.

We used the same thing Pia (way back when) and didn't have a problem at all with the regular sized carry on. ;)

[dcruisers]

Please help me to understand what I think I know about the luggge situation..Isn't the "carry on" for the train simply for documents, meds, passport, glasses etc. You can still have luggage with clothing that will be transported to the next hotel by Princess..right? I was planning on taking my rolling carry on for clothing (for tour part of trip only)to have Princess transport and take another piece of luggage to be held for the cruise. Please let me know if I am thinking correctly.

Thanks!

[bandit and babycakes]

Per Princess and my TA you can take a suticase with your clothers etc to be put under the bus or train. Only take your documents cameras meds etc in a small backpack type to fit under the seat on the train or in the overheads on the bus. I hope this helps. We are planning on doing this when we go in August.

[arizonaperson]

Please help me to understand what I think I know about the luggge situation..Isn't the "carry on" for the train simply for documents, meds, passport, glasses etc. You can still have luggage with clothing that will be transported to the next hotel by Princess..right? I was planning on taking my rolling carry on for clothing (for tour part of trip only)to have Princess transport and take another piece of luggage to be held for the cruise. Please let me know if I am thinking correctly.

Thanks!

You are correct if you do it that way.

Here is my thinking on this luggage situation, so I was hoping passengers that have taken this cruise tour to AK recently 2010 or if any May 2011 passengers can help out.

I will take 1 regular size suitcase(29"/30") under 50lbs to check as my luggage on the airplane to get to the cruise tour. I usually take a 21" rollerboard as my carry on,on an airplane. So if Princess is correct in the carry on size it has to be 17" X 14" X 4". I am just trying to see if indeed the 21" rollerboard is too big to take on the bus & train as part of the carry on luggage.

I will not have any luggage that will need to meet me on the ship.

I also don't think I have luggage or a tote that small.

Maybe I am over thinking this.:eek: I just don't want to be unprepared.

[Loonbeam]

There is no under on the train. If you are traveling your ' follow me ' suitcase will be taken either the night before or early early AM and will meet you at your next stop. On the buses, there MAY be space for a bag with you but do not depend on it.

 

The way it works is when you start the tour you will get 2 tags. One of these says 'To The Ship' or 'To The Airport' and is for your suitcase that will not follow you. This suitcase will be picked up at your first hotel and you don't see it again till the end.

 

The other tag says 'Follow Me'. This one follows the process above. You do not bring this one to the train or bus with you.

 

You can get extra 'To the ship' tags on request, no charge.

 

Your carry-on is just that, you carry it with you. Instead of a large case, my wife and I each carried a backpack, plus we had a 3rd shared small bag, those combined held everything we needed and were flexible enough to fit pretty much anywhere. The underseat storage on the train did seem to vary a little depending on where your seats were. We were against the wall, there was no way my airline carryon could have fit under my seat, but we also had the wall shelf.

 

Per Princess and my TA you can take a suticase with your clothers etc to be put under the bus or train. Only take your documents cameras meds etc in a small backpack type to fit under the seat on the train or in the overheads on the bus. I hope this helps. We are planning on doing this when we go in August.

[Pia1913]

You are correct if you do it that way.

Here is my thinking on this luggage situation, so I was hoping passengers that have taken this cruise tour to AK recently 2010 or if any May 2011 passengers can help out.

I will take 1 regular size suitcase(29"/30") under 50lbs to check as my luggage on the airplane to get to the cruise tour. I usually take a 21" rollerboard as my carry on,on an airplane. So if Princess is correct in the carry on size it has to be 17" X 14" X 4". I am just trying to see if indeed the 21" rollerboard is too big to take on the bus & train as part of the carry on luggage.

I will not have any luggage that will need to meet me on the ship.

I also don't think I have luggage or a tote that small.

Maybe I am over thinking this.:eek: I just don't want to be unprepared.

 

Stop stressing. You will be fine. The 21" will fit under the seat on the train and the times you are on the bus, the driver will place it in the hold after he has loaded the bigger pieces.

[rearadmiral]

I was on a Princess Alaska cruisetour last year that involved rail and motorcoach travel. I brought a 22" duffel bag made by High Sierra exclusively for Leeds (a corporate gift supplier). The exact bag is now discontinued but the specs are available at: http://www.unbeatablesale.com/leed509.html . I beleive that High Sierra's "Bubba" is a similar size.

 

It fit under the seat on the train (there is a large void under the bench) and as long as I removed my camera (a bulky DSLR) and stowed it separately it fit in the overhead bin on the coach bus.

 

I had binoculars, my toiletry case, documents, sleep ware, travel guides, my GPS, IPOD and souveniers that we acquired along the way.

[arizonaperson]

Wow, I guess I am getting lots of opinions on this one.

Doesn't seem to be a concensus on this one.

I don't have a problem with understanding the large suitcase.:D

Just the carry on size. I guess I will just bring my 21" rollerboard and a backpack inside in case I can not take my rollerboard on the bus and train with me in the cabin. (if my rollerboard has to go in a seperate truck to lodge and ship, I guess I will have the backpack with all my valuables,cruise docs,etc.

[Pia1913]

Wow, I guess I am getting lots of opinions on this one.

Doesn't seem to be a concensus on this one.

I don't have a problem with understanding the large suitcase.:D

Just the carry on size. I guess I will just bring my 21" rollerboard and a backpack inside in case I can not take my rollerboard on the bus and train with me in the cabin. (if my rollerboard has to go in a seperate truck to lodge and ship, I guess I will have the backpack with all my valuables,cruise docs,etc.

 

There will always be differing opinions, but fact is fact. So just listen to those of us who did what you want to do.

[Loonbeam]

That sounds like a plan.

 

Part of the issue I think is that not all the train cars, seats, etc are exactly the same. Like I noted above, there was no way a larger carryon would fit under our train seat, but we had an alternative location that could have handled it. Some seats may have less storage than others. Some buses are contracted from different companies and may have different capacities, etc.

 

The specs Princess gives are for the minimum guaranteed space you will have, there's a good chance there will be more, but its not 100 percent, so having a backup option is a great idea.

 

Princess seems to do very well with the bag handling as well, so you may also decide you would just rather only have the smaller bag to deal with on the train or bus if you don't have that much to carry.

 

Wow, I guess I am getting lots of opinions on this one.

Doesn't seem to be a concensus on this one.

I don't have a problem with understanding the large suitcase.:D

Just the carry on size. I guess I will just bring my 21" rollerboard and a backpack inside in case I can not take my rollerboard on the bus and train with me in the cabin. (if my rollerboard has to go in a seperate truck to lodge and ship, I guess I will have the backpack with all my valuables,cruise docs,etc.

[arizonaperson]

That sounds like a plan.

 

 

 

Princess seems to do very well with the bag handling as well, so you may also decide you would just rather only have the smaller bag to deal with on the train or bus if you don't have that much to carry.

I always have a lot to carry on, thats why I am asking about the 21" rollerboard.(Travel Pro brand) just like the flight attendants use. I can't seem to get away with airplane travel without this carry on. I probably can if I have to!

I know Princess does very well with the bags that meet you and or travel by truck.

I am not asking about this!!!

[arizonaperson]

There will always be differing opinions, but fact is fact. So just listen to those of us who did what you want to do.

 

Pia- thanks so much. Exactly what I was looking for, someone who has the know.:) I am very much the facts kind of person.