Do You Have To Use The Porters When Embarking?

[Leo Jay]

We're planning to embark early and I'd feel a bit better carrying our luggage on ourselves. Are you permitted to do so?

 

For one, I'm not crazy about the fact that the porters aren't Carnival employees: god forbid your luggage goes missing through error or malfeasance -- you're just screwed. Also, I'd rather not have to wait until later that evening to have my luggage delivered -- I'd rather get my stuff hung up as soon as possible and have everything I might want to change into available right away.

 

Of course, the downside is that we'd have to roll our bags around with us, which would for practical purposes limit our freedom to wander around all areas of the ship. We'd probably have to park ourselves pretty much in one spot until our room was ready. But then again, that may not be all that long anyway.

 

Thoughts?

[Coolcruise02]

You can't hand carry any luggage on the ship that won't fit thru the screener, just like the one at the airport.

[dms_cruisers04]

If you're looking to embark early and change clothes after you do so, then I can already tell you you're taking too much clothes. :D

Seriously. Let the porters handle any checked luggage and anything you would want to change into, say for dinner or to use at the pool, pack in a carry-on. If you are arriving as early as it sounds, you will most likely have your luggage at your room earlier. HTH

[tef43]

Are you permitted to do so?

Only if it fits through the 11x17 opening in the scanner, otherwise it must be checked.

[hdawson]

Only once in 18 cruises did my luggage get delivered later than 4PM. Usually within 1.5 hours of boarding. I too carry a change of clothing for dinner. It would be a pretty big hassle to carry it all on even if permitted.

[F5Loar]

If it is the two of you then yes you could break it down into 4 smaller carry ons that will go through the scanner. Each one of you should be able to pull and keep up with pulling two at one time. Some bags allow you to stack them so you would only be pulling one. Remember too that getting on early does not mean you will be going to your room early. Most ships let you on around noon and in your room not before 1:30PM. So you are suppose to take any luggage with you to Lido first for lunch. Also by doing this you are ready to do the early walk-off with all your luggage disembark procedure.

[woodman]

I appreciate your concerns about the luggage and unknown porters. They work for the Port Authoriaty and have been reliable on all our cruises. The luggage was always at my door before dinner with no problems. I also had concerns about leaving my bags in the hall to be picked up on the last night.

Then I realized that there are not to many people that would want my dirty laundry. LOL Go with the flow and have a great cruise.

[Leo Jay]

Only if it fits through the 11x17 opening in the scanner, otherwise it must be checked.

 

11x17? That can't be right, can it? No carry-on bag is that small...

 

Anyway, it's a relief to know that the porters are Port Authority employees -- that makes me a bit more comfortable with the process. I'd somehow gotten the impression that they were random 'freelancers'.

[Flip2cruise]

11x17? That can't be right, can it? No carry-on bag is that small...

Yes, its 11x17 the same size as the opening of the xray machine :)

 

http://www.carnival.com/CMS/FAQs/Baggage_Information__Embarkation_Debarkation.aspx

 

For security purposes, Carnival limits the size of hand-carry luggage to 11"X 17" which is the dimension of the opening of the X-ray security machine (similar to those at the airport); there is no measurement for length as the hand-carry luggage will lay flat on the conveyer belt. Luggage larger than 11"X 17" will not be permitted through the security machine and must be checked-in with a curbside porter. Once on the ship, the luggage will be delivered to the guests' stateroom by 7:00pm that night.

[big_duck]

11x17? That can't be right, can it? No carry-on bag is that small...

 

 

As long as two dimensions are 11 and 17 the third is irrelivant it could be 6 feet long.

[tinna2000]

i carried on my luggage and shoulder bag and glad i did, some people wasn't so lucky and was very unhappy the rest of the cruise, and i don't blame them.

[serene56]

Getting onboard early with all that luggage- most times you cant get to your cabin until 1pm- (cabins are not secured until then) can be a mess getting around. (elevators not working or very slow.) many people getting around ..

 

Check the luggage. it will arrive fine. Sves aggravation

[hoosier]

Ditto to Serene56. Often the stewards are still frantically cleaning cabins and you can't access them. I don't think I would feel real comfortable leaving my luggage in an open cabin. Just play by the rules and use the porters. ;)

[PrincessJen]

I would use the porters. I can't stand carying luggage around. How would my hands be free for my drink? :p Aside from that though I find it bothersome. That's just my laziness though from being on vacation.

[salty dingo]

If I am not mistaken, the dress code at dinner (at least for the early seating) is usually waived for the first night, because some passengers may not have received their luggage in time to dress for dinner. So, no need to fret about that. If you want to come to dinner in sandals, shorts, and a t-shirt the first night, that's OK.I have also been on Carnival cruises where the first night's dinner is "open seating" and you don't get your assigned table wait staff until the second night.