Time luggage gets to cabin on 2 day cruses out of Southampton?

[Trulee Scrumptious]

Hi, am new to P&O, and trying to persuade hubby that cruising is a good holiday (I don't need convincing), so have booked a 2 night Guernsey next year on Ventura so he can try it out. 

 

Trying to organise everything so he gets the 'best' experience he can, but am wondering about what time luggage usually gets to a cabin on these short cruises. I know there is a formal night, and that it can vary on which night it is, but wouldn't want to be stuck without luggage til late if formal is the first night.

 

Conversly don't want to make him carry a suit carrier and his shoes during embarkation etc., if I don't need to. 

 

Opinions genuinely wanted please. Thanks

[BrianI]

My recent experiences on longer cruises is that the luggage arrives within two hours at the most, often within an hour. On a two night cruise, the amount of luggage will be considerably less so it should be quicker. You should not have any problems.

Brian

[Trulee Scrumptious]

7 minutes ago, BrianI said:

My recent experiences on longer cruises is that the luggage arrives within two hours at the most, often within an hour. On a two night cruise, the amount of luggage will be considerably less so it should be quicker. You should not have any problems.

Brian

 

Cheers Brian - I was thinking the same, but wondered if anyone had experience. Only cruised with Princess myself and they are usually very quick, cabins were ready at 1pm and luggage was waiting for us. Just want him to have the smoothest possible experience to encourage him to book something a bit longer next time.

[thornegirl]

Just arrived back on Monday from a 2 nighter on Brittania. We carried on our own luggage (a suiter and small case), at midday, straight to the Glasshouse for lunch.

We did go up to our deck at about 1.15 to put our cases in the room but all the doors to the corridors we locked and notices on the doors saying rooms available at 2pm.  So I would say the earliest is therefore 2pm.

The first night was smart casual and the 2nd night was the formal night.

 

 

[AndyMichelle]

Luggage is not an issue, usually there around the time you get access to your cabin. 

Formal night will more than likely be the second night, so wouldn't worry too much. 

You are very brave putting him on a tender for his first cruise!!! Good luck with that... 😊

Andy 

[CarlaMarie]

3 hours ago, Trulee Scrumptious said:

Hi, am new to P&O, and trying to persuade hubby that cruising is a good holiday (I don't need convincing), so have booked a 2 night Guernsey next year on Ventura so he can try it out. 

 

Trying to organise everything so he gets the 'best' experience he can, but am wondering about what time luggage usually gets to a cabin on these short cruises. I know there is a formal night, and that it can vary on which night it is, but wouldn't want to be stuck without luggage til late if formal is the first night.

 

Conversly don't want to make him carry a suit carrier and his shoes during embarkation etc., if I don't need to. 

 

Opinions genuinely wanted please. Thanks

 

Hello,

 

I did a 2 night cruise to Guernsey in April this year, and I have done few 2 nights with P&O to Belgium at Christmas time also. When you arrive at Southampton you have 2 options, you can either take your luggage on with you or you can give it to the porters.

 

If you give it to the porters the luggage is normally with you very quickly, I have had it there waiting outside my cabin before I have gone for some lunch or if not it is there as soon as I get back. 

 

As others have said normally the formal night will be the second night (this has been the case on all 5 of the 2 night cruises I have done) which gives you plenty of time and an enjoyable end to your day ashore. Guernsey is very hit and miss as to whether you will get ashore, the seas in this area are notorious as are the winds and it can change very quickly. But hopefully you will get ashore and you will have a wonderful time. It is a beautiful island to visit. 

 

Also just another tip, as Ventura is a larger ship I would suggest you go and get your tender ticket as soon as possible to avoid queuing or any delays getting off. 

 

Best Wishes,

 

Carla 

[Trulee Scrumptious]

7 hours ago, AndyMichelle said:

Luggage is not an issue, usually there around the time you get access to your cabin. 

Formal night will more than likely be the second night, so wouldn't worry too much. 

You are very brave putting him on a tender for his first cruise!!! Good luck with that... 😊

Andy 

Think he will cope with the tender fine, and he is looking forward to St Peter Port

[Thejuggler]

No need for any luggage.  Medium rucksack each.

[Stokie33]

We were on Britannia last week for the 2 nighter the porters were only accepting large suitcases and saying they'd been advised to tell people to keep small cases with them. It was a bit chaotic on board until the cabins opened at 2pm. We are due to do another 2 nighter on Aurora next month so have decided to take 1 large suitcase so we don't have to carry anything on 

[john watson]

If anything luggage is quicker arriving on 2 day cruise due to  a proportion of cruisers doing their own bag handling.  Never been a problem in my experience. The only problem I foresee with Guernsey being a tender port is not docking.  It runs about 50% success but usually have a back up port plan, like Le Havre etc.

 

Regards John

[Trulee Scrumptious]

10 hours ago, Thejuggler said:

No need for any luggage.  Medium rucksack each.

Interested to know how on earth you pack for a formal night in a rucksack?

[philsuarez]

On a two night cruise it may be worth just taking carry on luggage. My only word of caution would be that a two night cruise may not be the best way to introduce him to cruising. These can tend to turn into party cruise with everything pretty full on due to the limited time. We've done many short cruises but vowed not to do two nights again. I would try find a three nighter. That extra night makes a huge difference and allows you to relax. 

[Stokie33]

11 hours ago, philsuarez said:

On a two night cruise it may be worth just taking carry on luggage. My only word of caution would be that a two night cruise may not be the best way to introduce him to cruising. These can tend to turn into party cruise with everything pretty full on due to the limited time. We've done many short cruises but vowed not to do two nights again. I would try find a three nighter. That extra night makes a huge difference and allows you to relax. 

I totally agree with this comment on our recent 2 nighter we lost count of how many fully clothed people complete with beer glasses and sun glasses went into the swimming pool on Britannia, and that was a family ship 😁 

[Trulee Scrumptious]

On 9/29/2019 at 9:44 AM, philsuarez said:

On a two night cruise it may be worth just taking carry on luggage. My only word of caution would be that a two night cruise may not be the best way to introduce him to cruising. These can tend to turn into party cruise with everything pretty full on due to the limited time. We've done many short cruises but vowed not to do two nights again. I would try find a three nighter. That extra night makes a huge difference and allows you to relax. 

Thanks for the word of caution Phil but already booked - will have to go with the flow. The main problem is persuading him that there is enough to keep him occupied during the day on a sea day rather than anything else - sure he thinks I'm lying about the amount of stuff going on and really want him to see a ship for himself

[philsuarez]

44 minutes ago, Trulee Scrumptious said:

Thanks for the word of caution Phil but already booked - will have to go with the flow. The main problem is persuading him that there is enough to keep him occupied during the day on a sea day rather than anything else - sure he thinks I'm lying about the amount of stuff going on and really want him to see a ship for himself

Sure you'll have a lovely time. Guernsey is a tender port and often gets cancelled. I'd be inclined to chill on board and make most of the ship

[AndyMichelle]

1 hour ago, Trulee Scrumptious said:

Thanks for the word of caution Phil but already booked - will have to go with the flow. The main problem is persuading him that there is enough to keep him occupied during the day on a sea day rather than anything else - sure he thinks I'm lying about the amount of stuff going on and really want him to see a ship for himself

Of course there is plenty going on, but the best bit about cruising for us is the relaxation. 

At home, there is always something needing doing or something to think about, even when not working. 

The only worry on a cruise is what cocktail to have next. 

Let the man relax.... 😊

Andy

[D C]

On 9/30/2019 at 11:19 AM, philsuarez said:

Sure you'll have a lovely time. Guernsey is a tender port and often gets cancelled. I'd be inclined to chill on board and make most of the ship

Tendering to Guernsey has a success rate of about 90%.  Seems to be a common misconception on CC that it's more like 50/50.  

[john watson]

On 10/2/2019 at 7:41 PM, D C said:

Tendering to Guernsey has a success rate of about 90%.  Seems to be a common misconception on CC that it's more like 50/50.  

 

In mu case the 50% success rate has been drawn from personal experience from eight cruises.  The statistical  data may be better than this.  

 

Regards John

[AndyMichelle]

9 minutes ago, john watson said:

 

In mu case the 50% success rate has been drawn from personal experience from eight cruises.  The statistical  data may be better than this.  

 

Regards John

Worse here John, 4 attempts, 1 success and that was frightening and put us off tenders for life.. 

Andy 

[john watson]

1 hour ago, AndyMichelle said:

Worse here John, 4 attempts, 1 success and that was frightening and put us off tenders for life.. 

Andy 

 

Tenders can lead to a lot of serious apprehension.  A woman on a first cruise said of the coxswain, "he doesn't look like he knows what he is doing".  So I jokingly explained: "He's our waiter".  Her husband laughed, but she was mortified presumably thinking they get anyone to just fill in piloting the tenders irrespective of lack of training. 

 

Worst tender experience, same cruise was return to ship.  The tender took an hour to get to the ship as did the other four.  The sea had got really high in the day and the ship had closed its tender dock.  We circled around and around in a small armada for an hour. One of them ran out of fuel and just drifted until a rescue could help.   Woman on our tender had a medical emergency and when we eventually smashed into the ship's tender dock most passengers screamed.

 

Funniest Guernsey tender experience was watching the ship's last tender going up and the ship's anchor while we were in a local ferry used on an excursion helping out with the return embarkation.  

 

Regards John

[AndyMichelle]

1 minute ago, john watson said:

 

Tenders can lead to a lot of serious apprehension.  A woman on a first cruise said of the coxswain, "he doesn't look like he knows what he is doing".  So I jokingly explained: "He's our waiter".  Her husband laughed, but she was mortified presumably thinking they get anyone to just fill in piloting the tenders irrespective of lack of training. 

 

Worst tender experience, same cruise was return to ship.  The tender took an hour to get to the ship as did the other four.  The sea had got really high in the day and the ship had closed its tender dock.  We circled around and around in a small armada for an hour. One of them ran out of fuel and just drifted until a rescue could help.   Woman on our tender had a medical emergency and when we eventually smashed into the ship's tender dock most passengers screamed.

 

Funniest Guernsey tender experience was watching the ship's last tender going up and the ship's anchor while we were in a local ferry used on an excursion helping out with the return embarkation.  

 

Regards John

You always give great guidance and share excellent experiences John, thank you. 

I don't mind a bit of a thrill, but Michelle was never going to get on another tender after watching it smash in to the ship at St Peter Port... 

Lots of other options, or we will watch from aboard. 

Andy 

 

[D C]

9 hours ago, john watson said:

 

In mu case the 50% success rate has been drawn from personal experience from eight cruises.  The statistical  data may be better than this.  

 

Regards John

Glad you've kept trying! 🙂

 

Similar times of the year for the successes vs misses? 

[Bell Boy]

Haven't bothered to read any of the replies to your post, however, I don't know 'any cruise line 'that would have a formal evening on the first night of embarkation.