Embarkation luggage question

[tupperstamper]

Our cruise is on April 9th on the Pride of America. We are using NCL air. Our flight gets in at 3:50 P.M. Our cruise leaves at 7:00 P.M. I know that's cutting it close but NCL made the reservations. With cutting it that close, I worry about giving our luggage to a porter at the pier. Can we just carry it on ourselves and have it go through the xray machine there?

[davencl]

1 hour ago, tupperstamper said:

Our cruise is on April 9th on the Pride of America. We are using NCL air. Our flight gets in at 3:50 P.M. Our cruise leaves at 7:00 P.M. I know that's cutting it close but NCL made the reservations. With cutting it that close, I worry about giving our luggage to a porter at the pier. Can we just carry it on ourselves and have it go through the xray machine there?

Most normal suitcases you cannot,  it will not fit in the scanners.  If it's an airline sized carry on yes.  I wouldn't worry at all about the porter's.  I would worry about the airline baggage handling.

[mfon1]

On 3/28/2022 at 5:42 PM, tupperstamper said:

Our cruise is on April 9th on the Pride of America. We are using NCL air. Our flight gets in at 3:50 P.M. Our cruise leaves at 7:00 P.M. I know that's cutting it close but NCL made the reservations. With cutting it that close, I worry about giving our luggage to a porter at the pier. Can we just carry it on ourselves and have it go through the xray machine there?

I hope you arrived safely and on time for your cruise today. We are booked for the June 4th on the POA and decided to fly in on the 3rd from the east coast. We did NCL air as well and I was too nervous to chance getting in so close to sailing. 

[janice2348]

I would definitely get a one day deviation and fly in the day before.  I would be too nervous to chance it. They won’t hold the ship for you if you’re delayed, even if you book air through NCL. They’ll fly you to the next port.  That’s what NCL told me. 

[julig22]

48 minutes ago, janice2348 said:

I would definitely get a one day deviation and fly in the day before.  I would be too nervous to chance it. They won’t hold the ship for you if you’re delayed, even if you book air through NCL. They’ll fly you to the next port.  That’s what NCL told me. 

Way too late to request a deviation.

And yes, NCL will hold the ship if they can.  That's actually happened on multiple cruises that I've been on.  Airport transfer will wait, expedited check-in (pre-covid they did it on board), make-up muster check-in.

[Daytonasailor]

On 3/28/2022 at 5:42 PM, tupperstamper said:

Our cruise is on April 9th on the Pride of America. We are using NCL air. Our flight gets in at 3:50 P.M. Our cruise leaves at 7:00 P.M. I know that's cutting it close but NCL made the reservations. With cutting it that close, I worry about giving our luggage to a porter at the pier. Can we just carry it on ourselves and have it go through the xray machine there?

Just remember, when you take your normally checked bags thru the scanner and x-ray, everything over 3 oz is trashed. Running late , checked bags was closed and had to hand carry luggage thru TSA. Been there, done that.

[megr1125]

1 hour ago, Daytonasailor said:

Just remember, when you take your normally checked bags thru the scanner and x-ray, everything over 3 oz is trashed. Running late , checked bags was closed and had to hand carry luggage thru TSA. Been there, done that.

 

They aren't talking about the airport and carrying bags, they're talking about at the pier.  That scanning at the pier is NOT TSA and they don't care about how big your shampoo is, just whether or not you've got booze. 

[don't-use-real-name]

You are taking NCL air to Honolulu -

There should be a NCL agent in the Baggage Claim area to direct you and your luggage

to an awaiting Bus for the 20-25 minute trip to the Aloha port.

At the port your check-ed luggage will taken by porters and crew separately to your cabin on board -

You take your carry-on (medicines cameras maybe a change to Aloha clothes) and check-in

register go through security and board the awaiting ship which from the timing you have

noted will be just in time for the mutiny ah er I mean muster drill and the sail-away party.

 

While the timing is tight and stressful - once you check-in with that NCL agent in the baggage

area and board the Bus relax you will be just fine - 

 

The POA can wait a few minutes (hours) for the sail-away to Maui - it is only a short distance

away - no hurry - the POA has all night to get to Maui for the two day port call ! 

 

[KeithJenner]

The OP posted their question a week before their cruise and there was just one reply, but now that they are safely onboard (or chasing the ship having missed it at Honolulu) there is lots of advice for them. 🙂

[don't-use-real-name]

6 minutes ago, KeithJenner said:

The OP posted their question a week before their cruise and there was just one reply, but now that they are safely onboard (or chasing the ship having missed it at Honolulu) there is lots of advice for them. 🙂

Just trying to be helpful - but - - -

 

Nothing quite like providing information (woulda coulda shoulda) well after the ship has left -

Useless information for this moment in time but for others an enlightenment on the

working parts of cruising well - - -

Hidden hint here try and arrive a day before the cruise sailing for a leisure more relaxed less

stressful cruise. And especially if you don't plan on buying travel insurance ! 

[Sue Do-Over]

I'd be entirely comfortable giving a porter my bag, even if we were among the last to arrive (and we have been).  They clear the luggage area into carts before the last guy clocks out, so as long as you tip the guy a buck, he's going to get it onto the cart.  

[BirdTravels]

On 4/10/2022 at 8:41 AM, Daytonasailor said:

Just remember, when you take your normally checked bags thru the scanner and x-ray, everything over 3 oz is trashed. Running late , checked bags was closed and had to hand carry luggage thru TSA. Been there, done that.

Incorrect. TSA has nothing to do with scanning bags going on ships. The port rent-a-cops scan luggage. You can carry any non-beverage liquid on a cruise ship. 

Edited April 13, 2022 by BirdTravels

[BirdTravels]

On 3/28/2022 at 5:42 PM, tupperstamper said:

Our cruise is on April 9th on the Pride of America. We are using NCL air. Our flight gets in at 3:50 P.M. Our cruise leaves at 7:00 P.M. I know that's cutting it close but NCL made the reservations. With cutting it that close, I worry about giving our luggage to a porter at the pier. Can we just carry it on ourselves and have it go through the xray machine there?

If you are doing NCL air, don't you get transfers from the airport to the port? In that case, your luggage is transferred from the bus to the ship. 

[BirdTravels]

On 4/9/2022 at 5:29 PM, julig22 said:

Way too late to request a deviation.

And yes, NCL will hold the ship if they can.  That's actually happened on multiple cruises that I've been on.  Airport transfer will wait, expedited check-in (pre-covid they did it on board), make-up muster check-in.

Last week, over 300 cabins (600+ passengers) on the Encore missed the ship due to airline delays (weather). Several hundred made their way to the Dominican Republic and St. Thomas to pick up the cruise on Day 3 and Day 4. They then had to disembark at 6:30 am on arrival in Miami on Sunday to go through a full immigration processing since they did not originate in Miami (closed loop). 

[Daytonasailor]

5 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

Incorrect. TSA has nothing to do with scanning bags going on ships. The port rent-a-cops scan luggage. You can carry any non-beverage liquid on a cruise ship. 

I was talking about the airport.