Cruisetour baggage vs ship baggage

[Jacobs Ema]

Help me please. I have been researching, and reaching out but I cannot for the life of me find anything about luggage on a cruise tour.(NCL)

We are doing 7 day land then 7 day sea. 1 suitcase or two? If two, do I have to schlep both of them around to all the land stops? We are about 40 days out, and NCL has been able to provide NO information.

[don't-use-real-name]

Luggage going on the ship -

Check two with a porter at the pier -

Luggage is taken on board and delivered to your cabin -

Carry-On - you haul it aboard yourself to your cabin

 

Luggage going off the ship

Left outside your cabin door the night before disembarking

Luggage taken off ship to claim area for your pick-up

 

OK - you are on a pre or post cruise land tour.

You schlep your own luggage to the point of meeting the tour -

Tours normally handle only one luggage item per person but

a second smaller piece of luggage may handled - Consider TIP ?

 

 

PRE-CRUISE: (This is what you are doing)

You meet the tour people normally usually in the claim area

of an airport or designated hotel lobby - - -

The tour people take your luggage and transport it from one

tour point (lodging/hotel) to the next - - - if doing this pre cruise

at the last night hotel you will be given instructions on the handling

of your luggage getting it on board the ship to your cabin door.

 

POST-CRUISE: 

Instructions should be given to have special tags applied for the

tour people/operator to pickup you luggage in the claim area -OR-

you claim the luggage yourself and schlep it to the awaiting tour

people and they take it from there nightly to the end of the tour.

 

Basically your checked luggage is moved from hotel to hotel nightly

your carry-on you take it with you - KEEP in mind your medications

cell phone camera binoculars a change of clothing footwear and passports

and tour cruise paperwork are in the carry-on or a separate bag and NOT checked.

All the heavy toting schleping of the luggage is taken care of for you. 

 

 

[compozer]

This has been a discussion on the Princess site.  But no one really knows?    Some say "the hell with sending some to the ship"  - I may discover I need something and want it all with me - especially on a 7 day one.   We are only doing 4 days on land.   Have the rules changed in two years?     What happens if you keep all of it and then are told - No you can only have one suitcase and a carry on.

 

I do plan to pack our formal wear, dresses, clothes for dinner, shoes and thing I know I will only use on the ship.   Will we really know the weather conditions two days before? - we always have our suitcases packed two days before and I have better things to do than repack the night before.   I want jackets, rain gear, etc. with me - I am old and I want to be comfortable rather than saying to myself or out loud   - "How much longer - wish this tour was over so I can relax and be warm in my room!"

 

They say you can only have a backpack on the train and bus.   I don't have any backpacks and don't plan to purchase 4 for our trip.  Or even drag around a duffle bag - don't have toes either - wheels are the way to go for me.  My carryon is still in great shape and I do not want it on the bottom of a pile of heavy suitcases.   My son has a wheel carryon with his camera gear and he wants it close to him so he can take pictures especially on the train.    So our carry ons will be with us !!     

[don't-use-real-name]

There may be problems with all the luggage baggage carry-ons that guests MUST have on

the pre-post-cruise.

The tour vehicle may only have so much room or there may be a second (truck) vehicle to

tote the luggage (note the key word is LUG) from hotel to the next.

Some tours do fine with the luggage bay in the belly of a bus - others need that separate

vehicle to move it.

Your carry-on baggage may also be limited in space - some buses don't have the overhead

bins and thus the space at your feet (under a seat) is the only other option unless there

are empty seats. Oh there is always the inconvenient stash it in your lap or sit on it.

Most people do just fine with the arrangements that are provided.

Wheels on your luggage baggage are always appreciated -

Keeping the weight down is also helpful to you and those who handle the luggage -

Back packs are neat and convenient for toting more stuff but can be cumbersome in

moving about in crowded spaces/places.

Also note extra overweight oversize baggage checked on airlines is usually subject to

a surcharge and could cost dearly - although the cruise ship lines don't entertain this -

which brings up TIPS !

As I posted previously as a hint - have luggage - something awkward - oversize - heavy

consider a TIP commensurate with the effort to handle it with care and avoid injury !

[compozer]

For what this land tour is costing, maybe it is time the cruise lines realize people want to be comfortable and have their belongings close to them.   Yes, I realize their is limited space.   On our last land/sea trip, they had a truck that transported our luggage from lodge to lodge so there was no issue with having your luggage with you during the land trip.   Maybe Princess is different from cruise lines you have been on.   I will do what I can to send some things to the ship but I plan to bring along things I might think I will need.

And overweight luggage can be a pain.  We fly first class so we never need to worry about being overweight.  But I do not like to handle heavy suitcases or damage them because they are so heavy, so I would rather bring another piece.   I know many people do not tip but we always do.

Edited May 5, 2022 by compozer

[oaktreerb]

Two people, three suitcases.  One will just have things you will wear on the ship.  That way even if is with you, you don’t need to get into it.  Also each person has a small bag with things like phone, meds, snack, rain jacket that you can access easily during the day.  You should not be schlepping anything, the cruise tour staff should be handling all luggage for you.  You leave it in/out the room to be picked up and you should find it in the room at your next destination.

On 5/4/2022 at 6:56 PM, Jacobs Ema said:

Help me please. I have been researching, and reaching out but I cannot for the life of me find anything about luggage on a cruise tour.(NCL)

We are doing 7 day land then 7 day sea. 1 suitcase or two? If two, do I have to schlep both of them around to all the land stops? We are about 40 days out, and NCL has been able to provide NO information.

 

[Joseph2017China]

On 5/4/2022 at 9:56 PM, Jacobs Ema said:

Help me please. I have been researching, and reaching out but I cannot for the life of me find anything about luggage on a cruise tour.(NCL)

We are doing 7 day land then 7 day sea. 1 suitcase or two? If two, do I have to schlep both of them around to all the land stops? We are about 40 days out, and NCL has been able to provide NO information.

are you saying two for a couple, or two just for you?  Because, I go on many two week trips, and only have one suitcase, that weighs 23kg which is just slight more than 50lbs.  I have never used two bags on any trip.  I do not consider my backpack a bag.

[compozer]

I think this luggage discussion has been blown out of proportion.    The backpack or small bag is just what people should bring onto the bus or train - you can still bring extra luggage which will be stored under the bus or if there is no extra storage, it will be taken by truck to the next location.   They encourage you to send as much as possible directly to the ship.