Boarding w/ ALL of your luggage-possible?

[trvlwrld]

On our last cruise our luggage wasn’t delivered until after 8 pm.  On this next cruise we will have been traveling for over 24 hours, and I want to board, unpack, and go right to bed as we have a 7 am excursion the next morning.  Is it possible to use the Princess transfer from Rome to Civitavecchia and then retrieve your luggage to carry all of it on?

[PMGS247]

Tough one....my guess: no.  Security screening process is so massive that I'd imagine it would be a notable hassle to fast-track a specific subset of luggage either before, during, or after the actual physical screening of your bags.  That process is build to handle a massive flow of nameless bags making their way through. Dog-earing specific bags to be handled differently across the massive production line would be a significant challenge, I would think.

 

I guess it can't hurt to ask but I wouldn't be too optimistic.  8pm is pretty late for bags to be delivered, as well, at least in my experience.  I wouldn't assume you'd get them that late next time and it may not be worth the hassle of trying to get this security process exception, either trying to line it up in-advance and/or whatever headaches it might cause the day-of.

[memoak]

If allowed you need to make sure all your luggage will fit through the scanning devices for passengers to use

[PacnGoNow]

1 hour ago, trvlwrld said:

On our last cruise our luggage wasn’t delivered until after 8 pm.  On this next cruise we will have been traveling for over 24 hours, and I want to board, unpack, and go right to bed as we have a 7 am excursion the next morning.  Is it possible to use the Princess transfer from Rome to Civitavecchia and then retrieve your luggage to carry all of it on?

Sounds difficult, since normally your bags on a transfer are delivered to the stateroom.  I’ve never received bags that late. 
 

I would suggest.. take a carryon with you to checkin yourself with a change of clothes, sleepwear, etc.

 

 You could tell your steward that you’re going to retire early and if your bags are very late, just set them inside your door.

 

 

 

 

[eclue]

We board with all our luggage for every cruise.....no problem.

[PMGS247]

28 minutes ago, eclue said:

We board with all our luggage for every cruise.....no problem.

 

How does one do this?  Hard to imagine them even letting us drag our full size luggage through the terminal/metal detector?  Are you able to just decline letting the porter take your luggage?

[cruzsnooze]

I can't speak to your port but here in Los Angeles my full size suitcase fits through the scanner so I take all my luggage on board with me. My guess is all scanners are similar in size. I would suggest you take it with you and if for any reason it doesn't fit they will take it from you to bring on board so you have nothing to loose by trying. 

[nini]

We have boarded with all of our luggage with no problem. The key is being able to move it yourself. Just remember, that you may not be able to take it to your cabin right away, due to the cabins not yet being ready.

Since you are on the Princess transfer, that can work in your favor as you may be a later arrival.

[startedwithamouse]

We've done it on short cruises from LA - full size easily fits through scanning areas. 

[Jadn13]

I Always carry on but I only have a carry on size suitcase so it fits through the security screening with no problems. 

[Jadn13]

36 minutes ago, PMGS247 said:

 

How does one do this?  Hard to imagine them even letting us drag our full size luggage through the terminal/metal detector?  Are you able to just decline letting the porter take your luggage?

Yes, you can just take your luggage with you through the terminal.  

[PMGS247]

7 minutes ago, Jadn13 said:

Yes, you can just take your luggage with you through the terminal.  

 

Interesting.  I think I'd still pass on dragging my massive luggage around all day but it's good to know if I ever arrive late.  Would have thought from a security screening perspective it would have caused problems.  I assume they still run it through some sort of scanner. 

[SCX22]

If you are on a Princess airport to port transfer it will depend on the transfer operator.  I've experienced it where my large luggage was loaded on a box truck instead of the luggage hold of the coach.  If this is the case then there's no way you can self carry on all of your luggage because you and your luggage won't arrive at the port at the same time.  I think this is done to save gas on the coaches.  If your all of you luggage goes with you on the coach, then you can wait for the driver/porters to unload the luggage from the coach, claim yours, and schlep it through the terminal.

Edited June 27, 2023 by SCX22

[PacnGoNow]

28 minutes ago, nini said:

We have boarded with all of our luggage with no problem. The key is being able to move it yourself. Just remember, that you may not be able to take it to your cabin right away, due to the cabins not yet being ready.

Since you are on the Princess transfer, that can work in your favor as you may be a later arrival.

Have you taken it through security in Civitavecchia?  I’ve not boarded there on a PCL transfer.  Not sure if their scanners are big enough.

[PacnGoNow]

3 minutes ago, SCX22 said:

If you are on a Princess airport to port transfer it will depend on the transfer operator.  I've experienced it where my large luggage was loaded on a box truck instead of the luggage hold of the coach.  If this is the case then there's no way you can self carry on all of your luggage because you and your luggage won't arrive at the port at the same time.  I think this is done to save gas on the coaches.  If your all of you luggage goes with you on the coach, then you can wait for the driver/porters to unload the luggage from the coach, claim yours, and schlep it through the terminal.

True.  Many times we’ve had our luggage go on a separate trailer truck and straight to the baggage handlers and on the ship.

 

So, OP needs to hear from someone on a Rome transfer guest boarding in Civitavecchia. 

[nini]

33 minutes ago, PacnGoNow said:

Have you taken it through security in Civitavecchia?  I’ve not boarded there on a PCL transfer.  Not sure if their scanners are big enough.

Not in Civi, but yes, when we boarded in Southampton (on a Princess transfer) and the same in Vancouver, BC.

[DCThunder]

45 minutes ago, PacnGoNow said:

True.  Many times we’ve had our luggage go on a separate trailer truck and straight to the baggage handlers and on the ship.

 

So, OP needs to hear from someone on a Rome transfer guest boarding in Civitavecchia. 

When I boarded in Civi last year, my recollection was the scanner was the same size as at TSA checkpoints at US airports.  A full-size suitcase would have a hard time fitting through.

[Shaver John]

We did the 28 day Trans Atlantic from Rome to Florida with only 2 small carry ons and 2 totes. We had no problem getting off the airplane and unto the ship taking our own luggage onboard. That is the way we always travel no matter how long the cruise. Did the same for a 32 day cruise and couple days before to South America, Nice to not have to struggle with heavy bags.

[MissP22]

In Ft. Lauderdale we always carry all our luggage on with us. We leave it in the cabin until after lunch & muster check in & have them unpacked before 2 PM. 

I don't know what size scanners they have in Europe but our suit cases are 18 inches wide X 13 inches thick and fit without any problem in Ft. Lauderdale.

[dockman]

one of the great things about being elite is free laundry..i just did 21 days on crown and carried only a small carry on bag....frankly i don't really care if people get tired of me wearing same outfits over and over and i suspect most don't even notice me....i don't do formal so it is not that hard if u use the laundry service...sure makes travel a lot easier with no big bags to worry about...with a little forethought i can easily pack for 3 weeks with various layers suited to changing alaska weather...

[jeromep]

7 hours ago, trvlwrld said:

On our last cruise our luggage wasn’t delivered until after 8 pm.  On this next cruise we will have been traveling for over 24 hours, and I want to board, unpack, and go right to bed as we have a 7 am excursion the next morning.  Is it possible to use the Princess transfer from Rome to Civitavecchia and then retrieve your luggage to carry all of it on?

I think the jury is out on your question, however I'd like to suggest a different approach.

 

Your airline carry on luggage is just the right size to go through the scanner at the port.  I'm not sure of your pre-cruise travel plans.  Are you staying someplace prior to the cruise?  Maybe a hotel stay in a city before your flight into Rome?  Either way, I'd make sure that you had your day 1 clothing of choice for your excursion packed in your carry on.  That means if you are flying from home to Rome and immediately transferring to the ship, you'll have to plan ahead and have that clothing all packaged up in the carry on.  Then you don't have to worry when your larger, checked, luggage arrives.  If you have intermediate travel plans, you may have to reorganize your luggage before you get to Rome, like putting dirty clothing in your checked bags, making space for your excursion day clothing in your carry ons.

 

Either that, or I didn't understand the assignment.