Leaving your luggage prior to check in

[Jarronwood]

Hi everyone

 

Is it possible to drive to the Port (Miami) and deposit your luggage with the porters and then come back a few hours later and check in?

 

We have in mind getting a cab from the hotel at around about 11 am ish and leaving our luggage with the porters to put on the ship and then if we can and the queues are not too long to maybe check in but then do about face and have a wander around Miami?

 

Is this feasible do you think.

 

From what I recall when we cruised once before on RCCL as soon as we got out of the mini bus there was a porter to look after our luggage and promise us to make sure its put on the ship quickly - it then took us nearly 3 hours to board (this was just after 9/11) and I was thinking of not checking in straight away if the queues are horrendous but actually staying in the cab to drive back to the beach.

 

Any thoughts please.

[BobBeaSea]

In Miami last April we taxied over to the port around 11:15 and were onboard by 11:40, Radiance of the Seas. If there are no snafus clearing the previous sailing you could be OK.

[Desertbelle]

A few years ago we arrived into Miami at around 7 AM (a red eye from the west coast). We took a cab to the pier where a porter took our luggage and we left for about 4 hours to visit Miami a little (South Beach....breakfast at the News Cafe....picked up a few last minute sundries).

 

We were a little nervous to drop off the luggage and leave, but the porter assured us that it happened all the time and to not worry. We did give him a nice tip to insure his getting our lugguge onboard. :)

[GORDONCHICK]

Getting your luggage on board is what the porters do. I don't think it matters if you go get in the queue lines or head back out for what ever reasons. I don't think the porters watch to see where you are going, even if you get back in the cab. Their focus is usually the next "customer" because that's how they make their money.

[Jarronwood]

Thanks for that. I guess we will just get up at leisure and get a cab to the pier, drop off our bags and see what the queues are like - if too long we will wander around the beach area.

 

Its knowing what time to get to the pier though. Everyone seems to want to get there early like 11 o clock and they seem to start boarding then. SInce we are on the ship for 14 nights I think a few hours browsing around Miami sounds good. I am in no hurry to board.

[EGG]

Once in Dover England and again in Venice we dropped our bags off at 10:00 and headed out to do some sightseeing.

 

In Dover, they requested we stay for a few minutes while they xrayed the bags. We boarded at 2:30 with a short line.

 

In Venice we were docked overnight. We returned to the check in at about 3 with no line and boarded in time for muster.

 

We confirmed the time to drop off our bags by emailing Celebrity. It took about a week for an answer. I do not have the email address but I am sure I got it off their web site.