Final Night - Why put out your luggage?

[Asnell]

I'm wondering what the advantage is to the passenger of putting out one's luggage at 10pm the night before disembarking from the ship. I mean, I understand the trade-off of having to bring your own bags when you debark, but is that really such a big deal, if they roll? Our family of four travels frequently, and we're pretty used to each wheeling our own suitcase about. We travel with large rolling duffels, which are pretty easy to move around, and usually it's two of these for the four of us, plus one or two carryon bags total. Our kids are 11 and 13, so they can and do take care of a portion of the luggage.

It seems like packing the suitcases and having them collected the night before would be a real organizational headache, and would entail leaving our pajamas, next day's clothing, and all our toiletries and medications in the stateroom for the next day. Then we'd have a set of dirty clothes for each of us, plus pajamas, toiletries, a book, and our personal items to pack into our carryon luggage. So then we'd be reuinited with our bags in the port and have to repack some items before going to the airport (even if I was willing to carry our dirty clothes on board in our carryon bags, all the toiletries would have to go into the checked luggage because of the liquids rule on planes).

That seems like much more of a hassle than just taking our own bags off the ship, but I wonder if I'm overlooking something in the equation, otherwise, wouldn't everyone just take their own bags off? Is it really that difficult to get off the ship with bags?

FWIW, we'll be cruising out of Vancouver and most likely walking the block and a half to take the Skytrain to the airport.

Thanks!

 

[IBelieveInTheMagic]

I think it's many of the reasons you mentioned - for convenience. Also, in Port Canaveral, if you have a participating airline you won't even see your luggage until your final destination when you arrive. That was a nice treat and worth a little reorganizing the night before to get packed up and then not have to "deal" with it until I arrived at my home airport and there it was on the carousel!

We might be doing something different for our Alaskan cruise in 2 weeks. We need to ensure we are among the earlier ones off the ship so we can get to the airport with plenty of time for our flight. I'm thinking they will ask us to take our luggage with us to save time and if that's the case, we'll do what we need to. I see advantages and disadvantages to both so we'll see what happens.

Heather

 

[Lisa Lisa]

IMO, the big benefit to doing this comes into play if you are flying on an airline that participates in DCL's online check-in program. We have flown on US Airways for both of our DCL cruises, and we put our bags out the night before both times. It was a little bit of a pain to pack the night before, but I would rather do that than have to rush around on disembarkation morning! In the morning, we didn't have to take all our bags to breakfast with us, we didn't have to take them through customs, and we didn't have to check them at the airport. We had 2 smallish carry-ons to deal with, and that was it. We didn't see our checked bags until we got to baggage claim in DC. Beautiful!

DH and I will be on the Dream in September, and we plan on using DCL transportation after the cruise for just this reason. If we were not flying with a participating airline or if we were driving home, we would take our bags off the ship ourselves.

 

[gkrech]

When you disembark, you're doing it with everyone. It's just short of controlled chaos. I can only imagine what it would be like if everyone was disembarking with their luggage. Trust me, this is the one time you want to set your bags out the night before.

 

[darkwing818]

I'm wondering what the advantage is to the passenger of putting out one's luggage at 10pm the night before disembarking from the ship. I mean, I understand the trade-off of having to bring your own bags when you debark, but is that really such a big deal, if they roll? Our family of four travels frequently, and we're pretty used to each wheeling our own suitcase about. We travel with large rolling duffels, which are pretty easy to move around, and usually it's two of these for the four of us, plus one or two carryon bags total. Our kids are 11 and 13, so they can and do take care of a portion of the luggage.

It seems like packing the suitcases and having them collected the night before would be a real organizational headache, and would entail leaving our pajamas, next day's clothing, and all our toiletries and medications in the stateroom for the next day. Then we'd have a set of dirty clothes for each of us, plus pajamas, toiletries, a book, and our personal items to pack into our carryon luggage. So then we'd be reuinited with our bags in the port and have to repack some items before going to the airport (even if I was willing to carry our dirty clothes on board in our carryon bags, all the toiletries would have to go into the checked luggage because of the liquids rule on planes).

That seems like much more of a hassle than just taking our own bags off the ship, but I wonder if I'm overlooking something in the equation, otherwise, wouldn't everyone just take their own bags off? Is it really that difficult to get off the ship with bags?

FWIW, we'll be cruising out of Vancouver and most likely walking the block and a half to take the Skytrain to the airport.

Thanks!

I guess it really depends on how much luggage your family has. We took our luggage off ourselves on our first Disney cruise (7 day Eastern). For us it was a pain, mostly me, i had 2 big suitcases w/wheels to schlep off the ship, down through Customs & then to our car.
Nine cruises later we put our bags out on the last night, take our carry ons with us, eat breakfast. Disembark the ship, find a porter, go through Customs & then on to our car. Give the porter a nice tip & we are off.
I'm pretty sure you will find folks do it both ways, I'm sure there is not a "right" way, it's just what you feel comfortable doing. I just know what we prefer.

 

[DisneyNurse19]

I must admit i am still waiting to see this ' chaos' everyone talks about We have never had a problem

 

[owensamo]

The one thing about taking off your bags is that if you go to your assigned breakfast, you need to leave them outside the restaurant because there's really no space inside. We usually hit the buffet the last morning, but if we are particularly attached to our servers, we'll go to breakfast. Even with just carry-ons, it's hard to find space for your stuff near the tables, and I'm not keen on leaving them in the hall.

Even though we usually do the buffet and take our luggage so we don't go back to the room, it's been quiet enough when we go, and there's been enough room at the tables near the windows that we can keep our bags nearby much easier. But just a carry-on and personal items - I can't imagine large amounts of baggage in any of the restaurants.

We've never had a problem with setting our luggage out and getting it. The one time we did have an issue we had a tag that had gotten pulled off a bag (in Barcelona) - a quick question to the nearest CM and they managed to find it for us.

Have a great cruise!

 

[tajz90]

We always carry our bags off and it's never an issue, but we pack lightly. Usually one bag per person. I get too confused and I'm scared I'm going to pack something I need.... Like pants! Hahha.

We leave our luggage in our room when we hit the buffet and pick it up before the 8am room evacuation. It's not an issue to use the stairs if you pack lightly. If you pack big suitcases, probably better to put out the night before.

 

[NFLDERS]

When you disembark, you're doing it with everyone. It's just short of controlled chaos. I can only imagine what it would be like if everyone was disembarking with their luggage. Trust me, this is the one time you want to set your bags out the night before.

This was our experience one and only time we disembarked, with our luggage. We had an 9hr drive ahead of us so wanted to be leaving Baltimore before rush hour. This was March 2012, The Enchantment.

Cruisers 3-5 side by side coming from 2 directions, Luggage getting hung up on each others as the jostling for position went on. While I was trying to get unhooked from one suitcase, my husband and I were temporarily separated. The elevators were full of cruisers waiting for the line to move enough so they could join the chaos.

One poor women was excusing herself to no avail. She explained she was just wanting to make her way to the MDR. Everyone was trying to tell her to go up the stairs, try another route. But, she thought somehow she could get on the elevator. But, it wasn't going anywhere. I was relieved that tempers did not escalate.

We made it through Customs, out of Baltimore just at the start of Rush Hr.

 

[Spwhoney]

If you put your bags out the night before, you must wait until your disembarking time. We always carry our own luggage out. You don't put it outside your door if your are doing this. You can leave anytime you want after the all clear notice to disembark is given. We wake up, eat breakfast then get our bags and walk off.

 

[wl1117]

It's so you can take the stairs and leave the elevators for the people stuck pushing wheelchairs and strollers. So there's not 2000 people dragging luggage opposite directions down the same narrow hallway. It's to make things faster and easier for EVERYONE overall, not just you.

 

[BCV23]

When you disembark, you're doing it with everyone. It's just short of controlled chaos. I can only imagine what it would be like if everyone was disembarking with their luggage. Trust me, this is the one time you want to set your bags out the night before.

It's so you can take the stairs and leave the elevators for the people stuck pushing wheelchairs and strollers. So there's not 2000 people dragging luggage opposite directions down the same narrow hallway. It's to make things faster and easier for EVERYONE overall, not just you.

If you prefer to take your own luggage, I gather you are supposed to do the early walk off.

 

[NFLDERS]

When you disembark, you're doing it with everyone. It's just short of controlled chaos. I can only imagine what it would be like if everyone was disembarking with their luggage. Trust me, this is the one time you want to set your bags out the night before.

This was our experience one and only time we disembarked, with our luggage. We had an 9hr drive ahead of us so wanted to be leaving Baltimore before rush hour. This was March 2012, The Enchantment.

Cruisers 3-5 side by side coming from 2 directions, Luggage getting hung up on each others as the jostling for position went on. While I was trying to get unhooked from one suitcase, my husband and I were temporarily separated. The elevators were full of cruisers waiting for the line to move enough so they could join the chaos.

One poor women was excusing herself to no avail. She explained she was just wanting to make her way to the MDR. Everyone was trying to tell her to go up the stairs, try another route. But, she thought somehow she could get on the elevator. But, it wasn't going anywhere. I was relieved that tempers did not escalate.

We made it through Customs, out of Baltimore just at the start of Rush Hr.

 

[amyg1]

The one time we were driving, we put our bags out. We were in the last group called. It was really frustrating to be waiting. Last time, we decided to keep our bags and were among the first off. I'm never again putting out our bags.

 

[lbgraves]

It's so you can take the stairs and leave the elevators for the people stuck pushing wheelchairs and strollers. So there's not 2000 people dragging luggage opposite directions down the same narrow hallway. It's to make things faster and easier for EVERYONE overall, not just you.

If you prefer to take your own luggage, I gather you are supposed to do the early walk off.

Exactly!!!

On a 7-night cruise we have one suitcase and carryon each, so four cases and 4 bags. If you don't wait until the last minute to pack, it's really not bad. I pack up all the dirty clothes in the hamper on morning 4. That's usually one bag. Afternoon 6 I pack up everything except two dinner outfits, PJs, swim suit & cover ups for CC, a short outfit, and a travel outfit for each person. That night I pack up our dinner outfits that were worn to dinner. Our suitcases are packed before we disembark for Castaway Cay that way. After getting ready for dinner, I pack up our swimsuits in large zip lock bags after wringing them out and put them in one of the front pockets of a suitcase. The suitcases and a carry on go out in the hall before we leave for early dinner. After the show I pack our dinner outfits and we change into our travel clothes for the rest of the night. The rest of the bags go out in the hall then. When we get off the ship we have the camera bag, backpack with laptop & other valuables, carryon with toiletries, and whatever souvenirs we need to carry off with us.

If you leave your bags outside your door, you ...
* don't have to worry about where to put your bags while you eat breakfast,
* don't have to worry about dragging your bags down the stairs or wait in the long lines for the elevators to go anywhere,
* don't have to deal with your bags passing others in the narrow hallways onboard or handling them along the gangway
* don't have to wait for the small elevator at the end of the gangway to go down to customs [this elevator is really intended to help those with strollers and wheelchairs, but they general don't let you take the escalator if you have your bags].

 

[lbgraves]

The one time we were driving, we put our bags out. We were in the last group called. It was really frustrating to be waiting. Last time, we decided to keep our bags and were among the first off. I'm never again putting out our bags.

Not all of the ports call character tags. It is never done in PC.

 

[MikeAndNick]

Last cruise when we got to the buffet breakfast there was a large family that was carrying their luggage off. They had luggage blocking all the isles in the buffet and made a big mess when we were tying to find a place to sit. Then when we were on our way off the ship we got behind them in line. It was a nightmare following a large family with all the luggage trying to exit the rows, show their exit papers and go down the escalator. I told my son, "I hope we are never that annoying".

 

[NFLDERS]

Exactly!!!

On a 7-night cruise we have one suitcase and carryon each, so four cases and 4 bags. If you don't wait until the last minute to pack, it's really not bad. I pack up all the dirty clothes in the hamper on morning 4. That's usually one bag. Afternoon 6 I pack up everything except two dinner outfits, PJs, swim suit & cover ups for CC, a short outfit, and a travel outfit for each person. That night I pack up our dinner outfits that were worn to dinner. Our suitcases are packed before we disembark for Castaway Cay that way. After getting ready for dinner, I pack up our swimsuits in large zip lock bags after wringing them out and put them in one of the front pockets of a suitcase. The suitcases and a carry on go out in the hall before we leave for early dinner. After the show I pack our dinner outfits and we change into our travel clothes for the rest of the night. The rest of the bags go out in the hall then. When we get off the ship we have the camera bag, backpack with laptop & other valuables, carryon with toiletries, and whatever souvenirs we need to carry off with us.

If you leave your bags outside your door, you ...
* don't have to worry about where to put your bags while you eat breakfast,
* don't have to worry about dragging your bags down the stairs or wait in the long lines for the elevators to go anywhere,
* don't have to deal with your bags passing others in the narrow hallways onboard or handling them along the gangway
* don't have to wait for the small elevator at the end of the gangway to go down to customs [this elevator is really intended to help those with strollers and wheelchairs, but they general don't let you take the escalator if you have your bags].

Exactly!

 

[kapoof]

Last cruise when we got to the buffet breakfast there was a large family that was carrying their luggage off. They had luggage blocking all the isles in the buffet and made a big mess when we were tying to find a place to sit. Then when we were on our way off the ship we got behind them in line. It was a nightmare following a large family with all the luggage trying to exit the rows, show their exit papers and go down the escalator. I told my son, "I hope we are never that annoying".

That would drive me nuts too. I had thought we would just take our luggage with us, after reading these responses..we are putting it outside our door!

 

[Zandy595]

We've done it both ways and by far prefer not to have to schlep our luggage off the ship ourselves. We have two rolling backpacks that we take off, but I don't ever want to deal with the bigger suitcases again. And we drive.

That being said, everyone is different. Do what you think will work best for you.