Carnival Luggage Limitations

For many people a cruise vacation is something they’ve been waiting years to do. Keep your eye out for cruise deals for the most affordable trip for you and your family. Using a travel agent will also be helpful in planning and coordinating your trip. Selecting the right cruise line for you is the first step. Royal Caribbean and Carnival cruises are two great cruise lines. Below we look deeper at FAQs about Carnival Cruises specifically.

Your first cruise is a magical moment and the first time you step aboard Carnival cruises they want you to feel taken care of.

Carnival Cruise Lines is the world's largest cruise carrier -- with 24 cruise ships and approximately 4.5 million annual passengers as of 2014. Before your embarkation day check-in at your departure port, be sure to know what you can and can't bring on a Carnival cruise.

Carnival cruises give you the chance to do online check-in. Once you check-in for your cruise you will receive personalized luggage tags that ensure the cruise ship porters deliver your luggage to the right stateroom.

On your first day you can expect your cruise luggage to be taken care of as well as bottled water and alcoholic drinks to be provided. Your checked baggage is taken to your room so make sure that on your first day you have everything you’ll need for the day in your carry-on bag or personal item. Make sure you have any valuables or travel documents in your personal item in case you need them as well.

When you check-in for your cruise you will be asked to select an arrival appointment. At this time all members of your stateroom should be at the cruise terminal and ready for disembarkation.

Carnival cruises have options from 5 day cruises to as long as 23 day cruises, but for all cruises, guests can have only two suitcases as long as they meet the weight limit. Suitcases can weigh no more than 50 pounds each. However, cruise packing does not need to be stressful as all Carnival ships have onboard laundry facilities. Additionally, suitcases and other pieces of luggage cannot be any taller than 16 inches or wider than 24 inches, though they can be as long as you want, according to Carnival's website.

Carnival ship security personnel check luggage (through X-ray) before boarding and may confiscate any items they feel are dangerous. This includes all firearms -- including replicas -- ammunition, tasers, pepper spray or mace, martial arts paraphernalia and similar items. You can bring a knife on board as long as its blade is shorter than 4 inches. Don't bother bringing any fire-related items with you, either; Carnival prohibits candles, incense and lighter fluid. If you accidentally bring a prohibited item with you -- provided it isn't an immediate threat to passenger safety -- Carnival will usually hold it for you until you return to port. According to Carnival's website, security staff screen all bags for dangerous items.

If your cruise includes an excursion where you would need diving equipment like diving knives, you can leave these items with ship security and check them out when you need them. You'll have to rent canoes or small boats when you reach your destination ports, however, because Carnival forbids these items in passenger luggage. Boogie boards are allowed as long as they are shorter than 42 inches. In general, diving gear is prohibited for Carnival cruises. This includes dive tanks and spears. If you're planning on a beach celebration at your destination port, plan to purchase fireworks or coolers larger than 1 cubic foot when you arrive.

Carnival cruises usually provide plenty of food and drinks for all passengers, but passengers with dietary restrictions or particular tastes should verify that what they want to bring on board is allowed. If you're at least 21, you can have one unopened bottle of wine or champagne in your carry-on luggage (beer and liquor are not allowed) to enjoy in your stateroom. Alcoholic beverages are only allowed in your carry-on bag, not in a checked bag. You can bring food onto Carnival cruises, but it must be unopened, prepackaged and ready to eat. Don't bring anything you whipped up at home -- Carnival completely prohibits these items to prevent contamination.

Carnival Cruises has many amenities to make your trip better! The ship will have WIFI at their internet cafes that range through the bow-to-stern-ship wide. It is recommended that you bring your own luggage with toiletries such as travel size shampoo. If you want hair items like hair dryers and curling irons you can bring those in your checked or carry-on bags. It is important to note: clothes steamers are strictly banned from Carnival cruises.