When you’re getting ready for a Carnival cruise, the main thing to remember is that they keep things pretty relaxed, but you still want to be smart about packing. You’re allowed to bring two suitcases per person, and they shouldn’t weigh more than 50 pounds each. It’s a huge lifesaver to pack a small carry-on bag with your essentials like meds, swimsuits, and boarding passes because it can take a few hours for your main luggage to show up at your cabin door. Just make sure you aren’t packing anything prohibited like candles or surge protectors, and you’ll be all set for a smooth embarkation.

How Much Luggage Can I Bring on a Carnival Cruise?

When you’re packing for a Carnival cruise, you don’t need to stress as much as you would at the airport. They aren’t hovering over you with a scale, but they do suggest keeping it to one bag for short trips or two for longer ones. The main thing is making sure each suitcase stays under 50 pounds so the crew can handle them safely. I always tell people to keep a small bag with them during boarding because it takes a while for your big suitcases to reach your room, and you’ll definitely want your swimsuit or meds handy while you explore the ship.

• The 50lb Rule: Try to keep each checked bag under 50 pounds and roughly 16″H x 24″W (though length is flexible).
• Carry-On Essentials: Keep your ID, boarding pass, and any medications on you, not in your checked luggage.
• Beverage Limits: You can bring one 750ml bottle of wine or champagne and up to twelve 12oz cans of soda/juice per person, but these must be in your carry-on.
• Prohibited Items: Leave the candles, surge protectors, and large coolers at home they won’t make it past security.

What Is the Luggage Size Limit on Carnival Cruises?

Basically, when your suitcase is lying flat on the floor, it shouldn’t be more than 16 inches high and 24 inches wide. Interestingly, they don’t actually put a strict limit on how long the bag is, but you want to stay within reason so it can fit through the security scanners at the terminal and, more importantly, slide under your bed in the cabin. If your bag is too bulky to fit under the bed, it’s going to take up precious floor space in an already cozy room. As for weight, try to keep each bag under 50 pounds. While they aren’t as strict as airlines about weighing every single piece, keeping them manageable is a huge help to the porters who have to haul them onto the ship for you.

• Maximum Height: 16 inches (when lying flat).
• Maximum Width: 24 inches (when lying flat).
• Weight Limit: Aim for 50 pounds or less per bag.
• Carry-on Tip: Your carry-on must be able to fit through the X-ray machine, which is usually about the same size as the ones at the airport.

Do Carnival Cruises Check Your Luggage?

Absolutely, they definitely check your bags. Think of it like airport security but for the ocean. Every single suitcase, whether you hand it to a porter or carry it on yourself, goes through an X-ray machine. They’re mainly looking for things like weapons, hard liquor, or fire hazards like candles and irons. Sometimes they even have security dogs at the terminal to sniff for prohibited items.

• X-Ray Scanning: Every bag (checked and carry-on) is scanned for prohibited items and safety risks.
• Manual Inspection: If something looks odd on the X-ray, security will open the bag (often in your presence) to investigate.
• The “Naughty Room”: If you have a banned item, your bag won’t be delivered to your room; you’ll get a note telling you to pick it up at security.
• Alcohol Check: They specifically look for “smuggled” booze. If they find it, they’ll usually toss it or hold it until the end of the trip.

Is There A Size Limit For Carry-on Luggage On A Carnival Cruise?

When it comes to your carry-on for a Carnival cruise, the most important rule is that it has to fit through a standard security X-ray machine kind of like the ones at the airport. Technically, they look for bags that are no more than 16 inches high and 24 inches wide. There isn’t a super strict limit on how long the bag is, but since you’ll be the one lugging it around the ship until your room is ready (usually around 1:30 PM), you’ll definitely want something manageable like a backpack or a small rolling suitcase.

Can You Carry Your Own Luggage On A Carnival Cruise?

Carnival cruise passengers can bring their carry-on size luggage with them when checking in at the cruise terminal. However, if a Carnival guest carries their baggage onboard, they will have to keep their bags with them until the staterooms are ready.

If you plan on bringing multiple pieces of luggage onto the cruise, it’s probably best to check in your bags. Checking in your bags at the cruise terminal is a very easy process, leading to a smoother boarding process.

What Is The Number Of Bags You Can Carry On A Carnival Cruise?

Carnival is pretty flexible, but they generally suggest sticking to one checked bag if you’re on a short three-to-five-day trip and two bags if you’re sailing for six days or longer. Beyond that, you can still bring a carry-on and a personal item like a backpack. They don’t usually count every piece, but remember that you’ll have to store everything in your cabin, so packing light is always a win.

What Are The Carnival Cruise Luggage Packing Tips?

When you’re packing for a Carnival cruise, the smartest approach is to think about “efficiency” and “just in case.” Since you’ll be living in a cozy cabin, you want to bring things that serve a dual purpose or save space. Most people find that rolling their clothes instead of folding them is a game-changer it keeps wrinkles away and lets you squeeze in that extra formal night outfit or those 80s-themed accessories for the deck party.

• The “Lido Ready” Bag: Pack your swimsuit, sunscreen, and flip-flops in your carry-on so you can hit the pool immediately while waiting for your main luggage.
• Magnetic Hooks: The cabin walls are metal! Use heavy-duty magnets to hang your wet swimsuits, lanyards, or hats to keep the counters clear.
• Wrinkle-Release Spray: Since irons are a fire hazard and banned in rooms, a small bottle of Downey Wrinkle Releaser is a life-saver for dinner outfits.
• Power Solutions: Bring a non-surge power strip. Older ships have very few outlets, but regular home power strips with surge protection will be confiscated.
• Laundry Strategy: Pack a collapsible hamper or a simple trash bag for dirty laundry to keep it separate from your clean clothes in the tiny closet.

Can You Bring Drinks On A Carnival Cruise?

When it comes to drinks, Carnival is actually one of the more generous lines, but they have very specific “how-to” rules. You can bring your own soda or wine, but the catch is that it must be in your carry-on bag if you put it in your checked luggage, security will likely take it. Each person is allowed one 750ml bottle of wine or champagne and a 12-pack of canned non-alcoholic drinks like soda or sparkling water. Just keep in mind that plastic or glass bottles for water and soda are a no-go; they only want to see cans or cartons.

• Wine/Champagne: One 750ml bottle per adult (21+).
• Non-Alcoholic Drinks: Max twelve 12oz cans or cartons per person (soda, juice, or sparkling water).
• No Plastic/Glass Bottles: You can’t bring bottled water or bottled soda switch to cans or pre-order water for your cabin.
• Carry-On Only: Never pack drinks in your checked bags; you have to walk them through security yourself.
• Corkage Fee: It’s free to drink your wine in your room, but they’ll charge you about $15 if you want to bring that bottle to a restaurant or bar.

What Is The Corkage Fee On A Carnival Cruise?

If you decide to bring your own bottle of wine or champagne to a restaurant or bar on a Carnival cruise, you’ll likely run into a $15 corkage fee. This isn’t just a fee for someone to pull the cork for you; it’s basically a standard charge for consuming “outside” alcohol in a public dining space. If you’re looking to save that extra cash, the easiest way is to just pour a glass in your cabin and walk into dinner with it. As long as you aren’t carrying the whole bottle, you usually won’t be charged a dime.

Carnival Water Bottle Pricing:

• A 12-pack of bottled water (500 ml) costs $9.95 USD (plus an 18% delivery fee)
• A single bottle of water (1.5 liters) costs $3.95 USD (plus an 18% delivery fee)
• An 8-pack of bottled water (1.5 liters) costs $20.00 USD (plus an 18% delivery fee)

Can You Bring Snacks On A Carnival Cruise?

You can definitely bring snacks on a Carnival cruise, but the golden rule is that they must be factory-sealed and shelf-stable. Since there is so much free food on the ship, you might not think you need them, but having your favorite chips or granola bars is a lifesaver for late-night cravings or shore excursions. Just avoid bringing anything homemade or “fresh” like fruit or sandwiches, as security will have to toss those to follow health and agricultural laws.

How Do You Check-in Your Luggage On A Carnival Cruise?

Checking in your luggage is actually the easiest part of embarkation day. When you arrive at the terminal, you’ll see porters waiting near the entrance. You just hand over your big suitcases to them, and they take it from there, loading everything onto the ship for you. Later that evening, your bags will magically show up right outside your cabin door. Just make sure your printed Carnival luggage tags are securely attached before you get there so the crew knows exactly where to deliver them.

• Print Tags Early: Log into your Carnival account about 14 days before your trip to print your luggage tags. Staple or tape them to your bag handles.
• Tipping the Porters: It’s customary to tip the porters about $2–$5 per bag. They work hard to move thousands of suitcases in just a few hours!
• Keep Your ID: Never pack your passport, boarding pass, or medications in the bags you give to the porters. You’ll need those to actually get through the terminal.
• The “Wait Time”: Your checked bags might not arrive at your room until late in the afternoon or even after dinner, so keep your essentials in a small carry-on.

Conclusion

When it comes down to it, Carnival’s luggage rules are really all about making your first few hours on the ship as easy as possible. You’ve got a lot of freedom with those two 50-pound bags, but the real pro move is staying organized with your carry-on so you aren’t stuck waiting for your suitcase to enjoy the pool. By sticking to the “cans only” rule for soda and keeping your wine in your hand luggage, you’ll breeze through security without a hitch. It’s the perfect way to start your vacation stress-free and ready for the Fun Ships.

FAQ

Q.1 How Much Luggage Is Allowed On A Carnival Cruise?

Ans: Carnival Cruise Line recommends passengers bring a maximum of one checked bag (up to 50 lbs) for 3-5 day cruises, and two checked bags for 6+ day cruises, plus one carry-on per person. 

Q.2 Can I Bring A Backpack And A Suitcase On A Cruise?

Ans: Each guest is permitted to carry a reasonable amount of personal property (including luggage) aboard the vessel.

Q.3 Does Carnival Cruise Check Your Carry-On Bags?

Ans: Yes, Carnival Cruise Line screens all carry-on bags through X-ray machines during the embarkation process.

Q.4 What Size Luggage Is Allowed On Carnival Cruises?

Ans: Carnival recommends checked bags be under 50 lbs and fit through a 16 inches high x 24 inches wide opening.

Also Read: Carnival Military Discount | Veterans & Active Duty Cruise Savings