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Your cruise line should provide you with baggage labels and instructions. These should show your name, ship, embarkation port, sailing date and cabin number (if allocated). There is usually no limit on the amount of luggage you can take onboard your cruise ship. However, if you have to fly to join your cruise, the airline will have a weight limit for your bags - typically 20kg -25kg per passenger in economy, less if a low cost airline is used. Charges for excess weight may cost you around £10 per kilo. Remember also that there is often limited wardrobe space in cabins unless you have a suite.

The security arrangements at airports, particularly in the USA, have been significantly increased in recent years since the events of 9/11. The airport authorities there do open luggage to check the contents and they will break locks in order to do so. If your checked bags are locked you will be asked to wait in the check-in area for them to be searched or scanned before you proceed with consequent delays. Travellers are often advised to leave their luggage unlocked on flights to or from the USA.

You should therefore select your cases accordingly - those with inbuilt locks could be irreparably damaged. There are plastic ties available now that you can use in place of the locks that can be cut by the authorities to search your bags. If untouched at least you will know that no-one (authorities or otherwise) has been inside your bags.

With luck you will not see too much of your bags until you are onboard but we would recommend a bag with wheels as trolleys are not available or easy to obtain at all cruise terminals or airports.