50# Luggage Limit....How do you do it?

[cruisenfever]

How does everyone keep their luggage under the 50# limit? You have to consider that the empty luggage has weight and then once you fill it, it gets heavier.

 

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[knarf]

On our cruise on 1/16/05, when we got to the airport and they weighed our luggage our big piece was 4 pounds over. So we stepped aside and put some things in our other bags to get in under the 50 pounds. It is had to tell when it is over the limit. The cruise in Sept. I stood on our bathroom scale and weighed myself with the luggage in my hand. It seemed to work because we weren't over, but in Jan I didn't do that and we were over. For what it is worth dept. !! Knarf (Frank backwards)

[cruisenfever]

Thanks knarf...the only problem we have is that we are doing a three week cruise. Clothes are packed in pack-it cubes and pack-it sleeves, very organized. We really can't take things out. So, do we pay the $25.00 overage fee, or take less clothes and pay the laundry fee on the ship?

[LARGIN]

Thanks knarf...the only problem we have is that we are doing a three week cruise. Clothes are packed in pack-it cubes and pack-it sleeves, very organized. We really can't take things out. So, do we pay the $25.00 overage fee, or take less clothes and pay the laundry fee on the ship?

 

How about another piece of luggage.? :D

[EXBRIT]

How about another piece of luggage.? :D

It's 50 lbs per person not per piece of luggage (airline rules).

 

Do you have three weeks worth of clothes without having to wash?

 

It's probably cheaper to pay the $25 then to have laundry done. Sometimes depending upon the airline and your ticket price (regular price vs deeply discounted) the airline ignores the overage. My luggage is overweight every time I fly (they are always having to stick on the big florescent "HEAVY" signs for the loader guys) but I have only been charged once and that was on a deeply discounted ticket.

[vjblk]

Isn't it 50 lbs per checked bag? We've always taken 4 bags at 50 lbs each for domestic flights or 4 bags at 70 lbs each for international flights. My sister and I just try to mix and match alot. And we really limit the shoes we take. That really helps the weight problem. We always try to make do with the ship's hair dryers so we don't have to take one of those. We do as the other poster does. I weigh myself alone and then weigh myself holding the luggage. Never have had a problem. We always try to go under the limit some so that we have extra for bringing back souvenirs. Planning is key. We chose our clothes we want to take and then end up eliminating alot of them. It's hard but we manage to decrease the number of clothes we take.

[glgolfer]

It's 50 lbs per checked bag.

[EXBRIT]

I'm flying with Delta on Thursday and their Liability is for a max of 70 lbs per bag as they pay per lb for lost luggage. However the checked baggage policy for domestic and international flights is up to 2 bags with a total max weight of 50 lbs/22.6kg for domestic and 70lbs / 32kg for international. Any excess up to 100lbs/45kg will be charged. Any excess over 100lbs/45kg will not be accepted.

 

I really wish it was per bag as that would be an easy solution unfortunately it's not. Some airlines even go as low as 20kg total (usually the really discounted airlines).

[Ellya]

Well, I just checked Delta's website and this is what it says:

 

Domestic U.S. Flights:

Items should not weigh more than 50 lbs. (approx. 22.5kg).

 

It does not state "combined" at all. All airlines I have flown recently have the 50 pound per bag rule. I believe that is the case here as well. If you are in doubt you might want to call them directly and ask. We usually just take an extra bag if our main bag approaches 50 pounds. We have never been charged.

[TWA4Ever]

Max baggage weight also depends on whatever elite status you have with whatever airline you are flying.

[kujobie]

Another suggestion. If you have time, buy stuff at the port of embarkation. The cruise line does not have a weight limit on luggage. After arriving at port city, stop at Wal-Mart for film, batteries, sunscreen, snorkel gear, booze and soda, etc.

[doone]

Flew Delta last March for my cruise. I had 2 pieces of checked luggage, one weighing 49 pounds and the other weighing 39 pounds. Its 50 pounds per checked luggage, not total.

[kitty9]

It is 50lbs per bag, not total for all bags for domestic flights. It's 70lbs per bag for international flights. But, that's where it gets sticky. Say you're flying from Chicago to London---you get the 70lbs per bag. But, you cruise to Barcelona and then have to fly from there to London and then you have to change planes to get back to Chicago. In Barcelona, you're limited to only 40lbs per bag, as this is the rule for flights between European cities. That's a tough one.

 

This is from Northwest's website:

Checked Luggage

Northwest Airlines will accept checked luggage up to a maximum weight of 50 pounds (23kg) per piece and a maximum total linear dimension (length plus width plus height) of 62 inches (158 cm).

 

All other airlines have the same limitations

 

For the OP, I've done cruises as long as 35 days, and have managed with three pieces of luggage--two large and one small. Have you thought about shipping your bags to the ship? I've done that a few times and it's a great way to handle packing for long cruises. You can easily recycle clothes for your cruise. Start by doing a lot of mix and match. When I do long cruises, I usually take black, white, navy and khaki things and then mix and match them. For my longest cruise I got away with only taking four pairs of shorts, 7 t-shirts, three pairs of capri pants and two bathing suits, all for daytime wear. I was lucky because Crystal has free self service laundries on all their ships. The general rule of thumb for cruises is: pack your bags and then take half the stuff out. You're really going to be surprised by how little you need.

[doone]

Jetblue, you can take 3 pieces of luggage and they can weigh upto 70 pounds!!!!! I am liking Jetblue more and more.

[cali-croozer]

Not sure on airline rules.......they all seem to be different. But, in any case, get rid of those giant suitcases! Our friends were so proud to have only 2 suitcases on the cruise....I think they were even bigger than the 28" ones. After packing, they had trouble lifting them! LOL They were very lucky at the airport as they weren't charged extra for the extra weight. We try to use the 20" and 22" suitcases. We use space bags for bulky items like socks and underwear. We also do laundry towards the end of our cruise for our post cruise touring. We've learned not to overpack (that's a tough one to overcome...:) )

 

 

Happy packing!!!!

[ca2ga2000]

Yes, most airlines, domestically (in the U.S.), limit you to 2 bags at a limit of 50 lbs. each!

 

For our cruise last summer, we flew AirTran, which allowed us 3 checked bags each at up to 70 lbs! YAY!!! We only checked 3 bags between the 2 of us, but one of them was 62 lbs ( :O ) We packed our snorkeling gear plus bottled water and sodas (as we didn't have time to stop at a store in FLL before boarding the ship)

 

This year, we are flying to LA a day early for our Diamond cruise... we will be limited on America West to 50 lbs/bag, but will buy our drinks in LA before boarding the ship...

[momofmeg]

How does everyone keep their luggage under the 50# limit? You have to consider that the empty luggage has weight and then once you fill it, it gets heavier.

 

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I have never had a problem and I always pack more then I end up using. One thing though I hardly ever pack more then 4 pairs of shoes. I usually have the basics. A pair of white sandals, a pair of black dress shoes,(this looks fine with the formal wear I pick and also if I dress a little nicer for dinner on another night besides formal night-I usually go for variations of the little black dress type thing and If I wear a nice skirt one night for dinner I pick something I can wear the same shoes with) a pair ot teal sandals ( I wear tons of teal, coral, and fushia in both shorts and casual wear so I wear these a lot) and a pair of sneakers.

 

Now hubby scuba dives but he does not bring his gear but rents it instead as that stuff is too heavy. He only brings hisown gear when we drive to port and are not flying.

[momofmeg]

Flew Delta last March for my cruise. I had 2 pieces of checked luggage, one weighing 49 pounds and the other weighing 39 pounds. Its 50 pounds per checked luggage, not total.

 

Are you sure it is total? Hubby works for Delta and we have never had trouble and believe- you- me- we don't get any extra perks on the luggage thingie being employees. In fact as stand-by passengers they are more ticky-we have to be very carfeul what we wear or we are not allowed on the plane.

[LARGIN]

Max weight per bag.. 50 pounds

 

Max size of bag.. 72 inches (length+height+width)

[Seaside2358]

Most definitely 50 lbs. per bag. Just flew Delta in Dec. I always weigh my bags on the scale and am amazed as I've never gone over 50 lbs. Not even close although I'm sure I'll be over...

[mrrick747]

Jetblue is the way, 3 pcs at 70 pounds and inflight tv at each seat.

[doone]

Momofmeg, its not total of 50 pounds, its each checked suit case cannot weigh more than 50 pounds, each. This was true last March when I flew Delta.

[momofmeg]

Most definitely 50 lbs. per bag. Just flew Delta in Dec. I always weigh my bags on the scale and am amazed as I've never gone over 50 lbs. Not even close although I'm sure I'll be over...

 

Sorry I thought you said 50 lbs. total for 2 bags. I knew that was wrong. I have a duffel which is to the size limit and it gets close to that 50 but then I have a hangup bag too. I knew both went over 50 and if that was against the rules they would not have let that slide.

[coiran]

Delta and NWA is two bags - max 50 pounds each.

[Speechless]

go commando throughout the entire vacation.

 

that oughtta save you a few pounds in underwear.....and it'll be our little secret.