Jump to content

Shipping luggage ahead


suemiks

Recommended Posts

It is a wonderful luxury and imo, worth every cent. They pick up your luggage about two weeks prior to your cruise (for international) and the next time you see it is in your cabin. This makes the airport experience so much more pleasant.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We are flying Seattle to Miami in February (Marina 2/8 cruise). We are thinking we'd like to ship luggage ahead. Has anyone done that? Is it a good idea? How does it work?

Thanks in advance!

Sue amd Mike

 

Hi Sue & Mike-

 

The company you're looking for is called Luggage Forward:

www.luggageforward.com

 

It is exquisitely convenient, one arrives, empty handed. to find the suitcases already in the room. Naturally, that kind of convenience is not inexpensive.

 

For us, the cost of shipping our bags was roughly equivalent to a week at the Ritz Carleton. To be fair, we admit to over-packing and the trip we were pricing was international.

 

The zip code for the Port of Miami is 33132. You will need that, and the approximate weight of the suitcases that you are sending to get an on line quote from Luggage Forward.

 

Best of luck with your inquiries, and by the way, we are sailing with you on 2/8!

 

Hope to see you onboard!

 

Jim & Stan

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We looked into it and found the expense was way too much to pay for the convenience. I would rather spend the money on an OS! LOL! Another draw back for us would be having to let the luggage go so far before the cruise. I usually am deciding what to bring the night before we fly out.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sue-

 

You and Mike were added to the Roll call on September 25th!

 

Remember that this site works like a message board, and for most people that means that you have to scroll down to see the more recent posts.

 

Rest assured, you ARE on the list now. :D

 

The Marina is magnificent........it's going to be quite an adventure ;)

 

See you onboard----

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Jancruz,

 

I think it was I who said shipping luggage was worth every penny and JimandStan who would rather spend a week at the RitzCarlton. Shipping two large suitcases to Europe and back usually costs me about $1600. Again, it's expensive but I've spent half that on a meal. Everyone has different ways of spending his money.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

No offense intended - you're definitely paying a bit over the top.

 

Here's an independent site called Seat Guru that I used when booking air seats BUT they also have good data on luggage services, links and pricing.

 

You can find the information at the following link . I thought it was a good resource so hopefully someone else finds the info to be helpful. I did a fair bit of research when we wanted to ship bags from Venice to Zurich.

 

 

 

Jancruz,

 

I think it was I who said shipping luggage was worth every penny and JimandStan who would rather spend a week at the RitzCarlton. Shipping two large suitcases to Europe and back usually costs me about $1600. Again, it's expensive but I've spent half that on a meal. Everyone has different ways of spending his money.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Because my luggage often does not show up at my destination when I do, I have used luggage forwarding services for two cruises recently in order to eliminate the resulting angst and inconvenience. I used Luggage Free, which here (and at at least one of my destinations, Barcelona) contracts it services to FedEx. It is true that the pickup for overseas travel is approximately two weeks before your actual date of travel, to ensure timely arrival, so a bit of advance wardrobe and other contents planning is required. However, in each instance, the luggage was waiting for me on board ship or at my pre-embarkation hotel, shrink wrapped. when I arrived. It is also pricey, but gave me both the piece of mind that I wanted and (because one of my trips involved lengthy pre and post cruise travel and I therefore had quite a few pieces of luggage) it wasn't significantly more than what I would have paid for excess luggage. Luggage Free was also the forwarder of choice for a recent long Regent Cruise. Regent paid for the cost of the luggage forwarding to embarkation and from debarkation. At embarkation, I shipped with Luggage Free, at my own cost, quite a few boxes of items I had purchased along the way, as it proved virtually impossible for me to ship them from various ports due to customs issues, timing, etc.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

JimandStan,

 

AS I understand it the luggage goes to the Port Master (or someone in his office) at each port where it is help until the ship docks in the morning. Then it is transferred aboard ship.

 

 

I think that you mean the ships Port Agent.

The Port Authority would not involve itself with luggage.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am going to try this based on the above posts. I will be doing a Safari next November and picking the new Marina in Rome. Due to the luggage limitations on the smaller planes in Africa, there is no way I can pack for both trips in one small suitcase. I have two choices. Buy more clothes for the cruise once in Rome and/or ship to the Hotel or better yet to the Port and hope that my luggage is waiting for me onboard. Any suggestions?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am going to try this based on the above posts. I will be doing a Safari next November and picking the new Marina in Rome. Due to the luggage limitations on the smaller planes in Africa, there is no way I can pack for both trips in one small suitcase. I have two choices. Buy more clothes for the cruise once in Rome and/or ship to the Hotel or better yet to the Port and hope that my luggage is waiting for me onboard. Any suggestions?

 

Hi A Knitter,

I think you will be really happy sending the luggage ahead, it is convenient and will solve your problem.

Jamcruz1

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi A Knitter,

I think you will be really happy sending the luggage ahead, it is convenient and will solve your problem.

Jamcruz1

 

 

And no doubt cheaper than buying more clothes. I could go crazy shopping on the Via Condotti.:eek:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Imagine shopping for safari clothes on the Via Condotti? A Prada bush jacket? A Versace safari hat? Gucci zip off pants? Does Armani make mosquito repellant?

 

Cute but Rome is after the Safari. I will leave my bush clothes in the bush.:D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • ANNOUNCEMENT: Save $2,000 & Sail Away to Australia’s Kimberley
      • Hurricane Zone 2024
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Cruise Critic News & Features
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...

If you are already a Cruise Critic member, please log in with your existing account information or your email address and password.