Anyone with a tight connecting flight mailed checked luggage to port?

[Kay&Harry]

I used the search feature and couldn't find a thread - so has anyone with a tight connecting flight mailed their checked baggage to the port instead of risk losing luggage? We are flying from Cedar Rapids, Iowa to Chicago then to Tampa, Florida. We only have one hour between flights. It wouldn't cost any more to send carry-on luggage to hotel in Tamps, FL then it would to check it. Any thoughts from multiple cruisers?

[shof515]

you will have to check with the port to make sure they accept mailed luggage. Hotels will do it, but not all cruise ports

[Kay&Harry]

Sorry! Out Hotel was what I was thinking of! The hotel in Tampa has no problem. We were wondering if anyone has done this! This is our first cruise and we only know what we have learned on this board. We are so thankful for everything that anyone has to share!

[mondello]

First, I find it hard to believe you could ship/mail your bags as cheap as checking them. Second, even if your bags didn't make the connection in Chicago, that is a major route to TPA. Your bags would come on a later flight. If I was that worried, I'd be doing carry-on of some necessities for my cruise.

[HeidiHo]

First, I find it hard to believe you could ship/mail your bags as cheap as checking them. Second, even if your bags didn't make the connection in Chicago, that is a major route to TPA. Your bags would come on a later flight. If I was that worried, I'd be doing carry-on of some necessities for my cruise.

 

This is exactly what happened to us. We had a very tight connection AND we were put on this flight at the last second because our original flight was cancelled. I was sure our bags would never make it. All of them did except one and that one arrived on a flight a hour later. The lady in claims asked us if we wanted it sent to our hotel or did we want to wait the one hour for it. We chose to wait and sure enough, it was on the next flight.

[Jana60]

you will have to check with the port to make sure they accept mailed luggage. Hotels will do it, but not all cruise ports

 

I'm not sure how that would work but I understand your concern. My flight arrived late to Miami once and Carnival said we all had to go right then without waiting for checked baggage to be unloaded or be left behind. They said the airline would transfer the luggage to the first port. I repeatedly spoke to the ship desk and they repeatedly requested the airline to send the luggage but no matter how they tried the luggage never arrived in the port we were at. I went an entire week with only the contents of my back pack: 1 pair of capri pants, 1 pair of jeans, 2 shirts, 1 extraset of underwear, and I bought shorts, shirts, a hoodie, a sun cap and ocean shoes. :eek: My luggage did not arrive back to me until 1 week after I arrived home. It had stickers on it from Grand Caymon, Jamaica, and Cozumel but my jewelry case had been opened and part of my jewelry was missing. I guess the luggage screeners in the Caribbean have a good eye for jewelry since only the items that were 14k gold or greater were missing! :( Since then I carry at least the bare necessities with me in a carry on and I NEVER pack jewelry in the checked luggage.

[katisdale]

Are you traveling all on one airline or are you changing from one line to another? Say Delta to Continental? I have been well pleased with all one line transfers. If I start with American and stay with American all the way (or another line) it has gone well. When we start American, transfer to US Air and end up with British Airways for example is when we run into problems. Luckily it has always caught up quickly. I keep all medicines, cameras, netbook, and cash either in my carry-on or on my person. I leave my good jewelry at home in a safe deposit box at the bank and travel only with my wedding ring and costume stuff.

[Tbay-eh]

I thought that your body had to be on the same plane as your luggage since 9/11 - I have even heard of planes being unloaded to take off luggage of a passenger who has not boarded for some reason. Unless something really untoward happened. I am probably wrong about this though.

[tassycatt]

We only took carry ons last trip but I did mail my non flyables.. Shampoos, lots of sunscreen, liquid tylenol to the hotel. Worked great!

[MSRussell]

I know this is after the fact....I mistakenly carried liquid NyQuil in my carry on bag....they took it out, and drug screened it. Was interesting for me to watch.

They gave me a plastic bag to put it back in, when I apologized for having it in my carry on, she said it was ok, as it was for 'Medicinal' purposes. Kind of sounded like old fashioned hootch..

[LittleMiss]

Just to be safe, cross pack. Put half of your stuff in his suitcase and vice versa so that you will not be without everything in case one of the bags gets lost.

[CorvetteLady]

I thought that your body had to be on the same plane as your luggage since 9/11 - I have even heard of planes being unloaded to take off luggage of a passenger who has not boarded for some reason. Unless something really untoward happened. I am probably wrong about this though.

 

We flew from Phoenix to Atlanta with an hour to make our connection to Pensacola. We were late leaving Phoenix, we had 20 minutes to make the connection. We made it but our luggage didn't, it didn't even make the next plane either, they delivered it the next morning. So our luggage was on a different plane than we were.

 

I think what you are talking about happens if a passenger checks luggage but then doesn't get on the plane.

 

We have always driven to our cruises but if I ever have to fly I would go the day before the cruise.

[GRAMMYTAN]

I have never mailed my bags ahead but a couple on Med cruise roll call did. They were going to travel for a week into the Alps and other places pre-cruise and didn;t want to take a lot of luggage on trains so they shipped larger luggage to their hotel in Rome with all their "good clothes - tuxeod etc." They never saw that bag again.

Personally I fly in at least one day ahead and always cross pack our luggage. I also pack a change of clothes, meds, electronics and jewelry in my carryon bags. I have been a few cruises where some of the people in our roll call didn't get their luggage for several days into the cruise.

[Kay&Harry]

Thank you to everyone who posted! We are flying in the evening before and after hearing many suggestions to cross pack, I will do this. Our first flight is with American Eage and the second is with American Airlines. They fly into the same terminal, which is one of the smaller terminals at Chicago Ohare. I think it will come down to cost. We can get a lot of what we need on our carry-ons if I pack only what is necessary!

[zqvol]

I used the search feature and couldn't find a thread - so has anyone with a tight connecting flight mailed their checked baggage to the port instead of risk losing luggage? We are flying from Cedar Rapids, Iowa to Chicago then to Tampa, Florida. We only have one hour between flights. It wouldn't cost any more to send carry-on luggage to hotel in Tamps, FL then it would to check it. Any thoughts from multiple cruisers?

 

 

Just so that you are aware your bags have a much better chance of making the connection than you do. As long as you have a legal connection booked you should not be concerned with the time for the bags to connect.

[hattack]

Transfer bags (on the same airline) make the connection quicker then the passenger because the ramp will sector load the transfer bag into the pit or container that is closes to the door, then it will be the first ones off and a transfer bag runner is planeside with a printout telling him/her how many bags to look for and to which flights/gates they go to. If all but one of your bags make it, then it means the bag was loaded in the wrong pit in your starting city

Good move to go in a day early and also to cross pack. Airlines work very closely with the cruise lines to get both you and your bags to the ship. Always put a note in one of your outside pockets or on top of your clothes so a baggage service agent knows how to reach you or what ship you are on

[cruzegurl104]

That's why I only travel with a carry on. But, it is only DH & I.. We don't have a big group or little ones in tow.

 

You'd be surprised what you can fit in a carry on, if it's packed right.

 

I don't want to pay the fees & I'm scared to death they'd loose my luggage. It happened before, I think they could care less. I had a brand new peice of luggage that we took on a cruise that left out of Miami. We checked it & didn't give it a second thought, until it reached the carousel. Two wheels were busted & the bag had a giant tear. That was the last straw.

 

I hope it works out for you!! Enjoy your cruise!!:)

[cubbysan]

My mother-in-law always mails her luggage out to us when she comes for a visit from Boston to Kansas City. It is cheaper than checking it, plus she doesn't have to worry about lugging it around.

[LHP]

I thought that your body had to be on the same plane as your luggage since 9/11 - I have even heard of planes being unloaded to take off luggage of a passenger who has not boarded for some reason. Unless something really untoward happened. I am probably wrong about this though.

 

I am guessing not any longer because several times hubby has arrived at his destination to find his luggage took an earlier flight.

 

Of course, he finds this out after standing while ALL the luggage has been put out and his was not there...only to find it at the luggage office.

[boingy300]

After 3 flights where my poor husband either lost his luggage altogether or got it at the last port......our motto is cross pack or cross dress. Our carryons carry what is essential for the week. We also go in a day early. Suit, dress pants/dress shirt or dress and shorts..set for the week. We also wear our swimsuits under our clothes onto the ship so we can go right to the pool w/o a ship luggage issue. Not sure that helps but we've had no issues since then! We had the idea of mailing luggage home from Alaska once...that was a bad idea 1 week later....stinky!

Karen