Valet luggage & disembarkation

[Silver sailor]

Have recently seen many posts regarding delays in clearing customs because of cut backs due to sequestration

Am familiar with the Valet luggage program

Can anyone give an estimate of how much time might be saved getting through if we used this program

Would obviously save time not having to track down our luggage, but are there any other benefts time wise

Assume self disembarcation would be an easy option

Thanks

[cruisestitch]

Quite a bit would be saved under most circumstances. With valet luggage all you would have left to manage would be your carry on. Self-disembarkers can leave the ship at any time after it is cleared by local authorities. There will be a queue of self-disembarkers but by leaving with them you precede the wheelchair assistance passengers and won't need a porter, so you should be able to go directly to the Customs/Immigration queues.

[Happy2cruise]

Also you save time at the airport because you are already checked in and have your boarding passes so you go directly to security.

[texkan]

Just used Luggage Valet program. We had to stay in the long lines waiting to get luggage and go thru Customs. Would have been great to have a line for those using the program. We ask if there was a such a line but were told NO.

 

It was nice to not have to check luggage at airport.

[ping1]

Just used Luggage Valet program. We had to stay in the long lines waiting to get luggage and go thru Customs. Would have been great to have a line for those using the program. We ask if there was a such a line but were told NO.

 

It was nice to not have to check luggage at airport.

 

We also had this experience. This is definitely a Management Communication problem. There should be a separate line for passengers with the Luggage Valet Program that leads directly to the customs line. We also had to stay in the long lines waiting to get luggage. Not fair and not what we paid for. Two hours total from ship to shuttle with the Luggage Valet Program.:mad:

[jaspersmommy]

Just one word of caution... because you apply for the luggage valet program does not necessarily mean you will be able to participate.

 

First of all, there needs to be enough people on the ship participating in the program. Secondly, even if there are enough people participating, you need to be approved individually. We just got off the Eclipse this past weekend and had applied for the luggage valet program. We had been assured that there were more than enough people participating for it to go ahead. The night before disembarkation, I got a call from Guest Services saying that we had been declined for the program. I was a little miffed and asked why. Guest Services advised that the airlines sometimes randomly pick people who apply for the service and insist that they show up with their bags in person. I cannot think of any reason why we would have been flagged - no criminal record or anything like that. No recourse - we had to carry our own bags. :mad:

[Happy2cruise]

Just one word of caution... because you apply for the luggage valet program does not necessarily mean you will be able to participate.

 

First of all, there needs to be enough people on the ship participating in the program. Secondly, even if there are enough people participating, you need to be approved individually. We just got off the Eclipse this past weekend and had applied for the luggage valet program. We had been assured that there were more than enough people participating for it to go ahead. The night before disembarkation, I got a call from Guest Services saying that we had been declined for the program. I was a little miffed and asked why. Guest Services advised that the airlines sometimes randomly pick people who apply for the service and insist that they show up with their bags in person. I cannot think of any reason why we would have been flagged - no criminal record or anything like that. No recourse - we had to carry our own bags. :mad:

 

Makes you wonder why the airlines care:confused::confused::confused:....don't they have more important things to worry about:D

[jaspersmommy]

Makes you wonder why the airlines care:confused::confused::confused:....don't they have more important things to worry about:D

 

 

I wondered the same thing. At first I was angry. I'm still very curious as to why we were declined but I can't get any explanation other than it being random selection.

 

Turned out it was a blessing in disguise. When we got to the airport we weighed our bags before checking in. One of them was over 50 lbs. and we would have been charged $100 for the overweight bag. Being there in person gave us the chance to shuffle some things around and avoid the penalty.:cool:

[ping1]

We also had this experience. This is definitely a Management Communication problem. There should be a separate line for passengers with the Luggage Valet Program that leads directly to the customs line. We also had to stay in the long lines waiting to get luggage. Not fair and not what we paid for. Two hours total from ship to shuttle with the Luggage Valet Program.:mad:

 

A response from Mr. Bayley's office called me today and agreed that there was a miscommunication with the Celebrity people in the terminal and on the ship in regards to the Luggage Valet Program.

 

She agreed that we should have been able to go directly to the Customs Line without waiting in the line to the terminal or the line for passengers to retrieve luggage. The representative stated that there should be some sort of dated badge for people with the Luggage Valet Program so that we can go directly to the Custom's Line. (This would placate the people in line that you are passing, too.)

 

The representative said that the training of the terminal staff should be updated regarding the Luggage Valet Program. Note: Luggage Valet program has been in effect for quite a while.

 

I agreed with the representative. There was no need for the "gate keeper" at the terminal to rudely bark at us that we could not go straight to customs--Luggage Valet Program or not.:(

[h20cruzer]

Does anyone have a list of what airlines you can use the luggage valet program with?

[Barn Goddess]

We used Luggage Valet on the 4/6/13 Reflection sailing from Miami - it was awesome. (We flew American Airlines).

 

We waited in a long line for customs but skipped the luggage areas and got straight in line. What we didn't quite realize is that we could have gotten off of the ship earlier than we thought - we were waiting in the MDR for some sort of announcement. FYI - there wasn't one ;)

 

But disembarkation was easy - simply walked off straight to the line for customs and got in line with everyone else. It went quickly too - I would say it took about 20 minutes to half an hour to get through. We then cabbed it to the aquariam and enjoyed the day in Miami sans luggage :)

[texkan]

Does anyone have a list of what airlines you can use the luggage valet program with?

 

From Celebrity site:

 

 

This service is available in select ports and with select airlines only. Ports: Fort Lauderdale, Los Angeles, Miami, Port Canaveral, San Diego, San Juan, Seattle, Seward and Vancouver. Airlines: Air Canada, Air Tran, Alaska Airlines, American, Continental, Delta, Jet Blue, Southwest Airlines, United and US Airways. Airline participation varies by port. Consult the Guest Relations Desk onboard for specific port qualifications and additional information. An additional fee will apply.