Can EZ Check and Princess shore excursion be combined?

[JudithLynne]

We have an Alaska cruise coming up in 3 weeks. I understand that EZ Check is available in Seattle. We have purchased a Princess shore excursion on disembarkation day as our flight does not leave until 5 PM. We will be dropped off at SeaTac in the early afternoon. Can we use EZ Check with a ship shore excursion? We are on Alaska Air.

 

Thanks for any input…..

 

Judith

[Potstech]

I do not see why not. Check with the customer service desk on your ship just to be sure.

[Colo Cruiser]

I agree, the bags go straight to the airport, does not matter what you do before you get on your flight. :)

[Pam in CA]

You can book EZ Check with or without a Princess transfer or shore excursion. You'll receive a form in your cabin during the cruise that offers you the options.

[go4ak]

Is EZ check in something that you sign up for with Princess or with Alaska Air?

Would appreciate any info about it - sounds wonderful.

Thanks

[caribill]

Is EZ check in something that you sign up for with Princess or with Alaska Air?

Would appreciate any info about it - sounds wonderful.

Thanks

 

Signup on board with Princess. A form will be sent to your cabin a couple of days into your cruise.

 

You pay $20/person plus any airline luggage charges. You get airline luggage tags to put on your suitcases which you put outside your cabin just like if you were not using EZCheck. You next see your suitcases at luggage claim at hour home airport. You also get your airline boarding passes while on the ship.

 

Not all airlines participate and if you have connecting flights they must be on the same airline.

[ontheweb]

Signup on board with Princess. A form will be sent to your cabin a couple of days into your cruise.

 

You pay $20/person plus any airline luggage charges. You get airline luggage tags to put on your suitcases which you put outside your cabin just like if you were not using EZCheck. You next see your suitcases at luggage claim at hour home airport. You also get your airline boarding passes while on the ship.

 

Not all airlines participate and if you have connecting flights they must be on the same airline.

 

Getting the boarding pass is a nice little extra. I don't believe it is mentioned in the description of what EZCheck is.

 

We used this service in Fort Lauderdale on a Carnival ship. After the cruise director's disembarkation talk, I went up to him and asked if we get the boarding passes with out EZCheck. Without hesitating, he said "No". Later, when I discovered that you do get them, I found him and let him know that you do get them so he would no longer give the wrong answer. He thanked me.

[Suzanne123]

Does anyone know if there is a flight time limit for your flight home? Ours leaves at 11:17 PM from SEA. Can they check the bags that early using EZ Check? Thanks

[skf]

I don't see why not. if the flight is too early they cannot do it. In any case the Customer Service desk has all the particulars; just ask them.

[Pam in CA]

Does anyone know if there is a flight time limit for your flight home? Ours leaves at 11:17 PM from SEA. Can they check the bags that early using EZ Check? Thanks

Yes, there's a time and your flight must leave after that time. In Ft. Lauderdale, the earliest flight is 11:30am, and the ship is only about ten minutes away from the airport. I haven't disembarked in Seattle so I don't know how far away the airport is but if it's more than 10-15 minutes, the earliest time will be later. There's also a limit to how many EZChecks Princess will process.

[molme]

We used this last month on our Crown sailing from Seattle and it worked great. Filled out the paperwork and turned it into Guest Services as soon as we got it so we would be sure to get this service. Our one bag was a little over weight, but that is one of the perks of using this service that the airline sort of turns their head on. Our flight to Atlanta had problems and we were four hours late leaving SeaTac, but our luggage was in Atlanta the same time we were. This service is well worth the price paid to avoid having to drag your bags through the airport. As someone else stated Princess took care of the boarding passes, so this was one more thing we didn't have to worry about printing on board.

Try it, you'll like it!!

[san diego sue]

Always do this in Seattle. Your flight may be too early to use the service. We fly Alaska Airlines and always have had an afternoon flight.

 

[caribill]

Does anyone know if there is a flight time limit for your flight home? Ours leaves at 11:17 PM from SEA. Can they check the bags that early using EZ Check? Thanks

 

The limit is usually flights before mid-night, so you are OK at 11:17 PM.

[mmckm]

On out last trip our daughters flight was not until 8pm, she was told the flight was to late and Southwest wouldn't do EZ check because of baggage storage room.

[Suzanne123]

Well, I guess I'll just have to wait to find out. We're flying United. Maybe they have a bigger luggage room :)

[FM-R]

I'm a newbie at cruising and will take my 2nd cruise. Will be on Ruby Princess to Alaska departing Seattle 7/12 and returning 7/19. I saved $1100 a person by using red eye flights. I did my own airline reservations as I found less expensive fares than offered by Princess. We're coming in a couple of days early with extremely late check in at the hotel, so no problem there. We are leaving on Alaska Airlines, nonstop to Dallas, departing SeaTac at 11:50 PM. Do you think I'll make EZ Check if I go to Guest Services to sign up on embarkation day?

 

I'll have my 13 year old nephew> My plan was to take a taxi to the Seattle Aquarium. It sure would be nice to spend the time at the waterfront and Pike Place Market area and take the Link in to the airport. Otherwise, I'll need to get a hotel with a swimming pool near the airport with free shuttle to airport.

 

I've read on other threads that EZ check has departing flight time criteria - I've read flight must leave between 1PM - 6:00 PM, or 2PM - midnight. I've read Princess only allows a certain number of EZ Check and you don't know if you will have it until the day before - when you are at sea and can't make any other arrangements. I read that if you made your own air reservations and didn't use Princess' air service and buy through them, they will not let you use. I've read if you pay for Princess transfers to airport you can use (I guess for convenience of not handling luggage, not because have a very late flight) So now I don't know what is what and I'm concerned :confused: as I thought Ez Check would be a nice way to end the cruise. I can't find anything on Princess website. Any input is appreciated.

Edited July 2, 2015 by FM-R

[caribill]

I've read Princess only allows a certain number of EZ Check and you don't know if you will have it until the day before - when you are at sea and can't make any other arrangements. I read that if you made your own air reservations and didn't use Princess' air service and buy through them, they will not let you use. I've read if you pay for Princess transfers to airport you can use (I guess for convenience of not handling luggage, not because have a very late flight) So now I don't know what is what and I'm concerned :confused: as I thought Ez Check would be a nice way to end the cruise. I can't find anything on Princess website. Any input is appreciated.

 

You do not have to either use Princess air reservations or Princess transportation to the airport in order to use EZCheck.

 

What is important is if your airline is participating and if your flight is within the allowed time range.

 

A few days into your cruise you will get a form sent to your cabin asking if you want to participate, what airlines participate, and what the flight time limitations are. If your flight qualifies, just return the form to the Purser's Desk ASAP after getting it.

[FM-R]

participate in EZ Check? I assumed the did - then you know what they say about assuming!! I think I"ve read that Alaska Air does - hope so. Otherwise, I've got to scramble when in Skagway to make hotel reservations near the airport with a pool and find reasonable (hopefully) transportation from pier to hotel. Oh dear....Well, travel sometimes doesn'r go as we plan but then sometimes it gives us great surprises!

[ontheweb]

Two summers ago, we used EZ CHECK with Carnival in Fort Lauderdale, and it worked out beautifully. We were able to spend our day in Fort Lauderdale including much time at the beach without having our luggage with us. The next time we saw our luggage was on the carousel after we landed.

 

But, before using it we had called Carnival and asked if EZ CHECK could be used with Jet Blue, and they said call Jet Blue to see it they participate; when we called Jet Blue, they said to call Carnival.

 

I also asked the cruise director after his disembarkation talk whether we were provided our boarding passes if we participated in the program. He said "No.". But we did get them. (I later let him know that fact so he could pass on the correct information the next time he was asked.)

 

I hope all parties are now better at providing information about this program.

[FM-R]

You said:

But, before using it we had called Carnival and asked if EZ CHECK could be used with Jet Blue, and they said call Jet Blue to see it they participate; when we called Jet Blue, they said to call Carnival.

 

Yep! Princess says they use it but to call Alaska airlines to see if they do (I'd think Princess would know which airlines in which ports use!). I called Alaska Air and the agent said she thought they did. I asked if she'd check with her supervisor and after 27 minutes and 12 seconds on hold (while I did emails, etc.) I hung up. Called again, person wasn't sure what I was talking about and asked a co-worker and they "think" they do. Not everyone is on board with info.

[san diego sue]

Good thing on EZcheck is if you get to the airport very early, you don't have to worry about too early to check bags. Once in Seattle we got there four hours before our flight and had to sit with our luggage waiting for the time we could check our luggage in.

Getting off the ship next week, we have a 3 oclock flight so glad we will be using EZ check .(Alaska Airlines).We use EZ check whenever we can

but only think Ft. Lauderdale and Seattle ending cruises have the service. Last winter we disembarked Ft. Lauderdale with a flight out of Miami and were able to use it.

We also sign up for tours with drop off at airport to make our last day

feel like still on vacation before heading home.

Edited July 3, 2015 by san diego sue

[FM-R]

Now I know for sure Alaska Air participates in EZ Check. Just hope there isn't a "limit" on how many can participate and that my flight times are within their acceptance window. I called Alaska Air again this morning to see if just maybe I'd get someone who knows process/criteria and no luck.

[JudithLynne]

I am the OP.

 

We just completed an Alaska cruise with Princess last weekend and used EZ Check with Alaska airline. The cut off time was 11 AM flights. It went very smoothly. As our flight was not until 5PM so we did a shore excursion through Princess with airport drop off at 1PM.

 

I do not know what you are thinking with hotel/pool or aquarium. With your flight time, you will need to get to SeaTac as soon as you exit the ship. Because of multiple cruise ships in port, I can tell you that the lines going thru SeaTac security are VERY long and you will need to allow time for that. Your flight can start boarding as early as 11:20 AM. The trip to SeaTac will take at least 30 mins. You must use EZ check on the day of disembarkation.

 

Do not go to the Passenger Service Desk to try to jump the system and get on the list early. We received our form on the third day of the cruise. Although the PSD will copy your flight plan, you can help the by taking a copy of your flights to them with your completed form. I print an extra one before I board the ship with both our names and cabin number visible. They always like that. We received our luggage tags and boarding passes at 6:30 PM the evening before disembarkation.

 

We have used EZ check on many times on both Princess and other cruise lines, it has always gone smoothly.

[JudithLynne]

FM-R.....just saw your initial post and looks like you are leaving at 11:50 PM not AM which makes it understandable that you do not want to get to the airport in the morning.

 

The cut off time for EZ Check departures is 11:59 PM the day of disembarkation so your flight should qualify. Also, the SeaTac security area should be significantly less crowded in the late afternoon/evening.

 

I would suggest that you enter your flight information to your booking on the Princess website. Your ship may be prescreening to see who has flights on the accepted airlines before sending the forms out. That was the procedure when Princess first started using the EZ Check program.

 

You do not need Princess flights to qualify for EZ Check

 

You may want to go to the west coast departure boards to get suggestions for Seattle.

[FM-R]

OK now I know that my flight qualifies for EZ Check since we do leave befpre midnight the day of disembarkation. I did enter out flight info and I just checked and it is showing on personalizer info. Just finished planning the activities for day we disembark - doing everything around the waterfront so in 1 location that is close to the Link rail system that will take us directly to airport. I feel much better knowing more about EZ Check. That's why I really appreciate the people who post on these forums - I learn so much!