Your experience with Luggage Valet

[Tiggertastic]

There are several private companies which will ship your bags from your home to the cruise. They aren't operated by the cruise lines and they are not inexpensive. You have to have your suitcases ready for them many days in advance (one to two weeks, as I recall).

 

 

I think I'd pass on the creased clothes after being in the case two weeks.

[ailetoile]

Please just be careful using this service and be fully aware of what happens if something goes wrong.

 

My parents signed up for Luggage Valet on a Caribbean Cruise with a Southwest flight from Ft. Lauderdale. On the last night of the trip, they still had not received luggage tags when we returned from our late seating dinner. They called Guest Services and were told that there had been a slight mix up, but that they should receive the luggage tags shortly.

 

My husband and I waited up for a while to see what happened, but when we went to bed around 11:30 there still hadn't been any resolution. When we woke up in the morning, we learned that Guest Services never got back to them and no luggage tags had ever arrived. I'm talking that they never even got the alternative luggage tags where they would be part of the standard disembarkation procedure, which is SUPPOSED to be what happens if Luggage Valet fails.

 

They called Guest Services again since their luggage was still in their room and we were supposed to be disembarking. At that point, Guest Services blamed Southwest for the problem and told my parents (both in their 60s) that they would have to just deal with hauling all four of their suitcases off the boat themselves. Fortunately my husband and I were there to help them out, but it was a big mess that Celebrity failed to step up and assist with in any way. They also charged my parents for Luggage Valet, a charge that my mom had to call Celebrity to have reversed.

 

I'm not saying that Luggage Valet isn't a great service when it works, but I do want you (and anyone else who's reading this) to be aware that the service can fail, and of the consequences when it does. In other words, if you do choose to use Luggage Valet then BE PREPARED TO CARRY EVERY SUITCASE IN YOUR POSSESSION OFF THE SHIP YOURSELF IF SOMETHING GOES WRONG.

[PuddyfromOz]

Please just be careful using this service and be fully aware of what happens if something goes wrong.

 

My parents signed up for Luggage Valet on a Caribbean Cruise with a Southwest flight from Ft. Lauderdale. On the last night of the trip, they still had not received luggage tags when we returned from our late seating dinner. They called Guest Services and were told that there had been a slight mix up, but that they should receive the luggage tags shortly.

 

My husband and I waited up for a while to see what happened, but when we went to bed around 11:30 there still hadn't been any resolution. When we woke up in the morning, we learned that Guest Services never got back to them and no luggage tags had ever arrived. I'm talking that they never even got the alternative luggage tags where they would be part of the standard disembarkation procedure, which is SUPPOSED to be what happens if Luggage Valet fails.

 

They called Guest Services again since their luggage was still in their room and we were supposed to be disembarking. At that point, Guest Services blamed Southwest for the problem and told my parents (both in their 60s) that they would have to just deal with hauling all four of their suitcases off the boat themselves. Fortunately my husband and I were there to help them out, but it was a big mess that Celebrity failed to step up and assist with in any way. They also charged my parents for Luggage Valet, a charge that my mom had to call Celebrity to have reversed.

 

I'm not saying that Luggage Valet isn't a great service when it works, but I do want you (and anyone else who's reading this) to be aware that the service can fail, and of the consequences when it does. In other words, if you do choose to use Luggage Valet then BE PREPARED TO CARRY EVERY SUITCASE IN YOUR POSSESSION OFF THE SHIP YOURSELF IF SOMETHING GOES WRONG.

 

I was prompted to ask this question because of a problem I experienced on the Equinox this past Feb. I was traveling with a friend in a wheelchair and we didn’t receive any debarkation package on the last evening. To make a long story short, after several calls to Guest Services and info being delivered to us in piecemeal, I finally went to Guest Services and said, “We never got our packets. Here is the only info you sent us in the last hour. Is there anything else missing other than the luggage tags”. This was my first cruise, and though enjoyable, it was certainly filled with stress the last evening. Thanx ailetoile. If I know in advance what to look for and if it could possibly be a problem, it just makes things less stressful.

[ailetoile]

I was prompted to ask this question because of a problem I experienced on the Equinox this past Feb. I was traveling with a friend in a wheelchair and we didn’t receive any debarkation package on the last evening. To make a long story short, after several calls to Guest Services and info being delivered to us in piecemeal, I finally went to Guest Services and said, “We never got our packets. Here is the only info you sent us in the last hour. Is there anything else missing other than the luggage tags”. This was my first cruise, and though enjoyable, it was certainly filled with stress the last evening. Thanx ailetoile. If I know in advance what to look for and if it could possibly be a problem, it just makes things less stressful.

 

My honest belief is that things don't go wrong all that often, but when they do they aren't handled well at all. I am sorry that you experienced so much stress on the last night of your cruise, but I hope that the rest of the trip was awesome enough to make up for it :)

[BecciBoo]

We've used it on both Celebrity and RCCL and love it. Never think about the luggage until we deboard the plane at home....swonderful!

 

We hold Delta plastic and as such don't pay for bags either...so far no charges have been applied. Worth every penny of the valet charge though.:D

[Ruthk]

I've used it twice and it worked perfectly. We sailed into Ft. lauderdale both times and flew Jet Blue to Buffalo, NY. So easy and our luggage was waiting for us at the Buffalo Airport.

 

I highly recommend it, no lugging your luggage around for hours waiting to check in for a later in the day flight! It's a nice way to end your vacation!!!

[kroberst]

Has anyone been able to use this experience ending in Honolulu with subsequent flight to another of the islands? Trying to come up with luggage suggestions post-cruise before we start a brief land vacation on Maui. I welcome any hints!

 

Kathleen

[lovecruzin]

We are taking the Canada/NE cruise on Summit, is luggage valet available from Cape Liberty/EWR?

We've used the service in FLL and SEA and it was great!

 

Thanks!