Last minute luggage collection.

[janecambridge]

What exactly is 'last minute luggage collection'?

[LHT28]

Where?

I have not seen that phrase for Oceania

Maybe for top suite passengers ??

Edited December 10, 2016 by LHT28

[aquidneck1]

I think that I saw it listed as a PH perk.

[RJB]

I think that I saw it listed as a PH perk.

Has been a perk for years.

[janecambridge]

It is for suites but we had an upsell to PH in August and never had this.Does this mean you do not have to put luggage out in the evening prior to disembarkation?

[RJB]

It is for suites but we had an upsell to PH in August and never had this.Does this mean you do not have to put luggage out in the evening prior to disembarkation?

Not quite sure. We have had it forever and do not know exactly what it means. Always put the luggage out after we return from dinner about 10 or 11 and by morning it is gone. It shows in the book we get a few weeks before the cruise but have never questioned how late we can put it out. Not a big deal.

[JimandStan]

What exactly is 'last minute luggage collection'?

 

It means that, upon request, Oceania Butler(s) will transport your luggage off of the ship.

 

The major advantage to this is the ability to make time specific debarkation arrangements without involving the services of a porter.

 

A less considered downside is that Baggage which was not available for screening by the Authorities, by virtue of it's been placed in the hall on that last night, is often flagged for inspection before leaving the secure area on the pier.

 

[Mura]

Thanks, Jim. We're usually in a PH, sometimes above, but I wasn't aware of this. It never occurred to me to ask the butler to off-load our luggage ...

 

And given what you said, I don't think we will. It's always worked just fine to put them in the hallway when instructed and to collect the luggage as we leave.

 

BUT we did have somewhat of a problem leaving Sirena in NYC in October --

just because of the crowds, and it was NYC. Fortunately I was using my cane for my arthritic knees so we were able to join the "handicapped" line getting through customs which was much shorter.

 

Then when we went across the street o get a cab -- the line wasn't bad -- the usual guys came up to lure us to their private cars. Howard finally accepted one guy's offer. We went to the corner to wait for him to bring his car around. A black SUV ... great! That's 90% of the vehicles in that area!

 

While we were waiting for him a Verizon truck clipped the car parked at the intersection which created a terrible traffic jam. No one could get by. The Verizon guy tried to drive off but everyone else blocked him ...

 

Meanwhile our guy finally came back but couldn't get up to the corner where we were, so he parked and ran up to us. By the time we got to his car in the middle of the block, it was being ticketed.

 

We added our comments to the ticket lady but she was hearing none of it.

 

So we were delayed because of the accident, our driver got a ticket (on a day when parking regulations were not in force because of the Jewish holiday) which probably cost him more than our agreed upon fare. I did give him an extra $10 but I know it didn't pay for the ticket!

 

The moral may be ... stand in line for a cab if it isn't a long one... At least when leaving the ship in NYC!

 

Mura

[sitraveler]

We've sailed into NYC several times.

 

When we were on an R, and the only ship in Port, we had to cross 12th Ave for a taxi.

When on aO, taxis were on the water side. When there was more than 1 ship, taxis were on the water side.

[Hawaiidan]

Thanks, Jim. We're usually in a PH, sometimes above, but I wasn't aware of this. It never occurred to me to ask the butler to off-load our luggage ...

 

 

While we were waiting for him a Verizon truck clipped the car parked at the intersection which created a terrible traffic jam. No one could get by.

 

The moral may be ... stand in line for a cab if it isn't a long one... At least when leaving the ship in NYC!

 

Mura

 

The earily bird get's the worm, and in most cases the cab. We always set out out luggage, then about 4 cruises ago ( ending in SF/NY/MIA/SEA )

we started to pack different with the intent to carry off our own luggage at first call.... It was a dream... we were off the ship before they started calling for colored tag groups... First through customs, and first to the waiting armada of cabs.... NOT a line to be seen.

We were at the airport before our deck/cabin would have been called sipping coffee in the lounge. Butlers are nice but nothing beats YOU

[RJB]

It means that, upon request, Oceania Butler(s) will transport your luggage off of the ship.

 

The major advantage to this is the ability to make time specific debarkation arrangements without involving the services of a porter.

 

A less considered downside is that Baggage which was not available for screening by the Authorities, by virtue of it's been placed in the hall on that last night, is often flagged for inspection before leaving the secure area on the pier.

 

Don't understand. Transport your luggage to where? To the screening area? Then what? Take it to get a cab? How many butlers do you think it would take to do all this? Are you that cheap that you do not want to tip a porter to take your luggage to the curb where a cab or private car is waiting? You should re think what you are posting so it makes sense. This does not. :confused::confused::confused:

[Mura]

Jim has never been accused of being a cheap tipper, I know that!

 

As to the logic of having the butler take your luggage off the ship for you, I admit I don't think I'd want to ask our butler to do that!

 

 

Dan, regarding the trials and tribulations we had when we left Sirena in NYC in October, that was a most unusual situation. The line for cabs wasn't long at all. (Not like when we left Marina in May 2015 when the line was around the block and cabs were passing us by -- probably assuming that most people were just going to a nearby hotel.)

 

If the accident had happened on 12th Avenue, the same mess could have occurred.

 

I was just pointing out that the unexpected can happen. I was thinking it more likely that the driver would cheat us, not that he'd end up getting an expensive parking ticket because he couldn't reach us at the corner and the ticket lady was ready to pounce.

 

On our first QE2 cruise arriving in NYC it was a Sunday morning and I had a church job to get to so for once we left as soon as we could, and as you say it was a snap. We were home before our house sitter had gotten up to feed the cats. And I was EARLY to my church job.

 

But usually we prefer to leave last, not first ... that's especially true when we are staying on in the departure port since it's rare for our hotel room to be ready that early in the morning.

 

Mura

[Hawaiidan]

I try to avoid sailing into NY and SF as they are clearly difficult places.

 

My desire is to get off as soon as possible and get on with the day and found in the past every hour you seem to delay seems to increase the problem potential drastically. Plus when your carrying your stuff you tend to pack way less ...its a win win all the way around me.

 

Miami being the least worry some port...they have designed and developed a fantastic system to manage the 10's of thousands that cruise out weekly...

I dont think any one at any time boarding or getting off will ever experience any crunch.

[Mura]

I can understand your avoidance of difficult cities but since we live in NYC we LOOK for cruises having either a departure or arrival port here. We don't often find them but for us it's a plus.

 

It does put a different perspective on things ...

 

Mura

[RJB]

Jim has never been accused of being a cheap tipper, I know that!

 

As to the logic of having the butler take your luggage off the ship for you, I admit I don't think I'd want to ask our butler to do that!

 

 

Dan, regarding the trials and tribulations we had when we left Sirena in NYC in October, that was a most unusual situation. The line for cabs wasn't long at all. (Not like when we left Marina in May 2015 when the line was around the block and cabs were passing us by -- probably assuming that most people were just going to a nearby hotel.)

 

If the accident had happened on 12th Avenue, the same mess could have occurred.

 

I was just pointing out that the unexpected can happen. I was thinking it more likely that the driver would cheat us, not that he'd end up getting an expensive parking ticket because he couldn't reach us at the corner and the ticket lady was ready to pounce.

 

On our first QE2 cruise arriving in NYC it was a Sunday morning and I had a church job to get to so for once we left as soon as we could, and as you say it was a snap. We were home before our house sitter had gotten up to feed the cats. And I was EARLY to my church job.

 

But usually we prefer to leave last, not first ... that's especially true when we are staying on in the departure port since it's rare for our hotel room to be ready that early in the morning.

 

Mura

The way my BW packs it would take 2 butlers to move the luggage. Also New York is not like much of the rest of the world. Very little space on the pier and the streets around the piers. As they keep building up the west side it will get worse. Need for all the cruise ships to go to New Jersey where there still is more room to do a proper job.