Luggage Forward - Recent Experience and Early Pick Up Date?

[cpl100]

2 hours ago, ExArkie said:

From the Luggage Forward Web site, under FAQs:

"Can I lock my luggage?

 

Domestic Shipments

Bags traveling within a single country must be locked. Failure to lock Items will void your right to file a claim for lost or missing contents. 

 

International Shipments

Bags shipped between two countries must be unlocked as they may have to be opened as a normal part of the customs screening process. If bags are locked, including TSA approved locks, and customs cannot open an item then the lock or seal may have to be broken.  

Locking any item traveling internationally can cause extended delays and will void Luggage Forward’s industry leading on-time guarantee."

Thanks!  I don't like the answer but appreciate your help.  I mean... people want to safeguard their belongings, don't they?

[esrs]

3 hours ago, cpl100 said:

Thanks!  I don't like the answer but appreciate your help.  I mean... people want to safeguard their belongings, don't they?

Luggage Forward suggests you can use a zip tie, which customs can easily cut/remove. I found mine were not touched.

[LJS24]

I plan on using Luggage Forward when I cruise next year.  I hadn't thought about locking my case for domestic travel, so that is very good to know.  Like the tip about a zip tie as well as I'm one if those people who would use a key lock and forget the key lol

[Smokeyham]

On 8/7/2023 at 12:02 AM, Sarnia 432 said:

@jcgeorge thanks for your insight.  I hadn’t thought of sending to the hotel.  We will be arriving a day early in port, so having the bags at the hotel will reassure me, rather than worrying until I see the bags arrive in my cabin!

Sending the bag to the hotel is a great idea!  We will be in Southampton for two days prior to boarding, so this is a great solution.  As you say, then you know that you have your bag.

[Joe33472]

It's so reassuring to hear these reviews about Luggage Forward.   We're going to be shipping our luggage with them for a westbound TA in late June.  We're leaving from Florida in about a month, so we're going deposit our bag with a family member for pickup in early June, I would imagine.

 

Has anyone put an Air Tag in their luggage when using Luggage Forward?   I think I read some threads were lithium batteries are a no-no.   But it would be reassuring to me if I could track our bag.   If not, that's okay too.  

 

I'm also wondering if rather than ship directly to Southampton, if there is any benefit (besides piece of mind) of sending the luggage to our hotel in London.  We're going to be in London for about a week before the TA and it just seems like another piece of luggage to carry to Southampton.  The only other benefit I could see is if the bag doesn't show up in London, we could do some shopping there.  I booked a car service from the hotel to Southampton, so another bag isn't the end of the world.   But if it could be delivered to our stateroom, why not?

Edited March 20 by Joe33472

[esrs]

13 hours ago, Joe33472 said:

 

Has anyone put an Air Tag in their luggage when using Luggage Forward?   I think I read some threads were lithium batteries are a no-no.   But it would be reassuring to me if I could track our bag.   If not, that's okay too.

Luggage forward provides updates as towhere your bag is located, you just have to log in and view your order.  I'd just have them send it to the ship, you don't need the hassle of transporting it from London.  I'd be far more worried about the bag sitting for days at a London hotel.

[TouchstoneFeste]

14 hours ago, Joe33472 said:

Has anyone put an Air Tag in their luggage when using Luggage Forward?   I think I read some threads were lithium batteries are a no-no.   But it would be reassuring to me if I could track our bag.   If not, that's okay too.  

As @esrs says, Luggage Forward has easy-to-use luggage tracking. However, putting an air tag in a shipped bag (which we've done a couple times) is no different from putting one in a checked bag at the airport - which is what they're for, after all.

 

The FAA rules (and I assume these are equivalent to other international rules) are a little complicated

https://www.faa.gov/newsroom/lithium-batteries-baggage

but you can ship or check devices with lithium batteries in them as long as they are secured from accidentally activating. Loose lithium batteries, no. The FAA seems to be trying to make a reasonable accommodation ...

 

[Joe33472]

1 hour ago, esrs said:

Luggage forward provides updates as towhere your bag is located, you just have to log in and view your order.  I'd just have them send it to the ship, you don't need the hassle of transporting it from London.  I'd be far more worried about the bag sitting for days at a London hotel.

 

32 minutes ago, TouchstoneFeste said:

As @esrs says, Luggage Forward has easy-to-use luggage tracking. However, putting an air tag in a shipped bag (which we've done a couple times) is no different from putting one in a checked bag at the airport - which is what they're for, after all.

 

 

 

Thank you both!  I'm just going ship the bag to the ship rather than the hotel.  Not sure what to do about the tracking.  I'll probably just rely on Luggage Forward's own tracking rather than push my luck with the AirTag.  Thanks again!   

[Smokeyham]

Original Poster here......

I just wanted to report back that we had an excellent experience with Luggage Forwarding.  

After making the reservation online we telephoned them to arrange for an alternate pick up date that was in advance of the date that was available on the website.  This was fine and they had really good communication with us, even calling to ask a day or so in advance if it would be OK if the time of pick up was changed.

One thing we learned is that (at least at Southampton for Cunard), they do not have difficulty storing the luggage a few days in advance of your ships arrival/embarkation.  This is coordinated with the Ship's Agent.

 

However, if you want to have your luggage delivered to a hotel then you must be present at the hotel or arrange for your hotel to store they luggage for you.  

Once the luggage tag arrived for us to apply to the luggage we Googled the delivery address in Southampton and it appeared to be a private residence.  Everything turned out fine, so just a reassurance in case you do the same thing!

 

[Joe33472]

5 hours ago, Smokeyham said:

Once the luggage tag arrived for us to apply to the luggage we Googled the delivery address in Southampton and it appeared to be a private residence.  Everything turned out fine, so just a reassurance in case you do the same thing!

 

 

Thanks for posting.   We have an upcoming cruise on 6/23 on the QM2 and left our bag with a family member because we left the US in late April.  So, it's great to to know that you had a good experience with Luggage Forward.    I also see our cabin # on the shipping tag.

 

I didn't even think about Googling the address, that was a great idea.  I'm a little surprised that the address is a private residence.  I was thinking it would be a warehouse or storefront, but whatever.  

 

Thanks again for the update!

 

[Winifred 22]

27 minutes ago, Joe33472 said:

 

Thanks for posting.   We have an upcoming cruise on 6/23 on the QM2 and left our bag with a family member because we left the US in late April.  So, it's great to to know that you had a good experience with Luggage Forward.    I also see our cabin # on the shipping tag.

 

I didn't even think about Googling the address, that was a great idea.  I'm a little surprised that the address is a private residence.  I was thinking it would be a warehouse or storefront, but whatever.  

 

Thanks again for the update!

 

Perhaps they don’t have enough luggage to justify the expense of hiring a warehouse so use this address as an alternative. Probably safer than a warehouse on a trading estate. 

[We_like_to_cruise]

You were looking for recent experience - we had our luggage delivered last week to our cruise ship!

 

We did leave prior to the pickup date and arranged to leave our bags with a neighbor where they were picked up by Luggage Forward.

 

The service was top notch and highly recommended.

 

I would definitely use them again !

 

 

 

 

[Smokeyham]

15 hours ago, Joe33472 said:

 

Thanks for posting.   We have an upcoming cruise on 6/23 on the QM2 and left our bag with a family member because we left the US in late April.  So, it's great to to know that you had a good experience with Luggage Forward.    I also see our cabin # on the shipping tag.

 

I didn't even think about Googling the address, that was a great idea.  I'm a little surprised that the address is a private residence.  I was thinking it would be a warehouse or storefront, but whatever.  

 

Thanks again for the update!

 

 

We jokingly thought we would go to the address in Southampton and ask if our luggage had arrived!  🙂

We appreciated that we could arrange an earlier pick up date than the date which was shown online as we wanted to be sure the bag was collected before we left for our trip.