Free Valet Luggage in Seattle

[xenna]

I have tried to find more information about this in the search but I am having a hard time.  I have read several posts about the free luggage transportation at the end of the cruise to the final destination.  I am sailing on the Eurodam in May with roundtrip ports in Seattle.  So my question is to use this service does my airfare have to be booked through the Cruiseline?  I am booking my own airfare separately.  So would this still work?  I can't seem to find this information on the port's main website.  I am flying Delta so I see that is one of the airlines that this service works with.  

 

Also if I am able to use this service can I still get off the ship with the people that carry their own luggage off the ship?  Because basically I would only still have my carryons left.

[CruiserBruce]

If you look at the West Coast Departures board,  there are many threads onnthe luggage service.

 

No, your flight doesn't have to be booked  through the cruise line. No, you don't get to disembark with the carry off people. But they don't check that closely. 

[oaktreerb]

You do not have to book your air through the cruise line.  This is a service provided by the Seattle airport.  When you are onboard you should receive information about this service with your disembarkation paperwork.  Some people made arrangements prior to boarding.  We booked air with Alaska Airlines and signed up for Luggage Direct/Port Valet onboard.  There are restrictions as to your flight time, we were told our flight out would have to be 12 Noon or later, I think it changed to 11 a.m. or later that same day.  You will receive your boarding pass and luggage tags the night before you arrive in port.  You leave your tagged luggage out the night before you disembark.  You leave the ship with your carry on luggage and go through customs.  You are able to skip the check in lines, go directly through airport security to your departure gate.  There were volunteers at the Seattle airport to help us find the right lines.  Seattle is a very busy airport!

[Haljo1935]

Hi, again! Luggage Direct is the program you're looking for. No, you do not have to book through the cruiseline to use it, but you do have to fly on one of the participating airlines.

It's free in Seattle because the cover the cost of it. No need to sign up ahead - you'll receive a form in your cabin to fill out and your plane tickets & luggage tags will be delivered to your cabin if you're approved. They also check you in for your flight so there's no need for you to do that.

 

Here's more info directly from the source:

https://www.portseattle.org/page/port-valet-enjoy-seattle-luggage-free

 

We get off w/those cattying off luggage if we have an early flight and get off later if we eat breakfast first; never have an issue getting off at our convenience (you are technically allowed since you're not claiming any luggage).

 

We love it and use it every year when we cruise AK. FWIW, it's also available in FLL and works great.

Edited August 9 by Haljo1935
Additional comment

[xenna]

17 minutes ago, Haljo1935 said:

Hi, again! Luggage Direct is the program you're looking for. No, you do not have to book through the cruiseline to use it, but you do have to fly on one of the participating airlines.

It's free in Seattle because the cover the cost of it. No need to sign up ahead - you'll receive a form in your cabin to fill out and your plane tickets & luggage tags will be delivered to your cabin if you're approved. They also check you in for your flight so there's no need for you to do that.

 

Here's more info directly from the source:

https://www.portseattle.org/page/port-valet-enjoy-seattle-luggage-free

 

We get off w/those cattying off luggage if we have an early flight and get off later if we eat breakfast first; never have an issue getting off at our convenience (you are technically allowed since you're not claiming any luggage).

 

We love it and use it every year when we cruise AK. FWIW, it's also available in FLL and works great.

My flight is Delta.  So they will do my precheck in for my flight for me?   When I look on my Delta app it will show that I checked in?  It will automatically show I completed the check in and I can still access electronic boarding if I rather show my phone?

[Haljo1935]

39 minutes ago, xenna said:

My flight is Delta.  So they will do my precheck in for my flight for me?   When I look on my Delta app it will show that I checked in?  It will automatically show I completed the check in and I can still access electronic boarding if I rather show my phone?

I never tried to use the electronic boarding pass - I have always just given the printed one I received in my cabin. I've used the service on American & Alaskan Air, not Delta, but I showed as checked in each time on both airlines. 

I've used it as recently as May '23 on American in Seattle and Jan '24 on American in FLL.

I'm TSA precheck, DH is not. I go through my security line, he goes through his w/no issues.

Edited August 9 by Haljo1935
Typo

[ChinaShrek]

38 minutes ago, xenna said:

My flight is Delta.  So they will do my precheck in for my flight for me?   When I look on my Delta app it will show that I checked in?  It will automatically show I completed the check in and I can still access electronic boarding if I rather show my phone?

The answer is yes to all of these questions. I flew Delta last summer and used Luggage Direct from Seattle. The cruise line will check you in and give you luggage tags to put on your luggage. Your flight must start be at 11:00am or later to use this service.

[CruiserBruce]

The system in Seattle is run by the port. It is free. The system in Ft Lauderdale is a business, and there is a fee.

[Hlitner]

As I recall, if you have an early flight, you cannot use that Luggage Direct plan.  So, there would be little reason for folks to want to rush off (with the express disembarkation crowd) since their flight would not be very early.   It is a terrific option for late morning/early afternoon flights.  The last time we disembarked in Seattle, our flight was not until late at night.  We simply arranged to rent a car in Seattle (where we stored our luggage in the trunk) and enjoyed a delightful day in the region (we drove over to Tacoma).  After dinner we drove our car to Seatac, turned in the vehicle, and caught our flight.  The car cost us about $70 (including gas) and we had a delightful day.  This was our solution to the problem of how to deal with late night flights to the East Coast.

 

By renting a car, we had a place to store all of our luggage.  When you use Luggage Direct, you still must deal with your carry-on stuff, which is a problem.  The rental car also made it easy for us to drive over to Tacoma, go to the fine Glass Museum, and later head out to dinner before turning in our car.  We had also considered renting a "day room" at a Seatac area motel, but that actually would have cost us more money and required we check-out by 5.

 

Hank

 

 

 

[bcummin]

Port Valet in Seattle is different from Luggage Direct.

Barbara

[xenna]

On 8/9/2024 at 7:09 PM, ChinaShrek said:

The answer is yes to all of these questions. I flew Delta last summer and used Luggage Direct from Seattle. The cruise line will check you in and give you luggage tags to put on your luggage. Your flight must start be at 11:00am or later to use this service.

Awesome!  Thank you very much.  This is such a neat service. 

[xenna]

On 8/9/2024 at 7:26 PM, CruiserBruce said:

The system in Seattle is run by the port. It is free. The system in Ft Lauderdale is a business, and there is a fee.

Ahhh. That is good to know. 

[xenna]

On 8/9/2024 at 8:34 PM, Hlitner said:

As I recall, if you have an early flight, you cannot use that Luggage Direct plan.  So, there would be little reason for folks to want to rush off (with the express disembarkation crowd) since their flight would not be very early.   It is a terrific option for late morning/early afternoon flights.  The last time we disembarked in Seattle, our flight was not until late at night.  We simply arranged to rent a car in Seattle (where we stored our luggage in the trunk) and enjoyed a delightful day in the region (we drove over to Tacoma).  After dinner we drove our car to Seatac, turned in the vehicle, and caught our flight.  The car cost us about $70 (including gas) and we had a delightful day.  This was our solution to the problem of how to deal with late night flights to the East Coast.

 

By renting a car, we had a place to store all of our luggage.  When you use Luggage Direct, you still must deal with your carry-on stuff, which is a problem.  The rental car also made it easy for us to drive over to Tacoma, go to the fine Glass Museum, and later head out to dinner before turning in our car.  We had also considered renting a "day room" at a Seatac area motel, but that actually would have cost us more money and required we check-out by 5.

 

Hank

 

 

 

This is good advice and something to think about.  I will definitely get a later afternoon flight out. Thank you for the tips. 

[xenna]

On 8/9/2024 at 11:32 PM, bcummin said:

Port Valet in Seattle is different from Luggage Direct.

Barbara

I was inquiring about the free luggage checked all the way to my end destination.  I saw a service that delivered it to your home but I don't want to do that one. 

[bcummin]

I think that Luggage Direct delivers to your home.  For a charge.

We researched Seattle's Port Valet for our family, and it will deliver your luggage free to your end destination.  Too good to be true,  But our family did not sign up early enough on the cruise and missed out.

Barbara

[xenna]

8 minutes ago, bcummin said:

I think that Luggage Direct delivers to your home.  For a charge.

We researched Seattle's Port Valet for our family, and it will deliver your luggage free to your end destination.  Too good to be true,  But our family did not sign up early enough on the cruise and missed out.

Barbara

I will definitely be looking at their website in depth now that I have received some advice about it.  I will make sure I find out the time deadlines to sign up. 

[bcummin]

We learned that Seattle's Port Valet is for domestic flights, not international.  You can sign up online before the cruise or onboard when they actually give you paperwork about it.  Thursday was too late to sign up for the Saturday disembarkation.  But that family group had several strong young men and did just fine.  Enjoy your cruise!  (We loved our Eurodam Alaska cruise, Oceanview cabins.  Bring your binoculars and National Park passes. 🙂 )

Barbara

Edited August 12 by bcummin