Advice on Shipping Luggage Direct to Ship

[edgee]

:confused: We are considering a 10 day Celebrity cruise Rome to Rome, but want to spend a week traveling in Europe prior to our cruise. While we could work to reduce the luggage we take, it would be quite hard to lighten our load to the extent necessary for train travel and discount European air carriers enough to facilitate pre cruise travel and still have enouigh "stuff" needed for the cruise. We are considering packing very light for the 7 day European travel portion of our trip and and shipping at least one large suitcase directly to the ship or our pre-cruise hotel in Rome. Does anyone have experience shipping luggage in advance to Europe? Is there a company you could recommend? I contacted Celebrity and they said they do not have any arrangements or recommendations for such service. Thanks for any advice.

[greatam]

:confused: We are considering a 10 day Celebrity cruise Rome to Rome, but want to spend a week traveling in Europe prior to our cruise. While we could work to reduce the luggage we take, it would be quite hard to lighten our load to the extent necessary for train travel and discount European air carriers enough to facilitate pre cruise travel and still have enouigh "stuff" needed for the cruise. We are considering packing very light for the 7 day European travel portion of our trip and and shipping at least one large suitcase directly to the ship or our pre-cruise hotel in Rome. Does anyone have experience shipping luggage in advance to Europe? Is there a company you could recommend? I contacted Celebrity and they said they do not have any arrangements or recommendations for such service. Thanks for any advice.

 

You can box your suitcase (U-Haul has great boxes that fit suitcases) and send it via the post office-either Global Priority or Global Express. Obviously, Priority is about 1/2 price of Express. Shipping time to Europe is about 5-10 days via Priority; 1-4 days Express. About $175.00 Express, about $100 for Priority for a 50 pound box. Must be shipped to a hotel and the hotel must be able to accept delivery.

 

For a more expensive option, you can ship via FedEx or UPS. About double the price of the Post Office. AND there is only $1000.00 worth of insurance on ANY FedEx/UPS shipment WITHOUT paying extra (and extra insurance is priced by the pound). And you POSSIBLY could have customs problems (which you rarely have with the Post Office).

 

The most expensive option, but the easiest: Luggage Free, Luggage Express, Luggage Forward, Luggage Concierge, etc. etc. etc. Companies specifically set up to pick up your suitcase at your house, deliver it to the ship or a hotel. About $400 and up for one 50 pound suitcase.

[cb at sea]

That's really expensive! You could buy a whole lot of new stuff for $400.00!

[cruisemom42]

If you are planning to fly into the same port that your cruise leaves from, why not just take the extra suitcase with you and ask your hotel to hold it for you while you travel with only what you need for the week?

 

Alternatively, I've read posts from cruisers who've done a pre-cruise trip (often 1+ weeks) and then cruised with only a small suitcase, so it CAN be done. I'd certainly choose that over paying $400 to ship it. That could pay for a couple of really nice private tours....