Signature Express Baggage Service

[RayinIllinois]

What is Signature Express Baggage Service? Will using this get me to the airport any faster than dragging the bags myself?

[jtl513]

What is Signature Express Baggage Service? Will using this get me to the airport any faster than dragging the bags myself?It won't get you to the airport any quicker, but you'll be able to skip the baggage check-in line once you're there. I think it also gets you your plane boarding pass, so you can go right to the security line for the gates.

[cutelittle]

Unfortunately, Southwest Airlines isn't part of the program. Drat!

[mauimaitai]

Does someone know if Continental Airlines is included? Thanks!

[SandyMc]

We used this service when they first started several years ago and it was a great deal! They take your bag when you put it out the night before and you don't see it until you get home. They also get your boarding passes for you.

We used it again just last month and, although still convenient, I'm not sure the cost will be worth it to everyone. The charge from HAL is $20 per person - not bad! However, you still must pay the per bag fee charged by your airline and get yourself to the airport. So - for us and our two bags - that $40 service ending up costing us $100.

Even so - decidedly worth it for us!! :D

[willowtak]

Last year when we were flying from FLL, Southwest did not participate. However, when we got outside with our luggage to get a cab there was a truck with a Southwest rep taking luggage and printing boarding passes. The cost was less than the Signautre Service. We were very happy with it and would do it again

[rolling rock1]

Continental Airlines DOES participate in Signature Express Baggage Service.

[mauimaitai]

Thanks rr1!

[CruisinManiac]

Is this service offered in FLL for the Eurodam and is it free to passengers in suites?

We used the service on our last cruise - with RCCL, and it was free because we were in a Grand Suite. However, we still had to claim our bags in baggage, and then take over to the Delta kiosk in the port terminal.

Does USAir participate?

[Laurie S.]

It's not free for suite passengers. I paid $19 last December on the Maasdam and I was in a suite. It was worth every penny.

[CruisinManiac]

It's not free for suite passengers. I paid $19 last December on the Maasdam and I was in a suite. It was worth every penny.

But better when it is FREE! :D

[Laurie S.]

True, but I didn't have to claim my bags until they rolled off the carousel in Tucson. :)

[CruisinManiac]

Good point, but to tell the truth, we were glad to claim our bags. :) I wanted to make sure the bags made it off the ship and were still intact. I place the cable ties on them and would be able to tell if the bags had been rummaged through before leaving the ship area. This way, if something is missing when we return home, we know it was the airlines and not the ship crew or port workers. We only had to walk them through customs and around the corner, anyway. ;)

[Laurie S.]

I did see my bags in the customs area after leaving the ship. They were looked at there but I didn't have to haul them there or to the bus. Considering how many I had (some with scuba gear), I was very glad to be free of them. :)

[CruisinManiac]

I did see my bags in the customs area after leaving the ship. They were looked at there but I didn't have to haul them there or to the bus. Considering how many I had (some with scuba gear), I was very glad to be free of them. :)

You win! :)

BTW - I see you are from Tucson. I can't remember if I ever asked you, but I have relatives from there. One of them is a Head ref for NFL. Did I ask you already?

[Laurie S.]

No, you haven't. :)

[cmdchiefthom]

Personally, I don't care what it costs, I really don't want to worry about getting my bags to the airport and have to wait in line to check in. I've used this service for years on several lines, and to me its worth every penny!;)

[carosave]

it was offered on our last cruise (Eurodam), same terms as everyone else, but we were told that if we did it, we had to be off the ship by 8:15am. Has anyone else experienced this?

We had used it before, on the Westerdam, and don't recall that we had a desembarkation time prior to 8:15am.

[Laurie S.]

Yes, on the Maasdam, you had to be off by 8:15 am. The timing actually worked out just fine for my 1:00 pm flight.

[nannie70]

Used this service several times and it is worth it's weight in gold. You walk off the ship like getting of a bus. Can you tell me if it is offered off the Noordam to Spirit Airlines in Ft Lauderdale? Thanks

[pms4104]

Used this service several times and it is worth it's weight in gold. You walk off the ship like getting of a bus. Can you tell me if it is offered off the Noordam to Spirit Airlines in Ft Lauderdale? Thanks
Sorry ... Spirit is not one of the airlines for which this service is available.

[jerseyridgearts]

My DH is convinced that express baggage is available on Med cruises...does anyone know? I'm doubtful. We have a non-stop Heathrow to Chicago O'Hare on American in May '10

[parrotfeathers]

I plan to use this for my cruise. Surely Delta participates. What do they do if your bag is overweight and more money is needed? I do understand you can pay online for the baggage fee with Delta.

[Petronillus]

We have a complication. No seats were available for frequent-flyer-points redemption on Saturday coming back from our upcoming Oosterdam cruise, so we're staying over in San Diego and flying home on Sunday. We can easily make do with our carry-ons in SD. Does anybody here know: will the signature express baggage service hold our to-be-checked luggage overnight for a next-day flight?

[pms4104]

We have a complication. No seats were available for frequent-flyer-points redemption on Saturday coming back from our upcoming Oosterdam cruise, so we're staying over in San Diego and flying home on Sunday. We can easily make do with our carry-ons in SD. Does anybody here know: will the signature express baggage service hold our to-be-checked luggage overnight for a next-day flight?
I believe the service is available only for passengers flying out the day of disembarkation.

[Boytjie]

I plan to use this for my cruise. Surely Delta participates. What do they do if your bag is overweight and more money is needed? I do understand you can pay online for the baggage fee with Delta.


HAL will charge any baggage fees (e.g. paying for second bag, overweight etc.) to your onboard account.

[jtl513]

My DH is convinced that express baggage is available on Med cruises...does anyone know? I'm doubtful. We have a non-stop Heathrow to Chicago O'Hare on American in May '10No, it's only for 5 US ports plus Vancouver. Show him:
http://www.hollandamerica.com/cruise-vacation-planning/CruisePreparation.action?tabName=Transportation&contentMenu=Arrival,+Boarding+%26+Disembarkation&contentSubMenu=Signature+Express+Baggage+Service

[sylteach]

We used that service flying from Vancouver to a US airport. We were not charged for the 1 piece of luggage that we each had left in the hall to be picked up. They do not weigh the luggage either. We flew Northwest airlines. We got on a bus and stopped in a lot by the airport for Cadadian customs to come aboard and check our declarations. Then we moved on to a special entrance that took us through our own Canadian security and US customs that was separate from the rest of the airport. That took us about 20 minutes and we were on our way to our gate in the airport. The whole time from leaving the ship to our gate was about 1 hour. We even got a narrated-tour for free from the bus driver while we drove through the city to the airport.

[parrotfeathers]

Thank you for that information. I just returned from the Westminster Dog Show. Took only a carry on that held all the clothes needed. When I left NYC to return home my bag was stuffed full of doggie freebies given away at the show. I had to put my clothes in a sack. When my friend asked why I wouldn't check the bag, I told her it would cost $23 and I might as well throw all the free dog food out and buy a bag when I got home if I was going to do that. I hope that makes sense. I thought it was perfectly logical.


HAL will charge any baggage fees (e.g. paying for second bag, overweight etc.) to your onboard account.

[pms4104]

Thank you for that information. I just returned from the Westminster Dog Show. Took only a carry on that held all the clothes needed. When I left NYC to return home my bag was stuffed full of doggie freebies given away at the show. I had to put my clothes in a sack. When my friend asked why I wouldn't check the bag, I told her it would cost $23 and I might as well throw all the free dog food out and buy a bag when I got home if I was going to do that. I hope that makes sense. I thought it was perfectly logical.
In that scenario ... an easy alternative would have been to eat the dog food ... likely better than airport food.:D

[Jemima]

I've done this in another port, but understand Fort Lauderdale is different. At the other port the flight had to be after a certain time (noon?). We put the bags out the previous evening and didn't see them until our home airport.
Will we have to do something with our bags in the cruise terminal in Fort Lauderdale? What exactly? Will we have to do anything with them at the Fort Lauderdale airport? (We will have an afternoon flight on Continental.)

[Randyk47]

We've not had the opportunity to try this new service but it sounds interesting. We were going to use it out of Tampa but the ship was so late arriving and eventually clearing that they canceled it. :(