Has anyone used luggage direct with Southwest

[waASPCrusier]

It seems that when doing this service you get your boarding pass along with the luggage service. Since normally we pay the $10 for an early bird check-in(A group), I am trying to determine if for $9 more I will get both the luggage service and "A" boarding group.....anybody use this with Southwest ?

Thanks :)

[1cruiselvr]

I'm sure I will be corrected if wrong, but I believe the $19 is for the bag direct service, not the cost of an A boarding pass. So if you want to have a better chance of being assigned one, I would pay the $10 early bird fee. When we did it, SW hadn't started the early bird service so we did it by checking in online while on the ship. Happy Sailing!

[Hlitner]

We used to go online 24 hours before our flight to get our SW boarding number. A couple of cruises ago it just so happened that the ship's internet was down at that important time so we ended up with a high "C" boarding number :(. So now, we always pay the $10 early bird fee for our return flights.

Hank

[1cruiselvr]

Good point, the $10 pp is worth the piece of mind, not to mention there might be something you'd rather be doing on the ship 24 hrs prior to your flight time. Happy Sailing!

[waASPCrusier]

Good point, the $10 pp is worth the piece of mind, not to mention there might be something you'd rather be doing on the ship 24 hrs prior to your flight time. Happy Sailing!

The reason I am asking, is that others reported getting their boarding pass delivered to their cabin. They didn't have to print anything out. So hoping that somebody has specifically used the luggage direct with SWA service and can report on the boarding pass.

[1cruiselvr]

That might be because other airlines have assigned seating and not first come first served checkin/seating situation like SW. I do know that you don't automatically get an A boarding pass because you are in the bag program so if that's important to you, then I suggest you pay the early bird fee.

[GPoll189]

Some one can correct me if I am not correct but I believe the luggage direct you are talking about Southwest does not participate in. There are a group of airlines that does this for all domestic flights but the last few times I notice that Southwest was not one of the ones on the list. If you need to get your boarding pass on Southwest you will need to get online some how.

[waASPCrusier]

Some one can correct me if I am not correct but I believe the luggage direct you are talking about Southwest does not participate in. There are a group of airlines that does this for all domestic flights but the last few times I notice that Southwest was not one of the ones on the list. If you need to get your boarding pass on Southwest you will need to get online some how.

They didn't used to be but now they are...checkout this post for all the airlines, ports and ships as it relates to HAL.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=30949457&postcount=4

[Sunflower&Scientist]

We used it in July coming off the Westerdam and were flying Southwest. My husband and I said it was THE BEST THING EVER! Indeed they DO check you in which solves having to pay the $10 early bird check in to Southwest. We were very concerned about that and using this service not only took care of our luggage, it took care of us checking in.

We had a few hour wait at the airport and loved not having to worry about hauling our luggage around. They will not allow you to check it in prior to one hour before your flight. We felt so bad for people who were having to deal with their luggage for hours on end. Best $19 spend and we'll do it again!

[GPoll189]

Thanks for the clarification. I usuaslly fly Delta or Jet Blue to and from Fort Lauderdale so I don't pay attention to the other airlines. The last time I cruised with HAL was for last New Years so in the last 10 months there could have been major changes that have gone on. That is why I asked for someone to come and help me answer your question better.

Once again thank you for the information. Tis is one reason I enjoy cruise critic.

[MsSteinrunner]

We flew SWA this summer and also used Luggage Direct. The Early Check in option and Luggage Direct are two different fees. ( Even with paying the $10 each for the ability to print boarding passes early, we were A48-A49! )

The boarding passes and luggage tags were delivered to our cabin. Be sure to check them carefully. SWA made an error; we caught it; HAL further botched the issue, and one of our pieces of luggage traveled to San Jose rather than Tampa. It was nice not to have to deal with our luggage; however, my husband was so annoyed by the whole mess that I doubt we'll use them again.

[WNcruiser]

Just one more thing to keep in mind. The early bird check in actually checks you in 36 hours before your flight, not 24. You do not have to print your boarding pass out since your # is saved. You can just get it at the airport.

You will have business select fares and A-list rapid rewards members before you, but I still think it's definately worth $10 (especially since you aren't paying for checked bags).

[Bookfinder]

We flew SWA this summer and also used Luggage Direct. The Early Check in option and Luggage Direct are two different fees. ( Even with paying the $10 each for the ability to print boarding passes early, we were A48-A49! )

The boarding passes and luggage tags were delivered to our cabin. Be sure to check them carefully. SWA made an error; we caught it; HAL further botched the issue, and one of our pieces of luggage traveled to San Jose rather than Tampa. It was nice not to have to deal with our luggage; however, my husband was so annoyed by the whole mess that I doubt we'll use them again.

MsSteinrunner:
We are excited that SW had decided to provide the service. Were you able to get the
corrected luggage tags on the ship? How did HAL add to the botched issue? Does the luggage need to be ready earlier than usual for this service?

Thanks in advance for the info.
Bookfinder

[RuthC]

When I used Luggage Direct for my Southwest flight out of Seattle I believe I had a "B" boarding number.
I know the people at the Front Desk aren't as hop-to-it as those of us who will be in the seat-grab are likely to be.

[Megalon]

There is a mixture of message. I can share our experience.
- Used the service with Southwest coming off Eurodam January 22, 2011, at FLL.
- The 19.00 pp gets you luggage transfer and a printed boarding pass.
- It does not get you a priority boarding. That we had purchased separately in advance.
- If you haven't previously purchased priority boarding, you get what Southwest has available when HAL makes contact.
- Considering the madhouse that is FLL on Saturday and Sunday with the mammoth RCL cruise ships in, this service was wonderful, flawless, and well worth the cost.

When we arrived on Friday, January 14, for our cruise and got on our hotel shuttle, we could not believe the length of the lines to check luggage. So, when the sheet offering luggage direct was left in our stateroom, we jumped all over it and will do so again this January 22 coming off Nieuw Amsterdam!

[waASPCrusier]

Thanks you all for the answers. Can anybody answer these, there will be 3 of us, but only luggage for the adults. Can we purchase the luggage direct for just the 2 of the 3 in the cabin ? Also when did you indicate/signup for the luggage direct ?

Thanks:)

[esther e]

My husband needs to be in a wheelchair in airports because he just is not able to walk to the gates. Do we need to buy a priority boarding pass or does he automatically get priority in a wheelchair?

[RuthC]

My husband needs to be in a wheelchair in airports because he just is not able to walk to the gates. Do we need to buy a priority boarding pass or does he automatically get priority in a wheelchair?
As long as he's in that wheelchair at the gate, he will have priority boarding on Southwest. That was one reason I wasn't concerned about my "B" boarding pass.

The difficulty is getting the wheelchair at the terminal. Since you don't have luggage to check in you kind of get lost in the crowd---at least at the curb check-in kiosk.
Since your husband has you to run interference, that may not be as much of a problem as it is for someone traveling alone.

[esther e]

Thanks, Ruth. Just add another "job" in my resume!!:) I kinda thought this, but wasn't sure.

[MsSteinrunner]

What happened to us probably will not (hopefully) happen to others:

When HAL received the luggage tags and boarding passes for us, my husband's boarding pass was for John Q. Doe to San Jose rather than John P. Doe to Tampa, and he did not receive a luggage tag. We reported that to the front desk and were told they would contact SWA to change the boarding pass. Later that evening, a corrected boarding pass and a luggage tag arrived in the cabin.

The Seattle luggage tags do not show connecting flights; the final luggage tags are affixed at the airport by the airline. What we did not realize was the front desk had created his luggage tag before the boarding pass was corrected. Thus, hubby's luggage traveled with John Q. Doe to San Jose. Luckily, when it did not show, we knew where to tell SWA to look.

HAL did apologize and refunded the $38. The boarding pass error was SWA; the luggage tag error was the lady at HAL's front desk.

[djhsolara]

To clarify the fees:

1 - The $10 Early Bird fee is a fee that you are paying to Southwest to guarantee your place in line.

2 - The $19 Luggage Direct fee is a fee that you are paying to HAL (or whomever they contract to provide this service) to get your luggage from the ship to the airport.

These are separate things for very different services.

On our Westerdam sailing in April we were not permitted to arrange the Luggage Direct until we were onboard. This was quite the best money we have ever spent after a cruise...no worries at all about your luggage until you get it off the carousel at your home airport.

:) :)

[Sunflower&Scientist]

Thanks you all for the answers. Can anybody answer these, there will be 3 of us, but only luggage for the adults. Can we purchase the luggage direct for just the 2 of the 3 in the cabin ? Also when did you indicate/signup for the luggage direct ?

Thanks:)

You only pay for those using luggage direct. If your child has not luggage I can't imagine they would charge for them, but you won't get a boarding pass for them as that is part of the luggage direct.

You will receive information in your cabin regarding the luggage direct and they will instruct you when to turn it back in.

Additional note....since Southwest does not have assigned seating and you can only check in 24 hours in advance, they inform you that your tags and boarding passes will not be in your room as quickly as those flying other airlines.

[andrek]

Is the $19 for one piece of luggage or all of your luggage?

[lizzies_mom]

Now if only Luggage Direct were available on the Prinsendam!

[Globaliser]

The early bird check in actually checks you in 36 hours before your flight, not 24. You do not have to print your boarding pass out since your # is saved. You can just get it at the airport.So does this mean that if you buy the $10 Early Bird as well as the $19 Luggage Direct, you should always get an earlier queue position than if you just buy the $19 Luggage Direct?

[WNcruiser]

So does this mean that if you buy the $10 Early Bird as well as the $19 Luggage Direct, you should always get an earlier queue position than if you just buy the $19 Luggage Direct?

I would say yes as Southwest checks you in BEFORE 24 hours which everyone else has to wait for, including HAL.

As RuthC said, I doubt the HAL personnel are right on the computer exactly 24 hours before your departure:).

Steve

[Globaliser]

Thanks - I've not wasted $20 then!

[RuthC]

Is the $19 for one piece of luggage or all of your luggage?
All of it. However, if there are airline charges for additional pieces, you will be charged.

[RuthC]

Now if only Luggage Direct were available on the Prinsendam!
Luggage Direct is limited to US ports (with the possible exception of Vancouver; I don't recall). The Prinsendam is in the US so seldom that it wouldn't be worth their while to institute it on that ship.
But I agree, it would be nice to have it on that ship when it is in the US.

[Bookfinder]

Thanks MsSteinrunner for the quick reply -- We are going to give it a try on our December cruise.

[djhsolara]

So does this mean that if you buy the $10 Early Bird as well as the $19 Luggage Direct, you should always get an earlier queue position than if you just buy the $19 Luggage Direct?

Yes...because the $10 that you are paying to Southwest is to guarantee your spot in the boarding queue. The $19 that you are paying to Luggage Direct is only for the service to get your luggage from the ship to the airport...it has nothing to do with your airline reservation with Southwest other than the fact that they print out your boarding pass on the ship for you.

[Denverbri69]

We used it in July coming off the Westerdam and were flying Southwest. My husband and I said it was THE BEST THING EVER! Indeed they DO check you in which solves having to pay the $10 early bird check in to Southwest. We were very concerned about that and using this service not only took care of our luggage, it took care of us checking in.

We had a few hour wait at the airport and loved not having to worry about hauling our luggage around. They will not allow you to check it in prior to one hour before your flight. We felt so bad for people who were having to deal with their luggage for hours on end. Best $19 spend and we'll do it again!

You are so right! Since we spend a few days in FLL before the cruise we do not use the baggage direct program. But on our way home we tried it. Probably the nicest luxury we 'splurged' on, on the whole cruise. You get an early disembarkation time as well. The HAL crew picked up the bags outside our room around midnight and the next time we saw them was on the baggage carousel in Denver.

[jschm27]

I used luggage direct with SWA in August. Here is the link to my review:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1473186&highlight

John