Private Luggage Transfers

[Leonid]

Has anyone used private companies, such as Luggage Forward, to ship their luggage to the port of embarkation? We're thinking of using one to ship our luggage to our hotel in Miami in February. Any feedback, pro and con, would be appreciated.

[digby]

Have you checked the cost of using such a service? I have heard they are rather expensive. I would think bags could still be lost or delayed since they use the same airlines as we do.

[Kane]

I can think of one really big pro: you can pre-print your boarding pass online and go directly to the gate, not have to deal with baggage and check-in lines, which can sometimes be long.

I think it could work for you since the bags would be shipped to your pre-hotel. It might be difficult if you tried to have them delivered to the ship ... they would probably have to go to the shipping agency handling the docking for Oceania.

[Jancruz]

I am using a company in October to ship luggage to Barcelona to the ship..
Jan
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[digby]

I am using a company in October to ship luggage to Barcelona to the ship..
Jan
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How much will it cost?

[hondorner]

Betsy & I were just discussing this a couple of days ago for our next year's cruise. With the limitations on airline weight and what can be carried on, and concerns about security of things like cameras if packed in the checked-in luggage, I thought I'd look into it. I found several companies but most did not post their prices. One company wraps the luggage in plastic and picks it up at your covenience, and will deliver it to a ship (or hotel). Their rate is $6 per pound for European travel, or about $300 for a 50 pound bag.

There is also time involved; at least one of the companies wanted to pick the bags up from 6 to 9 days ahead.

I thought it might be a good idea to split the luggage into different groups, with each of us cheking in the maximum 50 pounds and carrying whatever will be legal at that point, and shipping any overage by the luggage forwarding company. A few claimed that their rates are not much different than overage charges, but I don't have any experience with that.

The reason I though about using the forwarder instead of overage on the plane is because of security; if it's handled as freight instead of luggage, I believe it may possibly be more secure in terms of shopping valuable items. By selecting the items in each bag, there's also a better chance that we'll have something to wear if one of the shipments goes astray.

The only thing I haven't looked into, yet, is any problems with forwarding to one destination and from a different one, especially as different as the Barcelona to Rio trip we will be taking. However, I would expect them to be prepared to handle something like that.

We're still more than a year away, so I won't be getting any formal price quotes, yet.

[nparmelee]

Hondoner, remember with most airlines it's 50 pounds per bag and up to 2 bags per person, not just 50 pounds per person, well at least right now. I looked into this for this year and found it would be at least $300 each way for 1 bag or box. Decided it was easier to just crosspack and take everything we needed with us in 3 suitcases on the plane. We had one suitcase that had just pre-cruise stuff so we didn't even need to open the other two bags until we unpacked on the ship.

[Leonid]

NParmelee: I believe that it's 70 lbs. per suitcase for International..at least that's what I think I remember from last Aug. on Virgin Atlantic to London. I also believe that one can track ones luggage from pickup to delivery.
In general, it sounds inviting since one never knows what new, idiotic rules the TSA will promulgate at any given time.

Jancruz: does the company that you are using deliver domestically? If so, may I ask who it is?

[BeBeReader]

It was 50 pounds per bag on Lufthansa this summer - not 70.

[scdreamer]

In addition, if you are planning any extended travel before or after your cruise within Europe, the smaller and less expensive local airlines have much more stringent weight limits for baggage.

We are planning to travel a bit - would like to stay in Paris for a few days - after our cruise ends in Venice, but are being forced to consider the train because of this problem.

[PurpleCow]

You're allowed to carry your camera(s) on board. The only thing you can't carry is liquids (and knives and guns and lighters, of course). Shipping luggage might help us out in Barcelona in March '08. We'll be met at the pier by friends and then taking off for a driving holiday in Spain and then returning to Holland to spend some thime with them. I'd love to be able to ship a suitcase or two to their daughter in Holland. Four people with one car trunk doesn't allow for a lot of luggage.

[Jancruz]

I am back from my trip and I sent a bag from L.A. to Oceania in Barcelona..It was picked up after I left, at my daughters house and delivered to our cabin. What a wonderful experience. No
more worrying about luggage for me, I will be sending all our luggage ahead from this point on. Mario, the concierge on Regatta, told me it arrived and was wrapped in plastic. He had to check to make sure it was in good shape and then he had to sign for it . When we boarded it was in our stateroom just as I packed it..I did not have to worry about anyone opening it or anything being taken by TSA. A very happy experience.
Jan
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[digby]

You left out some rather important information. What is the cost for the service?

[Jancruz]

Sorry digby,
I was embarrassed because Stu paid the bill and I cant remember exactly.. but I believe it was about $150
Jan
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[digby]

Sorry digby,
I was embarrassed because Stu paid the bill and I cant remember exactly.. but I believe it was about $150
Jan
*************


Per bag? Is the price based on size or weight?

[usna]

Jan,
I was looking through old threads for info on shipping luggage for a cruise and came across your post of Dec 2006.
Could you please tell me if you have used this method since your 2006 cruise? If so - or if not - what was the name of the shipping company?
Thanks for any additional information you can give me.
usna

[Leonid]

usna,

Using Google, Yahoo, or what ever search engine you use, type in "luggage forwarding services" without the quotes. You'll be pleasantly surprise with what comes up. You should be able to find something that meets your needs.

[KCNo]

Very frequent flyer here who has managed, thus far, to avoid Rome's airport (FCO); but an upcoming Oceania cruise will end this streak.

Having heard so many bad reviews of FCO itself and baggage handling there in particular I am thinking of shipping luggage directly to the pre-cruise hotel via one of the many forwarding services I've researched. I see that Jancruz1 has done this in the past (Barcelona) but possibly not recently? Anyone else?

Any input about past experiences with luggage at Rome - e.g., received as expected, temporarily missing but later found, lost, opened and items missing, etc. - would be appreciated. Rome being a fairly popular embarkation point I thought there might be some feedback?

Thanks,

[LovesSicily]

We have used FCO internationally and domestically and have never had a missing, delayed or opened piece of luggage. However, unloading can be very very slow. There have been several anxious moments when it seems as if our luggage was not going to be on the conveyor belt. The only time we had delayed luggage was a connecting flight through Malpensa (aptly named) for Palermo. It did turn up the next day.

[KCNo]

Good for you! And I'm glad to hear it since the average quoted cost for shipping one large +/-60 lb. upright from New England to Rome is +/-$400. Thank you for the information. Would anyone else care to share their good/bad luggage experiences at Rome?

[Leonid]

We flew into Rome 05/2007 from LA via Munich and didn't lose any luggage. Good experience since we had cleared immigration in Munich.

[Jancruz]

I just loved the whole experience..I only shipped luggage that one time in October..but if I ever have the chance I will certainly do it again..It is expensive but was worth every penny..not having to deal with luggage and stand in those lines and worry about something being stolen was wonderful..if you can afford it I say go for it!!
Jan
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[Bollinge]

The shipping services I have heard of just use FedEx to deliver your case to the ship's port agents.

It's so expensive I can't see myself ever using it.

[CathyCruises]

I tried to do this last year when we arrived back in BCN; we were renting a car and spending a few days driving through France and flying home from Paris. Thought it would be great to ditch the big suitcases and travel with carryons. I contacted multiple companies and it ended up being about $500-$900 for two suitcases!

I don't know if it's because we live in Idaho, or because we were not originating the shipment in the US--but for THAT money we just hauled everything with us. I would love to hear if anyone has figured out a way to do it reasonably. Peter Greenberg on the Today show always recommends this, but the prices he quoted were not for int'l travel.

It was a great idea while it lasted!

Cathy

[CathyCruises]

Oh, and when we flew Lufthansa to BCN last year, it was 70 lbs. May have changed but that was just last October.

[digby]

"Peter Greenberg on the Today show always recommends this, but the prices he quoted were not for int'l travel."

I also assume he can charge it off as a business expense which he never mentions.