Signature Express Baggage Service

[jt58203]

How does this work and what does it include? I'd like to hear any good/bad experiences doing this. I think HALs website says it's $19 per person, limit of two checked bags pp. I think they print your boarding passes too. I'm thinking of doing this in FLL as my flight leaves later in the afternoon & that way I can take in some sights or go have a nice lunch & shop for a few hours without lugging everything around.

[jankn]

This is really a good deal, especially if its a while before your flight and you want to do some sightseeing. We did it in Seattle, put our bags outside our door at night and didnt see them again until we were at our destination ! Just dont forget to keep out the things you may need during that day of travel home because you wont be able to get into them again....sure makes that day a breeze.

[pms4104]

It's been a couple of years since we used the service at Port Everglades ... at that time, we still had to claim our bags and schlepp them thru Customs and Immigration before tendering them to the contractor. Comments on this board seem to indicate that may no longer be the case, and that once your bags are placed outside your room the evening before disembark, you won't see them again til you get to your home airport.

 

A couple of days into your sailing, you will receive a form on which you indicate your plans at/after disembark. That form also has an area in which you can sign up for Signature Express Baggage Service. The service fee, as well as any checked bag fees assessed by your airline, will be charged to your onboard account.

 

They will check you in for your flight, and print your boarding passes and bag check tags ... I believe these are placed in your cabin mailbox last night of the cruise.

 

Not all airlines participate, but I believe all of the legacies (UA, DL, AA, etc.) do. Also, I think you may have to be traveling on a passport to participate ... at least, that's what I recall from the form. Further, anyone may be denied participation for reasons unknown to and beyond the control of HAL. Final word lies with DHS.

 

We participated one year and were denied the following year ... only difference was that the second year we had purchased two one-way air tix rather than roundtrip. Go figure.

[Rutland Gate]

Signature Express Baggage is a really good service. We have used it since its inception, and it has improved in the way that you put your luggage in the passageway and see it the next time on your home baggage carossel. We have not had any problems, and the boarding card is a real convenience as well.

[innlady1]

Loved Signature Baggage Service last year! Would not hesitate to use it again if we were leaving Florida immediately upon disembarkation!

[aaerobear]

We recently used the service getting off the Statendam in San Diego, it was smooth as silk. Left the bags out the night before and picked them up in SFO when we got home. Well worth the $$ and would do it again in a heartbeat. What a treat to get to the airport and have no luggage to worry about and we each just had a very small carry-on so zoomed through security.

[Jemima]

We are hoping to use it in Vancouver in April. We are worried that it might not be offered due to the increased security for Canadian to US flights.

[pms4104]

We are hoping to use it in Vancouver in April. We are worried that it might not be offered due to the increased security for Canadian to US flights.

HAL's website indicates that the service is available in Vancouver on select dates only ... hopefully, you'll be disembarking on one of those select dates.

[jt58203]

Sounds like a good deal and actually the cost is minimal when you consider it would cost $4-$5 tip to a taxi driver, then another $4-5 tip to the curbside check in people. Also the cost of internet time to log in & print off boarding passes and not having to claim luggage at the port. Well worth it if you ask me!

[mommyto2girls]

We used it this past Sunday coming off the Westerdam in FLL. The airport was a madhouse we were glad we did it. We put our bags out the night before and did not have to deal with them again till we landed in NY. It was $19.00pp we each had one bag. Last year we had to claim or bags and go through customs with them when we docked and then hand them over to Signature Baggage that is no longer the case. It was very simple.

[albertiger]

Is this service available in Tampa, for SWA???

[pms4104]

Is this service available in Tampa, for SWA???

While the service is offered in Tampa, I do not believe that Southwest participates in the Signature Express Baggage Service.

[Iowa-Cruiser]

We were a bit concerned using this service. The separation anxiety of the luggage being out of your control for the entire time was unnerving. DW kept saying the entire plane ride - "I hope our bags make it". They did. It was nice watching all of those other folk in line struggling with their bags down the gangway and into the customs area and knowing we did not need to do the same thing. Once the bags were out in the hall outside the stateroom, we did not touch them again until we landed in our home airport.

 

We did have a moment of panic - the tags HAL gave us to attach to the luggage did not have both flights listed. So I went down to the front desk area at 10:30 PM to try to find someone to ask. Thankfully someone was at the shore excursion desk. She explained the tags HAL gives you are just for the HAL porters. An airline rep comes along later and attaches the official airline bag tag.

[willowtak]

Last time we were at Ft Lauderdale SWA did not participate. However, when we got out of the terminal there was a SWA representative and a truck. He took our luggage, printed tags for it and gave us our boarding passes. We picked up our luggage in Baltimore. The cost then was $15 per bag. I don't remember if there was a limit to the number of bags you could check. It was great.

[RuthC]

Last time we were at Ft Lauderdale SWA did not participate. However, when we got out of the terminal there was a SWA representative and a truck. He took our luggage, printed tags for it and gave us our boarding passes. We picked up our luggage in Baltimore. The cost then was $15 per bag. I don't remember if there was a limit to the number of bags you could check. It was great.

Did the price change? I used the Southwest service at Ft. Lauderdale in November, and the price was $10, and I had two bags (which is the Southwest limit).

[cruiseing marly]

We are hoping to use it in Vancouver in April. We are worried that it might not be offered due to the increased security for Canadian to US flights.

 

You have to go through US customs in Vancouver when flying to the the US.I doubt that you could do this as you have to carrie your own bags through.

[bbwex]

For the time being, there is a major restriction on carry-on pieces on flights from Canada to the US. There is not an absolute ban as suggested by some people on other threads, but it is pretty broad -- purses, laptops, cameras and just a few other carry-ons are allowed.

 

Whether these strict rules will apply come next summer is the ultimate question.

[cruiseing marly]

I forgot that canadian customs may also have to have access to your bags.

[nannie70]

Would definitly use ths express luggage service. Did it from Seattle and it is wonderful. YOu can spend the day without luggage. Is it available from Ft Lauderdale to chog on Spirit Airlines? How do I find out? Thanks

[nagsheadbeachbum]

Does anyone know if Jet Blue participates in the signature express service in Fort Lauderdale I called HAL but the girl told me I have to wait to board the Zuiderdam and the purser's office has a list. Wanted to take care of this for my group on 2/21 sailing, but can't get info up front. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks:)

[pms4104]

Does anyone know if Jet Blue participates in the signature express service in Fort Lauderdale I called HAL but the girl told me I have to wait to board the Zuiderdam and the purser's office has a list. Wanted to take care of this for my group on 2/21 sailing, but can't get info up front. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks:)

I do not recall Jet Blue listed as a participating carrier.

[KS Jeff]

We used it on Westerdam in Port Everglades last December. We had a late flight out and didn't want to have to deal with the bags all day. It worked very well - in fact, our bags got home before we did.

[Boytjie]

I do not recall Jet Blue listed as a participating carrier.

 

We used jetBlue from Ft. Lauderdale to New York last February.

 

The company that HAL uses for the service lists both HAL and jetBlue as partners: http://www.airportbags.com/partners/

[pms4104]

We used jetBlue from Ft. Lauderdale to New York last February.

 

The company that HAL uses for the service lists both HAL and jetBlue as partners: http://www.airportbags.com/partners/

Thanks for the clarification ... guess my memory's not what it was back in the day.:)

[sylteach]

We used this service last September when we arrived in Vancouver to fly to Detroit, then on to Columbus. Be sure to check the name on the boarding pass that they print for you. It is sent to the ship from the airlines. My father's pass was incorrect and listed someone else's name on it. The front desk kept telling him that was ok. He could get a new boarding pass at the gate. NOT!!! I knew better than that. Luckily we pestered them and just before we got off the ship in the morning miraculously dad's correct pass arrived. We had left the luggage outside our staterooms the night before, and did not see them until we arrived in Columbus. We did go through Canadian customs while on the "sealed bus," then past the security officers, and finally the U. S. Customs. We did not have to go through the long lines in the airport area. We had our own little entrance area and it was super!!! This was well worth the extra cost, and we were not charged for the check-in baggage that Northwest charged us on the way to Alaska. Maybe it was an oversight, but we did not complain. My daughter flew to Minneapolis and Knoxville and had no problems either. I would recommend this service whenever it is available. Have a great time!!