Luggage Valet out of FLL Question

[san diego spartan]

Hi - want to use the luggage valet program out of Ft Lauderdale airport - I believe we met all the requirements - just have a question if anyone has used them with Southwest Airlines? Since SWA does not assign seats (just the A,B,C boarding thing) - wondering how that works. I was going to purchase the Early Bird Check in on SWA, but if we are doing the luggage valet, I understand they check us in. Has anyone had that experience? I just do not want the dreaded "C" group.

 

Thanks!

[gerelmx]

We do it in MIA with AA, Celebrity gives you the bag tags and your boarding pass.

[CHEZMARYLOU]

I would not depend on Celebrity checking you in early enough to get an A or B boarding position. To me, it is worth it to purchase Early Bird checking. And, if something goes wrong with Luggage Valet you still have your boarding position.

[long time lurker]

We just did this with our Reflection March cruise. We had SWA and Early Bird. I do not remember our exact boarding position, but it was decently in the A group. I think when Celebrity prints the boarding pass that the correct position has already been assigned by SWA.

[san diego spartan]

Thanks everyone! I think I'll pay for the Early Bird to make sure we have decent boarding positions.

[2theship]

The one time we just left it all up to Celebrity, we got terrible boarding positions so either get the early bird check-in or check yourself in at the 24 hour mark. Celebrity will still print your boarding pass and manage the luggage tags.

[cruisestitch]

This is a problem specific to Southwest Airlines. Experiences with other airlines are not relevant.

 

Pay for the Early Bird.

[George C]

we did it out of Miami, but concierge on Summit said it was not available a couple of months ago out of FLL??

[cruisestitch]

Southwest doesn’t fly out of Miami, AFAIK, so how could you have done Luggage Valet with them?

[ClaudiaB]

We've done luggage valet out of Ft. Lauderdale several times. You leave your cases outside your door the night before and the next time you see them you are at your final destination.

 

As normal, 24 hours ahead of time, we get on Southwest website and get our seats. We typically pay $15 or something like that for automatic A seating, but when we haven't we punch the button right at the 24 hour mark and usually get an A seat.

 

To be clear, we let luggage valet check us in and give us our boarding pass, but we knew they weren't going to be doing it right at the 24 hour mark, so we checked ourselves in online. Then, when we got the luggage valet from Celebrity that evening before, lo and behold it was the same exact "A" numbers as we had checked in earlier. So just check in yourself and you'll likely get the same result.

[san diego spartan]

Ok so I purchased the Early Bird check in on SWA. And yes this is ONLY a SWA problem as most other airlines on the luggage valet program allow you to preselect a specific seat. I just didn't want the dreaded C boarding group especially since I'll be flying all the way to San Diego.

 

So we will do the luggage valet and allow Celebrity to check in our luggage and give us a boarding pass - but I think since they probably have to wait until 24 hours ahead of time, so purchasing the early bird check in seems like the best thing to do since I don't want to wait until Celebrity checks us in without the early bird on our reservation.

 

Thanks everyone!

[Cruise Raider]

Ok so I purchased the Early Bird check in on SWA. And yes this is ONLY a SWA problem as most other airlines on the luggage valet program allow you to preselect a specific seat. I just didn't want the dreaded C boarding group especially since I'll be flying all the way to San Diego.

 

So we will do the luggage valet and allow Celebrity to check in our luggage and give us a boarding pass - but I think since they probably have to wait until 24 hours ahead of time, so purchasing the early bird check in seems like the best thing to do since I don't want to wait until Celebrity checks us in without the early bird on our reservation.

 

Thanks everyone!

 

Definitely, a smart move and that is exactly what we do as well. We always get the early bird on SW when we cruise and you will get the same position in the A or maybe B group regardless of what time you or Celebrity checks you in.

Just of note, if you only have one piece of luggage to check for each of you and since you've already purchased the early bird boarding, only one of you will need to purchase the luggage valet. Just use your cell phone in the morning to check in the other person on your reservation and print out a boarding pass in the airport for that passenger. It will save you the $25 or $30 that they charge pp, so essentially, the early bird check in is already taken care of.

Also, check on this as it may have changed, but your luggage doesn't have to be under 50 lbs. This is the best feature (or at least it has been in the past) of luggage valet.

[long time lurker]

Definitely, a smart move and that is exactly what we do as well. We always get the early bird on SW when we cruise and you will get the same position in the A or maybe B group regardless of what time you or Celebrity checks you in.

Just of note, if you only have one piece of luggage to check for each of you and since you've already purchased the early bird boarding, only one of you will need to purchase the luggage valet. Just use your cell phone in the morning to check in the other person on your reservation and print out a boarding pass in the airport for that passenger. It will save you the $25 or $30 that they charge pp, so essentially, the early bird check in is already taken care of.

Also, check on this as it may have changed, but your luggage doesn't have to be under 50 lbs. This is the best feature (or at least it has been in the past) of luggage valet.

I wish that I had thought of only purchasing one for the luggage valet. I will remember for next time. Great tip!! We both travel with only one checked bag each. And we use the mobile pass on our phone so no need to print the second person’s pass.

[san diego spartan]

Definitely, a smart move and that is exactly what we do as well. We always get the early bird on SW when we cruise and you will get the same position in the A or maybe B group regardless of what time you or Celebrity checks you in.

Just of note, if you only have one piece of luggage to check for each of you and since you've already purchased the early bird boarding, only one of you will need to purchase the luggage valet. Just use your cell phone in the morning to check in the other person on your reservation and print out a boarding pass in the airport for that passenger. It will save you the $25 or $30 that they charge pp, so essentially, the early bird check in is already taken care of.

Also, check on this as it may have changed, but your luggage doesn't have to be under 50 lbs. This is the best feature (or at least it has been in the past) of luggage valet.

 

Excellent tip! Will do this for sure.

[gpnfish]

FYI - You SW early bird seat assignment depends on when you bought your ticket and your early bird add-on, not when you check in. You can check in 24 hours ahead of time, or 10 hours ahead of time, and your group boarding assignment will be the same. We fly SW all the time for cruises out of FLL or MIA (flying thru FLL) and use valet service. Never an issue. Go for it - no effect on seat assignment!

[Cruise Raider]

I wish that I had thought of only purchasing one for the luggage valet. I will remember for next time. Great tip!! We both travel with only one checked bag each. And we use the mobile pass on our phone so no need to print the second person’s pass.

 

Ah yes!! Glad to be of help ... for next time.

[sakigemcam]

Be sure to check your credit card statement if you do the Valet. We were double charged,