Luggage Suggestions?

[beancounterbeth]

My DH and I don't travel a lot and when we do it is usually somewhere that we drive to and have never needed nice luggage. For our cruise on EOS last August we purchased one of those 4 pieces for $100 from Target in bright orange. It was great because we could easily pick out our luggage but seeing as how it was 4 pieces for only $100 it didn't last. By the time we got to Miami one of the wheels had already broken. I'm worried about trying to take it on our FOS cruise this August. I don't want to press my luck. I have this fear of it falling apart and my clothes going all over the place. :eek:

 

So does anyone have any suggestions as to which luggage I should buy? Also any good web sites? I don't want to spend a fortune but I would like to invest in either one or two nice size pieces.

 

Thanks.

[Sheffie]

I got a good deal on a set of luggage from Sam's Club. I don't remember the price, but it is Samsonite and I like it. My only word of caution is to be sure that it has a good "thread" count and isn't really heavy. Those 50# weight limits on the airlines are usually strictly followed.

 

Good luck!

[Ali-in-Texas]

I really think cheap luggage is the way to go. Have seen many posts on cruise critic by people who have spent hundreds on luggage only for it to get torn up by the airlines or porters at the port.

 

We also bought pretty inexpensive luggage at Target and has lasted 7 years.

 

I figure if you don't spend much on luggage it isn't that big of a deal if it gets damaged.

[ilv2cruis]

A good place to buy luggage is http://www.ebags.com they have sales and The luggage I bought there lasted through 12 cruises and of course that would make 24 flights,lol, plus land trips. We bought American Tourister.

[lmmn]

They have good quality luggage at TJMaxx and Marshalls. I would recommend not getting the "huge" bag, because if you fill it, it will be over 50 lbs. Get the medium/large size and another smaller bag that you can set on top of it.

[wyattm]

I don't know if you have these stores where you live - Ross Dept. Store. good prices on luggage

[Captain Crunch]

We're LLBean fans. If it breaks, they'll replace it. We have a few bags that we've taken to Disney, Sarasota, a cruise, Singapore/Bangkok/Chang Mai and New York on the Amtrak.

 

You get what you pay for. We got one of those cheap sets of luggage as a wedding present, it didn't last the honeymoon, luckily we have.

[megr1125]

most retailers have name brand luggage at good prices. just watch for sales. i wouldn't get anything over 24 inches because the bigger the bag the heavier it will be.

 

ballistic nylon is best. if you get polyester, make sure it has a high denier number. (like thread count)

 

if it feels thin, look for something else. protocol luggage by jcpenney is pretty good. samsonite/american tourister have good warranties and they stand behind their product. we also had a pierre cardin set that lasted a long time.

 

if you live near an outlet, you can get good deals there as well. the samsonite/tourister outlet usually has great sales, and they have locations all over. in fact, when we made the mistake of buying a 26 inch bag and decided it was too big and heavy, they let us exhange the entire 4 peices for something else, even after we used it for a trip to mexico.

 

 

also, try to buy a color other than black or navy. there are nice greens and blues that will be easier to spot.

hth

[CruisinDawn]

A good place to buy luggage is http://www.ebags.com they have sales and The luggage I bought there lasted through 12 cruises and of course that would make 24 flights,lol, plus land trips. We bought American Tourister.

 

I agree ebags is the site you should look at. Good deals there too.

 

BonVoyage

Dawna

[megessey]

I bought a set from ebags.com -- Atlantic brand 5 piece for $200.00 about 4 years ago. All 5 are still in fabulous condition.

 

The wheels are solid too, so they don't lean off track when you turn a corner. And the handles are still sliding and locking without a hitch (that's another problem area with cheap luggage.

 

Here's a link to a nice 7-piece, includes good variety of carry-ons--

 

http://www.ebags.com/products/index.cfm?modelID=50334&Subcategory_Link=Details_Atlantic_50334

 

OOh and it comes in a pretty green color, which will be easier to pick out. If my set wasn't still going strong I'd buy this one.

 

PS: no I don't work for Atlantic, and get no commission for this endorsement :D

[freedom-lover]

Can your bag way over 50 pounds if your not flying:confused: Are there any restrictions to size or how many you can have as far as RCCL is concerned?

[ccletzgo]

My DH and I don't travel a lot and when we do it is usually somewhere that we drive to and have never needed nice luggage. For our cruise on EOS last August we purchased one of those 4 pieces for $100 from Target in bright orange. It was great because we could easily pick out our luggage but seeing as how it was 4 pieces for only $100 it didn't last. By the time we got to Miami one of the wheels had already broken. I'm worried about trying to take it on our FOS cruise this August. I don't want to press my luck. I have this fear of it falling apart and my clothes going all over the place. :eek:

 

So does anyone have any suggestions as to which luggage I should buy? Also any good web sites? I don't want to spend a fortune but I would like to invest in either one or two nice size pieces.

 

Thanks.

 

 

As far as value for the dollar, Samsonite and American Tourist-or are the best bet. They have full warranty and really do last. American Tourist or has a set called "lite" that really weighs alot less then the other sets. Plus they have a huge variety, so you can find what works for you.

 

If you want to spend alot of money and want it to last forever, the line "Purdy neat". May not be too pretty, but will last a life time.

[anadi]

From what I understand, there are no restrictions on weight or size. The only thing I have heard people say is that your carryons must fit through the scanner as you board the ship. I want to use a soft sided cooler on wheels for a carryon, and have not figured out if it is too big.

[threeofus]

There is no limit to the size or amount of luggage you bring onboard - however there is a limit to the amount of storage space for these bags. We bought a set prior to a cruise several years ago...and were thrilled that all the pieces nested and we were left with ONE Large piece to store in our stateroom. One piece is easy to store...several pieces ....well you will be tripping over them all week.

 

Make sure your pieces nest - that is my only piece of advice.

[hdcobur]

American Touristor (sp?) duffel bags have successfully made it through 3 cruises and multiple trips to Disney World. They have a re-inforced zipper, strong bottom, strong wheels, and handle. We have just now noticed some wear on 1 of the 4 duffles that we have (they are VERY large - I grimace every time they are put on the scales at the airport for fear that they are overpacked). We purchased ours at Meijer for approx $45 a piece. The best luggage investment made yet (AND they survived being lost by AIRTRAN:eek: on our last cruise this past January)

[sherry7]

I agree ebags is the site you should look at. Good deals there too.

 

BonVoyage

Dawna

 

 

I agree that ebags.com has some good deals. Overstock.com also has some very good deals as well. Both places tend to sell some of 'last years models'. Personally that doesn't bother me, since it's just luggage...durability counts more. Watch the luggage weight, since the airlines are stricter about the 50 lb. limit now.

[Liner]

I swear by the Kipling brand of luggage. I have the largest wheeled duffle and it has traveled around the world on airplanes, trains and cruises. The bag is light-weight -- good for that 50# limit on airplanes. ebags.com sells them as well as luggage stores in malls, etc. I've even seen some Kipling at TJMaxx. Recently bought the medium wheeled duffle at TJMaxx for $79.99...retails at $186.00. My large bag is red and the medium is Key Lime Green!!

 

Happy Cruising!!

[Coralc]

I agree! TJ MAXX, Ross and Marshalls and even BigLots. Our bags don't match, and they are not a set, but it doesn't really matter to us. You can find good quality luggage pieces, at the above stores at great prices. They have held up for many cruises, and it hasn't happened yet, but we would not be devastated if they were damaged in transit.:)

 

We don't have a favorite brand, we have American Tourister, Alladin Expandable and Other. Look for lightweight, but solid construction. Check all the wheels zippers and parts. :-)

[TWC]

I don't know if you have a Kohl's in your area, but I got some good bargains there on Samsonite. One 3 piece set for $69; big and mediurm rolling suitcase and good aize duffel. I also got a very good Samsonite 6 piece set for $129; it is sapphire blue, bright, but hopefully noticeable when with other bags. It is very high quality, and offers several options, depending on how many days and how I am going.

 

By the way, RCCL (and some others) say there is a 200# limit total per person on luggage when you read the fine print. I have never seen them turn anything away though, and I swear, we have probably come close some times!!

[desertheat]

Take into consideration Travelpro luggage. We have had our six bags for over 12 years and never a problem. Very durable. A little more costly but if you watch the big department store sales you can get very good deals. One store recently had Travelpro for 60% off plus a 15% off coupon in the newspaper. Very good price for very good luggage.

[dcdiva]

So far, lots of good recommendations. I've used E-bags and have been pleased and the discount stores like Marshall, TJMaxx and Ross often have quality brands names at good prices.

 

I'd add Overstock.com to the list as well. They sell lots of discoutinued colors and odd lots and often have very high quality luggage at big discounts.

 

www.Overstock.com

[GuyFromCalifornia]

I do a fair amount of airline travel. I used to go the cheap route but finally just decided to get something better.

 

Kiva isn't as well known and perhaps carries a premium price but I am very satisfied with their products. I've been using one of their smaller rollers as carry-on luggage for over five years (checking it in perhaps a fourth of time) and in over 100 trips it has come through with flying colors. Recently, I had to replace a larger piece of luggage (American Tourister hard shell non-roller that got bent out of shape) and I went with a larger Kiva roller and no complaints from a couple of uses so far. I purchased the Kiva's at http://www.magellans.com/

 

Mark

 

P.S.: My latest Kiva came with a check-in protective cover, two TSA approved locks, and some other miscellany.

[stargate fan]

Watch out for "warranties". We bought what we thought were very good pieces of luggage by Ricardo Beverly Hills. We paid a pretty penny for them too. After only one trip, we already have problems with a couple of the pieces. (A zipper broke, a hook fell apart, a zipper pull broke off.) When I called the company about my "lifetime warranty" I was told that there was nothing they could do. So, I'm stuck with $400 worth of luggage that is not holding up.

I'd go with the cheaper stuff and replace it often.

 

As far as value for the dollar, Samsonite and American Tourist-or are the best bet. They have full warranty and really do last. American Tourist or has a set called "lite" that really weighs alot less then the other sets. Plus they have a huge variety, so you can find what works for you.

 

If you want to spend alot of money and want it to last forever, the line "Purdy neat". May not be too pretty, but will last a life time.

[pandvsmith]

Saw a set on the J.C. Penney Catalog Website. It was American Tourister I believe Glenbrook. It was a six piece set for I think approximately $129.00. The fabric was 1200 denier.